UFC 97's David Loiseau "never lost faith" after being cut from the UFC

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

Make no mistake, Saturday night's UFC 97 event from the Bell Centre in Montreal is special for David Loiseau (18-8 MMA, 4-3 UFC).

Fighting in front of 22,000 people in his hometown is special enough. Add in the fact that "The Crow" is fighting for the UFC for the first time in two-and-a-half years, and the moment becomes amazing.

"It's very motivating," Loiseau told The Lights Out Show (www.thelightsoutshow.com), a content partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Some people would feel pressure. I feel motivation."

Loiseau will face former "TUF 3" finalist Ed Herman (14-7 MMA, 3-4 UFC) on Saturday's preliminary card. And while Herman has struggled as of late against top contender Demian Maia and rising talent Alan Belcher, Loiseau knows "Short Fuse" will present a stern test.

"I have to be the best David Loiseau I can be," Loiseau said. "Ed Herman's a grinder. He's a very good fighter. He's got good experience. He comes from a good camp. Me and my camp have put together a great game plan. It's going to be a great fight."

Loiseau compiled a 4-2 record during his time away from the UFC, including a current streak of three-straight victories. The 29-year-old admits it was tough being on the outside looking in, but Loiseau insists he never lost sight of his potential return to the organization.


Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

UFC 97 Preview: The Supporting Cast

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

Denis Kang vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam

Canadian fighter Denis Kang takes on UFC newcomer Xavier Foupa-Pokam. Kang is coming off a loss in his UFC debut and badly needs a win to stay relevant in the middleweight division. Pokam has been working his way up to the UFC and won’t waste his opportunity. Pokam will have the advantage on the feet, while Kang has the edge on the ground. Kang hasn’t fought to his ability in the past couple of years and if he is caught off guard then Pokam will take full advantage.

David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman

UFC veteran David Loiseau makes his long-desired return to face off with Team Quest middleweight Ed Herman. Herman is coming off two straight losses and needs a win to stay in the UFC. Loiseau has the advantage on the feet and will look to stop the fight with strikes. Herman needs to be careful and get the fight to the ground, where he has a huge edge over Loiseau because of his wrestling ability. Both fighters need a win, so expect them to play it safe in order to get the much needed victory.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

UFC 97 Predictions

Originally posted on FightLinker.com

Preliminary Card

David Loiseau (18-8) vs. Ed Herman (14-6)

I think we will see the revival of Loiseau in this fight. I think he has worked out all the kinks that lead to him leaving the UFC and will now come back with a vengeance. If Herman manages to get it to the ground he may be able to squeak out a decision but I feel David will remind us all why everyone was once frightened of his elbows and end it in the 2nd with a KO.

Click here to read the entire article at FightLinker.com

The Crow Talks UFC Return

Savage Dog Show: David Loiseau

The Savage Dog Show returned on Wednesday and was joined by “The Crow” David Loiseau.

Crow ready to soar again in UFC

Originally posted on DailyGleaner.com

Six fights and 2 1/2 years since being cut from the UFC, David (The Crow) Loiseau is back. But in a way, the Montreal middleweight never really left. His spectacular spinning back kick and flying knee finish against Charles (Chainsaw) McCarthy at UFC 53 in June 2005 was immortalized in a highlight reel to the sounds of The Who's "Baba O'Riley" that is shown in the arena before the main card of every UFC pay-per-view.

On Saturday, fans at the Bell Centre will get to see the real thing as Loiseau meets Ed (Short Fuse) Herman at UFC 97 (available on pay-per-view).

"It was a tough long road," Loiseau said. "It took me (almost) three years to get back, but everything happens for a reason, you know. I'm very happy to be back."

Others are as well. Canadian fighters like UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre see the 29-year-old Loiseau as a pioneer, especially in Quebec, given that he made his UFC debut six years ago at UFC 42.

Click here to read the entire article at DailyGleaner.com

Sherdog Live Radio: Xavier Foupa-Pokam, David Loiseau

Chuck Liddell trainer John Hackleman, Xavier Foupa-Pokam and David Loiseau will drop in on the Sherdog Radio Network Wednesday at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.

UFC 97 Redemption: The Picks

Originally posted on BleacherReport.com

Xavier Foupa-Pokam d. Denis Kang

Kang will come out with something to prove after his disastrous debut, but Xavier is well rounded as well. I admit I don't know as much about "Professor X," but he has a number of wins by submission as well as (T)KO.

Kang has faced better competition, I believe, but has lost to most of them. Kang can't seem to settle down for a decision win, switching back and forth between tactics and needlessly exposing himself to danger. I'm picking Foupa-Pokam just based on Kang's tendency to throw away fights, but I wouldn't be surprised if it went the other way.

David Loiseau d. Ed Herman

I think Loiseau has finally gotten his head right, and is coming off three wins, including a gutsy fifth round TKO of Solomon Hutcherson. Herman is an unpredictable fighter, and not in the good way. He has been winning and losing upsets his entire time in the UFC.

The telling factor is that Herman is not a very explosive fighter and will probably have difficulty controlling Loiseau. His striking is also very rudimentary, and I think Loiseau will give him fits on the feet. That is if he can open up, which shouldn't be an issue with Herman; I think the UFC is giving Loiseau a good style matchup in this one.

Click here to read the entire article at BleacherReport.com

David Loiseau – The Crow Flies Again

Originally posted on UFC.com

Travel back to the spring of 2006, and the last person you expected to eventually read a comeback story about would be David Loiseau.

Fresh from devastating wins over Charles McCarthy and Evan Tanner, and following a punishing five round war with then-UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, the Montreal native was looking to rebound from the loss in his first championship fight, but the goodwill he garnered for his courageous performance was destined to carry him through the summer, fall, and winter, and into another championship run in 2007.

Click here to read the entire article at UFC.com

UFC 97: Redemption Preview

Originally posted on BleacherReport.com

David Loiseau v. Ed Herman: Loiseau is 18-8, 4-3 in the UFC, with 13 wins by stoppage. He is a kickboxer. Herman is 14-6, 3-4 in the UFC, with 11 wins by stoppage. He is a wrestler with some submissions.

Both of these guys are not in good standing with the UFC and both need to win this fight. It should be a good clash of styles. Loiseau has been on a run lately and fighting in front of his home town should be a big boost.

I think Loiseau's stand up will be too much for Herman. I'll pick Loiseau to win by decision. Herman could be out of the UFC for a while with this loss.

Click here to read the entire article at BleacherReport.com

MMAweeklyRadio: David Loiseau

FRI: UFC Fighter David Loiseau live at 9pm EST/6pm PST on Mon March 9th for MMAWeekly Radio!

Click here for the interview at MMAweekly.com

David "The Crow" Loiseau Interview

The Crow flies Back to UFC

Originally posted on Versus.com

Don’t call David Loiseau’s return to the UFC a comeback, because in his mind, “the Crow” never left.

“I really feel like (the UFC) is my home,” Loiseau told Versus.com earlier today. “I feel like I took a long trip away from my house, and now I am back home.

“I always had faith (that he would return to the UFC).”

Loiseau (18-8) will resume his Octagon career at UFC 97 on April 18 against Ed Herman (14-7). The fight will be extra special for him because not only will it mark his return to the organization, but it will also take place in his hometown of Montreal. However, Loiseau hasn’t competed in the UFC in almost three years, and wonders what the reception will be like from the fans.

“I don’t know how it’s going to be, you know, things change,” Loiseau said. “Of course, there is going to be a lot of Canadian fans in attendance, so I am going to have the home turf advantage, for sure.

“Maybe they will (remember him), maybe they won’t. But if they don’t, they will see something even better. So, no matter what they remember, they’ll be happy with what they see on the 18th. That’s a given.”

Loiseau signed a four-fight contract with the UFC in January. His dream to return to the UFC couldn’t have come at a better time.

Click here to read the entire article at Versus.com

David Loiseau 'The Crow Returns to the UFC'

Originally posted on PunchDrunkGamer.com

PunchDrunkGamer's Justin Bolduc sat down with David “The Crow” Loiseau to talk about his UFC return against Ed Herman at UFC 97 in April.

PDG: First, it is great to have you back in the UFC. How do you feel about your upcoming return?

David: I feel great, man. It feels good to be back home. [The UFC] is my home. It was a long time since I've been back – since 2006, and I'm just very happy to be back, man.

PDG: You fell into a rough spot with a few losses in a row, but now you have momentum behind you. How do you feel about where you are at now as opposed to where you were in 2006?

David: It is not even comparable, I am just a better overall fighter. I am so much better all around and I have such a solid team behind me. I have different coaches and world-class training partners on a regular basis – whether it is wrestlers, boxers, MMA fighters. Everyone I train with has world class jiu-jitsu. They say you are only as good as your training partners, and that is how it is. My camp is very solid and training is solid.

PDG: Who are some of your key training partners right now?

David: I have everybody from Tri-Star gym and Greg Jackson's – too many guys to name [laughs]!

PDG: You're fighting Ed Herman next; what are your thoughts on him?

David: You know, he's like every fighter in the UFC – experienced and tough. I'm just looking forward to a great fight. The UFC is the place with the best fighters, so there are no easy fighters [there]. You go into the UFC to fight the best, and that is why I am in this sport. I'm just looking forward to the challenge.

Click here to read the entire article at PunchDrunkGamer.com

David “The Crow” Loiseau prepares to face Ed Herman at UFC 97 - PRO MMA exclusive interview

Originally posted on ProMMA.info

David “The Crow” Louiseau is a twenty-nine year old mixed martial arts fighter from Montreal, Canada. He has fought in the TKO, Elite XC, XMMA, and UFC promotions. He is the current XMMA Middleweight Champion and former TKO Middleweight Champion.

Fortunately for Canadian MMA fans, “The Crow” recently signed a new contract with the UFC which will place him not only in Canada, but in front of his home town friends and fans on April 18, 2009 when he takes on Ed “Short Fuse” Herman at UFC 97. It will be “The Crow’s” first fight back in the UFC in nearly three years.

David was nice enough to take time out of his busy schedule to speak to us at PRO MMA (promma.info) today and it was a real honor to talk with one of the sport’s true superstars.

PRO MMA: How are you doing today David?
THE CROW: I’m doing very good, thanks.

PRO MMA: Where are you right now?
THE CROW: I’m in Montreal, Canada.

PRO MMA: Have you started training for your next fight?
THE CROW: Yeah, I train all year ’round so I’m always training. Camp for this fight started about a month and a half ago.

PRO MMA: Who are you training with for this fight?
THE CROW: Same people man, same camp. I got the people from TRI-STAR GYM. We go back and forth and mix-up with guys from Greg Jackson’s camp. Team Jackson and the guys from TRI-STAR, it’s like the same team you know.

PRO MMA: Do you ever go to Albuquerque?
THE CROW: Yes, Albuquerque and Denver, Colorado.

PRO MMA: What did you think of Jardine’s fight against Rampage?
THE CROW: Jardine fought a tough fight, full of heart, it was a good fight. Rampage finished the fight very strong and got the decision. It was a very good fight.

Click here to read the entire interview at ProMMA.info

UFC 97: The Return of David Loiseau

Originally posted on ColinTimberlake.com

It has been a few years since David “The Crow” Loiseay fought his way out of the UFC with a pair of losses, being quite unceremoniously dropped by that organization. In fact, it could very well be the best example of the UFC’s ruthlessness following a loss by a fighter, as the two losses that lost Loiseau his position in the organization were:

1. A decision loss to current welterweight contender Mike Swick, where Loiseau lasted the full three rounds.

2. A five-round decision loss in a title match with Rich Franklin, where Loiseau made it to the final bell despite having his face visibly damaged and horrendously swollen.

Click here to read the entire article at colintimberlake.com

411 MMA Interview: Into The Crow's Nest - An Exclusive Conversation With David Loiseau

Originally posted on 411mania.com

It's been three long years since "The Crow" David Loiseau was fighting inside the UFC's Octagon. Eye-catching finishes over Gideon Ray, Charles McCarthy, and the late Evan Tanner propelled the French-Canadian fighter to a UFC Middleweight Title shot against UFC poster-boy Rich Franklin. A grueling five-round slugfest against Franklin ended Loiseau's winning streak and, for what some believe, his confidence as a fighter. Two more consecutive loses to Mike Swick and Joey Villasenor added to those beliefs. While most thought that the end of the road had been reached by David, an Art of War show in May of 2005 showed the reemergence of "The Crow."

.......

Todd Bergman: How's your training going leading up to UFC 97?

David Loiseau:Training is going well my friend, I can't complain. Everything is going A-1, can't complain.

Bergman:What are your thoughts on fighting back into the UFC after being gone for a little while?

Loiseau: It's a tough sport man, so it's always tough because the fights are always tough. I'm enjoying it though, you know. I love the sport and I'm enjoying the journey.

Bergman: What are your thoughts on your upcoming fight at UFC 97 in Montreal, Canada? Are you excited to be fighting in Canada again?

Loiseau: Yeah, it's where I'm from, so it's great.

Bergman: This is going to be your second run in the UFC. In what ways have you matured as a fighter since your initial run with the company?

Loiseau: You know, I just matured as a fighter overall. I've grown a lot as a person as well. I understand the game a lot more than I did before. I just really matured as a fighter and an individual both.

.........

Bergman: Anyone that you want to thank?

Loiseau: I would like to thank my sponsors, I have many of them. TapOut, Naked Eye Magainze, Cintron Energy Drink, MMA Fight Shop.ca, Silverstar, MMAAgents.com.

Click here to read the entire article at 411mania.com

David Loiseau: The Return of "The Crow"

Originally posted on BleacherReport.com

David Loiseau is one of the best fighters to come out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada and one of the only to make it to the big show known as the UFC. Loiseau had his first UFC fight at UFC 42 and won by KO against Mark Weir.

From his debut in 2003 to 2006, David had a bumpy ride, but was able to make it to a UFC Middleweight title shot against then champion Rich Franklin. Although David was able to knock Franklin down, he was dominated the whole fight and lost a decision.

"The Crow" began his rise back to the top of the Middleweight rankings after the loss, but things didn't go too well. After his loss to Rich Franklin at UFC 58, he fought one of the most dangerous fighters in the division back then—Mike Swick.

Like the previous fight, Loiseau was dominated and lost a decision. After the two back to back losses, he was released from his UFC contract. Loiseau tried his luck in smaller MMA shows, including EliteXC.

In 2008, David returned to Canada, where he fought several times. He even created his own MMA organization up in Monteal called XMMA. He fought The Ultimate Fighter season three contestant Solomon Hutcherson at XMMA-5 and won.

Due to the victory, he now gets another shot in the UFC at UFC 97 in Montreal. His opponent will be another Ultimate Fighter season three contestant, Ed Herman. Herman is not a top fighter in the UFC, but he could possibly be a tough opponent to come back too if Loiseau isn't prepared enough.

David has the skills to beat Herman—he can even KO him—but sometimes, returns don't end up the way they should. Some fighters returned to the octagon and loss to someone they weren't supposed to, others shined after there return to the UFC. Here's a list of fighters that made long awaited returns to the UFC.

Click here to read the entire article at BleacherReport.com

UFC 97 Main Event Officially Announced

Originally posted on 5thround.com

Although it has been Rumored for weeks, the UFC officially announced the main events for their “UFC 97: Silva vs. Leites” event in Montreal, Canada on April 18th. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell, who is looking to make one final run at the title, will face the talented, yet struggling, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will headline the card as he will defend his belt against Thales Leites.

Main Bouts:
David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman
Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs. Denis Kang
Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Chuck Liddell
Thales Leites vs. Anderson Silva (UFC Middleweight champion)

Click here to read the entire article at 5thround.com

"The Crow" Returns!

Originally posted on BleacherReport.com

Thats right ladies and gentleman, my prayers have been answered. Twice I have written about the UFC needing to bring back "The Crow", and apparently they have read my articles (although I highly doubt it).

David Loiseau is rumored to be returning to the octagon after more than two year away from the biggest MMA organization in the world. When? UFC 97 on April 19th. Where? His hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Perfect. Who? Ed Herman.

Now for those thinking it hasn't been that long since David last fought in the UFC, here is what the MMA picture looked like when he left.

Click here to read the entire article at BleacherReport.com

Bloodyknux.com: 1 on 1 with "The Crow" David Loiseau

Originally posted on BloodyKnux.com

[BloodyKnux] Thanks for taking the time to talk to us David. Obviously, you’re excited to be back in the UFC. How does it feel? Did you always know you’d climb back on to the top eventually?

[David Loiseau] Feels great my friend. It feels like Ive left home for a while and now I'm coming back!

[BloodyKnux] Can you tell us what brought you back to the UFC?

[David Loiseau] Hard work from myself and the help of my whole team and manager Ken Pavia.

[BloodyKnux]Are you excited about fighting on the big stage of the UFC in your home town of Montreal?

[David Loiseau] Very. It's very motivating.

[BloodyKnux] The Montreal crowds are pretty crazy, so is there a risk of getting Over-excited?

[David Loiseau] Nah... I'm a professional. This is my job you know!

[BloodyKnux] You sound very focused! We're glad to have you back David. Since the last UFC in Montreal, the local organization – TKO – seems to have died off. What do you think that means for MMA in Quebec?

[David Loiseau] XMMA will take over and will do just fine. A great group of guys running that show. check them out at www.xmma.tv.

[BloodyKnux] So you’re next fight is against Ed Herman, a solid fighter out of Team Quest. This seems like a great match up for you in front of your hometown fans. How do you feel about Herman?

[David Loiseau] He's a very good opponent. He will come ready and so will I. It will be a great fight.

................

[BloodyKnux] Do you have any sponsors or teammates to thank?

[David Loiseau] Everybody at Zahabi MMA, everyone at Team Jackson's, my conditioning coach and very close friend Jonathan Chaimberg, Montreal's wrestling club, WWW.MMAFIGHTSHOP.CA,TAPOUT, MMAAGENTS.com, nakedeye mag, and STAREDOWN fightwear.

Click here to read the entire article at BloodyKnux.com

The Crow Flies Again in the UFC

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

One of the most popular Canadian fighters is set to return to the UFC as David "The Crow" Loiseau has signed a new fight deal with the promotion. He will likely appear as a part of the upcoming UFC 97 card on April 18 in Montreal. The news was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday by sources close to the fighter.

Loiseau has always been seen as a tough fighter with tremendous skills in the cage. While previously in the UFC, the Canadian held a 3-2 record, but did not return after back-to-back losses in 2006.

Since that time, Loiseau has amassed a record of 4-2, but has recently reeled off three wins in a row. He now looks to cement himself back in the UFC's middleweight division.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

Sherdog Live features David "The Crow" Loiseau

Tune into the Sherdog Radio Network Wednesday at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST to hear from David Loiseau.

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

MM-Eh: Loiseau, Goulet Offered UFC Montreal Bouts

Originally posted on Sherdog.com

Almost a year to the day after their initial northern excursion, the UFC is preparing for their sophomore event in Montreal and fighters like David Loiseau and Jonathan Goulet are being lined up.

Participants have been told that the event will be held on April 18. However, as of Monday, the Bell Centre -- which is the UFC’s venue of choice -- told Sherdog.com that no date has been officially booked.

The apparent hold-up is the as-yet unknown playoff schedule for the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. Right now the Canadiens are doing well and it’s expected that they’ll make the playoffs, and Saturday nights are often reserved for that storied franchise. However, a Bell Centre public relations rep did say that there are many dates in the Spring, April 18 included, that still might be taken by the UFC.

Several Canadian fighters have tentatively been scheduled to appear, including David Loiseau (18-8), who confirmed that he’s signed a contract to face Team Quest wrestler Ed Herman (14-7) and possibly Jonathan Goulet (22-10), who said he’s been offered a bout against Tamdan McCrory.

“I’m so happy to be back in the UFC, you have no idea.” Loiseau told Sherdog.com on Monday. “I believe this is where I belong and I’m very happy to be there.”

Click here to read the entire article at Sherdog.com

Could A New Year Bring New Faces Into the UFC?

Originally posted on UFCblogger.wordpress.com

Heavyweights

Keep an eye on: Brett Rogers

Middleweights

David Loiseau - A couple of wins since leaving the UFC and Loiseau finds himself knocking on the UFC door again. He may be signed for the next Canada card, but he may need one more win. Nevertheless, look for the former number 1 contender to be given another chance.

Welterweights

Phil Baroni - He is re-invented at 170 lbs. In a recent interview with FiveOuncesofPain Baroni said he would like to be in the UFC in 2009. I think he could get a chance. He may need one or two more wins though. Baroni has said he is tired of being a “journeyman” which means he may want to fight for a US based organization.

Click here to read the entire article at UFC Blogger

Cageplay Exclusive: Loiseau Possible Return to the UFC?

Originally posted on Cageplay.com

Sources close to both fighters have confirmed to Cageplay.com that an April 18th UFC 97 match is in the works between David Loiseau and Ed Herman in Montreal when the UFC returns for their second Canadian date. The Crow has not been in the UFC since 2006 when he dropped consecutive fights to Rich Franklin in a title match and then Mike Swick. Loiseau then fought his way back to the UFC by besting Solomon Hutcherson with a fifth round TKO in XMMA action. Loiseau joins a strong group of Canadians currently in the UFC’s Middleweight division including Jason MacDonald, Jason Day, Denis Kang, and Patrick Cote. Loiseau fills a hole left by Joe Doerksen being released after 3 straight losses and Kalib Starnes ran out of the division.

Click here to read the entire article at Cageplay.com

Loiseau v. McCarthy included in Top 10 MMA Kicks of All Time

Originally posted on about.com

6. David Loiseau’s spinning back kick to the body leaves Charles McCarthy unable to continue.

The Event: UFC 53: Heavy Hitters on June 4, 2005

During MMA’s early days, spinning Tae Kwon Do style kicks were considered ineffective. However, when Canadian fighter David Loiseau decided to unleash his version of the maneuver on Charles McCarthy in the second round, the last thing onlookers called the move was ‘ineffective’.

Primarily because the kick dropped McCarthy and secured a victory for the Canadian fighter.

Click here to read the entire article at about.com

Top Crop of Current Free Agents include some of MMAagents' Own

Originally posted on UFCblogger

Top Free Agents

14. David Loiseau
Record: 18-8
Key Wins: Evan Tanner, Tony Fryklund, Joe Doerksen,
Key Losses: Joey Villasenor, Mike Swick, Rich Franklin, Jeremy Horn
MMABlog Ranking: NR
There is no question that the former number one contender, Canadian David Loiseau wants back in the UFC. He is coming off of a win over Solomon Hutcherson and he hopes that earned him an offer, but he may need one more win. I expect that he will be given one more chance in the UFC sometime in 2009.

15. Brett Rogers
Record: 8-0
Key Wins: James Thompson, Jon Murphy
Key Losses: None
MMABlog Ranking: #24 Ranked Heavyweight
Rogers is a hard hitting prospect who was with the EliteXC. Rogers looked very impressive in his KO win over Jon Murphy that aired on CBS’ debut card. Rogers seemed to be unhappy that Kimbo Slice was getting the hype when he felt he deserved it, and he was probably right. He has been untested, but he hits hard. He has a place in a big time promotion. I do not know if the UFC would gamble with him, but that is the best place for him. Affliction may be a bad move because they would not have time to develop him like the UFC could. I would love to see a TUF featuring hevayweights like Rogers, Herman and even Kimbo, but they don’t need TUF to get offers.

17. Benji Radach
Record: 19-4
Key Wins: Murilo Rua, Ryan McGivern
Key Losses: Chris Leben, Sean Sherk, Matt Horwich
MMABlog Ranking:
Radach is coming off of an impressive KO win over Murilo Rua at EliteXC’s last event. He is sure to find a home somewhere. He wanted back in the UFC, but they hinted that he needed one more fight somewhere else. He could end up back in the UFC. He is hard hitting and talented, but I think he may head to Affliction or Strikeforce, but don’t count out the UFC just yet.

Click here to read the entire article at UFC Blogger

Loiseau Discusses his most Recent Win on Sherdog.Com

Loiseau Stops Hutcherson in Fifth Round

Originally posted on Sherdog.com

David "The Crow" Loiseau had a tougher time than many expected Saturday with former “Ultimate Fighter” competitor Solomon Hutcherson.

However, with the new XMMA middleweight belt up for grabs, Loiseau made good on his long-awaited return by gutting out a stoppage at 1:56 of the fifth round following an onslaught of knees from the clinch.

“I had a very tough opponent,” said Loiseau, who had returned to fight in his home province of Quebec for the first time in more than four years. “The first three rounds I dropped him, and he kept coming back.”

Loiseau caught Hutcherson early in the first and looked to take his back, but Hutcherson used his raw strength to hoist Loiseau over his head and dump him hard to the mat with an impact that resonated throughout the arena.

“You know, I dislocated my shoulder in the first round, so it was hard for me to keep the high pressure. I was really hurt,” Loiseau said. “I had to re-place it in the middle of the round on the ground. It was tough, man.”

Hutcherson did the majority of his damage on the ground with vicious knees and punches to the body while maintaining back control. Loiseau returned the favor, however, by scoring numerous double-leg takedowns to slowly take Hutcherson out of his game and take the fight into the later rounds.

“I stuck to the game plan, which was to fight hard and whenever [you can], you hurt the guy,” Loiseau said. “To finish your opponent in the fifth, you have to be in shape.”

Click here to read the rest of the article at Sherdog.com

David Loiseau Featured on FCF Radio

On this exciting edition of Full Contact Fighter Radio, David "The Crow" Loiseau joins the show to chat about his upcoming fight against Solomon Hutcherson, and his plans to get back into the middleweight spotlight.

Click here to listen to the whole interview on FCFradio.com

Sherdog Radio's Savage Dog Show joined by David "The Crow" Loiseau

Jeff Sherwood rolled solo on Wednesday for the Savage Dog Show, and was joined by “The Crow” David Loiseau who discussed his upcoming bout in his XMMA promotion with Solomon Hutcherson.

Click here to listen to the whole interview on sherdog.com

Bring "The Crow" Back to the UFC

Originally posted by BleacherReport.com

As I was reading through countless MMA articles I came upon one asking if David Loiseau should be brought back to the UFC to fight Jason Day.

Of course, being a great fan of The Crow, I have been suffering from prolonged withdrawal. Having not seen him except on Fightbook, MySpace, and Facebook, I have been yearning to see him and his dangerous elbows back on UFC.

It is not just his fighting style that I miss. He is a very intelligent MMA fighter and I have been wishing that he could become a commentator. With his knowledge of fighting and fight strategies, I feel he could be every bit as good as Frank Mir.

A lot of people speak out against the goony approach Goldberg has when it comes to his repartee with Joe Rogan. David looks very presentable and comfortable in a suit and I would love to see him "in the booth" with Joe commenting on fighters and techniques.



Click here to read the rest of the article at BleacherReport.com

David Loiseau: MMA Rated Exclusive Interview

5 Oz. Exclusive: Loiseau vs. Hutcherson to headline XMMA 5: It’s Crow Time

Posted by Scott White- fiveouncesofpain,com

FiveOuncesOfPain.com has learned through a source speaking on the condition of anonymity that UFC veterans David “The Crow” Loiseau and Solomon Hutcherson will square off in the main event at XMMA 5: “It’s Crow Time”.

Loiseau, a native of Montreal, Quebec, possesses a mixed martial arts record of 17-8-0. Since his release from the UFC and EliteXC, Loiseau has gone 3-1 with victories over Freddie Espiricueta, Todd Gouwenberg, and Andrew Buckland.

Hutcherson, a native of Racine, Wisconsin, possesses a mixed martial arts record of 10-4. Hutcherson appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 3 and fought on the The Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale losing to Luigi Fioravanti. Since leaving the UFC, Hutcherson has gone 4-0 stopping Anthony Trotter, Nabil Khatib, George Allen, and Marcus Hicks.

As we reported earlier, XMMA 5: “It’s Crow Time” is scheduled for September 13th and will feature notable names such as Steve Claveau, Aaron Riley, Gustavo Machado, and Guillaume de Lorenzi.

David Loiseau to Headline XMMA 5 on Sept. 13

Posted by Scott White - fiveouncesofpain.com

Xtreme MMA has announced that hometown favorite David “The Crow” Loiseau will headlined their September 13th card titled “XMMA 5: It’s Crow Time.”

Loiseau, a native of Montreal, Quebec, is a part owner in the fledging promotion alongside good friend and fellow fighter Steve “The Snake” Claveau. Loiseau and Claveau went into business together in September 2007 and have since reeled off four successful events. XMMA is molding itself as one of the country’s top promotions alongside MFC and TKO Championship Fighting.

Loiseau has extremely deep roots in Quebec which include fourteen appearances where he amassed an impressive record of 11-3 with victories over notable names such as Shawn Tompkins, Joe Doerksen, and Tony Fryklund.

Since his release from EliteXC, Loiseau has voiced his hopes to get his career back on track and rejoin the middleweight ranks of the UFC. “The Crow” is currently riding a two-fight winning streak and a victory September 13th could be the win that catapults him back to the big show. If Loiseau does in fact earn his way back to the UFC the ideal situation would be to feature him on the UFC card rumored for November or December in Montreal.

As of right now, Loiseau is training at Tristar Vale Tudo with Georges St. Pierre, Jonathan Goulet, and Ivan Menjivar while also indulging in training camps which world class coaches and fighters including Greg Jackson, Phil Nurse, Denis Kang, Keith Jardine, Roger Huerta, Nathan Marquardt, and Rashad Evans.

XMMA 5: “It’s Crow Time” will also feature BJJ expert Gustavo “Ximu” Machado and rising star Guillaume de Lorenzi.

Loiseau Climbs Back Up Middleweight Mountain

By: Sherdog.com

One of the most popular fighters to ever come out of Canada, one-time UFC middleweight contender David Loiseau (Pictures) has spent the past two years fighting in several different organizations since being released from the Las Vegas promotion in 2006.

After a string of three Octagon victories in 2005, Loiseau (17-8) challenged then-champion Rich Franklin (Pictures) for his crown at UFC 58 “USA vs. Canada” in Las Vegas, but took a pummeling for five rounds. A subsequent loss to Mike Swick (Pictures) at UFC 63 in September 2006 signaled the end of Loiseau’s UFC welcome at the time.

Initially hurt by the rejection, Loiseau told Sherdog.com that he learned to get over it.

“At first I felt disrespected, but then I understood that it’s a business to them,” says the 28-year-old Montreal native. “Whether you’re the nicest guy or an asshole -- whoever wins stays, that’s the name of the game. This is how they run their business and I respect it, and the only person to blame is me because I didn’t fight to my potential and I lost.”

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has told Loiseau that he would be welcomed back someday, but that he first needed to go out and get a few wins under his belt -- something Loiseau is eager to do. In June, he needed just 20 seconds to dispatch Andrew Buckland (Pictures) by knockout at Raw Combat “Resurrection,” and he’s getting ready to headline XMMA 5 on Sept. 13, a promotion of which he is a part owner.

Though Loiseau has fought for the likes of EliteXC and Calgary’s Hardcore Championship Fighting, his heart still lies with the UFC, he says.

“I have considered others, but the UFC is where it’s at,” he says. “I want to finish what I started -- I got cut short and they didn’t let me finish what I wanted to do. I changed my whole game and am such a better fighter than before. I think I would give any middleweight a headache. You’re going to love watching me even more when you see what I can do now.”

Loiseau has also kept busy helping his teammates get ready for their big fights. UFC champion Georges. St. Pierre will be defending his welterweight title against Jon Fitch (Pictures) this weekend at UFC 87 in Minneapolis, and Patrick Cote (Pictures) will try his hand at the UFC middleweight crown against Anderson Silva (Pictures) on Oct. 25 in Chicago.

Loiseau is very enthusiastic about Cote and his chances against the formidable Silva.

“This guy has been in the Army in Bosnia and has seen people die in front of him. He’s not scared of Anderson Silva (Pictures) -- he’s not scared of any man,” says Loiseau. “Cote is coldblooded, and that’s going to help him so much.”

FCF Radio featuring Chris Lytle, David Loiseau, and Mike Pyle

In this edition of FCF Radio, Jeff speaks with Chris Lytle about his fight against Josh Koscheck and who he'd like to fight next. Jeff also talks with Stephen Quadros about the Griffin vs. Jackson match and the upcoming Affliction event.

Copy and Paste the Link to check out Full Contact Radio's Interview with Lytle, Loiseau, Pyle and others.

http://fcfradio.fcfighter.com/

Loiseau and Prater Victorious at Raw Combat: Resurrection in Calgary

Raw Combat: Resurrection
By Steve Rowbotham (mmaCanada.net)

Mike Rowbotham vs. Mike Zvonick

They touch gloves and Zvonick bullrushes Rowbotham into the fence. They clinch for a bit, then Rowbotham puts Zvonick to the mat, but he pops up quickly. Zvonick throws connects with a nice overhand punch that sends Rowbotham backpedalling with Zvonick in pursuit still throwing bombs and connecting with some. Rowbotham is covering well and shoots for a double leg out of desperation but Zvonick sprawls and takes Rowbothams back, but Rowbotham is having none of it and spins into half guard, and eventually into guard. Zvonicks pace has slowed and as he postures up, Rowbo throws a leg over his shoulder and locks in a loose triangle, Zvonick slips the choke but falls right into an armbar and is forced to tap at 2:14 of Round 1.



Adam Farr vs. Dami Egbeyemi

Both guys come out aggressive throwing hard kicks and punches. Dami is landing kicks to the ribs of Farr and his side is RED, but Farr keeps on coming. The fight went three rounds, about 13 mins on the feet, and 2 mins on the mat. Dami had the better of Farr in both aspects and took a Unanimous decision.



Nathan Gunn vs. Max Dalsin

Dalsin is the hometown kid and has won his last two fights in dominating fashion. Gunn is a tough kid from Thunder Bay, ON. Gunn immediately takes the fight to Dalsin putting him on his back and dropping elbows on his face. Dalsin gives his back and Gunn locks in a fight ending rear naked choke at 4:02 of the first round. Impressive win by Gunn.



Kurt Southern vs. Charlie Zac

I didnt know much about either fighter going into the event. After some feeling out, Southern shoots in on Zac and slams him hard to the canvas. Zac is deducted a point for elbows to the back of the head. The fight restarts with Southern on top and he starts dropping bombs, one of which hits Zac in the eye and he verbally submits and immediately runs from the cage. Southern wins by verbal submission at 1:57 of round 1.



Len Tam vs. Chris Desaultels (LFC Featherweight Title)

Desaultels has a huge reach advantage and he comes out pumping his jab very effectively before taking Tam to the mat. Tam seizing opportunity locks up an Omoplata for the win at 3:00 of round 1.


Kajan Johnson vs. Douglas Evans

Both fighters come out aggressive throwing punches and kicks. Head kicks miss for both fighters and they clinch against the cage for a while. Evans scores a takedown but doesnt do a lot with it. The round ends. Good round. 10-9 Evans
The second round begins and Kajan comes in like a bat out of hell and rocks Evans putting him to the ground. He works for Evans back and locks up a rear naked choke at 0:57 of round 2. Big win for Kajan!


Carlo Prater vs. Garett Davis

They clinch against the cage for the entire first round. Seriously. 10-9 Prater for control. Round two sees much of the same but Prater is unloading with standing elbows on Davis. 10-9 Prater. Round 3 both fighters come out swinging, but again Prater gets the better of davis and earns the Unanimous decision.



Bibiano Fernandes vs. Juan Barrantes

Bibiano is a 5 time world BJJ champion, and Barrantes is a jitz fighter with lower credentials, and as much as I love Juan, it showed. First round, Bibiano puts Juan down and unloads a barrage of elbows cutting Juan's head open in like 4 different spots. He dominates the remainder of the round with grappling but Juan defends well. Round 2 Juan drops Bibiano but he recovers well and spends the next two rounds putting on a grappling clinic on Juan, but again, Juan defends, and Bibiano easily earns a Unanimous Decision.



Travis Galbraith vs. Martin Desilets

Very intense staredown that ends with Desilets shoving Galbraith. They come out swinging and they end up clinching against the cage. They seperate and Galbraith is throwing bombs! He catches Desilets in a standing guillotine but Martin works out of it and takes Galbraith to the mat. Galbraith locks onto a triangle choke forcing Martin to tap at 4:14 of round 1.


David Loiseau vs. Andrew Buckland

Both fighters touch gloves and back away. Buckland lands a nice leg kick before being FLOORED by a Loiseau right hand. He gets up to his hand and knees and another shot puts him back out. The official time is 0:20 of round 1. Impressive win by Loiseau.



Dan Hornbuckle vs. Nabil Khatib (Raw Combat Welterweight Title)

Nornbuckle puts Nabil on the matt early and works for submissions. Nabil shows good defense, but eventually Hornbuckle finds the rear naked choke at 3:58 of round 1. Impressive win by Hornbuckle.

RAW COMBAT - LOISEAU vs BUCKLAND Headliner

Originally posted by - Jeff Meszaros - jeffmeszaros@shaw.ca

A hometown hero on the verge of breaking into the big time. A former
world champion fighting to get back to the top. A match to decide
whose dream will become reality.

It sounds like a story from a Hollywood movie - but it won't be coming
to your local theatre. Instead, on Friday, June 20 at the Max Bell
Centre, you can watch it live as Calgary's own Andrew Buckland and
former UFC title contender David "The Crow" Loiseau meet for the
biggest fight in cow-town's mixed martial arts history.

As one of the feature matches at Raw Combat: Resurrection, the battle
marks an important milestone for both fighters. For Buckland, it's a
chance to test himself against truly top-shelf competition in front of
his hometown Calgary crowd. For "The Crow", it's about proving that
he's still one of the top 185-pound fighters in the world.

"There haven't been a lot of fighters to come out of Calgary,"
Buckland explains. "There aren't a lot of big camps here. From
Edmonton, there's Jason MacDonald. From Lethbridge, there's Jason Day.
In Calgary, there just aren't schools that have produced world-class
fighters."

It's a statistic that Buckland plans on changing. With a record of
9-1, a win over Loiseau could thrust him onto the world stage for the
chance to make Calgary's mark in the big leagues of MMA. For the home
of an NHL hockey team and a CFL football team, having a world-class
MMA fighter to call their own would be a welcome addition to their
already rich sports heritage, to be held alongside the world-famous
Calgary Stampede as an example of the rough and ready prairie town's
hard work and determination.

If there was a fighter for the town to embrace as one of their own,
Buckland is certainly it. Surrounded by oil fields and farmlands,
Calgary is a city where people know all about working with their
hands, and it would be difficult to find a finer embodiment of that
blue-collar grit than the young 27-year-old.

"I have my own business," he says. "I'm a carpenter and a framer. I
build houses so I work eight or nine hours a day, then I go train at
night."

It's a daily routine that would kill most people inside of a week, but
Buckland has been keeping the long hours ever since he started
fighting - although he admits his career as a professional MMA fighter
is still in its early stages.

"It's not very long," Buckland admits. "I've only been doing it for
about three years. I went to a King of The Cage show, and watched it
live and I thought 'I would destroy these guys' so then I just went in
and started training and I had my first fight after a few months of
training. I won that one, and I just kept on going from there.

With one win under his belt, the Calgary native went on to dominate a
long list of opponents, including fellow Alberta native Dan "Torture"
Chambers and Brazilian Lucas Rota. Today, a loss to American Dan
Hornbuckle stands as the only blemish on his career - and if Buckland
has his way, revenge might not be far around the corner.

First though, Buckland must deal with "The Crow" - a fight he agrees
is a huge step up in competition from the opponents he has faced so
far. "He's a veteran," he says. "He's obviously going to be talented.
He's been in the game for a long time. But I've got a bigger heart and
I've got more determination than he does. I think that's something
that he's lost."

While Buckland's comments could be chalked up to pre-fight trash talk,
he's not the only one who thinks that Loiseau has lost his edge since
his days in the UFC, but "The Crow" isn't letting the critics get to
him.

"I don't really care," he says. "I don't pay attention to all of that.
I'm a veteran of this game. I fought the best guys on the biggest
stage. I was the main event when I fought in Las Vegas in front of
20-thousand people."

"Now I'm on my way back. No matter what happens in my career, in life,
i just roll with the punches, stay strong, stay focused. This is how I
live. I just never quit. When you keep working hard, and you stay
positive in life, things turn around for you."

For "The Crow", staying positive is critical. Just as a win over
Buckland could propel him back to the big leagues, a loss to the
Calgary youngster would be a devastating setback to a storied fighting
career that began nearly a decade ago.

Like his training partner, Georges St. Pierre, "The Crow" exploded
into the octagon with a list of Canadian MMA credentials and an
impressive combination of technique and athleticism. But while St.
Pierre was able to spin his talents into a UFC championship belt,
Loiseau fell painfully short of his goal.

"I started fighting in 2000 and I became a Canadian champion with the
UCC," he says. "I also became a TKO World Champion. I went to the UFC
and I won my first fight. I lost my second, but I came back to put the
wrong things right like the Crow always does and I became the number
one contender for the UFC world championship."

Loiseau earned a shot at the belt by dominating UFC veteran Evan
Tanner in 2005, cutting his opponents' face to ribbons with a vicious
series of elbows.

"A lot of people forget something about this fight," he says. "Before
I cut him, I hurt him. I hit him straight in the face from his guard.
I did some nasty ground and pound. I body kicked him, head kicked him.
There was a lot of damage that was done, you know."

"When you get cut, you go to the ref and say 'don't stop it, don't
stop it.' Tanner didn't say anything. He just sat down. He was done.
That had nothing to do with the cut. I beat him down. People think it
was stopped on cuts. Pay attention to the fight, and look at his face.
Look how much damage he takes before the ref stops it."

Leaving Evan Tanner bloody and battered in his wake, "The Crow" went
on to face then middleweight champion Rich Franklin at UFC 58: UFC vs.
Canada. Competing in the main event in front of 20-thousand fans, the
explosive fighter from Quebec seemed unable to mount an offense
against the champion and suffered a 5-round unanimous decision loss.

"I had an off night," Loiseau explains, "I had a bad day at work but I
never quit. A week after the fight, I started working out again."

Since fighting for the UFC world championship belt in 2006, "The Crow"
has had a few more off nights, losing three of his last five matches -
including a controversial split decision to Jason Day in Hardcore
Championship Fighting : Destiny. While many fans say that "The Crow"
should've been awarded that win, Loiseau looks back on the fight as a
learning experience.

"It was a pretty good fight," Loiseau says. "Even Jason admitted that
he lost the fight. When they raised his hand, he looked at me and said
'David, you just got robbed.' I was mad, but I was the one who left it
up to the judges. The person to blame is me, not the judges. I didn't
finish the job. I don't really care, though. Things happen for a
reason."

After the disappointing loss to Day, the veteran from Montreal moved
on to his next challenge: a match against British Columbia's Todd
Gouwenberg at Hardcore Championship Fighting: Crow's Nest in March of
2008, where he won a unanimous decision.

"I just moved forward," he explains. "I proved to myself that I could
perform like I performed back in the day. I just went out there and
fought and enjoyed myself. It was pretty intense and it was me from
the old days, throwing elbows, being versatile with takedowns, very
spectacular kicks. It was a spectacular fight. I gave the fans what
they paid for."

Now "The Crow" is ready to give Calgary fans another show, as he
prepares for his match with Buckland.

"I'm preparing just as I would if I were fighting the UFC world
champion. It's the same thing as if I were going against Anderson
Silva. I'm training hard. I just got back from Denver, Colorado where
I trained with Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt and Georges St. Pierre.
Georges just left for Brazil, so now I'm training with my team here,
Patrick Cote and Jonathan Goulet - so everything is all good."

While Loiseau works out in Montreal, Buckland is putting in his
training time at two gyms in Calgary, and is drinking in the knowledge
from his trainers.

"I train with Josh Russell at Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu," he says. "I've
only been there for about three months and that's strictly a jiu-jitsu
academy. I do all my groundwork there, and then I train at Dynamic
Martial Arts under Vince Gentile and that's where I do all my stand-up
and cardio."

Heading into the fight, Buckland admits that Loiseau will have the
experience advantage, and a size advantage as well.

"He's going to be a lot bigger than me physically," he admits. "I walk
around at pretty much 185 pounds so he's going to have the advantage
of being bigger, but I'm a strong 185 so we'll see what happens. It
should be interesting."

At least Buckland will have the hometown crowd behind him, right?

Not necessarily, he says.

"I like fighting here," Buckland explains. "It's good to have the
support, but when he fought here last time, he had a lot of support
too just from being recognized from fighting in the UFC. He had a huge
ovation when he came out, so it's not like I'll have a huge advantage
that way. A lot of people like that guy. He's one of the best fighters
to ever come out of Canada."

Still, the tough carpenter says he's ready to put his hands to work on
"The Crow".

"I asked for this fight," he says. "They didn't offer him. Mentally,
I'm prepared because I'm going into a win-win situation. It's going to
be a fun fight for me. I'm going in there and whatever happens,
happens. There's no pressure, so it's a great situation for me. To
beat him would be amazing - but just to fight him is a great
opportunity. It's an honor to fight that guy."

So what's the strategy?

"I'm going for a fast knockout." Buckland explains. "I can't go in
there and wait for him to do what he does. I have to push him. If I
let him take control, that's bad. When he's on the defense, backing
up, he fights worse."

Of course, Loiseau has no plans of backing up.

"I'm a veteran, a former champion and this is my job," he says. "I'm
not getting caught up in the hype. He's from Calgary. I'm from
Montreal. I don't care about that hype. I'm about getting the job
done."

"I'm just going out there and performing," he continues. "I predict
myself dominating, imposing my style. I'm not talking smack. He's a
very game opponent. He comes in to fight but I'm ready to do my job
and my job is to destroy him. Right now, I just eat, sleep, breathe
Andrew Buckland and he should be scared of that."

The Pav Says... Travel for work sucks

Originally Posted by Ken Pavia [ken-pavia] on MMAjunkie on Apr 21, 2008 at 9:07 am in

- News -

So I have been racking up the frequent flyer miles as I have been on the road for 12 consecutive weekends without a break in sight. I refuse to be outworked.

This month has me back and forth to the East Coast four times -- Ottawa for Hardcore Fighting Championship, Atlantic City for YAMMA, Montreal for UFC 83, and Virginia for the Ultimate Warrior Challenge. There were actually three events in one week, which meant Ottawa, Denver (UFC Fight Night 13), and Fresno (ShoXC) with stops home between each.

What does this all mean? Well you become acquainted with unique facts during layovers and stops. In the spirit of enlightenment, I shall share.

Vitamin Water, which is sold in every airport gift shop, should be called sugar water. It has 13 carbs, but there are 2.5 servings per bottle. Hudson News is filled with rags that tell a story of 416 kids who were taken from a polygamist cult filled with women all wearing the same dress that I can't believe anyone would ever have sex with. Oh, and airport chairs are designed with "uncomfortable" being the controlling concept. Let's see: hard plastic? Check. Short backs that don't support? Check. Molded arms so you can't lie down? Check.

Being on the road, not only do you get to spend extended time with clients and prospective clients, but you also get to meet the people behind the scenes. In the spirit of honoring the non-fighters, I would like to give awards to the people that make the show go on. So without further ado…

The Vampire Award
Tracy Lee from www.Combatbatlifestyle.com does not sleep. Because she attends an event to take pictures every weekend too, we occasionally share a room and help each other out. It is not uncommon for her to go with cameras in tow to eat with one fighter and crew, meet another crew for a party, and see a third for the after-party. She returns to download pictures to websites and rushes out to breakfast. A couple of times she has dozed with her laptop on her lap for 15 minutes, but she never sleeps.

Honorable mention goes to Scott Coker, promoter for Strikeforce, who I can expect a call from between 12 and 3 A.M. five days a week, Josh Gross from Sherdog.com, who answers up to about 2 a.m, and MMA Junkie and Performify, who are also seemingly always at work.

Most Likely to Whack Your Hamstring Award
Dude is like 10-foot something, but Mask from TapOut is coming down low. It is his term of endearment and trademark greeting. If you don't get it on the hammy, he either doesn't know you well or doesn't like you.

Best Dressed Award
Bruce Buffer is just put together well. His nails are always done, hair is never out of place, and in his most casual moments, he is still polished, even at breakfast. On a side note, if you have heard stories about him helping fighters out of difficult situations, they are true. Good guy.

The honorable mention here breaks the rules and goes to fighters. It a world filled with Affliction, TapOut, One More Round, etc., it is rare to see someone suit up at the events. I think it is a cultural thing where in Canada growing up, you had to dress up going to your hockey games, but many of the Canadian fighters have carried the tradition over. Dave Loiseau, Mark Hominick, Sam Stout and Chris Hordecki immediately come to mind. You have to give it up for Tito Ortiz, too, who has shed his Punishment ringside attire and has got Jenna-ed and now dons custom suits.

Pimp Award
This one is delicate because you can never be sure who has a wife back home, and you don't like to out anyone, but the obvious choice is Eddie Bravo. For all his metroness, The Twister pulls tail. He seems to have one in every port. There will be no honorable mention here, but if you see me at an after party, ask. The stories are aplenty.

Biggest Balls Award
This one goes to Keith Crawford of Hardcore Championship Fighting. After a recent event, an undefeated heavyweight prospect tasted a loss for the first time. He asked matchmaker Crawford what he thought of his performance and got a brutally honest answer. Offended by the answer, the fighter had his manager call Crawford and challenge him to a fight. Without blinking, Crawford, who while in seemingly good shape (but just south of 50 years old), accepted. Stay tuned for the results of this story.

Honorable mention goes to Dana White for being Dana White, and Bas Rutten walking the walk and having a presence in the lobbies.

Bling Award
This award goes to Jarred "Skala" Shaw. Dude is always wearing bling, whether it's earrings, watches or necklaces. Many promoters use angles. Don King had the hair, and Skala has the bling. Don't let the demeanor fool you, though; the kid does his homework and knows fighters.

Most Friends Award
Every organization should have a Bert Watson like the UFC has. Bert is like the stage manager for ever aspect of the event. If you need a room, a ride, or directions to anything, Bert is your guy. At show time he is the one who tells you where you are supposed to be when. Because he is seemingly doing everyone favors all the time, everyone (me included) feels indebt to him. He does his job with a big smile and always has a warm greeting. He is one of the reasons everything runs so smoothly. He is also great for an old-school story at the hotel bar. He worked with Smokin' Joe Fraser back in the day and is filled with tales.

Honorable mention goes to Bert's right hand man Lester, Greg Jackson who everyone likes, and the TapOut crew.

Most Likely to Be Working a Lobby Award
OK, I am not eligible. I live in lobbies in part because I like to make myself accessible but also because I enjoy the interaction and staying as topical as possible. The person I see the most is a competitor, Matt Stansell of North County Fight Club. Make no mistake www.MMAagents.com is the best option and the second-best option for management, but NCFC does a good job for its clients, and all those guys work hard.

Honorable mention goes to all the staff at ProElite Inc., notably JD Penn, JT Steele, Rich Chou, Skala, Jeremy Lappen and Gary Shaw. They are always holding court in the lobbies and are accessible.

Closer Award
Let's divide this up into hard close and soft close. If Dave Houshair from HCF fighting wants a fighter, he gets him. He is blunt, to the point, relentless and is not afraid to step up. The flip side is that you need to be careful when negotiating with Rich Chou of ProElite. He "bros out," and before you know it, a deal is done.

Montreal...

Wow what an event. More than 20,000 people showed up, and they broke the Bell Centre, home of the Montreal Canadians, record for beer sales in a night. They were lined up for blocks for hours to get into the arena. The first event in Ohio was pretty amazing as was the electricity in the arena for Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell II, Randy Couture vs. Tim Sylvia, and Phil Baroni vs. Frank Shamrock. This event ranked right up there, especially when Georges St. Pierre walked out. Personally there was an even bigger moment for me that was overshadowed.

Jonathan Goulet is French Canadian from the Montreal area and had fought 21 of his 30 fights in Canada. He grew up in the shadows of the Bell Centere. When I signed Goulet, his dream was to get back to the UFC. He then dreamed to fight in his hometown on the biggest stage Canada had ever seen. Some might say it is home field advantage; I call it enormous pressure. Just to add to the pressure, he was chosen to start the event as the first fight of the night. The kid was so cool it was like he had ice in his veins. Even when he got clipped on the button with a left hook and dropped with a minute to go in the first round, he never panicked. There was no way he was able to hear us in the corner with the crowd noise, so we will chalk up his hip movement, scrambling, and intelligent defense to instinct. The referee was close to stopping the fight, but The Road Warrior survived.

In the second round Jonathan found his range and caught Kuniyoshi Hironaka. Mind you his opponent owns victories over IFL belt-holder Ryan Shultz, Churuto, Nick Diaz and Forrest Petz. Goulet calmly pursued and was able to do what Jon Fitch was unable to do: finish Hironaka. Goulet will remember April 19, 2008, for the rest of his life. His grandkids will tell the story to their friends at school. Of course the $75,000 bonus for Fight of the Night will make it that much more memorable.

Virginia...

There is a new game in town, and its name is the Ultimate Warrior Challenge. Marcello Foran and John Lewis have put a very formidable card together, which includes MMAagents.com clients Aaron Riley, Carlo Prater and Zack Light. The event is at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., this Saturday. If you are in the area, come to the event, introduce yourself and I will give you a code for a 20 percent discount for www.MMA-locker.com.

Ken Pavia runs MMAAgents.com, one of MMA's biggest sports agencies and one that represents approximately 50 MMA fighters. "The Pav" is an MMAjunkie.com contributor who gives a behind-the-scenes look at an MMA agent's career representing some of the sport's biggest stars. He can be found on MySpace at www.myspace.com/kenpavia. His views do not necessarily reflect those of MMAjunkie.com and its staff.

THE GREAT FIGHT NORTH

News and Notes from Canada

Originally Posted By Mike Russell (gfn@thefightnetwork.com)

Dave Wallace, manager for Pride, UFC and K-1 veteran Gary Goodridge, attempted this week to explain the circumstances surrounding comments made by his client. Goodridge claimed in a recent interview that he was frustrated with Maximum Fighting Championship promoter Mark Pavelich and was contemplating whether or not to walk away from his contract with the Alberta-based promotion.

Wallace indicated that messages from conversations he’d had with Pavelich were not properly relayed to Goodridge, resulting in what he called “a grave misunderstanding.” Wallace said he was optimistic the situation could be resolved and that Goodridge was prepared to honor his MFC contract, which calls for one fight with an option for a second.

“Some things were not explained to Gary or were not relayed to Gary in the proper manner,” Wallace said. “There was a misunderstanding on Gary’s part that was fully my fault. Gary, being an emotional guy, made some assumptions that were misconstrued. The perception that Gary had of what was going on with MFC was not reflective of reality.”

Wallace said Goodridge would face Eric Pele at MFC 16 “Anger Management,” scheduled to be held on Friday, May 9 at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Enoch, Alberta.

“Since speaking with Mark this week and relaying the messages to Gary, this misunderstanding has been rectified, and Gary is willing, able and looking forward to fulfilling his contract with the Maximum Fighting Championship,” Wallace said. “He’s not only looking forward to his fight in May, but he’s also anticipating a fruitful relationship with the MFC past that in the future.”

Goodridge railed against Pavelich in an exclusive interview with The Fight Network, saying Pavelich reminded him of an “ex-wife” and claiming the promoter had badgered him about the details for his promotional debut in May. Goodridge’s complaints stem from Pavelich’s refusal to allow him to compete for another organization three weeks before the MFC 16 show. Although the 42-year-old heavyweight’s contract states he may not compete five weeks prior to a scheduled MFC appearance, Goodridge claimed he could not afford to turn down fights – and money – at this late stage in his career.

Goodridge had been penciled in for two other fights within a five-week time frame. The kickboxer was booked to square off with Eric “Butterbean” Esch at a YAMMA Pit Fighting event on Friday, April 11 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J. He had also agreed to fight Tony Lopez at King of the Cage “Fight Night” on Saturday, April 19 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Pavelich said Wallace had assured him that Goodridge would not be competing at either show and had opted instead to fulfill his contractual obligations to the MFC.

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COTE-ALMEIDA BOOKED FOR UFC 86

Patrick “The Predator” Cote will climb another rung on the UFC’s middleweight ladder when he returns to the Octagon this summer. The Fight Network has learned that Cote will face Renzo Gracie protégé Ricardo Almeida at UFC 86 on Saturday, July 5 in Las Vegas. Cote – who submitted previously to Joe Doerksen and Travis Lutter – wants to showcase his improved ground skills, a facet of his game many still consider his Achilles’ heel. He will get his chance against one of the world’s best grapplers.

Read the full report HERE.

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‘THE CROW’ READY TO HOST HCF, GET BACK ON TRACK

Hardcore Championship Fighting will make its Quebec debut Saturday in Gatineau when the promotion presents HCF “Crow’s Nest” at the Robert Guertin Arena. A 185-pound match-up between one-time UFC middleweight title contender David “The Crow” Loiseau and the Revolution Fight Team’s Todd Gouwenberg will headline the show.

Loiseau (15-8, 0-1 HCF) has trained hard and believes he’s ready to reclaim his once proud standing in the MMA world, as he aims to earn his way back into the UFC with some wins against quality opposition. A date with Gouwenberg (7-3, 0-1 HCF) comes first.

“When I make it back to the UFC, I want to be a contender; I don’t want to just be a UFC fighter,” Loiseau said. “I want to make sure I’m at the top of my game and that there’s no one who can beat me mentally or physically. Some guys go to the UFC, and they’re just OK fighters. I’m not that fighter. I want to dominate when I go back. You’ll see when I do it.”

Once one of the UFC’s promising young stars, Loiseau saw his career hit a snag when he dropped back-to-back decision losses to then UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin and Mike Swick. Released from the UFC roster, Loiseau spent the last two years competing for various organizations. He admits it has been no easy task.

“You’re only remembered for your last fight,” he said. “If you lose one or two fights, forget it, people turn their backs on you. That’s the way MMA works. It’s all politics. That’s OK. I’ve been working my ass off. I’m taking one fight at a time, and I want to prove myself.”

Although he’s rumored to have signed to face UFC veteran Terry Martin in the co-main event at Combat Fighting Championships 4 on Saturday, May 17 in Newcastle, England, Loiseau said he has yet to agree to the bout since he was only recently made aware of his inclusion on the card. Loiseau spoke to his manager, Ken Pavia, on Monday and was told the CFC was interested in having him compete but that nothing had been agreed to.

“To be honest, I’m kind of pissed off that they’re using my name to advertise the event, and I haven’t even agreed to the fight,” Loiseau said. “I’ll fight Terry Martin, but don’t say I’m fighting him without asking me first. I’m only thinking about my fight Saturday against Gouwenberg right now.”

HCF “Crow’s Nest”
Saturday, March 29
Robert Guertin Arena
Gatineau, Quebec

HCF Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Sarah Kaufman vs. Molly Helsel

David Loiseau vs. Todd Gouwenberg
Rob MacDonald vs. Hector Ramirez
Nabil Khatib vs. Gideon Ray
Brent Beauparlant vs. Amir Rahnavardi
Andrew Buckland vs. Dan Hornbuckle
Bill Boland vs. Michal Hamrsmid
Myles Merola vs. Jameel Massouh
Marcus Vinicios vs. Rodrigo Ruas
Dan Grandmaison vs. Nino Schembri

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CHAMBERS IN FEATURED BOUT AT RITC 29

Dan Chambers will square off with Chester Post in the main event at Rumble in the Cage 29 on Satrurday at the North Pavilion at Exhibition Park in Lethbridge, Alberta. Chambers (12-6, 8-1 RITC) last competed in February, when he submitted to a second-round Kimura from Andrew Buckland at a Hardcore Championship Fighting event. Post (6-10-1) will make his promotional debut.

Rumble in the Cage 29
Saturday, March 29
North Pavilion at Exhibition Park
Lethbridge, Alberta

Dan Chambers vs. Chester Post
Tim Tamaki vs. Chris Desaultels
Neil Berry vs. Mike Gates
Victor Kaminski vs. Shane Landherr
Raphael Bergman vs. Nick Goetz
Tim Chemelli vs. Will Kruger
Mark Aparicio vs. Darryl Stettler
Sean Merkl vs. Trent Rowell
Mike Jones vs. Jesse Kunish
Keirston Gillis vs. Jose Rodriguiz
Peter Neufeld vs. Jeff Lauze
Shay Fortier vs. Steffanie Essensa

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SOSZYNSKI TO HEADLINE UCW SHOW APRIL 11

International Fight League veteran Krzysztof Soszynski will meet Marcus Hicks in the featured bout at Ultimate Cage Wars 11 “Hell in the Cage” on Friday, April 11 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Soszynski (14-8-1) has won back-to-back fights by disqualification. Based out of Team Quest, he holds victories against former TKO champion Icho Larenas and UFC veteran Dan Christison. Hicks (8-9) has won three of his last four fights, and only one of his 17 career bouts has been left to the judges.

UCW 11 “Hell in the Cage”
Friday, April 11
Winnipeg Convention Centre
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Marcus Hicks
Simon Marini vs. Lindsey Hawks
Joey Ayotte vs. Missy Parks
Rory McDonell vs. Kevin Manderson
Ryan Bawn vs. Cory Grant
Matt Dayboll vs. Adam Dowds
Justin Knox vs. Dino Camire
Sam Pascuzzi vs. Isaias Alvarado

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CROES-MARTINEZ SET FOR TKO 33 MAIN EVENT

Johan Croes will collide with Danny Martinez in the main event at TKO 33 “Battle in Paradise” on Friday, April 18 at the Surfside Beach in Oranjestad, Aruba. Croes (1-0, 1-0 TKO), an Aruba native, stopped Mark Fraser on second-round strikes in his first professional bout at TKO 32 in February. Martinez, meanwhile, will make his debut at TKO 33.

TKO 33 “Battle in Paradise”
Friday, April 18
Surfside Beach
Oranjestad, Aruba

Johan Croes vs. Danny Martinez
Steve Bosse vs. Guido Carlo
Derek Gauthier vs. Richard Williams
Yannick Galipeau vs. Jonrick Flanigan
Christopher Hulme vs. Jamiel Werleman
Adrian Wooley vs. Nick Croes
Ben Gallant vs. Greghoulos Oehlers
Scott Wright vs. Evan Nedd

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CANADIAN CALENDAR

• Mar. 29 – Hardcore Championship Fighting “Crow’s Nest,” Robert Guertin Arena, Gatineau, Quebec
• Mar. 29 – Rumble in the Cage 29, North Pavilion at Exhibition Park, Lethbridge, Alberta
• April 4 – King of the Cage “Brawl in the Mall 3,” West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta
• April 11 – Ultimate Cage Wars 11 “Hell in the Cage,” Winnipeg Convention Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba
• April 12 – Phoenix Fight Promotions II, Halifax, Nova Scotia
• April 18 – TKO 33 “Battle in Paradise,” Surfside Beach, Oranjestad, Aruba
• April 19 – UFC 83 “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2,” Bell Centre, Montreal
• April 26 – Iroquois MMA Championship III, Iroquois Lacrosse Arena, Hagersville, Ontario
• May 9 – Maximum Fighting Championship 16 “Anger Management,” River Cree Resort and Casino, Enoch, Alberta
• July 26 – Freedom Fight “Title Quest,” Robert Guertin Arena, Gatineau, Quebec

Loiseau Wins in HCF Main Event

Originally posted by MMAjunkie.com Staff [mmajunkie-staff] on Mar 30, 2008 at 1:36 pm in

- News -

Former UFC middleweight contender David Loiseau (16-8), who had lost four of five fights after earning a title shot with then-champ Rich Franklin in early 2006, scored a dominating unanimous-decision victory over Todd Gouwenberg (7-4) in Saturday's Hardcore Championship Fighting's "Crow's Nest" event.

The event took place at the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau, Quebec.

Loiseau, returning to his ground-and-pound roots and relying on devastating elbow strikes, took the decision with lopsided scores of 30-25, 30-26 and 30-26.

The 28-year-old fighter has now won two of his past three fights.

In other action, Hector Ramirez (7-3-1) decisioned Rob MacDonald (5-3) in a battle of UFC veterans, and "The Ultimate Fighter 4" cast member Gideon Ray (14-8-1) was on the wrong end of a decision with Nabil Khatib (8-2).

In an explosive women's bout, Sarah Kaufman (7-0) kept her perfect record in tact with a second-round TKO of Molly Helsel (5-7-1).

The full results included:

David Loiseau def. Todd Gouwenberg via unanimous decision
Sarah Kaufman def. Molly Helsel via TKO -- Round 2, 2:44
Hector Ramirez def. Rob MacDonald via unanimous decision
Nabil Khatib def. Gideon Ray via unanimous decision
Brent Beauparlant def. Amir Rahnavardi via unanimous decision
Dan Hornbuckle def. Andrew Buckland via submission (armbar) -- Round 1, 3:34
Bill Boland def. Michal Hamrsmid via TKO -- Round 2, 2:59
Jameel Massouh def. Myles Merola via unanimous decision
Rodrigo Ruas def. Marcus Vinicios via submission (arm-triangle choke) -- Round 3, 0:52
Antonio Schembri def. Daniel Grandmaison via submission (armbar) -- Round 1, 2:37

Silva vs. Hendricks Likely for May 10 Hardcore CF Event

Originally posted by Dann Stupp [mmajunkie] on Mar 27, 2008 at 2:04 pm in

- News -

Former UFC and PRIDE fighter Assuerio Silva (13-6), who recently signed a five-fight deal with Hardcore Championship Fighting, will make his debut with the Canadian-based organization on May 10 -- most likely against Ohio fighter Josh Hendricks (14-4).

A source close to the event alerted MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the Silva-Hendricks fight earlier today.

The May 10 event takes place in Calgary and also features Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs. Mauricio Alonso, as well as Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos vs. Todd Gouwenberg.

Silva, who vacated his Pancrase heavyweight title to sign with HFC earlier this year, is one of many big-name fighters who have recently signed with the organization. Silva hasn't fought since claiming the Pacrase title with a win over Tatsuya Mizuno in May.

He'll now likely take on Hendricks, a two-time All-American wrestler who's competed for Oklahoma State University and Ashland University. He's fought throughout the Midwest while going undefeated (with nine victories and one no-contest) in his past 10 fights. Of the nine victories, four have come via submission and four via knockout (or submission via strikes).

The only losses of his career came to UFC veterans Travis Wiuff, Sam Hoger and Tom Murphy, as well as Valery Pliev in a May 2003 bareknuckle fight in Russia.



* * * *


Following the HCF's "Crow's Nest" event on Saturday, the organization will announce that it's been bought out. The sale will help put the organization on television in North America. Sherdog.com first reported the sale earlier this week.

Saturday's event takes place at the Robert Guertin Arena at Gatineau, QC and features a main event between former UFC fighter David Loiseau and Todd Gouwenberg. Legendary referee "Big" John McCarthy will serve as the night's color analyst.

"Babalu" to HCF for May 10 Event

Originally posted by John Morgan [john-morgan] on MMA Junkie on Mar 19, 2008 at 7:35 pm in

- News -

UFC cast-off Renato "Babalu" Sobral (29-7) will return to action on May 10 for a Hardcore Championship Fighting show to be held in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. There, 32-year-old will take on fellow Brazilian Mauricio Alonso (4-1).

Ken Pavia, an MMAjunkie.com columnist, broke news of the bout on today's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), a content partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Sobral will be in Quebec on March 29 for the HCF's "Crow's Nest" event, featuring UFC veterans David Loiseau, Hector "Sick Dog" Ramirez and Gideon Ray, where a formal announcement of the fight card will be made.

Sobral, once regarded among the world's elite in the light heavyweight division, dropped out of the top 10 in most rankings after back-to-back UFC losses to Chuck Liddell and Jason Lambert. The Gracie Barra black belt then returned to winning ways with a hard fought, bloody victory over David Heath at UFC 74. A controversial ending, in which Sobral admitted to holding an anaconda choke on Heath longer than necessary, cost "Babalu" both a $25,000 fine as well as his UFC contract.

The HCF fight will be Sobral's second outside the UFC since the incident.

During the interview, Pavia was unable to confirm, but did little to deny, a rumored match-up between Sobral and UFC veteran Mike Whitehead. It is believed the bout will be contested at the debut event of the new Affliction/Golden Boy co-promotion.

In other interview highlights:

Pavia also mentioned a forthcoming "big announcement" by the UFC regarding welterweight Chris "Lights Out" Lytle. The UFC is expected to soon release information regarding Lytle facing a "very big name" at UFC 86 in July. Pavia felt confident that the match-up would be the co-main event of the card.

According to Pavia, "Razor" Rob McCullough will return to action in the WEC on the as-yet-unannounced June 1 WEC event in Sacramento, Calif. Although McCullough's opponent has not yet been determined, that card is believed to be headlined by Urijah Faber vs. Jens Pulver. Miguel Torres vs. Manny Tapia is also expected at the event, and Jeff Curran will also likely compete.
Lastly, Pavia said Joe "Diesel" Riggs was recovering quickly from back surgery after suffering an injury in his latest fight, and should return to action with Strikeforce in late May, when the organization looks to return to Tacoma, Wash.
To hear the full interview, download Wednesday's edition of TAGG Radio, available for free in the TAGG Radio Network archives.

This story, written by John Morgan, was produced by TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com) specially for MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). The show -- which is hosted by fighter/broadcaster Frank Trigg, Gorgeous George and Goze -- books some of the biggest names in MMA. Download all the former episodes at www.taggradio.com, or tune into TAGG Radio's live shows Monday-Friday at noon ET/9 a.m. PT.

UFC Vet David Loiseau Headlines March 29 HCF Event

Originally Posted by MMA Junkie on February 25, 2008 at 3:46 pm ET

Former UFC middleweight contender David “The Crow” Loiseau (15-8) will headline next month’s Hardcore Championship Fighting event when he takes on Todd Gouwenberg (7-3), the Canadian-based organization announced over the weekend.

The event, dubbed “HCF: Crow’s Nest,” takes place March 29 at the Robert Guertin Centre in Gatineau, Quebec.

Gouwenberg is a replacement for Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, whose HCF contract was terminated last week because of his planned involvement with an upcoming World Victory Road event.

“It is with a heavy heart we terminate Cyborg’s contract as he is one of my favorite fighters,” HCF president Dave Houshiar stated on the organization’s website. “However, we cannot allow fighters to dictate the terms of contracts to us as this can impact the integrity of our events.“

Loiseau, a 28-year-old French-Canadian who will be fighting in front of a hometown crowd, last competed at a Feb. 1 HCF event and suffered a close split-decision loss to Jason Day. (Just days after the fight, Day was signed by the UFC to fight Alan Belcher at Montreal’s UFC 83 event in April.) Loiseau was once the UFC’s top middleweight contender, but soon after a loss to then-champ Rich Franklin at UFC 58 and another to Mike Swick at UFC 63, Loiseau’s career has taken a nosedive. He’s now lost four of his past five fights.

He’ll look to get back on track against on Gouwenberg, who also competed at the Feb. 1 HCF event. There, he suffered a tough-fought loss to notable Anyonio Rogerio Nogueira, a top-ranked light heavyweight and the brother of UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The 33-year-old Gouwenberg, who will drop to middleweight for the fight with Loiseau, snapped his four-fight win streak with the loss.

In addition to Loiseau vs. Gouwenberg, the March 29 event will include other notables, including former UFC fighters Hector Ramirez, Rob MacDonald and Gideon Ray.