115 lb Brittany Anic preparing to slam 200 lb BJJ instructor Ezra Lenon

Undefeated Brittany Anic has already established herself as the premier female MMA fighter in St Louis, MO by soundly defeating the best 115 pounders in the Midwest. September 11, 2010 she will look to add to her resume when she challenges Ronni Lawerence for the Xtreme Fight League title in the headlining bout at the Strattford Inn in St Louis. The card, promoted by Shamrock Promotions, promises to be another exciting night of MMA action. Shamrock Promotions has co-promoted both Strikeforce and Fight Me MMA events, including the recent Josh Neer/Jesse Finney fight last month. Shamrock always brings the best fighters to the card and the Xtreme Fight Party on September 11th will be no exception.

Brittany Anic applying a triangle choke on Ezra Lenon

Anic and Lawerence have competed against each other in the ring on two occasions in 2008. Both meetings were sanctioned kickboxing matches and both saw Anic taking unanimous decision victories. This time around however, Anic looks for a decisive victory and the 115 lb title. In addition to her always improving striking game (she has been training in Tae Kwon Do and kickboxing since she was 9 years old!), Anic has been working extensively on her ground game. She has been training with Finney’s MMA BJJ instructor Ezra Lenon (who has one of the best BJJ resumes I have seen – check this guy’s profile out at http://finneyskickboxing.com/instructors). I talked with Brittany last week regarding her training and preparation. She said her ground game is on an “entirely different level” than it has ever been. She has also added weightlifting to her strength training regimen.
Anic teaches the “Mini Finney’s” program at Finney’s MMA where she has the opportunity to shape the next generation of MMA fighters by not only instructing them in “discipline, lifestyle, and respect” , but by leading her students by living those values. Brittany is up and training every day by 5:30am, avoiding the typical lifestyle of most 20-year olds. Brittany Anic is the real deal folks. Fighting and training have been a part of her life. September 11th is an important date for Brittany – not only is she fighting for the title – this will be her last fight as an amateur. After that, she has her sights set on competing in both Bellator and Strikeforce promotions. There is no doubt that she will be successful in both.

Don't try this at home

For more information on the September 11th Xtreme Fight Party in St Louis or info regarding training at Finney’s MMA check out http://finneyskickboxing.com/.
Follow Scottie Farrow at yodade37@twitter

Yesterday, the MMA world got news that MMA legend Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera will be on the shelf until 2011.  Noguiera was slated to face former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Frank Mir, in a rematch as the main event of UFC 119.  In their first meeting Noguiera would fall, losing by TKO in the second round.  The loss marked the first time in Noguiera’s career that he was stopped.  Now Noguiera will sit out the remainder of 2010 as he awaits hip and knee surgery.  With UFC 119 just over a month away, a replacement was needed as soon as possible.  Just a few hours after the news of Noguiera’s injury broke, a new replacement was found.  Enter Mirko “Cro Cop”.

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With UFC 118 just under two weeks away, the card has experienced quite the shake up since the beginning of August.  The under card has been cut down and rearranged while the main card remains almost unchanged.  Here’s the latest on the shake ups to the UFC’s first venture to Boston:

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Today, just two days removed from UFC 117, feels like a great day to sit back and reflect on a truly entertaining card.  This weekend presented a star studded card featuring the likes of the legendary Matt Hughes, the energetic and always burping Clay Guida and even Heavyweight top contender Junior Dos Santos.  But all eyes were set on the main event which featured the Middleweight king, Anderson Silva, defending his belt against (as quoted by Joe Rogan) ” the Pound-4-Pound best trash talker in MMA”, Chael Sonnen.  Sonnen used his off-the-wall and sometimes even ridiculous comments to hype the fight like no other fighter has ever done before.  The MMA world seemed unanimous in believing that Chael Sonnen would become another quick and weak victim of Silva’s but as proven on Saturday night, Sonnen was anything but weak.

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It has been a long time since we at fightpros.com have been able to catch up with our favorite heavyweight, Travis “Hapa” Browne. However, with the addition of his recent UFC win over James McSweeney, and his upcoming battle with Cheick Kongo, it was evident that it was time to touch base with this fast rising star. While vacationing in Hawaii Hapa took the time for a phone interview with fightpros.com contributor Pastor Bob.

Fightpros.com: it’s good to talk to you again my friend. How is the workout coming?

Hapa: Yeah, its good to talk you again, I’m currently just getting back into the beach workout scene.

Fightpros.com: Oh yeah, what does that like?

Hapa: It looks like I’m getting a tan and soaking up some sun man…

Fightpros.com: Ah, man! Just rub it in!

Hapa: (laughing) Yeah it’s a good place to be …

Fightpros.com: I bet. So tell me Hapa, it’s been awhile since we have touched base, and from what I can tell a lot has been changing in your life. What’s it like after your first UFC win? Is life changing yet? Rock star status yet?

Hapa: Oh, Bud, it’s kinda crazy. I wouldn’t say I’m like Rock Star status or anything, but I am definitely getting those looks from a lot of people, like, “Man, why do I feel that I should know that guy?”

Fightpros.com: Ha ha,… I’m sure that won’t be the last of that. Your moving up the ranks. You have an upcoming fight with Kongo, if you take that match in like fashion to your last 7 fights your practically gonna become a household name.

Hapa: Yeah, it’s weird. Kongo is a top 10 ranked fighter. I am really looking forward to this. I imagine that after this fight things are really gonna start changing, and really start rolling along.

Fightpros.com: So what’s this I’m hearing about you switching brands? What’s with VF Elite?

Hapa: VF Elite is my new management company. I was formerly with NCSC Elite, but I just felt like I need to make a move toward a company that could do more than get me fights. VF Elite is a good group that can represent me and help get me out there in other ways.

Fightpros.com: but you didn’t switch training camps did you?

Hapa: Oh no. I am still with Alliance Training Center. They are great. I trust my coaches completely. They are awesome trainers.

Fightpros.com:How is the training coming?

Hapa: I don’t start my training camp for the Kongo fight until August 23rd. Then I will start training solid.

Fightpros.com: What will that look like?

Hapa: Solid training 2 to 3 times a day. Sprints on Tuesday and Saturday. 20 seconds on, 20 seconds off, 20 times a day… then moving to 25 and 25. Then switch to mile sprints. Every morning start working some team training; wrestling, jujitsu… you know the kind of training that requires help from other people.

Fightpros.com: Very nice. Well I am gonna try to be there for your Kongo fight. I look forward to seeing your hand raised in victory. But what about after the fight? What’s next on the plate for your career?

Hapa: After the Kongo fight I have a feeling that I will be laying low for awhile. The Heavyweight world is so stacked right now, that they will have to clean it up a little by taking care of some important matches before I will be back in.

Fightpros.com: And on the home front side of things?

Hapa: Lately I have been thinking a lot about turning some attention toward the kids. I know a young guy that I want to work with and maybe start some after school programs or do somethings in relation to training younger people to enrich their lives a little.

Fightpros.com: Awesome. What do we have going for us if we can’t pass it along?

Hapa: Exactly.

Fightpros.com: So tomorrow, 1560am on the ESPN radio show “Fired Up With Starfire” I believe you and I are still going to make an appearance aren’t we?

Hapa: Yes. Looking forward to it.

Fightpros.com: Well until then I guess I ought to let you get back to your “beach work out.”

Hapa: (laughing) Ok.

Again, Travis “Hapa” Browne exhibits the heart of a champion. Passionate about the octagon, and passionate about how he can be a good role model for those around him. Fightpros.com has called it, and now VF Elite has called it, Hapa is destined to compete for a championship. Hop on board the Hapa train people, and root for a fighter that will not disappoint!

As always, what say you?

Pastor Bob can be followed on twitter @pastorbobmma

Strikeforce came at us once again with something  that is only Strikeforce. I have come to see Strikeforce cards as entertaining but not always the most relevant in terms of fights. Without a doubt there are fights that matter. The Fancy Pants vs. Shaolin fight on the undercard could set up who might face Gilbert Melendez next. Something we didn’t see so if that fight is made who really is going to know who these guys are? Another big fight on the card was the “Jacare” Souza vs. Joey Villaseñor middleweight bout that could easily set up who will fight for the Middleweight title next depending on what Shields does next.  Also to open the show Rafael Cavalcante was able to come from behind and score a KO over Antwain Britt. Calvacante will most likely fight King Mo next for his Light Heavyweight title somewhere down the line.

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As reported by TMZ.com earlier today,

“Tito Ortiz was just arrested for felony domestic violence at the home he shares with Jenna Jameson.

We’re told when cops arrived at the couple’s home in Huntington Beach, CA — Jenna Jameson had “visible injuries.”

We’re told someone called 911 today at 9:53 AM and reported a “disturbance.”

Tito is currently in custody and on his way to a Huntington Beach jail in Orange County, CA.”

The story will be updated as more info is provided.

You could call what we all saw last night a lot of things. One of those things is NOT boring. Although the lack of those three little letters W-E-C does seem disingenuous to what Reed Harris has built, it does make sense. UFC sells on name alone and if you can make the common viewer who doesn’t follow MMA think “Oh UFC is on tonight with some new colors. I’m going to order” that’s perfect. Hopefully this will be the highest viewed WEC event in the history of the company so now we can start getting these guys the recognition they deserve.

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The UFC 116 card is beginning to take shape.  Set to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 3rd, a fight between UFC Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar, and No.1 Contender, Shane Carwin, was just recently confirmed as the main event.  With other bouts like Kurt Pellegrino vs. George Sotiropolous and Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Wanderlei Silva already in the works to take place that same night, this card is beginning to show a ton of promise and serve as a summer blockbuster event.  Well now you can add a fight between Cheick Kong and Roy “Big Country” Nelson to this soon-to-be staked card as well.

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