Rosholt earns bonus…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Short and sweet today as I’m trying to put together a nice plan for Ultimate Fight Night here in a couple of weeks. Definitely wanted to pass this along about Jake Rosholt though.
Rosholt receives bonus
Not only was Saturday’s win at UFC 102 the biggest one in the career for former Oklahoma State wrestler Jake Rosholt, it’s giving him some extra money, too.
Rosholt received an extra $60,000 for earning Submission of the Night with his third-round arm triangle choke victory against Chris Leben.
Rosholt earned $86,000 total.
The UFC gives out $60,000 bonuses for Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night.
Rosholt picks up biggest win of his career…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
UPDATE AT 11:25: Rosholt may have won, but it wasn’t a good night for former OSU wrestler Randy Couture.
Though sounds like an entertaining affair, Couture lost a unanimous decision to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the main event of UFC 102.
First two rounds sound extremely competitive before Couture, 46, kinda faded in the final stanza.
***
Jake Rosholt answered some questions tonight. Questions from people who doubted him and maybe even questions he had about himself. Here’s a short write-up on tonight’s bout.
Rosholt stops Leben in third round
Former Oklahoma State wrestler Jake Rosholt said Saturday night’s bout against Chris Leben was the biggest fight of his life.
He fought like it.
Rosholt stopped Leben in the third round via an arm triangle choke at UFC 102 in Portland, Ore.
After losing his UFC debut in February, Rosholt knew his back was up against the wall for this one.
Rosholt started off tentatively before successfully getting a takedown and taking the mount position in round one.
Leben, a UFC veteran, fought back and won the early part of the second round but Rosholt finished strong.
In the third, Rosholt attempted an arm triangle choke once, but Leben denied it. When Rosholt got a second chance, he put it in and the fight was stopped 1:30 into the third round by referee Yves Lavigne.
The win improves Rosholt to 6-1-0.
Rosholt’s second chance tonight at UFC 102…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Former Oklahoma State star Jake Rosholt wasn’t quite being hearlded as the next big thing in MMA, but pretty dang close.
And why not? With his credentials, physique and potential, it was safe to assume he would climb the ladder of success in no time.
But after losing to Dan Miller in his UFC debut in the winter, people abandoned Rosholt faster than the Titanic.
Rosholt knows tonight at UFC 102 against veteran Chris Leben that this is a make-it or break-it type fight.
This is the biggest fight of my life.
It’s not going to be easy to beat someone with such guile and experience as Leben. If Rosholt can’t take him out early, it’ll be very interesting to see what happens.
Can Rosholt go into deep waters? Gonna possibly find out tonight at UFC 102 in Portland.
I’ve shied away from the main event of Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira because deep down, I wish both men weren’t fighting anymore.
I get why they are, and I respect their right to make their own decision. But it’s tough to see. Lesnar took out Couture last November and Frank Mir destroyed Nogueira in December.
Both guys deserve like a “legend’s farewell” type thing. Sadly, in boxing and MMA, that just doesn’t happen. You get old, you get beat. As a fan, you just try to remember the glory days.
Doesn’t mean I won’t follow along tonight with how everything goes. I will, the same way I still track every Evander Holyfield bout.
I’ll have a short recap of Rosholt’s performance later tonight. After that, we turn our attention to UFN 19 here in Oklahoma City on Sept. 16. We have a lot planned for the event. Think you guys are going to be extremely pleased with the coverage.
Zuhdi, Tahdooahnippah victorious at Remington…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Oklahoma lightweight champion Noah Zuhdi didn’t say it was his finest performance yet, but he still got the job done Tuesday night at Remington Park.
Zuhdi had the burden (all too familiar one for small, midwest fighters) of having his opponent changed the day before the fight.
He went from facing a left-hander in Orville Hodges to facing Anthony McKay of Denver, who he knew nothing about.
Zuhdi dropped him twice with body shots and called it a day in the first round to move to 8-0 with 8 KOs.
Zuhdi said he knew his opponent wouldn’t like it downstairs. And, if nothing else, Zuhdi is disciplined when it comes to something like that.
Lawton’s George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah was also successful, earning a first-round KO.
***
It’s been a couple of days, but I don’t take back what I said about the Paulie Malignaggi-Juan Diaz fight.
The outrage hasn’t been that much. I get that. It’s tough for someone with the style of Malignaggi for people to go to bat for him.
I appreciate good boxing, and what he did Saturday was show how one-dimensional Diaz is as a fighter.
Hopefully, he’ll get another crack at something…anything.
The Timothy Bradley KO victory vs. Nate Campbell has been changed to a no-contest. Not that big of a shock.
That shouldn’t hurt the marketability of Bradley, who is one of the more crowd-pleasing fighters out there right now.
Just a reminder that UFC 102 is Saturday night. I’ll have much more to say about the card in the next couple of days.
Malignaggi not wrong with outburst…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Those first two fights of the HBO tripleheader last night were enough to put anyone to sleep.
No, Danny Jacobs and Robert Guererro didn’t win the most boring fights ever. But they didn’t inspire me to watch them again, and the Houston crowd was silent waiting for their boy, Juan Diaz.
In the main event, thought Paulie Malignaggi did more than enough to walk out of the Toyota Center with the W.
The Magic Man is never going to hurt his opponent, but his footwork was a thing of beauty from round 1 to the final minute.
He’s a pure boxer, that’s for sure. But he’s also a Brooklyn kid who isn’t against mixing it up on the inside.
Through the first seven rounds, had it 67-66 for Diaz (4 rounds to 3). But I find it extremely hard to give Diaz any of the next four rounds.
Diaz didn’t cut off the ring and was being peppered. Not hurt but he was being hit when he wasn’t touching Malignaggi.
My final scorecard was 116-113 for Malignaggi. Hearing the scores 115-113, 116-112 (OK, not too bad) but then a ridiculous 118-110 verdict for Diaz ruined the evening.
Malignaggi went on a profanity-laced rant about how boxing, hmm, is not so good right now.
I didn’t blame him. Diaz is talking about fighting Juan Manuel Marquez again. Malignaggi, point blank, said he is now “just another opponent.”
It’s his livelihood and a decision like this should rub everyone the wrong way.
Malignaggi was afraid of this happening. Fighting in Texas, there were two Texas judges and a Texas ref in Laurence Cole (who is the worst big-time ref I’ve ever seen).
He said he wouldn’t get a fair shake. He didn’t. Pathetic.
Malignaggi’s beef has nothing to do with Diaz or Houston but the Texas State Athletic Commission.
And anyone who brings up Pernell Whitaker and Julio Cesar Chavez for being a robbery is going to make me smile just a little bit. Whitaker put on the performance of his life only to get a draw vs. JCC in San Antonio in 1993.
Nights like last night are a reminder of why boxing is nothing more than a niche sport now.
I don’t know how else to explain something like last night to someone else that doesn’t follow the sport: Malignaggi did everything right, deserved the win and wasn’t even close to getting it.
Sad.
***
Great tribute by HBO to Alexis Arguello, Arturo Gatti and Vernon Forrest. Kinda sad that HBO hadn’t had a show in nearly two months, so only now could they acknowledge it.
Strong stuff, worth putting on DVD.
***
Lawton’s Grady Brewer wasted no time with late-sub opponent. Brewer knocked out the previously undefeated Albert Onolunose in two rounds to become the new IBC junior middleweight champion.
Brewer has now won eight straight fights and moves his record to 26-11.
***
Now we look ahead to UFC 102: Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira as well as former OSU wrestling star Jake Rosholt vs. Chris Leben. And next week starts 24/7 for Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez.
We’ve made it through the dog days of summer, and the fall should be fun for fight fans.
Diaz back this weekend…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Favorites are definitely played in boxing. Some people get a free pass for just being who they are.
Nobody remembers (or cares at this point) that Shane Mosley was involved in all the BALCO mess.
He’s such a personable guy, someone you’d want to hang out with that there hasn’t been any outrage.
I’m putting Houston’s Juan Diaz in that same category. It’s wrong to “hope,” but I almost hope Diaz is able to beat Paulie Malignaggi on Saturday night on HBO as part of a tripleheader on Boxing After Dark.
Diaz just seems like a good dude, you know. But in his last couple of big fights (albeit against great competition), Diaz has fallen short.
He lost his lightweight crown to Nate Campbell last year and was involved in a Fight of the Year candidate vs. Juan Manuel Marquez earlier this year.
Both fights were fun to watch (and rewatch) but Diaz has been on the short end of the stick.
If he loses to Malignaggi, it’ll be tough to consider him an elite fighter. I’ll still enjoy watching him, but it will be for the man he is as opposed to the fighter he can be.
Malignaggi seems the perfect foil for Diaz as Paulie, though slick, doesn’t possess much power.
Either way, it should be a night to showcase Diaz, Robert Guererro and Danny Jacobs. We’ll see. We’ve also had nights that were supposed to showcasing Alfredo Angulo and Victor Ortiz in the last couple of months on HBO, too. And we all know how those went.
***
The proposed middleweight bout between Kelly Pavlik and Paul Williams has been postponed until at least November.
A fan of both guys, but a bigger believer in Williams. Have been for some time, freakish what he is able to do at his size.
Those two need to pick a date so Mosley can find a spot for a proposed bout with either Andre Berto or Joshua Clottey. I want Mosley-Berto in the worst way. Berto will step up sometime this decade, right?
***
More on Tony Thompson and him pulling out of the Grady Brewer fight Saturday. No injury, no nothing, Thompson simply has retired from the sport.
Nothing new for the Lawton native as Brewer has had to do deal with strange situations often in his boxing career.
This might be Brewer’s last chance at a title, so you know he’ll be ready.
***
Kyle Bradley is being forced out of UFN 19 here in Oklahoma City on Sept. 16 because of injury. He was scheduled to take on Sam Stout. It is a lightweight bout, it is in Oklahoma City, perhaps Harrah’s Matt Grice will get a chance? I know it would help ticket sales.
Said it before, but really a tough break for OKC fans that Johny Hendricks and Jake Rosholt are fighting in August and couldn’t be on the card. Though from all reports I’ve heard, ticket sales has not been an issue for the Cox Convention Center.
Boxing back at Remington next week…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Tahdooahnippah, Zuhdi to co-headline Remington card
It’s not that Lawton super middleweight George “Comanche Boy” Tahdooahnippah and Oklahoma lightweight champion Noah Zuhdi (7-0-0) have fought all of their fights at Remington Park. It just feels that way.
The duo, who have made more appearances at Remington since boxing was brought back two years ago, will co-headline another card Tuesday night.
Tahdooahnippah is coming off a rare decision victory and is now 19-0-1 with 17 knockouts. It will be Zuhdi’s first fight since March.
Also on the card will be WBC Continental Americas junior middleweight champion Carson Jones (22-7-1), who recently sparred with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Heavyweight Ron Aubrey will also be in action.
Tickets are on sale now and range from $25-65. They can be charged by phone (800) 595-4849 and will be sold at Remington on Tuesday night.
Rosholt looking to bounce back
Former Oklahoma State wrestler Jake Rosholt’s first experience in the Ultimate Fighting Championship wasn’t what he was hoping for.
He gets a second chance at UFC 102 on Aug. 29 in Portland, Ore., against Chris Leben. Rosholt lost his UFC debut in February, the only loss in his professional career while Leben is 18-5-0.
Former Oklahoma State wrestler and UFC legend Randy Couture takes on Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the main event.
Short jabs
Lawton junior middleweight boxer Grady Brewer has arrived in California for his IBO title bout vs. Tony Thompson on Saturday. Brewer knocked out Thompson five years ago. UPDATE: Albert Onolunose is stepping in for Thompson vs. Brewer…Former Oklahoma State wrestler Shane Roller and former Central Oklahoma wrestler Cole Province won unanimous decisions at the World Extreme Cagefighting event last week. Roller ups his mark to 5-2-0 while Province is 6-1-0.
Cyborg makes statement vs. Carano…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Hey, I do exist. It’s been a busy week with my high school duties. We’ve revamped things, and it looks fantastic.
Unfortunately, that kinda took me away from the fight game this week. Wasn’t the worst thing ever as not too much was actually happening.
The two biggest things were the Strikeforce card Saturday headlined by Cris Cyborg vs. Gina Carano and a boxing PPV featuring Roy Jones Jr. vs. Jeff Lacy.
Let’s start with Strikeforce since I actually watched that.
What an intriguing atmosphere. That San Jose crowd was going nuts for the main event. It makes me wonder if women’s boxing could have been a hit had people like Christy Martin and Lucia Rijker actually fought.
Take that back, if any woman would have stepped up to fight Rijker. Lucia is the most skilled women’s fighter I’ve ever seen.
Again, there’s the difference between MMA and boxing. MMA knew it had a money match in Cyborg and Carano. Built it up properly and delivered.
Cyborg TKO 1 Carano
It was fun for as long as it lasted. Unfortunately for fight fans, we didn’t get to see a second round.
Cyborg’s pressure was incredible and Carano really had no answer for it. Cyborg was actually a little to amped up as I thought she was a little careless in her takedown attempts because she had so much nervous energy.
She’d have the advantage, but then Carano would end up in the mount position. Interestingly enough, Carano didn’t stay with the mount position.
Carano looked gassed halfway through and Cyborg finally put her stamp on the fight.
Watching it, all I could think was would the round end or the fight be stopped first? By about a half second, the fight was stopped. Good stoppage.
A rematch would sell, but I don’t know what else Carano could do. The glaring thing was her conditioning, in my opinion. Cyborg is the queen of MMA.
***
For a ridiculous $34.95, you could have watched Jones Jr. stop Lacy after 10 rounds Saturday.
Boxing still doesn’t get it. ESPN Classic ran a huge “Jones-Lacy” week theme, and that is exactly where this fight belonged.
I’m as big a boxing nut as I know, but had I the choice, I still would have watched Cyborg-Carano.
Jones methodically took control and battered Lacy before Lacy’s corner stopped the bout. Signs point to RJJ fighting Danny Green, but I can’t muster up much enthusiasm about that one.
***
Quick local update: Former UCO wrestler Cole Province and former OSU wrestler Shane Roller both won decisions at the WEC event last week. Add in Johny Hendricks’ UFC win, good weekend for the local boys…Boxing returns to Remington Park on Aug. 25 (Tuesday). A familiar cast of characters will headline, including Carson Jones, Oklahoma lightweight champion Noah Zuhdi, George Tahdooahnippah and Ron Aubrey.
Silva erases any doubts…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
In his last two fights, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva had been severely criticized for how he won.
Known as one of the premier punchers in the game and arguably the best MMA fighter pound-for-pound, he had won a couple of lackluster contests.
But the prospect of fighting someone like Forrest Griffin was too good to pass up. And everyone knew it wouldn’t be a dull fight. But I’m not sure anyone thought it would be such a short one.
Silva needed less than three minutes to knock Griffin out cold at UFC 101 in Philadelphia on Saturday night.
The reports say Silva basically had some fun with Griffin. Griffin fell once and Silva let him up. Then Silva dropped him but let him up before finally putting Griffin away with a short right hand. Official time was 3:23 into the first round.
The king is back. UFC president Dana White said Silva’s next challenge might come from Dan Henderson. Hmm, we’ll see.
In the main event, B.J. Penn got some redemption of his own with a rear-naked choke victory over Kenny Florian in the fourth round.
Penn was coming off a loss to Georges St. Pierre but showed he is still a force to be reckoned with.
From all accounts, Penn dominated every minute of action and simply closed the show like a true champion should.
Some postfight presser news: Silva earned fight of the night and KO of the night while Penn had submission of the night…Tito Ortiz will make his return to the UFC against Mark “The Hammer” Coleman. No date was announced…With Philly in the books, the UFC would love to go to Fenway Park in Boston for an event. Interesting.
Tonight is a WEC event on VS. where former OSU wrestler Shane Roller and former UCO wrestler Cole Province will be competing in separate bouts. After that, we turn our attention to Strikeforce. And in a first, the ladies take center stage with Gina Carano vs. Cyborg.
Hendricks victorious in UFC debut…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Hendricks wins UFC debut
It took less than a minute for former Oklahoma State wrestler Johny
Hendricks to make an impact in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Hendricks won via first-round technical knockout in his UFC debut Saturday night at UFC 101 in Philadelphia against Amir Sadollah.
Sadollah charged after Hendricks but was caught by a left hook that spelled the beginning of the end for Sadollah, who was fighting for the first time in 14 months.
Hendricks, known for his wrestling background, used his striking game with repeated punches before referee Dan Miragliotta stopped the bout 29 seconds into the first round.
Sadollah was furious at what he thought was an early stoppage. However, with the win, Hendricks improves to 6-0-0 in his mixed martial arts career.
***
It’ll be interesting to see how the MMA world views this win. Commentator Joe Rogan was quick to point out that he thought it was a bad stoppage. And some on the MMA forums also believe Hendricks hit Sadollah in the back of the head (illegal blows).
One Cowboy victory in the books, another to attempt one Sunday as Shane Roller returns to the WEC on VS. to try to bounce back after losing his last fight. Also, former UCO product Cole Province will be on the card so quite a bit of local flavor Sunday night.
