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Babalu, Diaz are on the card, and Werdum is on the prelims.

Nick Diaz is a tool...

Update on Nick Diaz fighting on Saturday (updated final time) PDF Print E-mail

 

By Dave Meltzer

 

The California State Athletic Commission has just offically approved Jesse Taylor vs. Jay Hieron as the replacment match with Nick Diaz not getting licensed for Saturday night's Strikefore event at the HP Pavilion and on Showtime.

 

Neither Diaz nor manager Cesar Gracie have made contact with the state athletic commission since Diaz didn't show up for a planned test on Friday night in Sacramento.

 

Diaz's license expired on July 25th, and because all fighters who have prior drug violations have to pass a test regarding the specific drug in order to get a new license, Diaz had to pass a test for marijuana before he could be licensed.

 

Taylor is known for his appearances on season seven of The Ultimate Fighter. Taylor (13-3) was scheduled to face Amir Sadollah in the finals, but was replaced by Dana White after a drunken rampage just as the taping of the season ended.

 

He returned to the UFC on July 19, 2008, but lost to C.B. Dollaway. When he publicly talked of UFC having a double standard when Quinton Jackson made headlined for reckless driving and evading police in a car chase, and not being suspended by the organization, he was released by the organization.

 

He has since won seven fights in a row since that time, most recently a 7/20 win over Yoon Dong Sik, when the Korean judo star suffered an ankle injury and the match was stopped at 1:02.

 

It is believed at this time it will be a three round fight, and not a championship fight as scheduled. We will update later if this is not correct.

 

Diaz had failed a test in Nevada after a February 24, 2007, match in Las Vegas where he tested positive after beating Takanori Gomi with a gogoplata. Nevada since overturned the result and ruled the match a no contest.

 

On Aug. 5, Gracie had contacted the commission and said that Diaz and former commissioner Armando Garcia had a secret deal where Diaz, due to California's compassionate usage act for marijuana, that Diaz would only be tested at fight time.

 

Bill Douglas of the state athletic commission said nobody at the commission was aware of such a deal and that every fighter had been told of the new regulations where all California fighters can be tested at any time.

 

Scott Coker sent plane tickets for Diaz to fly to Los Angeles so the test could take place today. Even so, there was no guarantee the results of the test would be back in time for weigh-ins on Friday in San Jose. Douglas had said that they would license Diaz for the match with Hieron to create the Strikeforce welterweight champion up to five minutse before Diaz would be scheduled to step on the scale.

 

"We were doing everything we could to make this fight happen," said Douglas.

 

The commission attempted to contact both Gracie and Diaz six times since Saturday night to schedule a test for today, but neither contected the commission.

 

The California State Athletic Commission had specified that if Nick Diaz doesn't make an appointment for testing by Noon Pacific time that the fight with Jay Hieron on Saturday's Strikeforce show is out.

 

Scott Coker, who at 11 a.m., at a press cnoference, was still talking positively that the match would take place, said he would continue to work with Diaz even if he doesn't show up for the test, but that the two would have a talking to.

 

Coker said that he had sent plane tickets for Diaz to fly to Los Angeles for the test today and that there was no miscommunication between himself, the commission and Diaz.

Have you seen anything from the WEC show yet? I have been told Takeya Mizugaki vs Jeff Curran was awesome.

Cheers D_S.

According to those guys over at Sherdog, Griffin had a broken jaw and ear problems.

Before or after the fight?

The way he ran out afterwards was like he'd just remembered he'd left the immersion on and was desperate not to waste the hot water.

Actually, just remembered BJ Penn doing the same thing years ago after KOing Caol Uno (I think) in 10 secs.

I can't make it to the forum, but would be grateful if someone their could raise these points.

1. What are the plans for the Lancaster Club itself, is it a listed building (built 1770)?

2. Has the land earmarked for the ground been assessed and deemed OK to build on, as I have been informed of problems with the site previously.

The Lancaster Club

Methane problems in Failsworth (Feb 09 article)

Just finished UFC 101 now.

Not much on the undercard to get excited about, although they did air the pelim fight between George Roop and George Sotiropolous which is well worth checking out.

Really disappointed with Forest Griffin, what a poor showing. One of the most laidback KOs ever. I did giggle at Anderson Silvas facials during the booing at the ring intos.

It's a good job that I can only bet on results and not finishes! 3 for 3 means my Paddy Power account is a bit healthier today

Which comedian does this gag in their stand up??

Frankie "overrated" Boyle.

I've just listened to a Q&A conference call with Dana and Tito, from last Friday or Saturday.

On the Fedor front, it is simply obvious that he or "his people" (his contractual status seems more complex than Tevez's was) do not want to fight in the UFC.

Dana stated that the deal ws still open, and a "f***ing ass load" of money was on the table.

How do you negotiate with these kind of people?

BRF - I don't agree that Fedors best opponents lie outside the UFC. From your list I'd only really be interested in watching him fight Brett Rogers, who would give him a hell of a fight.

Rogers vs. Arlovski

It's enevitable that for the foreseeable future the UFC is where the money and the competition is. Fedor not signing speaks volumes to me.

Read this article and ask yourself why anyone would want to co-promote with these idiots.

Anyway, some predictions for Saturday night...

BJ Penn to retain via submission in the 3rd.

Silva to triangle Griffin in the 2nd.

Almeida to KO Grove early.

I'm thinking M-1 wanted more than just the fight.

Last time there was Fedor / UFC negotiations M-1 wanted UFC to guarantee fights for Aleksander (Fedors' brother) and other members of Russian Top Team. They also wanted to carry on promoting Fedor outside of the UFC, and so required a non exclusive deal.

Your right about M-1 too. Why should the UFC, as successful (read "mainstream") as they have become, get involved with guys that may not be strictly on the level. I think this was the problem with promoting in Japan after the Pride deal too, as Dana pretty much said the Yakuza would need to be involved.

It's a real shame about Affliction, there needs to be real competition in MMA promoting.

The UFC may well be the pinnacle of the sport for years to come, but they cannot rely on The Ultimate Fighter to carry on creating new stars for them. It would be far better for the sport on the whole if there were several Strikeforce / Affliction type companies promoting. It would not only give the UFC a continuing crop of fresh faces who were also experienced fighters*, but would give guys who UFC let go somewhere to fight as well.

* How serious can people take a "World Heavyweight Champion" who has only had 4 fights in his career?

Pretty much confirmation of one of Dana White's announcements.

 

Tito Ortiz posted "My fans have made a decision easier for me to make. The future of my career will be made tomorrow. I hope youu will be as happy as I am."

 

This would seem to be a confirmation of what has been expected all week, that among the things announced tomorrow would be the return of Ortiz to UFC.

More on the Fedor deal

OMG!! OMG!! OMG!!

TRON Legacy viral marketing campaign.

I've just stumbled upon this over on another board...

A number of online media people were woken up this morning by FedEx folks, delivering them mysterious packages.

 

Inside the packages contained a generic looking flashdrive and two coin tokens.

 

The media people immediately investigate what was contained in the flashdrive. Stored within was a single animated gif.

 

Turns out, each media person had coded messages that were different from each other. After some code analysis, it was discovered that the messages basically read "Flynn Lives" and contained the following web sites:

 

http://www.flynnlives.com/

 

http://homeoftron.com/

 

On the Flynn Lives site, there is a crawling spider at the bottom of the page. Clicking on the spider opens a new window that reveals a countdown. The countdown ends on Thursday, July 23 at 9:30pm PST.

 

Some of the media people then began to investigate the package boxes themselves. The return address read as such:

 

c/o Flynn Lives Organization

PO Box # 236

611 K Street #B

San Diego, CA 92101

 

On the map, it's just a block or two away from the San Diego Convention Center. Where earlier in the day, Steve Lisberger will be on hand to present 3D footage of Tron 2 as part of the Disney 3D panel.

 

It is speculated that Tron fans head over to the address at 9:30pm on Thursday where the next phase in the Tron viral campaign will take place. Some believe that this might end up becoming the new location of Flynn's Arcade.

Tron Viral Campaign Report

 

So my friends and I journeyed over to 1st Avenue and K Street, based on reports from the Flynn Lives web site and fliers handed out during the day. Along with a group of fans at 9:30pm on Thursday night, we were greeted by members of the Flynn Lives Organization.

 

We are briefed in participating in a Scavenger Hunt for three Flynn Lives posters that were hung up around the Gaslamp area. On those posters are secret codes which are used to piece together coordinates for a secret location somewhere in downtown San Diego. The majority of us were given packages that contained information on what we were to do, the map, a black light, and a Flynn's Arcade coin token.

 

In an effort to work faster, fans gathered and worked together in groups as we went off into the Gaslamp area in search of the Flynn Lives posters.

 

Upon finding the Flynn Lives posters, the first thing fans searched for was which number poster it was exactly. To make the task a little tricky, each poster is numbered and the codes have to match to the particular poster it is found upon.

 

Both the finding of the poster number and the codes they contain requires the use of the black light. To make things more difficult, they are printed in very small front sizes.

 

When all the codes have been uncovered, they piece together coordinates on a map to a destination fans are to go to. Following the exact route is not necessary, and would have been rather tiring.

 

The destination led us to 6th Avenue and K Street on the 6th Avenue side. It was here that fans discovered...

 

FLYNN'S ARCADE!!!

 

Fan Cam of the unveiling of Flynn's Arcade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pri8LPcauRo

 

We are let into the arcade in groups, where we find ourselves literally in a time-warp, arriving in the 80's. 80's arcade machines, table hockey, 80's music, and even actual working Space Paranoids machines!

 

Fan Cam inside Flynn's Arcade: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHIRCjr1DM8

 

After about ten-fifteen minutes, the power begins to flicker with Journey songs playing in an out in-between. Then, a secret passageway is opened from behind the Tron machine. Inside leads to a hallway containing conceptual art for the new Lightcycles. Playing in the hallway is the new score Daft Punk composed for the film.

 

And at turning the corner at the end of the hallway, we see a live model of the new Lightcycle!

 

Fan Cam from power flickering to live model of Lightcycle with Daft Punk score playing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va-05JPQ5Xk

 

At the end, we are led out and received free swag for participating in the scavenger hunt. We were given a copy of the Flynn Lives poster (I have yet to check to see if it has any black light secrets) and one of two T-shirts: Flynn Lives of Flynn's Arcade. My friends and I chose Flynn's Arcade.

 

I do not know if it is still open past Comic Con, but it was sure as hell an awesome experience.

UFC: ESPN confirms coverage on UK TV

UFC: more details on the UK TV deal with ESPN

Now then, get a WEC deal too and I will happily hand over £9 a month.

Just discovered this thread, and the lesson learnt is "Do not restrict your OWTB usage to lurking in the Terraces and the Taproom".

There is a UFC press conference scheduled for Friday...

Lance Pugmire of The Los Angeles Times has just reported that an agreement between Fedor Emelianenko and UFC would be announced Friday at a press conference.

 

UFC announced a Friday morning press conference officially a few hours ago. The Times quoted a source with information on the negotiations, who said he is not authorized to speak publicly.

 

It was also stated the source was not affiliated with UFC.

 

The story stated Emelianenko would likely get a match immediately with Brock Lesnar.

 

We do know negotiations are ongoing between Emelianenko with both UFC and Strikeforce.

 

But if true, that may not even be the biggest UFC deal of the week.

Hmmmmmmmm (strokes chin whilst thinking about Tito Ortiz's massive head).

On the UFC MEN show front (I believe this to be just a matter of time before the official announcement is made for Nov. 14th), anyone planning on going may want to forget about lining Mr. Ticketmasters pockets and aim to buy one on the day.

We were away at Crewe on the day of the last show, and I went straight to the MEN afterwards, sans ticket to try my luck. Ended up missing the first two prelims, but got a £150 seat for £30.

However, I still went home miserable after witnessing an Andre Arlovski 3 round snoozefest and then watching Cro Crop (one of my MMA idols) get KO'd.

Watching Bisping take a whupping from the Axe Murderer would more than make up for that.....

Ridiculous. 12 foot tall lizards travel in space ships, not white Fiats.

This is quite true.

The Illuminati wouldn't be seen dead in one of those small Italian efforts.

IMPORTANT CLUB ANNOUNCEMENT

Posted on: Wed 22 Jul 2009

 

OLDHAM ATHLETIC AND OLDHAM COUNCIL UNVEIL NEW STADIUM VISION

 

Oldham Athletic and Oldham Council have unveiled regeneration plans for a new £20 million football stadium development and community facilities at a 30-acre Failsworth site.

 

The scheme - which goes before the Council's Cabinet for approval tonight (July 22) - has been kept under wraps while confidential negotiations with third parties took place.

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Officials have been working in partnership for several weeks after the economic downturn forced the club to shelve plans to redevelop its current Boundary Park home.

 

The new vision is to 'marry' two sites on land off Broadway to become home to a futuristic new stadium - with a proposed capacity of around 12,000 - plus community sports facilities, such as football pitches, and corporate/leisure developments.

 

Oldham Athletic is now close to concluding a deal to purchase the Lancaster Club from British Aerospace. That would then be twinned with an adjacent area of Council-owned land located to the North of the site - subject to this scheme receiving detailed planning consent.

 

The League One club would sell its existing Boundary Park home with most of the site likely to be purchased by a private developer of small family homes. Talks are also still ongoing with the Pennine Acute Trust, which runs the Royal Oldham Hospital, which could see 'key workers' homes created on the current car park on Sheepfoot Lane. The capital raised would then be used to fund the new development.

 

Howard Sykes, Council Leader, said: "A forward-looking Oldham needs a successful professional football club with 21st century facilities and that is the vision this scheme is designed to deliver."

 

"Oldham Athletic in its present state is haemorrhaging money in a crumbling stadium and is not financially viable in the long-term. The club's owners have long sought a solution and we were happy to work with them when they approached us with this innovative plan.

 

"There's still a long way to go but the beauty of this scheme is that it could be the catalyst to regenerate two areas that badly need it - namely, the Lancaster club area of Failsworth, and the Boundary Park site - creating new jobs and investment opportunities.

 

"The recent confirmation that Metrolink is coming to the borough also makes this proposition highly attractive. That would provide convenient, reliable and regular transport access to the area for those not travelling by car and I also understand club officials plan to talk with regional transport officials about a potential matchday tram stop.

 

"There will obviously be plenty of talking to be done with local residents and affected groups - some of which is already underway - and I am confident that their views will be reflected in any final proposal for the good of the whole community.

 

"There will be understandable disappointment in some quarters about the club moving away from Boundary Park but sometimes you have to dare to dream. This represents a fantastic opportunity for the borough as a whole and is a bold and imaginative step forward."

 

Simon Corney, Oldham Athletic's Managing Director and co-owner, said: "Since buying the club more than six years ago we have toiled to deliver a development that finally gives the club and its' fans the facilities it so desperately lacks."

 

"We feel very upbeat and positive having made more progress in the past six weeks or so than we previously did in as many years and I would like to thank Oldham Council, and in particular Howard Sykes and Charlie Parker (Chief Executive) for their efforts in helping to accommodate our plans.

 

"We haven't taken the decision to leave Boundary Park lightly - it was our preferred option to redevelop it - but the credit crunch means the land value and market conditions have diminished to an extent which makes that scheme no longer economically viable.

 

"In its current state Oldham Athletic is dying. Our revenue fell 20 per cent again last year and we're now attracting attendances on a par with many League Two clubs. This new vision gives us an opportunity to provide a facility that will create new revenue streams to make the club financially viable and self-sustaining, whilst also giving supporters a superior matchday experience.

 

"As with our earlier plans for an 'Oldham Arena' at Boundary Park, we also see this as an unprecedented opportunity to spark regeneration and provide much-needed facilities that the borough presently lacks."

 

Initial talks have taken place with two parties directly affected by the new proposals.

 

The Allotments Society currently has 15 plots on the land owned by Oldham Council. Oldham Athletic has already agreed to provide financial compensation plus 20 new plots on a larger site nearby or within the new development.

 

Failsworth Dynamos FC had previously indicated they were also hoping to use an area of that site for a new club facility. Oldham Athletic has already held preliminary talks with them and indicated they are willing to accommodate that aspiration.

 

Subject to Cabinet approval, Oldham Athletic will next commission architects to work up more comprehensive plans. The club then expects to submit a detailed application to be considered by the borough's Planning Committee by the end of 2009. If successful, they would then sign a 24-month conditional development agreement to undertake construction work on the land owned by Oldham Council. Upon completion, the club would then sign a long-term lease with the local authority.

 

Simon Corney added: "Much work remains to be done on the detail of these plans but I want to reassure local residents they will not be living next door to some monstrous and imposing facility."

 

"We pledge to consult with them when formulating our planning application. This will be a community stadium built along the lines of the recent models at Colchester and Shrewsbury, for example, and we look forward to working with them on this exciting scheme."

tl;dr

Yeah, I've seen that before. Weak KO, but good to see Karate guys win...

Indeed, thouroughly enjoyed Lyoto Machida beating Rashad Evans for the UFC Light Heavywieght title and then declaring that "Machida Karate has arrived!".

Machida Karate to be the new Gracie Jujitsu?

Like I said I would...here he is

 

 

Bare knuckle fight...

Ah, Kimbo Slice.

Just in case anyone missed the bit where he was proved to be the joke most MMA fans thought he was...

Kimbo Slice Vs. Seth Petruzelli - EliteXC: HEAT

Kimbo is currently a contestant on Ultimate Fighter 10, rumour has it he has already been KTFO twice.

Download, as always, and maybe a day ticket for the Sunday at Sonisphere (Metallica & NIN).

You've outlived Bruce Lee by about two weeks.

Joe needs Willie.

This is how rumours start.

I'd love Holloway - purely for his interviews and press conferences.

What we could lose in gate reciepts we would gain in Latics World subs.

Seriously though, the guy at Tranmere has done really well on a limited budget...

 

Blimey.

Adolf?

I should really be working right now, but the internet is such a wonderful thing.

Turn Your Name into a Face

At first you will wonder what all the fuss is about, miss dialogue due to accent and slang problems, struggle to see where the story is going and want to give up.

STICK WITH IT - after 5 / 6 episodes of season 1 you will be hooked.

Not something you can dip in and out of, probably best if you can watch 2 -3 episodes back to back - what series link was made for.