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NCRadioMan · 12-03-2009, 03:55 AM

Strikeforce signs K-1 star and MMA veteran Melvin Manhoef

K-1 wrecking machine and mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran, Melvin Manhoef (23-6-1), is once again set to put his all-around skills to the test when he debuts with the San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion in the coming weeks.

MMAmania.com confirmed the signing earlier today.

While a Dec. 19 bout with Robbie Lawler is under consideration for "Evolution," nothing is official at this time and a more likely time line for his debut would be early 2010.

Manhoef looked "Marvelous" in the opening round of his DREAM 10 fight against Paulo Filho, putting the Brazilian grappling stud on queer street with his trademark barrage blitzkrieg of punches; however, Manhoef ultimately fell short after the fight hit the mat.

He's going to need to keep his ground game sharp if he plans to compete exclusively in mixed martial arts. There are a bevy of top middleweights under the Strikeforce banner with serviceable grappling skills that could negate the power punching of the hard-hitting Hollander.

Assuming he doesn't separate them from the consciousness first.

Star-divide

Prior to the Filho bout, Manhoef went toe-to-toe with "Super Samoan" Mark Hunt during the stacked New Year’s Eve Fields Dynamite!! card at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on Dec. 31, 2008. Despite being at a huge size advantage, as well as taking the fight on literally a few days notice, Manhoef needed just 18 seconds to dispatch of the granite-chinned heavyweight.

Aside from being the Cage Rage light heavyweight champion, "No Mercy" has a 37-8 kickboxing record with 27 knockouts. Expect fireworks in his upcoming debut.

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Strikeforce signs KJ Noons

K.J. Noons has signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce, Sherdog.com has learned from sources familiar with the negotiations.

The former EliteXC champion could make his lightweight debut for the promotion at Strikeforce “Evolution” on Dec. 19 in San Jose, Calif., although Noons’ return is likely for Strikeforce’s Jan. 30 event in Sunrise, Fla.

Noons was stripped of his EliteXC 160-pound title in September 2008 during a contract dispute. EliteXC and parent company Pro Elite closed its doors shortly afterward and the Hawaiian-born fighter delved back into professional boxing, going 4-1 in the last year. Noons earned a six-round decision over Julio Perez on Nov. 10 in Houston.

The 26-year-old kickboxer has keys MMA victories over former UFC contender Yves Edwards and Nick Diaz, who also remains in Strikeforce’s 170- and 185-pound ranks. Noons bested the mouthy Stockton, Calif. native with a second-round TKO on cuts in September 2007. Words between the fighters and their families ensued in the cage, but a rematch never materialized.

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Lawler vs Prangley at SF Evolution

American Kickboxing Academy standout Trevor Prangley is expected to face Robbie Lawler at Strikeforce: Evolution on Dec. 19 in San Jose, Calif.

Multiple MMAWeekly.com sources indicated the bout was all but signed. One source said Prangley, 37, is awaiting a bout agreement and is expected to sign as soon as Monday afternoon.

Lawler was rumored to face Melvin Manhoef, a bout long campaigned for by Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, but Manhoef is committed to fight on the Dream vs. Sengoku New Year’s Eve event against an opponent yet to be announced.

Strikeforce: Evolution is slated for the HP Pavilion and will be broadcast live on Showtime. Other featured bouts include a title unification bout between champion Josh Thomson and interim titleholder Gilbert Melendez, and a middleweight slugfest pitting former champ Cung Le against Scott Smith.

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Official: Keith Jardine vs Ryan Bader - UFC 110

Earlier tonight Ryan Bader sent out an ominous tweet stating that he signed a bout agreement and it would, "definitely [be] a step up in competition!"

So who is Ryan Bader fighting? Why, it is Keith Jardine, at least according to MMA Weekly.

The report also states that Bader vs. Jardine will take place at UFC 110 in Sydney, Australia.

The undefeated Ryan Bader (10-0) was correct when he described this as a step up in competition. Jardine has victories over Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Brandon Vera, all of which are far more impressive than Bader's wins over Eric Schafer, Carmelo Marrero and Vinny Magalhaes. Yet, this fight is still an absolute must win for Keith Jardine (15-6-1) who is coming off of back-to-back losses and is 1-3 in his past four fights and 2-4 in his past six.

At a glance, UFC 110 appears to be a fairly deep fight card, which is somewhat counter intuitive for what the UFC usually does for an overseas card. However UFC 110 will be a pay-per view event so it makes sense for Zuffa to load up on name fighters.

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Amir Sadollah vs. Brad Blackburn announced for UFN 20

A welterweight bout between TUF 7 winner Amir Sadollah and Brad Blackburn is in the works for UFC Fight Night 20 on Jan. 11 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. News of the bout was first reported by The Newark Examiner.

The UFC Fight Night 20 main card had just three bouts rather than the traditional four but with the addition of Sadollah vs. Blackburn, the fourth spot is now filled for the televised portion of the card.

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UFC in Boston now a reality with MMA regulation in Mass

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick today signed a bill into law that regulates mixed martial arts in the "Bay State," paving the way for the sport's top brand, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and other promotions to host events in 2010 and beyond.

UFC President Dana White, a Boston-area native, has gushed for years about the possibility of promoting a show in "Beantown." In fact, during the UFC 101 post-fight press conference he revealed his grand plans to stage a major event in the historic and beloved Fenway Park in mid to late 2010.

UFC officials stormed Massachusetts earlier this year, attempting to convince lawmakers that MMA regulation is good for them and the state economy … to the tune of $12.3 million in just one weekend.

The dog and pony show was apparently very effective -- the bill breezed through the State Senate by a vote of 34-1. It then headed to the House Ways and Means Committee for additional consideration, where it sailed through by a vote of 144-10.

Patrick's historic signature earlier this afternoon was a mere formality.

12-03-2009, 03:55 AM	#1020
NCRadioMan Chutney Lovebusciut Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Chutney Location: On the shores of Loch Shiel Posts: 4,276 Trading: (66)	Re: Official MMA Thread Strikeforce signs K-1 star and MMA veteran Melvin Manhoef K-1 wrecking machine and mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran, Melvin Manhoef (23-6-1), is once again set to put his all-around skills to the test when he debuts with the San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion in the coming weeks. MMAmania.com confirmed the signing earlier today. While a Dec. 19 bout with Robbie Lawler is under consideration for "Evolution," nothing is official at this time and a more likely time line for his debut would be early 2010. Manhoef looked "Marvelous" in the opening round of his DREAM 10 fight against Paulo Filho, putting the Brazilian grappling stud on queer street with his trademark barrage blitzkrieg of punches; however, Manhoef ultimately fell short after the fight hit the mat. He's going to need to keep his ground game sharp if he plans to compete exclusively in mixed martial arts. There are a bevy of top middleweights under the Strikeforce banner with serviceable grappling skills that could negate the power punching of the hard-hitting Hollander. Assuming he doesn't separate them from the consciousness first. Star-divide Prior to the Filho bout, Manhoef went toe-to-toe with "Super Samoan" Mark Hunt during the stacked New Year’s Eve Fields Dynamite!! card at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on Dec. 31, 2008. Despite being at a huge size advantage, as well as taking the fight on literally a few days notice, Manhoef needed just 18 seconds to dispatch of the granite-chinned heavyweight. Aside from being the Cage Rage light heavyweight champion, "No Mercy" has a 37-8 kickboxing record with 27 knockouts. Expect fireworks in his upcoming debut. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Strikeforce signs KJ Noons K.J. Noons has signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce, Sherdog.com has learned from sources familiar with the negotiations. The former EliteXC champion could make his lightweight debut for the promotion at Strikeforce “Evolution” on Dec. 19 in San Jose, Calif., although Noons’ return is likely for Strikeforce’s Jan. 30 event in Sunrise, Fla. Noons was stripped of his EliteXC 160-pound title in September 2008 during a contract dispute. EliteXC and parent company Pro Elite closed its doors shortly afterward and the Hawaiian-born fighter delved back into professional boxing, going 4-1 in the last year. Noons earned a six-round decision over Julio Perez on Nov. 10 in Houston. The 26-year-old kickboxer has keys MMA victories over former UFC contender Yves Edwards and Nick Diaz, who also remains in Strikeforce’s 170- and 185-pound ranks. Noons bested the mouthy Stockton, Calif. native with a second-round TKO on cuts in September 2007. Words between the fighters and their families ensued in the cage, but a rematch never materialized. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lawler vs Prangley at SF Evolution American Kickboxing Academy standout Trevor Prangley is expected to face Robbie Lawler at Strikeforce: Evolution on Dec. 19 in San Jose, Calif. Multiple MMAWeekly.com sources indicated the bout was all but signed. One source said Prangley, 37, is awaiting a bout agreement and is expected to sign as soon as Monday afternoon. Lawler was rumored to face Melvin Manhoef, a bout long campaigned for by Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, but Manhoef is committed to fight on the Dream vs. Sengoku New Year’s Eve event against an opponent yet to be announced. Strikeforce: Evolution is slated for the HP Pavilion and will be broadcast live on Showtime. Other featured bouts include a title unification bout between champion Josh Thomson and interim titleholder Gilbert Melendez, and a middleweight slugfest pitting former champ Cung Le against Scott Smith. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Official: Keith Jardine vs Ryan Bader - UFC 110 Earlier tonight Ryan Bader sent out an ominous tweet stating that he signed a bout agreement and it would, "definitely [be] a step up in competition!" So who is Ryan Bader fighting? Why, it is Keith Jardine, at least according to MMA Weekly. The report also states that Bader vs. Jardine will take place at UFC 110 in Sydney, Australia. The undefeated Ryan Bader (10-0) was correct when he described this as a step up in competition. Jardine has victories over Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Brandon Vera, all of which are far more impressive than Bader's wins over Eric Schafer, Carmelo Marrero and Vinny Magalhaes. Yet, this fight is still an absolute must win for Keith Jardine (15-6-1) who is coming off of back-to-back losses and is 1-3 in his past four fights and 2-4 in his past six. At a glance, UFC 110 appears to be a fairly deep fight card, which is somewhat counter intuitive for what the UFC usually does for an overseas card. However UFC 110 will be a pay-per view event so it makes sense for Zuffa to load up on name fighters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amir Sadollah vs. Brad Blackburn announced for UFN 20 A welterweight bout between TUF 7 winner Amir Sadollah and Brad Blackburn is in the works for UFC Fight Night 20 on Jan. 11 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. News of the bout was first reported by The Newark Examiner. The UFC Fight Night 20 main card had just three bouts rather than the traditional four but with the addition of Sadollah vs. Blackburn, the fourth spot is now filled for the televised portion of the card. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UFC in Boston now a reality with MMA regulation in Mass Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick today signed a bill into law that regulates mixed martial arts in the "Bay State," paving the way for the sport's top brand, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and other promotions to host events in 2010 and beyond. UFC President Dana White, a Boston-area native, has gushed for years about the possibility of promoting a show in "Beantown." In fact, during the UFC 101 post-fight press conference he revealed his grand plans to stage a major event in the historic and beloved Fenway Park in mid to late 2010. UFC officials stormed Massachusetts earlier this year, attempting to convince lawmakers that MMA regulation is good for them and the state economy … to the tune of $12.3 million in just one weekend. The dog and pony show was apparently very effective -- the bill breezed through the State Senate by a vote of 34-1. It then headed to the House Ways and Means Committee for additional consideration, where it sailed through by a vote of 144-10. Patrick's historic signature earlier this afternoon was a mere formality. __________________ The path to loyalty is trust.