Dana White Confirms GSP's Next Opponent

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

It has been widely rumored and Joe Rogan mentioned it during the UFC 100 broadcast, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Wednesday made it official, the fight between Mike Swick and Martin Kampmann will determine the next challenger to UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.

"Wherever we go, fans know UFC delivers great fights,” UFC president Dana White said. "Mike Swick vs. Martin Kampmann could be fight of the night at UFC 103 because the winner takes on Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight title.”

Click here to read the entire article on MMAweekly.com

Sherdog's Official Welterweight Rankings

Welterweight

1. Georges St. Pierre (19-2)
Another title defense, another elite contender, another dominant victory for St. Pierre. GSP's lopsided decision over an elite challenger in Thiago Alves at UFC 100 showed why St. Pierre is one of the sport's pound-for-pound kings and has caused many fans and pundits to begin demanding a move to middleweight. However, St. Pierre's next challenge will likely come from the winner of the September bout between Mike Swick and Martin Kampmann.

2. Jon Fitch (19-3, 1 NC)
Hardly flashy, but Fitch racked up yet another solid victory at UFC 100, taking a hard-fought unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Paulo Thiago. The victory moved Fitch's mark in the Octagon to an impressive 10-1.

3. Thiago Alves (16-4)
Though Alves struggled to muster much offense in his 25-minute decision loss to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100, the Brazilian stalwart showed considerable grit by making it to the final bell against the vastly superior St. Pierre. The other silver lining for the "Pitbull"? He's only 25 years old.

4. Jake Shields (23-4-1)
He may have looked out of his depth for a minute or so, but Shields’ submission skills shined through once again June 6 against Robbie Lawler. The former EliteXC welterweight champion submitted the former EliteXC middleweight titleholder 2:02 into their Strikeforce bout, recording his 12th straight win. Shields’ unbeaten streak now spans almost five years.

5. Martin Kampmann (15-2)
Kampmann said he is only interested in big fights at 170. Fortunately for Denmark's top MMA export, he's got one: Kampmann will take on Mike Swick at UFC 103 on Sept. 19. The winner is likely to be next in line for a crack at Georges St. Pierre's welterweight throne.

6. Paulo Thiago (11-1)
Thiago finally got one put in the loss column at UFC 100. However, the still fairly unknown Brazilian did prove that he was tougher than previously thought following his upset over Josh Koscheck in February by dragging divisional elite Jon Fitch through three competitive rounds.

7. Josh Koscheck (12-4)
A foot injury deprived Koscheck of a chance to get back into action against Chris Wilson at UFC 98 in May. Koscheck’s next bout will be even sterner now. His opponent for UFC 103 on Sept. 19 is former UFC welterweight title challenger Frank Trigg, who returns to the promotion and the division after a run at middleweight.

8. Carlos Condit (22-5)
Condit was unsuccessful in his UFC debut in April, losing a hotly contested split decision to Martin Kampmann. However, the former WEC champ may have a crack at some extra money in his second Octagon appearance, as he'll take on regular "Fight of the Night" bonus recipient Chris Lytle at Sept. 16's UFC Fight Night card.

9. Mike Swick (14-2)
Having put together a 4-0 mark as a welterweight, Swick's big moment at 170 has arrived. The fleet-handed AKA product will take on Dane Martin Kampmann on Sept. 19 at UFC 103 with the winner likely gaining the right to challenge Georges St. Pierre.

10. Dan Hardy (22-6, 1 NC)
With his split decision over Marcus Davis at UFC 99 in June, Hardy has emerged as yet another contender in the UFC's startlingly deep welterweight division. The victory was his 11th in his last 12 fights, his lone loss in that span coming via contested disqualification against Yoshiyuki Yoshida in December 2007.

Other contenders: Marcus Davis, Jay Hieron, Matt Hughes, Karo Parisyan, Nick Thompson.

*With no wins in nearly 20 months, the currently suspended Karo Parisyan falls from sixth to the contenders list, just outside the top 10.

Click here to read the entire article on Sherdog.com

MMAweekly.Com's Top Welterweights and Heavyweights

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170-pound limit)

HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (over 205 pounds)

#1 Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko

2. Josh Barnett

3. Brock Lesnar

4. Frank Mir

5. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

6. Randy Couture

7. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic

8. Brett Rogers

9. Cain Velasquez

10. Andrei Arlovski

Click here to read the entire article on MMAweekly.com


#1 Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre

2. Jon Fitch

3. Jake Shields

4. Thiago Alves

5. Josh Koscheck

6. Matt Hughes

7. Martin Kampmann

8. Carlos Condit

9. Mike Swick

10. Nick Thompson

UFC 103's Martin Kampmann vs. Mike Swick will, in fact, determine a No. 1 contender for GSP

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

A UFC 103 welterweight bout between veterans Martin Kampmann (15-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) and Mike Swick (14-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) will, in fact, determine a No. 1 contender to challenge for UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre's championship belt.

During this past Saturday's, July 11, UFC 100 pay-per-view event, broadcaster Joe Rogan said he was informed by UFC Vice President of Fighter Relations Joe Silva that the Sept. 19 fight could be a No. 1 contender's bout.

Sources close to the fight have since confirmed to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the winner will be assured a title shot.

The date for that title shot has not been determined, though. St-Pierre defeated clear No. 1 contender Thiago Alves via unanimous decision at UFC 100 and injured his groin during the matchup. Unless cleared by a doctor, he's medically suspended until January. And even if cleared, St-Pierre hinted during the UFC 100 post-fight presser that he might take some time off from competition to recover from the injury and a busy schedule.

The time off could also give the UFC some time to market a new contender. St-Pierre has recently defeated the three fighters – Jon Fitch, B.J. Penn and Alves – many considered the most likely to challenge for his title. He beat them all, and he beat them all in convincing fashion, which has left many wondering whether anyone could possibly topple a seemingly unbeatable fighter.

Kampmann and Swick will look to prove they deserve the opportunity.

Kampmann is 2-0 at 170 pounds after making the switch from middleweight following a September 2008 loss to Nate Marquardt. Kampmann was 4-0 in the UFC as a middleweight prior to the loss.

Click here to read the entire article on MMAjunkie.com

5 Best Fights of 2009 (So far)

Originally posted on Sherdog.com

Martin Kampmann vs. Carlos Condit
UFC Fight Night 18, April 1, Nashville, Tenn.

After the WEC welterweight division fizzled out, thanks in large part to his own dominance, Condit packed his bags and entered the UFC, already regarded as a top contender. That status was put to the test, literally, from the opening bell, as Condit was matched with Xtreme Couture virtuoso Kampmann. With both men having a reputation for offensive versatility, it did not take long for them to back up their credentials; they went for broke on the feet, mat and clinch. While Condit scored his points with long-range striking and fluid guard work, Kampmann went blue-collar by staying inside Condit’s reach with constant flurries and takedowns.

After splitting the first two rounds, the third came down to a battle of wills, as cardio was in short supply. Struggling to find openings on the feet, Kampmann filled his lungs, lunged forward and delivered the takedown he needed. In between avoiding Condit’s notoriously shifty guard work, Kampmann managed to sneak in some highlight reel-worthy strikes and win over the judges. While the court of public opinion remains split, there was no arguing that the night gave rise to not just one, but two, welterweight stars.

Click here to read the entire article at Sherdog.com

Martin Kampmann vs. Mike Swick signed for UFC 103 bout in September

Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com

Middleweight-prospects-turned-welterweight-contenders Martin Kampmann (15-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) and Mike Swick (14-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) have finalized bout agreements for a contest that will have an immediate impact on the UFC's 170-pound division.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that both fighters have agreed to meet at the as-yet-unannounced UFC 103 event in Dallas, expected to take place Sept. 19.

Additional sources familiar with the bout have indicated the organization may be utilizing the contest to determine who will meet the reigning welterweight titleholder following the UFC 100 title fight between current champ Georges St. Pierre and challenger Thiago Alves.

Kampmann is 2-0 at 170 pounds after making the switch from middleweight following a September 2008 loss to Nate Marquardt.

The Xtreme Couture fighter earned a split-decision over former WEC champion Carlos Condit in a rousing contest in the main event of UFC Fight Night 18 in April. That result followed a January TKO win over Alexandre Barros in Kampmann's first fight at welterweight.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.com

Kampmann vs. Swick in Works for UFC 103

Originally posted on MMAweekly.com

A welterweight contest between Mike Swick and Martin Kampmann is likely for UFC 103, MMAWeekly.com has learned from sources close to the fight.

While bout agreements have not been signed, both parties have agreed to the match-up.

UFC 103 is expected to take place on Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the promotion’s second trip to the Lone Star State. The event has yet to be announced by the UFC.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

MMAweekly.Com's Top Welterweights and Heavyweights

HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (over 205 pounds)

#1 Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko

2. Josh Barnett

3. Frank Mir

4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

5. Randy Couture

6. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic

7. Brock Lesnar

8. Brett Rogers

WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170-pound limit)

#1 Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre

2. Jon Fitch

3. Thiago Alves

4. Jake Shields

5. Josh Koscheck

6. Matt Hughes

7. Martin Kampmann

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

MMAdness June Rankings

Welterweight (170 pounds)

1. Georges St. Pierre
2. Thiago Alves
3. Jon Fitch
4. Martin Kampmann
5. Mike Swick
6. Jake Shields
7. Marcus Davis
8. Carlos Condit
9. Paulo Thiago
10. Frank Trigg

Also receiving consideration: Hayato Sakurai, Matt Hughes, Brock Larson, Josh Koscheck, Jay Hieron, Nick Thompson, and Karo Parisyan

Click here to read the entire article at MMAdnes.com

Versus' Welterweight Rankings

Originally posted on Versus.com

WELTERWEIGHT
1. Georges St-Pierre (18-2) – It seems as though a lot more people are picking Alves to defeat GSP at UFC 100 than I had previously thought. Alves may be a big welterweight, but I don’t see that happening.
2. Thiago Alves (16-3) – See above.
3. Jon Fitch (18-3, 1 NC) – As long as GSP is holding the 170-pound UFC title, it will be hard for Fitch to justify receiving a title shot. Especially with AKA teammates Mike Swick and Josh Koscheck beneath him.
4. Jake Shields (22-4-1) – Why do I have this strange feeling that Shields is going to look to stand and trade with Lawler?
5. Matt Hughes (43-7) – Not impressed with his lay and pray performance at UFC 98. I would like to see him against Koscheck next.
6. Martin Kampmann (16-2) – I understand why he turned down the T.J. Grant fight, but I also don’t. If you were that sure that you can beat him, why not just do it?
7. Josh Koscheck (12-4) – Paulo Thiago may be the answer to a trivia question someday.
8. Mike Swick (13-2) – Swick faces the dangerous Ben Saunders at UFC 99.
9. Carlos Condit (23-5) – Condit has quickly become the forgotten man at 170.
10. Matt Serra (9-6) – Hard to come up with what’s next for the “Terra.” How about a catch-weight fight against Sean Sherk?

Honorable Mention: Dustin Hazelett, Karo Parisyan, Jay Hieron, Marcus Davis, Dan Hardy.

Click here to read the entire article at Versus.com

Updated MMA Weekly Welterweight Rankings

WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170-pound limit)

#1 Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre

2. Jon Fitch

3. Thiago Alves

4. Jake Shields

5. Josh Koscheck

6. Matt Hughes

7. Martin Kampmann

8. Carlos Condit

9. Nick Thompson

10. Mike Swick

Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.com

Martin Kampmann Interview

USAT/SBN May MMA Consensus Rankings: Welterweight

Top 25 Welterweights

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

Click here to read the entire article at Bloodyelbow.com

Sherdog Welterweight Rankings

Originally posted on Sherdog.com


1. Georges St. Pierre (18-2)
Despite debate over the improper use of Vaseline by St. Pierre’s cornermen, “Rush” destroyed B.J. Penn in their Jan. 31 superfight at UFC 94. The bout reinforced St. Pierre’s case to be considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in the game, and he’ll have another chance to bolster his position against a brilliant opponent when he meets Thiago Alves at UFC 100 in July.

2. Thiago Alves (16-3)
His noted 2008 breakout has earned him a shot against Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100 in July. However, if his in-cage meeting with St. Pierre at UFC 94 told us anything, it’s that the “Pitbull” will not be the crowd favorite against the budding Canadian superstar.

3. Jon Fitch (18-3, 1 NC)
Fitch will have the chance to atone for the indiscretions of teammate Josh Koscheck, as he’ll take on his American Kickboxing Academy compatriot’s upset author, Paulo Thiago, at UFC 100 on July 11.

4. Jake Shields (22-4-1)
With no forthcoming opposition at 170 pounds, the former EliteXC welterweight champion will step up to take on standout middleweight Robbie Lawler in the headliner of Strikeforce’s second Showtime effort on June 6 in St. Louis.

5. Martin Kampmann (15-2)
For a short matter of hours, fans were excited to see MMA's foremost Dane take on fast-rising prospect T.J. Grant at the TUF 9 finale in June. However, Kampmann turned down the bout, saying that he was looking for bigger fights in the 170-pound division.

Click here to read the entire article at sherdog.com

MMA4Real's Unofficial UFC Divisional Rankings

Originally posted on MMA4real.com

Welterweight Division

#1 - Georges St. Pierre (18-2) (champion): A Bo Jackson-like athlete with incredible skill and unbelievable conditioning. Add in the fact that he's an enormous welterweight and you have the makings of a dominant champion.

#2 - Thiago Alves (22-4): I may be in the minority here, but I still think that there is a very good chance that Thiago doesn't make weight for his title shot. I have heard rumblings that the weight drop has gotten near impossible. It would be a shame because this kid is a superb talent and is rightfully getting his big opportunity.

#3 - Jon Fitch (18-3): Put Jon in the same category as Marquardt. If this division didn't have a dominant champion running things, this guy would be my favorite to take the title. Simply a great fighter that is as tough as they come. The guy would not stop coming after GSP.

#4 - Martin Kampmann (15-2): I can't stress enough how impressed I was by the fact that he upset Condit. At welterweight I think Martin has found a home. Don't sleep on "The Hitman."

#5 - Paulo Thiago (11-0): This is another possibly controversial ranking, but I felt that his first round knockout of Koscheck made him worthy of a top five ranking. His fight with Jon Fitch in July will tell us lots more about this fighter.

Click here to read the entire article at MMA4real.com

The MMA Minute: Kampmann Turns Down Grant Fight

Originally posted on Versus.com

Following his victory over Carlos Condit at Ultimate Fight Night 18 in April, Martin Kampmann said he was ready to face the best 170-pound fighters in the UFC. So, he was a little surprised when he was then offered a fight against relative UFC newcomer, T.J. Grant, scheduled for later this summer.

While reports have surfaced recently that both fighters agreed to the fight, Kampmann informed VERSUS.com on Thursday that he turned it down right away.

“No disrespect to T.J. Grant, but I don’t think it’s a fight that makes any sense for me at the moment,” Kampmann said. “I want to fight some higher ranked guys. I never even knew who the guy was, and he’s probably a tough guy, but I want to fight guys who make sense for me and who can escalate me up the ladder more, so I didn’t accept that fight. I don’t know what happened, but apparently some miscommunication somewhere because I saw it all over the internet.”

Click here to read the entire article at Versus.com

Grant Agrees to Fight Kampmann at TUF 9 Finale

Originally posted on Sherdog.com

T.J. Grant has agreed to face off against Martin Kampmann in a welterweight contest at “The Ultimate Fighter 9” finale on June 20 at the Pearl inside the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, according to Scott MacLean, Grant’s coach and manager. The bout will be offered alongside a night of finale bouts to determine this season’s winners for the Spike TV reality series.

Click here to read the entire article at Sherdog.com

Martin Kampmann vs. TJ Grant In Works For TUF 9 Finale

Originally posted on MMAnews.com

Fresh off his UFC debut on April 18th in Montreal Canada with a win over Ryo Chonan, newcomer TJ Grant will return to action on June 20th at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV and his rumored opponent is Martin Kampmann.

Grant confirmed the bout via his facebook page earlier today while Kampmann's agent, Ken Pavia confirmed the bout was in the works with MMANews.com hours later.

Kampmann is coming off a win of his own, defeating Carlos Condit via a split decision in early April to spoil the WEC stand out's debut in the big show. Both fighters would take Fight of the Night honors that evening.

Click here to read the entire article at MMAnews.com

Martin Kampmann Interview

Originally posted on AroundTheOctagon.com

Just over a month removed from his Ultimate Fight Night 18 victory, Martin Kampmann sat down with ATO and allowed us a closer look into his life and career. Welterweights, be on notice. Martin Kampmann is healthy and ready to fight!

Thanks for taking time to sit down and talk with us, Martin. Can you tell us what you’ve got going on right now?
Yeah no problem, I don’t mind at all. I’m back in training. I took some time off after my last fight, but I’m back at it now. I’m getting my cardio back and everything is starting to feel good again.

Have you been contacted about any possible fight opportunities?
No not really. I want to fight though. I had told them (UFC) I wanted to fight in the summer, but they are booked up till September already. So, I guess I might have wait. It sucks because I really wanted to go home to Denmark for a vacation. I wanted to fight this summer and then go home, ya know? I don’t want to go to Denmark now and then get a call to come back. Hopefully someone will drop out of something and I can just be here ready and I can get a spot on one of these cards coming up. I’ll be back in there soon though.

Not a lot is known about your early career. It seems like you just popped up on the radar one day and made an impact on the sport here in the U.S. Can you tell us about your career prior to the UFC?
I fought a lot of fights in Europe before I got over here. I paid my dues over there for sure. I did all the small shows like the guys do here. I fought in small shows in Denmark, Sweden and Russia. But, I came over here on vacation and ended up being offered a fight on short notice. I went ahead and took it and sometime after that show I was offered a shot with the UFC, so, it was kind of “right place at the right time” but I earned it.

Back in ‘07, you were scheduled to face Rich Franklin. The winner was said to be getting a shot at Silva’s title. Your severe injury while training for that fight was unfortunate and took you out of the sport for a while. Do you ever wonder what could have been, had the injury not happened or are you a “everything happens for a reason” type person?
Man I sure hope everything happens for a reason (laughing), cause it sucked! Honestly, it was one of the worst times in my life. It was a terrible injury but I wasn’t gonna make it worse by thinking about the opportunity I missed.

You hear athletes all the time talk about how bad performances combined with a loss haunt them and they replay it over and over again in their head. How often does the Marquardt fight run through your mind?

Man I try not to think about it that much because it gets me depressed, but I do. I think about it. It sucks and I hate it. There is nothing I can do about it, though, so I have had to try and move on. Fighters know that every time they step into the cage that there is a chance you might lose, so eventually you have to learn to deal with it. I want to win all my fights, but there is always the risk of loosing and a huge part of this sport is learning to deal with a loss and bouncing back from it. Some guys never do. But you know, I should have done better in that fight and I could have done better in that fight and I hope I see him again someday. Maybe an opportunity will arise one day where I can and we can do it again.

Click here to read the entire article at AroundTheOctagon.com

Martin Kampmann Working Out