Sherdog.com Preview: Ultimate Fight Night 4 Part II
CHRIS LEBEN vs. LUIGI FIORAVANTI
Apr 6, 2006
LEBEN: Chris Leben
(Pictures) is a wrestler and boxer
with a professional MMA record of 14-1. Leben wrestled in high
school and joined the Team Quest Gym in Gresham, Oregon shortly
there after. He worked out with Nathan Quarry (Pictures), Matt Lindland (Pictures), Ed Herman (Pictures), Randy Couture (Pictures) and trainer Robert Follis.
Recently Leben has moved to Seattle to be with his girlfriend and now trains with Matt Hume (Pictures) at AMC Pankration.
Leben began fighting as an amateur in the Full Contact Fighting
Federation in 2002. He fought regularly and continued to accumulate
wins throughout 2003.
In October of ’03 he turned pro and won his debut at the World Extreme Fighting 8. He went on to win a bout at the Gladiator Challenge (a decision over James Fanshier (Pictures)) and took the WEC title with a knockout of TUF rival Mike Swick (Pictures).
The Ultimate Fighter premiere season served as his next challenge. Chris was eliminated from the show after losing a decision to Josh Koscheck (Pictures) but returned when Nathan Quarry (Pictures) was injured. Leben was stopped again when Kenny Florian (Pictures) cut him open in the second round of their elimination bout.
In season finale, Leben took out Jason Thacker with strikes in the first round. Leben has fought on all Ultimate Fight Night broadcasts, beating Canadian Patrick Cote (Pictures) by decision, submitting Edwin Dewees (Pictures), and stopping Jorge Rivera (Pictures) in January.
FIORAVANTI: Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist Luigi Fioravanti (6-0-0) trains with the American Top Team’s Din Thomas (Pictures) and Ricardo Liborio (Pictures). He had trained at the Gracie Barra Orlando camp with Paul Rodriguez (Pictures), Ben Saunders and Mikey Gomez, but has made the move to ATT.
Luigi began fighting MMA in 2004 at the Obaktagon Challenge and submitted his opponent in the first round. The following year he debuted in the Absolute Fighting Championships against Thiago Goncalves (Pictures). Fioravanti won a decision and then stopped Spanish grappler Manuel Garcia at AFC 12.
He put together three more wins, including a stoppage of George Allen and a decision over Tim Stout. His most recent bout was a first round win via strikes at AFC 15.
MY PICK: Leben. Fioravanti is undefeated in six fights there aren’t any spectacular wins there. Leben is gaining ground in the division and they are feeding him someone he should beat. It only builds Leben’s rep by taking out someone who was previously undefeated. Sooner or later Leben will face a Jeremy Horn (Pictures) or David Loiseau (Pictures) and then we’ll know what he can really do. But for now, Leben by knockout in the first round.
Recently Leben has moved to Seattle to be with his girlfriend and now trains with Matt Hume (Pictures) at AMC Pankration.
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In October of ’03 he turned pro and won his debut at the World Extreme Fighting 8. He went on to win a bout at the Gladiator Challenge (a decision over James Fanshier (Pictures)) and took the WEC title with a knockout of TUF rival Mike Swick (Pictures).
Leben scored another win via KO of Justin Davis (Pictures) before suffering his only loss, a
decision to Joe Doerksen
(Pictures). He was back in the ring a
month later and stopped Benji
Radach (Pictures) by breaking his jaw.
The Ultimate Fighter premiere season served as his next challenge. Chris was eliminated from the show after losing a decision to Josh Koscheck (Pictures) but returned when Nathan Quarry (Pictures) was injured. Leben was stopped again when Kenny Florian (Pictures) cut him open in the second round of their elimination bout.
In season finale, Leben took out Jason Thacker with strikes in the first round. Leben has fought on all Ultimate Fight Night broadcasts, beating Canadian Patrick Cote (Pictures) by decision, submitting Edwin Dewees (Pictures), and stopping Jorge Rivera (Pictures) in January.
FIORAVANTI: Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist Luigi Fioravanti (6-0-0) trains with the American Top Team’s Din Thomas (Pictures) and Ricardo Liborio (Pictures). He had trained at the Gracie Barra Orlando camp with Paul Rodriguez (Pictures), Ben Saunders and Mikey Gomez, but has made the move to ATT.
Luigi began fighting MMA in 2004 at the Obaktagon Challenge and submitted his opponent in the first round. The following year he debuted in the Absolute Fighting Championships against Thiago Goncalves (Pictures). Fioravanti won a decision and then stopped Spanish grappler Manuel Garcia at AFC 12.
He put together three more wins, including a stoppage of George Allen and a decision over Tim Stout. His most recent bout was a first round win via strikes at AFC 15.
MY PICK: Leben. Fioravanti is undefeated in six fights there aren’t any spectacular wins there. Leben is gaining ground in the division and they are feeding him someone he should beat. It only builds Leben’s rep by taking out someone who was previously undefeated. Sooner or later Leben will face a Jeremy Horn (Pictures) or David Loiseau (Pictures) and then we’ll know what he can really do. But for now, Leben by knockout in the first round.
