Saturday, February 20 8:52 am PT: Bellator Fighting Championships on Friday added the final piece to its upcoming eight-man featherweight tournament, as it agreed to a contract with John Eric Marriott. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Saturday, February 20 8:44 am PT: The once-beaten Shamar Bailey will replace an injured Bryan Travers in a catchweight bout with Justin Wilcox at Strikeforce “Challengers 7” on March 26 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. The promotion announced the change on Friday.
Bailey made his promotional debut in November, when he outpointed “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 6 semi-finalist John Kolosci by unanimous decision at Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Rogers.” The 27-year old will carry a four-fight winning streak into his showdown with Wilcox.
Never once in seven professional bouts has Cain Velasquez been threatened when a fight has hit the mat: his wrestling core usually leaves opponents flat and struggling more for their own survival than his extinction. But the exact place where Velasquez is most comfortable -- on top -- is where Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is his most dangerous. He may not submit Velasquez, but the threat of it can help get him in and out of positions that could dictate the outcome of the fight.
Will Nogueira’s experience work against him?
Could be that Velasquez is going to be the victim of the finesse and tactical correction provided by Nogueira’s nearly 40 trips to the ring. But the price paid for that experience is a body that may want to hang up its shield. Against Frank Mir, Nogueira was downed by staph; wars with Fedor Emelianenko and Bob Sapp resulted in a different, more weathered fighter than we had seen before. If anyone stands to benefit from Nogueira’s long and painful history in MMA, it may just be Velasquez.
