Tito Ortiz To Fight Next Month?, Chael Sonnen Calls Out Former UFC Champ, Watch Browne KO Overeem
- Travis Browne will get his chance to move one step closer to competing for the UFC heavyweight title this coming Saturday when he meets Fabricio Werdum at UFC on FOX 11. Last August, Browne cemented his status as a future contender when he knocked out Alistair Overeem.
The bout, which took place from Boston at the first UFC on FOX Sports 1 card, saw Browne overcome an early onslaught by the former Strikeforce heavyweight champion. He landed a devastating front-kick, which you can see in the video above.
Browne (16-1-1) has finished Gabriel Gonzaga, Overeem and Josh Barnett in the first round since a 2012 loss to Antonio Silva. Werdum (17-5-1) is also on a three-fight win streak, having defeated Roy Nelson, Mike Russow and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
- Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz may make his Bellator MMA debut on pay-per-view in May, as he has agreed to a challenge by Alexander Shlemenko. The event, Bellator 120, is set for May 17 from Mississippi.
Shlemenko (50-7) is the current Bellator middleweight champion, coming off an eighth straight victory. He holds the Bellator record for most wins, at 12, and challenged Ortiz (16-11-1). Ortiz confirmed on Twitter last week that he has accepted the bout, as he was recently cleared by doctors to return to action after a 2014 neck injury knocked him out of a planned fight with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
The card will be the first PPV put on by Bellator and is set to feature the third meeting between lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez and Michael Chandler. Jackson is also expected to be in action, taking on "King Mo" Lawal.
- In case something happens with Wanderlei Silva, Chael Sonnen is securing his own replacement opponents. Sonnen recently called out former UFC champion Rich Franklin for a fight, making it known he is more than willing to "retire" him.
Franklin (29-7) hasn't fought since a late 2012 knockout loss to Cung Le in China. The loss dropped him to just 3-4 in his last seven. Sonnen (28-14-1) is scheduled to face Silva at UFC 175 in July, but he has taken issue with the bout being moved – both in date and location.
No, no, no... The math teacher doesn't walk away. I put him away. You got one good one left. I'm not asking...
— chael sonnen (@sonnench) April 13, 2014
What would you like me to call u? Mr Franklin? Rich? Richard? Dick? Ace? Just call me the 1 who ended ur career. Now I'll take a berry blast
— chael sonnen (@sonnench) April 14, 2014