LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Joe Son aka Joseph Hyungmin Son, the Austin Powers villain Random Task, got a life prison sentence this week. Joe Son before Austin Powers appeared in UFC matches and Pride Fighting Championships matches. Now the MMA fighter and Hollywood actor has been sentenced to life in prison for a crime he tried to avoid for decades.

Joe Son competed in Pride Fighting Championships twice in 2002, losing both fights and ending his run with a 0-4 record. In 1994, Joe Son served as Kimo Leopoldo’s in UFC 3. Later that year in UFC 4 he fought Keith Hackney.

Seven years before appearing in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Son had assaulted a woman. The case went unsolved until just three years ago. He was on probation when his officer required him to give a DNA sample. Later, that sample matched the suspect’s DNA from the 1990 attack.

Son was convicted just weeks ago. He faced at least fifteen years in prison. On Friday, Son was sentenced to life in prison.

Son allegedly dragged his female into the back of a car on Christmas Eve in 1990 and began to savagely beat her. He eventually released her unclothed in Compton with her eyes blindfolded by her pants.

• Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – Joseph Hyungmin Son played Random Task in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery in 1997 and appeared as Joe Son in UFC 4. But seven years before Austin Powers, the actor had assaulted a woman. The case went unsolved until just three years ago. Now the actor is facing life in prison.

In “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery”, Son played a mixed martial arts fighter. But seven years earlier, he committed a gang attack against a female in Orange County on Christmas Eve. He was on probation three years ago when his officer required him to give a DNA sample. Later, that sample matched the suspect’s DNA from the 1990 attack.

Last Thursday, Son was convicted. He allegedly dragged his female into the back of a car on Christmas Eve and began to savagely beat her. He eventually released her unclothed in Compton with her eyes blindfolded with her pants. His sentencing is this September 19. He faces 15 years to life in prison.

Joseph Hyungmin Son appeared in UFC 4, losing to Keith Hackney. He also served as Kimo Leopoldo’s manger in UFC 3.

• Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – UFC Rio results ended tonight with Anderson Silva defeating Yushin Okami. UFC 134 was dubbed UFC Rio; but while earlier fights predominately went to the cards, all the final rounds ended in stunning results, mostly via TKO. UFC Rio produced an assault of quick endings by the time tonight’s telecast got to the main card.

Winning tonight by TKO were Anderson Silva against Yushin Okami, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua against Forrest Griffin, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira against Brendan Schaub. Also winning tonight via TKO were Stanislav Nedkov against Luiz Cane and Thiago Tavares against Spencer Fisher.

Tavares delivered his win two minutes into round two via punches. Nedkov did the same also via punches four minutes into round one. Nogueira won only three minutes into round one, Rua two minutes also into the first. But Silva was finished two rounds into the second.

In the main card, Edson Barboza, however, had to go to the cards; he ultimately won on a split decision defeated Ross Pearson. Earlier in the night Paulo Thiago defeated David Mitchell via unanimous decision. Click HERE for the rest of tonight’s results.

Come this November, when the UFC moves to FOX, should viewers expect different results? Frankie Edgar told news recently that the format won’t change, just people’s reaction to the sport. “I think we’ll be considered a mainstream athlete, just like the NFL, NBA, MLB,” he said. “To be on that platform, we’re not second class anymore.”

Yet could the caliber of the telecasts change? One report thinks so. “The UFC’s main focus will likely always be pay-per-view, but with the vastly increased exposure and payoff Fox can provide compared to previous partners SpikeTV and Versus, it’ll need to consistently present the best it has to offer in order to capitalize on that potential” said the report. “If anything, network television will give the UFC a greater ability to familiarize a far wider audience with its top fighters and then mobilize said audience to PPV. “

• Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – UFC 134 aka UFC Rio results have already produced some surprises tonight. In advance of Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami, UFC 134 early rounds have already delivered some shockers. Earlier tonight in UFC 134’s Jabouin vs Loveland fight, Yves Jabouin defeated Ian Loveland via split decision. The decision came after Loveland won the first round after a series of strong punches. In the second, Jabouin won the round with an impressive takedown.

Then, in Arantes vs. Alcantara, Yuri Alcantara defeated Felipe Arantes. Alcantara pulled off the win tonight with a unanimous decision and a two point spread with one judge. In Silva vs. Ramos, Erick Silva delivered a stunning defeat of Ramos. Only forty seconds in the first round, Ramos went down with a TKO.

Next, the Assuncao vs Eduardo went to the cards. But Raphael Assuncao defeated Johnny Eduardo via unanimous decision, all judges voting it a three point spread. Mitchell vs Thiago ended in a surprise as Paulo Thiago defeated David Mitchell via unanimous decision, all three judges casting it a three point spread.

In Miller vs. Palhares, Rousimar Palhares was no match for Dan Miller, earning a unanimous decision with one judge ruling the match a five point difference.

The final five matches all air on PPV: Champ Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami (for middleweight title), Forrest Griffin vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Brendan Schaub, Edson Barboza vs. Ross Pearson, and Luiz Cane vs. Stanislav Nedkov.

Come this November 12, however, UFC matches will change. FOX Sports Media Group (which includes FX, Fuel TV and Fox Sports Net) will air matches across its broadcast and cable television channels. Fox will pay $100 million per year. FX will carry 32 fights a year on Friday and six UFC cards annually. The Ultimate Fighter will also move to UFC.

UFC president Dana White said of the deal that “this is ground-breaking television”. He added “No one has ever done anything like this, where you’ve taken a ‘Big Brother’ and ‘American Idol’ and put a live sporting event attached to it. There’s a lot of challenges to this thing. It’s a work in progress and it’s going to be interesting but it’s [expletive] relevant. It’s destination television.”

• 
  
  Comments (0)

LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – UFC 133 results for Evans vs. Ortiz produced some upsets in early preliminary bouts. The UFC 133 showdown of Rashad Evans and Tito Ortiz has just begun the main card. But in preliminary bouts airing live on Spike TV and Facebook earlier tonight, UFC 133 produced some surprises.

First, in Bradley vs. Natal, Paul Bradley lost to Rafael “Sapo” Natal. A unanimous decision gave Natal the fight tonight. Two judges scored the fight a one point difference. When the fight was over, the crowded booed both fighters. Next, in Brown vs. Phan, Mike Brown defeated Nam Phan by unanimous decision. Like the Brady-Natal fight, the first judge thought the match wasn’t particularly close, while the second and third judges ruled it a one point fight. The crowd and news critics again were displeased, booing at the end of the third round.

In Hendricks vs. Pierce, Johny Hendricks beat Mike Pierce via a split decision. The tense moment came in third round when the referee reprimanded Pierce for an illegal kick. Hendricks excited fans at the end of the round, motioning for a takedown; but time ran out.

In Menjivar vs. Pace, Ivan Menjivar defeated Nick Pace by a unanimous match. All three judges, again, ruled the fight close, all giving Ivan a 29-28 score. In the first round, Pace motioned for a naked choke but failed to get the position in place. In Mendes vs. Yahya, Chad Mendes beat Rani Yahya after going three rounds. All three judges were unimpressed by Yahya, scoring it a three point fight.

Fans tonight were simply unimpressed by the lackluster early rounds. That changed however on Gustafsson vs. Hammill. At the end of the first round, most gave Gustafsson a 10-9 round. But in the second, it only took Gustafsson about three minutes to deliver a TKO against Hammill.

Fans were not disappointed when the main card started. MacDonald vs. Pyle was explosive in the first round. A series of punches gave Rory MacDonald a TKO win against Mike Pyle just under four minutes in the first round. Next up are Philippou vs. Rivera, Ebersole vs. Hallman, Akiyama vs. Belfort, and Rashad Evans vs. Tito Ortiz.

• 
  
  Comments (0)