Canadian youngster Rory MacDonald (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and former UFC dual division champion B.J. Penn (16-8-2 MMA, 12-7-2 UFC) will become the first fighters in the promotion’s history to partner with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.

VADA officials on Thursday announced that both fighters have agreed to eight weeks of random blood and urine testing ahead of their upcoming UFC 152 matchup with the Las Vegas-based independent organization footing the bill.

VADA officials on Thursday announced Penn’s decision, and MacDonald’s camp subsequently confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) their participation in the program.

“Our camp is very happy that B.J. has decided to participate in the VADA program that he had put forward,” MacDonald’s manager, Lex McMahon said. “Rory’s completing his paperwork and will be joining him soon, and I think that Rory is definitely excited about the possibilities of what this means for the sport in the big picture, and he’s happy he can play a small role in this.”

UFC president Dana White was not immediately available for comment.

Penn and MacDonald previously agreed to undergo voluntary testing for performance-enhancing substances and drugs of abuse, but “The Prodigy” later balked at VADA’s standards and the potential for conflict with his employers at the UFC.

“VADA contacted me to talk about doing their testing,” Penn said earlier this month. “Right away, I was for it. But I was talking to them, and we were talking about the process.

“This isn’t an amateur sport. What I expressed to VADA was that results need to be released after the fight, but VADA wants to do it before the fight, and I said, ‘I’m not trying to put the UFC’s fight in danger by doing that.’ I said, ‘What’s the problem? Let’s do the results after the fight.’”

Penn wasn’t immediately available for comment, but VADA officials claimed the hurdles have been cleared.

“He has agreed that all test results will be immediately forwarded to the ABC (Association of Boxing Commissions), the Ontario athletic commission (Office of the Athletics Commissioner), and the UFC,” a statement read on VADA’s official website.

While UFC officials have yet to comment on the development, McMahon said he hasn’t sensed any concern from the promotion.

“These are two individual athletes, and this is testing that’s outside of the UFC,” McMahon said. “We’ve certainly spoken with them. They’re going to be doing their own testing. This is extraordinary testing.

“We think we’re on the right side of this issue, and I commend both Rory and B.J. for taking the action that they’re taking.”

VADA, according to its website, was “founded to offer and promote effective anti-doping programs in boxing and mixed martial arts.” Former Nevada State Athletic Commission chief ringside physician Margaret Goodman serves as president.

According to VADA’s bylaws, “Professional athletes will volunteer to be subject to unannounced testing at any time during the eight weeks prior to a scheduled fight. As in the Olympic program, an agreement to participate will require fighters to officially inform us of their daily whereabouts, so that they can be tested per the program. Athletes will agree that all results are immediately released to the appropriate adjudicating commission overseeing their upcoming contest.”

UFC 152 takes place Sept. 22 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto and is headlined by the UFC’s inaugural flyweight title fight between Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson. MacDonald and Penn meet on the evening’s pay-per-view main card.

Liz Carmouche has been to war. We’re not talking about the kind of war that takes place within the chain-link fencing of a mixed martial arts cage. We’re talking guns, bullets and grenades. In comparison to the risks that came in those conflicts, the former U.S. Marine’s match-up with knockout artist Kaitlin Young on Saturday night at the second-ever event hosted by the fledgling Invicta FC will seem like a walk in the park.

After three tours in the Middle East, “Girl-rilla” will be well prepared for anything Young may throw at her. That said, Carmouche says that a fight camp and boot camp have very little in common.

“It’s a lot different,” the Team Hurricane Awesome fighter confessed to The MMA Corner in an exclusive interview. “I mean, in boot camp, we do hand-to-hand combat, but it’s only one part of boot camp, whereas fighting is all hand-to-hand combat. The training is much more strict for my fight camp than it was for boot camp.”

It’s common for military personnel to take up martial arts while enlisted, and Carmouche was no different. Once she enlisted, she became heavily involved in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, though she admits the MMA training didn’t come until the very end. The 28-year-old was able to combine that training with sporadic involvement in karate as a kid to catapult her rise in MMA.

At 6-2 as a professional, Carmouche’s only losses have come at the hands of two former Strikeforce champions—Marloes Coenen and Sarah Kaufman. Carmouche admits that those two setbacks have helped her grow as a mixed martial artist, while also solidifying her place in MMA in her own mind.

“When I had gone against Marloes [Coenen], I had heard about her K-1 fighting and I had heard about her brown belt in jiu-jitsu,” Carmouche explained. “To know that I could stand toe-to-toe with her and she didn’t really do any damage standing up, [and] to dominate her in most of the fight, it was like ‘wow, maybe I’m not as bad as I think.’

“With Kaufman, she’s really good at knocking people out, really good at just beating the living daylight out of people, and she wasn’t able to do anything other than bloody up my nose, which was broken before the fight. So, that showed me that I really stood a chance in the 135-pound division, and that I deserve to be fighting in Strikeforce. Up to that point, I had kind of questioned whether my quick rise was fair and if I deserved it, and those two fights definitely showed me that I deserved to be there.”

As a kid, Carmouche was as athletic as her mom allowed, which may not be quite as involved as one may think.

“Any sport that my mom would allow me to play,” she answered when asked what sports she participated in as a child. “I really wanted to box, and there was actually a boxing team that had asked me—just after seeing my physique and the way that I would fight in fights with kids—to try out boxing. My mom was like, ‘I don’t want you getting your nose broke, your teeth knocked out. No!’ I was allowed to do soccer, which even that she was a little apprehensive about. I played volleyball, I did football for a little bit when I was with my dad, I did basketball, tennis, swam a little bit, surfed, just anything I could play, I was involved in even if my mom didn’t know about it.”

When Carmouche, who was actually raised in Japan, steps in the cage Saturday night, she’s aware of her opponent’s striking prowess, but she also feels she stacks up well against the woman who once ended Miesha Tate’s night just 30 seconds into a bout with a head-kick knockout.

“I think that my stand-up is different than most people’s in that the way that I move is not the typical style,” said Carmouche. “My wrestling is adapted for MMA; I don’t have a wrestling background at all, so that hasn’t hindered me; I don’t have any bad habits in the sense that I have to retrain myself. My jiu-jitsu—I roll with so many different types of people and so many great people that it really helps me out. So, I think think that all of those different aspects are really going to help me in my fight against her.”

Young is coming off an incredible, ‘Fight of the Night’-worthy performance against Leslie Smith. It was a 15-minute stand-up war that resulted in a draw. While the outcome of the fight may not have been what anyone was hoping for, they definitely put on a show for the fans as the fight was easily the best in the promotion’s short history. And you can be sure Carmouche will be hoping to put on a repeat performance in her sophomore effort for Invicta FC. 

“I’m excited for the fight,” Carmouche said. “She’s a great athlete. She’s really known for her stand-up, and I’m looking forward to that. I think it’s probably going to come down to a decision. I think it’s going to be back and forth. I think we’re really going to put a beating on each other.”

If the battle between these two women is anything like Carmouche’s battle with Kaufman or Young’s fight with Smith, the two ladies will definitely have done their part in helping to thrust women’s MMA into the spotlight. The sport has grown so much in the past year alone, and if Carmouche has it her way, she’ll be a big part in ensuring the future of the sport.

“It’s only going to gain a lot of popularity in the next year,” Carmouche predicted of her sport. “In the past year, it’s already grown so much, that it can only keep rising, keep improving and gaining more popularity and getting more into the spotlight. My hopes are that Invicta and Strikeforce will be in the lead, leading women into the sport of MMA and leading them into the limelight, and I’m hoping that I can be involved in both.”

Nate Marquardt feels like a disrespected veteran of the sport just days away from competing for the Strikeforce welterweight title.

The man in charge of the disrespecting, Tyron Woodley, will be Marquardt’s opponent this Saturday night for the vacant title in the co-main event of Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy.

The main card airs live on Showtime from Portland, Oregon. The main event boasts a Strikeforce middleweight title match between Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy.

“The Great” discussed why he wants to knock Woodley out during a recent interview for Inside MMA on AXS TV.

I wanna knock him out, for more than one reason. I think it’s exciting for the fans, it’s a great game plan going in, and honestly, the guy, he’s been very disrespectful to me. I wanna take it to him. He made fun of me, said I stutter and stuff like that, and you know, I’m gonna make him stutter (by knocking him out).

Marquardt has had a long year-plus drought from fighting. After being cut by the UFC, he signed with the British organization BAMMA, but never fought. He has signed been signed by Strikeforce – which runs under the Zuffa umbrella – to compete for the welterweight title.

Chad Robichaux is ready and could not be more hungry for another victory in the LFC.  Check out this video of Chad doing a promo for the LFC, and finishing the fight  with a great choke.  Chad Robichaux is back?  He NEVER left!

SHELTON, CT. (Daniel Johnson, Missouri Sports Magazine) – On Monday, the makers of Edge® Shave Gel and the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) announced  “Team Edge 2012,” year two of a commitment to identify rising stars in the sport and provide the chance for one of them to become an official spokesman for Edge. With the mentorship and coaching of UFC Champion Dominick Cruz, four UFC fighters on the rise will compete for the public’s support to propel them into the spotlight as the next face of “Team Edge.” Last year, Edge helped Team Edge winner Chad Mendes go from underdog to top contender in the UFC. This year, Edge is again looking to give guys the tools they need to rule the Octagon®.

This year’s collection of the UFC’s most promising up-and-comers will be mentored by Cruz as they prepare to achieve their dreams of becoming dominant UFC forces. Competing for a year-long Edge sponsorship, the following fighters will go head to head for the lead in the “Team Edge” contest:

1. Rory MacDonald – One of the UFC’s youngest fighters, MacDonald (13-1) has finished six opponents via submission and another five via TKO/KO
2. Chris Weidman – A top middleweight prospect, Weidman is a two-time Division 1, All-American Wrestler with 100 percent total takedowns avoided
3. John Dodson – Known for his speed, Dodson is the first Bantamweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter®competition
4. Joseph Benavidez –  Red hot favorite to become the historic first ever UFC Flyweight champion after knocking out Yasuhiro Urushitani earlier this year

“No matter who you are in this sport, you know what it’s like to crave success and that you need an edge to make it to the top,” said Dominick Cruz. “I was once an up-and-comer just like these guys, and now can proudly call myself a UFC Champion. That’s why I’m so excited to work with ‘Team Edge’ and help these four great athletes become the next UFC stars.  I encourage all UFC fans to go online and vote for the fighter they want to see rise to the top.”

UFC fans can vote at www.edgeshave.com/UFC to determine who should be the next face of “Team Edge.” The fighter with the most votes will be sponsored by Edge and gain a shot at UFC stardom.  Fans can vote up to five times a day, and each time they vote they will be entered to win a weekly prize pack or a trip to an upcoming Las Vegas event for a live UFC showdown. Weekly prizes include Team Edge memorabilia, UFC merchandise and more.

CALGARY, Alberta (July 9 2012) - Discussions with MC Hammer and his agency, Alchemist MMA, has lead to an inked deal between fighters Rory MacDonald and Nate Marquardt and an exciting new watch company that designs and manufactures watches for the action sports world: NOVO watch.

“We couldn’t be more excited about working with both Rory and Nate and supporting them as they both prepare for their upcoming challenges,” said Steve Christensen, founder and President of NOVO watch. “It’s a unique opportunity to work with them at this time in their careers. Rory is getting ready for the biggest fight of his career and Nate is fighting for a title. There is a lot of hype surrounding both of these guys right now. It’s an exciting time.” According to Rory, “being a part of the NOVO team is really exciting and support from them means a lot. I’m always happy to work with fellow Canadians. I really like their products and what they represent.” Marquardt felt the same way and says that “it’s great to work with the people at NOVO. The energy they have about the work they do is contagious and the support for my title fight is appreciated.”

NOVO watch has quickly made a name for itself with other sponsored MMA athletes but working with MacDonald and Marquardt will put them on the largest stages in the MMA world. “NOVO is more than just a watch company. It’s what defines us while away from the gym. It reminds us of our true passion. Even though people on the outside may not understand why we do what we do, we understand each other,” says Christensen while talking about what NOVO represents to him and those who have joined the movement. “When we look for an athlete we look for superior talent and exceptional attitude. Both fighters have incredible talent and their attitudes are awesome, which makes them a great fit for our company.”  To find out more visit www.novowatch.com.

For any press inquiries contact:
[email protected]

Virgil Zwicker was once a man walking his own path of destruction.

The Strikeforce fighter spent as much time in trouble as a youth as he did in school, bouncing in and out of jail for much of his life growing up on an Indian reservation in California.

But Zwicker was able to pick himself up, dust himself off and not only pick up the pieces of what was quickly becoming a broken life, but he was able to put it all back together again.

Now with a growing family of his own, Zwicker’s tale is one that could be simply told for inspiration, but that’s not good enough for the 30-year-old mixed martial artist who now wants to serve as an example of somebody who grew up wrong, but made things right.

While Zwicker has been working as a youth coordinator at his Indian reservation, recently he got the opportunity to speak in front of a group of young people that could truly relate to everything he had gone through.

At the Alamansor Academy in California, kids routinely join the program due to similar upbringings as Zwicker and seemingly walking down the same destructive path. The school’s job is to help lead them back in the right direction and at their recent graduation they invited Zwicker to come be the keynote speaker.

“When I first looked them up and checked them out I thought it was going to be strictly troubled youths, gangs, kids being locked up, but I would say probably only 20 to 30 percent of the kids were like that. The rest of them, there was a lot that had physical disabilities, autism, and a lot of them were not in trouble or anything. They basically told me that 90 percent of those kids are the worst of the worst in that area,” Zwicker told MMAWeekly.com.

The school selected Zwicker because he was a person that grew up with many of the same issues these kids were dealing with today. But he didn’t give up, he didn’t become a lifetime offender, he didn’t become a product of the system. Zwicker cleaned up his act and worked all the way to where he was fighting for Strikeforce, one of the largest mixed martial arts promotions in the world, and now he’s giving back.

“I felt like that was the first step for me for being able to give back and helping out the kids and showing that you can make it no matter what. I’m still trying to climb the ladder of success and them graduating it was just awesome to hear their stories and their accomplishments,” Zwicker said.

John Vandercook, who sits on the Alamansor Academy’s board of directors, said it was a no-brainer to bring Zwicker in to speak to the kids on their graduation day.

“Because of who he is and his background as an individual who has overcome personal adversity, and become a personal success in his life, he was a natural selection to be the keynote speaker,” said Vandercook. “Because all of these young people are at risk individuals and have similar adversities and financial backgrounds, so his message was very much aligned with our Alamansor Academy’s message which is taking charge and overcoming adversity and empowering at risk individuals and not giving up.”

Zwicker delivered a very personal message to the kids that day, but even he admits it wasn’t easy. His story is definitely one of struggle, but Zwicker knew that if he could even prevent one kid from living the same kind of life he did, then the job was worth it.

“It’s so much easier to get in the cage than to stand in front of a group of people and speak about myself and kind of get them motivated to go out in their lives, and it was nerve wracking right up until I started talking and I was engaging with them,” Zwicker revealed.

“I spoke to them about how I kind of grew up in poverty and didn’t really have a lot in my life in terms of materialistic things, coming from a big family and living on the reservation you learn to live off the land, live off of love and when I got in trouble I never focused on my family or what I was doing wrong. It just kind of happened by me taking ownership and taking responsibility for who I was and I had to really realize it was nobody’s fault but mine and I made the changes in the right way to become a man.”

About 500 people showed up at the graduation including the kids who were exiting the program that day. Zwicker could not be prouder of what he was able to do, and hopes this can help inspire them to go on to great things.

“For me, I just like to be around kids I can motivate,” said Zwicker. “I get motivated in any way I can help people and kids. It keeps me grounded.”

 article by Damon Martin on mmaweekly.com

BJ Penn, who is expected to fight Rory MacDonald at UFC 152 in Toronto, is leading by example in the campaign to introduce more stringent performance-enhancing drug testing into MMA. He and MacDonald tweeted an agreement to have their September bout sponsored by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.
Penn tweeted to MacDonald on Tuesday:

. @rory_macdonald VADA anti-doping has offered to sponsor our upcoming fight.I’ve accepted and invite you to help me clean up the sport

. @rory_macdonald VADA results will be released after the fight to ensure that the fight happens. Lets get started asap!!

MacDonald responded:

@bjpenndotcom already worried BJ? honestly i think its a great idea 2, and im ready to do the testing for our fight aswell @danawhite

According to VADA’s website, Penn and MacDonald will be subject to a testing program similar to what Olympic athletes under go. They will be subject to random testing, and have to submit their whereabouts to VADA so drug testers can show up whenever they like to require a test.

If it’s truly modeled after the Olympic program, Penn and MacDonald need to be ready for knocks on their door at all times of the day and night. Olympians often tweet when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency shows up at their door, and it’s rarely expected.

Kudos to both men for paying more than lip service to the problem of PEDs in MMA. Penn is a respected veteran, while MacDonald is a young up-and-comer in the sport, and they both recognize the need to be role models. Hopefully, more fighters will follow their lead.

article from yahoo sports and written by Maggie Hendricks

A lightweight bout between Michael Johnson (11-6 MMA, 3-2 UFC) and Danny Castillo (14-4 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is the latest addition to September’s UFC 151 event.

UFC officials announced the fight on Wednesday.

Officials also confirmed two previously reported fights for the card: bantamweights Takeya Mizugaki (15-7-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. Jeff Hougland (10-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and featherweights Dennis Siver (20-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) vs. Eddie Yagin (16-5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC).

Featuring a headliner between UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones and top contender Dan Henderson, UFC 151 takes place Sept. 1 in Las Vegas. Sin City’s Mandalay Bay Events Center is expected to play host.

UFC 151′s main card airs on pay-per-view, and FX and Facebook are expected to carry the prelims.

Johnson looks for his third straight victory and his fourth win in five fights. Since a runner-up finish on “The Ultimate Fighter 12,” the Florida-based Blackzillian team member has been on a roll. Most recently, he’s picked up decision wins over Shane Roller and “TUF 14″ champion Tony Ferguson, which followed a submission loss to Paul Sass.

Castillo also has been on a streak. Since a decision loss to Jacob Volkmann this past August, the former WEC fighter has picked up consecutive victories over Shamar Bailey, Anthony Njokuani and John Cholish. In fact, the Team Alpha Male fighter is 6-1 since early 2010.

The latest UFC 151 card now includes:

• Champ Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson (for light-heavyweight title)
• Danny Castillo vs. Michael Johnson
• Takeya Mizugaki vs. Jeff Hougland
• Dennis Siver vs. Eddie Yagin

Article is from mmajunkie