Wilson vs. Pyle official for UFC Fight Night 19

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

Also made official for the Spike TV-televised event are two bouts previously reported by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com): Tim Credeur (12-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) vs. Nate Quarry (11-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and Mike Pyle (17-6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) vs. Chris Wilson (14-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC).

The latest UFC Fight Night 19 card now includes:

MAIN CARD
Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard
Roger Huerta vs. Gray Maynard
Tim Credeur vs. Nate Quarry
Carlos Condit vs. Chris Lytle*

PRELIMINARY CARD
Steve Cantwell vs. Brian Stann
Mike Pyle vs. Chris Wilson
Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson*
Justin Buchholz vs. Jeremy Stephens*
Kyle Bradley vs. Sam Stout*
Ryan Jensen vs. Steven Steinbeiss*

Click here to read the entire article on MMAjunkie.com

Mike Pyle vs. Chris Wilson expected at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

While you never get a second chance to make a first impression, welterweight Mike Pyle (17-6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will certainly try his best.

The Xtreme Couture fighter, who was a last-second replacement opponent for Brock Larson at UFC 98 in May, will now meet the man he replaced, Chris Wilson (14-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC), at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed with sources close to the negotiations that the fight isn't signed but that bout agreements will be finalized this week for the Sept. 16 matchup, which was first reported by MMA FanHouse on Sunday.

UFC Fight Night 19, which serves as a lead-in for the debut episode of "The Ultimate Fighter 10," takes place at the Cox Convention Center and airs on Spike TV.

Pyle was submitted in the first round of his May UFC debut after struggling to cut weight for the contest. The loss snapped a four-fight win streak for Pyle, who previously fought for the WEC, Affliction, Strikeforce, M-1 and the now-defunct EliteXC and IFL organizations.

The Xtreme Couture welterweight, who turned pro in 1999, finds himself in a must-win situation if he hopes to remain in the UFC.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

Mike Pyle in for Chris Wilson at UFC 98 in last-second switch

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

"Standby" welterweight Mike Pyle (17-5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) got the call he's been waiting for over the past four days, as UFC officials have officially tapped the Xtreme Couture fighter as a replacement for Chris Wilson (14-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) on UFC 98's preliminary card.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported on Tuesday, Pyle signed a contract with the organization earlier in the week and was told to be prepared to step in on short notice.

That notice will be just a matter of hours, as Pyle will weigh-in for his UFC 98 bout with Brock Larson (25-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) later this afternoon.

Pyle is a near-10-year veteran of MMA, having fought for some of the world's top organizations. The Las Vegas resident has fought and won for Affliction, WEC, Strikeforce, Sengoku and the now defunct EliteXC and IFL organizations.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

Welterweight Mike Pyle tapped as "standby" fighter for UFC 98

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

Strikeforce, WEC, Affliction and Sengoku veteran Mike Pyle (17-5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has been tapped as a "standby" fighter for Saturday night's "UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida."

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) learned from sources close to the event that Pyle has signed a contract with the organization and has been told to be ready to step into Saturday's event.

Additional sources have indicated the UFC may be using "Quicksand" as an insurance policy for Brazilian resident Chris Wilson (14-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in his bout with Brock Larson (25-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC).

An Xtreme Couture-trained fighter and Las Vegas resident, Pyle has also fought for the now-defunct EliteXC and IFL organizations. Currently riding a four-fight win streak, Pyle has earned 15 of his 17 career wins by submission.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.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

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

Mike Pyle content to let others sing his praises

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

In compiling a list of top welterweights not cashing checks from the UFC, Mike Pyle has to be one of the first few names on the page.

The 31-year-old native of Tennessee has steadily risen up the ranks and even earned a crack at a belt, losing to EliteXC champion Jake Shields a year ago by rear-naked choke.

Since that bitter first-round defeat to Shields, Pyle has reeled off four straight victories and has lived up to his "Quicksand" moniker in the process. He's submitted each of his four opponents inside of 10 minutes, including a first-frame sub of Brian Gassaway last month at A Night of Combat II in Las Vegas.

Gassaway gave props to his opponent, saying Pyle, who is often overlooked when discussing the division's top fighters, deserves more respect and possesses ground skills that are among the best at 170 pounds.

"That was a nice comment from Gassaway ... very gentleman-like," Pyle told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), "but I don't really care what people think. I'm just going to keep plugging away. I'm going to work my way up no matter what people think. I'm going to keep finishing people and end fights like I always do."

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

Mike Pyle Post Fight Interview

"A Night of Combat II" salaries: Ramirez, Hieron and Pyle top earners

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

A trio of fighters that included main-event winner Hector Ramirez and Xtreme Couture notables Jay Hieron and Mike Pyle scored event-high $20,000 paydays last week at "A Night of Combat II."

The event, promoted by Superfights MMA and Kim Couture's KC Concepts, took place this past Friday, Oct. 10, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today requested and received the salaries from the Nevada State Athletic Commission

The total disclosed payroll for the event was $160,500.

The full payout amounts included:

Hector Ramirez $20,000 (includes $5,000 win bonus)

Jay Hieron $20,000

Mike Pyle $20,000

Sean Salmon $7,000 (win bonus would have been $5,000)

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

Mike Pyle - PRO MMA exclusive interview

Originally posted on ProMMA.info

Tonight Mike Pyle will wage war with the extremely dangerous and seasoned Brian Gassaway at the Night of Combat II event in Las Vegas. Pyle has looked incredibly dominant in the last year riding a three fight win streak since his loss to EliteXC welterweight champion Jake Shields. A fight he says he would absolutely love to have back. The man they call “Quicksand” will have his chance to cement the common belief that he is among the top dogs in the 170 pound division tonight if he can secure an impressive victory over dangerous striker Brian Gassaway.

PRO MMA: Thanks for taking this time with us Mike. How are you feeling physically right now leading up to the fight?
MIKE: I’m feeling good, just a little hungry from cutting weight is all.

PRO MMA: What do you know about your opponent Brian Gassaway and how do you feel you match up?
MIKE: I think it’s a good match up. It’s a classic striker vs. grappler match up, you know, he’s more experienced in the striking and I’m more experienced on the ground so it’s an interesting match up.

PRO MMA: What’s your game plan going to be in this fight. Will you be looking to stand and trade, take the action to the mat so you can use your quicksand technique or go with the flow?
MIKE: That’s for me to know and you and everyone else to find out.

PRO MMA: I know you’re training with Xtreme Couture but who have you been doing the majority of your training with for this fight?
MIKE: Just the whole team down at Xtreme Couture. We’ve all got fights coming up so I’m not training with anyone particular really, just the team.

PRO MMA: Do you feel you feel like you will have a small advantage because the fight is taking place basically in your backyard and there will be quite a few of your teammates on the same card?
MIKE: Yeah, it’s a possibility but I don’t really think about it. I just think about the game plan I need to bring to the table to beat Brian Gassaway. That’s all I concentrate on, is things that I can control.

PRO MMA: Do you have any plans of fighting for Sengoku again in the near future?
MIKE: Oh for sure, yeah. I’ve still got three fights left with them so yeah, for sure.

Click here to read the entire article at ProMMA.info

Ramirez, Pyle, Hieron Grab Wins

Originally posted on Sherdog.com

From the ashes of a cancelled Affliction card rose a lineup Saturday inside the Thomas & Mack Center that featured up-and-comers and quality veterans from Xtreme Couture. Save for the lackluster main event between kickboxing legend Rick Roufus and UFC veteran Hector Ramirez, every fight on the Night of Combat bill was entertaining.

Roufus, a six-time world champion in kickboxing, did well in the opening round. But once Ramirez took “The Jet” off his feet, it was all downhill for the middle-aged legend. Roufus found it almost impossible to scramble out from being pinned in side control and full mount -- a bad position he found himself in for virtually every second of rounds two and three.

“I watched him through American kickboxing all the time when I was in junior high,” Ramirez said after he was awarded a unanimous decision via three tallies of 29-28. “I knew he kicked hard and I didn’t want to let him get going, so I needed to take him down. He caught me with a good head kick in the first, so I had to be smart and keep him off his feet.”

In the only other match to go three full rounds, IFL champion Jay Hieron pounded last-minute replacement Chris Kennedy to win a lopsided unanimous decision, 30-27 on all three cards. Hieron battered and repeatedly slammed Kennedy -- a replacement for Bryson Kamaka, who had been scratched for failing a prefight urinalysis.
.........

Mike Pyle slipped on a slick armbar to submit Brian Gassaway 4:21 into the first round. Pyle had a surprisingly easy time, as he scored a terrific takedown early and quickly moved to full mount. From there, he peppered his foe with various strikes, and when Gassaway tried to roll out to escape, the arm was there for the taking.

“I had him down, and he was a bit sideways so I got the arm lock,” Pyle said. “I wanted to pound him out a little more and make him quit, but I’ll take the submission. That’s what I’m all about anyway.”

Click here to read the entire article at sherdog.com

"It's Time" for Mike Pyle

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

When this month’s Affliction show was postponed, many of the fighters were left to wonder if they would have to wait until the rescheduled date next year or if they’d get an opportunity to fight before then.

Luckily for them, the promotion stepped up and helped many of the scheduled fighters find spots on cards for various promotions, including this weekend’s Superfights MMA show, which ironically takes the place of Affliction’s scheduled event at the Thomas and Mack Center on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Among those who were able to get on the card, produced in association KC Concepts, the company of UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture’s wife Kim, is welterweight standout Mike “Quicksand” Pyle.

He will be making his debut in his adoptive hometown of Las Vegas when he takes on MMA veteran Brian Gassaway this weekend.

“I’m ready to take on Brian Gassaway,” stated an enthusiastic Pyle. “I’m in great shape, ready to do it, so let’s do it.”

Currently Pyle is riding a three-fight winning streak this year, and he’s looking forward to fighting on the card with a multitude of teammates, as well as helping Kim Couture out in the promotion side of things.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

Goes, Pyle, and Hieron Confirmed for Xtreme Couture's First MMA Event

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

Sources within the popular training center confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that Xtreme Couture is promoting its first mixed martial arts event to be held in Las Vegas at the Thomas & Mack Center on Oct. 18.

HD Net Fights will broadcast the event live.

Confirmed Xtreme Couture fighters include Mike Whitehead, who will take on veteran Allan Goes, as well as welterweight John Alessio, who will tangle with Gideon Ray. Jay Hieron and Mike Pyle are also scheduled to participate, but their opponents are unknown at this time.

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

Affliction announces partial fight card, including Pyle-High

by Dann Stupp and George Garcia for MMAjunkie.com on Aug 06, 2008 at 4:55 pm ET

LAS VEGAS -- Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio today confirmed a handful of fights and the broadcast details for the organization's second show, "Day of Reckoning," which takes place Oct. 11 at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) was on scene today at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, which has signed on as an event sponsor.

Atencio today confirmed that HDNet will broadcast three preliminary bouts before a seven-fight card, headlined by Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett, airs on pay per view.

Atencio said the the main event will be a "No. 1 contender's bout" with the winner likely to face current WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko at a future show. Emelianenko was expected to fight Arlovski at the Oct. 11 event, but a rumored hand injury forced him off the card.

Today's announced main-card bouts included Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and Matt Lindland vs. Vitor Belfort. (However, as we reported earlier today, the bout is contigent on Belfort's hand being healed in time for the show and early clearance from his current 180-day medical suspension.)

One fighter not officially confirmed for the main card was Tito Ortiz. Earlier today we passed along a report from si.com in which Ortiz had stated he agreed to a deal with Affliction and that he expected to fight Renato "Babalu" Sobral at the Oct. 11 event. Michael Cohen, Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization and Special Counsel to Affliction executive Donald Trump, would only say that the organization is interested in signing Ortiz and that he and Donald Trump Jr. had spoken to him just yesterday.

Atencio also confirmed two of the night's three preliminary bouts. In addition to Jason High vs. Mike Pyle, Paul Buentello will meet IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson in the preliminary card's final bout. (Nelson was expected to fight Xtreme Couture's Jay White, as we previously reported, but the fight apparently fell apart at the final hour.)

Tickets for "Day of Reckoning" go on sale Saturday and range from $75 to $500.

For the latest on "Affliction: Day of Reckoning," including the latest rumored fight card, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

Who Should You Know? - Mike Pyle (MMA: Edition One)

By: Frank Sanchez - BleacherReport.com

In my very first edition of 'Who You Should Know in MMA', I introduce to you Mike Pyle. The reason Mike Pyle was my first choice is simple. The headline fight this weekend is between UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre and contender Jon Fitch. GSP is 16-2 with his only losses being to Matt Serra and Matt Hughes. Highlighting them made no sense. If you take a look at Jon Fitch, who is 19-2, his two losses are to Wilson Gouveia and my first editions featured fighter, Mike Pyle.

Mike Pyle, 31, is anything but a fresh face in the sport of MMA. He has been fighting since 1999 and suffered a loss in his first fight, which was versus Quentin “Rampage” Jackson. As a student of Randy “The Natural” Couture’s camp, Xtreme Couture, Pyle has earned the nickname of “Quicksand” due to his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques that have helped him amass many submission victories. With 14 submissions and two TKOs in 17 wins to his credit, Pyle has proven to be an exciting fighter.

With a record of 17-5-1, one can plainly see the Pyle has shown the skills it takes to be successful in the sport. After his initial loss to Jackson, Pyle went on to introduce the way of MMA to UFC championship contender Jon Fitch in Fitch’s first fight, taking out the young Fitch via rear naked choke.

Fitch and Pyle, both 20 fights deep, would probably have a bit of a different fight than they did all those years ago when the fighters had a combined three fights between them. However, a victory over Fitch, even if early on in their careers, may bode well for Pyle if he were to ever make his break into the UFC. He did, however, compete in WEC on two different occasions in 2005-2006 where he submitted another veteran in “Mr. International” Shonie Carter.

Pyle, in his last five fights dating back to February of 2007 is 4-1 over other successful talent. JJ Ambrose was 8-1 before his loss to Pyle at Affliction: Banned via Rear Naked Choke. Dan Hornbuckle was 15-1 when he lost to Pyle at Sengoku: Second battle via Triangle Choke.

Damir “Wolf” Mirenic was 8-3 before his loss to Pyle via Kimura at HCF(Hardcore Championship Fighting): Destiny. Aaron “Slam” Witherspoon, the King of the Cage Welterweight Champion, was 6-1 before losing to Pyle at EliteXC/Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Baroni.

His loss in the last five fights was to EliteXC Welterweight Champion and the #3 Welterweight in the world Jake Shields at EliteXC: Renegade. Pyle has made a living of giving young up and comers a loss as of late and has made a habit of finishing fights. Other than the unanimous decision victory over Wetherspoon, Pyle has only gone to decision on one other occasion in his 23 fights, a Draw to Andrei Semenov in 2003.

Pyle may have yet to make his mark in the giant known as the UFC, but he has surely made his mark on MMA and is a tough match for anyone, newcomer or veteran. Even only with two key victories in Fitch and Carter, Pyle, with time, should prove to add several more and maybe even break into the Welterweight Divisions elite.

You don’t have to wait too long to see him in action again either, he is rumored to be on the 2nd Affliction card on October 11th and with any luck, it will be versus another big name available for the show, such as Nick Thompson or David Baron.

One thing can be sure, no matter the opponent, a fight with Mike Pyle has always been worth watching.

Mike Pyle likely to return at Oct. 11 Affliction event

by Dann Stupp for MMAjunkie.com on Aug 04, 2008 at 4:26 pm ET

Xtreme Couture fighter and veteran welterweight Mike Pyle (17-5-1) will likely return to action at Affliction's second show, which takes place Oct. 11 at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

A source close to the event tells MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Pyle could soon be announced for the card.

No opponent was revealed, but given Affliction's lack of depth in the division, an outside signing in almost mandatory.

Pyle, who's also under contract to the Japanese-based World Victory Road organization, has won three straight and five of his past six fights going back to February 2007. His only loss during that stretch was a first-round submission defeat to current EliteXC welterweight champ Jake Shields.

Pyle -- a veteran of the EliteXC, Strikeforce and WEC organizations -- most recently fought at Affliction's debut event on July 19. Although the event predominantly featured the heavier weight classes, Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio has continually raved about Pyle and featherweight Mark Hominick while discussing plans to fill out the organization's lighter weight classes.

With his first-round submission victory over JJ Ambrose (which snapped Ambrose's seven-fight win streak) at "Banned," Pyle was all but assured an invitation back for the organization's sophomore show.

Rated Exclusive: Mike Pyle Interview

Pyle wants a big "Smash" at Affliction

Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - by Mick Hammond - MMAWeekly.com

Over the last few years Mike Pyle has been on the threshold of breaking through to being one of the top welterweight fighters in the world on many occasions. Unfortunately, losses at critical junctions have kept him from doing so.

Forced to bounce around from promotion to promotion during that same time period, Pyle’s drive to make it to the top has yet to diminish in the least as he continues to strive towards his goal.

After two impressive performances earlier this year in Canada and Japan, Pyle returns stateside for the first ever Affliction show as part of one of the most stacked cards of the year on July 19 in Anaheim, Calif. Scheduled to take on up and comer JJ Ambrose, he is excited to be back, working on his ever present quest for greatness.

“I’m feeling great,” he said. “I’m in great shape and I’m ready to go out there and kick some ass.”

As enthusiastic as he is, Pyle is also cautious to avoid pitfalls from earlier in his career by taking Ambrose as serious as possible.

“I just try to think that my opponent’s going to go out there and try to rip my head off,” he stated. “I need to protect myself and keep my eyes open, and on him, and be prepared for whatever this guy has to offer.

“I’ve not always taken this route towards a fight, that is correct, but I’ve matured and coming up through the game I’ve learned a lot – don’t ever underestimate anyone. I’ve made mistakes like that in the past and I learned from them.”

Still, Pyle and his training camp at Xtreme Couture feel there are areas of opportunity for him to exploit weaknesses in Ambrose’s game.

“We’ve looked at some tape and have noticed some things; and we’re going to try to concentrate on that and fight to the best of our abilities that night,” he commented. “I’ve knocked people out, I’ve tapped people out and I’ve won decisions. I’ll take the game anywhere.”

Currently Pyle is signed to both Affliction and World Victory Road’s Sengoku, and he intends to stay busy with both throughout the remainder of the year.

“All these organizations are coming up with a little bit more respectable money for fighters, so we’ll see how it goes,” he said.

“I’m sure I’ll see myself in Japan again hopefully fighting a good name over there, look forward to coming back here fighting someone else, and heading back to Japan.”

Wherever the action is, he intends to just keep doing what he’s doing in pursuit of bigger fights, better paydays and championship opportunities.

“I’m just looking forward to moving forward in this game and being the best fighter I can be,” he commented. “(Just) keep winning, train hard, work hard and have the hard work pay off.”

An impressive win at Affliction on July 19 could very well be the catalyst to bring together all the aspects of his game, both inside and outside the ring, and make the absolute mark he’s been anxious to achieve in the welterweight division.

“Everybody come out check out the Affliction card, live or on PPV on the 19th when I go and smash JJ Ambrose,” closed out Pyle. “Thanks to all my training partners for all their help in getting me ready for this fight; and Xtreme Couture for providing me housing, giving me a place to kick ass.”

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/

theMMAcraze Exclusive: Mike Pyle "I'll Exploit His Face"

By Brian Holt, theMMAcraze

Mike Pyle (16-5-1) has had an interesting MMA career to say the least. Having fought in various organizations, weight classes and countries, there probably aren't many things he hasn't seen in the world of mixed martial arts. Currently Mike is in the midst of preparing for a bout with JJ Ambrose on the Affliction: Banned card. He was kind enough to give theMMAcraze a few minutes of his time to discuss his career, his upcoming fight and what it's like working with the fighter of Xtreme Couture on an everyday basis.

theMMAcraze: Your nickname is Quicksand, where did that come from?

Pyle: The harder that you fight against me the quicker you're going to sink, like quicksand. It's something that just kind of came about in the gym.

theMMAcraze: How did you get started in MMA?

Pyle: I got started in martial arts when I was 18 with Tae Kwon Do, got jiu jitsu video tapes and started training myself. From there I got a couple amateur fights and enjoyed it so I started pursuing professional fights and here I am.

theMMAcraze: I know you spent quite a bit of time teaching in Denmark and fighting in Europe. Can you tell me how that experience was?

Pyle: My time in Europe was great. I got to learn a different culture and a different style of fighting. It was a real eye opener, fighting some really tough guys. It was a great experience and I wouldn't change it for the world. I trained at Mikenta Thai Boxing Gym and was learning a lot and ended up going back and forth between there and the U.S. for a couple years. I was able to get fights in Lithuania, Russia and Denmark and got to visit a lot of places. It was fun.

theMMAcraze: How did you go from training and fighting in Europe to being at Xtreme Couture?

Pyle: I helped start Xtreme Couture, we were actually all training together for about a year and a half before that gym existed. I moved back from Europe to Las Vegas with a suitcase and a little bit of money and started training at John Lewis' school J-Sec. Some of the guys that were real fighters and wanted to be fighters trickled in and we started getting together to compete. It was me, Randy Couture, Jay Hieron, Forrest Griffin, Frank Trigg...we all kind of started coming in and training together. Then more people started coming like Alex Schoenauer, Gray Maynard, and Tyson Griffin all started coming. Randy decided that instead of jumping from gym to gym he would just start a gym so we had everything we needed in one place and here we are. The only difference is that now it has a name.

theMMAcraze: The guys you just mentioned are an incredible group of fighters to have in one gym.

Pyle: That's just half of them, those were some of the original guys that got it started. Now we've got Vitor Belfort, Stephan Bonner, Robert Drysdale, Wanderlei Silva.....

theMMAcraze: With that group of fighter is there anyone you would say is the toughest to spar or the one guy you work with the most to improve your skills?

Pyle: That's the thing, a lot of these fighters come from gyms where they were the big fish in the pond, but at this gym we don't have that. Every time you turn around you've got a dude standing in front of you that will kick the shit out of you. Either with stand up or wrestle the shit out of you and pound you when you get on the ground. The skill of the fighter is phenomenal. They're all big fish in this pond. You've got to compete with all of them.

theMMAcraze: You recently had a fight with Dan Hornbuckle at Sengoku. Was that your first fight in Japan? How was the experience?

Pyle: Yes it was my first fight in Japan. I loved it. The Japanese culture was great. They respect fighters and are educated on the techniques. It was a great time and I can't wait to go back.

theMMAcraze: Your next fight is coming up for Affliction on the 19th with JJ Ambrose. He's a 9-1 fighter, have you had a chance to learn much about him?

Pyle: I don't know so much about the guy, but I do know that I'm going to kick the living shit out of him. I don't think he's got enough experience and I don't think he trains with the caliber of guys I do so I don't think he's going to be able to confront me with anything threatening other than punching. I'm used to that, it's no big deal. My plan is the same as with anybody, go in there and wreck that guy. Come out without getting hurt so I can take a fight whenever I need to.

theMMAcraze: How has your training camp been going?

Pyle: It's been phenomenal.

theMMAcraze: There's been a lot of talk about the amount of money Affliction is spending on this card. What are your thoughts on how they are entering the sport?

Pyle: Well, you're going to have haters whatever you do. From a fighters perspective it's great that they are spending the money. It's up to the public to decide if they are going to be around. It's not up to the pencil pushers, it's up to the hard core fans. Which we are developing more and more every day. This sport's becoming main stream and certain organizations are not going to be able to monopolize everything for much longer.

theMMAcraze: Back to your fight with JJ. Do you have any predictions o how you see the fight ending? Do you see anything you think you could exploit with him?

Pyle: His face. I'll exploit his face. It's a fight, you never know what will happen. I'm going for the win, how I get it doesn't concern me. If it comes by knockout then it comes by knockout. If I have to choke his ass out I will. Whatever it takes. If I have to pound this guy into submission I will win this fight and I will beat JJ Ambrose.

theMMAcraze: In going back through your past fights, you have a win over Jon Fitch. Now he's getting ready for a title shot against Georges St. Pierre in the UFC. Do you ever wonder what could have been when you see things like that?

Pyle: Not really. The only thing I can say is congratulations to him. I can't really think about what could have been. He and I fought, the facts are I beat him. Now he's getting a title shot in the UFC. I've never fought in the UFC and I don't really care. It's all in the past.

theMMAcraze: You were the title holder in the WEC when you left the organization. Can you tell us what the circumstances were that led to you vacating the title?

Pyle: No circumstances. It just came down to money. I got paid better money. I'm not doing this so I can be on tv. I don't give a shit about that. I work extremely hard with some of the top guys in the world. They're beating my ass up...I want to get paid. Everyone trys to make it out like we're just in it for the money, well why does anyone do their job. Why do people go to college to further their education...to make more money. It's not cool that I would drive around in a Honda Passport while the guys that I'm fighting are driving around in a fucking Ferrari. That shits got to change and it is, it is changing.

theMMAcraze: Is there anyone you would like to thank or any final comments you would like to share?

Pyle: I'd like to thank Xtreme Couture for giving me a place to train and all the guys for helping me get ready for my fight.

theMMAcraze: Thanks for your time Mike and best of luck in your fight with JJ Ambrose.

Affliction adds Belfort vs. Martin, Ambrose vs. Pyle to "Banned" card

Originally posted by Dann Stupp on Jun 11, 2008 at 10:35 am ET

An intriguing, star-studded July 19 "Affliction: Banned" card just got a little deeper.

The clothing company turned MMA promoter has added added a preliminary-card bout between Vitor Belfort (16-8) and Terry Martin (16-4). Additionally, J.J. Ambrose (9-1) and Mike Pyle (16-5-1), who were originally scheduled to face Patrick Speight and Brett Cooper (respectively), will now fight each other.

The "Banned" event takes place July 19 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Longtime PRIDE heavyweight champ Fedor Emelianenko meets former UFC title-holder Tim Sylvia in the night's main event.

Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight champion and the current Cage Rage light heavyweight title-holder, had suffered three consecutive losses in 2005, which resulted in a departure from the UFC. Since then, though, he's 4-2 and will now go for his third consecutive victory. However, he hasn't fought since a September's Cage Rage 23 event, where he defeated James Zikic.

Martin, who was recently competing in the UFC, suffered losses to Chris Leben and Marvin Eastman, which snapped a four-fight win streak. Martin recently made his pro boxing debut (with a first-round knockout) and is also scheduled to meet Daiju Takase this weekend for the debut Adrenaline MMA show.

The main card for "Affliction: Banned" airs live on pay per view, and a few fights will air on FSN as a lead-in to the event. The full fight card now includes:

MAIN CARD (PAY PER VIEW)

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia
Andrei Arlovski vs. Ben Rothwell
Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo
Matt Lindland vs. Fabio Nascimento
Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs. Mike Whitehead
PRELIMINARY CARD (FSN)

Paul Buentello vs. Aleksander Emelianenko
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Vernon White
PRELIMINARY CARD (MAY NOT BE BROADCAST)

Vitor Belfort vs. Terry Martin
Ray Lazama vs. Justin Levens
J.J. Ambrose vs. Mike Pyle
Mark Hominick vs. Savant Young

“Quicksand” Pyle makes quick work of Ebanez in Showtime

Kerr loses in London’s Cage Rage by TKO to Turk

Fighting on the undercard of the first-ever MMA event televised on the premium cable network Showtime, Mike “Quicksand” Pyle made a triumphant return to the welterweight ranks with a rear-naked choke victory over Ross “Da Boss” Ebanez in 1:55 of the first round on Saturday, February 10th at the EliteXC in Southaven, Mississippi.

Pyle (13-4-1), an instant crowd favorite from the moment he was announced as hailing from nearby Memphis, Tenn., took Ebanez (14-5) to the mat quickly with a nice double-leg takedown and easily passed to side-mount before taking the back of “Da Boss.” With Pyle’s hooks in and Ebanez flattened out on his stomach, it wasn’t long before the Hawaiian was forced to tap out.

Pyle, the former WEC 170-pound champion who had suffered two losses in the IFL at middleweight, also holds wins at welterweight over Jon Fitch, Shonie Carter, Bret Bergmark and Gustavo Machado.

“It was short and sweet, just like I like it, just like I love it,” Pyle told Sherdog.com.
In other news involving MMAagents fighters, Alex Stiebling, Zach Light and Jeff Ford will be competing this month in the Bodogfights series in Costa Rica. The Bodogfights will now be televised starting in March on the Ion Network, formerly the PAX network.

Stiebling (17-9-1), coming off a unanimous decision win over Auggie Padekan at X-1 in October, will be facing Moise Rimbon in a middleweight matchup. Light (3-3) moves up to welterweight to take on Jake Ellenberger, and Ford (2-1) will square off against Francis Carmont in light-heavyweight action.

We are actively soliciting sponsors for our fighters that will be competing in upcoming events. We realize that the economics of the MMA fight game today dictate the need for fighter sponsors. As such, we send out post-fight sponsor packets with photos of sponsored fighter wearing sponsor logo on shorts and shirts and wearing sponsor company gear when applicable. We encourage the use of these pictures in advertisement when applicable and without conflict. The costs vary greatly depending on fighter and event. If you should have any interest, or would like to request more information, please contact my assistant Scott Lewis at 949-892-8702 or by e-mail: scott@mmaagents.com. I can also be reached directly by e-mail at kenpavia@mmaagents.com.

The Pav Says...

The Pav says… 2006 is behind us so I thought it would be appropriate to give out MMAagents awards for accomplishments throughout the year. So without further ado and fanfare, here they are…

Ring Entrance of the Year

The line starts and ends with Mayhem Miller. His ring entrances are often better than the rest of the card. Who needs a warmup when you get a five-minute dance into the ring?

Honorable mention to Razor for always having a matching and organized corner; Steve Byrnes, because, after all, who can’t help but cheer for a Marine that comes out in fatigues and the American flag; and Matt Wiman, for the arrogance he brought into the ring against Spencer Fisher despite long odds.


TKO of the Year

This was a close call, but we have to give it to Wes Sims for his victory in October against Kimo in Hawaii’s X-1. After turning on the blood faucet just seconds into the contest with a right, it appeared the fight was over when the doctor was looking at Kimo in the corner. Wes actually took off his gloves only to realize the fight was still on. After getting taken down and in danger of letting the victory slip away, Wes hit Kimo again in the face, and this time the blood rush was too great and the fight was stopped.

Honorable mention to Razor Rob for opening up a game Ryan Healy, who stood and banged with McCullough to his credit; Ricco Rodriguez for avenging his loss to Ron Waterman and boxing H2O so many times in the face during round one that it was over on the stool; and Ivan Salaverry for his textbook performance and perfectly executed game plan against Art Santore.


Comeback of the Year

Three years is a considerable layoff, even if you are pro wrestling in Japan, working as a stuntman and being Tito Ortiz’s primary training partner. Once back in the ring, Justin McCully did not miss a beat. He disposed of Derek Thornton in a little over two minutes at X-1 and three weeks later beat down Warpath in a little over three minutes at Valor Fighting. Neither fight was ever in doubt. Look for more from the “Insane One” in 2007.

Honorable mention to Chris Lyte for making it to the TUF finals before getting robbed of a decision in “The Comeback” season finale; UFC vet Zack Light for coming back better than ever after a four-year layoff, with an improved physique and conditioning; and Justin Levens for fighting back from a string of tough losses to win two fights in convincing fashion.


Sub of the Year

Mike Pyle’s triangle submission of Shonie Carter for the WEC belt takes the prize. Carter has only been subbed four times in 57 fights and Pyle pulled it off in two minutes of the first round.

Honorable mention to Marin Kampmann’s weathering the storm against Crafton Wallace, beating him on his feet, then taking him down and ending it quickly; Pyle for his 17 second guillotine against John Cole, and Mayhem for a huge sub of Robbie Lawler.


KO of the Year

Quite simply, Razor’s knockout over Olaf Alfonso is one of the best KO’s in MMA history. Olaf is known to have a good chin, but the Razor combo that sent Alfonso’s mouthpiece into orbit and put him to sleep was a thing of beauty.

Honorable mention to undefeated heavyweight Jake O’Brien ending Jay White’s career with a short left hook for a 14-second knockout in the WEC; Niko Vitale for his soccer-kick KO of Tim Williams; and Justin Levens’ big knockout over Justin Hawes.


Prospect of the Year

Heck, he is on the north side of 30, but at 170 look for huge things from Mike Pyle on Showtime. Now that he is back to his natural weight, he will be unstoppable.

Honorable mention to Martin Kampmann, who showed unbelievable potential in 2006 with three big wins; Anthony Torres, who remained undefeated and won his UFC debut, and Steve Byrnes, who made his UFC debut in December.


Fight of the Year

The Karo Parisyan fight with Diego Sanchez was probably the UFC fight of the year and could have gone either way. Karo actually spit his tooth out in the first round, and flipped Diego feet over head a number of times. This was stuff that legends are made of.

Honorable mention to Hector Ramirez for his fight with James Irvin that won UFC fight of the night; Karo’s fight with Drew Fickett, which also won UFC fight of the night; and Martin Kampmann handing Thales Leites his first defeat in 10 fights despite being knocked down in the first round.

Warrior Spirit of the Year

The award goes to Vince Lucero for his willingness to fight any opponent on any notice for virtually any purse, just for the opportunity to compete. Despite being little more than a wrestling coach during a two-year retirement, he stood toe to toe and traded with Eric Pele for three rounds in his comeback fight. He thought it would make for a more entertaining fight. Oh yeah, he took the fight on two weeks notice.

Honorable mention to Alex Stiebling for always answering the call; Zack Light for never saying no to an opponent or weight class; and Ricco Rodriguez for losing 80lbs to get back into fighting shape.


Fighter of the Year

It is hard to pass on Jake O’Brien, who went 6-0 at heavyweight with five finishes, but Razor Rob edges him out with a 4-0 record and three knockouts. Those victories include McCullough avenging his only loss in his last 12 fights with a unanimous decision victory over Harris Sarmiento.

Honorable mention to Jake, who went 2-0 in the UFC during the year; Mayhem for his dominant performances in Hawaii and the WFA; Chris Lytle for making the TUF finals; and Karo Parisyan for an entertaining year, despite fighting injuries throughout.


Best of luck to the boys in 2007, here is hoping that it will be as equally memorable as 2006.

12/28 Press Release

Pavia, Ciscone & Associates

MMAagents press release

www.MMAagents.com


Pyle signs 3-fight deal with Showtime; O’Brien, Kampmann receive UFC extensions

Pavia, Ciscone & Associates, LLC, in conjunction with MMAagents.com, is pleased to announce that Mike “Quicksand” Pyle has signed a three-fight deal with the new Showtime organization, Elite Xtreme Combat. Pyle is scheduled to fight Ross “The Boss” Ebanez on Showtime cable at the first-ever EXC event on February 10, 2007.


Pyle was most recently competing in the IFL organization, where he was a starter for the Los Angeles Anacondas. With a 12-4-1 record, Pyle holds wins over Jon Fitch, Shonie Carter and Gustavo Machado.


In other news, undefeated heavyweight prospect “Irish” Jake O’Brien and middleweight contender Martin “Hitman” Kampmann have both been re-signed by the UFC to three-fight extensions.


O’Brien (8-0 pro record) is 2-0 in the UFC with wins over Kristof Midoux and, most recently, Josh Shockman at UFC 65. Kampmann (14-2 pro record) is also 2-0 inside the octagon, with victories over Crafton Wallace and, most recently, Thales Leites at Ultimate Fight Night 6.


In other MMAagents news, Falaniko Vitale will take on Jeremy Horn in the IFL SuperFight on Friday, January 19th at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA. This middleweight matchup features two of the best 185-pounders in MMA today and will be shown as part of IFL programming on Fox Sports TV.


A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, “Niko” has compiled a 21-6 professional MMA record, including wins over Matt Lindland, Dave Menne, Masanori Suda, Yushin Okami and Aaron Riley. Most recently, Vitale defeated Tim Williams by a first-round KO at Extreme Wars 5 on October 6, 2006 in Oahu, Hawaii.


With 98 official pro fights and a 78-15-5 record, Horn holds victories over some of the biggest names in the sport, including Chuck Liddell. The last time Horn fought he was knocked out by Lindland in an IFL SuperFight on September 9th 2006.


* * * *


We are actively soliciting fighter sponsors for upcoming events involving our fighters. The costs vary greatly depending on fighter and event. Please check out our website, www.MMAagents.com, for more information. If you should have any interest, or would like to request more information, please contact my assistant Scott at 949-892-8702 or by e-mail at scott@mmaagents.com. Ken Pavia can also be reached directly by e-mail at kenpavia@mmaagents.com.

The Pav Says...

The Pav says…


The Pav says… I just got back from a weekend that saw me go from Hawaii for Icon Sport on Friday to Vancouver on Saturday for the Bodog fights… I’ll tell you, the Hawaiian fans are the best I’ve ever seen. The energy is great and they flip out whenever a punch lands. They also LOVE Miller… The Vancouver fans are new to the sport and were sober, with no alcohol permitted in the venue. While BoDog did not skimp on the production, the fans were in a coma for the first eight fights or so… Lesson learned: get them drunk, everyone always has a better time… As much as I fly, I still can’t figure out why the stewardesses wake me to make the seat erect for take off and landing, let a brother relax.

The Pav says… Mayhem, along with Baroni and Tito, are the most entertaining fighters when they are not slinging leather. But Jason edges them both with ring entrances. It wasn’t his night, but you know he won’t take Trigg lightly in the rematch. Mark my words, he will be back bigger and better… How the hell did Trigg make 170 pounds eight months ago? He weighed in at 186 JACKED for the Mayhem fight. He must have taken a ton of Gamma-O and consumed large quantities of something.

The Pav says… Jeremy “Half-Man, Half-Amazing” Williams will surprise you in MMA. He was 41-5 as a heavyweight boxer with 35 KO's. He cut to 205 to fight MMA. Twice, Fields had armbars deep on Williams in Hawaii and twice he got Rampage-slammed. I was sure the arm was going to pop. What surprised me even more was that Jeremy was ducking under punches and taking Fields down to show his diversity. Oh, and yes it is the same Williams that was the coach on The Contender.

The Pav says… Eric Pele showed a true warrior’s spirit. He could have folded the tent under the barrage from Silva but stayed in the game. Homie is 10-2 with some big W's. Kudos to the guy for peeling the shirt too. He is down 150lbs and plans on dropping 50 more to make heavyweight.

The Pav says… Trevor Prangley is the real deal. I would drop a dime on him if he was in against Franklin or A. Silva. He smashed Lutter, beat Stout and Sonnen, and was robbed against Horn. At BoDog, he beat a very good Semenov for a second time. You could hear Andrei wincing every time a body blow or a knee landed. He also has a caveman head. Trevor will wear a strap someday.

The Pav says… I booked eight fights today with four different organizations. This includes four UFC fights. Every fight outside the UFC, including the winner’s share but not sponsors, pays our guys over 20k. I make dreams come true...

The Pav says… My newest signing - Faliniko Vitale - is a BEAST. He’s a natural athlete and with the proper training he will be back on top of the mountain. Walking with him in Hawaii is like being with Brad Pitt in a female prison, or like being with Razor Rob in Huntington Beach. Check out http://www.myspace.com/robrazor

The Pav says… Put your seatbelt on because this web site is just getting started. Tune in for three exclusive stories every week, and look for our pictures section. Just like Reggie Bush, LeBron James, Sidney Crosby, Ryan Howard, Martin Kampmann, Jake O’Brien, and Mike Pyle, we are busting out!