[MMA][UFC] Silva Bows Out of UFC 116 Due to Broken Ribs >>Leben vervangt hem??<<

[chief108]

SOURCE (http://www.cagepotato.com/silva-bows-out-ufc-116-due-broken-ribs-ufc-scrambling-find-replacement-face-akiyama-0)

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/358097/ufc-akiyama.jpg
(Who wants some sexytime with Sexyama?)
MMAFighting.com (http://www.mmafighting.com/2010/06/22/wanderlei-silva-off-ufc-116/) is reporting that Wanderlei Silva (http://www.cagepotato.com/exclusive-wanderlei-silva-talks-rich-franklin-anderson-silva-and-says-he%E2%80%99ll-retire-if-dana-white-tel) has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled July 3 UFC 116 bout with Yoshihiro Akiyama (http://wiki.cagepotato.com/index.php/Yoshihiro_Akiyama) due to broken ribs "The Axe Murderer" sustained while training for the fight.
For Silva, who is 2-3 in his most recent stint the Octagon, the fight was to be an opportunity to potentially elevate his UFC record to .500 for the first time since re-joining the organization in 2007
UFC president Dana White informed Ariel Helwani of the news this afternoon.
No replacement has been signed as of posting, but there will likely be no shortage of middleweights eager to step up to the last-minute challenge, even if most of the UFC's top-tier 185-pound fighters aren't available.
Personally, I'd like to see him fight Dan Miller (http://www.cagepotato.com/taxonomy/term/2277?page=2) or Patrick Cote, but since Miller is under medical suspension until June 29 from a cut he sustained in his UFC 114 loss to Michael Bisping and Cote recently had surgery for a broken hand he injured in his UFC 113 loss to Alan Belcher, neither fighter will likely be ready for the card.
Nate Marquardt would be another prime candidate for the fight if he weren't fighting Rousimar Palhares at UFC 118.
Another interesting opponent would be Denis Kang, who submitted Dae Won Kim in Montreal last weekend. He lost to Akiyama under the K-1 Hero's banner a few years back and after Akiyama's glove grazed his cornea and impaired his depth perception and has mentioned his strong desire for a rematch on several occasions. Unfortunately, since he is scheduled to face Paulo Filho in ImpactFC in July, I can't see him taking the fight.
We'll just have to wait and see who the UFC has in mind for the fight, but I have a hunch it will be someone of note like Michael Bisping (http://www.cagepotato.com/method-actor-michael-bisping-play-bad-guy-british-soap-opera) or a dark horse like Phil Davis.

[chief108]

*UPDATE* According to MMAJunkie, Chris Leben has verbally agreed to step in for Silva and is waiting on the bout agreement.

[Kebal]

mooi, Akiyama mag gaan slopen van mij

[thefxr]

HUH, Leben heeft deze week toch al gevochten?

[chief108]

Fucking baas is het.

[Ninurta]

nee!!!!! kutzooi
wat een kinky jasje heb ie weer aan die Akiyama

[I_LOVE_KNOCKOUTS]

Zwaar balen dat Silva niet kan knokken! Ben erg benieuwd naar zijn vervanger.

[Kebal]

HUH, Leben heeft deze week toch al gevochten?

jep

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[skel]

Hebben ze Leben nou nog niet gedumpt, jeez wat een aanfluiting.

[Kebal]

mag Akiyama doen

[chief108]

precies
Fucking baas is het.

[Kebal]

open a can of Sexyama

[Kebal]

dit moet gewoon een teken van boven zijn, Akiyama en Wanderlei gaan allebei huishouden in de UFC

[sikkwittet]

leben sloopt hem

sorry die gast is echt zo hardcore
he cannot lose

[Kebal]

nou ja in ieder geval wel een goede vervanger die ze zo snel konden vinden

[Vitor Belfort]

Interview met Leben:

http://www.bjpenn.com/profiles/blogs/bjpenncom-exclusive-chris

[Kebal]

ook maar van Wanderlei dan
Wanderlei Reveals That He Was Going to Fight Akiyama With a Torn Knee; Says Broken Ribs Made His Body Stop

http://mmage.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/wanderlei-silva-21.jpg
(Anyone who isn't a fan of Wand, isn't a fan of MMA.)

Fighters Only spoke to Wanderlei Silva last night about his painful decision to pull out of his UFC 116 bout with Yoshihiro Akiyama. "The Axe Murderer" revealed that he had torn ligaments in his knee a few weeks ago, but said he was planning to fight with the injured joint anyway. He says that the combination of his knee injury and a trio of broken ribs he sustained while training on Friday made it impossible to continue his camp, let alone fight in a week and a half.

“I tried training more upper body and boxing; I kept losing weight and I was gonna fight no matter what. Last Friday, during sparring, I injured my rib. It was very painful and the next day I had an x-ray and an MRI. I discovered I had three broken ribs.

“After years of fighting, my body made me stop this time. I am here to tell you that I cannot fight on this card. I am very sad because I trained for four months. This is a very difficult time for me. Now, I know that I need to have surgery on my knee. I have no option."
.
Explaining the series of unfortunate events that led to him bowing out of the heavily-anticipated bout, Wanderlei further demonstrated the never give up warrior spirit that has endeared him to so many fans from back in his days as a dominant PRIDE champion through to his three years in the UFC Octagon.

"I am here to talk about my last few days. I went through a very tense and difficult weekend and had a very hard decision. Two weeks ago I felt pain in my knee while I was training wrestling. I had an MRI of my knee and three doctors told me my knee was torn. I took medicine to help with the pain, and although my knee felt loose, I said "no," this date is very important to me and I continued training. I tried training more upper body and boxing; I kept losing weight and I was gonna fight no matter what. Last Friday, during sparring, I injured my rib. It was very painful and the next day I had an x-ray and an MRI. I discovered I had three broken ribs."

“You cannot imagine how much I wanted to fight on this card. It was my birthday, I had friends and family from Brazil and around the world coming to see me and now I cannot fight. I am not the kind of fighter who fights just for the money and I will prove to you now - I could have entered the Octagon, received one punch, and said, 'That's it, I have broken ribs.' But I fight to give you a big show. When I fight I always give one hundred percent and I fight to show everybody real MMA and to help the sport grow and to excite my fans."

Although obviously disappointed, Silva remains optimistic that he will be able to quickly bounce back from the setback.

“I am going to work hard to return. I know my God is with me and He is going to bless me one more time. I am praying a lot and I know that God is going to bless the surgeon. I am going to be one hundred percent and will fight many more years.”

Apologizing for letting down his fans, although his injury was outside of his control, he asked that his supporters keep him in their thoughts and prayers and that they remember all of the stumbling blocks he has overcome in his life and storied MMA career.

“I apologize to all my fans. I ask for your prayers for a successful surgery and healthy body. I will be back in shape to fight again and to give you more excitement. A big hug for all of you and be with God. My fans know that my life was tough since the beginning. I want to ask for your strength and support one more time. This is a very, very, very hard moment for me. This is my livelihood, my job and I already put in a lot of time and effort into this fight. This was a fight I really, really desired."

Lastly, Wand gave kudos to Akiyama, who will now face Chris Leben in his stead, expressing his desire to reschedule their meeting for after his injuries have healed.

“This is the reason I cannot compete on this card. I apologize to my opponent. I have had opponents cancel fights. I hope they find you another opponent. I hope that I can fight with you in the future. You are an amazing fighter."

[chief108]

Interview met Leben:

http://www.bjpenn.com/profiles/blogs/bjpenncom-exclusive-chris

http://api.ning.com/files/jMS48DF6PJNsLAAqjM1vmlJSTmK8VS6MmEEOpR5jdQK2Vg1URy JGRA-K94EeqhMxHE58EumXLAk6eIDTqBkl8dn2CXGt3hfM/leben.jpg?width=721
As reported recently on BJPENN.COM Chris Leben has confirmed that he will be replacing the injured Wanderlei Silva next weekend at UFC 116. We are fortunate enough to get “The Cripplers” official statement in regards to his last minute participation in the bout.

Coming off of a Knockout Victory over the highly regarded Aaron Simpson just last Saturday, UFC 116 will mark Lebens second octagon appearance in just two weeks.
Here is what Leben said.

“The UFC called me and they said Wanderlei was hurt and they want me to fight Akiyama. You know, I had a great showing on Saturday night, I left Vegas early, didn’t go out and party, hopped on the first flight home and I got the call the next day. I figured, ‘Hey, I’m still in great shape, I’m not hurt, a couple bumps and bruises but nothing bad’. With this opportunity, there was just no way I could turn down this opportunity it’s just huge. “
…
“At first I said no because I woke up in the morning, my phone was ringing and I was sore and it doesn’t make sense to take a fight when you’re not prepared and training for it. But then as I thought about it, you know, I’m a fighter, this is what I do. Why would I not take a great opportunity? It would be stupid of me. Not to mention that but I want to be a company man with the UFC, I want them to be happy with me. “

Is It still slated for the co-main event?

“Co – main event yes sir,” said Leben.

What are your thoughts on Akiyama?

“I don’t know a ton about Akiyama. My coach knows a bunch, but we haven’t even had a chance to talk much about our game plan. I saw him fight Alan Belcher and to be honest with you, I thought he lost that fight. He’s a good Judo guy, he’s got great Judo, fast kicks, maybe not the most power in the world. He’s a little bit shorter than me but he’s a good strong guy. I think that utilizing my skills, keeping it on the feet and clubbing him in the head with my left shouldn’t be too much of a problem. “

UFC 116 is set to air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena In Las Vegas NV On July 3rd via your local PPV Provider. With a Main event between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin and now the newly filled co-main event slot between Chris Leben and Yoshihiro Akiyama. Expect fireworks this 4th of July weekend!!!

[chief108]

vind het wel stoer dat hij het gevecht gewoon aanneemt hoor
ben wel benieuwd hoeveel het schuift voor hem trouwens... :deal:

[sikkwittet]

hoop voor leben dat het geld binnenkomt nu ja

fuck de ufc

pay the fighters bitches

[Kebal]

Yoshihiro Akiyama Wants No Part of Chris Leben, Threatens to Pull Out of UFC 116

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/1202/mma_akiyama1_sw_576.jpg

(Akiyama's next fight just went from "Beauty and the Beast" to "Beauty and the Average-Looking Guy." *You* try to sell that. / Photo courtesy of ESPN.)

If you're heartbroken that Wanderlei Silva won't be competing at UFC 116 next Saturday due to injury, well, Yoshihiro Akiyama feels your pain. In fact, he's so unimpressed by the idea of Chris Leben coming in as a replacement that he doesn't even want to fight anymore. From daum.net via BloodyElbow:

"I am not pleased with the change. There are just ten days left until the contest for me to determine [Chris Leben’s] threats and the time is insufficient to establish a tailored gameplan. Leben is also not as high-profile as [Wanderlei] Silva and that does not help me."

"If there is to be a replacement I was hoping for a big name. I spent one year preparing hard for this fight and this news has come as a big disappointment, my motivation has waned. I do not know yet what will happen...In the worst case, I will not take part in the [UFC 116] event. We are working hard to resolve this issue."


I guess it shouldn't surprise us that this guy is having a diva moment. But I don't think he really has a choice at this point. Leben had enough warrior spirit to step up — two weeks after a battle with Aaron Simpson, mind you — and unless Akiyama wants to get on the UFC's bad side, he'll go through with the fight. Still, even Leben himself had misgivings about the match, for different reasons:

"At first I said no because I woke up in the morning, my phone was ringing and I was sore and it doesn’t make sense to take a fight when you’re not prepared and training for it. But then as I thought about it, you know, I’m a fighter, this is what I do. Why would I not take a great opportunity? It would be stupid of me. Not to mention that but I want to be a company man with the UFC, I want them to be happy with me."

"I don’t know a ton about Akiyama. My coach knows a bunch, but we haven’t even had a chance to talk much about our game plan. I saw him fight Alan Belcher and to be honest with you, I thought he lost that fight. He’s a good Judo guy, he’s got great Judo, fast kicks, maybe not the most power in the world. He’s a little bit shorter than me but he’s a good strong guy. I think that utilizing my skills, keeping it on the feet and clubbing him in the head with my left shouldn’t be too much of a problem."

And that's precisely the difference between these two fighters: When presented with a replacement opponent, Akiyama needs time to formulate a new gameplan. But no matter who he's fighting, Chris Leben's plan is going to be exactly the same — stand in the pocket and fire away with his left hand. That's all you need to know, Yoshihiro. Now sack up.

cagepotato

[Kebal]

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[Kebal]

Despite protests, Yoshihiro Akiyama will fight Chris Leben at UFC 116



Fear not UFC fans; you'll get your required dose of "Sexyama" in July.
MMAjunkie has learned from sources close to the promotion that despite some initial resistance to facing a new opponent, Japanese judoka Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has indeed agreed to face Chris Leben (20-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) at next week's UFC 116 event in Las Vegas.

Akiyama had expressed some concern with the the late change of opponent, as Leben was selected earlier this week to replace initial foe Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1 MMA, 3-5 UFC) after "The Axe Murderer" was forced to bow out due to injury.

According to the U.K.-based Fighters Only magazine, Akiyama told Korean MMA blog Daum.net that he might elect to withdraw from the event rather than face Leben.

"I am not pleased with the change," the report stated. "There are just 10 days left until the contest for me to determine [Leben’s] threats and the time is insufficient to establish a tailored gameplan. Leben is also not as high-profile as [Wanderlei] Silva and that does not help me.

"If there is to be a replacement, I was hoping for a big name. I spent one year preparing hard for this fight and this news has come as a big disappointment. My motivation has waned. I do not know yet what will happen. ... In the worst case, I will not take part in the [UFC 116] event. We are working hard to resolve this issue."

While it's not immediately known what, if anything, was needed to persuade Akiyama, the sources indicated to MMAjunkie.com that the UFC is moving forward as planned with the Akiyama-Leben contest.

Featuring a heavyweight title unification match between current champ Brock Lesnar and interim title-holder Shane Carwin, "UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin" takes place July 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs live on pay-per-view.

[Vitor Belfort]

Ik begrijp Sexyama wel......wie de fuck is Leben in de middelweightdivisie. Geef hem dan een grotere naam.....of schuif de partij op....

[chief108]

da's wel zuur ja
I spent one year preparing hard for this fight

[Kebal]

Yoshihiro Akiyama Still Not 100 Percent on Fighting Chris Leben

Yoshihiro Akiyama's management has told MMAFighting.com that the Japanese/Korean fighter is still not sure if he will be fighting Wanderlei Silva's replacement, Chris Leben.

Akiyama was scheduled to hold a press conference at Narita Airport in Japan prior to his departure tomorrow but only hours ago Akiyama's manager told MMAFighting.com that he is not 100% on whether Akiyama will make the trip to Vegas. Akiyama has reportedly been suffering from depression ever since Silva's injury was announced and has not trained for the past week.

Update: Akiyama has since updated his blog. "I had various choices but... I'll do my best in my fight!"

Akiyama expressed disappointment in Silva's replacement to Korean website Daum.net, stating that he did not consider Leben a high-profile opponent and has said that his motivation has has been low ever since the change was announced.

Akiyama made his promotional debut at UFC 100 against Alan Belcher where he took a split decision that won fight of the night honors. Akiyama has not fought since and has consistently pushed for a fight with Silva following that victory. He was expected to fight Silva at UFC 110 in Australia but Michael Bisping was instead announced. After Silva's victory over Bisping, the Brazilian publicly expressed his desire to fight Akiyama.

Wanderlei Silva was forced to withdraw from the Akiyama after suffering three broken ribs and a knee injury during training.

While Chris Leben is a well known fighter in America due to his stint on The Ultimate Fighter and his long UFC career, he is not a well known fighter in Japan or South Korea. If the fight goes ahead, Leben will be coming to the fight only two weeks after his Knockout of the Night over Aaron Simpson at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale.

Akiyama is expected to make a decision as to whether or not he will fight Leben over the next 12 hours.

[chief108]

flauw hoor...

[Kebal]

Snap het ook wel weer, behoorlijk kort dag en dat loopt niet altijd goed af
maar ergens denk ik ook wel, Akiyama man laat nou gewoon zien aan die Amerikanen dat ze daar in Azie kunnen vechten. Kijk wat videos van die gast en knokken maar

[Kebal]

Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Chris Leben official as UFC 116 co-main event

UFC 116's co-main event is now set.

Ultimate Fighting Championship officials today confirmed that middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will meet Chris Leben (20-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) at the July 3 event, which takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported the change earlier this week when news broke that Akiyama's original opponent, Wanderlei Silva, was forced off the summer card due to injury.

Although the Japanese fighter's reported discontent with the late-notice change stirred rumors of the bout's cancellation, the bout will go on as planned.

A heavyweight title-unification bout between champion Brock Lesnar and interim title-holder Shane Carwin headlines the show. The main card airs live on pay-per-view.

Akiyama signed with the UFC in February 2009 and has fought just once for the promotion, a narrow decision victory over Alan Belcher at UFC 100. He originally was scheduled to face Silva (33-10-1 MMA, 3-5 UFC) at UFC 110, but the promotion instead slotted Michael Bisping against Silva in the co-main event of the February card.

When the UFC presented Akiyama with the opponent change for next Saturday's fight, he made it clear he didn't find the match-up to be sexy.

However, an email sent today to MMAjunkie.com from Akiyama representative Ayako Sotooka confirmed the fighter has changed his tune and accepted the fight.

Leben is less than a week removed from his second consecutive octagon win, a TKO of rising prospect Aaron Simpson at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale on June 19.

While the original "TUF" alum initially said he would take it slow getting back into the cage, he jumped about the opportunity to co-headliner a major event.

"I think he's basically a little slower version of [Simpson]," Leben stated. "He's an awesome judo player, he's got fast kicks, but I don't think he's got near the wrestling that Simpson has, and I don't think he's got knockout power.

"But it's a great fight and an opportunity I couldn't pass up."

The official UFC 116 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

•Champ Brock Lesnar vs. interim champ Shane Carwin (heavyweight title-unification bout)
•Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Chris Leben•Matt Brown vs. Chris Lytle
•Stephan Bonnar vs. Krzysztof Soszynski
•Kurt Pellegrino vs. George Sotiropoulos
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

•Brendan Schaub vs. Chris Tuchscherer
•Seth Petruzelli vs. Ricardo Romero
PRELIMINARY CARD (Un-aired)

•Kendall Grove vs. Goran Reljic
•Dave Branch vs. Gerald Harris
•Forrest Petz vs. Daniel Roberts
•Jon Madsen vs. Karlos Vemola

[Kebal]

Dan moet leben de boel maar proberen te hypen

Chris Leben: 'Yoshihiro Akiyama is basically a slower version of Aaron Simpson'
"I think he’s basically a little slower version of the guy I just fought. He’s an awesome judo player, he’s got fast kicks, but I don’t think he’s got near the wrestling that Aaron Simpson has and I don’t think he’s got knockout power. But it’s a great fight and an opportunity I couldn’t pass up."

[Kebal]

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[Kebal]

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[Kebal]

Leben: UFC made an offer I couldn't refuse, Akiyama made it personal at UFC 116

LAS VEGAS – Following one of the most impressive performances of his career in a win over Aaron Simpson at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale, middleweight slugger Chris Leben (20-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) said he was in no rush to get back in the cage.

But now in one of the shortest turnarounds in modern UFC history, Leben steps back in the cage just two weeks later to meet Japanese superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at Saturday's UFC 116 event.

So why the change of heart? According to Leben, once Wanderlei Silva was forced out of the contest, the UFC simply made an offer he couldn't refuse.

"My goal is always to improve and get better between every fight," Leben told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Your goal should be to make it to the top, otherwise you're in the wrong sport. That's exactly what I wanted to do. However, the UFC, they presented me with an offer I couldn't refuse."

Leben said he was offered the fight on the Monday following his win over Simpson, and after downing a large pizza on Sunday, "The Crippler" needed a little prodding to accept.

"When (UFC matchmaker) Joe (Silva) called me up, it was Monday morning," Leben said. "Sunday I had a large pizza. I watched a movie, passed out, woke up with a couple of bumps and bruises, and I was already getting called to fight. My girlfriend told me, and I was like, 'You're joking me. You're pulling my leg.' Sure enough, a little bit later Dana was calling me.

"The more I thought about it, it became clear. I'm a fighter. This is what I do."

A five-year veteran of the UFC, Leben said the reality of his remaining days as a fighter hit him squarely in the face, and he knew he had to make the right decision.

"Truly, I've got a limited window of time in this sport," Leben said. "Right now, it's kind of two birds with one stone. Two fights, one training camp. This fight is a huge-profile fight. It's huge for my career. Both in and out of the cage, it's just huge for me.

"It was an offer that I couldn't turn down, and I'm really happy that I was their first pick to replace Wanderlei. That's a huge compliment to me."

Of course, it wasn't that simple. Akiyama wasn't keen on the fight either, and he objected to fighting Leben. Akiyama said he wanted to fight a higher-caliber for, a notion to which Leben admits he takes a bit of exception.

"I take it a little bit personal," Leben said. "The bottom line is he fights for the UFC. He signed to fight on this card. His opponent got hurt. Opponents get hurt. That goes with our industry. His job is to get in there and mix it up. For him to say that I'm not a worthy opponent kind of throws me off.

"I've got 10 wins in the UFC. He's got one win by split decision over Alan Belcher. I don't think that qualifies him as saying I'm not a worthy opponent."

Ultimately, Akiyama agreed to face Leben in the co-main event of Saturday's card. With fighters in a challenging situation, Leben believes he may actually have the strategical advantage in the short-notice fight.

"I think the (short) time to prepare is worse for him," Leben said. "He's been training for a right-handed Wanderlei Silva. He's never fought a left-handed opponent.

"One thing about my style, believe it or not, my style doesn't change much. My job is to go in there and impose my will on my opponent. Akiyama likes to train for his opponents a lot. I don't. I watch a little bit of tape on them because what I care about is what I'm going to do. I don't care about what he wants to do. I'm going to do what I want to do in there."

Some MMA observers have suggested Leben is in a "no-lose" situation. A win over a high-profile opponent like Akiyama would be a high-point in the reinvigorated Leben's career. A loss, and some say Leben can simply write it off due to the short-notice nature of the fight.

Leben said he doesn't believe in no-lose situations. Instead, he sees Saturday night as a springboard to the top of the UFC's middleweight division.

"I want to win this fight more than any fight I've ever had in my life," Leben said. "I need to win this fight because this is going to put me to where I need to be. Just a few weeks ago, I was thinking that being among the top, elite guys in the 185-pound division was a long ways away. Now it's just days away.

"I win this fight, I have three wins in a row – hopefully all by devastating fashion – and it's going to put me right up there in the mix again. It's really catapulting my career, and this is a huge, huge fight for me. I need to go out there on Saturday night and perform."

And with Leben still sharp just two weeks after his The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale win, the southpaw slugger has a simple message for UFC fans.

"If you guys liked my performance two weeks ago, you're going to love it on Saturday night," Leben said.

[Kebal]

Yoshihiro Akiyama Discusses Dissing Chris Leben, but Taking the Fight
LAS VEGAS -- No one was more disappointed about Wanderlei Silva dropping out of UFC 116 than his scheduled opponent, Yoshihiro Akiyama.

The fighter, who had been campaigning to fight Silva for months, was devastated when Silva dropped out with broken ribs. And he wasn't too happy when the UFC floated Chris Leben past him as a replacement.

In fact, his initial reaction was simple: no. On Wednesday, Akiyama explained why he was displeased by the Leben matchup and why he ultimately chose to accept it.

"I'm very familiar with Chris' popularity in the States, but compared to Wanderlei overseas, [Wanderlei] is a much more bigger name in Korea and Japan," he said through an interpreter. "For me, to improve the popularity of MMA in Japan is one of my goals as well, and to do that, that's a lesser name. That's where I stood."
Interestingly, Leben also had the same reaction to the fight in that he didn't want to do it. It was only 36 hours after his last fight at UFC 115 and he was already being called on to compete. His initial instinct told him there just wasn't enough time to prepare.

"The more I thought about, it became clear, I am a fighter. This is what I do," Leben said. "I've got a limited window of time in this sport. I kind of killed two birds with one stone, two fights, one training camp. And this is a huge-profile fight."

Akiyama and his supporters, though, disagreed. He had long planned to have a large group of friends and family accompany him to the Silva fight. A bout with Leben didn't seem to capture their imaginations in the same way. And while Akiyama said that while his loved ones urged him to make his own decision, "they all kind of said you should withdraw from the fight."

"It was a 50/50 decision," he said. "It just got to a point where I'm not going to do it for myself, but for the fans and everybody else. So that's how I decided to take the fight."

Despite his seemingly limited personal stake in the bout, and not getting the fight he wanted, Akiyama said there is "no negativity" in his motivation.

Akiyama hopes that winning and moving up the UFC ladder can only help in helping the sport's sagging populariy in Japan rebound. [MMA has dropped in stature there since PRIDE dissolved.]

"Whether it's a submission or knockout, I want to win decisively," he said. "And also, I want the people of Japan to see that I'm doing my best and fighting hard. And win decisively. That's basically what I'm after."

Leben will present many of the same problems Silva does, but just from the other side. Leben is a southpaw while Silva fights from an orthodox stance. Aside from that, the differences are many but often subtle. Leben tends to look for single head-hunting shots while Silva likes to flurry with power strikes. Leben is a kickboxing style striker while Silva is a Muay Thai stylist.

"Honestly, I didn't have much time, but I'm going to take that in stride and say it's a good experience and I tried accordingly as much as I could for that," he said.

[Kebal]

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[chief108]

toch top van allebei (en vooral van Leben) dat ze allebei op zo'n short notice dit gevecht aangenomen hebben

Fucking bazen zijn het.

[Kebal]

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[Kebal]

Akiyama says no disrespect intended, fighting for Japanese MMA at UFC 116

LAS VEGAS – Japanese superstar Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) recently drew a touch of criticism from some MMA fans after he voiced his disinterest in fighting middleweight slugger Chris Leben (20-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) at this weekend's UFC 116 event.

Leben was offered up to Akiyama after original opponent Wanderlei Silva was forced to bow out of the fight due to an injury, and the judoka expressed frustration at such a "lesser-named" opponent.

While Leben admits he took the swipe a bit personally, Akiyama said he didn't intend any disrespect. When you're fighting for the popularity of a sport in your homeland, only the biggest matchups will do.

"I'm very familiar with Chris' popularity in the States, but compared to Wanderlei overseas, he's a much bigger name in Korea and Japan," Akiyama said through an interpreter. "For me, to improve the popularity of MMA in Japan is one of my goals as well."

Akiyama has long been a superstar in Japan. He's garnered a loyal, cult-like following among MMA hardcores, but his lone exposure to U.S. fans so far is a UFC 100 split-decision win over Alan Belcher. While Akiyama had hoped for a matchup with an MMA legend, he ultimately realized it was in the best interest of everyone involved to take the fight with Leben.

"Primarily, not so much for me but for the UFC and the promotion and also all my friends and family that are coming over from Japan to watch me fight," Akiyama told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I wanted it for them.

"I was basically 50-50. Eventually, it just got to the point where I'm not going to [take the fight] for myself but for the fans and everybody else."

While a hesitancy to fight isn't generally the sort of attitude Dana White supports, in this instance, the UFC president said he understands Akiyama's emotions.

"Trust me; I get it," White told MMAjunkie.com. "I've talked to Akiyama. I know how bad he wanted that Wanderlei Silva fight. For guys to mentally and physically prepare for a fight and then it gets taken away a couple of weeks before the fight, it's a little disheartening. It's tough to take. I understood. That's why I worked with both of these guys."

In Leben, Akiyama faces a similarly styled foe, though Silva's power shots are angled from the right side while "The Crippler" will attack from the left. Despite a mere two weeks of preparation, Akiyama said he knows exactly what to expect.

"First of all, there's orthodox vs. southpaw," Akiyama said. "There's a big difference there. Honestly, I really didn't have much time, but I'm going to take that in stride and say that it's good experience, and I trained accordingly as much I could. ... They're both aggressive and strong. Besides that, I don't think there's much of a difference.

"He has a great left, and I have very high respect for his striking abilities, but striking and judo? I think throwing someone has more strength than hitting someone."

With a win, Akiyama likely would face Silva in his next outing, though he joked he "might decline" the matchup if it was arranged a second time.

For now, Akiyama will shift his focus to Leben, and he'll enter the cage with the honor of Japan on his shoulders.

"Whether it's a submission or knockout, I want to win decisively," Akiyama said. "Also, I want people in Japan to see that I am doing my best in the fighting art – and win decisively. That's basically what I'm after."

[I_LOVE_KNOCKOUTS]

Was een mooie pot!

[Kebal]

totdat akiyama verloor

[I_LOVE_KNOCKOUTS]

Mee eens! Dat zei ik er alleen expres niet bij, want er staat geen spoiler in de topictitel ;)

[Kebal]

oh ja, ik vergeet altijd dat we dat ook nog hebben
judoworpen waren mooi in ieder geval

[chief108]

fucker spoilers....

moet je maar een beetje slimmer zijn op de interwebz hoor
gewoon eerst de wedstrijden bekijken en pas pas de rest van het forum door browsen ofzo...

vind dat vooral eigen verantwoordelijkheid

[Kebal]

108 style


maar idd, kijk ook nooit voordat ik het gezien heb.

[chief108]

ik heb de RSS feed op mijn google ig pagina
en dan kan ik gewoon door de thread "UFC116 Video's" (oid) kijken
en de linkjes naar de vids aanklikken

en als ik de partijen waar het mij omgaat dan gezien heb
dan log ik in op het forum en gaan we weer lekker posten

[Kebal]

en de handleiding is geboren, kunnen we nu eindelijk die gaye weghalen?

[I_LOVE_KNOCKOUTS]

Ik doe niet aan die feeds. Want dan zul je zien dat ik weer abonneer op feeds die al, juist, spoilers weergeven.

[chief108]

Ik doe niet aan die feeds. Want dan zul je zien dat ik weer abonneer op feeds die al, juist, spoilers weergeven.
heb ik nog nooit last van gehad

[I_LOVE_KNOCKOUTS]

Mij zal het echter zeker weten gebeuren haha.

Daarom probeer ik zoveel mogelijk live te kijken.

[chief108]

da's de beste optie om te voorkomen dat je gespoilerd wordt idd.. :D

[Kebal]

Wand wants Leben after surgery

Wanderlei Silva expects to be out of action for six to seven months after surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his knee. The former Pride champion was forced to pull out of a UFC 116 fight with Yoshihiro Akiyama because of the damage and because of broken ribs suffered in training.

He was replaced by Chris Leben, who surprised many when he submitted Akiyama in the third round of the fight. Now Silva says he would like to fight Leben when he eventually returns to fighting.

“He represented himself very well and he is a good opponent. I think he is going to wait and I want to fight with him next. He did very well, gave a great show and I think that he is a great opponent for me to fight with next,” Silva told Raw Vegas TV.

UFC president Dana White said at the weekend that a fight between Silva and Leben won’t happen “any time soon” and with Silva revealing that he will be sidelined for “six or seven months” it will be 2011 before the match can be made.

During the interview, Silva was also asked if he thought former UFC light-heavyweight champion and fellow veteran Chuck Liddell should retire, He replied “No. I think he did better in his last fight. He lost but I don’t think he needs to stop.”

[Kebal]

<div style="border: 1px solid #0893d5;width:427px;"><object width="427" height="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.rawvegas.tv/ext.php?uniqueVidID=e6afaa2dde2232a6c31409caa931b8"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="uniqueVidID=e6afaa2dde2232a6c31409caa931b8"></param><embed src="http://www.rawvegas.tv/ext.php?uniqueVidID=e6afaa2dde2232a6c31409caa931b8" flashvars="uniqueVidID=e6afaa2dde2232a6c31409caa931b8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="427" height="300"></embed></object></div><a href="http://www.rawvegas.tv/watch/wanderlei-says-chuck-shouldnt-retire-hardy-says-kos-cant-beat-gsp/e6afaa2dde2232a6c31409caa931b8">Watch Wanderlei Says Chuck Shouldn't Retire Hardy Says Kos Can't Beat GSP on RawVegas.tv</a>

[Kebal]

als wanderlei het zegt moet chuck maar doorgaan
en hij wil wel tegen Leben dus

[Il Loco]

Chris Leben's stunning third round triangle choke submission of Yoshihiro Akiyama came just two weeks after his second round TKO over Aaron Simpson, in what can only be described as one of the most miraculous two-fight stints in UFC history.

The former "Ultimate Fighter" has admittedly battled demons throughout his personal and professional career, but now appears to be back on top of his game, training the right way and coming out to win.

After defeating Akiyama on Saturday night, Leben called for a fight with the Japanese fighter’s original opponent, Wanderlei Silva, who dropped out of the bout with a rib injury coupled with a knee injury.

“I want Wanderlei,” Leben yelled after this win. “Wanderlei was supposed to have this fight. I want him next. I’ll take you out too Wanderlei.”

In what would be guaranteed dynamite, Leben vs. Silva would seem like a lock, but UFC president Dana White had to let the air out of the balloon at the post-fight press conference saying that Silva will be out for several months.

"We talked about that, the problem is Wanderlei's having knee surgery. He's going to be out for a while," said White.

Leben will undoubtedly take some much needed time off now after two fights in two weeks, but White hopes to keep the former Team Quest fighter busy, because that's the best way to guarantee his performance.

"The thing that I like, now Leben will get to take some time off. He'll rest, relax, but get him right back in there," White commented. "I think it's important to keep him active, keep him busy. He looks great and like he said, I completely agree with him. He's matured as a fighter, and as a person. I'm happy for him."

Leben will travel home to Hawaii after the fight, but big things are ahead for the original bad boy of “The Ultimate Fighter

[Kebal]

ja dat zeg ik