Brad Blackburn Interview

Brad Blackburn signs new four-fight UFC deal, sidelined till early 2010 after shoulder surgery

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

After a 3-0 start in the organization, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has secured welterweight Brad Blackburn's services by offering the fighter a new four-fight deal.

Blackburn (15-9-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who had one fight remaining on his previous deal, inked the new contract on Tuesday, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed with his agent, Ken Pavia of MMAAgents.com.

However, it's not all good news for Blackburn; recent shoulder surgery will keep the IFL veteran out of action until at least early 2010.

Blackburn recently underwent the knife for what was expected to be a minor surgery. However, his injury proved more severe than doctors first thought once surgeons began operating on the bothersome shoulder, and Blackburn will now be sidelined approximately six months while he heals.

Click here to read the entire article on MMAjunkie.com

UFC's Brad Blackburn Out Until 2010

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

One fighter who has made the most of his UFC opportunity over the last year is former IFL welterweight “Bad” Brad Blackburn.

Since making his debut for the UFC this past December, he has won all three of his fights for the promotion, turning in gritty, solid performances against James Giboo, Ryo Chonan, and Edgar Garcia.

It is his success that makes the recent news that he will be out for the remainder of the year that much more disappointing.

As Blackburn confirmed to MMAWeekly.com, “The doctors said when they went in to fix my AC (acromioclavicular) joint that I had a nice long tear in my labrum (shoulder).

“They had to fix both of those and my estimated time for recovery is nine months.”

Early in Blackburn’s fight with Edgar Garcia at the Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in June, Garcia slammed him, causing the injury, and turning Blackburn into a one-armed fighter the remainder of the bout.

Since the fight, concern had risen in regards to the extent of the injury when it became apparent that Blackburn could not reach across his body with his injured shoulder, prompting doctors to want to check his labrum in addition to his AC joint.

While the news is upsetting, Blackburn remains in good spirits and plans to use his positive state of mind to motivate him towards a faster recovery.

Click here to read the entire article on MMAweekly.com

Brad Blackburn's Sherdog Post-Fight Interview

Brad Blackburn Addresses Controversial Win

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

Heading into Saturday’s Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Finale versus Edgar Garcia, “Bad” Brad Blackburn was anticipating a war of attrition, and that’s exactly what he got.

Over the course of three rounds, Blackburn and Garcia battered each other, with Blackburn ultimately coming out on top via a close, controversial split-decision.

Upon return to his home in Washington, Blackburn spoke to MMAWeekly.com about his controversial win and what he feels was the deciding factor in the fight.

“I thought I performed well, under the circumstances that I didn’t have my right hand,” he admitted. “It was a big win for me, because he’s a very tough opponent, a very strong striker, and I didn’t have my best weapon.”

According to Blackburn the injury was suffered early in the fight and caused the match-up to become much closer than he felt it could have been.

“I was busting him up right at the beginning and then he went for a takedown, I went for a choke, and he picked me up and slammed me right down on my shoulder,” said Blackburn. “Every time I threw a punch after that, my shoulder would make a crunching, grinding noise.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

Brad Blackburn Ups his UFC Record to 3-0 in TUF 9 Finale Prelims

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

In earlier action, welterweight Blackburn kept his undefeated run alive in the UFC – barely – by eking out a split-decision win over the previously undefeated Edgar Garcia (7-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC).

The pair gamely engaged each other in the opening five minutes, and the crowd approved of the entertaining exchanges of stiff jabs and smiling nods of approval. And while both fighters have proven themselves capable wrestlers in previous contests, neither contestant looked once to bring the fight to the floor until the closing moments of the final frame.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

UFC's Brad Blackburn Eyes More Success

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

One of the bigger surprises since the folding of the IFL has been welterweight “Bad” Brad Blackburn.

Of all the fighters the UFC brought over from the now-defunct promotion, Blackburn more than likely received the least amount of attention during the transition, but he’s quickly proving that he belongs in his new surroundings.

Having won three fights in a row overall, Blackburn returns to the UFC for this Saturday’s Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale intent on continuing his winning ways and proving he is someone to keep an eye on in the 170-pound weight class.

“I’m feeling good,” said a confident Blackburn to MMAWeekly.com. “I had a good training camp for this one, and I feel I’m in better shape than I was for my last fight, so I’m ready to go.”

Having competed on the big stage before, he knows what to expect from the UFC experience, unlike his opponent, Edgar Garcia, who will be making his first appearance in the Octagon.

It’s that veteran experience that Blackburn hopes will stem the tide of the fight.

“I’m going to try to fight smarter, and that will most likely be an advantage for me,” he stated. “I’ve had a lot of wars, and he really hasn’t yet. I haven’t seen him in there with anyone that’s been a threat to him, so I don’t know how’s going to react to when he gets tested.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

TUF 9 Finale additions include Blackburn vs. Garcia

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

With just four days remaining until Saturday's Spike TV-televised event, The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale has been bolstered with the official additions of three un-aired preliminary bouts.

The match-ups include Melvin Guillard (21-7-2 MMA, 5-3 UFC) vs. Gleison Tibau (17-6 MMA, 5-3 UFC), Mike Ciesnolevicz (17-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Tomasz Drwal (15-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), and Brad Blackburn (13-9-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) vs. Edgar Garcia (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale takes place June 20 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

***********

And in welterweight action, Blackburn, a former IFL fighter, looks to build off his back-to-back UFC victories over James Giboo (TKO) and Ryo Chonan (unanimous decision) when he meets Garcia, a former WEC fighter who joins other refugees from the organization, which closed its 170-pound division. Garcia made an impressive debut during his one-fight stint in the WEC with a 78-second KO of Hiromitsu Miura in January.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

USAT/SBN May MMA Consensus Rankings: Welterweight

Top 25 Welterweights

#7 Martin Kampmann
#19 Jay Hieron
#22 Anthony Johnson
#23 Chris Lytle
#24 Brad Blackburn

Click here to read the entire article at Bloodyelbow.com

Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns official for TUF 9 Finale in June

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

A welterweight contest between Kevin Burns (7-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Chris Lytle (26-17-5 MMA, 5-9 UFC), first reported in March, has been officially added to the June 20 finale of "The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K."

The organization made the announcement on its official website.

The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale takes place June 20 at The Pearl in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It airs on Spike TV.

Lytle will be looking to rebound from an exciting split-decision loss to Marcus Davis at UFC 93 in January. The 14-time UFC veteran hasn't dropped two consecutive bouts since back-to-back defeats to Matt Hughes and Matt Serra in 2006 and 2007.

*********

MAIN CARD
Lightweight finalist No. 1 vs. No. 2
Welterweight finalist No. 1 vs. No. 2
Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez
Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson
Matt Brown vs. Anthony Johnson

PRELIMINARY CARD
Kevin Burns vs. Chris Lytle
Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Tomasz Drwal*
Brad Blackburn vs. Edgar Garcia*
* - Not officially announced

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

Pros Picks: Liddell vs. Shogun

Originally posted on Sherdog.com

Many professional trainers and fighters think they have the answer to those questions. Sherdog.com recently polled dozens of the pros in an attempt to get a read on the pulse of the MMA elite. Some were a little hesitant to comment on the fight, but the brave ones put their names and reputations on the line and boldly picked a winner...

Brad Blackburn: I think the first round should be a very exciting kickboxing match. But after the first round, if the fight hasn't ended, and Rua hasn't upped his conditioning, it's going to be all Chuck from that point on.

Jonathan Goulet: If Shogun is not in shape, like when he fought Coleman, he will get destroyed, but if he is in shape I will give Liddell a split decision.

Erin Toughill: Both are at a crossroads in their career. Both were unbeatable forces at one time, but in my opinion the toe-to-toe fights have caught up with them. At any rate, I see Liddell winning this one. I think they’ll just haymaker each other for three rounds (laughs), but if Liddell uses good footwork and punches and moves, he will win by decision.

Click here to read the entire article at Sherdog.com

USAT/SBN March MMA Consensus Rankings: Welterweight

Originally posted on Bloodyelbow.com

MMAagents.com is well represented on this list with five clients. Here's where they stack up...

#16 Jay Hieron
#19 Anthony Johnson
#20 Chris Lytle
#22 Brad Blackburn
#25 Mike Pyle

Click here to read the entire article at BloodyElbow.com

BRAD BLACKBURN’S next UFC fight, ROY NELSON in action, JACOB NUESSER from Fightchix

Click here to listen to the entire interview on The Rear Naked Choke, Featuring Joe and Ted

Brad Blackburn Meets UFC Newcomer Edgar Garcia at TUF9 Finale

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

UFC welterweight Brad Blackburn (13-9-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will meet undefeated UFC newcomer Edgar Garcia (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) in June at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale.

News of the fight first came from FiveOuncesofPain.com, which learned of the bout from sources close to the negotiations.

The bout will likely end up on the preliminary portion of the June 20 event, which concludes the ninth season of the UFC's reality series, "The Ultimate Fighter."

Although not officially announced, the event will likely take place at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Blackburn, a former IFL fighter, made his UFC debut in the summer of 2008 and has since posted victories over James Giboo (TKO) and Ryo Chonan (unanimous decision). Since launching his career with a 9-9-1 record, the 31-year-old is 4-0, which included an impressive 40-second TKO victory over highly touted Jay Hieron in June 2007.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

5 MMAagents.com Clients make the Top 25 BloodyElbow Welterweight List

Originally posted on BloodyElbow.com

#12 Jay Hieron
#18 Brad Blackburn
#21 Chris Lytle
#22 Anthony Johnson
#23 Mike Pyle

Click here to read the entire article at BloodyElbow.com

170 Rankings (February, 2009)

Originally posted on MMAworldrankings.com

14 Chris Lytle 26~17~5 Indianapolis, IN
15 Anthony Johnson 6~2 Los Angeles, CA
16 Brad Blackburn 14~9~1 Olympia, WA
18 Jay Hieron 17~4 Long Island, NY

Click here to read the entire article at MMAworldrankings.com

BloodyElbow's Top 25 Welterweights

Originally posted on Bloodyelbow.com

MMAagents' Fighters in the Top 25
#16 Jay Hieron
#19 Chris Lytle
#23 Brad Blackburn
#24 Anthony Johnson

Click here to read the entire list at bloodyelbow.com

MMAmadhouse.com's List of Top 10 Non-UFC KOs includes Blackburn-Heleno

Originally posted on MMAmadhouse.com

6. Brad Blackburn vs. Delson Heleno
Brad Blackburn sprawls and knocks out his opponent almost all in one motion.



Click here to read the entire list at MMAmadhouse.com

Brad Blackburn continues career resurrection in UFC run

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

It wasn't too long ago that Brad Blackburn (13-9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) was a lightly regarded prospect in the IFL.

Two-straight wins over Delson Heleno and Jay Hieron changed that reputation in the IFL, and two more victories over Ryo Chonan and James Giboo since coming to the UFC have left Blackburn in an enviable position.

In a recent interview with TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), Blackburn said a departure from past habits has lead to his current successful run.

"I just like to fight, and (in the past) I didn't train for it," Blackburn said. "[Promoters] were like, 'You want to fight next week? And I would say, 'OK, whatever.'

"I wasn't training. So I'd go fight, and that's why I couldn't fight more than one round. If you look at my earlier fights, all my wins were in the first round. Any fight that went past the first round before the (Guatavo) Machado fight (in April 2006), I lost."

Blackburn admitted his less-than-desirable reputation.

"I was a one-round wonder," Blackburn said.

The 31-year-old broke out of that mold once and for all with his gutsy, unanimous-decision win over Chonan at UFC 92. Blackburn admitted he was tested throughout the 15-minute affair.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

Brad Blackburn on today's TAGG Radio

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

UFC welterweight Brad Blackburn, who moved to 2-0 in the UFC with a recent unanimous-decision victory over Ryo Chonan at UFC 92, is a guest on today's edition of TAGG Radio.

Blackburn (13-9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC), a former IFL fighter who owns career victories over the likes of Jay Hieron and Chris Wilson, will discuss his UFC 92 victory and plans for 2009.

Catch TAGG Radio, the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com, Monday-Friday at noon EST (9 a.m. EST) at www.taggradio.com.

Click here to listen to the entire show at taggradio.com

Blackburn Takes Step up with Win Over Chonan

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

By now, Brad Blackburn is used to having his nose broken. In eight years of mixed martial arts competition, it’s happened six times.

“I just don’t want it to get any flatter,” he says with a laugh.

His opponent, Ryo Chonan, caught his nose with a punch in the final moment of the third round, giving him not-so-lucky number six. It was hard to breath after that.

“That was a long minute,” he notes.

The damage was a small price to pay for a victory over an opponent with international recognition. Chonan’s luck had been mixed in the UFC, with a win and loss inside the Octagon, but he did have a respectable resume, punctuated by a quick submission win over reigning middleweight champ Anderson Silva.

Three months back when Blackburn first learned of the fight, he said he needed to do three things right.

“One was be in great shape,” Blackburn told MMAWeekly.com on Monday. “Two was not let him take me down, not to fall for any of his tricks. (Three was) to keep it simple. I wanted to keep it a kickboxing match.”

Chonan got the memo on the kickboxing match, because the two spent almost no time on the ground. When given the opportunity to get back up, Blackburn took it.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

Blackburn Edges Chonan, Wins Third Straight

Originally posted on Sherdog.com

In a showdown between ambitious welterweights with B-level resumes, IFL veteran Brad Blackburn edged Ryo Chonan by unanimous decision. All three judges scored it 29-28 in the American’s favor.

Blackburn (13-9-1) built an early lead against the former Deep champion, as he controlled the first two rounds with superior stand-up and highlighted exchanges between the two with crisp combinations.

Chonan threatened to end the match late, as he staggered Blackburn with a right uppercut with roughly half a minute to go in round three. However, Blackburn survived and notched his third consecutive win in the process. Chonan (15-9) -- whose claim to fame remains his spectacular submission victory against reigning UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in 2004 -- has lost two of his three fights inside the Octagon, both by decision.

Click here to read the entire article at Sherdog.com

Bloodyknux.Com presents: 1 on 1 with Brad Blackburn

Click here for more great content at BloodyKnux.com

Sherdog Predicts Breakthrough for Blackburn

Originally posted on Sherdog.com

Brad “Bad” Blackburn Scouting Report
Height/Weight: 5’10/170 lbs.
Age: 31
Hometown: Los Angeles
Fighting out of: Olympia, Wash.
Record: 12-9-1

The stakes: One of several fighters who migrated to the UFC following the International Fight League’s Titanic reenactment, Blackburn made his presence known immediately with a spectacular TKO win against an overmatched James Giboo at UFC Fight Night 14. While it was not enough to get him on the main card, handling Chonan in similar fashion may be all Blackburn needs to raise his stock.

The breakdown: If Chonan’s going to stand pat and let the action come to him, this is Blackburn’s fight to lose, as his athleticism and explosiveness makes him a constant threat on the feet. Of course, his takedown defense would hardly be mistaken for the Berlin Wall, but it should be enough to force the issue with Chonan. As long as Blackburn can remain accurate and under control, he should leave Chonan’s mug looking like something from Garth Ennis’ imagination.



* * *
The bottom line: Wait around for Chonan to snap out of his transcontinental daze if you like, but do not sleep on Blackburn, who realizes he has nothing to lose by going for broke, since no one expects much from him anyway. Meanwhile, Chonan will keep acting like Keanu Reeves in any movie in which he’s starred. Being a hollow shell devoid of emotion may work in Hollywood, but it does not fly in the cage. Blackburn notches another impressive win.


Click here to read the entire article at Sherdog..com

Former IFL veteran Brad Blackburn finally able to focus on fighting in UFC

Originally posted by the Canadian Press

Brad (Bad) Blackburn doesn't have to cast his mind back too far to remember the really bad times. In 2005, he lost all four times he fought.

"That time I was going through my divorce and going through a custody battle with the kids and working a job and a half, so I was just spread too thin and stressed out," recalled the welterweight from Olympia, Wash. "I just fought to fight, pretty much.

"I wasn't ready, I wasn't prepared. I didn't train for them, I didn't have the time. Mentally I shouldn't have been fighting, so that's pretty much what happened."

Dennis Hallman, Maurice Smith and the International Fight League helped put Blackburn back on the mixed martial arts map. And, on Saturday night, the 31-year-old takes on former Pride fighter Ryo (Piranha) Chonan on the UFC 92 undercard at the MGM Grand Garden Arena (available on pay per view).

"I'm excited and nervous at the same time, of course," said Blackburn, who won his UFC debut over James Giboo via TKO in July. "Excited because for one, it's on a huge card but what I'm more excited about than the card it's on is who I'm fighting. I'm fighting somebody that has a name."


Click here to read the entire article

FCF Predicts Blackburn victory at UFC 92

Originally posted on FCfighter.com

Ryo "Pirhana" Chonan vs. Brad "Bad" Blackburn

Chonan is just straight-up scary, and I'm not sure why. There's something about him that just gives me the willies, and vaguely reminds me of the 1986 movie "Critters" which I just now am realizing has three sequels I haven't seen. If Blackburn had been born 600 years ago, he probably would've been a pirate. With a name like that, it would've been his only career choice. My Guess: Blackburn by decision.

Click here to read the entire article at Fcfighter.com

FCF Radio featuring Reese Andy and Brad Blackburn

On the show, UFC fighters "Bad" Brad Blackburn and Reese Andy discuss their opponents and give their thoughts on the rest of the card.

Click here to listen to the entire interview at FCFradio.com

Blackburn Ready to Play the Spoiler Again?

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

Go ahead and label Brad Blackburn an “underdog” and count him out of a fight, because that’s exactly what he wants you to do. Since his MMA debut in 2001, very few have delivered with the odds against them like he as.

Wins over Chris Wilson, Jay Hieron, and Delson Heleno when they were all big favorites are just a few of the upsets he has perpetrated in his career.

Looking to keep the trend going, Blackburn returns to the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Dec. 27 as he faces Japanese star Ryo Chonan in a welterweight showdown at UFC 92.

“I can’t wait to get the fight over with. I’m tired of training now,” he said heading into his second UFC fight. “I trained my butt off for this one.

“I’m not just saying this, but I know my cardio is better than it's ever been – which is a good thing – because Ryo is always in good shape too. I’m feeling good and I’m excited for this opportunity.”

After defeating relative unknown James Giboo in is UFC debut earlier this year, Blackburn sees Chonan as the step up in competition he’s been hoping for.

“What I’m most excited about is fighting somebody that has a big name,” he exclaimed. “You have to beat somebody with a big name to be somebody with a big name, just like how you have to beat the champ to be the champ.”

One of the perks of fighting such a well-known commodity such as Ryo is the fact that Blackburn has had ample opportunity to familiarize himself with his opponent and prepare accordingly.

“He’s in great shape all the time,” he said of Chonan. “In Pride he was fighting a 10-minute round at a good pace. I think he’s a good striker, but I think I’m a better strike than him, and a better wrestler.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

"Bad" Brad Looking to do Good at UFC 92

Originally posted on blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com

TK: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me. Tell me how training has been going so far.

BB: My training's been going great. Ever since I signed my UFC contract, I stopped working and have been training full time. You know right now, I can honestly say I'm in the best shape of my life. I've got a huge opportunity in front of me so I'm excited and nervous at the same time.

TK: Can you talk about what you did before becoming a full time fighter and how you managed to balance working and fighting?

BB: It was out of control. I was definitely spreading myself too thin. I was working full time and training full time so I was pretty much going non stop from six in the morning until nine or ten at night. You know I was training full time, but not giving it 100 percent when you're working a full time, labor job doing framing.

TK: So you've noticed a big difference since then?

BB: It's a huge difference because I get to rest. It's hard to eat properly when you're working with breaks and everything. So now, I'm eating properly, getting my rest, having a period of time in between my workouts. That means I get two better workouts than when I try to jam both of my workout sessions after getting off work. It's a big difference and I can definitely feel it.

TK: Are you still down in Olympia working out with Dennis Hallman or are you training in Seattle right now?

BB: I mostly train at Dennis Hallman's gym in Olympia, Reese Andy's gym in Renton and Eric Dahlberg's gym in Renton. So I bounce around. I'm a gym whore basically, but the main gyms I go to are Hallman's and Reese's.

TK: All of your training partners and instructors are currently helping you prepare for Ryo Chonan. What are your thoughts of him as a fighter?

BB: I think Ryo Chonan has a lot of experience. He's been in there with a lot of tough guys. He's always in great shape and has even fought ten minute rounds at a good pace. So I know he's going to be ready to have a good pace the whole time. I think he's well rounded. I don't think he's great at anything, but he's good at everything and that's what makes him good. I think his strongest avenue of fighting is his ground and pound. It should be a good fight. He's not afraid to mix it up. He's not afraid to exchange on his feet. He's scrappy on the mat too, so it should be a good fight. I'm excited.

Click here to read the entire article at blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com

Brad Blackburn's "Ready to Go"

Originally posted on knucklepit.com

On December 27, 2008, ‘Bad’ Brad Blackburn will be mixing it up with Ryo ‘Piranha’ Chonan (15-6-0) at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, for UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008.

Brad, a former IFL star, gave UFC fans a sneak preview of his skills at Fight Night 14, when he defeated James Giboo via a leaping knee, followed by other miscellaneous strikes. Unfortunately, Brad sustained some injuries during the fight, but he says he’s now right to go for UFC 92.

“I’ve been doing good. Of course I had to have my thumb connected back to my hand, so I had a cast on for a while. Then I fractured my right hand, which resulted in my having two messed up hands in the last fight. But everything’s right now: I’m ready to go,” says Blackburn.

At the time of this interview Brad is in Seattle talking to Knucklepit.com between workouts. “I had my first session at 10 this morning, when I did a couple of rounds of just wrestling, went over some ground technique, and then did circuit training. I will start again somewhere between five and seven this evening. I run Monday, Wednesday and Friday; Tuesday and Thursday mornings I do wrestling and circuit training.”

When we last spoke with Brad he was in the Tigersharks and being coached by Maurice Smith, but that is all in the past. “I train with Dennis Hallman, Carlos Fernandez – my boxing coach, and Reese Andy at West Coast Fitness. But I train with quite a few people. I bounce around gyms; however, for the most part those are the people I train with consistently.

“Drew Fickett still comes up here every once in a while… He hasn’t been here for a while, but I’m trying to get him to come up again… He comes up every couple of months and he’ll stay for about a month.”

Brad, what’s it like not having to fight every two months or so the way you did in the IFL?

“I like it better because you get burnt out fighting too regularly. You fight every two months and it’s like there are no breaks at all. You’re body needs a break and you can’t take one because you’ve got to fight in two months. You’re constantly fighting and training through injuries, and I don’t think it’s good. I think about three times a year is good to take a fight.”

What things do you miss about the IFL?

“I don’t miss much. The people who were my friends are still my friends, and I have a similar training atmosphere to what I did then. Actually, my training situation continues to get better here and I still train with the same people as in the IFL, so I don’t miss much.

“IFL wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m a professional fighter and ultimately it’s an individual sport and you have to do what’s best for your career. IFL went down, but then I got another opportunity with UFC so I’m fine. I like the fact that I don’t have to fight every two months.”

Going from four-minute rounds to five-minute rounds won’t be a problem?

“No, because I’m training properly now. I’ll definitely be ready for the five-minute rounds. I think the biggest adjustment for IFL fighters, which isn’t that big of a deal, is we didn’t throw elbows on the ground – that’s the only thing. I train for whatever I’m going to do, so I’ll be fine. That’s probably the biggest difference between IFL and other organizations.

“Also, I do like the cage a lot. I think the cage is better and safer for fighters. They say it’s easier for people to watch the ring if they are accustomed to doing so, but the ring also gets in the way of the fight. If somebody’s going to take you down and you get all twisted up in the ropes… But you know the cage is always there. If you’re going backwards into the cage you know it’s going to be there, it doesn’t mess up your fight – you can keep going, so I do like it better in the cage.”

You and Reese Andy are both on the UFC 92 card. Are we likely to see Shad Lierley or any other former Tiger Sharks competing in the UFC?

“I know Shad has applied to go on the next TUF; we’ll see what happens there.”

When we last talked, you said you wanted to be recognized as being one of the best fighters in the world. Do you see your debut at UFC 92 as being another step towards achieving that recognition?

“I do. My goal in Fight Night 14 was to dominate and that is what happened. Of course, in my next fight with Ryo Chonan, I know he’s a top opponent, but I want to make it look like he shouldn’t even be in there with me. That’s my plan – I mean I respect him as a fighter, but… Things don’t always go to plan; however my plan is to overwhelm him. And people will think, ‘Hey, what is this? Was that luck? Did Brad just get lucky?’ I want to beat him so bad that people will just wonder if I got lucky or not.”

Click here to read the entire article at knucklepit.com

3 MMAagents Fighters Make the Cut in Bloody Elbow's November Welterweight Rankings

Originally posted on Bloodyelbow.com

Former IFL champ #15 Jay Hieron owes his surge in the rankings due to Five Ounces of Pain updating their rankings and putting him in the top 10. The differences between #13 Brock Larson and #19 Chris Lytle are tiny and picking up a top 10 spot makes for a big jump in a tight field. Hieron's supposed to fight the undefeated Jason High at Affliction's January 24th event. Cross your fingers for that event happening.

#25 Brad Blackburn will seek his second UFC win at UFC 92 against journeyman Ryo Chonan. That will be a stiff test for Blackburn. At UFC 93, #16 Marcus Davis and #21 Chris Lytle will throw down. The winner of that match will hopefully get back on the contender track in the UFC.

NOTE: The Meta-Rankings are not the subjective opinion of the BloodyElbow team, but rather a compilation of the rankings of over twenty leading MMA web sites. It is our opinion that these are the most informative MMA rankings anywhere.

Here's where they stand...

15. Jay Hieron

21. Chris Lytle

25. Brad Blackburn

Click here to read the entire article at BloodyElbow.com

The Rear Naked Choke, Featuring Joe & Ted

Brad Blackburn made his first appearance on The Rear Naked Choke since signing a multi-fight deal with the UFC!

Click here to listen to the entire interview at JoeTed.com

Brad Blackburn: Rated Exclusive Interview

Brad Blackburn: Rated Exclusive Interview

Blackburn vs. Chonan at UFC 92 in December

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

Former International Fight League (IFL) fighter Brad Blackburn and Pride veteran Ryo Chonan have agreed to fight on the undercard of UFC 92 on Dec. 27 in Las Vegas, according to sources close to the fighters’ camps.

The first six years of his professional career, Chonan built a solid reputation fighting for DEEP and Pride before making the move to America at UFC 78 in November of 2007. His Octagon debut was a loss to perennial contender Karo Parisyan. Chonan finally found success in the UFC with a split decision victory over Brazilian Roan Carneiro at UFC 88 earlier this month.

He will face Blackburn, who found limited success as a longtime member of the IFL’s roster, amassing a 4-2 record during his tenure with the now defunct promotion. He made an impressive impact in his debut in the Octagon, defeating James Giboo by TKO stoppage on July 19.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

Blackburn Victorious in UFC Debut

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Jul 20, 2008 at 12:00 am ET

UFC Fight Night 14's main event offered little surprise as UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva successfully made his light-heavyweight debut with a quick first-round knockout of veteran fighter James Irvin.

The bout capped off Saturday's UFC Fight Night 14 event at The Palms Las Vegas, which aired live on Spike TV.

The event, a late booking put together to counter Saturday's debut event for Affliction Entertainment, concluded in predictable fashion as Silva, largely considered the world's top pound-for-pound fighter, easily disposed of Irvin in just 61 seconds.

Silva, who's stormed the UFC's middleweight division since taking the title from Rich Franklin in 2006, struck early and often. He ultimately checked a body kick and popped Irvin with a straightright. The blow forced Irvin to the mat, and after a barrage of follow-up punches from Silva, the bout was halted.

Silva, who will likely return to the middleweight division after tonight's victory, has been on the hunt for a challenge. After a proposed boxing match with Roy Jones Jr. was vetoed, Silva instead got the opportunity to move up a weight class.

But there was no challenge. The world's top fighter looked very much like it as he secured his eighth consecutive victory -- all via stoppage.

Many have long clamored for Brandon Vera's light-heavyweight debut, and though the move was met with victory over little-known UFC newcomer Andy Reese, there was only marginal success.

Vera looked flat, somewhat slow and was all but void of the explosiveness that carried him close to the top of the UFC's heavyweight division. The fight was booed for nearly the full 15 minutes as both Vera and Reese were slow to engage. The bout repeatedly stalled against the cage, and the pace only worsened as the fight wore on.

Vera did enough to earn the unanimous-decision victory (30-27, 29-28, 30-27), but he fell far short of making a splash in an already stacked division.

Rebounding from his first professional loss, Frankie Edgar picked up a unanimous-decision victory over former top contender Hermes Franca.

Franca, fighting for the first time since a failed drug test after a title loss to then-champ Sean Sherk last summer, looked flat in his comeback fight and was repeatedly taken down with ease.

Edgar, who suffered a loss to Gray Maynard earlier this year, rolled through submission attempts and connected on numerous punches that had Franca's face bruised and swollen. The victory was lopsided, but Franca forced it to a decision.

Edgar won it with 30-27 scores on all three judges' cards.

Highly touted heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez once again met grand expectations with a quick and dominant win over Jake O'Brien, a recently undefeated fighter now stuck in a two-fight losing streak.

After reversing his opponent's takedown attempt, Velasquez smoothly transitioned O'Brien into the crucifix position and rained down an all-too-long onslaught of punches. O'Brien looked as though he was knocked in and out of consciousness on multiple occassions until the stoppage mercifully came at 2:02 of the first round.

An entertaining bout between Anthony Johnson and Kevin Burns ended in controversial fashion after what appeared to be an accidental eye poke. After out-slugging Burns through the first two rounds, Johnson was forced to turtle up when he was blinded by a grazing left hook that caught his eye.

After some initial confusion, Burns was ultimately declared the winner via TKO stoppage at 3:35 of the third round. Referee Steve Mazzagatti's decision didn't go over well with a less-than-pleased crowd.

Humble in defeat, Johnson urged the crowd not too boo Burns, who's now 2-0 in the UFC after upsets of Roan Carneiro and Johnson.

Since disappointing back-to-back losses to eventual show winner Amir Sadollah, "The Ultimate Fighter 7" runner-up C.B. Dollaway secured a crafty submission victory with a win over Jesse Taylor.

After a few solid reversals, Dollaway took advantage of Taylor's four-point position to force the tap-out from a rare Peruvian necktie. The choke forced a stoppage at 3:57 of the first round.

Preliminary card

Tim Credeur def. Cale Yarbrough via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 1:54
Rory Markham def. Brodie Farber via KO (head kick) -- Round 1, 1:37
Nate Loughran def. Johnny Rees via submission (triangle choke) -- Round 1, 4:22
Shannon Gugerty def. Dale Hartt via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 3:33
Brad Blackburn def. James Gaboo via TKO (strikes) -- Round 2, 2:29

Sherdog Radio's Jordan Breen Show joined by Dale Hartt and Brad Blackburn

Courtesy of sherdog.com

Jordan Breen returned to the Sherdog Radio Network Thursday for the centennial edition of the Jordan Breen Show, and was joined by Affliction VP Tom Atencio (Pictures), and UFC debutants Dale Hartt and "Bad" Brad Blackburn (Pictures).

Atencio joins Breen to talk about all facets of Affliction's first promotional venture. Atencio talks about his history in MMA, including his time in cage, and how Affliction got started. Breen and Atencio also discuss Donald Trump's role in Affliction, what pay-per-view and gate expectations for the event are, and what the future of Affliction as a promotion will hold.

Hartt provides insight into his journey from shooting BB guns as a teen in Bangor to making it to the Octagon. Hartt talks about his forthcoming fight with Shannon Gugerty (Pictures), being a vegetarian, former 90210 star Shannen Doherty, as well as giving humorous anecdotes about the recent birth of his first son.

Blackburn gives a fighter's perspective on what it was like to be with the IFL over the long haul, and embarking on a new chapter in his career as he makes his UFC debut Saturday against James Giboo. Blackburn gives his explanation of the unevenness of his fight performances, and talks about selling his house to make the commitment to being a full-time fighter.

Breen also breaks down some of the non-UFC, non-Affliction action coming up, including bouts for Dream, Shooto, KOTC Canada, Palace Fighting Championship.

Education and regulation on the Sherdog Radio Network!

Copy and paste this link to hear the entire interview and show.
http://sherdog.com/radio/Radio-Jordan-Breen-Show-680

Radio: Brad Blackburn Is Ready For His UFC Shot

by Ariel Helwani, MMARated.com

Brad Blackburn has been competing in MMA for close to seven years. Along the way, the Washington-native has battled the likes of Roger Huerta and Jay Hieron although he never received that coveted call from the UFC to fight on one of their shows. That is until now.

Next weekend at UFN 14, Blackburn (12-9-1) will make his Octagon debut against another UFC newcomer, James Giboo (11-2). One of the most overlooked aspects of the entire Affliction vs. UFC programming war is that ten new fighters, including Blackburn and Giboo, will be making their UFC debut on 7/19 - an opportunity that might not have presented itself without the emergence of Affliction as a new fight promotion.

MMARated spoke to Blackburn a week before UFN 14 to talk about:
* His thoughts on making his UFC debut
* His contract situation with the UFC
* His current status with the IFL
* His thoughts on the demise of the IFL
* Jay Larkin's comments on MMA
* The story behind him almost fighting at UFC 85 against Roan Carneiro
* His thoughts on his 7/19 opponent, James Giboo

Check the full interview by copying and pasting this link.

http://mmarated.com/articles/article/news/20080711/radio__brad_blackburn_is_ready_for_his_ufc_shot-15074.html

The MMA Craze Exclusive: "Bad" Brad Blackburn Interview

Courtesy of www.themmacraze.com

Today I had a chance to spend a few minutes catching up with Brad Blackburn who is about to make his UFC debut vs. James Giboo at Fight Night on July 19th. Most recently Blackburn had been fighting for the IFL and was scheduled to fight Jay Hieron for the Welterweight Title prior to the cancellation of the August event. He has compiled a 12-9-1 professional record and fought the likes of Roger Huerta, Jay Hieron, Delson Heleno and Rory Markham.

THEMMACRAZE.COM: Where have you been training in preparation for your upcoming bout?

BLACKBURN: I've been back and forth between three gyms, Victory Athletics with Dennis Hallman, West Coast Fitness with Reese Andy who will also be on the card and Ivan Salaverry's gym in Seattle.

THEMMACRAZE.COM: With the IFL cancelling it's upcoming show in August and it's financial struggles, was getting into the UFC a goal of yours or did it just work out that way?

BLACKBURN: Really it just worked out that way. They had called me before about a fight on the card in London, but I couldn't go because I didn't have a passport. I was supposed to be fighting Jay Hieron for the belt in August and I was disappointed to miss out on it, but then the UFC called again. It's the biggest show out there, so it was definitely a goal though.

THEMMACRAZE.COM: What do you know about your opponent James Giboo with this fight being on such short notice?

BLACKBURN: Well, based on fighting guys with a week's notice early in my career, this isn't really short notice. There isn't really much available on him, he's won his last 5 or 6 fights. the guys he fought weren't that good, but he beat them pretty fast so he could be good. I think he's right handed and he mostly wins by submission so I assume he's mostly a ground fighter.

THEMMACRAZE.COM: How is your training coming along with only a few weeks to prepare?

BLACKBURN: I was half way ready when the fight was signed because I had been preparing for the IFL show, so I'm in great shape and ready to go right now.

THEMMACRAZE.COM: Can you give us a run down of a typical day of training for you?

BLACKBURN: In the morning I do strength and conditioning work and in the evenings I will do my fight training. Mostly kickboxing, wrestling and jiu jitsu. Lately I've been more focused on my ground game because I try to adjust my training based upon my opponent.

THEMMACRAZE.COM: Any predictions for the fight?

BLACKBURN: Of course it's not a secret I'm going to try to knock him out, but no matter what it's going to be an exciting fight. I'll have to feel him out for the first minute or so to see how he's going to react since I don't know too much about him.

THEMMACRAZE.COM: You have faced some high level competition in Roger Huerta, Jay Hieron & Delson Heleno. Based upon how you have performed, how would you say you stack up against the best in the welterweight division?

BLACKBURN: I'm game to fight anyone in the division, if you go back through my record, all of my losses were from conditioning. When I fought Roger Huerta I was working two jobs. If a fight went past the first round, I didn't win. Now I'm training full time and well rounded and I feel I can beat any of these guys.

THEMMACRAZE.COM: What goals do you have for your career? Stay in the UFC and win the Welterweight title?

BLACKBURN: Of course becoming the UFC Welterweight Champ would be a goal. Also to be paid well for what I love to do and being recognized as one of the best out there.

THEMMACRAZE.COM: Any thoughts on the IFL's future or final comments you would like to make?

BLACKBURN: Well, I'm signed with the UFC for 18 months so I won't be able to be a part of whatever the IFL ends up doing. I'm just excited to be healthy and ready to fight. Before the Heleno fight I didn't wrestle for seven months because of shoulder problems. Now I'm 100% for this fight, training is going great and I'm excited to get in there.

UFC Signing IFL Talent Blackburn and Andy

by Luke Thomas (www.bloodyelbow.com) on Jun 20, 2008 11:10 AM EDT in News

In a move that strangely acknowledges just how talented the IFL's roster is or at least once was, the UFC has been signing several IFL fighters recently and not all of them standouts. To wit:

The inclusion of Andy and Blackburn is very intriguing, as they were two of the IFL’s better fighters. In the past, it has been said that the UFC has such a bias against the upstart New York-based fight promotion that it wouldn’t sign any of its fighters.

However, there doesn’t appear to be a bias, as in recent months the UFC has selected former IFL fighters such as Gerald Harris, Mike Dolce, and Dante Rivera for the cast of its seventh installment of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality TV show. Now, with the recent signings of other former IFL fighters such as Blackburn, Andy, and Andre Gusmao in recent weeks, the anti-IFL theory has been blown completely out of the water.

That "Andy" is Reese Andy and the "Blackburn" is obviously Brad Blackburn, two former IFL aces. On top of that, Sam Caplan is reporting the UFC recently signed Rory Markham, a Miletich product with explosive boxing and heavy hands, who could make his UFC debut as early as July 19th.

One could argue that it's merely the fevered push to get a July 19th show together that's forcing the UFC to reach for the most available and usable resources. In other words, it's not from a strategic standpoint that the UFC is seeking fighters who've competed and done at least moderately well in the IFL. That argument could be true and until we see what sort of contracts these fighters have or how quickly they are cut if they lose, we don't yet know. But there's clearly some merit to the position. You have to think the UFC wants Vera to trounce Andy and much of July 19th's undercard will be filled with newcomers and virtually anonymous IFL stars.

But the interesting thought here is what would happen if a similarly positioned "rival" league went belly up. Would EliteXC's stars be snatched up by the UFC? Maybe, maybe not. Some of those fighters in EliteXC are stars that simply haven't made their way to the UFC yet like Jake Shields. But others - Scott Smith, Robbie Lawler - are either UFC washouts or fighters who chose to leave the UFC for more hospitable pastures. Ultimately it speaks strongly of the IFL's roster that so many, so quickly are making their way to the UFC and other promotions. One has to wonder how many of the top talent in the IFL are chomping at the bit for Zuffa to give them a call. Wagnney Fabiano, anyone?

Brad Blackburn Makes his UFC Debut at UFC Fight Night 14

By: MMA Junkie's Dann Stupp on Jun 19, 2008 at 10:18 am ET

James Giboo (11-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Brad Blackburn (12-9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will meet at the recently scheduled UFC Fight Night 14 event, which is headlined by UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin in a non-title light-heavyweight fight.

Giboo and Blackburn, UFC welterweights newcomers, recently agreed to the bout, sources close to both fighters tell MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The event takes place July 19 at The Palms Las Vegas and airs on Spike TV.

Giboo, an Iowa-based fighter who's fought in the Midwest's top regional promotions, is currently riding a six-fight win streak. The 30-year-old has balanced a fighting career with duties as a high school biology teacher and wrestling coach. The noted ground fighter has finished nine of his 11 career victories via submission, most by rear-naked or triangle choke.

Blackburn, a former IFL fighter based out of Seattle, trains under Maurice Smith with Andy Reese, who will meet Brandon Vera at the same July 19 event. The 31-year-old has lost just once in his past five fights, which included a victory over highly touted IFL welterweight Jay Hieron in June 2007.

UFC Fight Night 14 was announced just this week. It'll counter Affliction's debut show, which features a main event of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia. The "Affliction: Banned" card airs first on FSN, and then the main card will be available on pay per view ($39.95).

For the latest on UFC Fight Night 14, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.