COURTURE-BELFORT IN UFC MANDALAY RETURN

When Randy Courture and Vitor Belfort let it all hang out for the Ultimate Fighting Championship Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, the mixed martial arts action will be so intense, both super stars might feel like they don’t have a friend in the world.

When Courture and Beltort vie for five rounds, it is the main event of an eight-bout card with the former
making the sixth defense of his UFC light heavyweight crown. The five title bouts will be on Pay-Per-View TV starting at 7 p.m. (PT) while three prelim bouts, without TV, start at 5:15 p.m.

Couture and Belfort had a war six years ago that nobody has forgotten when the former rallied for a sensational TKO victory. With both arch-rivals at the top of their game, Belfort promises “dominating revenge.”

Courture, the 40-year0old strong man from Portland, Ore., dropped down from the heavyweight division in June and virtually wiped out the light-heavyweight class. He erased Chuck Liddell, the No. 1 contender and came to Las Vegas Sept. 21when he defeated
Tito Ortiz ro take the light-heavyweight championship.

Courture, a two-time heavyweight champion, is the only fighter in the UFC’s 10-year history to win two titles in two different weight divisions.

“There are a lot of media types who ask me what goes through my mind a few minutes before the first bell. Generally, just before a fight I want to be as relaxed as possible. I want to enjoy the moment and stay as calm as possible. Sometimes that can be a challenge with this style of fighting. I pretty much train and coach myself. Belfort is a very talented warrior and being 25, he is15 years younger than me. I’ll be ready for whatever he brings to the ring in this rematch,” Courture reflected as he goes forth to improve on his overall 21-5 record.

Belfort, with a 17-5 full ledger, hails from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the world’s highly-ranked
light-heavyweight fighters. The engaging Latin made a big impression locally last June when he chilled Marvin Eastman at 1:10 of the first round. Belfort also is a swift jiu jitsu expert who exploded internationally in 1997 when he used speed and punching power for three quick knockouts, including erasing the legendary Tank Abbott just 53 seconds into the first round.

Belfort lost to Courture the first time Ict.17m 1997 when the referee halted the action at 8:16.

“The first time we fought I wasn’t focused and I wasn’t training. I underestimated Courture because it was only his second UFC fight. I thought I was unbeatable. I am more mature now and things are going to be totally different.”

In the sermi-windup, Matt Hughes, of Hillsboro, IL., risks his UFC welterweight crown against B.J. Penn of Hilo, Hawaii, one of the top ranked welters in the world.

Hughes, with a 34-4 reading, won his current title in November, 2001 when a knockout of Carlos Newton and has since been on a roll with his most recent kayo victory coming with a stoppage of the highly regarded Frank Trigg at 3:54 of the first round.

Considered in most precincts right now as one of the strongest fighters in mixed martial arts with tremendous body slams and devastating ground attacks.

Penn, with a 12-2-2 log, is moving up as one of the best lightweight warriors in the world but is rated as the underdog in this five-rounder. Penn is considered a threat against any rival with his quick striking and ground assault.

The UFC heavyweight crown is on the line in a three-round pairing when two top contenders Frank Mir of Las Vegas, NV., and Wes Sims out of Lancaster, OH., clash.

The promotion considers this bout both a rematch and grudge fight. Last year Sims, hailed as the 6’10 Hammer House fighter, and Mir, at 6-3, fought in the UFC 43 Meltdown. Mir, with a 6-0-1 record, was strong early with hard takedowns but Sims came back and was working for a submission illegally.

Sims (6-2-1) was finally disqualified for repeatedly stopping Mir in the face, an illegal move under UFC rules. Sims told the referee his stomping was simply payback for Mir gouging his eyes earlier. The rivals agreed on a rematch.

In a three-round middleweight contenders match, Lee Murray (8-1-1) of London, Eng., faces Jorge Riva (8-1) from Milford, Ma. both with similar styles.

Rivera made an outstanding showing in the UFC 44 Undisputed on September with a three round decision over Canada’s David Loiseau, the former overcoming a head cut in the first round, Murray, a slick boxer-puncher, is making his UFC tourney debut.

In the final Pay-Per-View TV match, Renato Verissmo (4-0) out of Hilo, Hawaii, goes against Carlos Newton (16-10), based in Newmarket, Ontario.