Bantamweight

Quick Hits: Strikeforce Inks Ribeiro, Thomson Injured Once Again & More

— Brazilian lightweight standout Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro has reportedly signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce. The promotion is expected to officially announce the signing shortly. While Ribeiro may actually still be under contract with DREAM, the two organizations share a talent-exchange program. Ribeiro returned to active competition earlier this year after an 18-month hiatus, defeating Katsuhiko Nagata and falling to Shinya Aoki thus far. [Sherdog.com]

—Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson will be sidelined until at least December after breaking his leg for the second time this year during training. The injury will now keep Thomson from a potential showdown against Gilbert Melendez at Strikeforce’s “Fedor vs. Rogers” event on November 7 in Chicago. According to Thomson, a return bout for him could be possible at a yet-to-be-announced event on December 19. [MMA Weekly]

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Quick Hits: Evans vs. Silva Possible, Sylvia Withdraws from DREAM Debut & More

— Rashad Evans says that a light heavyweight clash against fellow contender Thiago Silva could be possible for a UFC event in December or early next year. “Thiago Silva is a good fighter, I’d like to fight him and I think he wants to fight me,” Evans said. “When I saw him after he fought Keith Jardine, he kind of gave me a nasty look that I interpreted like he wanted to take me on, and I’d like that.” [MMA FanHouse]

— Two-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has been forced to withdraw from a scheduled debut with Japan-based DREAM after suffering a broken hand during his first-round TKO of Jason Riley at Adrenaline MMA IV last weekend. According to Sylvia’s manager, Monte Cox, the Miletich Fighting Systems product will now attempt to land a spot on the DREAM and K-1 co-promoted “Dynamite!!” show on New Year’s Eve. [Sherdog.com]

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Quick Hits: Couture-Vera Official for UFC 105, Gomi to Fight at VTJ ‘09 & More

— UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture will indeed drop down to 205 lbs to meet Brandon Vera in the main event of UFC 105 on November 15. The UFC officially announced the bout today. Couture (16-10) will fight at light heavyweight for the first time since suffering his second straight loss to former champion Chuck Liddell at UFC 57 and entering a temporary retirement. [UFC.com]

— Former PRIDE lightweight champion Takanori Gomi and Japanese MMA pioneer Rumina Sato have been announced as participants Vale Tudo Japan 2009 on October 30, the first time the event will be held in nearly ten years. According to Gomi, the fight will be his last in his native country of Japan. A featherweight bout between Takeshi Inoue and Alexandre Franca Nogueira will also take place at the show. [Sherdog.com]

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Chonan Victorious in DEEP Homecoming

Fresh off of a disappointing effort in the UFC, Ryo Chonan made a successful return to his former home, picking up a unanimous decision over fellow veteran Jutaro Nakao in the main event of DEEP’s “43rd Impact” show on Sunday morning at at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

In the first of two championship fights on the card, grappling specialist Masakazu Imanari retained his DEEP bantamweight title, using a variety of submission attempts to thwart challenger Tomohiko Hori and earn a unanimous decision win.

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Newton vs. Carter to Headline W-1: High Voltage in October

Former UFC welterweight champion Carlos “The Ronin” Newton will headline W1: High Voltage in a bout with Shonie “Mr. International” Carter in a battle for the W1 welterweight title.

The co-main event will feature a W1 bantamweight title fight between Remi “Bam Bam” Morvan and former TKO bantamweight champion Adrian “The Bully” Wooley.

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Quick Hits: Belfort Reportedly Added to Bitetti Combat Card, Monson Pleads Guilty & More

— Former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort has reportedly been added to a star-studded card being put on by Bitetti Combat on September 12 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Belfort is said to be facing Europe Top Team’s Moise Rimbon, despite repeated rumors that he is all but set to be joining the UFC following last week’s demise of Affliction Entertainment. [JB Online via Bloody Elbow]

— One-time UFC heavyweight title challenger Jeff Monson pleaded guilty to malicious mischief in Washington court today after being caught spray-painting an anarchist symbol on the Washington state Capitol in an ESPN the Magazine photo earlier this year. Monson faces a potential 90-day jail sentence, a $21,894 fine, and the loss of his passport, which will now prevent from traveling overseas to fight in the near future. [Cagewriter]

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Page vs. Tamura Likely Added to WEC 43

A bantamweight bout between top-ranked fighters Damacio Page and Akitoshi Tamura has reportedly been added to WEC 43, which will take place on September 2 at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio.

The news comes from Ray Hui of MMA FanHouse. The bout will likely be part of the televised main card on Versus. Donald Cerrone and Ben Henderson collide for the interim WEC lightweight title in the show’s featured attraction.

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Hosman to Replace Osawa at WEC 42

Midwest Training Center product John Hosman has been tapped to replace an injured Kenji Osawa against submission specialist Rani Yahya in a bantamweight bout at WEC 42, which takes place on August 9 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

World Extreme Cagefighting confirmed the previously rumored switch on their official website earlier today. Osawa suffered a foot injury during a recent training session and will be sidelined indefinitely.

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Benavidez vs. Cruz Confirmed for WEC 42

A previously rumored bantamweight bout between rising contenders Joseph Benavidez and Dominick Cruz has been officially confirmed for WEC 42, which will take place on August 9 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

World Extreme Cagefighting confirmed the bout via their official website earlier today. The winner of the aforementioned matchup is expected to face the winner of Miguel Torres’ WEC bantamweight title defense against Brian Bowles on the same night.

Benavidez, a protege of former longtime WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber, remains undefeated thus far in his professional career. Following a unanimous decision win over Danny Martinez in his WEC debut, Benavidez made waves with a three-round handling of veteran Jeff Curran at WEC 40 in April.

 

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Quick Hits: “Kid” Yamamoto to Added to K-1 Max, Hallman Gets New Foe & More

Here are your quick hits for the afternoon of June 18, 2009.

— Former pound-for-pound phenom Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto will return to action a little less than two months after suffering his first professional MMA loss in seven years at K-1’s “World MAX 2009” event on July 13 in a kickboxing bout. “Kid” will be fighting Jae hee Cheon in a three-round matchup. Other notable MMA fighters competing include Tatsuya Kawajiri and Atsushi Yamamoto. [Japan-MMA.com]

— Longtime veteran Dennis Hallman will now be facing training partner Justin Davis in a catch-weight bout at tomorrow night’s “Strikeforce Challengers: Villasenor vs. Cyborg” event at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington. Hallman was originally slated to take on Cedric Marks, who was forced out of the bout after reportedly competing this past weekend and acquiring a medical suspension because of it. A lightweight bout between Jorge Gurgel and Conor Heun will also now be contested at a catch-weight of 160 lbs. [MMA Junkie]

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