Chonan faces debuting TJ Grant, Jason MacDonald returns at UFC 97
Some more news about the UFC's April return to Montreal has been popping up over the last few days. I reported on the UFC signing Canadian welterweight submission specialist TJ Grant a few days ago along with news of his expected debut at UFC 97. Now Sherdog's Andy Cotterill has word of Grant's expected opponent on April 18:
Grant (13-2) is currently half a world away, training his muay Thai with teammate Ryan Jimmo at the famed Kaewsamrit Gym in Thailand, and when his manager/trainer, Scott MacLean, gave him the big news, he did not really believe it.
"When I first got the offer, it was 2 a.m., and my manager told me I was fighting Ryo Chonan in the UFC," Grant told Sherdog.com in an exclusive interview. "And I was like, yeah, sure, and tried to go back to bed."
Although Chonan (15-9) has been offered, the contract has not yet been signed.
In the past, Chonan (1-2 UFC) had mixed success in his native Asia, with his infamous flying heel-hook submission of Anderson Silva in Pride being, perhaps, the highlight of his career. However, since signing with the UFC, he hasn't fared much better; going to decisions with Karo Parisyan, Roan Carneiro, and Brad Blackburn and coming out victorious only against Carneiro. If Chonan suffers another defeat or puts in a lackluster performance against the Canadian newcomer Grant, it wouldn't be surprising to see him released from his UFC contract.
In other UFC 97 news, fan favorite and Canadian middleweight grappler Jason "The Athlete" MacDonald (21-11, 5-4 UFC) will return to the Octagon on the Montreal card according to a report from MMA Junkie.
Veteran UFC middleweight and Canadian fighter Jason MacDonald (21-11 MMA, 5-4 UFC) will return to action in April when the UFC heads to Montreal, Canada, for UFC 97.
The UFC is in the process of finalizing an opponent for the 33-year-old Edmonton native.
MacDonald, an exciting grappler and winner of multiple post-fight submission and "fight of the night" bonuses has had trouble compiling back-to-back wins in the Octagon. Since submitting Ed Herman and Chris Leben in consecutive fights in late 2006, MacDonald has followed each of his UFC wins with a loss, most recently suffering an submission loss (due to elbow strikes) against Wilson Gouveia at the TUF 8 Finale. Despite his overall winning record in the Octagon, "The Athlete" is still looking to establish himself as something more than a gatekeeper for the 185-lb elite, and will also look to take advantage of Canadian crowd on his side in April. MacDonald is also one of the UFC's most active competitors, having fought 9 times in 26 months.
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ive been hearing alot about t.j., that he’s the best canadian fighter outside of gsp. chonan should provide a stern test and will show if all the t.j. grant hype is for real.
by bdw on Jan 25, 2009 3:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
It’s good that Chonan is sticking around. I like the guy and was worried that they might cut him after the loss to Blackburn (even though he apparently brutalized him in the third).
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Jan 25, 2009 3:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
TJ Grant finally gets his shot.. going to be awesome.
by "Mr. NC-17" on Jan 25, 2009 3:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Hell of a tough first fight. Trial by fire.
by Michael Rome on Jan 26, 2009 6:06 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

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![Brock Larson reflects on his upset loss to Mike Pierce in an interview with MMA Junkie:
"I don't think the judges made the wrong call. They had to award him the win because the only thing that went on in the whole fight was takedowns, and he got them. I clearly lost the fight. Hats off to Pierce, but he has some issues to work on himself."
In the locker room after the fight, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva told Larson's manager, Monte Cox, "Don't worry about Brock. He's a fighter. We don't know what we're going to do with this other [expletive]. I don't know if I can watch another 15 minutes of that [expletive].".
"That was good to hear coming off a loss," Larson said. "In a weird way, that loss helps me, and it would have helped Pierce if he tried to be aggressive. Win, lose or draw, at least he's competing. People won't want to watch that stuff.
"I've always taken pride in going after and trying to finish my fights, and I get the upper hand always going after it and being aggressive. Pierce didn't have that attitude. He just wanted to eke out the win and get the [win].
"The W is important, but at the same time it's the entertainment business. People pay to watch, and they don't want to watch two guys hug belly buttons. Clay Guida, he makes more money on friggin' 'Fight of the Night' bonuses than he does on his fight wins."
"People look at film and say, 'This guy beat Brock? That's all he had to do,'" Larson said. "I have to get the Band-Aids out, cover that owie and not have to worry about that being a problem."](http://cdn1.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/84043/md97y25v01_small.jpg)















