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| Written by Ultimate Grappling Magazine | |
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Rich Clementi is one of several fighters who has been added to the card for UFC 84
Clementi Added to UFC 84 Card LAS VEGAS - Rich Clementi is one of several fighters who has been added to the card for UFC 84, which features the long-awaited battle for the title of the undisputed king of the 155-pound division between UFC lightweight champion BJ "The Prodigy" Penn and former champion Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk. The event takes place May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Clementi will face Terry Etim. Also confirmed are Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Jon Koppenhaver, Dong Hyun Kim vs. Jason Tan and Shane Carwin vs. Christian Wellisch. THE FIGHTERS Terry Etim (10-1-0) 6'1/155 lbs., was expected to be a little nervous in his first UFC bout at UFC 70 in April of 2007. But the Liverpool, England native fought like an old pro, submitting Matt Grice in a single round and earning submission of the night honors from the organization for his fight-ending guillotine choke. In his second fight at UFC 75, he lost a hard fought battle to Gleison Tibau. He now gets an opportunity to move back into the win column against Rich "No Love" Clementi. With five wins in a row, including victories over rising stars Sam Stout, Melvin Guillard, and Anthony Johnson, Clementi (38-12-1) 5'9/155 lbs., has gone from gatekeeper after season four of The Ultimate Fighter(r) to legitimate 155-pound contender. Now, Slidell, Louisiana's "No Love" gets to face the British Etim. Yoshiyuki "Zenko" Yoshida (9-2-0) 5'11"/170 lbs., fighting out of Japan, is owner of a fourth-degree black belt in judo and numerous titles in the art. The 33-year old Yoshida has made a smooth transition to the world of MMA. After retiring from judo, "Zenko" felt he had something left to do in the world of martial arts. Since his debut in 2005, he has won nine of 11 pro fights, including eight in a row over the last two years. Hoping to continue his hot win streak he takes on The Ultimate Fighter season 6 competitor Jon Koppenhaver in what should be a barnburner. Koppenhaver (6-1-0) 5'11"/170 lbs., fights out of San Diego, Calif. Every fighter who comes off The Ultimate Fighter' reality show wants to make a strong impression in his UFC debut. Few have done it like Koppenhaver though, as the Californian went toe-to-toe with season six castmate Jared Rollins for two plus rounds last December until he scored a classic come from behind victory in the final frame. Now Koppenhaver wants to solidify his spot in the organization against Octagon newcomer Yoshida. Dong "The Stun Gun" Hyun Kim (9-0-1) 6'3"/170 lbs., fighting out of South Korea, enters the Octagon with an unbeaten record, one that he hopes to improve when he takes on England's Jason Tan. A longtime standout in Japan's DEEP organization, the "Stun Gun" is equally excited about his UFC debut and hopes to make a statement against Tan. Fighting out of Liverpool, England, Tan (5-1-0) 5'10"/170 lbs., graduated from college with a Mathematics degree in 2004. These days, the only numbers he's interested in are the ones he counts as wins as a mixed martial artist. Just 26 years old, Tan has been training in martial arts for more than a decade, and he is known for his endless cardio and finishing ability. He'll need to be on top of his game when he meets South Korean standout Kim. Shane Carwin (8-0-0) 6'4"/265 lbs., fighting out of Denver, Colo., is an athlete who has made a lot of noise in the MMA world since his 2005 debut. Carwin was an All-American in football and wrestling for Western State whose acumen on the gridiron earned him a tryout with the Philadelphia Eagles. Undefeated in MMA competition, Carwin recently scored a first round TKO over UFC veteran Sherman Pendergarst, and now he'll be pitted against AKA's Christian "The Hungarian Nightmare" Wellisch. A native of Hungary now making his home in Sacramento, California, multi-faceted heavyweight Wellisch is ready to make his move in the crowded UFC heavyweight division. Standing at an imposing 6 foot 3 and 237 lbs., the 32-year old Wellisch fell short in his Octagon debut in 2006 against Cheick Kongo. With the UFC jitters out of the way, he rebounded with an impressive three round win over Australia's Anthony Perosh, and an even more impressive first round submission of Scott Junk last September. He looks for his third straight UFC win when he takes on Carwin. |