UFC 104: Sean Sherk heads back to California to take on Gleison Tibau

by MMAmania.com on Aug 25, 2009 2:21 PM EDT

Former lightweight champion Sean Sherk (33-4) -- who vowed to never again fight in California after a positive test for steroids in 2007 that he refuted vigorously -- is headed back to the "The Golden State" to take on Gleison Tibau (17-7) at UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun" from the Staples Center is Los Angeles on Oct. 24.

The 155-pound match up was expected to take place next month at UFC 103; however, it appears that the promotion switched things up to help bolster the pay-per-view (PPV) event.

Sherk failed to reclaim his title against BJ Penn at UFC 84: "Ill Will" back in May 2008. It was his first fight since being stripped of the title and suspended by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) for allegedly testing dirty for banned substances.

At the ripe old age of 35, the "Muscle Shark" rebounded with unanimous decision win over Tyson Griffin at UFC 90: "Silva vs. Cote," demonstrating much improved striking skills. Primarily known for his overwhelming wrestling attack, Sherk’s new multidimensional approach earned him and Griffin the "Fight of the Night."

Unfortunately, he may have become too reliant on his stand-up and not his wrestling, which was a big factor is his divisional dominance for so many years. That helped Frankie Edgar outpoint him en route to a unanimous decision loss at UFC 98: "Evans vs. Machida" back in May.

Which Sherk shows up for the Tibau fight remains to be seen.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard is also coming off a decision loss (split) after Melvin Guillard took him the distance at the TUF 9 Finale less than a month ago.

It snapped a two-fight win streak for the Brazilian, who's been up and down since his debut against Nick Diaz at UFC 65 way back in November 2006.

The streaking American Top Team (ATT) product followed the Diaz loss by winning his next three fights inside the Octagon before dropping consecutive bouts to perennial division threats Tyson Griffin and Joe Stevenson.

Tibau could make a major statement with a win against the former champ.

UFC 104 features the first title defense for undefeated light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida against fellow Brazilian Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in the main event of the evening. In addition, rising talent Cain Velasquez and veteran Ben Rothwell will "wage war" in a super-sized heavyweight showdown.

To check out the latest UFC 104: "Machida vs. Shogun" fight card and rumors click here.

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Comments

Sweet. I’ll be there. This should be a battle of the mini titans

by BulletproofTiger on Aug 25, 2009 2:24 PM EDT reply actions

Gleison is going to dwarf Sherk. Sean isn’t big at all. He just carries a lot of muscle and looks shredded, but he has a tiny frame.

by Jono on Aug 25, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Hope Sherk doesn’t fail a pee test because of Glieson’s pee cross contaminating his sample.

by LJ on Aug 25, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Don’t cross the streams. It would be bad. Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.

by PW on Aug 25, 2009 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Just checked the UFC website and they have finally listed the 104 fights.

I was very surprised to see that this fight made the main card in favor of TUF winner Bader vs. Shaeffer. I was pleasantly surprised to see that AJ/Yoshida has made the main card in favor of Okami/Sonnen. I guesss they figure they need some fireworks with Sherk, Stevenson and Velasquez blanket parties looming.

LOL, the UFC sticks it to Yushin every chance they get. I think this guy has as much chance of getting a title shot in the next year as a healthy adult male does of getting pneumonia in August (lol Kev, hope you’re feeling better).

I am also pretty stoked for the Hardonk/Barry kickboxing war. If one undercard fight makes the PPV broadcast, I hope it’s that one. Damn, I can’t help but think that if Carwin/Velasquez hadn’t been cancelled this would be one of the best-looking overall cards in some time.

by Jeremyjackson on Aug 25, 2009 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Nice Ghostbusters reference P-dub…

LOL @ Okami. He is getting the Fitch treatment as far as getting a title shot. So I guess he only needs 4 more wins to get his shot using the Fitch formula. They must be praying for him to get beat.

by BNF on Aug 25, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I knew someone would catch that!

The difference between Fitch and Okami is that Fitch already had a title shot and got murdered. Okami hasn’t gotten his yet even though he was due for one before his injury.

by PW on Aug 25, 2009 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions

I just meant he will probably have to tie the record for the most consecutive wins ever in order to get his shot. Pretty hard to deny a man if he does that.

by BNF on Aug 25, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Okami is 7-1 in UFC, only loss to Franklin, who won’t be getting a shot at Silva any time soon. He deserves a shot, plus he has that DQ win over Silva.

by PW on Aug 25, 2009 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions

this is going to be a snoozer, fights im jacked for outside of the main event are aj-yoshida(gunna be worse than fight for the troops), kickboxing war between barry and hardonk, and baders return, i have hope that he can perform better than his last fight

by Jared on Aug 25, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

What is with everyone on this site continually doing movie quotes these days? I saw an entire thread dedicated to Arnold. anyway Okami for sure deserves a title shot, he just constantly gets railed. Imo they are saving Okami for a break out show in Japan, which is a hard market for the UFC to try and break into.

by Cogito Ergo Sum on Aug 25, 2009 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL @ your post JJ

You finally admitted that your Valasquez is a blanket

The joke on kevo was great.

lol that you still disappointed about Cain/Carwin not happening.

And the Hardonk/Barry fight is 1 of the bouts that I’m looking forward to see also. Barry is a beast, but he’s f’n short. No way that he’s at 5’11", nevertheless, he’s a damn good striker that gonna school Hardonk in the stand up but Hardonk do have the ground advantage. So I hope for him that rufous made him learn a better wrestling and jits b/c he’s lacking in that departement.

by Alpha Male on Aug 25, 2009 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Alpha – Hardonk via sub (wow still sounds weird to say)

by NameNotRequired on Aug 25, 2009 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks Alpha. I’ve never been that big a Velasquez fan, I just think he seems like a cool guy and is a good fighter. You’re just sore ’cause I picked him over your boy Kongo and turned out to be right. ;-)

And yeah, Barry needs to cut to LHW. I hope the guy has been training nothing but grappling since his last fight.

by Jeremyjackson on Aug 26, 2009 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions

lol @ Kongo. I’m now Kongo #1 fan, huh?

You guys a right as much that i like Barry I see him getting sub by Hardonk, and yes, it is weird to say but a high probability.
And he truly need to go down to LHW. The problem is with his height I just see 1 division where that can be the right size for him and it’s WW.

by Alpha Male on Aug 26, 2009 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions

I think he’s got fast enough hands to make up for the two inches or so he’d be giving up at LHW.

by Jeremyjackson on Aug 26, 2009 12:51 AM EDT up reply actions

True, he would give a sh!t loads of problems(striking) to a lots of LHW if he drops of weight class. but he absolutely need to improve his ground game like my boy Kongo. ;)

by Alpha Male on Aug 26, 2009 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions

I have to comment on this picture. Love this picture of Sherk…

by neeko on Aug 25, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Love how he’s all bloodied up. Was this taken during the Sherk-Florian fight?

by Syd on Aug 25, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m a solid hour of driving away, i HOPE to be there!

Lyoto, Shogun, my boi Sherk, among others? I’m IN!

by SoCalStunNa on Aug 25, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

BJ PENN WILL BE THE REF!!!

by DANA WHYTE on Aug 25, 2009 2:27 PM EDT reply actions

wonder if Sherk is gonna try boxing again.
“battle of mini titans” humm not how I’d put it, but ok!

by kevin on Aug 25, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions

lol, a battle of little guys would have do also.

by Alpha Male on Aug 25, 2009 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions

battle of “never get another title shots” would do also!

by kevin on Aug 25, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Battle of guys who herd cows the size of schnauzers, but they’re cattle.

by PW on Aug 25, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions

LMAO!

by Alpha Male on Aug 25, 2009 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions

this fite had decision, and a boring one, written all over it

by bobby o'shea on Aug 25, 2009 2:59 PM EDT reply actions

You got that right, im just tired of watching Sherk and his idiotic gameplans.

by Lester The Pimp on Aug 25, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Great, hope Sherk remembers that he can wrestle instead of standing there taking shots to the head for 3 rds.

by slim473 on Aug 25, 2009 2:59 PM EDT reply actions

He said he would never fight in california for the rest of his life

by Shadow side on Aug 25, 2009 3:11 PM EDT reply actions

i wish he wouldn’t fight again, that would be nice!

by kevin on Aug 25, 2009 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions

he also said he did not do steroids.

by DirtyML on Aug 25, 2009 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL ML.

by jay on Aug 25, 2009 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions

After his last performance you’d have to think this was his bosses decision, not his.

by introvert on Aug 25, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

It may not matter where he wants to or does not want to fight. Most contracts have a clause in them that say you fight in place A, but the owners reserve the right to change it so that you fight in place B.

by Muffin Stuffer (charr552) on Aug 25, 2009 3:43 PM EDT reply actions

SHERK IS F*ING UP THIS CARD FOR ME! THEY SHUD BRING THE CRO COP VS DOS SANTOS FIGHT TO STAPLES SINCE THEY CANCELED CAIN VS. CARWIN TO BOOST PPV SALES! ID RATHER SEE THAT 1 LLIVE ANYWAY!

by d*locc on Aug 25, 2009 3:44 PM EDT reply actions