UnderGround Forum >> Official Flawless Victory support thread

another bump before bedtime.  Get 'em BRog!

Now I have to watch Bellator.

WAR B ROGERS!!!!!!!

Brian Rogers is anxious for a rematch with rival Andreas Spang, but before their paths potentially cross in Bellator's Season 8 middleweight tournament, he's focused on more pressing matters – like the tourney curse he can't seem to shake.

Rogers kicks off his third tournament run in tonight's Bellator 89 co-headliner, which airs on Spike TV from Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C.

Rogers (10-4 MMA, 3-2 BFC) meets former UFC fighter Dan Cramer (9-3 MMA, 6-1 BFC) in the opening-round of Bellator's latest eight-man tournament.

The 28-year-old Ohio native has been in this situation twice before. He knocked out Victor O'Donnell and Vitor Vianna in previous opening-round fights before suffering knockout losses to Alexander Shlemenko and Spang in the semifinals.

"I'm just focused on winning the first round like I have in the past and then getting the monkey off my back in the semifinals," Rogers told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

The Spang loss was perhaps the most infuriating of his career. Rogers thoroughly dominated Spang (a late replacement for injured Bruno Santos) for two-and-a-half rounds before Spang's counter left hook set up the shocking come-from-behind win.

Spang, who had a heated staredown with Rogers a day prior to the win, is again in the tournament and on the other side of the bracket. Rogers just wants to get to the final, and he doesn't care who's there. Admittedly, though, he'd like to avenge the loss if Spang also can get through the first two rounds of the tourney.

"Ideally it'd be great for the fans and for myself," he said. "There's no way he can watch that fight. He landed one solid shot, and it was good enough. It dropped me, and the ref called it. It is what it is, and I can't take anything away from him. But I think he's a fairly intelligent guy, and if he watchers that film, he's going to see his ass getting kicked for most of it.

"... So it'd be nice a nice revenge thing."

Rogers, a former collegiate linebacker who went into special education after graduation, recently quit his teaching job to focus full-time on fighting. It's allowed him to train two to three times per day, but more importantly, he said, it's given him time for proper rest.

It's also allowed him to branch out from Ohio's Strong Fight Team, and he's visited Montreal's Tristar gym and Atlanta's Warrior Legion Academy for additional instruction and training.

The hard-hitting Rogers, who's posted knockouts in eight of his 10 career wins, has a skill set that's more well-rounded than ever because of the new schedule. But against Cramer and all future opponents, he's not ignoring his best skill.

"I think Dan's at an extreme disadvantage athletically and skill wise," Rogers said. "He's a grinder, and I think he's going to try to make it a brawl and try to catch me with a wild punches. He doesn't really throw loopy punches, but he kind of blitzes. He'll look to push me against the fence and clinch, and he's got pretty good ground and pound and top game.

"But I don't think he'll stand in the middle and stand with me. If he tries to make this a boxing or kickboxing match, he's going to lose."

War Brog

epwar - MMA Junkie article on Rogers! Can't wait for tonight!

Brian Rogers is anxious for a rematch with rival Andreas Spang, but before their paths potentially cross in Bellator's Season 8 middleweight tournament, he's focused on more pressing matters – like the tourney curse he can't seem to shake.

Rogers kicks off his third tournament run in tonight's Bellator 89 co-headliner, which airs on Spike TV from Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C.

Rogers (10-4 MMA, 3-2 BFC) meets former UFC fighter Dan Cramer (9-3 MMA, 6-1 BFC) in the opening-round of Bellator's latest eight-man tournament.

The 28-year-old Ohio native has been in this situation twice before. He knocked out Victor O'Donnell and Vitor Vianna in previous opening-round fights before suffering knockout losses to Alexander Shlemenko and Spang in the semifinals.

"I'm just focused on winning the first round like I have in the past and then getting the monkey off my back in the semifinals," Rogers told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

The Spang loss was perhaps the most infuriating of his career. Rogers thoroughly dominated Spang (a late replacement for injured Bruno Santos) for two-and-a-half rounds before Spang's counter left hook set up the shocking come-from-behind win.

Spang, who had a heated staredown with Rogers a day prior to the win, is again in the tournament and on the other side of the bracket. Rogers just wants to get to the final, and he doesn't care who's there. Admittedly, though, he'd like to avenge the loss if Spang also can get through the first two rounds of the tourney.

"Ideally it'd be great for the fans and for myself," he said. "There's no way he can watch that fight. He landed one solid shot, and it was good enough. It dropped me, and the ref called it. It is what it is, and I can't take anything away from him. But I think he's a fairly intelligent guy, and if he watchers that film, he's going to see his ass getting kicked for most of it.

"... So it'd be nice a nice revenge thing."

Rogers, a former collegiate linebacker who went into special education after graduation, recently quit his teaching job to focus full-time on fighting. It's allowed him to train two to three times per day, but more importantly, he said, it's given him time for proper rest.

It's also allowed him to branch out from Ohio's Strong Fight Team, and he's visited Montreal's Tristar gym and Atlanta's Warrior Legion Academy for additional instruction and training.

The hard-hitting Rogers, who's posted knockouts in eight of his 10 career wins, has a skill set that's more well-rounded than ever because of the new schedule. But against Cramer and all future opponents, he's not ignoring his best skill.

"I think Dan's at an extreme disadvantage athletically and skill wise," Rogers said. "He's a grinder, and I think he's going to try to make it a brawl and try to catch me with a wild punches. He doesn't really throw loopy punches, but he kind of blitzes. He'll look to push me against the fence and clinch, and he's got pretty good ground and pound and top game.

"But I don't think he'll stand in the middle and stand with me. If he tries to make this a boxing or kickboxing match, he's going to lose."