Undeterred by recent setbacks, Keith Jardine turns over new leaf at Shark Fights 13

When he saw UFC matchmaker Joe Silva’s number come up on his caller ID, Keith Jardine knew exactly what the call was about; he was being released by the UFC.

He didn’t spend much time to dwell on the setback, though.

After all, not more than 48 hours after the call, Jardine was booked for a main event gig at Saturday’s Shark Fights 13 pay-per-view event in Amarillo, Texas.

Aurelio cites injury for Shine Fights tourney scratch, Gugerty replaces

PRIDE and UFC veteran Marcus Aurelio today said that an elbow injury he sustained two weeks ago will keep him from fighting in Shine Fights’ single-night eight-man tournament on Friday in Newkirk, Okla.

And while he’s keeping his fingers crossed that he’ll be able to meet an obligation to fight Shinya Aoki at DREAM.16 on Sept. 25, it all depends on whether his injury subsides enough to fight.

“Right now, it looks like I can’t fight a girl,” he told MMAjunkie.com.

Thursday’s Bellator 28 fight card complete with five preliminary-card additions

The fight card for Thursday’s Bellator 28 event is complete with the addition of five preliminary-card bouts.

Bellator 28 takes place at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts in New Orleans, and the night’s main card airs on FOX Sports Net.

Featured in the “Local Main Event” is a lightweight bout between Louisiana native and EliteXC vet J.C. Pennington and Tonny Canales.

Clint Godfrey’s WEC 51 scratch due to staph infection, wants 2010 return

World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight Clint Godfrey is the latest victim of a nasty staph infection.

On Tuesday WEC officials announced Godfrey had been scratched from his Sept. 30 WEC 51 bout with Demetrious Johnson and replaced by Nick Pace.

Although officials didn’t specify the reason, Godfrey today told MMAjunkie.com he contracted a MRSA staph infection in his right knee. He also sent along a photo of the infection site.

George Sotiropoulos vs. Joe Lauzon slated for UFC 123, title shot may loom

A lightweight bout between George Sotiropoulos and Joe Lauzon has been verbally agreed to by both fighters for UFC 123, MMAjunkie.com has learned from sources close to the event.

Although not officially announced by the organization, UFC 123 takes place Nov. 20 at the The Palace of Auburn Hills in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills, Mich.

A source told MMAjunkie.com a victory could earn Sotiropoulos a title shot.

MMAjunkie.com Radio: Wanderlei Silva (in studio), Rich Clementi, Jeremy Luchau

MMAjunkie.com Radio today welcomes to the show UFC middleweight and longtime fan favorite Wanderlei Silva, who joins us an in-studio guest host. Currently on the mend, Silva discusses his planned early-2011 return.

Additionally, Rich Clementi, who makes his Bellator debut at Thursday’s event, and Jeremy Luchau, events coordinator for Thursday’s Tachi Palace Fights 6 event, both call into the show.

MMAjunkie.com Radio airs from 12-2 p.m. ET (9-11 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. Listen to and watch a video stream of the two-hour show at www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

Brent Weedman vs. Jacob McClintock tourney eliminator official for Bellator 30

As expected Brent Weedman and Jacob McClintock are slated to meet at Bellator 30, and the winner earns a berth into the organization’s season-four welterweight tournament, officials recently announced.

MMAjunkie.com first reported the bout in August.

Bellator 30 takes place Sept. 30 at Fourth Street Live! in Louisville, Ky., and Weedman vs. McClintock is part of the night’s FOX Sports Net-televised main card.

Gabe Ruediger vs. Paul Kelly slotted for UFC 123 in Detroit

Gabe Ruediger will get a third shot at a first UFC win.

After winning a Tachi Palace Fights title and earning his way back into the UFC, “The Ultimate Fighter 5″ cast member recently suffered a first-round submission loss to Joe Lauzon at UFC 118.

But he’s now agreed to fight fellow lightweight Paul Kelly at UFC 123, MMAjunkie.com has learned from a source close to the event.

Fujii vs. Ward, Aguilar vs. Frausto tourney semifinals set for Bellator 31

The semifinal round of Bellator Fighting Championships’ 115-pound women’s tournament is now set for Bellator 31.

The Sept. 30 matchups, which take place at the L’Auberge du Lac Casino and Resort in Lake Charles, La., include tourney favorite Megumi Fujii vs. Lisa Ward and Zoila Frausto vs. Jessica Aguilar.

The bouts, first reported by MMARising.com, since have been confirmed to MMAjunkie.com by sources close to the fighters.

Kendall Grove vs. Demian Maia slated for The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale

After picking up a crucial victory over Goran Reljic at UFC 116, Kendall Grove is now slated to fight former middleweight title challenger Demian Maia at The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale.

Grove announced the fight via his Twitter account.

As MMAjunkie.com first reported, The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale takes place Dec. 4 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Daily Archives: September 8, 2010