MMA-URLS

Amir Sadollah's career has certainly stalled out. Since winning The Ultimate Fighter, Amir has struggled with steps up in competition and, in cases such as this past Saturday night's UFC on Fuel TV 3 card, struggle at times against even middling opposition. It's been a disappointment for many UFC fans in many ways. After all, Amir won his season of TUF despite never having fought professionally, only having a 4-0 amateur fighting record when he started his time in the house. Beating Gerald Harris, Matt Brown and C.B. Dollaway (twice) to win the competition was a huge moment that seemed to cast Sadollah in the role of a mixed martial arts prodigy. After beating unheralded Jorge Lopez by controversial, and quite boring, split decision on Saturday, many fans feel they have seen enough of the 31-year-old to write him off. Chad Dundas of ESPN still thinks fans should note the extreme circumstances of Amir's career: It would be a little like playing a few touch football games, winning a televised punt, pass and kick contest and then, in your late 20s, getting a starting job in the NFL. Could anyone succeed under those circumstances? Could anyone be reasonably expected to compete? And while they tried to compete, would a bunch of people sit around posting messages on Twitter about what a crappy job they were doing tackling Adrian Peterson? Because that's essentially what happens to Sadollah. SBN coverage of UFC on FUEL TV 3 Amir does deserve considerable credit for managing an unspectacular, but certainly credible, UFC run that began with no professional experience. But he has been getting top of the line training over the past four years and was put into a prominent spot on Saturday's card (even if Dana suddenly acted as though he had no clue of Amir's position on the card). To answer Dundas' question: yes, people would sit around criticizing any player on a pro team who was put into an important position and looked incapable of handling it. Especially after four years in the big leagues. Fair or not, there are expectations that come with positions in professional sports. For me, what is most disappointing is that the Amir who ran through a pretty good TUF cast is struggling all this time later against a guy like Jorge Lopez. There simply were expectations that came along with what Amir had been doing that fans expected him to run through a guy like Lopez four years after the reality show run. And at 31, it's not as though we can continue pretending that Amir is a young man with infinite time to refine his game. This may simply be as good as he gets, and that is disappointing.

Posted in: ufc, fan, jorge lopez, sadollah, amir

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Fans can attend fighter workouts, the official pre-fight news conference and weigh-ins for UFC 146 next week at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Posted in: ufc, week, vs, fan, fighter workouts

Read the full article at Heavy MMA

Welcome to this week’s edition of MMAterial Facts, where we feature articles from around the MMA community. *** This week’s MMAterial Facts: - Spike TV pulls a page out of the Antonio Inoki playbook with King Mo (Fight Opinion) “What Spike TV is trying to accomplish with King Mo is an interesting experiment, one that they probably decided to emulate less on what happened in Japan and more on what’s happened with Brock Lesnar & Kurt Angle’s goofy deulsions of wanting to cross-over between the two industries. Lesnar being the #1 UFC PPV attraction immediately signaled the huge cross-over between pro-wrestling fans and MMA fans. MMA attracts less ‘real sports’ fans and more wrestling/entertainment fans. So, naturally, Spike TV put two and two together to try to pull off the experiment they are about to attempt here with King Mo.” - Nick Diaz’s wild weekend in review: No shows Brazilian jiu-jitsu superfight against Braulio Estima (MMA Mania) “But perhaps there’s more to the story. In fact, Diaz’s biggest supporter in the media, Middle Easy, has spent the better part of the past two days going to bat for him and proclaiming the promoters of the event were shady. There was also a weigh-in snafu with Estima, who apparently missed weight the day before but was able to make weight the day of the contest. … And somewhere in between someone was trying to switch up the rules. Or something like that. That’s what he said or she said or they said or someone said and somehow speculation became fact and vice versa and the entire ordeal is one big mess.” - Phil Davis Vs. Chad Griggs Placed On UFC On FOX 4 Card (MMA Convert) “Phil Davis will look to rebound from his first career loss in August when he takes on Chad Griggs. … The UFC announced the bout Monday for the August 4 UFC on FOX 4 card. The event will take place in Los Angeles, with Hector Lombard vs. Brian Stann set as the main event.” - Dustin Poirier: ‘Fans Can Expect Everything From Me, Even The Kitchen Sink’ (FightLine) “Right now I feel like I am the best I have ever been technically,” Poirier told FightLine.com. “I know I am still growing as a fighter, but this is the best I have ever felt mentally and physically. I’m ready to do battle, my nutrition, my workouts are at their peak right now. I’m ready for a main event fight and to go five rounds. I feel like I am a faster, more technically sound striker than Jung and I’m sure he believes the same things. I feel like I can out-wrestle him, my BJJ is just as good as his if not better, I feel as though I match up really well against him.” - Gegard Mousasi out until at least November with torn ACL, has 6-7 fights left for Strikeforce (Five Ounces of Pain) “I had one fight left. Then I was hoping maybe to go to the UFC after that, but then they offered me – they said we’re going to give you a new contract. So I signed for another six fights. Now I have a six (or) seven-fight deal, I believe, in Strikeforce,” explained Mousasi. “(Zuffa) said the Strikeforce fighters were going to stay with Strikeforce. And that’s the thing that it was, so we signed again.” - Busy Week Awaits Zuffa (5thRound) “After enjoying a brief 10-day hiatus, Zuffa, LLC comes storming back with a vengeance this week. The world’s most prestigious mixed martial arts promotion will be hosting a pair of shows on two different coasts within a 96-hour span. … “UFC on FUEL TV: Korean Zombie vs. Poirier” takes place Tuesday inside Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia. The freebie fight card is headlined by a pivotal featherweight affair between Chan Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung and Dustin Poirier.” - James Wilks announces retirement from MMA: spinal injury  (LowKick) “Wilks told MMAjunkie.com: “It must have been from rugby because I was asked when my neck got broken, and I said I’d never broken it, and then they showed me the X-ray.” … The doctors advised him that he has severe spinal stenosis, which results in an acute narrowing of the spinal canal and that he would have a “significantly high risk of paralysis” if he resumed his professional fighting career.” - Vinny Magalhaes selling M-1 championship (TheFightNerd) “I will stray from chronicling the entire feud between M-1 light heavyweight champion Vinny Magalhaes and M-1 Global, but it seems that Vinny is now auctioning off his championship belt to the highest bidder on eBay. As of 11:30 PM on Sunday night (when I am writing this), the belt is going for $710, with nine days left to bid.” - Georges St-Pierre Says He Is Open to Headlining UFC Event in January 2013 (BleacherReport.com/MMA) “I’m at the last stage (of recovery). I’ll be back pretty soon,” St-Pierre said during an exclusive interview with Showdown Joe Ferraro on UFC Central. … St-Pierre said he hopes to make a full recovery by November, which could see the champion headline UFC 150 in Montreal.” James Wilks announces retirement from MMA: spinal injury

Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, day, fan

Read the full article at MMA Payout

When it comes to the art of the no-show, Nick Diaz is a master. He’s the Picasso of blowing stuff off, the Rembrandt of staying home. He may have started small, with conference calls and interviews, but his greatness in this arena simply could not be contained. Soon he had moved on to no-showing entire press conferences, even when it cost him a UFC title shot and a boatload of money. Like all the greats, he suffered for his art. Also like the greats, he did his suffering in private, in part because no one can ever seem to locate the guy at the most critical moments. Now, after sitting out his submission grappling match with Braulio Estima at the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo in Long Beach on Saturday, Diaz may have completed his masterpiece. By no-showing an event that was supposed to benefit charity, and by offering his fans no prior notice before skipping out on something they had paid $12.95 to watch on a live internet stream, Diaz may have set the irresponsibility bar so high that even he can’t clear it.Final frontier: conquered. With this triumph, Diaz has carved his name into the permanent record of flaking out. Generations from now, when our space descendants decline to show up for their space commitments, their peers will utter that they have ‘Diaz’d out’ of their obligations. By then, the man himself will be long forgotten. Only the legend of his deeds will live on. It’s not that I’m surprised by Diaz’s latest no-show. Sure, it’s impressive that he found a way to disappoint fight fans even while serving a suspension from fighting, but it’s still not exactly shocking, is it? From the minute you plan an event around the assumption that Diaz will be at an appointed place at an appointed time, your plan is flawed. You have to know that. Like snake-handlers who get a face full of fangs, the organizers behind the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo courted this particular brand of letdown. We all did, in fact, and it’s time we took responsibility for that.You’re upset that you paid good money to sit home on a Saturday and watch a grappling match that didn’t happen? Sorry, but I have no sympathy for you. If you’re enough of a Diaz fan to pay to watch him grapple, then you’re enough of a Diaz fan to understand the risks. Complaining about the no-show is like buying a ticket for a Guns N’ Roses show in the early ‘90s, then whining when Axl Rose jumps off the stage and punches you in the face. You had to know this was a possibility, if not a likely outcome. You just got Diaz’d. Deal with it.Same goes for you, St. Jude Children’s Hospital. You thought Diaz was going to participate in a paid competition benefitting your charity? Should have done your homework first. Then you would have known that there was a good chance he’d blow the whole thing off before maybe, possibly offering an unconvincing explanation that, not surprisingly, blames anyone but himself. You’ve now been Diaz’d in the first degree.And you, Braulio Estima, who flew in from overseas just to meet Diaz on the mats? Don’t even get me started. In the world of rational people, sure, you made a good point when you said that showing up for a grappling match to benefit a charity is "not about showbiz; it's about being a good person." But we’re not talking about rational people, are we? We’re talking about Diaz, who does whatever he wants and accepts zero responsibility for it. You knew that when you got on the plane, or at least you should have. That's why the stewardesses were shaking their heads at you. 'Look at that poor guy,' one imagines them whispering to one another. 'He's off to get Diaz'd.'It’s a little bit ironic that, after all his shenanigans in MMA, it would be something as innocuous as a missed grappling match that would deal such a blow to Diaz’s reputation. On Twitter and on internet messageboards today, I see even hardcore Diaz supporters -- the ones who took his side when he blamed the UFC and Georges St-Pierre for his squandered title shot -- renouncing their faith in the church of the 209. As much as MMA fans love to watch Nick Diaz the fighter, Nick Diaz the person makes that activity increasingly difficult. If he weren’t so talented, maybe it wouldn’t be so frustrating. Maybe he’d just be one more flaky, irresponsible person in world teeming with them, and we’d all have stopped caring about whether he thinks it’s worth the effort to keep his word. Clearly, that’s not how it is. The enigma of Diaz is such that we can’t bring ourselves to look away, even when we know we should. Just like that sad sack Charlie Brown, we put our well-founded misgivings aside to take one more run at kicking that football. When it’s pulled away at the last minute, we’re reminded that we have only ourselves to blame.It’s not like we didn’t know this was a possibility. It‘s not like it’s some new development. We put our faith in a person who’s trampled on it without apology several times before, and we got what we deserved. We got Diaz’d. Now it’s up to us to decide how many more times we’re willing to go through it again.

Posted in: diaz, fan, itrsquo, braulio estima, diaz fan

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Minas Gerais will be the second Brazilian state to host an Ultimate Fighting Championship® event. On June 23, the “Mineirinho” arena, in Belo Horizonte, will host the UFC® 147, marking the third passage of the organization through Brazil under the Zuffa management. The biggest and one of the most traditional indoor sporting arenas in Brazil, “Mineirinho” fulfilled all of the UFC requirements, rising up as an ideal place to host a show in accordance with the high standards of all the international events and marking the expansion of the UFC throughout the country. Considered one of the biggest markets for the UFC worldwide, next to the United States and Canada, Brazil has already hosted two events, both in Rio de Janeiro.  “It is great for our fans and for the UFC to be able to stage events in new parts of Brazil. The UFC is exploding everywhere in the country and Minas Gerais, being the third biggest state in the country, seemed like the perfect place for this. Not only has Mineirinho received some major acts through the years, but it is also located in a central and touristic area of the city. It will certainly be a fantastic experience for the fans”, says Marshall Zelaznik, UFC Managing Director of International Development.The deal was settled last Wednesday, May 9, when Minas Gerais officials Marcello Faulhaber, Secretary for Development of the City of Belo Horizonte, and Agostinho Patrus Filho, Secretary of State for Tourism, met with IMX representatives Sergio Mello, Vice President of Operations and Special Projects, and José Roberto Pacheco, Vice-President of Commercial. Next week, on May 16, UFC representatives Zelaznik and Jaime Pollack, Vice President of International Development & GM – Latin America, will meet with City officials in Belo Horizonte to celebrate the agreement. They will also be joined by IMX representatives and UFC legend and UFC 147 star Vitor Belfort. Long awaited Belfort vs. Silva rematch to headline UFC® 147The finale of the first Brazilian version of the reality show The Ultimate Fighter® brings as its main attraction the rematch between TUF coaches Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva, who meet in the Octagon® over 14 years after their first encounter. The event will also crown the winners of both weight divisions featured on TUF, with two UFC contracts on the line. Fans will get a chance to see up close the long awaited rematch between Vitor Belfort (21-9-0) and Wanderlei Silva (34-11-1), who meet again for the first time since 1998. Back then, in São Paulo, under the previous management of the UFC, Vitor knocked out Wanderlei within 44 seconds of the bout. Since then, MMA fans have been craving a rematch. Belfort is coming off a win over American fighter Anthony Johnson in UFC Rio (UFC 142), whereas Wanderlei knocked out Cung Le in UFC 139.The finalists of each weight division featured on the show, which will have its last episode aired on the Sunday before the event, will face off on the main card. The two winners – a featherweight and a middleweight – will receive contracts with the biggest MMA promotion in the world.About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®:Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. In 2011, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which now air on FX in an exciting new live format. In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 149 countries and territories, to nearly one billion homes worldwide, in 20 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions and in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and in Quebec through Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with over two million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards. Brazilian fans have access to exclusive content in Portuguese at UFC.com www.br.ufc.com, at facebook.com/UFCBrasil, and on Twitter @ufc_Brasil.

Posted in: ufc, event, fan, state, belo horizonte

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Brian Stann is probably America’s most well known mixed martial artist who’s past involves multiple deployments in Iraq under the United States Marine Corps oversight. He was awarded a Silver Star in recognition of his valor in combat. Upon his arrival to the WEC, Stann instantly became a fan favorite, as do many former Marines. Unfortunately, many former members of our military return from combat with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Chad Robichaux is another Marine turned MMA fighter who recognizes that his brothers in arms sometimes need a hand when returning from the battlefield, as he did when he returned from over a decade of service in the Middle East. Ten of Chad’s eleven MMA wins have come by submission, and now he is using his experience in the cage to help Marines overcome PTSD at his new gym in Westcliffe, Colorado. We're fans of fighters who do things that make us laugh on a semi-frequent basis, but we're even bigger fans of fighters who do stuff like this. Props to Ron Kruck at Inside MMA for this awesome video and be sure to follow him on Twitter.

Posted in: mma, fighter, fan, chad, marine

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Jose Aldo said he wants to do the same thing Georges St-Pierre has done for Canadian fans, as he and Erik Koch promoted their UFC 149 headliner in Calgary Wednesday.

Posted in: ufc, fan, erik koch, aldo, canadian fans

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

"(The fans) had nothing to complain about (for the first two FOX shows) but if they had to complain, it would be tough to complain about tonight. I'm pumped with the way that the fights went. What's funny is even when we started the night, we were 35 minutes over the format and Diaz comes in and stops Miller. It couldn't have gone any more perfect. Tonight was the perfect night." Was UFC on FOX 3: "Diaz vs. Miller" a perfect show? Promotion President Dana White thinks so, as he tells FUEL TV the event that went down this past Saturday night (May 5, 2012) at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, couldn't have gone any better. Three of the four fights broadcasted on network television resulted in exciting finishes, two by technical knockout and one by submission. Even the one decision, Johny Hendricks split win over Josh Koscheck, was a three-round slugfest. The fans who tuned in likely have little to complain about today. The problem, of course, is there simply weren't that many fans who bothered to actually watch the show, as evidenced by the abysmal early ratings. Other than that, UFC and FOX are all smiles today. For complete results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here and here.

Posted in: ufc, night, fox, fan, video dana

Read the full article at MMA Mania

UFC on Fox 3 was about the best show that Zuffa could've hoped for. The four fights that made up the FOX broadcast were: first round KO, first round KO, close decision, 2nd round submission. From a personal standpoint, the fighters I was leaning towards didn't do too well, so I'm a bit disappointed there, but from a cold, scrupulous eye of an overall MMA fan, this was a pretty damn good night. The ratings are poor, but quite honestly this was about a perfect storm of bad that you could come up with. This card had the following poor factors going for it: No "stars". Josh Koscheck, Johny Hendricks and Nate Diaz are not on the radars of the casual fan. Cinco de Mayo. It's a big party weekend, and like it or not, a lot of people aren't MMA fans. I went to a party instead of watching the fights live, and I could count on one fist, the number of MMA fans of the ~30 people there. NBA and NHL playoffs, Mayweather card. Quite frankly, there were quite a few other sports happening that day, and while there are a few people who probably watched two or more of them, there are probably just as many who had to make the choice of which one to watch because of other commitments. Speaking of other commitments, it was opening weekend for the Avengers, and it just pulled down over 200 freaking million bucks. This SMASHED the previous record (the last Harry Potter movie) by 30+ million. All in all, I'm completely unsurprised by the bad ratings, and quite honestly felt this would be about right. The bad news out of the way, the people that did tune in who aren't already part of the die-hard crowd (and if you're reading this, you're probably in it) got a really good show. People may bag on the Fox Sports theme music, but as someone who likes traditional sports, I'm pretty OK with it. It's a brand and I identify it with Fox. Curt Menefee and the other folks in the top part of the broadcast did a solid job in their analyst roles, while Rogan and Goldie did pretty decent work covering it live. This isn't to say it was without rough patches - Rogan freaking out over Jim Miller getting caught with his tongue out in the guillotine was kind of uncalled for, but he also did a good job explaining basics and terminology for the neophytes watching. Lavar Johnson has passed the first real gate in his career, as he blasted out Pat Barry after a couple of rough moments early in the fight. Pat continued to show K1-level grappling skills and fight-IQ as he abandoned mount and proceeded to accomplish nothing with side control. Alan Belcher wins the balls of steel award for not being afraid of major knee surgery and dealing with Rousimar Palhares' incredible leglock game. Alan stifled Paul Harris for a solid minute and a half on the ground and ended up blasting him with punishing ground and pound to put a huge feather in his cap. Give him the winner of Boetsch/Bisping. I thought Josh Koscheck did enough to win the fight. He started off strong following the eyepoke that went unnoticed by ref Kevin Mulhall, and while Johny Hendricks did decent the rest of the round, I didn't think it was enough to overcome the strength of what Kos did for the first 2 minutes or so. The second was a Hendricks round, albeit a close one, but I feel pretty safe in guessing that all three judges scored it for Big Rig. The third started out leaning towards Johny - I thought he was getting the edge in the standup, but not in an overwhelming manner. Kos got the takedown and spent the last 90 seconds or so in dominant position landing damaging shots. I thought that should go to him. For the record, I'm not a big fan of Koscheck and I rather like Hendricks for what he did to Fitch, so I'm seeing this as being partially biased the OTHER way. Nate Diaz is for real. There's not much one can say otherwise at this point. He damaged Jim Miller on the feet both at range and in the clinch with knees, he stuffed takedowns from a fairly solid wrestler (given, not a hugely powerful one, such as Maynard) and finished a guy who'd never been finished in 24 previous contests. Nate is on a three-fight win streak that includes two top-10 opponents, all of which got him fight or submission of the night. This now puts him one win bonus away from notorious bounty-hunter Chris Lytle, and he's only 27. I'll assume he gets the title shot from the brass, but him against Pettis would be great, too. Floyd Mayweather is clearly one of the best boxers in the world, but he got pushed and pushed fairly hard by a very game Miguel Cotto. This might have been the best fight Cotto's ever fought, or perhaps it's Floyd showing a bit of aging and ring rust, but that was much more competitive than a lot of people were expecting. This was about the best outcome that the sport could have hoped for, because after Manny Pacquiao's lackluster win over Juan Manuel Marquez, it's made both of the top two fighters in the sport look human and vulnerable to each other. If the damn fight ever happens, these last two matches will serve as good fodder for each camp to talk about with the other side. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3

Posted in: fight, round, fox, fan, people

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) completed its third full event on FOX last night (Sat., May 5, 2012) as UFC on Fox 3 gave the fans in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a wild ride. The main event featured a very compelling match up between two of the top Lightweight fighters in the 155-pound division, Nate Diaz and Jim Miller. With a dominant, second-round submission victory, Diaz showed that he continues to improve with leaps and bounds, and that he may very well be deserving of a title shot. The co-main event showcased a Welterweight showdown between Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck, in which Hendricks was able to secure a somewhat controversial split decision. Regardless, a win is a win, and the victory puts Hendricks "in the mix." On the whole, mixed martial arts (MMA) fans were treated to 12 exciting fights that spanned different weight classes, from Flyweight (125 pounds) to Heavyweight (265 pounds). Remarkably, the only weight class not represented was the Light Heavyweight division. Nonetheless, it was a great show of the diversity that the UFC is capable of displaying. There were many winners and losers on May 5, 2012. After the jump, we'll try and narrow down the list to the key victors, as well as those who simply failed to deliver at UFC on FOX 3: WINNERS: UFC on FOX -- In my opinion, this was by far the best of the three UFC cards we've seen on FOX. Albeit, not all of the event's fights were actually on FOX, but we're taking baby steps. The event, from top to bottom, featured fighters from almost every weight class, while different styles were represented, too. There were knockouts, submissions and full tilt throwdowns that had to go to the judges' scorecards to be decided. It was a good advertisement for the organization and for the sport, in my humble opinion. Nate Diaz -- Love him or hate him this guy is for real. In his last three fights, Diaz has submitted Takanori Gomi, badly outboxed Donald Cerrone, and now submitted Jim Miller, a fighter who'd never been submitted in any of his previous 24 professional contests. Nate Diaz is a bad man. Give him a title shot. Do it soon. Alan Belcher -- Are you kidding me, Belcher? You purposely dive into the dungeon of Rousimar Palhares and test him on the ground, a region where he is renowned for incapacitating men and taking away their ability to walk out of the cage? When "The Talent" first hit the canvas with "Toquinho," I was sure, like many, that it was the beginning of the end. For a moment, it looked like we'd all be right. Belcher got himself tangled up in a potential heel hook. It didn't look good. We've seen it before countless times. But, then it happened. Belcher defended. He rolled. He reversed. He mounted Palhares, pounded him out and that was that. The whole MMA world owes him an apology. I'll go first. My bad, Mr. Belcher. The UFC Flyweight Division -- If you witnessed John Dodson vs. Tim Elliott and Louis Gaudinot vs. John Lineker, you were privileged to take in two of the fastest paced, furious battles that we've seen in a long time. The pace was frantic. The striking never stopped. There didn't need to be an argument made for the validity of having a 125-pound weight class, but if there'd been a need, last night's showings would have shut up the critics. Lavar Johnson -- Have you ever seen anything so awesome that you just felt silly using too many words to describe it? That's kind of how I feel about summarizing Johnson and his fight versus Pat Barry. If you saw it, you know what I'm talking about. Johnson is just a hulking mass of "scary," and the heavyweight division should feel placed on notice. Johny Hendricks -- I'm putting him last on the list because, let's be honest, the win was not dominant. Not only did Hendricks not put away Koscheck, but there's a case that can be made for Hendricks not even winning that fight. The talk before the fight was that if Hendricks could defeat "Kos," he'd be close to a title shot. I'm thinking he's going to need to win one more, and do it in impressive fashion, after a performance that didn't really live up to his recent body of work. LOSERS: The Jersey Fans -- Look, I know some fights don't live up to your expectations. That's how life can be sometimes. But, when the crowd is booing half the night, something is off. They either don't know what they're watching, or they're just being difficult for the sake of being difficult. Throughout the event, I noted a fan screaming a poorly thought-out marriage proposal to Arianny Celeste, idiots booing for no real justified reason, several fans who were drunk out of their minds at 4:30 p.m., during the Facebook "Prelims" and several obligatory "U.S.A." chants. I'm not saying you need to start drinking tea with your pinky pointed outward, but you could show a little class. Just a thought. Jim Miller -- He fought his heart out. He didn't quit. He even almost bit his own tongue off while Diaz was choking him. The problem is that tonight, combined with his loss to Ben Henderson, show, in my mind, that Miller is not championship material. That doesn't mean he sucks, it doesn't even mean that he's not exceptional. In most divisions, he'd be the cream of the crop. He just so happens to be stuck in a logjam of amazing fighters in the sport's most ridiculous weight class. Jim Miller is a good dude. I'm not mad at him, I feel bad for him. Pat Barry -- I go back and forth about how I feel about "HD." He had so much potential, but, unfortunately, I think he's turning into a divisonal gatekeeper, ala Roy Nelson. He's that guy who gives the fans a good show. He swings for the fences and tries to deliver fireworks. The problem is that it's getting to the point where there's just as good a chance that he scores a sick knockout and wins a bonus check as there is that he gets destroyed by a fighter who was just better. Barry is now 3-5 in the UFC. The three guys that Barry beat are Christian Morecraft, Joey Beltran and Antoni Hardonk. Impressed? Yeah, I didn't think so. MMA Referees -- I'm probably nitpicking, but when I watch MMA, I don't watch for the officials. I don't really want to even notice them, unless they're stepping in to pull some fighter off another fighter. So, let me frank. The whole "saying hi to the kids" deal when the camera pans on the referee ... that has to go. Stop making hearts with your hands. Stop doing shadow puppets. Don't pound your fists together awkwardly or give yourself a high five. It's weirding everyone out. We were all thinking it, I just had the courage to say it. Josh Koscheck -- I honestly almost didn't put Koscheck on this list. He didn't look bad in this fight, in fact, I think he should have won 29-28. I'm not even a Koscheck fan (probably the opposite), but he did lose and the loss puts him another step down the ladder. There were surely other big winners and losers from UFC on FOX 3, but those were the ones who stood out to me the most. That doesn't mean we have to be done with the conversation. In the comments section below, feel free to rattle off your own list, as well as to make corrections to ours. For complete UFC on Fox 3: "Diaz vs. Miller" results, including blow-by-blow details of all the action click here and here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, fan, hendrick

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Despite the wealth of controversial story lines in MMA over the last few weeks, I have found myself feeling incredibly jaded as a fan. Both Nick Diaz and Alistair Overeem have been battling the NSAC in failed drug tests and I couldn't drum up an ounce of outrage. The Ultimate Fighter premiered live only a few weeks ago and I couldn't get excited. The UFC return from a six week hiatus with a LHW title defense and Rory MacDonald fight - I wanted to watch, but I wasn't inspired. A year ago, I was like junkie looking for any information, analysis, or discussion on MMA and now I felt little to no connection to any of the story lines. Because of that I wanted to return to my fan roots and remember what really made me a fan, so Earl and me got together to look back at our most influential moments in our fandom. Please share your own story in the comments Chris - It may seem odd to some, but I truly became a fan of the sport of MMA from the beginning. I have very few "favorite" fighters and rarely have an emotional involvement in any fight. I love good fights from STANDANDBANG to epic ground battles and everything in between. The first exception to this was BJ Penn. I became his fan while watching TUF 5 and have stayed true ever since. Since I was a low income fan I was forced to follow his career through UFC Unleashed and online fight updates. That is until his complete and utter destruction of Diego Sanchez at UFC 107.That was a great time to be a BJ Penn fan. He was had just hooked up with the Marinovich brothers and seemed completely indestructible. However, that’s not my high point of fandom. Penn followed that up by being outpointed in two incredibly frustrating 5 round fights against Frankie Edgar. He once again brought joy to my heart with a quick knockout of Matt Hughes in their rubber match and a grueling draw with Jon Fitch.Oddly enough, my favorite moment in MMA fandom was his next fight against Nick Diaz. There was a huge lead up to this fight with Nick losing his title shot against GSP then being matched up in the Co-main Event against my favorite fighter. Then Georges St. Pierre got injured and Penn vs. Diaz was the Main Event. This was truly the first time since I became a fan of MMA that I really felt invested in a fight. I knew Diaz was a tough challenge for the undersized Penn. But BJ Penn was BJ EFFING Penn.The first round came along and I thought, "BJ is landing the quicker harder punches." He’s looking good, I thought. He got a takedown and even though he lost position, I was still confident. Then the second round happened. Penn kept getting backed against the fence on the end of Diaz’s straight punches. It was brutal. He was getting hit and wasn’t doing anything about it. It only got worse. And the third round didn’t bring any sanctuary. My favorite fighter was taking the beating of his career in front of my eyes and seemed to have no answer for it. I was devastated. Before UFC 137, I had never been really invested in a fight. It was mentally painful for me to watch that fight. I’ve never been a fan of any other sport and the disappointment of my team not achieving their potential had never touched me before. October 29, 2011 was the first time I felt that. I still look for BJ Penn to come back from his hiatus and return to form. It may be wishful thinking, but it is one of the things that keeps me watching.Earl - My favorite moment in MMA fandom is not from a fight at all. I was fresh off my 2nd shoulder reconstruction and therefore in a bit of a stupor thanks to my pain pills. My significant other and I went to a rally for a political figure in my home state to support the cause. The way she hooked me into going was simple. Dana White and Chuck Liddell are going to be there to introduce the man of the hour, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.We arrived at the event and my girl and apparently the organizers thought I might get caught up in a mosh pit or something after seeing me with my arm immobilized so they put us behind in the press section. She soon after got up to run to the restroom and upon her return she said, "Dana and Chuck are right over there!" Now, I normally don’t go up and pester athletes or anyone else out in public. I have bumped into fighters before weigh ins at MGM Grand and at most I wish them good luck as I pass by. This time was different because I was under the influence of pain medication which caused any sense of courtesy or shyness to never surface at all. I just got up, walked over to them and introduced myself. I thanked Dana for all his work and thanked Chuck for all the memorable fights in his career and asked them if they would take a picture. Dana’s reply was "of course!" After this, we left and watched the rally and I thought that was very cool of them both but the experience did not end there.This was about a week before UFC 121 and in the morning Dana tweeted that he might have tickets to give away. A few hours later, we bumped into Chuck Liddell again. This time, he had a fistful of tickets and The Iceman handed me two of them. I couldn’t believe it. One of the most legendary fighters of all time had just given me the opportunity to see Brock Lesnar face off against Cain Velasquez. The only problem was, two tickets was not enough. My girl was out of work and I was out on medical leave due to my shoulder and we could not afford the gas and hotel with just the two of us. She explained this to Chuck and he gave us two more tickets to the event. It was so nice of him to do that.I got home and went online to check my seats and I was blown away. I would have been happy with $50 cheap seats but Chuck gave us tickets in the lower concourse that were $325 per seat. I was stunned by the kindness and generosity of the UFC. Not only did I meet the UFC President and one of the most beloved fighters in the world and take pictures with them, but Chuck Liddell just handed me $1300 worth of fight tickets. I am convinced that no other organization has this close and benevolent of a relationship with their fan base. You never see this from any other people of that stature in any other sport and it cemented my fanhood and respect for the company and the people who work for it. Cory - Mine isn’t quite as impressive, but I’d say the best thing that MMA’s done is it reconnected me with a friend I hadn’t seen in years. For UFC 100, I went out to Playwright’s Bar in Manhattan. I’d called ahead and everything, and when I get there, it turns out they were charging a cover. As I stood on the curb, debating whether or not to pay it, up strolls a couple of dudes and they, too, stare at the sign. Then one of them turns around and it’s this guy, James, that I’d known for a couple of years, but had completely lost touch with. He and a bunch of his friends who showed up a couple minutes later got a bit blindsided by the cover. We’re all kind of poor, working-class, and middle-age is starting to peek at us from around the corner, so we’re all at that somewhat "responsible with money" level where we stop and think before we all drop coin on an unexpected cover. The manager bought us all a round and some wings to entice us in, and we acquiesced. Great night, and I’ve kept in touch with James since, thanks to our shared enjoyment of this sport.

Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, fan, penn

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submitted by Im_not_Barack_Obama [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: guy, sport, fan, perception, imnotbarackobama

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A few updates on what's been going on in the MMA & UFC Twitterverse DANA WHITE VS. FAN WHO CALLS HIM GAY "@danawhite I think your gay" -Random Female Fan Trolling "@chu_nay_nay relax nunchucanaynay" -Dana White "@danawhite well are you?" -Random Female Fan Trolling "what if I am?" -Dana White "@danawhite no hate in that "once you go black you don't go back" my friend @joelponce said you was so I was curious" -Random Female Fan Trolling "cool" -Dana White, deserves props for handling this pretty well. It's much better than how people expect or portray him to be. There's a ton of tweets after the jump, but first, don't forget to follow me on twitter: @antontabuena Oh, and these guys are probably worth following as well: The Official BloodyElbow Twitter Account, Luke Thomas, Kid Nate, Brent Brookhouse, Richard Wade, Chris Barton, Damon O, Scott Broussard, Tim Burke, Matt Bishop, Fraser Coffeen, Dallas Winston, KJ Gould, Ben Thapa, Josh Nason, T.P. Grant. RANDOM TWIDBITS "Wanderlei: If I have to find you face to face every time I choose to ridicule you ...my frequent flyer miles would go faster than you can say "former Brazilian who lives in Vegas." -Chael Sonnen "Headed to evolve Mma to start my camp!!!" -Rich Franklin, interesting that he will be spending 8 weeks in Singapore training for his UFC fight against Cung Le. "I was thinking about how much of a dirty slut @Bartimus7 was. I dont have any grounds to say that. But it sounds good. Lol #ShotsFired" -Mackens Semerzier "#IfTwitterHadAPromIdTake @BrianStann" -Tim Kennedy "Haha, How do I even respond to this?" -Brian Stann "Done deal!!!! Welcome to the UFC Hector" -Dana White "After ringing the stock market opening bell ..." -Ronda Rousey MORE ANGRY FANS VS. DANA WHITE "@danawhite F*CK YOU F*CKING FAGGOT AMERICAN ! THE FIGHT HAS TO BE IN BRAZIL B*TCH ! #F*CKYOUDANAWHITE" -Random Angry Fan From Brazil, profanities censored by the editor. "f*ck YOU crybaby!!!" -Dana White "@danawhite "Finally you did something rite,it's about fucking time!"" -Random Angry Fan reacting to Lombard signing. "I did? Good for me! What did u do?" -Dana White "@danawhite Che mills should have been paid more than 8k for that ass whupping joe silva set him up for." #UFC" -Random Fan "He did" -Dana White ARIANNY CELESTE IN FHM PHILIPPINES "Fhm Philippines cover shoot out now! Go get em boys n girls!" -Arianny Celeste NATASHA WICKS BACK IN RING GIRL DUTIES "Ringside @invictafights w/ @giannapuppo ... awesome fights so far! Girls be crazy!!! :*" -Natasha Wicks "Happy Hump Day!! Shooting at the Palms for the new BlackJack pits :)" -Natasha Wicks "Morning!" -Logan Stanton, nope she's not back yet. Sorry. TWIDEOS "#Barfly web exclusive - Ed O'Neill and @DanaWhite talk training for Tito, deadly white belts and more" -UFC "California kid @UrijahFaber, coming soon to a bookshelf near you" -UFC

Posted in: ufc, dana, fan, danawhite, fan trolling

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was forced to relocate the middleweight title fight of Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen from UFC 147 in Brazil to UFC 148 in Las Vegas. Not that it will do Chael Sonnen any good. He's not as likely to be trampled by an angry mob, but he's still going to be booed by approximately 80 percent of the mixed martial arts (MMA) fans who turn out for their rematch, booked for July 7, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. That's according to Jorge Guimaraes of the "Spider" camp, who tells Tatame.com that UFC fans can (and will) see through Sonnen's "marketing" while recognizing Silva as "the best MMA fighter ever." Those comments, after the jump. "Chael Sonnen is a guy who came from the shadows using that marketing thing. He was unknown and then started talking about everyone, he’s talked about Lance Armstrong. He’s a bully, but got the promotion he needed. He’s not a complete MMA fighter. In matters of resources, Anderson has plenty more resources than him. As Dana White said, this sport has transpassed all limits and there’s no such thing, this kind of feeling. Here in Brazil we have that Latin blood, there’s this fanaticism, but on the United States they really admire Anderson as the best MMA fighter ever and I guarantee you 80 percent of the fans will be rooting for Anderson Silva." Well fight fans, how about it? Sonnen has continued to ramp up his pre-fight trash talk while Silva remains reserved and withdrawn. Except for when he's reminiscing about blowing his friends away with a shotgun. So, who are you rooting for in this epic grudge match? For more on UFC 148: "Sonnen vs. Silva 2" be sure to hit up our event archive right here. To check out the latest UFC 148 fight card and rumors click here.

Posted in: ufc, silva, fan, sonnen, mma fighter

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Fans are invited to next week's "UFC on FOX 3: Diaz vs. Miller" press conference in New York City. The fan and media event serves as part of the fight-week build-up for the May 5 FOX-broadcast event at IZOD Center in nearby East Rutherford, N.J. The presser, which streams live online, is scheduled for Thursday, May 3, at the historic Beacon Theatre.

Posted in: fan, weeks ufc, york city, fightweek buildup, rutherford nj

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One spot remains for our list of the greatest fights that never happened (check out Part 1 and Part 2 to see which other fights made the list) and the honor of being recognized as the biggest, most desired fight that regrettably never took place belongs to the matchup of Fedor Emelianenko versus....well, everyone. I will be the first admit that this is a cop-out. But as I was assembling the list it soon became apparent that nearly every other spot would be taken up by an aborted fight of the Last Emperor's. It did not seem fair - plus it was becoming more than a little redundant - to exclude so many other worthy candidates just to make room for each and every one of the many dream matches involving Fedor that failed to go down. Instead I decided to merge all of his bouts into one spot. The top spot. The disappointment from Fedor's missed fights begins in 2007. Up until that year Fedor had risen to be widely acknowledged as not only the number one heavyweight in the world but also the best mixed martial artists thanks to his many accomplishment in the Pride FC promotion: he defeated Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera, the perennial number two best heavyweight in the world, twice; he - eventually - met and beat Mirko Crop in one of the sports biggest fights (although we were left without a much desired rematch); he won the 2004 Pride Heavyweight Grand Prix. A few highly sought matches fell through the cracks, but for the most part he had left the fans satisfied. With the end of Pride that would change. After the purchase of Pride FC by Zuffa in early 2007 there suddenly grew an intense interest in a match between Fedor and Randy Couture to unify the UFC and Pride belts. Oddly enough though the first opportunity for such a match didn't involve either promotion. Depending on the source, Randy was offered anywhere from $1 million to $3 million by Bodog to face Fedor in St. Petersburg, but turned it down because he was under contract with the UFC. via www.mmaplayground.com Few tears were shed after the Bodog fight fell through, instead fans' focus was on the UFC, as they confidently waited for Fedor, like Dan Henderson, to come to the USA for a unification bout, a match that was already being labeled as the "Fight of the Century". It didn't work out that way. Instead he choose to sign a multi-million dollar contract with M-1 Global and the dream match between him and Couture was off almost as quick as it began. That is until Randy Couture announced his resignation from the UFC. Frustrated that he wouldn't be able to test himself against Fedor, feeling disrespected by the UFC for not offering him as much as a fighter outside the promotion, and, most likely, under the impression that a match between the two would be a huge money fight, Couture went to court in order to get out of his current contract. Fedor-Couture suddenly seemed much more likely. This likelihood grew even more when Fedor signed a deal with a new promotion created by Affliction, a clothing company that had a close relationship with Couture. Interest and anticipation for Fedor-Couture reached its peak at Affliction: Banned where after defeating Tim Sylvia (a dream match for many back in 2003 or 2004) Fedor was joined by Randy Couture in the ring. Their fight now seemed inevitable. Ironically, the Affliction event might have also killed any possibility of Fedor-Couture. After having sold only 100,000 payperviews, an extended and expensive court battle for the right to take part in a contest that might not sell as well as originally forecast, no longer seemed the wisest decision. Throw in a falling out between Couture and the owner of Affliction, Tom Beard, and an offer by Zuffa for his return fight to be against the massively drawing Brock Lesnar, and Captain America was soon back in the UFC's fold... where he would lose the belt, and killing interest in a Emelianenko-Couture contest.. via urdirt.com With the death of Fedor-Couture, Emelianenko and his fans turned their attention to the roster of opponents Affliction had assembled for him. After a first round KO victory over the consensus number two heavyweight in the world, Andrei Arlovski, Fedor was booked against another number 2 ranked opponent in Josh Barnett. This was a fight Fedor fans had wanted to see for some time. The number four Pride Heavyweight after the "Big 3" of Fedor, Big Nog, and Cro Cop, Barnett was the only one that had yet to meet Fedor, although it wasn't because of a lack of trying. For Pride's New Years Eve show in 2006 both Barnett and Mirko Cro Cop had been offered a shot at Fedor and the title, but both turned it down citing nagging injuries. Of course, this didn't stop Josh from facing Big Nog on the same New Years Eve broadcast that Fedor defended his title against Mark Hunt on. In 2007 it was announced that Fedor would be meeting Barnett in Los Angeles at Pride 35, but that was scuttled when the promotion was sold to Zuffa. Two years later Los Angeles would get another stab at Fedor-Barnett when Affliction booked that match as part of their Trilogy show. You would think the 3rd time would be the charm, but it wasn't the case. Instead Barnett failed a drug test (his 4th to be exact) while trying to renew his fighters license. The fight, the card, and the whole promotion went under shortly afterwards. For fans who had been looking forward to seeing a Fedor-Barnett for the last few years, it was a disaster. The only relief was provided by the knowledge that there was a potentially bigger fight in the works. Perhaps the biggest ever. Fedor-Brock. At UFC 100, Brock Lesnar, the former WWE champion, current UFC champion, and the biggest star in the biz, had just finished brutalizing Frank Mir, as well as bad-mouthing Bud Light, in the middle of the Octagon. Fans were now looking for someone to teach this giant bully a lesson and they volunteered the newly "free agent" Fedor Emelianenko. Speculation and excitement filled the MMA forums: guarantees were given by various UFC insiders that a Fedor signing was eminent; plans were supposedly drawn up for the fight to be held at Dallas Cowboys Stadium; rumors were floated as to how lucrative the contract offered to Fedor was; bold predictions were made for how big this, the biggest fight in UFC history would actually be. In the end, for whatever reason, a deal couldn't be made and Fedor signed with Strikeforce. To say it was it was a letdown would be a grow understatement. via fedorfight.com There was a brief reprise in interest in Fedor-Brock when in 2010 M-1 and Strikeforce found themselves in dispute over their current agreement. Hope sprung anew that Fedor would use CBS's failure to properly promote M-1 on their last broadcast as an excuse to exit the contract and sign with the UFC, giving us the much desired dream fight. Alas, M-1, Strikeforce, Showtime, and CBS were able to work out their differences and Fedor-Brock was never made. A fight that many thought would have been the biggest in the history of the sport, or, at minimum, in the history of North America, was forever relegated to "what if" status. The anger and disappointment felt by many was partly assuaged by Fedor's showing on national television against Brett Rogers. With his exciting second round knockout, fans began looking down the road in anticipation at a possible matchup against the current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem. A new Fedor dream fight was born. This was all according to the plan of the president of Strikeforce, Scott Coker. He would have Fedor twice fight on CBS, first against Brett Rogers and then against Fabricio Werdum, in order to build towards a super-fight with Alistair Overeem on payperview. Normally, planning so far ahead was risky, but this was Fedor Emelianenko, a man who had not lost in a decade. What could possible get in the way of this plan? A triangle. Werdum shocked the world by submitting Fedor 69 seconds into their contest. Not only was it the upset of a lifetime, it completely derailed plans for a Fedor-Overeem payperview contest. But it didn't kill the match. Instead, Strikeforce declared a Mulligan, and set up a World Heavyweight Grand Prix, where Fedor and Overeem would be seeded to meet in the second round. All they had to do was both win and the fight was back on. But Fedor didn't. And so, with a second straight loss, followed thereafter by a third, it seems highly unlikely that we'll ever see Fedor versus Couture or Barnett or Brock or Overeem. Instead, like Foreman versus Holmes and (most likely) Pacquiao versus Mayweather, we are left only with the question of "what could have been?" via cdn.thegloss.com

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, pride, fedor

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UFC light heavyweight contender Dan Henderson was a recent guest on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani when he was asked why he feels fans don’t take to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. I think it all has to do with being genuine and the fans sense that; when you are and when you’re [...]

Posted in: mma hour, fan, dan henderson, ariel helwani, fans sense

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [6 comments]

Posted in: overeem, dana, fan, alistair, mattyblayze

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A few updates on what's been going on in the MMA & UFC Twitterverse DANA WHITE ALLOWING A FAN TO WATCH TUF LIVE "Hey @danawhite Any chance the new wife and I can come watch TUF live for real? Just got to Vegas a few hours ago. We'd really appreciate it." -Random TUF Live Fan "yup! I'm in RIO and I get back on thur... DM ME" -Dana White "I refuse to stay at home on Friday nights 2 watch TUF. Never missed an episode when it was on Wed." -Another Random TUF fan "I hear u bro" -Dana White DANA WHITE VS. FEDOR FANS "@danawhite "over for Fedor" Bitch Fedor would stomp Nelson the fat fuck for breakfast, impale JDS for dinner and snap Velasquez for supper.." -Fedor Fan called "JesusMMA" "and get KTFO by an 85lber in the 1st round and triangled by a HW. Calm down Jesus" -Dana White "@danawhite Fedor went 10 years undefeated, one little blip he had, and that's all you can talk about. He'd decimate the UFC HW division." -Fedor Fan called "JesusMMA" "couple of blips there Jesus." -Dana White "did u ever get to talk to fedor or was it just his management? the amount was similar to brocks?" -Another Random Fan "yes fedor too" -Dana White DANA WHITE LOVES 5 GUYS " I have a house in laguna 2 mins from Dana Point." -Dana White, replying to a random fan. "Laguna aye? Wanna grab a burger at Five Guys next time you're in the area?" -Random Fan From Laguna "deal!!! Love 5 guys" -Dana White There's a ton of tweets after the jump, but first, don't forget to follow me on twitter: @antontabuena Oh, and these guys are probably worth following as well: The Official BloodyElbow Twitter Account, Luke Thomas, Kid Nate, Brent Brookhouse, Richard Wade, Chris Barton, Damon O, Scott Broussard, Tim Burke, Matt Bishop, Fraser Coffeen, Dallas Winston, KJ Gould, Ben Thapa, Josh Nason, T.P. Grant. DANA WHITE ON FANS HATING MIR VS. DOS SANTOS "Boring. Wanted to go to Vegas for @Alistairovereem fight. Won't even bother stayin up for Mir Vs JDS." -Random Fan that hates Mir vs. Dos Santos "who gives a shit? Why did u feel the need to tell me that? Stay home dickhead." -Dana White "I will #fanstokeepopinionsquiet" -Random Fan that hates Mir vs. Dos Santos "you tweeted it to be a douche. So mission accomplished!!" -Dana White DANA WHITE ON CHAEL SONNEN "Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen is on!!! July 7th in Las Vegas but first get Chael out of Brazil in 1 piece." -Dana White UFC 145 AFTERMATH "Good job to Michael McDonald, didn't see that uppercut. I will be back no worries." -Miguel Torres "I was 224lbs last night "@bartolini69: @JonnyBones how much do you weigh the night of the fight, 220-225?"" -Jon Jones RANDOM TWIDBITS "only taking 2 guys to corner me in my next fight. Mark Beecher and Tupac Hollogram. I don't like many people yelling at me when I'm fighting" -Vinny Magalhaes "The other thing is real life prostitutes never look like the ones on tv... I want to sincerely apologize for my last tweet. I did not mean to say prostitute I meant to say sex worker. There much better" -Forrest Griffin "Just finished boxing up my old house. I'm getting ready to make it rain on the local Salvation Army in Ithaca.. Somebody's getting blessed" -Jon Jones "Haha with his elbows, I doubt it would take long "@TFisXavier: Ron Artest is trynna get a title shot against @JonnyBones"" -Jon Jones LISTEN, OR GET ARMBAR-ED. "Visiting the capital of ny to help lift the ban on pro Mma" -Ronda Rousey ‏ BRAINCELLS? BAH! "One day I'll learn to keep my hands up" -Ian McCall "@Unclecreepymma: Thats only for wussies and people who care about brain cells" -Cub Swanson ‏ "@CubSwanson ya seems kind of over rated" -Ian McCall ‏ HAD TO GIVE THE TROLLS A FEW THINGS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ""@Scott_Newlands: @LoStanton Love this snap! What a star! Check it out. #straightfromthecamera" <3 Bluenotes!!" -Logan Stanton "hi twitter world :)" -Logan Stanton, I can see it now... "ZOMG! Anton is posting tweets from people not with the UFC!"... In the wise words of Dana White, "Who gives a shit?"

Posted in: vs, dana, fan, fedor, tweet

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The world wide web recently collided with the WWE Universe like a Broadus Clay headbutt to the sternum of Dolph Ziggler when two female fans from the East Coast decided to put together a catchy rap song featuring a number of popular WWE catchphrases. From Zack Ryder’s “WOO WOO WOO” to John Cena’s “You can’t see me”, they’re all in there for fellow fans to enjoy. Check out the video below: For more of their work you can check out the duo’s official website, YouTube channel, and Twitter account. PHOTO CREDIT – WWE Tweet

Posted in: fan, wwe, wwe universe, fellow fans, wwe catchphrases

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UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones is the undisputed #1 LHW in the world according to the USA TODAY/MMA Nation Consensus Rankings. He's also the most dominant LHW UFC champ since Chuck Liddell's reign ended in 2007 and yet fans are not flocking to the 24-year-old champ to the degree his accomplishments would seem to merit. MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani asked Jones' next challenger, UFC, Pride and Strikeforce veteran Dan Henderson for his take on why Jones isn't clicking with fans. Henderson's reply was characteristically direct: "I think it all has to do with being genuine and the fans sense that: when you are and when you're not. I'm pretty much who I am all the time and I don't know if they get that impression from him. "His whole attitude sometimes. It's not completely not genuine," Henderson clarified. "But I think that's what the fans are turned off by." "I don't know him personally, so I can't really say if it's genuine or not. It's just the impression that I think fans get." UFC president Dana White today said that Jones vs. Henderson may headline UFC 149 in Calgary, Canada, Video of the interview after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans

Posted in: ufc, jone, henderson, fan, i dont

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Posted in: fan, sonnen, chael, qa

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"I don't know, I think it all has to do with him being genuine. The fans sense when you are and you are not. I'm pretty much who I am all the time. I don't know if they get that impression from him. Not really, (if he gets the same impression from him) he was a little better after his fight with Rashad than he has been in the past, but I have not gotten that impression from him, no. His whole attitude, it's not completely not genuine, but I think that is what the fans are turned off by. I don't know him personally, so I can't say if it's genuine or not, it's just the impression that I think that is what the fans get." -- One of the true mixed martial arts (MMA) legends of all time, Dan Henderson, shared his opinion today on "The MMA Hour" today (April 23, 2012) on the possible reason fans haven't yet embraced Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight, Jon Jones. Though he undoubtedly does have a strong fan base, "Bones" has often been met with criticism and boos from fans because of his confident attitude that many perceive to be flat out cocky. Not one to shy away from his confident attitude, Jones takes it all in stride, knowing that it is all simply part of the game. But is Jones genuine? "Hendo" seems to think that the fans can sense it, and when it comes to Jon, fans feel he is simply not. In fact, Jones is already preparing himself for the "haters" when he squares off against Henderson later this year. Genuine or not, Henderson will have a tall task if he hopes to be the one to end the very impressive run that the 205-pound kingpin is currently on --- seven straight wins with three consecutive title defenses. Jones latest victory came at the expense of former friend and training partner, Rashad Evans, this past weekend (April 21, 2012) at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia. Perhaps an "H-Bomb" can set him straight?

Posted in: jone, henderson, fan, impression, attitude

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After defeating Rashad Evans at UFC 145, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones might be on the cusp of stardom. He's certainly closer now than ever before. Yet, the 24 year-old phenom is still polarizing to MMA fans. That is not a secret, of course, but the question is why? Why, despite unbelievable athletic accomplishments at such a young age, is the Endicott, New York native not clicking with some fans? Dan Henderson, Jones' next opponent, thinks he understands what's going on. "I'm sure you can answer that question, too. Why do you suppose that is?", the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion rhetorically asked Ariel Helwani today on The MMA Hour. When pressed further for his take, Henderson offered a theory. "I think it all has to do with being genuine and the fans sense that: when you are and when you're not. I'm pretty much who I am all the time and I don't know if they get that impression from him." That may be what the fans are thinking, but what about Henderson himself? Does he get the impression Jones is genuine in his personal interactions with others? "Not really," Henderson confessed. "I think he was a little bit better after his fight with Rashad than he had been in the past, but I haven't got that impression from him, no." Henderson isn't suggesting Jones is entirely putting on a public act. The top light heavyweight contender isn't exactly accusing Jones of being an actor. But if Henderson detects anything, it's that the polarizing effect the light heavyweight champion has on fans is as consequence of Jones having something manufactured about what he shows the public. "His whole attitude sometimes. It's not completely not genuine," Henderson clarified. "But I think that's what the fans are turned off by." "I don't know him personally, so I can't really say if it's genuine or not. It's just the impression that I think fans get." If he doesn't know for certain that Jones is sincere, there is one thing he seems very confident about. Namely, that Jones' fighting style is a good fit for him. No matter how dominant Jones is believed to be, Henderson isn't short on the belief that he has what it takes to be the first one to give Jones problems. "Everybody has holes in their game," he argued, "I just think he matches up style wise well with me." For Henderson, it has to do with where he and Jones prefer to contest their bouts. "He's gonna stand and bang a little bit," he continued. "He gets in there and starts to throw some punches and then gets on the inside a little bit, too, and likes to get into the clinch. Those are places where I'm sure that our fight will go that I'm very comfortable with." In the wake of Jones' victory over Evans, the considerable reach of Jones has become even more difficult for challengers to handle. If a former training partner and fighter with the speed of Evans can't get inside on Jones, some would suggest Henderson will have no easier of a time. The former Olympian, however, thinks solving that problem boils down to a mindset and one Evans lacked in his title fight on Saturday. "I think it all has to do with - you gotta commit to being offensive, throwing those punches - getting on the inside and staying outside that reach." "I think Rashad definitely could've taken him down," Henderson suggested. "I don't think he really had too solid of a takedown attempts. Maybe one decent attempt, but he didn't set it up at all and Rashad usually does that pretty well. He did that real well against Phil Davis, but it's a little bit harder for him. He fights a lot better moving forward and he was moving back most of the fight." Beyond a larger, more general perspective, Henderson wasn't ready to divulge any specific details about what he'll do when he gets his chance inside the Octagon with Jones. However, the former PRIDE middleweight champion clearly believes there is a blueprint to follow. And it shouldn't be too hard. For Henderson, he just has to do what he already does best. "A lot of it is pressuring him, cutting him off," Henderson said. "A lot of times it's tough to do, tough to implement sometimes - to keep a guy always on the defense, keep pressuring him - but against some like Jon that should be the game plan."

Posted in: jone, henderson, fan, impression, i dont

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Disgraced UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem has finally decided to give his side of the story relating to a recently failed drug test where the hulking Dutchman was shown to have an elevated level of testosterone in his system. While most fans and media members assumed the result related to testosterone replacement therapy it turns out such was not the case after all, as Overeem has claimed he had no idea he was using testosterone to begin with. “Prior to the UFC 146 press conference in March, I aggravated an old rib injury on my left side. My doctor prescribed, and I accepted, an anti-inflammatory medication that was mixed with testosterone,” explained Overeem in an official press release. “I was completely unaware that testosterone was one of the ingredients in the medication. Although I was unaware, I do realize it is my job to know what I am putting into my body.” Overeem was scheduled to fight Junior dos Santos for the heavyweight title at UFC 146 but has since been replaced by Frank Mir. UFC President Dana White Waiting Until Overeem Hearing to Address Fighter’s Future Though the 31-year old may not have been fully accountable for his actions he was certainly apologetic, writing, “I cannot express how sorry I am to the Commission, Junior Dos Santos, the fans, the owners and employees of the UFC, my friends and family and anyone else who this has affected. I absolutely do not believe in, nor do I use performance-enhancing drugs. I am a clean fighter and I will do whatever it takes to prove this to everyone.” Overeem’s statement comes a day before he is set to meet with the NSAC to address the matter. He cannot be suspended by the regulatory board, as he is not currently licensed with him, though it is possible (even likely) he will be denied licensure in Nevada for an extended period of time. Read below for Overeem’s statement in its entirety: “To my friends and fans, I am deeply saddened to announce that on Friday, April 20, I respectfully withdrew from the May 26 event so that I can request a continuance until my situation with the Nevada State Athletic Commission is resolved. I cannot express how sorry I am to the Commission, Junior Dos Santos, the fans, the owners and employees of the UFC, my friends and family and anyone else who this has affected. I absolutely do not believe in, nor do I use performance-enhancing drugs. I am a clean fighter and I will do whatever it takes to prove this to everyone. Prior to the UFC 146 press conference in March, I aggravated an old rib injury on my left side. My doctor prescribed, and I accepted, an anti-inflammatory medication that was mixed with testosterone. I was completely unaware that testosterone was one of the ingredients in the medication. Although I was unaware, I do realize it is my job to know what I am putting into my body. I respect the Nevada Commissioners and Executive Director Keith Kizer and what they are doing to keep the sport of mixed martial arts regulated and safe for athletes. I look forward to working with them in the days and weeks ahead. Friends and fans, I ask for your patience as I work through this matter. Please support me. I promise to return to the Octagon soon.” PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

Posted in: ufc, overeem, fan, testosterone, antiinflammatory medication

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Heavyweight Alistair Overeem has finally broken the silence regarding his recent failed drug test, explaining the origin of his extraordinarily high T/E ratio and, unfortunately, singing a tune far too familiar from those who have run into similar issues in the past. Also interesting, Overeem claimed he withdrew from his UFC 146 title-fight with Junior dos Santos this past Friday rather than being replaced against his will. According to an apologetic Overeem, who denied any willful wrongdoing, the level of testosterone in his system was not related to TRT as some had speculated but rather a different doctor-prescribed substance. “I cannot express how sorry I am to the Commission, Junior Dos Santos, the fans, the owners and employees of the UFC, my friends and family and anyone else who this has affected,” wrote Overeem in an official press release from his management team. “I absolutely do not believe in, nor do I use performance-enhancing drugs. I am a clean fighter and I will do whatever it takes to prove this to everyone.” “Prior to the UFC 146 press conference in March, I aggravated an old rib injury on my left side. My doctor prescribed, and I accepted, an anti-inflammatory medication that was mixed with testosterone. I was completely unaware that testosterone was one of the ingredients in the medication. Although I was unaware, I do realize it is my job to know what I am putting into my body,” revealed the “deeply saddened” Dutchman. In closing Overeem asked for the public’s patience and support, stating he respected the NSAC and looked forward to working with them to resolve the issue. — The complete statement from Overeem can be found below: “To my friends and fans, I am deeply saddened to announce that on Friday, April 20, I respectfully withdrew from the May 26 event so that I can request a continuance until my situation with the Nevada State Athletic Commission is resolved. I cannot express how sorry I am to the Commission, Junior Dos Santos, the fans, the owners and employees of the UFC, my friends and family and anyone else who this has affected. I absolutely do not believe in, nor do I use performance-enhancing drugs. I am a clean fighter and I will do whatever it takes to prove this to everyone. Prior to the UFC 146 press conference in March, I aggravated an old rib injury on my left side. My doctor prescribed, and I accepted, an anti-inflammatory medication that was mixed with testosterone. I was completely unaware that testosterone was one of the ingredients in the medication. Although I was unaware, I do realize it is my job to know what I am putting into my body. I respect the Nevada Commissioners and Executive Director Keith Kizer and what they are doing to keep the sport of mixed martial arts regulated and safe for athletes. I look forward to working with them in the days and weeks ahead. Friends and fans, I ask for your patience as I work through this matter. Please support me. I promise to return to the Octagon soon.” PHOTO CREDIT – K-1/STRIKEFORCE

Posted in: ufc, overeem, fan, testosterone, medication

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

[div class="notice" class2="icon"]The following is from an article on DstryrSG, part of the MiddleEasy Network.[/div] Ralek has been training Jiu Jitsu since he popped out of the womb. Love him or hate him, he's pretty amazing at Jiu Jitsu, and not all that bad at MMA. Now, Ralek (HAA-LEK) has come under quite a bit of scrutiny since the surprise release of his debut hip hop album in 2011. It left a lot "WTFs" and head shaking. So, what's the deal with this? Is it just another case of someone using their popularity or power to sell something? Well, grapplers, lets take a closer look (as soon as I finish my Gracie smoothie.) or those of you that are Hip Hip fans (true hip hop fans, not those that think Drake is the best rapper alive) you'll be familiar with the Dialated Peoples. The trio has pretty much stayed underground since there debut in 1992. Despite that, they have garnered a large worldwide fan base, hit the Billboard top 200 several times, and have been featured on several video game soundtracks. The groups MC, Rakaa Iriscience, has been training at the Gracie Academy for almost a decade and has a close relationship with the Gracies and Ralek himself. Ah, now there's the connection. Despite those facts, some of you may still think all of this is kinda weird or could just be a ploy to sell some Ralek albums... Read More and Watch the Video...

Posted in: fan, hip, gracie, jiu jitsu, ralek

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Grapplers Quest returns to the UFC Fan Expo this July with its sixth tournament, which will take place July 6-7.

Posted in: ufc, fan, grappler, july, quest

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At 22-years old, Rory MacDonald is one of the youngest fighters on the UFC roster. He’s also one of the most highly-touted with a 12-1 record including wins over a number of respectable adversaries and his only loss involving last-second stumble against Carlos Condit costing him a likely decision victory. While his success at such a young age may surprise many fans it certainly doesn’t come as a shock to MacDonald. MacDonald, who fights Che Mills this Saturday night at UFC 145, was oozing with confidence during a recent interview with Fightline where he discussed his upcoming bout and how he views himself as a competitor. “From the very beginning I set goals for myself so I am not surprised that I have accomplished all that I have up until this point,” explained MacDonald, adding he’d fallen in love with martial arts at a very young age. “One of my main goals has always been to be original and exciting at the same time,” he continued. “I want to win and entertain the fans all at once. I believe I am on the cutting edge of the sport and the future is very bright.” In Mills, “Ares” will see action against another rising welterweight. He is currently on a five-fight winning streak including three opening round knockouts. However, outside of the basics, MacDonald couldn’t tell you much about what his adversary has to offer inside the Octagon. “I really don’t know all that much about him,” admitted MacDonald of Mills. “That’s how I like it, the less I know the better. I normally don’t do a lot of research or watch a lot of video of my opponents past fights. I just kind of react to what I see in front of me. All I can do is worry about myself and making sure that I am in shape and prepared for anything and everything. My coaches are the ones who set-up my game plan and they train me accordingly. I can tell you that he is a kickboxer and that’s about it to be honest with you.” Though MacDonald may subscribe to the theory of “ignorance is bliss”, it’s growing nearly impossible to overlook the young Canadian contender himself, especially with the momentum of another win potentially under his belt. Fans can catch his bout with Mills on PPV with things starting up at 10:00 PM EST. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fan, macdonald, mill, mills “

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Wrestling legend and current semi-retired TNA star Hulk Hogan recorded a promo for Philadelphia Flyers fans that played last night during their playoff game against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins, ironically just a few months after recording basically the exact same video for the Pens. Clearly Hulkamania ran wild at the game, as the Flyers won 8-4 to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with the next match-up scheduled for Wednesday night. Check Out This Awesome Brouhaha from the Flyers-Penguins Series In terms of his day job, as most wrestling fans may already know, Hogan still rips his shirt off, flexes, and pretends not to hear the crowd most Thursday nights on TNA Impact. Check out Hogan’s promo below: Tweet

Posted in: night, fan, hogan, flyer, playoff game

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UFC middleweight top contender Chael Sonnen conducted a Q&A with MMA fans prior to Saturday’s UFC on FUEL TV 2: Gustafsson vs. Silva event. The session allows fans to ask Sonnen anything and everything, including possibly fighting UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and future foe and UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva. Here’s some of [...]

Posted in: ufc, fan, sonnen, mma fans, future foe

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42 days. It's the length of time between the last Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event and tomorrow's (April 14, 2012) UFC on Fuel TV 2: "Gustafsson vs. Silva" card. Since the first weekend of March, fans have had nothing but Bellator Fighting Championships (BFC) and The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) to hold them over. That's more than 1,000 hours for those counting at home. It seems like such a distant memory now. I have vague recollections of Thiago Alves beating the tar out of Martin Kampmann, only to have the Dane submit "The Pitbull" in the last minute of the third round. It's the kind of comeback victory mixed martial arts (MMA) fans love and use as proof this is the most exciting sport in the world. I have hazy memories of four men -- weighing 125 pounds each, if you can believe that -- putting on two excellent, albeit strikingly different, fights. Joseph Benavidez dominated his opponent, Yasuhiro Urushitani, for five minutes before lighting him up and knocking him out mere seconds into the next round. The other two flyweights, Ian McCall and Demetrious Johnson, battled back and forth for 15 minutes in what would eventually be ruled a draw. A fun night of fights, but it was so long ago. I find myself wondering if it actually ever happened. After all, seven weeks is a long time to wait for Octagon action for both fans and for the UFC itself. Maybe I'm spoiled nowadays when it seems there's either a pay-per-view (PPV), an FX or Fuel card or one of the handful of events being broadcast on Fox this year airing week in and week out. After tomorrow night / tonight, we only have to wait a week before UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" beams into our television, satisfying our bloodlust. And then only two more weeks until the next UFC on Fox event following that. In fact, as I peer into my crystal ball, I notice a three week period is the longest gap between UFC events all the way through the end of the summer. It's safe to assume Dana White and company were hoping the latest season of TUF -- which premiered during this seven week lull on March 9 -- would compensate for the lack of proper events but it's been a poor facsimile at best and downright ignored at worst. The reality show program hasn't produced a fighter who is thought of as championship caliber since the 155 pound-centric fifth season. A win over Jim Miller presumably puts Nate Diaz, the TUF 5 winner, one fight away from a title shot. The talent pool has been diluted and the format is tired and trite. Ratings have responded appropriately. But that's a different article altogether. It should serve as a notice to UFC. Fans want higher level fights than what TUF affords them. And they want them in greater frequency. Seven weeks is far too long for the number one fight promotion in the world to stay out of the limelight. In a time where they are trying to grow and expand, 42 days is a lifetime in terms of exposure. Sure, other professional sports have off-seasons, effectively putting them on the backburner for months at a time but UFC doesn't have the brand recognition Major League Baseball (MLB) or the National Football League (NFL) have. Hell, people want to talk and read about the NFL so much, ESPN and other sports outlets covered Peyton Manning's signing to the Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow's subsequent departure to the New York Jets like CNN would cover the US going into war. Every angle, no matter how ridiculous, was covered. UFC doesn't have that luxury. It needs to produce events on a consistent basis to ensure its name stays in conversation. I'm not saying a show every weekend -- although that would be fantastic, wouldn't it? -- is the answer, but it seems the company dropped the ball when scheduling the first quarter of 2012. Going into mid-year, only a couple of weeks pass in between events which is exactly where UFC needs to be right now. MMA fans live in a bubble. We basically eat, sleep and breathe the sport. But the truth is, for many casual fans, UFC isn't something they seek out every day. Out of sight, out of mind, after all.

Posted in: ufc, fight, week, event, fan

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I’d be lying if I said I was among the many who have followed the former Bryan Danielson since he was making other toddlers tap out in the babysitter’s crib. Man, I wish. I didn’t get on the Daniel Bryan bandwagon until he was on WWE TV, but when it happened it was fast. During the Nexus’ debut rampage Bryan, the smallest and angriest man in the ring, shouted “You! Are not! Better than me!”, exclamation points and all, into the face of a very KO’d John Cena. Shortly thereafter he spit on Cena’s face before kicking it to friggin’ Argentina. That was all it took for me. I was 100% #TeamBryan. Currently Bryan and WWE are scrambling to reinforce his character’s nastiest traits as he experiences a wave of sudden acclaim from pissed-off fans who were screwed out of a no-joke Bryan Wrestlemania championship match. And Bryan does cowardly jerk as well as he does everything else, so it’s working. However, it’s working because he is trying really hard at it, as demonstrated in an interview of Bryan by GQ that confirms he is indeed the sort of funny, dorky, quietly personable guy who would name his dog Asparagus and sing backup on indie rock tracks in memory of Lou Albano. “They don’t want bad things to happen to me, like an 18-second loss at Wrestlemania, especially the hardcore fans, which is mostly who comes for Wrestlemania. People come from all over the world. They travel to Wrestlemania, and a lot of those people know my story, how long it took me to get a Wrestlemania match. And then for my first one to be an 18-second loss, it actually generated a lot of anger,” said Bryan of the defeat in the conversation. “I was World Heavyweight Champion for four months. I wanted to go out there and steal the show. I was trained by Shawn Michaels, and that’s what he’s notorious for. I’ve always had the mindset that my wrestling is as good as or better than anybody out there. I was really looking forward to going out there and showing everybody what I can do on the biggest stage of them all, and then I just wasn’t able to do it,” the veteran continued, revealing he understood where the fans’ animosity was coming from. Also, if the “Yes” chants seem familiar it’s because UFC welterweight Diego Sanchez used to do it as a psychological mantra while walking down to the cage. He is probably–sad face–not going to come to the ring to “The Final Countdown” anytime soon. And, as we probably should be reminded pretty often, touring nearly nonstop with the nagging anxiety of the 30 wrestlers who will happily fill in your screen time should you ever get injured really sucks. He also says that one day he hopes to have a match with Sheamus. I agree, that would be pretty cool. Tweet

Posted in: face, bryan, fan, wrestlemania, wrestlemania people

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There are certain fights that are easy to envision before the action ever unfolds inside a cage. One such bout is this weekend’s scrap between middleweights Brian Stann and Alessio Sakara at UFC on Fuel 2. While it’s hard to pick a definite winner, one thing that’s for certain is the likelihood of the match-up resulting in a good, old fashioned brawl. Stann and Sakara are both strikers by trade with seventeen strike-based stoppages in their combined 26 victories including those against opponents such as Chris Leben, James Irvin, and Jorge Santiago. Sakara recently spoke about his upcoming clash with Stann where he agreed the fight’s forecast calls for fisticuffs and almost certainly a finishing performance. “My fight with Stann will be good. I like his style it is very similar to mine and he is a very tough guy,” said the 30-year old Sakara in an interview with MMAFrenzy. “I never like to make predictions before. This fight will be a war and it’ll more than likely end before it can go to a decision. We both want to knock each other out and we both have the striking and the power to do so. It will be a great fight for the fans.” The 15-8 “Legionarius” is also excited about being able to entertain his fellow Europeans based on his Italian heritage, hoping to one day see the Octagon show up even closer to his home base. “This will be a very fun fight for UFC fans and I am very happy to be fighting in Sweden because it is very close to Italy. For the first time I will have a lot of my friends and family watching me fight live,” explained Sakara. I would love that; the fans over there would go crazy,” he continued on his support group, turning talk towards his proverbial backyard. “It would be my dream to have the UFC come to Italy. My fans and family would be there rooting for me and I would love for everyone to see how beautiful Italy is. I want everyone to come and visit Rome. It is the home of the Gladiators.” A Closer Look at Sakara’s Last Fight Fans can catch Stann vs. Sakara this Saturday when the main card broadcast starts up on Fuel TV at 3:00 PM EST. Prelims begin a few hours earlier and can be found streaming through Facebook. The card is headlined by a light heavyweight tilt between rising star Alexander Gustafsson and returning contender Thiago Silva. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: fight, fan, stann, alessio sakara, sakara

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One look at Alessio Sakara, and you would be safe in assuming that he’s not pushing papers behind a desk for a living. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but whether it’s the athletic build or the mosaic of tattoos that celebrate a world history of combat, it’s clear that the Italian middleweight is cut from a different cloth from most of us.But looking the part of a fighter and living it are two different things, and while Sakara’s 28 pro mixed martial arts fights, nine pro boxing bouts, and 32 amateur boxing matches should spell out exactly where “Legionarius” is coming from, all it usually took was a conversation with him and the topic of the late Arturo Gatti for him to get a light in his eyes reserved only for those he truly respected and revered. Even now, Gatti is an influence for Sakara, who returns to the Octagon this Saturday against Brian Stann.“His attitude was to never give up,” said Sakara of “Thunder,” through translator Samuele Sanna. “When he fought in the ring, it was always a war. He inspired me a lot.”Early on in Sakara’s UFC career, the influence was obvious. Fast-handed and technically sound as a boxer, the Rome native dazzled when he was on top of his game, but when he got into firefights with heavy-handed 205ers like Drew McFedries and Houston Alexander, or ground battles with Dean Lister, things didn’t always work out in his favor.But as the years went on, the rest of Sakara’s game began to catch up with his striking, and the results have seen him win three of his last four bouts, defeating wrestler Joe Vedepo, jiu-jitsu ace Thales Leites, and fellow striker James Irvin, with his only defeat a short notice decision loss to Chris Weidman last March.“I’ve changed a lot,” said Sakara. “Now I am an experienced fighter, so I don't like to do the same mistakes I’ve done in the past.”Winning three of four is the good news. The bad news is that those bouts took place in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, as injuries and bad luck have limited him to one fight per year over the last four. That can be enough to weaken any athlete’s resolve, especially when that athlete is only 30 years old. But Sakara has looked to his support system to help him stay on the right track.“I just stayed focused in my training,” he said of the last few years of his career. “A lot of people believe in me now, so my strength is my family, fans, and friends.”And with a co-main event slot in his first bout in over a year, Sakara has landed on his feet. Now he just has to defeat Brian Stann to finally begin a move forward that will stick.“Stann is a great fighter,” he said. “He’s a heavy hitter with a lot of strength and athletic ability, and these qualities are important, but I’ve trained so hard for him.”Sakara, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Marcus “Conan” Silveira, may even try to turn the tables on the US Marine Corps veteran by taking what is expected to be a striking battle to the mat. “I’m very good in the ground game, so if something happens, just watch me. I’m confident in my BJJ skills.”He’s also happy to be back, but ‘happy’ doesn’t even cover the extent of his feelings when it comes to being healthy and back to active prizefighting duty. What may even add to this weekend’s excitement level is that this is his first fight in Europe since his knockout win over James Lee at UFC 80 in 2008. “I’m very happy to fight near home and I know there is a lot of support from the fans,” said Sakara of fighting in Sweden. “The fans expect a great war and I’m sure it will be.”The event will mark the latest step in the UFC’s European expansion, with Italy hopefully landing on the schedule sooner rather than later. For Sakara, fighting at home would be “a dream come true. I think Italian fans deserve it, and I’m proud to be there for my fans.”Not only is Sakara a fan favorite at home, but when he’s not training with American Top Team in the United States, he’s doing his best to expose the sport to a new audience and let them know the positive aspects of MMA.“Many watch now, but in the gym and in amateur contests there is still a lot of improvisation,” said Sakara. “Because of this I do seminars every weekend throughout the country to try to teach the right method of MMA, and we do a lot of charity programs to show that this is not violence, but a beautiful sport.”And there’s no greater advertisement than to see a fighter from your country do well on the sport’s highest stage. Doing well isn’t the only goal for Alessio Sakara these days; he simply wants to fight…and fight…and fight some more.“I worked a lot for this, and I want to prove to my fans that I’m a different fighter,” he said. “I want to fight a lot this year and I’m ready for anybody’s challenge, but I have a dream to fight Michael Bisping in Europe. I think that would be awesome.” 

Posted in: fight, i ’m, fan, lot, sakara

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that Grapplers Quest will host its sixth official grappling tournament at the UFC Fan Expo® on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.The two-day tournament will feature adult No-Gi submission grappling divisions on Friday, July 6. Then, on Saturday, July 7, the tournament will feature all-youth No-Gi grappling and all-adult Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo Divisions. A four-man welterweight superfight tournament featuring some of the world’s top professional grapplers will also take place over the course of the weekend. The grappling tournament is limited to 1,500 competitor slots. Competitor registration starting at just $99 includes:•    Full Access to the UFC Fan Expo both days ($50 value)•    Free Grapplers Quest at UFC Fan Expo Fighter T-Shirt by TapouT ($30)•    Includes $20 off at-the-door pricing•    Includes Free Entry into UFC Fan Expo Judo Throwdown Tournament ($60 value)Space is limited, so register today at http://on.ufc.com/IyVYq6. Tickets for the UFC Fan Expo® are on sale NOW at www.ufcfanexpo.com. Tickets for Friday, July 6 are priced at $40, while tickets for Saturday, July 7 are priced at $45. A two-day pass is also available and is priced at $60. Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets now and save because ticket prices are higher at the door. VIP packages for the UFC Fan Expo® are also available at www.ufcfanexpo.com. The UFC Fan Expo® in July will feature more than 300,000 gross square feet of activities for UFC fans, including meet and greets and autograph sessions with top UFC and STRIKEFORCE® fighters, Q&A sessions with top UFC personalities, as well as grappling tournaments and other special events. More than 100 exhibitors will also be on hand, giving fans the opportunity to purchase and experience some of the best sports and lifestyle products on the market today. This marks the third UFC Fan Expo® held in Las Vegas since its inception in 2009, with additional UFC Fan Expos being held in Boston, London, Toronto and Houston.On top of all the great fan activities, the UFC Fan Expo® will be held in conjunction with a major UFC Pay-Per-View event scheduled for July 7 in Las Vegas. For more information on UFC Fan Expo® and to purchase tickets, visit www.ufcfanexpo.com. To subscribe to the official UFC Fan Expo® newsletter visit www.ufcfanexpo.com/newsletter. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Brian Bernstein, Sales Executive at 203-840-5474 or email bbernstein@ufcfanexpo.com. Don’t wait, space is limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

Posted in: ufc, tournament, fan, expo, july

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Three Canadian MMA organizations in Western Canada have merged to create the self proclaimed “single largest MMA organization in Canada”, which was named Aggression Fighting Championships Aggression MMA, Armageddon Fighting Championships, and AX Combat have now pooled their efforts in providing the best shows available to Canadian MMA fans under this new banner, which will now hold between nine and eleven fight events per year, with shows taking place in Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta, and Victoria, British Columbia – with expansion plans slated for the latter half of 2012. The newly formed AFC will unveil its new branding shortly. Fight fans will get to see the new promotion in action at AFC 8 in Victoria on April 14th, AFC 9 in Edmonton June 8th, and AFC 10 in Calgary on June 15th. More details on these and upcoming events will be released shortly. “Darren Owen of Armageddon and I have been seriously discussing the idea of merging for some time, and in the process reached out to AX Combat and determined that we had the same goals moving forward. We established that all three brands have similar philosophies of making sure that our fan base gets to see the best up-and-coming domestic and international fighters. So it made sense to offer fans across Canada a national brand, ultimately resulting in AFC,” stated Aggression Co-Founder Moin Mirza. “This is by far the largest deal in Canadian MMA history, and I’m ecstatic to be a part of it,” said Armageddon Co-Founder Darren Owen. “It just makes sense to standardize matchmaking, contracts, logos, and production. Contracted fighters now have the opportunity to fight more frequently than they did before, which we are confident they will be happy about. With Armageddon’s current TV deal, the AFC will readily be available in 70 million homes, and now with increased content and expansion, the sky is the limit for AFC opportunities.” “When AX was approached with this opportunity, I knew that I had a chance to be involved with something special,” explained AX Combat Co-Founder Steve Fader. “With partners like these, we all bring different strengths to the table and more importantly, this is a group that you can trust – a situation where you don’t need to be looking over your shoulder at all times. The deal makes sense for fans, fighters, and everyone involved, and I can’t wait to see how far the AFC can go.”

Posted in: mma, fan, ax, afc, ax combat

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Alessio Sakara Q & A: By Bryan Levick of Fighters Magazine for MMAFrenzy At 30 years old, Italian born Alessio Sakara has already been through his share of wars inside the Octagon. He began fighting with the UFC way back in October of 2005 when he fought Ron Faircloth at UFC 55. Since then he has had 11 more bouts with the organization amassing a record of 6-5 with one no contest. Before his time with the UFC he made stops in Italy, England, Russia and Brazil. That was after he fought as a professional boxer in Italy beginning in 2004. It will be 13 months since Sakara last fought inside the Octagon when he takes on fellow striker and US Marine Brian Stann this Saturday at UFC on Fuel TV 2. This will be the company’s first trip to Sweden and judging by how fast the arena sold out it certainly won’t be the last. The last time fans saw Sakara he took on UFC rookie Chris Weidman at UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann. Weidman was a late replacement for an injured Maiquel Falcao and utilized his wrestling to earn a unanimous decision victory over the veteran Sakara. After battling through some injuries Sakara is ready to put on a show for the Swedish fans and prove that the faith the UFC has in him is well worth it. Bryan Levick: Do you feel that you will have any ring rust due to the fact you have been out of action for over a year? Alessio Sakara: I suffered an injury, but now I am feeling good and feel as though I am at 100%. I feel very good and I have been training in the cage and everything has healed up nicely. I tore the ACL in my knee and had to have surgery, but thankfully everything went well. I have been sparring and it feels good. Now everything is nice. BL: What can you tell me about your opponent Brian Stann? AS: My fight with Stann will be good. I like his style it is very similar to mine and he is a very tough guy. This will be a very fun fight for UFC fans and I am very happy to be fighting in Sweden because it is very close to Italy. For the first time I will have a lot of my friends and family watching me fight live. BL: When you had your first fight with the UFC could you imagine that the sport and the company would grow as big as it has? AS: When I first fought for the UFC seven years ago I thought to myself that this was the best MMA show and thought back then that it was very big. Now all these years later I look and see that every year it is getting bigger and bigger. Every show there are more fans watching and attending the shows, it has been an honor fighting for the UFC. BL: What would you say has been the biggest win of your UFC career? AS: I don’t know I like every one of my fights. My best fight was against James Irvin. Everything went right for me that night, he was a very strong guy, but it was my night to win. He wanted to knock me out and fortunately I was able to knock him out. I also enjoyed my fight with Chris Weidman even though I lost. It was a very fun fight for me. BL: Do you know what your role will be at The MMA Show Live in England this May? What are you looking to get out of the experience personally? AS: Yes I will be going over there and I think it will be a lot of fun. I will be doing seminars for the fans and signing autographs. It’ll be nice to get a chance to talk with the fans and interact with them. I am looking forward to this show very much. BL: How do you see your fight with Stann going down? AS: I never like to make predictions before. This fight will be a war and it’ll more than likely end before it can go to a decision. We both want to knock each other out and we both have the striking and the power to do so. It will be a great fight for the fans. BL: Has the UFC ever mentioned anything about bringing an event to Italy? AS: I would love that; the fans over there would go crazy. It would be my dream to have the UFC come to Italy. My fans and family would be there rooting for me and I would love for everyone to see how beautiful Italy is. I want everyone to come and visit Rome. It is the home of the Gladiators.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, sakara, bl

Read the full article at MMA Frenzy

Alessio Sakara Q & A: By Bryan Levick of Fighters Magazine for MMAFrenzy At 30 years old, Italian born Alessio Sakara has already been through his share of wars inside the Octagon. He began fighting with the UFC way back in October of 2005 when he fought Ron Faircloth at UFC 55. Since then he has had 11 more bouts with the organization amassing a record of 6-5 with one no contest. Before his time with the UFC he made stops in Italy, England, Russia and Brazil. That was after he fought as a professional boxer in Italy beginning in 2004. It will be 13 months since Sakara last fought inside the Octagon when he takes on fellow striker and US Marine Brian Stann this Saturday at UFC on Fuel TV 2. This will be the company’s first trip to Sweden and judging by how fast the arena sold out it certainly won’t be the last. The last time fans saw Sakara he took on UFC rookie Chris Weidman at UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann. Weidman was a late replacement for an injured Maiquel Falcao and utilized his wrestling to earn a unanimous decision victory over the veteran Sakara. After battling through some injuries Sakara is ready to put on a show for the Swedish fans and prove that the faith the UFC has in him is well worth it. Bryan Levick: Do you feel that you will have any ring rust due to the fact you have been out of action for over a year? Alessio Sakara: I suffered an injury, but now I am feeling good and feel as though I am at 100%. I feel very good and I have been training in the cage and everything has healed up nicely. I tore the ACL in my knee and had to have surgery, but thankfully everything went well. I have been sparring and it feels good. Now everything is nice. BL: What can you tell me about your opponent Brian Stann? AS: My fight with Stann will be good. I like his style it is very similar to mine and he is a very tough guy. This will be a very fun fight for UFC fans and I am very happy to be fighting in Sweden because it is very close to Italy. For the first time I will have a lot of my friends and family watching me fight live. BL: When you had your first fight with the UFC could you imagine that the sport and the company would grow as big as it has? AS: When I first fought for the UFC seven years ago I thought to myself that this was the best MMA show and thought back then that it was very big. Now all these years later I look and see that every year it is getting bigger and bigger. Every show there are more fans watching and attending the shows, it has been an honor fighting for the UFC. BL: What would you say has been the biggest win of your UFC career? AS: I don’t know I like every one of my fights. My best fight was against James Irvin. Everything went right for me that night, he was a very strong guy, but it was my night to win. He wanted to knock me out and fortunately I was able to knock him out. I also enjoyed my fight with Chris Weidman even though I lost. It was a very fun fight for me. BL: Do you know what your role will be at The MMA Show Live in England this May? What are you looking to get out of the experience personally? AS: Yes I will be going over there and I think it will be a lot of fun. I will be doing seminars for the fans and signing autographs. It’ll be nice to get a chance to talk with the fans and interact with them. I am looking forward to this show very much. BL: How do you see your fight with Stann going down? AS: I never like to make predictions before. This fight will be a war and it’ll more than likely end before it can go to a decision. We both want to knock each other out and we both have the striking and the power to do so. It will be a great fight for the fans. BL: Has the UFC ever mentioned anything about bringing an event to Italy? AS: I would love that; the fans over there would go crazy. It would be my dream to have the UFC come to Italy. My fans and family would be there rooting for me and I would love for everyone to see how beautiful Italy is. I want everyone to come and visit Rome. It is the home of the Gladiators.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, sakara, bl

Read the full article at MMA Frenzy

Alessio Sakara Q & A: By Bryan Levick for MMAFrenzy At 30 years old, Italian born Alessio Sakara has already been through his share of wars inside the Octagon. He began fighting with the UFC way back in October of 2005 when he fought Ron Faircloth at UFC 55. Since then he has had 11 more bouts with the organization amassing a record of 6-5 with one no contest. Before his time with the UFC he made stops in Italy, England, Russia and Brazil. That was after he fought as a professional boxer in Italy beginning in 2004. It will be 13 months since Sakara last fought inside the Octagon when he takes on fellow striker and US Marine Brian Stann this Saturday at UFC on Fuel TV 2. This will be the company’s first trip to Sweden and judging by how fast the arena sold out it certainly won’t be the last. The last time fans saw Sakara he took on UFC rookie Chris Weidman at UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann. Weidman was a late replacement for an injured Maiquel Falcao and utilized his wrestling to earn a unanimous decision victory over the veteran Sakara. After battling through some injuries Sakara is ready to put on a show for the Swedish fans and prove that the faith the UFC has in him is well worth it. MMAFrenzy: Do you feel that you will have any ring rust due to the fact you have been out of action for over a year? Alessio Sakara: I suffered an injury, but now I am feeling good and feel as though I am at 100%. I feel very good and I have been training in the cage and everything has healed up nicely. I tore the ACL in my knee and had to have surgery, but thankfully everything went well. I have been sparring and it feels good. Now everything is nice. MF: What can you tell me about your opponent Brian Stann? AS: My fight with Stann will be good. I like his style it is very similar to mine and he is a very tough guy. This will be a very fun fight for UFC fans and I am very happy to be fighting in Sweden because it is very close to Italy. For the first time I will have a lot of my friends and family watching me fight live. MF: When you had your first fight with the UFC could you imagine that the sport and the company would grow as big as it has? AS: When I first fought for the UFC seven years ago I thought to myself that this was the best MMA show and thought back then that it was very big. Now all these years later I look and see that every year it is getting bigger and bigger. Every show there are more fans watching and attending the shows, it has been an honor fighting for the UFC. MF: What would you say has been the biggest win of your UFC career? AS: I don’t know I like every one of my fights. My best fight was against James Irvin. Everything went right for me that night, he was a very strong guy, but it was my night to win. He wanted to knock me out and fortunately I was able to knock him out. I also enjoyed my fight with Chris Weidman even though I lost. It was a very fun fight for me. MF: Do you know what your role will be at The MMA Show Live in England this May? What are you looking to get out of the experience personally? AS: Yes I will be going over there and I think it will be a lot of fun. I will be doing seminars for the fans and signing autographs. It’ll be nice to get a chance to talk with the fans and interact with them. I am looking forward to this show very much. MF: How do you see your fight with Stann going down? AS: I never like to make predictions before. This fight will be a war and it’ll more than likely end before it can go to a decision. We both want to knock each other out and we both have the striking and the power to do so. It will be a great fight for the fans. MF: Has the UFC ever mentioned anything about bringing an event to Italy? AS: I would love that; the fans over there would go crazy. It would be my dream to have the UFC come to Italy. My fans and family would be there rooting for me and I would love for everyone to see how beautiful Italy is. I want everyone to come and visit Rome. It is the home of the Gladiators that is a great movie a beautiful picture.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, sakara, mf

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I'm sure you all seen at least one episode of 'The Voice Versus' show in which Michael Schiavello met with numerous legends of combat sports and even Hulk Hogan for in depth interviews on their career, future and everything in between. This show was made great not because of the rapport Schiavello created between he and the interviewee, although that was definitely a positive, but because 'The Voice' was interviewing people he genuinely admired. He is a fan of Badr Hari, Sugar Ray Leonard and Wanderlei Silva. Another of the guests on 'The Voice Versus' who Schiavello is a fan of is Alistair Overeem, subject of much debate in all facets of MMA media due to failing a random drug test to which he agreed as part of the conditional license he was granted by the NSAC to fight Brock Lesnar in Las Vegas at UFC 141. I'm sure any fan of MMA is frustrated by the potential for Overeem vs Junior Dos Santos to not go down at UFC 146 and because of this, many have taken to rationalizing  Overeem's raised testosterone levels. Schiavello is one of these fans and he raised his grievances with everyone already calling The Reem a cheater before the matter is settled on Inside MMA recently which you can watch below, along with the reactions from Joe Rogan, Josh Barnett and Bas Rutten. 

Posted in: overeem, fan, schiavello, mma media, michael schiavello

Read the full article at Middle Easy

Fans have been given the opportunity to choose which fight will open up the next UFC on FX card, which takes place June 8 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as part of the Harley-Davidson Hometown Throwdown.

Posted in: ufc, fx, fan, opening bout, fx card

Read the full article at Heavy MMA

UFC President Dana White and his organization have been in a tough position with fans for years, trying to keep so many millions of people happy while also navigating the uncharted waters of mixed martial arts as a marquee sport and a global phenomenon for the first time.

Posted in: ufc, fan, ufc event, marquee sport, purpose fans

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I am an expert on pro wrestling. The Monday Night Wars, the nWo, the WCW Invasion, kissing Vince McMahon's ass, the Montreal Screwjob, Austin 3:14, Stephanie in the boiler room, the Shockmaster, Chris Jericho and his 1004 holds, the Undertaker's unbeaten streak at Wrestlemania. All of this and more do I know. Yet, I have not watched more than a single minute of wrestling since the 80s. How is this so? Because I am an MMA fan. If there is one thing I have learned during the decade or so since I started closely following mixed martial arts, it's this: a lot of MMA fans are also pro wrestling fans. And being an MMA fans means I have the luxury of being educated through osmosis alone as my fellow fans go over the history, inner workings, and minutia of the world of 'rasslin. This is not to ridicule anyone, for even though I myself have not followed 'rasslin' - outside the MMA websites - since I was a kid, I hold very fond memories of watching Hogan versus Mr. Wonderful on Saturday Night's Main Event, the Road Warriors versus the Freebirds at the St. Paul Civic Center, and Nick Bockwinkel versus Andre the Giant at the Met. That I have such vivid recollections of NWA, AWA, and WWF matches from over a quarter century ago attests to its appeal. So is there a point to all this discussing of pro wrestling and MMA fans? Only to make this observation: Brock Lesnar's return to the pro wrestling will have almost as big of impact on the UFC as it does the WWE. I am sure many of you will have your doubts about this claim, which runs counter to the history of the two "sports" fans. For the last 10 years it has been an iron clad rule that professional wrestling fans migrate to MMA, not the reverse. It has been the UFC that has seen it audience and revenues grow every year while the reverse has held true for the WWE. It is generally accepted that pro wrestling has had a major impact of the growth of the UFC and the sport of MMA. One could argue, which I have, that almost every phase of growth that the UFC has seen since their purchase by Zuffa was from siphoning fans away from pro wrestling and the WWE. For the last decade or so, pro wrestling has served as a gateway, directing fans bred on a diet of staged ultra-violence and over-the-top storyline to the real thing in MMA. It has been a one-way street for years now, a trend I predict Brock Lesnar will change (if only temporarily). Arguably, no individual has had a greater impact on MMA over the last five years than Brock Lesnar. That his appeal was the result of his pro wrestling background is undeniable, as is the fact that he was easily the biggest draw the UFC has seen. I've covered this in the past, but a quick glimpse at a few statistics demonstrates the impact he's had on the UFC's bottom line during his tenure: from 2008 through 2011 cards Brock Lesnar appeared on averaged 978,000 payperviews in comparison to the non-Brock shows which averaged 476,000 buys. In other words, during the last four years Brock was responsible for 1/4 of all UFC payperviews sales while appearing on only 7 out of 56 payperview shows. Circumstantial evidence suggests that Brock's return to the WWE is already paying dividends for them. Wrestlemania 28 is thought to have broken payperview records assisted in part by (false) rumors that Brock would be making a surprise showing and the following night's Raw broadcast which featured the actual return of Lesnar was easily the top rated cable show that night, averaging 5 million viewers over its two hours while going up against the NCAA men's basketball championship. Obviously there is some interest in seeing Brock back in the ring as evidenced by the ratings and comments of MMA fans on twitter and blogs. Zach Arnold at Fightopinion examined this reaction amongst the fans: My initial takeaway from watching WWE fans explode when Lesnar showed up was a relatively simple one. It goes to show you that MMA, for many wrestling fans, is a substitute and not replacement product in their lives. Wrestling fans always are paranoid about legitimacy. Brock Lesnar is their symbol of legitimacy. UFC gave him the rub to come back to wrestling as, pardon the pun, The Ultimate Fighter. WWE fans are often tortured souls with crappy matchmaking and even crappier disdain from the promotion. The promotion has a nasty habit of punishing those the hardest who are the most loyal supporters while doing everything it can to win over people who look at the product as a circus So, Lesnar is a huge breath of fresh air for WWE fans. He's their vessel to support someone who was involved in real fighting and is back to take over their world. This is why you will have to endure non-stop Lesnar talk in both pro-wrestling and MMA circles. Hell, I had a couple of well-respected people involved in MMA on a high level this weekend ask me on the phone about Brock Lesnar being at Wrestlemania in Miami. It was the subject most discussed this week in MMA circles offline. So, am I forecasting a massive turnaround in the fortunes of these two companies? That all of a sudden vast numbers of former pro wrestling fans are going to abandon the UFC and migrate back to the WWE? No, nothing that dramatic. But I do foresee a number of either nostalgic or lukewarm MMA fans giving pro wrestling another try and that is where the UFC will feel the impact. With the current downturn in payperview sales any further dip, no matter how small, will be felt. More worrisome is not the risk that fans will abandon the UFC but, in these tough economic times, wrestling/MMA fans will be forced to choose between purchasing a UFC event and a WWE payperview with Brock. That Brock drew 300,000 new payperview buyers to the UFC on his very first fight for the promotion demonstrates not only his drawing but also the potential risk that a sizable amount of fans, judicious about their spending habits. will cut back on their UFC purchases. The good news for the UFC is, no matter how big of impact Brock's return to the WWE has on their coffers, eventually it will come to an end: he is currently signed for only one year with the promotion. Since no other WWE stars of his caliber have crossed over and succeeded in the Octagon, there is little risk that will be anything other than a temporary spike. Unless.. What if the WWE, finding success in Brock's MMA connection, borrowed a page from the UFC and targeted their fans? Would signing even more MMA stars to the roster - both King Mo and Rampage Jackson have been mentioned as prospects - turnaround what has been a one-sided fight for years? Would a WWE invasion by UFC fighters keep their current fans happy and bring back those that left for MMA? I'm doubtful, but also interested to see how Brock's next year in the WWE plays out.

Posted in: ufc, mma, fan, wwe, brock

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Testosterone replacement therapy is becoming an increasingly common practice in MMA, yet, there are still a lot of questions surrounding the controversial procedure's legality in the sport. UFC middleweight Mark Munoz certainly isn't a fan of TRT, and he shared his...

Posted in: mark, fan, mark munoz, munoz, procedures legality

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submitted by phazshifter11 [link] [comment]

Posted in: mma, fan, girl, phazshifter, noob

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This thing might be getting a little out of hand. Thanks to division number one contender Alistair Overeem failing a surprise drug test, his main event fight against Junior dos Santos for the heavyweight championship at UFC 146 on May 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada, is likely off. And it's led to all out insanity amongst mixed martial arts (MMA) fans. Writers, too. The obvious choice to replace Overeem is Frank Mir, seeing as he's on a three-fight winning streak and he's held the title once before. Mir vs. Dos Santos isn't a sexy fight, by any means, but it will work in a pinch. Certain writers on this here website have lobbied for UFC President Dana White to put his differences with Mother Russia aside and sign Fedor Emelianenko for a once in a lifetime fight, though we now know that has no chance of actually happening. That's not what fans want, though. No, fans are dying to see a certain "Super Samoan" slide right into the void. That's right, ladies and sirs, the one and only Mark Hunt has a rally going for him on Twitter right now appealing to the powers that be within the UFC to give him the vacant spot. A few of the more defiant fans have even suggested Dan Henderson. Hey, he's not doing anything else at the moment and if Fedor is in consideration, why not "Hendo?" After all, "Dangerous" Dan did knock him out inside of one round in Strikeforce. Henderson even said on Twitter he would accept the match-up if it was offered. Again, Mir is the likely choice because he's been in the main event before and he's a former world champion. He's also a true heavyweight. Plus, his management team hasn't pissed off Dana White time and again. Oh, and his record is better than 8-7. He's probably getting the fight, Maniacs. But who do you really want to see now that Henderson has thrown his name in the ring? Is it him? Hunt? Fedor? Someone else? Sound off in the comments section below with your wildest suggestions. They couldn't be any crazier than what we're already seeing.

Posted in: fight, henderson, fan, dan henderson, he

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Brock Lesnar dominated Cagewriter's Facebook page this week, as many, many, many people had opinions on the big man's return to professional wrestling. You also shared your thoughts on who Junior dos Santos should face in place of Alistair Overeem, autograph encounters and opinions on a certain freak show fight. If you want to join in on Reader Rants, like Cagewriter on Facebook and comment on our posts. Readers thought the planned bout between Bob Sapp and Mariusz Pudzianowski would be interesting to watch. Neither one can actually fight. Whoever runs outta gas first loses! -- Leslie Stapleton See Bob Sapp either A) tap out due to strikes before 1 min. or B) have him claim injury after 1 min ....ALL DAY! :P -- Sohrob Kohistani Most readers thought that Rashad Evans handled the fan asking for an autograph of his KOed picture well . Rashad handled it alright, I mean he could have just told him to go away but in the moment that is just disrespectful. I've gotten a bunch and everyone is cool but nicest guys had to be Bisping and Pulver. They're just great to their fans. -- Gabriel Martinez A fan or someone trying to get a reaction out of him while being recorded? Hmmmmm. -- Nate Bear With Alistair Overeem likely out of UFC 146 , several fans started a campaign to get Mark Hunt the title shot. Some Cagereaders agreed on Hunt, while others wanted to see Frank Mir or Cain Velasquez .

Posted in: fan, bob sapp, cagewriter, reader, disrespectful ive

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As the UFC has been rapidly filling the cards for its summer events in recent weeks, many fans were quick to note that the promotion had still not announced a location for their June 8th UFC on FX 3 event. Well it turns out that it was the MMA fan community that actually helped determine the location of the event through the UFC's "Hometown Throwdown" promotion with Harley Davidson, and it was announced via press release today that the BankAtlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida will host the FX-televised event: Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® and Harley-Davidson® ride in to the BankAtlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on Friday, June 8 with an outstanding UFC® event headlined by flyweight rivals Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson and Ian McCall. The winner of the fight will go on to fight Joseph Benavidez for the first-ever UFC 125-pound title later in the year. UFC’s Harley-Davidson Hometown Throwdown event will air live on FX at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Southern Florida was selected for this event as a part of the UFC, Harley-Davidson "Hometown Throwdown" program. The program allowed fans to visit the UFC, Harley-Davidson Hometown Throwdown website and submit a city for consideration for a future event. This will mark the UFC's sixth trip to Florida, with the most recent event being UFC Fight Night 17, which took place in Tampa back in February of 2009. Another unique feature of this upcoming card is that fans will get a chance to pick one of three fights to appear on the televised main card and kick off the show: In addition to helping choose the city, fans will also play a key role in determining a main card bout on the card. UFC fans can go to ufc.com/hometownthrowdown to vote for which bout will make it onto the main card and be the first fight shown on the FX telecast. Fans can choose between the following three bouts: Scott Jorgensen vs. Eddie Wineland in bantamweight action; Carlos Eduardo Rocha vs. Mike Pierce in a welterweight bout; Lance Benoist vs. Seth Baczynski at 170-pounds. The current card for UFC on FX 3 includes: -Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall - (UFC flyweight tournament semifinal)-Mike Pyle vs. Josh Neer-Erick Silva vs. Charlie Brenneman-Mike Pierce vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha-Scott Jorgensen vs. Eddie Wineland-Seth Baczynski vs. Lance Benoist-Dustin Pague vs. Jared Papazian-Henry Martinez vs. Bernardo Magalhaes-Buddy Roberts vs. Caio Magalhaes-Leonard Garcia vs. Matt Grice UFC on FX 3 coverage

Posted in: ufc, vs, event, fan, card

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After Alistair Overeem's random pre-fight screening was flagged by the Nevada Athletic Commission for too much testosterone , the search for Overeem's possible replacement at UFC 146 began. With a title on the line in the main event of the all-heavyweight main card, the UFC wouldn't want to scrap the bout. Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir has already noted his desire to step in against Junior dos Santos, but fans are pushing for an unlikely replacement: Mark Hunt. In a rundown of possible replacements, MMA Fighting's Mike Chiappetta pointed out that Hunt nearly guarantees an exciting fight. There are a couple things working in Hunt's favor here For one, he's already on the UFC 146 card. Of course, that doesn't distinguish him from Mir or Velasquez. But you know what does? His style. Hunt basically ensures that the fight will be a slugfest between the big boys, and that's never a bad thing when it comes to fan satisfaction. On the other hand, he's not nearly well known enough to headline a major event, and his 8-7 career record isn't exactly going to send people scrambling to plunk down $55 on pay-per-view. At least you can play up the "Rocky" angle with him. Hunt, who has fought in Pride, K-1 and Dream before heading to the UFC, then became the subject of a fans' campaign on Twitter. Using the hashtag #RallyforMarkHunt , his fans and friends flooded Twitter to ask UFC executives Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta to put Hunt into the bout with dos Santos. Though Hunt does have seven losses, he has won his last three in the UFC. While Mir is more deserving based on records alone, the White has been known to listen to the fans. If Mir's fans want to see him get another shot at the heavyweight title, they should speak up. Who do you want to see fight dos Santos at UFC 146? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter .

Posted in: ufc, hunt, mir, do, fan

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When news broke out that some of the fighters on the UFC 146 fight card were issued a surprised drug-screen after the promotion's March 27 press-conference, many MMA fans instinctively had a bad feeling about it. It turns out those fears were justified, as Alistair...

Posted in: fan, alistair, mma fans, fear, contributor

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On the April 3rd edition of "UFC Tonight" on Fuel TV, fans were treated to another episode of "Chael's Corner". Here's a snippet of what he had to say, "Fighters have recently seen it as their quasi-job to continually put out misinformation.

Posted in: fan, edition, sonnen, chael, confession

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, who was forced to put his 170-pound strap behind glass while he rehabs a surgically repaired knee, gives fans another update on his "road to recovery," featuring a training video that has "Rush" walking on air. The Canadian kingpin was plopped into an anti-gravity treadmill to allow him the ability to ease back into running with out the slam-bang impact of his full weight directly on his tender little knee. St. Pierre recently told the media and fans his doctor has informed him his knee injury is healing faster than anyone he's ever seen before. Does that mean we could see his return at UFC 154 on Nov. 17 in Montreal? "My rehab is going really well. The doctor says it is the fastest they've ever seen. I'm halfway through my rehab and I can't push too much. I have to wait the minimum amount of time that I'm allowed to start training again. I'll be training full out in July and hopefully I'll have a chance to fight in front of my Canadian fans in November." Awaiting GSP when he does finally return is Carlos Condit, who won the Interim welterweight championship after a grueling five round affair against Nick Diaz back at UFC 143 on Feb. 4 in Las Vegas. Stay tuned. To check out episode two of St. Pierre's "Road to Recovery" click here.

Posted in: ufc, pierre, st, fan, training

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Two weeks ago, my wife and I flew to Atlanta, rented a car and drove two hours due south for a single purpose. Our destination was the tiny town of Unadilla, Georgia. Let me put the word "tiny" into perspective. Internet research suggests that the town's population is less than 2,900 people, which is about 20 percent of the capacity of the MGM Grand Garden Arena, a frequent home for UFC events. I'm sure there is a stop light somewhere in town, but we certainly did not come across one during our three-day stay. And literally everyone we came across was about as friendly as they could possibly be. It suffices to say that Unadilla is the quintessential tiny southern town, one where time sort of seems to stand still -- in a good way.Tina and I were in Unadilla for a three-day school on cooking barbecue. No, not the kind of barbecue that you toss into the oven of on top of a gas grill and then smother it with store-bought barbecue sauce. The kind that stirs passion in those lucky enough to come across it. The kind that takes the love and devotion of hours upon hours of low temperature cooking on a smoker or pit after using actual coals and hardwood, meat injected with marinade, and covered with dry rubs and homemade sauces. We figured that if we wanted to up our backyard barbecue game for friends, family and the benefit of our own taste buds, we should stop with the trial and error, put down the cookbooks, and take a class from the best of the best -- none other than the man himself, Myron Mixon of Jack's Old South, the winningest man in competitive barbecue history.I know what you are thinking right now. What in the world does barbeque have to do with the UFC? Had someone asked me that question a month ago, my response would have been similar to what I’m assuming you are thinking right now -- there are no parallels. Wrong. Read on.I happened to wear a BJ Penn walkout tee shirt to the first day class. It was not a purposeful choice. I just grabbed a tee shirt because we were going to be working with meat all day, and first on the agenda was a lesson on cooking a whole hog. During the first break in the action, one of my table mates pointed to my shirt and asked if I was into the UFC. When I responded affirmatively, he couldn't wait to talk about his all-time favorite fighter, Chuck Liddell. He was also a giant Forrest Griffin supporter, since the two attended the same school in Georgia – a fact he was very proud of, by the way. This guy was at Myron’s house to help hone his craft ahead of The Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia, since he was going to have a tent across the street selling barbecue to make some extra money. He paid close attention to Myron and took lots of notes, but every break consisted of UFC talk.He wasn't alone.Another fine gentleman from South Georgia at our table, a wrestling coach at an alternative school for at-risk youths, joined the discussion during just about every break. This guy showed up in Unadilla with a three-ring folder filled with his barbeque secrets. He was there alone, fiercely focused on honing his craft because he was also a competition cooker, one who earns several thousands of dollars during weekend competitions. Think about that for a moment. He earns money cooking. He has access to the greatest of the great. Yet, he allowed his focus to wane time and time again to talk about the UFC.  He also talked about how mixed martial arts was a great tool to teach discipline and respect to his at-risk students. As others overheard the conversation at our table, they took the opportunity to join in. Will Jon Jones survive his title defense against heated rival Rashad Evans at UFC 145 on April 21st?  Will Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre ever fight? Who is the true pound-for-pound king? Favorite fights. Favorite fighters. Other dream matchups. Will anyone beat Junior dos Santos? Those who found out that I write for the UFC wanted to know if Dana White was really like the guy on "The Ultimate Fighter" -- still an addicted fan despite his perch atop the Zuffa's organizational chart. They wanted to know if the fighters were cool guys in person, rather than the unapproachable athletes who dominate many other major sports. And so on and so on.I dare say that the UFC was the most popular topic of conversation, apart from barbecue, during the three-day class. I overheard lots of conversations on the subject and participated in even more, particularly on the last day when there was as much time spent eating the mouthwatering meats as there was instruction.I was completely blown away at how many people wanted to talk shop and the level of passion for the sport in a place where I never dreamed I would experience it. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have been surprised. True barbecue has a cult-like following, much like the UFC did before it exploded into the mainstream a few years ago.  These folks are extremely passionate about great 'cue, just like UFC fans are passionate about mixed martial arts. There is even an online barbeque forum with approximately 50,000 members. I perused it on the plane back home, and it contained lots of passionate, opinionated discussions. The resident ‘cue cognoscenti dropped deep knowledge. Award-winning competitors posted their thoughts. And certainly weekend backyarders dominated the casual talk. One unwritten message clearly dominates the forum. Great BBQ is something few people truly experience. When one finally comes across something prepared by someone of Myron’s level, they are often hooked for life. They purchase a pit that can weigh as much as 1,000 pounds – just for creating backyard delights. They attend regional or even national contests. And they scour the Internet with an insatiable hunger for ‘cue knowledge.More importantly, they belong to this informal fraternity of people who believe in their heart of hearts that they know something that the rest of the world does not know – the greatness of top-level ‘cue.  The blogs and forum participants protect the integrity of barbeque with real ferocity. Sounds just like a UFC fan before TUF skyrocketed the sport into mainstream, doesn’t it?  Longtime hardcore followers know what I’m talking about right now.For those who still don’t see it, rewind almost a decade ago. The only place for up-to-date information were the forums and the websites that covered the sport exclusively. The big boy media outlets were completely in the dark. The major MMA forums were remarkably similar in size and content to what I saw on the barbeque forum. Lots of unbelievably knowledgeable fans participated on a regular basis. Fighters, stud commentator Joe Rogan, and even UFC boss Dana White participated from time to time – Rogan a bit more often than that. Tens of thousands of fans filled the pages with hundreds of topics and even more posts.The overriding message on all forums and blogs back in the day? You guessed it. UFC fans knew they were enjoying a sport that the rest of the world didn’t quite understand yet. It was a sport that had such tremendous fan appeal that once it actually caught the attention of the mainstream, it became the fastest growing sport in the world – a sport that the hardcore fans have fought hard to protect through forum posts and blogs.UFC fans love our sport like fans of few other sports. The same can be said for those who are really into barbeque. I never realized that until my trip to Unadilla. But the parallels between barbeque and the UFC don’t end there. I’ll peel back the onion one layer further.Go back about a decade, once again. Barbeque competitions, much like the UFC, largely enjoyed an underground existence. No major media coverage. No reality shows on cable television. Not much mainstream appeal.Mixon was already the king (or close to it) back in those days. I’m sure he made a comfortable living then from his catering business and the sale of his sauces and ribs. I’m sure the money he earned from competitive cooking was nice, but I doubt that it was enough to call it a separate living. Then a reality show on cable television titled “BBQ Pitmasters” came along and changed everything. Competition cookers now compete for six-figure purses. And the king has ridden the wave of barbeque popularity to transform from a cult king to an iconic figure with international appeal. Not only does he have a New Times best-selling cookbook. He also has a successful restaurant in Georgia with a second on the way in Miami and a ridiculously successful catering business. Oh yes, he also recently hosted Korean delegates on their trip through the south. Sounds a lot like Chuck Liddell’s career path, doesn’t it? How about Georges St-Pierre? Anderson Silva? It is rise to fame and fortune that parallels that of any number of high-profile UFC fighters who have been in the game since the early 2000s. Top fighters back in the day were stars solely in the fighting community, had little or no major consumer brand appeal from a marketing perspective and, while they earned enough to pay the bills, they were far from wealthy. TUF changed all that. Guys like Liddell, GSP, Silva, and others have gone from living comfortable lives to being multi-millionaires with true crossover star appeal. Business opportunities, whether owning gyms, holding seminars, appearing in Hollywood movies or on television shows, abound. It is a completely different existence for a top fighter compared to 10 years ago. Just like with barbeque. The end of the weekend perfectly encapsulates what I’m talking about. After completely engorging ourselves on Sunday afternoon with the succulent meats that we prepared during the class, Tina and I were walking to our car when a younger guy came up and asked, “Hey, I heard you work with the UFC, is that right?” He said something like that.I responded in the affirmative, offering my hand in greeting. It was Kyle Brooks, a member of Jack’s New South, the barbeque team led by Myron’s son, Michael Mixon.  Like father like son. After just a year of competition, Michael and crew are already ranked as one of the top new teams on the circuit, nationwide. These guys were fresh off of a big showing at The Sixth Annual St. Patty’s Q in Dublin, Georgia, where they received a perfect score on spare ribs and placed fifth in pork loin. This was an excellent chance for me to grab a few last nuggets of information from the next generation of competition cookers in my quest for backyard perfection. That opportunity never arose. Why? All Kyle wanted to talk about was the UFC. To no great surprise, he spoke about our sport with the same glow in his eyes that I saw when he was watching Myron work his magic during class. He kept referring back to guys from the early days of PRIDE Fighting Championships. The best part was he brought up a couple of fights that I hadn’t seen --- or maybe I had seen them and had forgotten. I get paid to know a bit about the UFC, and here was a top ‘cue competitor teaching me a thing or two. I loved every minute of it!For the record, he is picking Jones to win later this month. Barbeque and the UFC. I guess they aren’t so different after all.

Posted in: ufc, sport, fan, barbeque, barbecue

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As mixed martial arts grows and develops as a sport that large numbers of people pay attention to, we face the "big sport" balancing act between getting the important information out there and drowning people in too much infojunk. Does it serve you as a fan to know that Jon Jones has a 100% rate of defending takedowns? Or would it matter more to you to know that Jones has essentially fought one opponent in his career who actually tried to take him down? What about the unprovided statistic that tells you that Rashad Evans has never attempted a submission in the UFC? That disconnect between statistics and reality is what I call infojunk. This type of infojunk has ruined many a baseball, football or basketball team as general managers fall in love with the big names of faded stars, home run totals and hand out indefensibly bad contracts or gobs of playing time to not-actually-great players. However, calling out the infojunk seems to be the domain of a few passionate fans and for the great number of sports fans, the infojunk either slides by or gets adopted nearly wholesale. For prominent commentators in MMA, their approach to avoid the glazed eyes and itchy TV remote fingers seem to settle into calling something "great" or "world-class" and avoiding any real insights (such as pointing out weaknesses to this strike or that ground tactic or strengths and preferences in doing this or that). If everything is great and terrific, why do fighters lose then? The rise of Moneyball-like organizational concepts across leagues and across big numbers of fans through fantasy sports, relentless evangelizing and just plain curiosity of the modern sports fan has helped call out the horse-pucky their favored teams try to put over on them, but the evaluating mistakes still happen and can hinder, wound or destroy teams and athletes for years. This should not happen in MMA. Fans should consciously build more patience for the technical terms and concepts. The vast majority of fighters are too skilled and too awesome to dismiss as thugs or brawlers. The audience should be better at telling Dana White, Scott Coker, Bjorn Rebney or the other occasional hot air bags out there something along the lines "This specific thing you are saying is not actually true. This is closer to the objective truth." There is already a fantastically literate, knowledgeable and passionate fanbase across all corners of the internet, talking to each other in gyms and offices across the planet and slowly bringing each other up to a point of surprising expertise. However, I do not believe that the most commonly used FightMetric or CompuStrike statistics are all that useful to talk about fights or to break down tendencies. My favorite short example of infojunk versus useful information is the Pat Curran and Marlon Sandro fight. To get the dramatic knock-out, Curran threw three punches - every single one of them missing - and then connected with a massive head kick that put Sandro out cold. The missed punches were extremely valuable to Curran, despite never making contact, because they set Sandro up for the kick - which Curran was hunting the entire time. The stats would say something like "Curran connected on 1/4 strikes. Curran has a 25% accuracy rate, although he did land one significant strike." That does not describe what happened at all. To get even better in the future about understanding MMA, we just need to figure out how to better reduce this wonderfully complex sport into useful numbers and how best to communicate it to the glazed eyeballs crowd. Easy peasy.

Posted in: sport, fan, mma fans, curran, infojunk

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It's been a huge weekend for the WWE, kings of sports entertainment aka pro wrestling. First they set records at Sunday's WrestleMania 28 show with 78,363 fans in attendance and a gate of $8.9 million. Then they welcomed prodigal super-star Brock Lesnar back to the fold at last night's RAW. Lesnar has been away from the WWE since 2004. Of course he managed to keep himself in the spotlight with a fairy-tale UFC run that saw him win MMA's biggest title -- the UFC heavyweight strap -- in just his 4th pro bout. Tragically his MMA career was cut short by diverticulitis requiring the removal of over a foot of colon. Lesnar fought after the 2010 surgery, but he was never the same and retired after losing his last two bouts to Cain Velasquez and Alistair Overeem. Admittedly the WWE is using old stars like The Rock and Lesnar to reignite interest in their product, but given the enormous overlap between UFC fans and WWE fans this could bode ill for the UFC. From 2005 to 2010 the UFC was on a relentless upswing and ate into the WWE's share of the pay-per-view market but since then growth has slowed. The new season of The Ultimate Fighter is struggling with eroding ratings so far and the UFC has struggled to find enough headliners to fulfill their obligations to Fox, FX and PPV. The UFC cancelled a scheduled and announced PPV planned for March in Montreal. That was the first time in the Zuffa era that they've ever cancelled an announced show. They literally couldn't come up with a credible headlining fight and had to beat a retreat. Fortunately UFC 145 featuring Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans is coming up on April 21st. The long lay off between UFC's might make the fight an even bigger draw. The following card, UFC 146 featuring Junior dos Santos defending his heavyweight title against Alistair Overeem should also do well. The biggest card of all -- UFC 147's Brazilian stadium show featuring Anderson Silva rematching Chael Sonnen -- happens in June. It should be a hot spring for UFC fans. As long as the evil genie that has seemingly cursed so many UFC main events since 2010 stays away, the UFC should be able to regain its momentum and keep the WWE in its now accustomed distant second place, but fans are fickle and if the WWE can build a new star or two while old Brock Lesnar is drawing eyeballs, things could get interesting in the nexus between combat sports and sports entertainment.

Posted in: ufc, alistair overeem, fan, wwe, lesnar

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Very sad news following quickly on the heels of Brock Lesnar creating a stir by turning up at a WWE event. Two family members--wrestling fans--took things too far playing around with a chokehold that apparently, neither of the two people involved took seriously enough.

Posted in: fan, brock lesnar, wwe, lesnar, wwe event

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submitted by Misquote_The_Bible [link] [4 comments]

Posted in: fan, wwe, yearold, misquotethebible

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If there's one thing I hate more than pro wrestling then I can't think of it right now. This “sports entertainment” is neither sport nor entertaining for me and I wouldn't mind if it stopped existing tomorrow. However with an $8.9M gate for Wrestlemania 28, it doesn't look like it's going anywhere soon. No matter how much I abhor pro wrestling, nobody can deny the passion of the fans, and the most passionate fans of all are the ones who make a living by writing about this live-action athletic soap opera. The big news post-Wrestlemania on Monday Night Raw was the return of the WWE's wayward son, Brock Lesnar who came back with a bang that only the show's writers could have predicted.  Judging by the reactions of the live fans, this was a magic moment but if you only read opinion pieces by pro wrestling writers then you'd think his departure from the WWE was akin to a wife walking out on her sugar daddy and taking his Ferarri and his return was treated with disdain. Maybe it was, I have no idea. All I know is that if you try to shake Brock Lesnar's hand in a wrestling ring you can fully expect to be treated like a deer which he has just hunted. Especially if you are a 35 year old man dressed like Eminem back in 1999.

Posted in: fan, monday night, thing i, soap opera, sugar daddy

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On Friday, he held an open workout for media and fans where he was visited by Puerto Rican national hero and former three division world boxing champion Felix “Tito” Trinidad.  In less than three weeks, the most personal UFC 205lbs feud since perhaps Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz II in 2006 will come to a dramatic conclusion. In the main event of UFC 145, undefeated UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon “Bones” Jones collides with former friend turned bitter rival Evans.  UFC 145 goes down on April 21, live on Pay-Per-View from the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.  Evans and Trinidad had the following to say about their meeting: “Suga” Rashad Evans, former UFC light heavyweight champion and current No.1 contender, said:“The visit to Puerto Rico was one of the craziest things I’ve done in my UFC career, and I’ve been here since 2005. The fans went crazy, it was so cool to be part of that. I couldn’t believe the response. “I have a lot of regard for Tito as a fighter. He’s one of those fighters that I watched growing up and in many ways would try to emulate his style. He was very fast, had great power, but was so mart too. He brought a lot of pressure forward, always moving, always bouncing, always putting the heat on, and that’s a style I’ve tried to emulate.“It’s exciting and kind of surreal to meet Tito. I remember watching him on TV when he was going through his thing and the spotlight was on him and all the behind the scenes coverage on him and now I get to meet him as it’s my turn.” Felix “Tito” Trinidad, former boxing champion and national hero of Puerto Rico“The truth is MMA and UFC is something that’s taking over the world and we love it in Puerto Rico.  We are what they call “hot blooded” - we love fighting and love watching UFC events.“I’ve never thought about training an MMA fighter, but honestly, I’d love to help if it’s a Puerto Rican fighter. If he’s from Puerto Rico, I will help him with his boxing. It doesn’t matter who it is. If he’s from Puerto Rico, I will help him.  “I salute all the fans of MMA and UFC. The sport is getting bigger and bigger in Puerto Rico.  This is going to be a hit. This will be a hit for real.”Tickets for UFC®145, presented by MetroPCS, are on sale now through Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone (800) 745-3000, at all Ticketmaster Outlets, and the Philips Arena Box Office.  UFC®145 will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.

Posted in: ufc, tito, fan, rico, puerto

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UFC light heavyweight contender Rashad Evans turned down a fan for an autograph in a video uploaded over the weekend. Can you blame him? Though Evans has a stack of signature cards on the table, the fan wants him to sign this: It's from his one loss. In that bout, Evans lost the UFC light heavyweight belt to Machida by knockout. It's a bad memory, and he does not want to be reminded of it as he prepares to try to get that title back from Jon Jones at UFC 145. Though Evans is often booed by fans, he still rarely turns down an autograph. In an interview with Cagewriter in 2010, he talked about it. "If they didn't boo me, that would be strange. It's funny, I'll sign autographs all day, and everyone's my number one fan. Then they'll show me on the screen, and I'll get booed. I think, 'I just signed a million autographs. Who is booing me?'" He can bet that one fan he turned down is joining in the boos, but since he was carrying around a picture of Evans getting knocked out, he wasn't much of a fan in the first place. Thanks, Middle Easy .

Posted in: ufc, fan, evan, autograph, sign

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If you've ever found yourself craving the musty smell of middle age or telling people how Dramarama never got their due, the sensory overload must have been overwhelming after this latest throwback MMA weekend -- a three-day period that saw 50-year-old Maurice Smith kick Father Time right in the face, 41-year-old Pete Spratt backfist his way into a walkoff knockout, 45-year-old Murilo Bustamante and 37-year-old Dave Menne settle a score ten years in the making, and 38-year-old Paul Buentello fall to the most unfortunately nicknamed fella in The Ultimate Fighter history. Add in victories from a slew of former UFC guys -- Karo Parisyan, Patrick Cote, Thales Leites, Gilbert Yvel and Drew Fickett -- and gorged fight fans everywhere broke into a cold sweat at the thought of shoveling down another bite. But then Bellator or TUF popped back on the screen and everybody sighed and said, why not, there's always room for a little more. 5 MUST-READ STORIES Weekend MMA results. Catch up on another weekend of furious MMA action with results for The Ultimate Fighter: Live, The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil, Bellator 63, ONE FC 3: War of the Lions, Amazon Forest Combat 2, WMMA 1 and RFA, plus grappling results for the IBJJF Pan Ams, and fight videos of David Rickels vs. Jordan Smith, Gilbert Yvel vs. Houston Alexander and 50-year-old Maurice Smith vs. Jorge Cordoba. If Brock Lesnar is headed back to WWE, Dana White won't stand in his way. According to various unconfirmed reports, former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has signed a new one-year contract with WWE. When asked, UFC President Dana White insisted Zuffa wouldn't take action to stop the rumored deal. Video: riot breaks out at Lockdown MMA event. London's 'Lockdown MMA' show met a premature end after belligerent fight-crazed fans broke into a full-blown riot, throwing bottles and chairs at each other for several minutes. Fedor Emelianenko rumored for October M-1/ONE FC card. M-1 Director of Operations Evgeni Kogan attended Saturday night's ONE FC 3 show as a special guest of CEO/Owner Victor Cui, fueling rumors that a cross-promoted card headlined by Fedor Emelianenko could be in the works. Muhammed 'King Mo' Lawal apologizes, may be considering WWE. Exiled former Strikeforce champion Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal reportedly expressed interest in taking his talents to the WWE after apologizing to Nevada Athletic Commissioner Pat Lundvall. MEDIA STEW Now here's an idea we can totally get behind: POLITICIAN FIGHTS. Sounds good, right? But that's not even the best part. You can gamble on them. Yes, in an bizarre awesome showing of depravity, bookies listed 37-year-old conservative senator Patrick Brazeau as a 3-to-1 favorite to bust up 40-year-old liberal parliament representative Justin Trudeau when the two Canadians brawled (for charity) on Saturday night in Ottawa. United States congress, start taking notes. (Thanks to @Gabe_Lewis for the tip.) It's Monday morning, you're a responsible adult, you have things to do. Hey, we get it. But for all the slackers bored at work out there, do yourself a favor and check out Ole Laursen vs. Eduard Folayang's crazy 'Fight of the Year' candidate from ONE FC 3. (For the lazy, jump to 3:07:22. Or just spend the entire afternoon watching four hours of spectacular violence. We promise not to tell anyone.) In a lot of ways, Rashad Evans gets a bad rap. The guy is showered with boos inside the cage, even though outside of it he's nothing but nice to fans and media alike. So big props to 'Shad for the restraint he showed after this dum-dum fan asked for an autographed "Rashadface" poster. Another gem from the weekend: check out Patrick Cote making a pretty damn strong case for a UFC contract (plus Mario Yamasaki failing badly at his job) at Saturday's Amazon Forest Combat 2 event. (HT: Reddit) Melvin Manhoef and DEEP champion Yoshiyuki Nakanishi were two minutes into what looked like to be an electrifying scrap at ONE FC 3, before an errant kick opened up a canyon-of-a-cut on Manhoef's right shin. Needless to say, this sucker ended in a 'no contest.' (Photo via Anton Tabuena/Bloody Elbow.) I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN MOM AND DAD FIGHT . @smgathletes one day @evgenikogan said that if we ever got an UFC offer,he'd let me go. Now we know he's a lier piece of shit. — Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) April 2, 2012 @evgenikogan You're pathetic. I wasn't the one jumping like a high school girl when her boyfriend was getting kicked in the neck. — Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) April 2, 2012 @evgenikogan also "Cry me a River" isJ. Timberlake's song. I thought you were a fan of Brittney Spears. — Vinny Magalhaes (@VinnyMMA) April 2, 2012 WELL ALRIGHT THEN @ufcyou are crazy if you think you've seen the last of this twitter.com/CesarGracieBJJ… — Cesar Gracie (@CesarGracieBJJ) March 30, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced over the weekend (Friday, March 30, 2012 - Sunday, April 1, 2012): - UFC 148: Melvin Guillard (29-10-2) vs. Fabricio "Morango" Camoes (14-6-1) - UFC on FX 3: Charlie Brenneman (15-3) vs. Erick Silva (13-2), according toGlobo - Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Cormier: Gian Villante (9-3) vs. Derrick Mehmen (12-4), according to Newsday - Bellator 65: Cole Konrad (8-0) vs. Eric Prindle (7-1) - Bellator 67: Ben Saunders (13-4-2) vs. Bryan Baker (17-3) - Bellator 67: Karl Amoussou (14-4-2) vs. David Rickels (10-0) FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day comes from BE's Jack Slack, and he warns it may ruffle some feathers: New Breed? A Realistic Assessment of the UFC Heavyweight Division The heavyweight division has traditionally been sparse on talent. Yet with the upcoming all heavyweight spectacular at UFC 146, all eyes are focused on the division and fans are more excited for a card as a whole than they have been for some time. Perhaps people think that they are excited because the heavyweight division is ever improving, and the men competing today would trounce the heavyweight division of three or four years ago? Probably not. The reason most fans are excited is because the heavyweight division promises FINISHES. Big ones. Why You Buy Heavyweight Fights Heavyweight fights have always been viewed as the ticket sellers, which is why the atrocious Frank Mir vs Cro Cop match up (replacing the only slightly less atrocious Frank Mir vs Big Nog 2 match up) was still able to headline a UFC event, despite a wealth of talent elsewhere on the the same card. People pay to see heavyweights because big men can generate a lot of force in their punches, tend to have a harder time covering up (due to their massive frames) and gas so quickly that a knockout delivered by the second man to tire is pretty much assured. When heavyweight matches go the scheduled distance however, they tend to be open mouthed panting, clinched against the fence affairs which put a dampener on the whole evening of fights. Sean Sherk vs Evan Dunham was a back and forth technical exchange with significant ramifications at lightweight, buried in the memory of fans beneath 3 rounds of Frank Mir failing to take down an opponent who was 30lbs lighter than him, with an injured eye. Much of the talk three years ago, when Fedor Emelianenko had turned down the opportunity to fight for the UFC, was around the "new breed" of heavyweights. Men just as skilled as Fedor who were bigger, and a marked improvement on anything that had come at heavyweight before. How much of this "new breed" was hype? We'll examine that below. Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

Posted in: ufc, fight, heavyweight, vs, fan

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Rashad Evans, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, is on the upswing. He lost the title to Lyoto Machida in May of 2009 at UFC 98. He's been angling for a title shot ever since but a combination of bad luck, injuries and poor timing has forced him to wait until this coming April 21 when he'll challenge Jon Jones at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia. In the meantime, he's still got to suffer the slings and arrows of obnoxious fans who won't let him forget the painful moment when Lyoto Machida knocked him out and took his title. In the video above we see Rashad react when an impertinent fan in Puerto Rico presents him a photograph of the KO moment from UFC 98 to autograph. Evans manages to respond in a relatively restrained manner the first time the fan presents the photograph, but when the man makes a second run... More SBN coverage of UFC 145

Posted in: ufc, title, fan, evan, lyoto machida

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Video: Douche bag mixed martial arts (MMA) fan tries to get a Rashad Evans to sign a picture of him getting knocked out by Lyoto Machida. "Suga" doesn't take it very well.

Posted in: fan, picture, rashad evans, bag, douche

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submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: fan, evan, machida, reaction, evans reaction

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"TUF Brazil" is shown on Globo, a major TV channel in Brazil. Fans love it. Best estimates are that 12 million of them are watching. After watching the first episode online, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the house and watching some good fights as the...

Posted in: fan, tuf, brazil, tuf brazil, tv channel

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For a man that has yet to fight in 2012, Fedor Emelianenko sure seems to get around a lot. Within the past few months we've seen the legendary heavyweight cruise through sambo championships with his brother, hit the Korean game show circuit, giggle his way down Russian water slides, and now his latest venture, sumo wrestling. Fedor may not be fighting in the UFC (and at the age of 35, that ship seems to have sailed), but in slow times like these, it's strangely gratifying to see one of the sports true icons, and someone who was so famously stoic, finally enjoying himself so much. It's unfortunate that bad management has left Emelianenko's name to forever be thrown around in the "what if" discussions. No one could have seen that coming back in the day. But it's even more unfortunate that Fedor seems to be realizing this now, as his abilities slowly betray him. So if "The Last Emperor" wants to keep doing his thing with these various adventures, more power to him. After all the excitement he's given us over the past decade, he's earned it. 5 MUST-READ STORIES Joe Lauzon vs. Terry Etim booked for UFC on FOX 4. Joe Lauzon and Terry Etim will reportedly look to rebound from devastating knockout losses at UFC on FOX 4, which is slated for August 4th, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Bellator planning three hour main cards with 2013 move to Spike TV. As part of Bellator Fighting Championships' crusade to cut out their universally panned "superfights," the promotion plans to extend the length of its televised main card from two to three hours next year, paving the way for more tournaments and more title fights. Demetrious Johnson heavy favorite over Ian McCall. Despite fighting to a majority draw the first time around, Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson opened as a near 2-to-1 favorite over Ian "Uncle Creepy" McCall in advance of their UFC on FX 3 flyweight rematch. Jake Shields moves back to middleweight, wants to fight in August. Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields hopes to return to action sometime in August and will move back up to 185 pounds after a lukewarm UFC run at welterweight. 25 most awkward photos in MMA history. For all its charms, mixed martial arts sure does produce its fair share of embarrassing kodak moments. So take a look at the worst of the worst (or best of the best, depending on how you look at it) with the 25 most awkward photos in MMA history. MEDIA STEW We know y'all want to see Fedor fighting in the UFC, but the USC (Ultimate Sumo Championship) is just as good, right? (HT: Middle Easy) Between all the mumbling and stumbling, somewhere in here James Toney tells Rampage Jackson to stop being a "slave to the white man." Wow. (HT: Reddit) Johny Hendricks and Brendan Schaub are monsters inside the cage, but ballet is a whole different beast. (Thanks to @pegson for the tip.) Steven Seagal wants you to recognize how dangerous and important he is. RECOGNIZE IT. (Fun fact: The YouTube tags on this clip include "fat", "blowhard" and "seagull." To whichever Jimmy Kimmel Live intern is responsible for this, we thank you.) IN CASE YOU WERE WORRIED My cardio is good now. Don't worry. — Jason Mayhem Miller (@mayhemmiller) March 28, 2012 TRASH TALK QUOTA HAS BEEN LOWERED @BigfootSilva It is an honor to fight you as well Big Foot! — Roy Nelson (@roynelsonmma) March 29, 2012 IF ONLY THEY STILL BLEACHED THEIR HAIR Hey @Eminem how about it bro July 7th Vegas walk @titoortiz to the octagon in his final fight!!!!!!! The fans would go nuts !!!!!" right — Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) March 29, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced yesterday (Wednesday, March 28, 2012): - UFC on FOX 4: Joe Lauzon (21-7) vs. Terry Etim (15-4) reportedly booked for FOX broadcast, according to Fighters Only - UFC on FX 4: Ramsey Nijem (5-2) vs. C.J. Keith (8-0 ) FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day is an essential guide for any new fight fan, penned by Bloody Elbow's SSReporters: Breaking Down Common UFC Terminology For New MMA Fans Hey there new MMA fans! If you're confused by the lack of UFC cards over the last few weeks, then kindly teleport yourself back to 2005. Afterwards, return to the present-day and realize how awesome it is to be a MMA fan and a fan of the UFC. I understand that this sport is not the easiest to follow, particularly when the UFC has never really put much emphasis on explaining the rules, grappling positions, strike techniques, etc. The majority of the terminologies you may be unfamiliar with are often spewed out of the mouths of Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan, the leading commentary pair in our beloved organization. No need to worry, as I have got it all covered. I will break down the most uttered phrases in the UFC (okay, mostly the nonsense from Goldie and Rogan) and make it so that even the common fan can grasp it. Striking - ROCKED! When a power punch of any sort lands flush, a fighter is deemed to be "rocked" even when he isn't. - PUNCHES in BUNCHES. Combinations. - Knees reminiscent of Anderson Silva. Any Muay Thai clinch with a knee to the head immediately invokes the memories of Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin I and II. It's also a really stupid thing to say multiple times over, so I advise you MMA newbies not to use this as a reference every single time a fighter has the clinch. Grappling - IT'S DEEP! A submission attempt that is deemed to be close to finished thus leading towards a tapout, but is only ever accurate 4 times out of 100. Noted dullard and professional troll Jacob Volkmann set a record with 37 "deep" d'arce chokes against Danny Castillo, but Castillo managed to escape every time. Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, time, fan

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The UFC recently announced that Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen would meet in the main event of UFC 147, which will take place at the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The soccer stadium seats almost 47,000 fans when in use for that sport. When set up for UFC 147, it is expected that the crowd will rival or surpass the more than 55,000 fans that witnessed UFC 129 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. While MMA fans celebrated the announcement, one person said, not

Posted in: ufc, anderson silva, fan, chael sonnen, janeiro brazil

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While we MMA fans may be in a bit of a dead season for shows, pro wrestling fans are currently giddy with anticipation. Why? WrestleMania. This Sunday is the WWE's WrestleMania 28, headlined by John Cena vs. The Rock. On the road to WrestleMania, WWE superstars regularly take to the media circuit to hype up the show, and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan made an interesting stop on that media tour. As part of the WWE "Outside the Ring" online series, Bryan recently dropped by the training facility at Xtreme Couture, spending some time grappling with Neal Melanson. Even if you are not a big pro wrestling fan, it's really interesting stuff, with Bryan and Melanson discussing the history of grappling in wrestling, Bryan's own desire to help pro wrestling evolve by incorporating more MMA, and the specific techniques behind the LeBell lock. Related: Video: CM Punk, Rener Gracie Break Down Royce Gracie Vs. Dan Severn UFC On Fox 2 Video: WWE Champion CM Punk On Brock Lesnar, Chael Sonnen Walkout I know a lot of MMA fans hate any wrestling connection, but right now, there is a new generation of wrestlers in the WWE who are big fans of MMA and working to close the gap between the two. Both Daniel Bryan and WWE Champion CM Punk are very open about their love of MMA, and both men have spent plenty of time training submission fighting. It might not be enough to get any pro-wrestling haters to tune in to WrestleMania this weekend, but for any long-time fans of both, it's cool to see wrestling starting to take its cues from MMA, rather than just the other way around. Watch the video in the full entry. And for more WrestleMania coverage, be sure to check out our friends at Cageside Seats.

Posted in: mma, bryan, fan, wwe, wrestlemania

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"Werdum is a greatly improved fighter with phenomenal stand-up and I think his jiu-jitsu is some of the best in the world. The guy is awesome. The only reason why I at first said, 'hmmm, maybe not a good idea' when I found out he wanted to fight in June in Brazil. I was like, 'Ah, I don't know if that would be such a great idea, I don't know if I'm gonna be that well received there.' I'd have to go there for a whole week with my family, my wife and my children. I don't think I'm in (Chael's) boat yet, but at the same time if I go to a restaurant and someone is a Nogueira fan, what are they gonna do to my food? Brazilian fans, fans in general, can be kinda crazy and I've received quite a few crazy Emails. Google translate is a phenomenal thing but it kind of makes you cringe a little bit when you see what people wanna say." --Former UFC 265-pound champion Frank Mir on why he quickly shot down discussions of a possible fight against fellow heavyweight hurter Fabricio Werdum in Brazil. Mir, who will instead battle Cain Velasquez at UFC 146 on May 26 in Las Vegas, is concerned for his well-being after snapping Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm like a Popsicle stick at UFC 140 last December. "Minotauro," a former PRIDE FC Champion, is one of Brazil's most beloved mixed martial artists, and Mir has already gotten enough "crazy Emails" to know that he's not welcome. Anyone Brazilian MMA fans out there want to weigh in on this one? More on his upcoming fight against Velasquez right here.

Posted in: fight, mir, fan, brazil, werdum

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It seems like the dream job for any mixed martial arts (MMA) fan. Working for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) behind the scenes, matching up the massive roster of fighters at the promotion's disposal. Playing matchmaker is something almost every fan does after an event, predicting who the winners and losers of each bout should take on next. It also seems to be a colossal pain in the butt. You've got fan favorites who are painfully one-dimensional like Dan Hardy who you want to keep on the payroll because they're entertaining, but you've also got prospects who need to be brought up slow enough; however, not too slow as to not completely dash their chances of becoming the next Georges St. Pierre or Jon Jones. And if you thought keeping up with simply watching all the events the UFC put on is tough, imagine booking the 10 to 12 fights for each one of them. That's Joe Silva's job, and while he does admirably -- as in the case of booking Gray Maynard and Clay Guida together -- there are still times where his talented mind goes astray and we're left with a fight absolutely no one wants to see. Case in point: the rubber match between Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz. Only hours separated the news breaking of Maynard's clash with Guida in Atlantic City, N.J., and MMAmania.com reporting the trilogy fight between the Light Heavyweight rivals at UFC 148. On one side of the matchmaking spectrum, it is an intriguing bout between two lightweights looking to get back into title contention. On the other, it is a showdown between two men at the end of their ropes with title aspirations barely visible in the rearview mirror. Worse yet, the interesting bout will take place on free television, while fans will have to pay for the innocuous 205-pound fight. After Quinton Jackson lost to Ryan Bader at UFC 144, I suggested "Rampage" get paired up with Griffin in a rematch of their controversial UFC 86 meeting. For free. On Fox. It's a name match up that would draw eyeballs to its newest and shiniest toy -- a major network television deal -- while still leaving the true contenders to do their thing for a cost on pay-per-view (PPV). Both men won't be banging it out for 12 pounds of gold anytime soon, but their names still hold some sway among casual fans. "Rampage" has done his best to screw up all goodwill he had left with the UFC fanbase since then, but a fight against Griffin would have still been more intriguing than one with the The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 1 winner and Ortiz. "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" has exactly one win in over five years, while Griffin is 2-3 since winning the belt from Jackson. Their second bout at UFC 106 didn't exactly thrill audiences, making a third meeting between the two completely unneeded and thoroughly undesired. Honestly, it's an insult to fans and worse yet, it's a slap in the face to fighters more worthy of the PPV spot Griffin and Ortiz are taking. I understand both men likely have a PPV cut written into their contracts. It's essentially legally required for them to show up on a numbered event on a Saturday night. Still, though, it's curious matchmaking from Silva when better options are available for either man. Besides the aforementioned rematch with "Rampage," a bout with Lyoto Machida or Phil Davis would be an original match up for Griffin fans haven't seen. Even a fight against recent signee Glover Teixeira would serve to give the highly touted light heavyweight a big debut. At this point of their careers, Griffin and Ortiz should be used to enhance younger talent and a fight between each other does nothing for anyone, including themselves. At the very least, either light heavyweight could be booked in a fight that would raise eyebrows. Take, for example, the match-up between Rich Franklin and Cung Le. Franklin seems to be the definition of conventional. He's not amazing at any one skill, but he's proficient enough in all of them to be a threat to any fighter. Le, on the other hand, is just about the exact opposite. His striking is dazzling and deadly but has no ground game to speak of. It's an intriguing bout, one that could go any numbers of ways. It's exactly the kind of fight Griffin/Ortiz III isn't. Guida/Maynard, Franklin/Le and even Martin Kampmann's next bout with Jake Ellenberger are recent homeruns for the UFC matchmaker. But, Silva swung and missed hard when he booked a third bout between the UFC 59 and UFC 106 rivals. I suppose when you're at the bat as much as he is these days -- over two dozen events this year alone -- you're bound to come up with a dud once in a while, right? You win some, you lose some. Apparently it happens before the fighters even step inside the Octagon, too.

Posted in: ufc, fight, bout, fan, griffin

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From the UFC’s perspective, internet piracy is a pretty straightforward issue. Websites that illegally stream UFC pay-per-view events are criminals, and individuals who watch those streams are their accomplices. The UFC has said it will aggressively pursue legal remedies against both, and now that the world’s foremost MMA organization has obtained user information from Greenfeedz.com -- a streaming website that was recently shut down -- it says that it intends to do just that."We believe that we've got an obligation to go out there and try to protect the intellectual property and protect both our rights and the rights of our fighter-partners," UFC chief legal counsel Lawrence Epstein told MMAjunkie.com last week.Translation: If you watched UFC pay-per-views on Greenfeedz.com, prepare to get sued for, in the words of one attorney representing the UFC in this case, "significantly more" than the cost of a pay-per-view. What such a strategy might ultimately cost the UFC and its parent company Zuffa, however, seems to be a question that the MMA giant hasn’t fully considered. To hear the UFC’s Epstein tell it, suits against those who illegally streamed UFC events wouldn’t technically be suits against the organization’s own fans because "people that steal our stuff – they're not our fans." Except that they are, or else they probably wouldn’t be sitting in front of a laptop on a Saturday night watching a UFC event, whether they paid for it or not.When Epstein says that those people aren’t the UFC’s fans, what he really means is, they aren’t the fans the UFC wants. That’s why the UFC feels just fine about threatening to sue those particular fans (though it’s arguable whether that threat is a legitimate one), and also why it seems to think this would ultimately be good for the organization. It wouldn’t, and there are a few different reasons why.For starters, the UFC seems to believe that there are two types of MMA fans: the type who buys the pay-per-views, and the type who watches them illegally. In reality, the line between those two groups is probably a lot blurrier than Zuffa realizes. Chances are very good that some of the people who have streamed events in the past have also bought them, and probably will buy them again at some point in the future. Maybe they only pony up the $55 for the pay-per-view when the card is good enough, or when they can get friends to split the cost with them. Maybe they stream it when they only care about one or two fights, or when they’re simply too strapped for cash to afford it. My point is, not all piracy is created equal, at least on the receiving end, and attacking viewers as if they are distributors could do much more harm than good.For instance, picture a 19-year-old college student just about anywhere in America. He wants to see a UFC event, but maybe he can’t even afford basic cable, let alone a pay-per-view. He can’t go to a bar to watch the fights (unless he has a convincing fake ID), so he stays home and finds an illegal stream on his laptop, because he can't stand to miss the big fight. Then, months later, he gets sued by the UFC.What’s going to happen when that kid graduates, goes to work, and finds a job that will allow him to enjoy luxury expenses like pay-per-views? You think he’s going to become a loyal customer of the company that sued him back when he was struggling to buy books? You think he’s going to buy a ticket to see a UFC event when it comes to his city? You think he’s going to buy merchandise or watch free events or patronize the UFC in any way after that experience? Maybe. Or maybe he’ll hold a little bit of a grudge. You know, for the rest of his natural life.That’s not to say that the UFC should give out pay-per-views as charity, or even look the other way while its events are pirated. As Epstein points out, UFC stars like Georges St-Pierre get a cut of pay-per-view proceeds, so it isn’t just some faceless company that’s harmed by piracy -- it's also the guys who are actually bleeding for their cash. (Though, as a sidenote, if fans who watch illegal streams are stealing from GSP, and if the UFC sues those fans, does that mean GSP will get a cut of whatever restitution the UFC receives in court? Call me a cynic, but I don’t see it going down that way.)Still, there’s plenty of justification for going after the internet pirates themselves. They really are stealing from the UFC and from fighters like GSP, and the UFC should do what it can to stop them. But going after the individual viewers is not only a questionable PR move, it’s also not a terribly cost-effective one. The user information that Zuffa recovered from Greenfeedz alone was "voluminous," according to an attorney representing the company, and litigating against so many individual users who merely consumed illegally pirated material has proved to be a tough sell in court. Even if the UFC does win a judgment against some laptop jockeys who either couldn’t or wouldn’t ante up for the pay-per-view, will it see enough cash in return to make the legal fees and the PR headache worth it? Will the fighters who were supposedly robbed be better off for it?Maybe the UFC won’t actually try it. Maybe it will be content to let word of the threat spread around the internet, and hope that the bluff alone will be enough to deter fans from turning to illegal streams. Maybe it will instead focus on going after the distributors of pirated content rather than the consumers, since without one there wouldn't be the other, and maybe it will even take a more active role in trying to turn those would-be stream-watchers into actual, paying customers.In other words, maybe the UFC could stand to use a little more carrot and a little less stick when it comes to its online fanbase. Because, let’s be honest, those people are fans. They are the people that UFC wants as its audience, both now and in the years to come. And while it might be possible to turn fans into enemies through the use of overzealous litigation, it's probably a lot harder to do it the other way around.

Posted in: ufc, event, fan, stream, payperview

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The Ultimate Fighter reality show has constantly reinvented itself with fresh new formats over the years to keep the content engaging and appealing to viewers. Since 2005, the series has utilized numerous gimmicks to keep fans tuned in, including its current format that features...

Posted in: show, fan, reality, format, allfemale cast

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The New York Times Fashion and Style section this week had a feature entitled, “The Fight Club Generation.”  The article details the fascination of MMA with youths to young adults. The article which reports at a regional MMA card in Atlantic City focuses on youth interest in mixed martial arts. The article refers to the movie “Fight Club” which starred Brad Pitt and Ed Norton as the inspiration for many fans of MMA today. Not sure if this is actually true of most young MMA fans as that movie was filmed in 1999.  The mainstream popularity has only occurred in the past few years.  The article later devolves with comparisons to the XFL and “The Godfather.” But, it also identifies, that in general, most people 35 years of age and older are not fans of the sport. In fact, the NY Times states that horse racing and figure skating are more popular than MMA in this segment. Payout Perspective: Getting past some of the minutiae in the article, one of the interesting takeaways coming from it is looking at how young fans get interested in the sport. TapouT and Cage Hero are  just a couple brands that have marketed MMA toward kids.  Last October, Cage Hero rebranded itself with an eye toward kids.  Having just attended a Jiu Jitsu tournament today and seeing so many kids under 10 in the sport one can see that grappling, and to a greater degree, MMA is a growing sport.   With MMA taking off, it will be interesting to see if the UFC begins to reach out, with more targeted campaigns, to the under 18 demographic.

Posted in: mma, sport, fan, kid, article

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Quinton Jackson is no stranger to "keeping it real." When he has something on his mind, he will say it, rap it or Tweet it, as evident with his recent Twitter rants and interviews about his desire to be released from his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contract. The former 205-pound champion has gone on a media "Rampage," telling anyone and everyone of his desires to be cut free from his obligations with the world's biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion. After his unanimous decision loss to Ryan Bader at UFC 144, Jackson has expressed his feelings of being unappreciated by his current employers and fans alike. Even UFC matchmaker Joe Silva couldn't escape Quinton's wrath, going as far as saying he need to be shot in the face for matching him up against wrestlers that only want to "hump" him. Though the target of his verbal assault, the head honchos at Zuffa granted him his wishes and paired him up with a fellow striker. A dangerous striker at that, as they matched him up with Muay-Thai wrecking machine, Mauricio Rua, before being let go from the organization. However, what would have been a rematch seven years in the making from their time spent competing in Pride FC, is now going to have to wait as Jackson recently revealed he will have surgery on both of his knees. Just in case he didn't make his feelings crystal clear to his employers and the general public, "Rampage" clarifies all of his recent statements and decisions to leave the UFC in this recent in-depth, 40-minute interview with MMA Heat's Karyn Bryant. Hold your breath, were about to dive into the deep end, after the jump (Video included): "I'm always open with everybody on my Twitter or whatever, interviews, that I'm leaving the UFC. I just feel like, the UFC, Lorenzo and stuff, they done really good, they're nice, they are going to pay for all my surgeries and they are really good about that. But there are some things that they are not good about. I don't' like how I'm not promoted as the first ever undisputed champion. I just feel like that's kind of throwing me under the bus a little bit and I just feel like lately I haven't been making the same money, the UFC getting paid more, but I'm making less money. To me, it's like, is it worth it with all this stick I get from the fans and all this type of stuff? So I just want to go and do my own things. I'm designing video games, I'm writing movies, I'm making movies." "Rampage" goes on to touch on the subject of money, and how some fans misunderstand the fact the it really isn't all about the "Benjamins." "The fans don't really understand me. Even though I fight for money, I'm not all about money. If I was all about money, I wouldn't have took the "A-Team" movie. Because I'll keep it real, I don't give a fuck, I only made $100,000 on that movie. I would have done the movie for free, but the press tour, that's one thing they should have paid me two million for that. That was counted in the price, and I didn't know that. But at the time, I wanted to be B.A. Baracus, I'm a big kid. So if I was all about money, I wouldn't have jumped over all that money I made from fighting for $100,000. I'm not saying I am the highest paid guy in MMA, but I feel like I should be one of the highest paid guys in MMA because of what I bring to the table. I try to excite people even if I'm not fighting. I just try to be real entertaining and I think people should respect that but a lot of people don't. " When asked if he felt whether any UFC fighter thought they were getting promoted enough, Quinton had this to say: "Anderson Silva should be complaining more than me. Maybe he is, but it's in Portuguese and we don't know what he saying. If I was Anderson Silva, I would be pretty much upset. Anderson Silva is one of the greatest of all time, amazing fighter. I think he should be everywhere and promoted everywhere." Jackson, however, did have some nice things to say about his current employer, the UFC, though he is adamant that the promotion didn't "make" him: "The UFC is not all bad. Honestly they are great people, a great organization. I don't blame the UFC for promoting their show because if anything happens to a fighter, a fighter can get hurt. Like Brock Lesnar, they can put all the edge on him and look at him, he's injured or he is not well and he can't fight no more, so I understand the UFC for what they do and stuff like that, so I don't want them to blame me for doing what I'm doing. I'm not the UFC, I'm Rampage, you know what I'm saying? The UFC did not make me, I come from PRIDE and stuff like that, PRIDE made me, but then PRIDE treated me like shit. I left PRIDE. I did the same thing. When I feel like I'm not appreciated, I leave. What I do is, I go out there and put my life on the line to fight exciting. If I get hurt really bad in a fight, get my neck broken or paralyzed, there's no pension for me. It's not like the NFL or the NBA. The fans don't understand that, a lot of fans are selfish. They think this and they think that. I can't be all like you guys, like a fan boy of the UFC when I'm making the money I'm making. The money I am making is good, but I'm putting all four of my kids through college. I'm putting my little sister through college. So, I decided to leave the UFC, cuz I just don't feel like they respect what I'm trying to do. I'm going to finish my contract with the UFC, they are actually being pretty cool with me and stuff like that, they talked to my manager and stuff like that. I'm sad to leave the big show, but people don't understand me. At the end of the day, I feel like I'm not being respected and appreciated and if the UFC offered me twenty million dollars to fight, then I'd be like, "OK!" I'm just playing." Quinton also gives yet another reason why he wants out of the UFC, fighters with extravagant game plans: "I'm looking at boxers making all this money, and there ain't nobody getting knocked out, nobody hitting the ground. Then now, I'm trying to be exciting as hell, that's one reason I want to leave the UFC is because all these fighters are coming in with these extravagant game plans and stuff and its getting boring too now. People want to say, "Your one dimensional, your one dimensional." These are new sheep that ain't watched my fights back in the day, they didn't watch my fights in PRIDE. Yeah I'm one dimensional, yeah I'm trying to knock folks out. I don't want to be like those guys, game planning and wrestling, and humping people. If I don't throw leg kicks, you don't know why. Maybe my knees are bad or maybe a wrestler is going to take me down. When you get taking down, it's hard to get up off the ground if the guy is just holding you. If the guy is doing jiu-jitsu going for stuff I can get up all day. There's game plans just to hold people down and I don't want to be a part of that. I want to fight people like Shogun, people like Wanderlei, people like Chuck, like the real fighters. Guys like Frankie Edgar and Bendover (Bendo). Those guys are soldiers, they went to war. That's how MMA should be, that's what made MMA popular. Look at these guys like Jon Jones, and sorry to say, Rashad Evans and all the guys at Jackson's, I heard that Clay Guida is getting boring now and I couldn't imagine that because I'm a big Clay Guida fan. Someone told me that, I didn't see it maybe I'm wrong, scratch that comment. Somebody was saying he isn't fighting the same no more." The former Light Heavyweight kingpin assures all fans that they will still be seeing plenty of him, even though he will no longer be in "the big show" and also lays out a challenge to any fans who think he sucks: "I'm going to do all kinds of stuff just to stay out there and just keep entertaining my fans because I feel bad that I had to leave the UFC. It's the same reason I left PRIDE. They told me I was a nobody, and I left PRIDE after that when my contract was done. They wanted me to sign another contract but I told them, "Nah I'm a nobody, peace." Don't downplay me and what I am because I do a whole lot for the sport and I do it to be exciting and stuff like that. I go beyond my personality and I don't clam up when the camera on and I go beyond just to be exciting for the fans. When I fight, I come to fight no matter what. Even if it's a wrestler and I'm not excited I still try to go and give an exciting fight and don't matter who it is or whether I win or lose. I don't care if I win or lose. The American fans are the ones that care and want to talk shit and try to say I suck. For all you fans, that talk shit and say I suck, I'll give you the address to my gym and you guys come down and say it to my face, in the cage, after you sign a waiver. If you think I suck, come tell me, I'm serious. I will do it before I get my knee surgeries. You think I suck? Come on down to my gym, step in the cage with me and show me that I suck. If you beat my ass, I'll say, "Ok, I suck." But if I beat your ass, I'm going to kick you the fuck out of my gym. Get the fuck out, you suck." And ... exhale. If you were not clear on his feelings before, you definitely have no reason to be confused as to why Jackson isn't happy with his current place in the MMA landscape, after reading that. One of the most exciting fighters to ever step inside the Octagon will soon be calling it a day with the UFC, but rest assured, he isn't done with fighting just yet, and it will be interesting to see just where he ends up. For now, knee surgery is on deck and a bout with "Shogun" is still in his sights. If and when the bout ever comes to fruition, remains to be seen. Stay tuned.

Posted in: ufc, money, fan, im, dont

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MMA Junkie has more information on the UFC's ongoing plans to sue individuals who streamed pay per views off the website Greenfeedz.com: [T]he number of customer records is "voluminous," according to Julie Cohen Lonstein, a lawyer with an anti-piracy firm representing the UFC. She said the information is currently being sifted to "extract certain data and make determinations internally.""We just got these files, so I am prioritizing them, but I don't have the answer (of how long it will take to deliver the lawsuits)," she later added. "It will be in the very near future."...Epstein said he hasn't set guidelines for who gets sued and who doesn't."Other than we need to have the requisite proof that they actually took it," he said. "I think through this seizure, I think we're going to be able to find lots of names, emails, telephone numbers and sometimes even addresses to identify those people that are watching illegally." It's going to be interesting to see if the UFC actually has the information they need to connect the dots here. While they certainly have a big pile of usernames and emails, trying to tie those to real people could prove difficult. Then they'd have to establish who watched what, which means they'd need IP logs tied to specific pay per views. It's a possibility that this information may be laid out in sue-friendly server logs, but there's also dozens of potential ways that data could be rendered inconclusive because of how the technology works.One thing is for sure though: the UFC is coming after streamers, and they have no moral qualms about it because these people aren't real fans of the sport. "If you're a huge [Georges St-Pierre] fan, would you steal from him? I don't think so. So we love our fans, we respect our fans, but people who steal from us, frankly, aren't our fans." What about the fans that pay most of the time but pirate sometimes? AKA 90% of MMA fans out there? It's going to be very interesting seeing who gets pinched for pirating and what the specifics of their cases will be. That'll probably determine if the UFC manages to create a new revenue stream strong-arming people into settling expensive copyright suits or if this whole endeavor blows up in their face like it did with the music industry.

Posted in: ufc, fan, people, information, i dont

Read the full article at Fightlinker

When he's not rapping drunk in Japan, Quinton Jackson is slapping drunken fans in the U.S. After a long, hard few days of running down the UFC on Twitter, figuring out he needs surgery on both his knees, and taking his love of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to Sylvester Stallone levels, "Rampage" hit a nightclub in Los Angeles to wind down. And wind up five fingers for one lucky fan who was begging to be slapped. Requested and received. For what it's worth, the fan offered his chin up and gave no resistance to the shot to the dome. Despite this, Jackson still hasn't knocked anyone out since Wanderlei Silva back in 2008. Tsk tsk.

Posted in: jackson, wanderlei silva, los angeles, fan, mma fan

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submitted by JimYoung99 [link] [comment]

Posted in: rampage, fan, jimyoung

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In some third-world cultures, a slap in the face by Rampage Jackson is the equivalent of dipping your first born in a volcano and the child coming out miraculously unscathed. Actually back in the day in Japan, one of Inoki's young fans was playfully hitting him during a press event. Inoki, looked back at the kid and slapped him in the face. The kid was stunned, but his father emerged from the crowd, stood in front of his son and bowed to Inoki as a sign of respect. From then on, a slap by Inoki is looked up in Japan as a high honor, and even a form of good luck. Even Lyoto Machida has felt the wrath of an Inoki slap more than once. Hopefully this video captured by TMZ of Rampage Jackson slapping a fan will catch on in the MMA lexicon.

Posted in: rampage, rampage jackson, fan, lyoto machida, inoki

Read the full article at Middle Easy

In an often friendly article, Douglas Quenqua put forth to the readers of the Fashion & Style section of the NY Times the rising popularity of mixed martial arts among the younger generation of sports fans and participants. The article opens with a February Ring of Combat event featuring Tom DeBlass, the #3 Light Heavyweight Prospect from the 2012 Scouting Report. Despite bumbling the fact that DeBlass is already a professional MMA fighter, Quenqua accurately depicts DeBlass's leglock method of victory and goes on to quote some of Bloody Elbow's familiar faces, while building the case that MMA is a very real sporting institution across the United States. Quenqua gives some of his valuable column inches to Kid Nate: Nate Wilcox, a public-affairs consultant in Austin, Tex., and writer for Bloody Elbow, one of many M.M.A. blogs, became an instant fan of the sport in 1995 when someone showed him a tape of the 1994 match between Royce Gracie and Kimo Leopoldo from Ultimate Fighting Championship III. "I used to play in a punk band, and someone brought a tape to practice and was like, ‘Nate, you are going to love this,' " he said. No word has been forthcoming on either side whether Kid Nate's affection for hats dates to this punk period or is a more recent happening. Either way, we now reap the rewards of the dark ages tape-sharing and hopefully, most here are grateful that this nameless person sparked the desire for controlled multi-discipline pugilistic violence in Nate. Hit the jump for more Bloody Elbow-related quotes and some discussion of Quenqua's article. Chris Groves, one of the more prolific members of the Bloody Elbow community, managed to get a very nice summation of MMA's appeal across in the article. Unfortunately, they misspelled his name and left the correction to the web edition without actually correcting the article: "I would say that if boxing is the sweet science, then M.M.A. is the complete science," said Chris Jones, a 19-year-old student at Pasco-Hernando Community College in, Fla. "It's all aspects of the fight. It's a full fight. It's a real fight." Despite these well placed quotes, attending a fairly good regional MMA event and having a wealth of online and off-line resources for fact-checking, Quenqua still throws out mistakes and awful metaphors while glossing briefly over the long and complicated history of the sport in recent times. In the aggregate, the article does an average job of bopping through some of the cultural benchmarks the sport of MMA has achieved, yet either space constraints or Quenqua's own newbie status prevent any serious analysis or context from being delivered to readers of the article. Furthermore, the absurdly reductive passages like It's like a boxing match crossbred with WrestleMania, presented in the middle of an Insane Clown Posse concert. might actually be counter-productive to Quenqua's intent to present MMA as something that the NY Times Fashion & Style readers should pay attention to or check out on their own time. Visions of small hordes of ICP fans inciting and performing acts of skilled violence are unlikely to calm the hysteria-mongers or reassure the NY Times-reading parents of impressionable youth that MMA is not going to ruin their children. Quenqua does quote Robert Thompson, a professor over at Syracuse University, who provides the headline hook by speaking about Fight Club and presents the best image of MMA fans in the entire article. The fascination with the sport has even seeped into the walls of academia. Robert Thompson, a professor of popular culture at Syracuse University, said that many of his male students wanted to write papers about mixed martial arts. And they are not always the students you would expect. "People who don't know these sports very well think their fans must be these kind of crazed, people-on-the-verge-of-a-breakdown, violent kind of thing," he said. But the students he sees who are most interested in the sport "tend to have really good grade-point averages and be really fine students," he said. "This is not something that smart young people look down their noses at." He agreed that the impact of "Fight Club" could not be discounted; it became a manifesto for a generation of boys who felt estranged from their masculinity. "It became this kind of magnum opus, and it described a certain culture of this kind of sport," Professor Thompson said. "This was their thing, and they defined themselves accordingly." The cult popularity of Fight Club is significant, yet the sport of MMA was present long before Chuck Palahniuk and David Fincher ever put their stories together. Our own John Nash and T.P. Grant have documented that thoroughly in their separate historical article series. Furthermore, the sport did not truly explode into the American consciousness (and financial lucrativeness) until roughly 2004 or 2005 - five or six years after the movie had come out and settled into the youth of that time. It is a good hook, despite its likely misapplication by Quenqua and could get a few new eyeballs to the sport. Quenqua does do a decent job of getting input directly from fans in attendance and in making this article link to a photo gallery that shows the passion the fighters, families and fans all bring to MMA. Credit should be given to him for recognizing that passion and attempting to make it work as an article. In short, this NY Times piece is not the article that the ardent MMA fan should be sending around to fence-sitters or those new to the sport in hopes of conversion. However, it is generally positive coverage in the most respected American newspaper running today and thus worth covering here on Bloody Elbow. Big ups to the fighters, organizers, promoters, fans, Bloody Elbow readers and writers who are working towards getting this sport and its related disciplines to an accepted state in the mainstream consciousness. We are getting there.

Posted in: mma, sport, fan, article, quenqua

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Jason's note: This is how the behind-the-scenes of MiddleEasy works; we get an email about a subject then someone steps up and takes it. Pretty simple. Bauzen stepped up to the plate with a strange and exciting challenge to our readers while informing them about Rampage/Shogun II (as you will see below), but not before we got this call to action from our fearless leader Zeus: Subject: Rampage/Shogun 2 Does anyone want to write the story? I would, but I'm pretty sure I just sliced the tip of my finger off by accident. I need to ttake a hospital visit. I typed this with onre hand. I'm bleeding, but awesome Now let's celebrate Rampage/Shogun II with Bauzen! Rampage has made it clear he feels mistreated and wants out of the UFC, but the fans have made it clear that they want to see him fight Mauricio Shogun Rua before he departs. In this instance, the fans have defeated Rampage by submission. First it was Jon Bones Jones by rear naked choke, now it’s the fans by harassing Dana White into making the fight happen at all costs. Congratulations, you guys should all pat yourselves on the back. The date is still up in the air, but Pride veterans will finally meet each other in a long-anticipated grudge match, so you should be excited about it. In fact, it’s mandatory that you get excited about it. Go now…Take off your clothes and run down the street screaming about how excited you are. If you put a video of it on YouTube and link it into the comments, and I believe it’s real, I will mail you an MMA glove signed by Fedor. Seriously…You have until Midnight to show me your love for Pride, otherwise, I’m mailing the gloves to Gary LaPlante because he runs around naked cheering for Shogun on a daily basis.

Posted in: fan, ii, rampageshogun ii, rampageshogun, jasons note

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Only a mile or two remained in St. Bonaventure's seven-hour journey back from Atlantic City in the wee hours of Monday morning when a phalanx of police cars pulled up to escort the team the rest of the way back to campus. Waiting at 2:30 a.m. to congratulate the Bonnies for their 67-56 win over Xavier in the Atlantic 10 title game was a throng of several hundred fans. Wild applause greeted every player getting off the bus, but most thunderous ovation of all went to coach Mark Schmidt. The fifth-year coach who took over a program struggling to make its own conference tournament even made a quick impromptu speech at the urging of the crowd after leading the Bonnies to their first NCAA tournament bid in 12 years. "This is for you guys," Schmidt told the fans. "This is one of the best days of our lives." About 11 hours removed from that memorable homecoming greeting, Schmidt reiterated how thankful he was for the show of support. "For those people to be out there at 2:30 in the morning in the cold waiting for us, it just shows how important basketball is to St. Bonaventure," Schmidt said by phone. "The win was for our team, but more importantly it was for the students and the university. For them to come out and show their appreciation, it meant a great deal."

Posted in: st, fan, schmidt, st bonaventure, guys schmidt

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The old-school UFC 144 fight card in Japan was a dream for many longtime fans, and now UFC 146 seems poised to top even that card as the best of the year so far. Some key matchups were announced for the May 26 card (Memorial Day weekend), which should shut up some of the anti-UFC...

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, card, additions fans

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Gus Johnson doesn't just bother MMA fans, his commentary gets on the nerves of a lot of boxing fans as well. Head over to Bad Left Hook to read my article on "The Inexcusable Awfulness Of Gus Johnson During Orlando Salido vs Juan Manuel Lopez II" (photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Posted in: fan, mma fans, gus johnson, gu, boxing fans

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The request we're sending to bloggers of all 30 teams this spring is a simple one: What are the 10 best things about being a fan of your favorite team? What features of the franchise have you excited for opening day and what keeps you coming back year after year? We're about halfway through our little experiment and we're glad to hear that so many of you are enjoying the ride. Up next is a BLS series regular, Tom Smith of Rum Bunter , to tell us why he's still a Pirates fan after all of these playoff-less years. 1. It has to end soon: There are Pittsburgh Pirates fans all over this country. And yes, we are well aware our baseball team has lost 1,713 games over the past 19 years. The last 19 years of our lives have been wrapped up in waiting for a winning season from the Bucs. Nineteen years of shaking our heads. Nineteen years of screaming into our hands at the top of our lungs as another first round draft pick gets the news that he will be heading to see Dr. Andrews. You're right.  It has been a long time, with plenty of people calling the team a laughingstock along the way, but there is no way we can give up on 'em now. We have too much invested. So before we leave for the opening day tailgate on April 5, we will take our familar spot in front of the bathroom mirror and say 'this will be the year.'

Posted in: team, year, fan, pirates fan, tom smith

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Well, let's be honest: this wasn't exactly the Daytona Fireball. Still, if you were a Tony Stewart fan, this was a fine afternoon. If you were a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan, you were loving it early. And if you were a Kurt Busch fan, well ... seek medical attention for depression immediately.

Posted in: fan, wasnt, vegas experience, stewart fan, daytona fireball

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While other divisions battle for state titles at Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League's Open Cup state championship is held at Robert Morris University Island Sports Center. That means a smaller crowd and fewer frills — like, for example, no singing of the national anthem before the game. As the Indiana Little Indians and the Quigley Spartans lined up before their championship game on Thursday night, the PA announcer apologized for the lack of an anthem, adding "if someone would like to volunteer to sing, you're more than welcome to sing." Well, it wasn't somebody who stepped up — it was everybody in the crowd, led by teams' student sections. This is awesome: Logan Lazor, a senior forward for Indiana, provided a little backstory to this stirring moment: "The two teams haven't met before, and it isn't uncommon for the national anthem to not be played before a game. The Indiana Little Indians, however, are one of the few teams that have the National Anthem played before every one of their home games, which the Indians fans (also known as the Rowdy Rooters), were accustomed to. "This being the state championship, and with fans at Indiana eagerly wanting to go watch their team win, two pep buses full of 80 students were brought to the game to help cheer their team on. But to their surprise, no national anthem was sung. So as it was announced that there would be no national anthem, the Indiana students took it upon themselves to sing our country's song. "I am a senior on the hockey team, and heard this go on as did the rest of our team. But by the time the song started, our coach already was giving us our last pre-game speech before the puck dropped; therefore, we didn't turn around. My reaction was just that I was simply proud of my school and our fans. Being my last game in front of these fans who make high school hockey the best memories of my life, it was just a great way for them to go out on top." Lazor and the Indians fell short of the Open Cup, losing to Quigley in double-overtime, 5-4. But for both teams, the dueling student sections filling in for the national anthem provided a lasting memory of the state title game. We expect nothing less from puckheads.

Posted in: team, fan, game, state, anthem

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MMA fans are a sordid, hateful bunch. Unfortunately, their abundant hate is rarely focused in the right direction. They don’t hate athletic commissions, they don't hate the rules, they don’t hate circumstances, but they hate the fighters who put their bodies and health on the line for them (or maybe they do hate the aforementioned things, but not as much as the fighters, at least not as vocally).

Posted in: fighter, ’t, fan, body, right direction

Read the full article at Low Kick

With Manchester United going up 2-0 on West Brom 10 minutes earlier, Man City fans immediately knew what Luke Moore's 83rd-minute goal to put Swansea up 1-0 on their side meant. And so, at least a few of them started crying. Both scorelines ended the way they were in that moment, allowing Man United to hop over City in the table. And though there's still a significant chunk of the season left to be played, the man pictured above knows it won't be easy. The fact that he was on camera at this moment will probably come as a surprise to him, though.

Posted in: fan, goal, man, city, swansea

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Posted in: ufc, gsp, fan, qa

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The premiere episode of The Ultimate Fighter Live aired on FX on March 9 and gave fans of mixed martial arts 16 fights. 32 men competed for their chance to make it into the house, but just 16 remain. While some fights ended quickly and didn't allow for proper judging of talent,...

Posted in: fight, fighter, fan, art, premiere episode

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Buster Posey heard the fans and he presumably saw them in a Cactus League game Friday , his first action for the San Francisco Giants since breaking his ankle last year. Thousands roared whenever his name was called, and dozens wore jerseys, shirseys and other T-shirts with Posey's No. 28 and likeness. Right-hander Matt Cain pointed out how neat the reaction was, saying that fans were happy just to see his teammate on the field again. There seemed to be a Buster Posey in every section, in every corner of Scottsdale Stadium. Therefore, we present: The Posey Poseurs in Pictures!

Posted in: fan, buster, posey, jerseys shirseys, scottsdale stadium

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As soon as I saw the press release regarding the UFC on FOX 3 press conference that took place yesterday, I knew Frankie Edgar was going to get his rematch. Why? Well, the press conference took place in New York, which is a stone's throw from Toms River, New Jersey. Toms River of course, is Frankie's hometown. In my short time writing about MMA there are two things I've learned about Dana White that I can say I'm sure of: The first is that he's the hardest working sports executive on the planet, bar none. The second (and this is almost surely a product of the first), is that he is more connected and more responsive to his fan base than any of his aforementioned peers. Since the calender turned over to 2012, the UFC has held shows in Brazil, Tennessee, Las Vegas, Nebraska, Japan and Australia. In straight air travel from one destination to the next, that's over 34,000 miles, or an average of 500 miles of travel per day. When you factor in the travel to and from the UFC's Las Vegas headquarters, as well as the various other cities White goes to in his on-going promotional efforts the distance traveled by White in just over two months reaches well above 40,000 miles. For some perspective on that, the average NHL team travels about 40,000 miles in a single eight month season. The average major league baseball team travels less than that. On top of the travel, Dana is in charge of a roster of over 300 individual fighters that is constantly in flux. Of the rest of the professional sports leagues in North America, NFL general managers have the biggest roster to deal with, beginning each season with 80 players, but by the time the games count for real they will have whittled it down to 53. Finally, each of the other professional sports leagues have a designated off-season lasting between three and six months. The UFC meanwhile, is open for business 365 days a year. Considering this unforgiving travel schedule, White doesn't have the luxury of taking much time mulling over decisions. His position demands that he make decisions quickly and move on. More following the jump. Like any good promoter, Dana doesn't just travel to every event, he shows up days in advance to hit the pavement and promote his show. From press conferences to interviews with local radio, TV, and newsprint media, he's extremely hands on. Anyone who follows White on twitter (at just under two million, there are a lot of us), or has seen his video blogs will be familiar with the hunt for tickets ritual that he puts on a few days before every show: White tweets his location in the host city and moments later, fans come running, hoping to score one of a handful of free tickets to the event. It's not uncommon for White to spend an hour or two after every media event hanging out with fans, signing autographs, taking pictures and yes, talking fights. The UFC president is a fight fan first and foremost. He has said it over and over again that his job is to put the fights on that fans want to see. And he has always shown himself to be responsive to the fans, even if it means making some strange decisions. When Nick Diaz was dropped from his championship fight against Georges St. Pierre, Dana responded to a legion of disappointed Diaz fans by putting him back on the card against B.J. Penn later that same night. When Alistair Overeem dropped out of the Strikeforce Grand Prix in the middle of a contract dispute with Zuffa, Dana forgave, forgot and brought him straight into the UFC to face Brock Lesnar in one of the most anticipated heavyweight fights in recent memory. He constantly delivers the fights that we want to see. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that for a guy in his position, Dana seems to me to actually be a real sweetheart, with a pretty big heart. The only other fight promoter in modern history with as much sway as Dana White was Don King. For just a little insight into the scumbag that King was, have a glance at his wikipedia entry. Dana isn't perfect but he's certainly no Don King. This finally brings me back to my original statement that I knew Edgar was going to get a rematch with Ben Henderson when I saw that the UFC was coming to New York. Dana was going to the former champions backyard and he was sure to spend the day hearing passionate pleas from Edgar supporters that their guy be given another chance. After all, Edgar had to fight his last two challengers twice, so why shouldn't he get another chance? You can be sure that Dana didn't want to make this fight. He has long stated that he prefers to have Frankie fight at 145 pounds, a more natural weight class for Edgar, who does not cut weight to make 155. He was very vocal about it during the pre-fight press conference for last week's UFC on FX 2 event and again at yesterday press conference. Frankie hasn't really been much of a draw as champion either; according to the MMAPayout.com Blue Book, the two cards that Edgar headlined in 2011 had the two lowest buy-rates of the year. Yet, with all the reasons in the world to not book a rematch, there he was on twitter last night announcing that Frankie "Two Times" (credit to bloody elbow member joe_mama for my new favorite fighter nickname) would indeed get another fight against Henderson in the summer and in the process making the fans that he had just spent the morning with incredibly happy. It's exactly what I expected to happen, although I didn't think it would be as quickly as that evening. Not everyone is happy about the decision and with good reason. The deepest division in the sport is going to have it's third consecutive title re-match, all of which have involved Edgar. Why not throw someone else in? But those questions are not of any concern to Dana White any more. After all, tomorrow is another day, another plane to catch, another group of fans asking to see their favorite fighter get their shot. And you know what? Something tells me the UFC president is going to make it happen for them. He always does.

Posted in: ufc, fight, dana, fan, edgar

Read the full article at Head Kick Legend

Last year, a week before Jon Jones beat Mauricio Rua for the Light Heavyweight belt, the UFC had a press conference at Radio City Music Hall in my hometown of New York, NY. With MMA still not legal, I jumped at the opportunity to get in some free UFC stuff, even if it was just yakkin' back and forth. That press conference as just a fan was kind of what you'd expect, I think. The media asked some questions, the public got maybe half a dozen questions in, and then everyone booked out of there. Very few people stuck around long, Shogun and Jones stayed a bit, as did Dana for a brief time, but mostly everyone involved got in, got done and got out. Today was much, much different. For starters, thanks to much begging on my part, I was able to get a press pass to the event, and as such, couldn't really applaud or yell out wisecracks like many of the fans in attendance were. Quite frankly, that was a perfectly acceptable tradeoff, because at this press conference, everyone stuck around for hours and both us in the media as well as the fans in attendance got to interact with everyone for some time. I won't bore you with the details of what you can watch the video below the jump - if you truly wish to hear the sounds of my lovely baritone, I'm the guy who asks Dana and Alan Belcher where the winner of this stands in reference to the title and then later asks Barry about his grappling rematch with Cro Cop. The video starts at about 10 minutes in, btw. Some of the real juicy bits of news and notes came after the public eyes were on the fighters signing autographs and Dana rapped to us in the media scrum. Ariel Helwani beat a lot of us to the punch, but that's to be expected when you're dealing with him - he asks great questions and gets first crack, so the rest of us just had to wait for a mini-scrum to get our two cents answered. Credit to Dana, man, he sat around and with like, eight of us shoving mics at him, he answered mostly everything we asked with honesty and aplomb. Here are some of the highlights from our little Q&A. Part of the reason Dana White wants Frankie Edgar to drop down is because he takes a lot of damage. To quote Dana referencing the wars Frank has had at 155 and why he should fight guys his own size "When you get hit by a jab and your whole left side of your face doesn't swell up in the first punch thrown in the fight." I brought up Scott Smith as an example of someone who was in a lot of wars and it's taken a toll on him, and Dana countered right back with an even better example - Chuck Liddell - who he famously pushed into retirement because of all the KO's he was taking. He feels that's one of the nice things about being the only game in town, even if some people complain about it - he gets to be the final arbiter. He also referenced Joe Benavidez and how Joe mentioned that he feels much stronger at 125 now. Joe said that post-fight from the Australia card that he was hitting guys at 135 and maybe they'd wobble, but here at 125, they go down, so he's happy. One of the first things I did actually ask was an update on everyone's favorite neo-nazi pedophile, Brandon Saling. As it turns out, he lied to the commissions in New Jersey and Ohio on his application, and he's suspended now. He'll obviously never fight in the UFC or Strikeforce ever again, and there's a good chance he'll never fight in any state ever again. While I doubt he'll be gone forever - there are plenty of non-commission states as well as the fact that perhaps he gets his suspension down to say a year or whatever - he's certainly not going to be televised again, which I'm pretty OK about. MMA Fighting has a more in depth piece about this. The report about Dana dumping his involvement with Strikeforce was way, WAY overblown. What happened was Dana was having an off-the-record conversation with the Junkie reporter and just kind of venting a bit, but what got said was really just him bitching and getting some gripes off his chest. In reality the only problem is creative differences with the production staff. Dana explicitly stated that he likes the guy, the only issue is creative differences. For one of the very first times, White specifically stated that he's sorry for that getting out, because that wasn't what he wanted to say for public consumption at all. It made both him and Showtime look bad, when the only real issue is that Dana wants a few things done his way and Showtime's people wants it done their way. Dana isn't going to be hands off on all of SF, the only thing was creative differences, not something deep seated, that's a huge problem. The issues with Rampage are in part because he takes his losses hard and he doesn't take criticism very well. Rampage was upset about Dana stating that he wasn't sure that Jackson was taking things as serious as he could be. Quinton obviously took that poorly, but Dana also spoke with him for 90 minutes and while the conversation started out poorly, they ended it in a pretty good frame of mind. Long story short, he's not sure how Rampage feels, and they'll have to see how it goes. Much more after the jump including the UFC 144 Gate, Tim Sylvia, Rampage, and questions with Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck. UFC 144 might have done the largest gate - money wise - in Japan's history. He didn't have the exact numbers and didn't want to say it at the time and he just forgot about it in all the travel. Because he was here now in New York, he still didn't have the numbers, but he looked me straight in my doubting face and said he thinks that what they did was the biggest ever; beating out the three million that PRIDE had ever done. There will be more Fight For The Troops events and figuring out how to best promote that with the new Fox deal. I believe it was Mike Chiappetta who started out the question as follows Mike: "Tim Sylvia's been" Dana: "HELL NO" The interview with Rampage regarding TRT and Tito Ortiz may have been a bit shady, as the same reporter had a bad experience with Dana, and Dana called him a "weasel" multiple times. Dana feels that the reporter put words in White's mouth and he feels there's a chance that something could've happened with Rampage as well. Dana thinks that the east coast fans still haven't caught up to the west coast fans. As the most knowledgeable and awesome east coast fan around, I would respectfully disagree, but hey. The UFC did not apparently switch promotion departments or PR firms, despite my suspicions otherwise. I commented on the new Jon Jones ad that came out and how their style of advertising seemed to completely change starting with the awesome Find Your Rhythm promo that came out for the first Edgar/Maynard title fight, and how that was so different than what they used to have. Apparently that was all in-house, they just went with new ideas. There will be a four-minute video of that Jones ad coming out soon, too, which I am very much looking forward to. I ask Johny Hendricks how long he thought it was for Fitch to fall after the first punch, it felt like five seconds, when in reality it was like a second, because it was so slow in his mind at the time. Hendricks expects a decision in the Koscheck fight because they're both tough. They're going to gameplan later, they haven't done too much yet. He's going to be spending a lot of time with the Oklahoma State wrestlers just as they get done with nationals, so he's got a bunch of dudes who want to see how they can fare against a former champion wrestler, so they push him real hard. He weighs about 210 right now, diets to 195 and cuts the rest of the way down to 170. I asked him about the Alves situation, and he confirmed that's actually about right. He doesn't know the science of it, but he told me he goes to sleep that night at 195. It's dangerous and you have to be careful about it, but that is how it goes. Josh Koscheck told me that he thinks that Hendricks will stand at first but "after he gets cracked a couple of time, he's not going to want to stand, so I fell he's going to try to wrestle and I'll be ready."

Posted in: ufc, time, dana, fan, he

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For years fans have wondered how UFC heavyweight Roy Nelson would fare with a slimmed down physique rather than competing against larger opponents based primarily on his porcine physique. It now appears the notion of Nelson fighting at light heavyweight is not only a possibility but interested parties can have a direct impact on his decision to do so According to the 35-year old fighter, a casual discussion with a friend about the positives of Twitter in comparison to Facebook quickly turned into a bet with Nelson’s stakes involving a concerted effort to drop down to 205 pounds if he hits a certain mark in the next two weeks on Facebook. “I said if it so easy and great I should be able add 100K fans in two weeks because I have that on Twitter,” wrote Nelson on his Facebook Fan Page. Nelson has already received approximately 50,000 “Likes” on Facebook since originally posting the stakes. Standing only 6’0, Nelson has racked up a 16-7 record with notable wins over Mirko Filipovic, Stefan Struve, and Brendan Schaub. At the urging of UFC President Dana White “Big Country” has already shed some of his excess baggage over the past year and clocked in for his February fight against Fabricio Werdum at 246 pounds. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fan, facebook, light heavyweight, nelson

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Octagon girl, aspiring artist, and now Playboy model – is there anything Brittney Palmer isn’t capable of? She’s as talented as she is beautiful and has been entertaining MMA fans since her days as a WEC ring girl. She began her career in entertainment as a Magician’s Assistant and Dance Captain for the Ultimate Variety Show in 2006. From 2007-2010 she was an Ensemble Dancer for X Burlesque in Las Vegas at the Flamingo Hotel. Her big break came when she was hired in 2007 to work for the WEC and was moved over to the UFC when the two organizations merged. It wasn’t long afterwards that she discovered she had a legitimate talent for painting with one of her best portraits to date featuring none other than UFC President Dana White. Following in the footsteps of fellow Octagon girls Rachelle Leah and Arianny Celeste, Palmer recently showed off more of her “talents” in the March issue of Playboy magazine. Life has been good thus far for the 24-year old beauty, but it hasn’t come without a ton of hard work. To keep up a schedule like the one Palmer has an individual needs to remain focused and committed. There’s not much time for a social life especially now that her issue of Playboy has come out. The demands on her time have become even greater, but Palmer is enjoying every minute of it. From traveling all over the world meeting new and interesting people, Palmer is living the dream and she couldn’t be happier. “Everything has been amazing and the best thing is I truly am an MMA fan,” said Palmer in an exclusive interview with Five Ounces of Pain. “Being part of an organization as big as the UFC and part of the #1 growing sport in the world is something I am so thankful for. I am so grateful to be one of only three girls alongside Arianny and Chandella (Powell). It’s been a great journey and I’m just enjoying the ride. Working for the WEC was great and I am still working with the same people just on a larger scale. There are a lot more events, but being such a big fan that only adds to the experience.” Getting to sit cageside and witness some of the most historic moments in the sports history is something that Palmer can share with her grandchildren when the time comes. She also gets to know and develop relationships with many of the world’s best athletes while watching them make history. She entered the sport at the right time and it’s only going to get bigger and better over the next few years. “Getting to watch fighters like Jon Jones who is an amazing athlete, Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone, Urijah Faber, Dominck Cruz, and Clay Guida makes this job that much more enjoyable,” explained Palmer. “There are so many great fighters, there are too many to name, but they all have their own styles and that’s what makes it interesting to watch.” Palmer is not the typical art prodigy whose talent was recognized when she very young. In fact it wasn’t all that long that she discovered drawing wasn’t just something she enjoyed it was an opportunity to showcase a talent and share it will millions of fans. Posing in Playboy provides the type of platform that can really push someone into super stardom. Many women have gone on to have great careers in film and on television after posing in the periodical. However, while there are many positives that can come from being in the pages of one of the world’s most famous magazines there could also be some drawbacks as well. Family members can be embarrassed while strangers can be downright cruel and obnoxious. Palmer knew what posing in Playboy entailed and she seems to have no regrets what so ever, realizing the positives far outweighed the negatives. “It’s been so great and surreal,” said an excited Palmer. “I’m so happy and lucky to be in the situation I am in. This is the happiest I have ever been, my career is on such a hot streak right now. I am counting my blessings because I am so grateful for everything I have right now. Being an art student I am used to being around nude figures so I wasn’t hesitant when I was approached by Playboy. I wouldn’t say this was a dream I had as a little girl, but this is a golden opportunity. My friends and family have been so supportive, they know every decision I have made has helped my career and led me to a better place.” This coming May in Birmingham, England at the NEC Arena The MMA Show Live will join The Martial Arts Show for the first time. There will be over sixty fighters in attendance including Rashad Evans, Kenny Florian, Jake Shields, Brendan Schaub, Rory MacDonald, Stefan Struve, and none other than Ms. Palmer too. As such, lucky attendees will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the beauty live and in person. “I am going to be signing autographs for fans,” Palmer said. “I will be giving away some of my Playboy calendars. I am really looking forward to going over there. It’s just another opportunity that this sport has given me. I plan on being in the UFC for many years to come and riding this wave. I am cloud nine and getting to meet my fans makes me even more appreciative of all that I have been blessed with.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/TRACY LEE

Posted in: time, ’t, palmer, fan, playboy

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia wants back inside the Octagon. Sylvia said Monday on The MMA Hour that he is desperate to prove that he belongs in the UFC heavyweight division, and that he'd gladly accept whatever contract the UFC offered him. "Have me come in, put me against Stefan Struve, Cheick Kongo, (Matt) Mitrione," Sylvia said. "I'll fight anybody. I don't care. And see if I can hang with them. If I can't, I tell you what, it's going to be a hell of a fight." Sylvia said he invested the $800,000 he made for his loss to Fedor Emelianenko and is doing fine financially, and that now he just wants to prove himself in the UFC. In fact, Sylvia said he would accept a contract that pays him only $5,000 to show up and another $5,000 to win, which is as low as a UFC contract gets. For that matter, Sylvia said he'd be willing to fight for free. "If the UFC comes to me with an offer for $5,000 and $5,000 I would take it," Sylvia said. "I know that's very entry level money but I'd have an opportunity to win Knockout of the Night and make $50,000." Sylvia said he disagrees with those who say the UFC heavyweight division is leaps and bounds better now than it was when he was the champion. Sylvia acknowledged that there are a handful of great heavyweights whom he'd struggle to beat, but he said he thinks he would defeat most of the UFC's top heavyweights. "I don't agree with any of that. Right now you have three studs: Alistair, Junior and Cain, and the rest are OK," Sylvia said. "There's also Frank Mir and Shane Carwin, but besides the Top 5, if you put me in there I'll beat them all." Sylvia said he currently weighs 295 pounds and would be able to get himself down to the UFC's heavyweight limit of 265 if the UFC gave him that chance. The only obstacle, Sylvia said, is that he doesn't think the UFC wants him. So why not? Sylvia knows that the UFC is in the business of giving fans the fights the fans want to see, and he said he has reached out to fans through social media to ask him why they're not clamoring to see him in the Octagon again. He said some fans have told him he has a boring style, but he says the biggest problem is that fans don't know enough about him. "I just want to know why, how come the fans don't like me," he said. "Basically it's because they don't know me." And the best way for the fans to get to know Sylvia is for the UFC to promote him again. He'll be waiting by the phone.

Posted in: ufc, heavyweight, fan, sylvia, dont

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TUF 10 Winner Roy Nelson revealed he made a bet with one of his friends, promising that he will "try" to cut down to 205lbs if 100,000 fans "Like" his page on Facebook. The deadline set by Roy Nelson is two weeks, as MMA fans around the world have already added more than 10k likes in the past 12 hours (Nelson started with 31,982 fans, he's at 43,303 now).

Posted in: fan, mma fans, nelson, roy nelson, roy

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Last night’s Strikeforce title-fight between bantamweights Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate lived up to fans’ expectations by delivering a fast-paced, entertaining bout between two rivals with a brutal finish to boot. As fans saw, Rousey latched on to Tate’s arm in the closing minute of the fight’s first frame and torqued it violently to force a tap-out. Shortly after winning Tate’s belt with an opening round Armbar the new champ spoke with ShoSports where she elaborated on her victory as well as what’s next for her. A Detailed Breakdown of Action from Rousey vs. Tate “I was expecting anything – I was expecting five rounds or one round. She really impressed me with how she savvy she was on the ground with her defense,” the 25-year old explained on her preparation for the main event match-up. “I expected her to come out swinging. That’s part of the reason why I tried to get in her head so much before the fight because I feel like if you challenge someone’s womanhood or manhood they tend to be a lot less tentative and tactical with their matches. They tend to fight more with their ego, with their emotions, than with strategy.” In terms of who she’ll likely make her initial title-defense against, Rousey remained open to suggestion and put it in the hands of the public (as well as her bosses at Zuffa). “Whatever the fans want. Fans want to see a rematch or they want to see me fight Sarah Kaufman next or whatever…I’m game. That’s my job. I’m the champ now,” Rousey stated, also mentioning she had her mind on something else in the more-immediate future…buffalo wings! Watch the full interview with Rousey below: PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

Posted in: fight, fan, tate, rousey, miesha tate

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Josh Thomson was highly critical of his performance in a Strikeforce win over K.J. Noons that had the fans in Columbus booing. He gives his thoughts on the bout.

Posted in: strikeforce, fan, josh, kj noons, thomson

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Last night felt like a big night for Women's MMA. Glancing around twitter at the beginning of the main event, there seem to be real energy in the hardcore fan base for Rousey vs Tate. What will be very interesting to me to find out how this fight played with non-hardcore MMA fans. Miesha Tate did this card no favors by telling everyone that Ronda Rousey was not a legitimate title contender every chance she got, it was a very odd way to try to hype a fight. But as Ben Thapa pointed out to me, to him it came off like a high school drama where a popular student is being threatened by the new girl, and this Mean Girls dynamic may have appealed to more fans than we give it admit. And it was a good thing the girls were there, because before Sarah Kaufmann and Alexis Davis took to the cage, it was a fairly pedestrian card. It was not bad by any stretch, but it was nothing to write home about. But Kaufmann and Davis gave Columbus, Ohio a shot of energy when they put on their wild, Forrest/Bonnar-esk brawl. And after that sloppy, but fun fight Rousey and Tate put on a fight that was technically brilliant. The girls stole the show last night and launched Women's MMA to the top of the discussion on a weekend that saw both a Strikeforce and UFC card. Rousey vs Tate was an excellent fight, one of the most enjoyable fights I've seen in a while. The ending was just brutal, Tate basically forced Rousey to not just break her arm but mangle it. Mark Matheny needed to step in and stop the fight on Tate's behalf before her elbow got turned inside out. I normally love a good armbar, but this one had me cringing. That arm will take a while to heal and could have a lasting impact on Tate's career. Rousey put on a judo clinic on Tate, throwing her all over the cage. Tate made a lot of the idea of Judo vs Wrestling in the lead up to this show, and I've heard this idea brought up before by other fighters. Ultimately judo, wrestling, catch wrestling, Brazilian jiu jitsu, sambo and other grappling arts are all just different approaches to the same thing: grappling. Some arts may be more complete than others but when two grapplers meet it is all about who is the better grappler. Tate is a good grappler, but it takes something special to get an Olympic medal in Judo or Wrestling, and we saw that something special last night. Josh Thompson, despite his own views on his fight, did a good job reminding fans that he is in fact a damn good lightweight. K.J. Noons had nothing for Thompson, as the Punk took Noons down pretty much anyway he wanted and took dominate positions seemingly at will. No matter how you scored the fight, Paul Daley did not look good. He worked more wrestling and takedowns than we've from Semtex before. This is a good sign for Daley because there is an expiration date on the pure sprawl-and-brawl style that he has used in the past. That is really the only good thing that Daley can take away from this fight. Jacare really put on a full ranging display of all his skills. His striking was more than up to the task to deal with Marunde, Jarcare also flexed some good wrestling and then performed a mercy submission in the third round. Not Jacare's best fight, but not a bad showing for him either. Part of this was due to Marunde appearing to know he had no shot at winning and focusing purely on not getting added to Jacare's highlight reel. Not going to get too much into this subject, but how the heck did a Neo-Nazi sex offender get on the main card? Seriously, does Strikeforce do background checks, or looking a guy's tattoos or just talki to the fighters for about ten minutes? If they did any of that it should have been pretty obvious what this guy was. That aside, it was deeply satisfying to watch Roger Bowling put a beating on that man, major props to Bowling. SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey UFC on FX 2 after the jump... UFC on FX 2 Time for some bonus perspective as we had a second fantastic cards this weekend. Down in Sydney, Australia the UFC had a great night as far of action inside the cage was concerned. But all that has been overshadowed by a mistakes that took place out side of the cage. Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson was awarded a split decision over Ian "Uncle Creepy" McCall, when actually the fight had been scored a majority draw. By the rules of the Flyweight tournament, a draw demanded a fourth "sudden victory" round. Not only were fight fans robbed of five more minutes of excellent action, but the Flyweight tournament is on hold now until the two can be re-matched so a proper winner can be declared. And what makes this really galling is that the fight had been flat out excellent, good busy stand up and on the mats great scrambles, sweep attempts and epic ground and pound from Ian McCall had fans wanting more. And the fact that is all stems for a basic literacy error makes this just unforgivable. We can only hope their April rematch results in as much action, but looking back on such a fantastic night of fights I don't want to linger on this too long. Martin Kampmann playing the role of comeback kid should have been the talking point coming out of Friday night. It was awesome. This was an excellent fight to have on FX because the much talked about casual fan got a window into what makes this sport so exciting. Kampmann showed great heart and technique and I'm willing to bet he converted a few new MMA fans. To bring back up the McCall/Johnson debacle, I think this is an excellent example of why 10-8 rounds should be used more liberally in MMA. There is plenty of debate on who won the first two rounds, but I think we can all agree that McCall won the third round by a sizable margin. But according the the score cards, Johnson won the second round by the same margin that McCall won the third round and that is not an accurate reflection of what took place in the cage. The 10-point must system can work as the scoring system for MMA, but it needs to be used in a manor where scorecards can accurately reflect fights. Joseph Benavidez was my pick to win the Flyweight tournament, and it was mostly based on his ability to finish fights, both with submissions and with his hands. He looked great a Flyweight and his KO of Yasuhiro Urushitani was excellent. The undercard rocked, which is sad because I had to watch it after the fact because I don't have Fuel (thank you very much Comcast). I love armbars, they are my favorite submission to see done and pull off in rolling and T.J. Waldburger's made my Friday. And that was right after Daniel Pineda locked on a sweet mounted triangle that turned into a triangle armbar. It was a bad night for elbows, though not as bad as Saturday night. The Aussie crowd was a little odd, laughing at weird times and booing at the drop of a hat. But it appeared to be a full house, so despite the idicoy with scorecards expect the UFC to return to the Land Down Under. SBN coverage of UFC on FX 2

Posted in: fight, night, round, fan, tate

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Dear Ronda, Can I call you Ronda? You know what, I've seen what you've done to those who have crossed you and I certainly don't want to end up on your bad side. Let's start this over. Dear Ms. Rousey, I'm usually not one to jump in on the "open letter" bandwagon but I can't help myself after last night's (Sat., March 3, 2012) headlining bout at Strikeforce: "Tate vs. Rousey." in Columbus, Ohio. I speak for a large majority of the mixed martial arts (MMA) community when I say we love you. Dare I say, we are IN love with you. You wandered into our heart less than one year ago after you submitted your first Strikeforce opponent. Seven months later, we were head over heels infatuated with your "take no prisoners but take all the arms you can" attitude. It's not because of your looks -- although you are gorgeous -- but more so your attitude when it comes to stepping inside the cage. You simply do not care about anything except winning. And man or woman, that is one attitude I can get behind. Just about everyone -- aside from Greg Jackson and those who train with him -- hates Jon Jones. He's barely into his mid-20s and he's conquered his world. The light heavyweight division is at his feet and once he vanquishes Rashad Evans at UFC 145, there will be no other challenge for him at his weight. A move up to heavyweight will be the only option for "Bones." If he continues the streak he's on now, there's no doubt he will be known as the oft-mentioned "Michael Jordan of MMA." The title has been bestowed to several already such as Georges St. Pierre and Fedor Emelianenko but Jones could easily snatch it from both of them with one or two more wins. He's a God fearing mama's boy or at least, that's how he portrays himself. For the most part, he's humble and gracious, always giving credit to his trainers and of course, to the man upstairs. But there are moments, both in and outside the Octagon, which add more than a little doubt to the sincerity of that atitude. Because of these moments, fans call him fake, they say he's phony. There's nothing more that fans hate than a fraud, a pretender, so Jones is almost universally maligned despite being one of the best in the sport they're supporting. But you? "Rowdy," you shed all pretenses and freely talk trash. You openly talk smack about your opponents in an attempt to get inside their head and also to promote the fight both of you are participating in. Miesha Tate, your opponent (or should I say victim?) last night actually benefited from the constant stream of smack you threw her way. Even though you only had four fights to your name, the main event -- and remember, it was the main event -- was more anticipated than any Strikeforce headliner since Fedor took on Dan Henderson last summer. And not only that but the fight absolutely delivered. You nearly sunk in an armbar -- your calling card -- a minute into the bout but "Takedown" managed to escape. What followed was a round full of back and forth grappling which culminated in an absolutely brutal submission that seemed to have snapped Tate's limb in two. Your post-fight interview, a moment where even the most hardened of trash talkers relent and admit everything was done for show, was a breath of fresh air. While you did concede most of your pre-fight banter was for hype, you brought up the too close for comfort staredown at the weigh-ins where the now former champion got in your face and you shoved her back with your forehead. You said if Tate wanted to act "hard," she shouldn't have started whining afterwards and looking to get you fined. You pulled no punches and you refused to play nice. What a breath of fresh air you are. MMA fighters are warriors. Warriors don't glad-hand, warriors don't pretend to care about those they go to battle against. Most who step inside the cage forget this. You don't and hopefully, you never do. It's what makes you one of the most exciting fighters -- male or female -- in the game today. MMA fans love you, "Rowdy." You can text us, tweet us, or message us on Facebook whenever you're done with all the mandated post-fight proceedings. But don't call too late, our mom gets mad if the phone rings after 10pm. Signed, Sergio Hernandez and MMA fans across the world

Posted in: mma, fan, love, he, dont

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Posted in: time, fan, classic, ciscoiv

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Keep fighting the good fight! Apparently, that's the mantra former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia is living by these days. After making a video expressing his desire to return to the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and pleading with fans to get the word out to the higher ups at Zuffa to make it happen, UFC President Dana White quickly shot down any hopes of bringing "The Maine-iac" back into the fold in his UFC on FUEL TV post-fight show remarks: "I have no beef with Tim Sylvia whatsoever, I have nothing against the guy, but I say it all the time: that was when the division was the weakest, when he was champion. And for him to make a statement like he could come back and beat 80-percent of the fighters in the UFC? The last time I saw him, he got knocked out by a 50-year-old boxer in like 10 seconds. Him and Arlovski were knocking each other out every weekend." Ouch! Now, Sylvia is back at it again, saying he busted his hump for the promotion during his heyday. He also tells Bleacher Report he can't be blamed for not having higher quality opponents during his glory days with the promotion. "Absolutely [it hurts]. It's very irritating. He never said that when I was there. I thought I had a great relationship with everybody in the UFC. It is hurtful. I busted my ass for years in his fights to become champion, not once, but twice...it's not my fault the UFC didn't bring in better guys to the division when I was there. That's got nothing to do with me. I fought who they put in front of me. I never declined anybody." Sylvia, yet again, goes on to express his displeasure at seeing "bums" fighting in the UFC, especially ones that he is positive he can defeat: "I'm sick and tired of watching a bunch of bums fight in the UFC. Guys that I know I can beat... They told [manager Monte Cox], 'Tim needs to keep winning. Keep putting wins together.' I've done that and nothing happened. And there are guys in there I think are absolutely horrible...Yeah, I've got an attitude about it. I'm tired of it. I've got to make my own destiny." One can't fault the former champ for trying to get back into the promotion, as Dana White himself stated, "The guy's just out there trying to get back into the UFC, trying to make a living, I get it." But is he fighting a losing battle? UFC higher ups obviously aren't in a hurry to bring Sylvia back into the mix and with the Strikeforce heavyweights dissolving, that makes it all but impossible for the big man to return to the big leagues. Undeterred, the former heavyweight kingpin is not giving up anytime soon and is determined to get back to where he made a name for himself as a fighter and make a run for the title one last time: "I truly believe if I was given the opportunity, I could go all the way to a title shot. There's no doubt in my mind. I could put five or six wins together in the UFC right now. But the fans need to keep doing what they are doing. Keep tweeting Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta. They say they aren't, but I know they are seeing all these tweets. Keep supporting me, I love you guys. In the past I've told fans, 'If you don't like me, to hell with you.' But you know what? If you're a fan of MMA, I love you no matter what." Are you Maniacs doing your part to support the biggest "Maine-iac" of them all?

Posted in: ufc, guy, fan, sylvia, tim sylvia

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via www.dahui.com The behind the scenes documentary of Anderson Silva, Like Water, has recently hit the internet in various locations, and your esteemed author took a couple hours out of his busy day to soak it in. There's really not much to say that wasn't written at the time of it's release - it's a solid documentary chronicling the time in Anderson's life between the rocky Demian Maia fight in Abu Dhabi and his incredible win over Chael Sonnen in California. Really, this film strikes me as nothing more than a glorified Primetime - the same thing that the UFC does in the leadup to many of it's big fights. The only difference was that this was released afterwards, so things like Andy's hurting ribs, which would never be shown before the fight, are just there. Let me expound upon that for just a second. Look back at the latest Primetime between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz. If Carlos had pulled a rib (which is what it looks like to my mostly untrained eye), the camera crews would most certainly have not been permitted to film that, or if they would, not to broadcast that. Can you imagine giving that information out to the world before a fight? Wincing after throwing some rights and grabbing your side... your opponent would be all over that, trying to exacerbate the injury. Rampage famously griped about his knee and spies in his camp for this reason before the Jones fight. In any event, we see a lot about Anderson that we probably already knew and maybe a few things we didn't. After all, we're the hardcore fans, we watch every Primetime, all the youtube videos, read all the stories... this film isn't really made for us. This was a way of telling the story we (mostly) knew to a new audience. Robert De Niro and movie critics don't flip onto SPIKE TV at 10:30 on a Wednesday to glean sound bites and watch fighters wrap their hands in slo-mo. This was a way of making Anderson human to an audience that stood a good probability of never having even seen him in the ring/cage, much less those of us that follow this stuff hourly and have a decent idea of his personality. Joe Public liked this movie probably more than most MMA fans because this was a new door for them. We definitely see some things we wouldn't otherwise: him cornering his buddy in a regional fight up in Portland and getting pissed at him is a good example of an Anderson most of us have probably never seen. A lot of the movie, however, is kind of the stuff we'd expect to see in any "behind-the-scenes" look that probably everyone here has seen before. Training montages, a glimpse of his house and family, signing autographs, trolling Ed Soares - this is the stuff we expect and know. At least, I do. All of this stuff said, I'm an MMA fan. I'm an Anderson Silva fan. I like Sonnen's schtick, too. Just because I've seen this format before doesn't mean I'm upset that I watched it. I did learn more about Andy than I knew going in, and again, just because I've watched Primetime in the past, doesn't mean I won't watch it in the future. This doc is something that I think everyone should take a glimpse at, simply because I love this sport and think everyone should as well. Watch this movie, but don't be like me and leave a bit disappointed that it wasn't something groundbreaking.

Posted in: fight, fan, stuff, anderson, movie

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) just had its hand raised, yet again, as UFC 144 emerged victorious in front of a host of pleased fans at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on Sat., Feb. 25, 2012. The main event between UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar and number one contender Ben Henderson treated mixed martial arts (MMA) fans to five rounds of thrilling action. After 25 minutes of war, neither fighter could finish the other, leaving it in the hands of the judges. Like many decisions from the past, this one was met with some controversy and even had UFC President Dana White questioning if the right man had been given the nod. The co-main event featured a rebounding Ryan Bader taking on former Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson in front of the Japanese fans who originally helped "Rampage" make his name. After the jump, we'll talk more about that fight and all the other noteworthy moments from UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson." When the fight between Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson was signed on the dotted line, everyone knew "The Answer" was going to have his hands full with what would likely be the toughest fight of his life. That's saying something considering that Edgar has been in two ridiculous battles with MMA legend B.J. Penn and also three thrilling epic wars with "The Bully" Gray Maynard. Still, fans who have been watching "Smooth's" mercurial rise over the past year knew what he was capable of. They knew he was on a three-fight win streak against a list of very tough lightweights. They knew he was a cardio freak, just like Edgar, and probably was not going to be out-worked or out-hustled. They knew he was (and continues to be) one of the biggest lightweights in the game and that his size may have presented a problem for Edgar. The fight was neck and neck for most of the first two rounds, but things changed near the end of the second frame when "Bendo" caught Edgar with a violent upkick that broke his nose instantly and opened the floodgates of blood. Edgar toughed it out like the warrior that he is. He kept coming forward and threw every shot he had in his arsenal. But he was not landing power strikes and was entirely unable to take Henderson to the ground. Ultimately, the judges in Japan felt that Henderson had done enough to edge out the champion and to take his belt. You can read about what a couple of our "experts" think may be next for Henderson here and here. As usual, who Henderson fights next will be up to the Zuffa bigwigs and matchmakers. There are some options floating around and all of them are potentially exciting. Read a full recap with in-depth analysis of the Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson fight at UFC 144 here. The co-main event was somewhat blemished from the start when Quinton Jackson failed to make weight by a whopping six pounds. As soon as it happened, pundits and fellow fighters alike were quick to questions "Rampage's" motivation and whether or not he was taking his fight with Bader seriously. Though there were moments during the fight where Jackson looked like his old self, on the whole, he looked overmatched and overwhelmed; a sight that MMA fans are getting a little too used to nowadays. Bader won the decision victory, as well he should have, and is now back on the right track with his career after two nice consecutive wins. The loss left "Rampage" with some soul-searching to do. But he was quick to say afterwards that he feels he still has many years left in the Octagon. Only time will tell if he's right. Check out an informative synopsis of the "Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader" fight at UFC 144 here. Mark Hunt was one of the names on this card who was more than glad to return to Japan for an event after doing much to develop his reputation as a fighter there. The task in front of him was no cakewalk as he was faced with the always tough Cheick Kongo, who was looking to cement his third consecutive victory. Apparently, "Super Samoan" had different plans, as he essentially walked through everything Kongo had to throw at him, picked his shots wisely and then, eventually, put Kongo on his back with the referee having to step in and save him in the first round. The TKO victory showed that Hunt's not quite done yet. It also showed that if you're foolish enough to let him get on the inside and strike with you, it's going to be a short night. Hunt, never one to shy away from the microphone, said after his win that he not only felt good about his TKO win, but that he also feels he can do similar things to Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos. Nothing wrong with a little good old fashioned self-promotion. Read a detailed recap and fight analysis of the Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo fight at UFC 144 here. The entire main card was full of top level action and fireworks. But the prelims weren't too shabby either. Five of the eight preliminary competitors hailed from "The Land of the Rising Sun." Unfortunately, only two of them were able to secure victories in front of their compatriots, but the fans didn't seem to mind as they were treated to some very exciting fights. For a top-to-bottom review of the prelim portion of the UFC 144 fight card, click here. Five of the twelve fights ended by way of submission or (technical) knockout, and the finishes we did see were certainly worth watching and then re-watching again on the DVR. Perhaps most exciting of them all was a brilliant head kick knockout by Anthony Pettis over Joe Lauzon in the first round of their match up. Read the list of fight bonus award winners, including "Knockout of the Night," "Submission of the Night," and "Fight of the Night" here. That's the list we were able to come up with, but we get tired of listening to ourselves. We want to hear what you Maniacs have to say. What does your list of highs and lows from UFC 144 look like? Be sure to weigh in in the comments section below. For complete UFC 144 results and a detailed recap of all the action click here. To check out a recap of the UFC 144 prelim fights that were seen on Facebook and FX, click here. And just in case you want to get up to speed on the entire 144 fight card from top to bottom click here.

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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson received his long desired wish to return Far East last night (Sat., Feb. 25, 2012) when he climbed inside the cage in front of his adoring fans at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, at UFC 144 against Ryan Bader. Unfortunately for "Rampage," his homecoming was not a successful one, as "Darth" largely dominated Japan's adopted son en route to a unanimous decision victory. Coming in six pounds overweight, Jackson later revealed his excess baggage was due to the fact the he was suffering through an undisclosed injury during training camp. Not wanting to pull out of the fight, especially after lobbying so hard for it, Jackson kept his secret injury to himself and proceeded with his obligations. After failing to make weight, fans, fellow fighters and media alike questioned whether Jackson's heart was still in the game and if his desire to compete inside the Octagon was still there. And even though "Rampage" isn't surprised he lost the fight, he assures everyone that his desire to compete is indeed still there and he has no plans on leaving the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) any time soon. See what he had to say at the UFC 144 post-fight press conference in Japan: "Well if I am going to be critically honest, I am not surprised I lost the fight because I tried to keep the secret that I almost didn't make it to the fight but I didn't want to pull out for the Japanese fans. I injured my knee pretty bad, my doctor told me not to fight. It wasn't real serious, I didn't need surgery or nothing, but he just told me it wasn't a good idea to fight. I decided to fight anyway and I re-injured my knee when Bader slammed me. It's ne of those things, I was worried about it, even before the slam, I wasn't really doing a good job, I was worried about it and I had to lose a lot of weight because I couldn't really run and stuff, so it was downhill from the day I hurt my knee in the gym. That's why I just wanted to put on an exciting fight and I'm just happy to even make it her and try to put on a show for the Japanese fans." If you think "Rampage" just wasn't inspired due to the fact that many feel his MMA career might be coming to an end, think again: "See, I know I'm getting to the end of my career because I said I didn't want to fight past the age of 35, but honestly, before I hurt my knee, you guys should have seen the way I was training. I got really good sparring partners and I got this really good wrestler, Tyson Jeffries, that kicks my butt in wrestling and at the beginning of this camp I was kicking his butt, I was taking him down and wrestling got real competitive and that is how I hurt my knee. He is one of the best wrestlers I know and I was dealing with him I was handling him I was sparring really good and I was looking like a superstar. Then I hurt me knew. When I got hurt, it was just unfortunate, but now, I know what I can do if I come at 100 percent, so I think I got a lot of years and I'm ready to put on more shows. I heal up fast, I'm like a werewolf, I wasn't even supposed to fight here. But I will be back real soon." Now that the mysterious injury that hindered Jackson's ability to cut anymore weight and caused his poor performance at UFC 144 is out of the bag, fans can expect better once "Rampage" is healed up once again. After losing two consecutive bouts, the first time he's done so in his entire MMA career, Jackson assures everyone that he isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Treading uncharted waters, Rampage looks to get back on track sooner rather than later. But in a stacked 205-pound division, that's easier said than done. What's your take, Maniacs? Are you appreciative of Jackson's willingness to go through a tough fight with a lingering injury tagging along? Who should he face next time up inside the Octagon? Perhaps a rematch with fellow former PRIDE star, Mauricio Rua, who is also coming off a loss, may be in order. Thoughts?

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In what is a very unofficial study of Japan's interest in MMA, Ariel Helwani hit the streets in Tokyo to find hardcore UFC fans. He combs through a bunch of 18-34 year olds and it was hard to find many … Continue reading →

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If you read Mark Hunt’s Wikipedia page -- and it’s Friday, so why wouldn’t you? -- you’ll quickly learn that he is "known for his raw strength, iron chin and knockout power." In case you’re confused about what it means to have an iron chin, Wikipedia will even provide you with a link to a helpful page that explains the concept with the help of a Rocky reference. Ah, so that’s Mark Hunt’s deal, you’ll think to yourself as you navigate away to a YouTube video of unlikely animal friends (again, it’s Friday). He’s a big strong dude who doesn’t mind getting hit in the head a bunch. Got it.What you won’t learn this way is that, honestly, Hunt kind of hates that characterization. He also kind of hates the idea that MMA fans might regard him as just another hard-headed kickboxer who entertains with his ability to absorb and return punishment. As he told me when I talked to him before his UFC 144 bout with Cheick Kongo: "I was K-1 world champion. I’m one of the best fighters in the world. I don’t want to be remembered as just some tough guy who could take punches."Which, of course, makes sense. Even if it seems completely counter-intuitive to anyone who’s followed his career in MMA, where he’s often cast as precisely the kind of character he doesn’t want to be. If you ask the 37-year-old New Zealander about the rough times and the six-fight losing streak he endured between July of 2006 through September of 2010, don’t expect much of a conversation. Hunt doesn’t like to talk about it -- not that he seems to enjoy talking about very much of anything, at least with reporters -- so he brushes it off by admitting that it’s "been hard, but I’m still here.""It’s always discouraging to lose," Hunt said, after some prodding. "You look at it and think, man, what’s going on? It’s always discouraging. But I’m a fighter. I don’t like to quit. I just thought, I’m going to get back on and keep riding until it’s time to quit."Described by his friend and training partner Steve Oliver as "a very private person," but also, at least among his friends, as a "very funny guy," Hunt will admit that he’s not a fan of public speaking. He keeps to himself. He doesn’t do a ton of interviews. The current state of his fighting career might be a great story of redemption and determination, but he’d rather not talk about it if it means being reminded of all the times he’s failed.For instance, when UFC president Dana White launched into a monologue at a recent post-fight press conference about Hunt’s refusal to take a payoff after the UFC bought PRIDE (and with it Hunt’s contract), it was "sort of embarrassing" for him, Hunt said."I didn’t really want to talk about it. I don’t feel like talking about it now, to be honest."In a way, it’s hard to blame him. If your employer started telling everyone how, at first, he thought he’d be better off just paying you to leave him alone rather than paying you to actually work, you might not like it much either. That Hunt had refused the easy money and insisted on fighting for his cash impressed White, he explained, especially in light of Hunt’s recent turnaround and current two-fight winning streak in the UFC."When we bought Pride, he came as part of the Pride deal," White said at the UFC 135 post-fight press conference. "It was back and forth and basically I was just like...we'll just pay you off. We know you're in the Pride deal. And Mark Hunt said 'No, I want to come. I want to fight.' ...The guy's got a ton of heart and I have a lot of respect for him."Even then, Hunt sat nearby looking like he just wanted someone to change the subject, to recall that he was a K-1 champion once, that he’s more than just a big guy who can take a punch."That’s not really the idea of fighting," he said of his legendary chin. "The idea is to hit people and not get hit."It’s the same with his misunderstood ground game, he explained, which too many people assume he simply doesn’t have."I’ve been training jiu-jitsu for a while. It just didn’t really click in my brain. Maybe sometimes I get a bit lazy. By the time I realize I’m in trouble I’m already caught. You can’t really think about it. You’ve got to just react as it happens. But I don’t think my ground game is too bad, you know?"And when he lost all that weight prior to his UFC debut? It wasn't a sign that he had only recently decided to take his training seriously, he said, even if that's how some people chose to interpret it. "It was never a big problem for me to lose the weight...I just didn’t have to before."According to Oliver, "a lot of people think he’s sitting around not training, but he has been doing it properly." What many fans see as a sudden reversal of fortunes is really, to Hunt and those who know him best, the natural consequence of hard work combined with great talent. But that’s the thing about legacy. You don’t necessarily get to decide how people remember you. Hunt might wish that more fans would acknowledge his skill rather than his chin and his successes rather than just his recent rise from failure, but it’s not really up to him. Or rather, it is, but not in the way he might like it to be. He can keep winning fights and put more distance between himself and the dark days of his career, but it won’t make those days disappear. Fans will still remember more for walking through a Cro Cop head kick more than they remember him for shutting down a Ben Rothwell takedown attempt. Instead of thinking of him as the technician and the professional he sees when he looks in the mirror, they might instead remember him as the guy who hit Chris Tuchscherer with a walk-off knockout punch after refusing the UFC's offer of easy walk-away money.That’s fine for fans and promoters, who love a good redemption story. Then again, they both also love a guy who can take a beating. Hunt doesn’t really want to be either. Maybe there’s still time left on the clock to change some of that. Hunt hopes so. Not that he particularly wants to talk about it.

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Tomorrow night will mark the biggest of UFC lightweight Benson Henderson’s career. After impressing all with a trio of victories inside the Octagon after debuting last April including those over top contenders Jim Miller and Clay Guida, the 28-year old finds himself on the cusp of greatness with a chance to win 155-pound champion Frankie Edgar’s title in a headlining bout. If fighting for the title wasn’t enough, Henderson and Edgar will also be competing in the main event of the UFC’s return trip to Japan. Since Zuffa acquired PRIDE the sport hasn’t enjoyed all that much success in the Land of the Rising Sun. DREAM has failed to show any consistency and Sengoku has recently closed its doors. Japanese fans have been clamoring for a big show and both Edgar and Henderson will be counted on to come up big when they meet in February. However, it’s a challenge “Bendo” welcomes with open arms as he made clear in a conversation with Fighters.com. “I’m super excited that the UFC has given me the honor of fighting in the main event of their return to Japan,” said an eager Henderson who was not trying to hide the pride in his voice what so ever. “This is like the UFC’s first trip to Japan because they haven’t been there since Zuffa took over the organization. “It’s been a long time since the UFC has been there and we expect fans from all over the world to be attending this show,” he continued. “This truly going to be a global event and I’m excited to be part of it. I get a thrill about being in the main event over the bigger weight guys because that spot is usually reserved for them. It’s a big deal for us little guys and that’s something I take great pride in.” Japanese fans have long been known to be more reserved than their American counterparts. While the fans in North America can be rabid, loud and blood thirsty, the Japanese fans tend to be quiet and reserved. That’s not to say they are any less in love with the sport. As a matter of fact they showed the UFC fighters tremendous love when they were over their promoting this card in November. “I got a pretty good welcoming from the fans and media when we were over there,” the 14-2 Henderson said. “We have a great card scheduled and while MMA may have been on the decline over there it seems to be getting back on track. This card has sparked a rebirth over there and after this I think we’ll see a lot of young Japanese fighters begin to get involved with the sport. I would consider it an honor to be part of something that helped MMA bounce back in Japan.” While he was over in Japan, Henderson had an opportunity to travel over to Korea to meet relatives from his mother’s side of the family. He also had a chance to train at Korean Top Team with “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung. These experiences are something Henderson will never forget and has opened up a whole new plethora of family members to him. “It was so cool, the first couple of days I went and visited a couple of Army Bases,” said a still-glowing Henderson. “We had Thanksgiving dinner with the troops and they were really awesome. We got to roll around with some of the soldiers and their instructors. “After that we had two or three days to ourselves and I got to meet my mom’s side of the family. There were so many cousins who I had never met before and I was super stoked about meeting them all. My mom has six aunts and uncles and they all have children. It was really cool meeting so many new family members.” He’ll even have a few of them in attendance come tomorrow night at UFC 144 when he faces Edgar. “My mom’s uncle will be traveling from Korea to Japan to watch me fight,” Henderson explained. “That has me really excited. They have become so supportive of me and are really big fans. Some of my family from the states will be traveling to watch me fight as well. The amount of support I will have will be truly amazing.” Henderson has a lot of tools that have helped him become so successful in his sort time in mixed martial arts. He has solid wrestling, very good submission defense and a diverse striking attack that has a Muay Thai base. Edgar is quick, has good boxing and is as tough as they come. It’ll be interesting to see what areas Henderson holds an edge over Edgar and vice versa. “I think I match up with him pretty well with him in every area,” said the self-assured scrapper. “As I said I’m as confident as any fighter on this planet. He is known for having great cardio, a great chin and recovers very quickly. I believe my cardio is second to none, my chin is good and has been tested quite a few times and I’ve done just fine.” “My MMA wrestling is second to nobody’s in the UFC, my ground game; my Jiu-Jitsu is also second to none,” concluded Henderson on Edgar before giving him the edge in one discipline. “An area of weakness may be my boxing, his boxing may be a little bit better than mine and he may try and exploit that. My Muay Thai has really grown and cone along very nicely. Besides the boxing, I think I match up very well with him.” Henderson Sees Fight Unfolding Like “Two Cats in a Bag” The headliner between Henderson-Edgar takes place as part of a stacked seven-fight PPV card starting at 10:00 PM EST. Other bouts include Anthony Pettis-Joe Lauzon, Yoshihiro Akiyama-Jake Shields, and Quinton Jackson-Ryan Bader. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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With its unique brand of glitz and grandeur, Japan injected life into mixed martial arts when it was needed most, during its darkest days in North America. If the UFC's return into Japan now, several years after it became the world's preeminent promotion, isn't a return of the favor, it at least comes pre-packaged with a respectful bow and a nod to history. For example, it comes as no coincidence that for UFC 144, the promotion chose as a venue the Saitama Super Arena, the de facto home of PRIDE which held 24 of the promotion's events during its 10-year history. It's just the scale that will change. While that venue can be configured to seat nearly 50,000 fans, on fight night, it will instead house around 20,000. As for the tone, well, that is the mystery of UFC 144. While a UFC event traditionally hosts a raucous group of fans, part of the allure of the show is to see whether the event will be populated by the typically quiet and respectful Japanese observer or a new age fan.UFC's reception is part of the story. Like during Thursday's press conference, when a Japanese reporter asked White about his own personal expectation."I'm sorry," he said, "but still, some of the Japanese MMA fans believe that Zuffa destroyed PRIDE, and if they see your face on the screen…" "Oh, you're saying I'm not very popular over here," White responded, a smile on his face. "I don’t know. Listen, I can take some boos. We didn't kill PRIDE. I’ve said this many times. PRIDE is the only other organization that I've ever respected. PRIDE was an organization here in Japan that did huge sellout shows. They had tons of fans in the U.S., and a lot of the big stars not just in Japan but worldwide came form Japan. It’s the only other organization I’ve given respect or credit to. If I get some boos, I can handle it. I’m pretty thick-skinned."Keep in mind that when the interpreter originally translated the reporter's question, he changed it to ask White about the reaction the referees might receive. It was only after the reporter stood up and asked his question again, this time in English, that White could understand that he was saying.That tone of respect is one that permeated the press conference, but so did a singular topic. Over and over, White along with the six fighters -- Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, Quinton Jackson, Ryan Bader, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Jake Shields -- on the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo dais were asked about MMA in Japan, Japan, Japanese MMA and every permutation thereof. They said all the right things and gave all the right answers, even if they have no idea what to really expect on Sunday morning, when the event will begin at 9:30 am local time."Anywhere else in the world we go it’s loud and it’s crazy," White said. "You know how it is when we go live on pay-per-view, the whole place is going insane. It’s going to be interesting here to see if that's what it’s like here, if it’s the same reaction they had at the PRIDE events or more like the other places we go. I’m curious to see."On fight night, the UFC will present its standard production, complete with multiple replay screens and music blaring at a pounding decibel level. How that "UFC experience" that White talks about will go over for the first time is anyone's guess, but the organization has to believe the fans who purchased tickets know what they're getting themselves into.For now, about 2,000 tickets remain from turning the event into a sellout, according to White, and the arena is expected to be full by the time the main card begins.That's a positive development for a promotion that has waited over a decade to return to what many consider to be one of the most instrumental countries to the development of martial arts.From White's perspective, the return is already a success. Not only is the event likely to sell out, but due to a sudden deal, a broadcast of the event will be available on TV Tokyo, a free channel, albeit in the wee hours of Sunday night. It also airs live on cable channel WOWOW."This is the first show back in 12 years," White said, "You heard 'Rampage' and [a reporter] saying the UFC isn't as big as PRIDE was here, and for us to come in and do an event and sell out the way we have, we’re very happy with the results. I know what we're going to do on Sunday and what kind of show we're going to put on for the Japanese fans. I think they’re going to be very excited and this is going to help spread the word in Japan."White said the UFC does plan to come back to Japan in the future, and that this is not a one-off show for the sake of going into a market that has been a target ever since Zuffa ownership bought the UFC. Instead, this is a show that matters not only for the long-term growth of the UFC, but for MMA in Japan. Despite not being in the main event, Jackson has essentially been the face of the show, having fought in Japan 18 times during his PRIDE days. In discussing his return to the Land of the Rising Sun after five years away, he's been downright wistful."Japanese fans just really know how to treat a fighter," he said. "That’s why I love them. That’s why whenever I fought here, I always tried my best to put on an exciting show no matter what. I took risks, and was slamming people so much. It took a lot of energy to slam people and do the stuff I did. I lost a lot of fights just trying to excite them because I really love them. That’s the type of energy they give to me and that’s exactly why I wanted to come here and fight. That’s exactly how I’m going to fight, like I did when I was 25, and put on a great show for these Japanese fans because they’re the best in the world."PRIDE may be long gone, but there is hope that at least for one day, the glory days can return to Saitama Super Arena, and the clock can be turned back to a time when Japanese MMA was king and the love affair between fighters and fans was at its best.

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For the non-Japanese fighters competing on Saturday’s UFC 144 event in Saitama, having the opportunity to compete in a land with so much history and tradition when it comes to MMA (and martial arts in general) makes it more than just another fight. It’s a chance to soak in the culture, embrace the past, and then tuck the memories of the week in their own personal time capsule. That’s today. Back in 2001, when a 23-year old young man named Quinton Jackson was offered a fight in Japan’s PRIDE organization against superstar Kazushi Sakuraba, there were no thoughts of tradition, history, or the fighting culture in the Land of the Rising Sun. This was just another fight for the 10-1 Jackson.“When I was going into the Sakuraba fight, I was broke as hell,” laughed Jackson on a recent media teleconference. “I was just winging it. I didn't know anything about anything - I just wanted to make some money.”Bizarrely marketed as a homeless man living in a bus while talking to birds, Jackson nonetheless shed that erroneous image with a gutsy effort in defeat against Sakuraba, and Japanese fans soon embraced him for his fighting style and sense of humor. Jackson returned that affection, and over the next four and a half years, he became synonymous with the PRIDE organization, going 12-5 with wins over the likes of Igor Vovchanchyn, Murilo Bustamante, Chuck Liddell, Ricardo Arona, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, as well as memorable battles with Wanderlei Silva (twice) and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.So when it was announced that Jackson’s subsequent professional organization, the UFC, was going back to Japan for this Saturday’s event (ironically in the same Saitama Super Arena where he debuted against Sakuraba), it was a card he needed to be on, and when he wasn’t initially, he made enough noise that the organization placed him in the co-main event slot against Ryan Bader.“It's very important to be personally,” said Jackson. “My kids are from Japan, my kids’ grandparents are from there. They've never really watched me fight back in the day, and I've got a lot of experience in Japan. I really miss the fans; I'm not going to lie. I really miss fighting there, so it was something personal for me, so my two younger kids can come watch me fight and the in-laws can be in the crowd and watch me fight. I never had that before, so it is something that I want to do.”With Jackson coming off a championship bout defeat against Jon Jones last September, this is the perfect return bout for the former 205-pound titleholder, considering that he can avoid a post-loss letdown by getting ultra-motivated for his first bout in Japan since decision win over Yoon Dong-Sik at PRIDE 31 in 2006. He’s also hinted at a return to the all-out aggression that earned him the nickname “Rampage” all those years ago, even if just to please his longtime fans.“I think I was so popular in Japan because of my fight style,” he said. “I was young and I didn't care. I just wanted to put on fights for the crowd and they love that type of stuff. In America, everybody is always worried about who's going to win and who's winning. It isn't all about that (in Japan) – it’s entertainment at the end of the day. The fans want to see an entertaining fight and the fans got that. In America, I don't think we have that yet.”  This is nothing new coming from the 33-year old Memphis native, who has always spoken in reverential tones about his time in Japan and about the people there. He’s traveled back to the country since his days fighting there, but as far as being mobbed by fans like he is in the States, that’s not the case.“Honestly, it's kind of weird to say this, but it's true,” he said. “When I'm over in Japan, they don't even recognize me. If I don't have my chain on or no camouflage, I could be anybody.”And frankly, that’s the way he likes it. While appreciative of the attention he gets, Jackson has also been overwhelmed at times since becoming a big star in his native land, and it’s even prompted him to move his training camp at times to the Wolfslair homebase in England. But for this camp, Jackson stayed close to home in his new gym, the Rampage Fitness Academy in Mission Viejo, California.“Honestly, I never thought that I would own a gym, because it's no secret that I never liked training, but I noticed that in between fights I always get out of shape,” he said. “I was going to my friend's gym in Huntington Beach. But you know, I live in Mission Viejo, and right down the street was my business partner Dave Roberts, who's the guy who started me in fighting and stuff. And he was at the gym, and we got a lot of students. It's kind of like a family place, and that's the type of atmosphere I like.”“It's good to have your own home-based gym,” Jackson continues. “Now I can go in there in my own gym and train like I want to and do whatever I want to without having to walk on eggshells at my friends’ gyms and stuff like that because everybody knows how rowdy I get sometimes. So when it's your own gym, you don't have to say sorry to anybody, so I kind of like it.”All that’s left is to beat Bader, a former Ultimate Fighter winner and college wrestling standout who rebounded from 2011 losses to Jones and Tito Ortiz with a 77 second knockout of Jason Brilz last November. And unlike Jackson’s bouts with Jones and Rashad Evans, there’s no bad blood here.“Honestly, I got nothing against Ryan Bader,” he said. “He's a cool guy. He never talked trash against me. When I fight guys like this, it's never nothing personal. Most times anyway. But I'm just going out there like a guy putting on a great show for the fans. I've got nothing against Ryan Bader at all. I'm still going to try to knock his head off. But there ain't going to be no hard feelings about it.”Ten years after he first set foot in Japan, “Rampage” Jackson returns. It still may not be about tradition and history for him, but there is certainly a sentimental feel to this bout, and for all that the experience in the country has given him, now he has the chance to give something back.“I remember back in the day, it (PRIDE) was the biggest show, but UFC surpassed them,” said Jackson. “I think if anybody has a chance (to revive the Japan MMA scene), it's the UFC. And if I have anything to do with it, I'm going to go there and fight my heart out and put on a big show. I'll try to put on the most exciting fights that the fans have ever seen so maybe they'll want to have the UFC come back.” 

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TOKYO - Japan, meet "Sexyama." Yoshihiro Akiyama said fans in the Land of the Rising Sun aren't familiar with the tongue-in-cheek nickname that stateside fans have for him, and it's been awhile since they've seen him at all. Nonetheless, he feels it's his responsibility to show why American fans have taken such a liking to him and to make UFC 144 a success.

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Pressure in the fight game is always relative. When someone is trying to punch you in the face or make you submit, that’s pretty rough in and of itself. So when you add in the ideas of trying to break a string where you were 1-4 in your last five fights, along with fighting in your home country for the first time in nearly two years, are those factors more pressure-laden than avoiding a punch in the face? For Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto, fighting has been his life professionally for almost 11 years, so that part of the pressure equation isn’t a big deal. As for his 1-4 record since returning from a year and a half injury-induced layoff in 2009, a stretch that includes an 0-2 slate in the UFC, he simply says he’s been “a little bit frustrated, so I committed myself to train longer and harder to prepare for the fights.”But what about this Saturday’s UFC 144 bout in Saitama, Japan against Vaughan Lee, the Kanagawa’s native fighting return to home shores? Is there pressure for him to be the “Kid” once again in front of his loyal fanbase?“No,” said Yamamoto through manager / translator Fumihiko Ishii.It’s as blunt as an assessment as you will get from any fighter on any topic, and that’s Yamamoto’s personality when it comes to his day job. He’s to the point with little embellishment, something that translated into his prime performances, where every punch, knee, or kick was designed to get his opponent out of there. From his four second flying knee finish of Kazuyuki Miyata in 2006 to the soccer kicks that ended Rani Yahya’s night in 2007, Yamamoto was rightly considered one of the lighter weight classes’ elite competitors, and his name regularly came up in discussions about fights with stateside standouts Urijah Faber and Miguel Angel Torres.So when Yamamoto arrived in the UFC’s bantamweight division in 2011, expectations were high, but results underwhelmed, as he lost back-to-back decisions to Demetrious Johnson and Darren Uyenoyama. When asked what has gone wrong in the UFC thus far, Yamamoto replies, “a lack of training due to injury,” and he claims that when it comes to adjusting to the long travel schedule from Japan to the United States and fighting in the Octagon, he had had “no issues at all.”Which brings us to Saturday night and England’s Vaughan Lee. A scrappy ground ace who isn’t afraid of standing and trading, Lee - like many of his peers - is an admitted fan of Yamamoto, but that’s not going to stop him from trying to hand one of his favorite fighters a crushing defeat. Yamamoto (18-5, 1 NC), whose only stoppage loss came via cuts to Stephen Palling in his fifth pro fight in 2002, isn’t overly concerned with Lee’s submission skills.“I have been fighting top notch submission fighters and nobody submitted me,” he said. “So I do have enough confidence to face him.”Aiding in this confidence is that Yamamoto is healthy, and he’s also far removed from any possible distractions at home due to the relocation of his training camp to Mecha MMA in Toronto, Canada.“My sister suggested and arranged for me to train at Mecha MMA,” said Yamamoto. “(They bring) New technique and good conditioning.” As for getting away from Japan and all the pre-fight hype for this camp, he says, “I came here for training, which is the same anywhere.”That’s typical “Kid” Yamamoto. No nonsense to the core. But his hard edge softens a bit when asked about what this fight means, not just to him, but to his loyal fans at home and abroad who would like nothing more than to see a return to form on Saturday night.“It is really important to win the fight not only for myself but also for all of those fans,” he said. “I also want all of my fans to get excited about not just winning, but the fight.”Any last minute instructions to those fans?“SCREAM!”

Posted in: fight, fan, “ i, kid, yamamoto

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After years of incessant whining from fans to the UFC to add Flyweights to the roster, Zuffa has decided to put together a 125 pound tournament which starts at UFC on FX: Alves vs Kampmann. One of the fighters taking part in the tournament is Ian McCall, better known as 'Uncle Creepy' to his fans. McCall started becoming a bit of a household name in Tachi Palace after defeating the consensus top flyweight, Jussier da Silva, early in 2011. However, it's not his fights that really captured fan attention. Instead, it's his life before becoming a MMA fighter. My friends Rick Lee and Danny Accosta of Cage Side Sports had a chance to speak with Ian and the result was a fantastic video. Rick and Danny got Ian and his wife to open up about the darker times in their lives that included multiple overdoses and for Ian, one that nearly ended his life. McCall recognizes that he's been given another chance to live a better life and be a good father to his daughter. I am my own worst enemy. I have a lot of demons and they're still there. I still battle with them. But I've always had those values in the back of my head. Even though I've done horrible, horrible things to myself and other people, it's not like I don't feel bad. When I died I was sober for a while. I was doing good. And then I was getting getting tattooed. I was getting the heart tattooed on my chest saying Capulet and it's the sacred heart from Romeo and Juliet on Tybalt's chest. So I wanted that one. And I was like 'yeah, ok it's gonna hurt so I should so I should take something. So I took a few oxycontin. Then I was getting anxiety so I took a few xanax. And then smoke some weed and then I think I drank some GHB. And then I woke up a day or two later in the hospital. There was no light. I didn't see any light. No one spoke to me. I didn't have some apparition or whatever. I woke up like 'why are there tubes in me? What's going on?' And my brother just told me and the doctor pointed his finger at me and told me I screwed up. Ian has since turned his life around with the birth of his daughter and is now trying to lead a better life for his family. It took a moment where everything could have been taken away for him to recognize how dark of a path he was headed down and he came out the other side a better man. It's truly one of the more inspiring stories in MMA and I highly encourage everyone to watch the video. Ian McCall is scheduled to face Demetrious Johnson at UFC on FX 2 in Sydney, Australia at the Allphones Arena on March 3rd.

Posted in: ufc, life, fan, mccall, ian

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I'm trying to sell a friend (casual fan) on the card and a full-length preview would go a long way. submitted by gnomesane [link] [5 comments]

Posted in: fan, preview, ive, primetime, primetime episodes

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To understand why Eduard Folayang are Ole Laursen are so popular in Singapore you have to go all the way back to 2010. As a senior director Victor Cui persuaded ESPN Star Sports to launch a project called Martial Combat. Asia's biggest sport's network decided to dip it's toe into the waters of the MMA market in conjunction with Resorts World Sentosa, a multi billion dollar resort and casino in Singapore. The result was 12 shows in the space of six months, with events taking place on back to back week nights. It is a formula which will probably never be attempted again but it made a few mixed martial artists into stars in Singapore, none more so than Laursen and Folayang. Both won three fights out of three and established big fan followings in the process. It was no wonder that when Cui left ESPN Star Sports to launch ONE Fighting Championship he called on these two to headline the inaugural event. Not only are they popular but their fights tend to be fast and furious and all the ingredients seemed to be in place for an explosive main event. An unfortunate training injury put paid to Laursen's participation and Folayang instead found himself facing A Sol Kwon. In a fight of the night performance he battled back from a broken nose in the opening round to seal a unanimous decision win over the tenacious Korean. That performance won Folayang a few more fans in Singapore and he already has a huge following in the Philippines where he is widely regarded as MMA's answer to Manny Pacquiao. Laursen wasn't so lucky when he headlined ONE FC's second show, getting dropped and submitted by Felipe Enomoto after two rounds of all out action. Despite this setback the fight with Folayang is one that fans still desperately wanted to see, particularly in Singapore, and today it was confirmed that it would finally be happening at ONE FC 3 in the Singapore Indoor Stadium next month. It could make for an intense atmosphere because these two fighters seemed to get the biggest cheer out of any at the Martial Combat shows. Both men were born in the Philippines and both men live in the Philippines but Laursen has spent the majority of his life living in Scandinavia and Thailand so it's probable the Filipinos will be supporting Folayang. Stylistically it should be fun, Laursen came out swinging against Enomoto and is likely to do the same thing this time around. The Japanese fighter exhibited an iron chin in that fight and Folayang, who has a tendency to get tagged, might need to survive a similar onslaught. Folayang's record is currently 11-1 and he is already being talked about as one of the top lightweights in Asia. Part of his appeal is that his fights are seldom straightforward, he always seems to have to battle back from some sort of adversity and find a way to win. After Laursen's loss to Enomoto his record fell to 5-3 making this a must win fight. He has struggled with injury problems recently but emerged from that contest relatively unscathed and with both men fully fit ONE FC decided to give the fans the fight they had been so disappointed to be denied last September. Folayang's Team Lakay team mate Kevin Belingon is also taking on Japanese leg lock specialist Masakuzu Imanari in what looks set to be a defining night for Filipino MMA. For fight fans in Singapore it doesn't get much bigger than this and ONE FC should smash the record they set when just under 7,000 people squeezed into the Indoor Stadium for the first show.

Posted in: fight, fan, folayang, laursen, singapore

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When Quinton Jackson steps into the Octagon at UFC 144 he’ll do so in front of a Japanese audience almost six years to the day since he last entertained a crowd in the fight-friendly nation. While that bout may have involved a forgettable outpointing of Dong Sik Yoon, this time around “Rampage” has designs on a highlight reel knockout win to leave a favorable impression on the fans who cheered him on during his formative years in the sport. Jackson, who understands it will also likely be the final time he competes in Japan, shared his expectations with the world in a recent online enty where he discussed opponent Ryan Bader as well as why the fight is so personal to him. “Nothin’ is promised to no one. I should beat Ryan Bader at UFC 144 in Japan next Saturday – and I plan on knocking his ass out in front of my Japanese fans – but I’ve put in the work in the gym to make sure I do that,” explained Jackson on his Yahoo Sports blog. “Some haters have said now that I didn’t get my belt back after three years of waiting for my shot, I’m not going to be motivated in my fighting career,” Jackson continued. “That is what my English friends call “bollocks”. I am very motivated to kick Bader’s ass. I was a little pissed off and disappointed that I didn’t get my belt back and I was upset with my performance. I’m going to take that out on Ryan Bader and – in front of the Japanese fight fans – put on a great fight.” “Rampage” Thinks Japanese Fans are Light Years Ahead of American Fans Jackson and Bader will serve as co-headliners on a card featuring lightweight champion Frankie Edgar putting his title on the line against Benson Henderson in the main event. Seven fights are scheduled for the PPV portion of the card. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: fight, jackson, japanese, fan, bader

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Popular middleweight Brian Stann appears to already have what could be a third career if he so decides, as the former WEC champion recently confirmed he will be joining future UFC broadcasts as an analyst. Last week, Stann provided insightful commentary at UFC on Fuel: Sanchez vs. Ellenberger, taking over a chair that has been occupied by the likes of light heavyweight title-holder Jon Jones and UFC Hall of Fame fighter Randy Couture before him. Stann confirmed the news while making it known on his Twitter page how appreciative he was of MMA fans talking about his performance in front of the camera instead of inside the Octagon. “Huge thanks to all the fans who have supported me after the FUEL broadcast,” Stann wrote. “Looks like I will be doing live FOX shows now. Power of the fans.” Along with possible upcoming broadcasts, Stann will also be in action on the next Fuel TV card this April 14 against Alessio Sakara. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fan, broadcast, stann, fuel

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The power of fans compels Dana White. After seeing how great UFC middleweight Brian Stann was as a guest analyst on the UFC on Fuel TV 1: "Sanchez vs. Ellenberger" broadcast this past Feb. 15, 2012, apparently the powers that be have decided he deserves an expanded role. From "All American's" official Twitter account: "Huge thanks to all the fans who have supported me after the Fuel broadcast. Looks like I will be doing the Live Fox shows now. Power of fans." To those who watch with a critical eye (ahem) this is welcome news. The UFC debuted on FOX with Brock Lesnar and Dana White serving as analysts to decidedly mixed results. The second show wasn't much better, with Randy Couture doing a decent enough job but Jon Jones absolutely bombing on live TV. Stann, meanwhile, was calm, cool and composed while providing insight without sounding as though he was unsure of himself. In fact, if one didn't know better, one might think he's a seasoned veteran with a microphone in his hand. For my money, Curt Menefee, Couture and Stann should be a permanent team. How about you, Maniacs?

Posted in: ufc, fan, stann, fuel broadcast, tv stann

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YouTubeSensation.com. Unfortunately for this guy, it's already been claimed by a 'New media' director named Joshua de la Fuente. In his latest film, he documented a pillow fight in Los Angeles. Don't worry, I've never heard of the guy either. However, there's another self-proclaimed 'YouTube sensation' that completely dominates your perception on what an MMA fan truly is. You may be a card-carrying MMA fan, but your membership means nothing if you've never encountered the 'YouTube Sensation.' LayzieTheSavage attended Superior Cage Combat 4 in Las Vegas last night which featured an entertaining headliner of Kendall Grove vs. Jay Silva. During the event, Dan Hardy and LayzieTheSavage noticed an interesting MMA fan hovering around the cage. Layzie pulled out the camera and documented the path of the 'YouTube Sensation.' There's even a Dana White appearance towards the end. We think you're going to enjoy this one.

Posted in: mma, fan, mma fan, pillow fight, event dan

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UFC president Dana White said he "blew it" by costing fans a potential five-round classic Wednesday and said future headliners will go five.

Posted in: ufc, fan, future, future ufc, future headliners

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This Wednesday night, a major fight takes place in the UFC Welterweight division, as Jake Ellenberger faces Diego Sanchez. Winner could easily be next in line for a shot at Carlos Condit and the Interim title. It's also an exciting match-up between two dynamic fighters. So, cause for celebration, right? Sure - if you are one of the people who will actually be able to watch the fight. Sanchez vs. Ellenberger headlines the UFC's debut on Fuel, and as we draw closer to the fight, the reality is beginning to set in - not everyone who wants to is going to be able to see this show. Fuel is currently in 36 million US homes. Compare that to the 96 million homes that have Spike and you see what a difference there is. Personally, my carrier doesn't offer Fuel. No one I know in my area has it. So I am left with an interesting dilemma - skip the show entirely or find some sort of unauthorized online stream. Why is the UFC forcing fans to make this decision? Why have they taken such a huge step backwards by going from Spike to Fuel? The answer is obvious - the Fuel deal was part of their access to Fox. And there's no denying that running shows on Fox is a massive gain. But do those gains outweigh the negatives of the move to Fuel? In the short term, there are two downsides to this move. The first is that less fans will see Ellenberger vs. Sanchez and the entire card Wednesday night. This is particularly problematic given the current Welterweight division. Jake Ellenberger is not a big name yet, and if this fight leads to a Condit vs. Ellenberger title fight, he needs the extra exposure that will be missing by being on Fuel. These free TV shows also typically serve in part as a hype show for the next PPV. With UFC 144 headlined by Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson, a fight without a lot of casual fan interest, an extra push would again be a real benefit. So that's possibly two upcoming PPV's who could see a buyrate boost from this show, but could be ngatively impacted by lower viewership. But to me, the bigger problem is in the long-term perception of UFC shows. Over the years, the company has done a great job conveying the feeling that every show is a Must See. Starting last year, they made every fight available to fans, again cultivating the kind of completist "I must watch it all" mentality that is so beneficial to an organization like the UFC. By making fans miss this show and subsequent Fuel programming, the UFC is in danger of reversing this message. There's no doubt that fans will miss this show. But the question is, over time, will this give the message that certain shows are indeed OK to miss? That every show is not in fact must see TV? That's a message casual fans already know, but if it gets into the heads of hardcore fans as well? That has the potential to be a serious long-term problem. And so far, it's not a problem the UFC has addressed publicly in any way. Will low viewership Wednesday night cause them to reconsider hw they use Fuel programming? If it doesn't, it will be their loss - now and later. SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel TV

Posted in: ufc, fight, show, fan, fuel

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Interim UFC welterweight champion Carlos Condit refuted Monday a recent claim from the "Diaz Brothers" Twitter account that he accepted a rematch against Nick Diaz only after learning of Diaz’s drug test failure. On the contrary, Condit, speaking to host Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, said he’s disappointed that Diaz tested positive for marijuana following their UFC 143 fight since it jeopardizes a potential rematch. Condit on the night of the fight felt he dominated and won a well-deserved decision. But after watching it on tape, he reconsidered that the fight could have gone either way and since it was so close, "I was looking forward to doing it again," Condit said. Condit recalls receiving a phone call Tuesday morning from UFC president Dana White."We talked about a rematch," Condit said. "It’s a fight a lot of people want to see. And I agreed with him. After the criticism and flack I took, I was motivated to shut people up." Condit told White he'd "love" a rematch, but received another phone call that evening from White, this time informing him of Diaz's drug test failure.Feedback from the fight has been across the board and Condit admits he's new to the criticism, as he feels he usually wins over the crowd by the end of the night. "Whether you’re a fan of my opponent or a fan of me, after the fight, I’m [generally] a fan favorite," he said.After heavy promotion for an exciting finish, Condit won by unanimous decision, the second time in his 28 wins where he did not finish with a (T)KO or a submission. He acknowledges he might have won some fans at UFC 143, but also lost some fans."It’s been a process dealing with all the criticisms and even the praise," Condit said. "The thing about it is, most of these people, for the most part, they don’t care about me. They don’t care whether I get knocked out, whether I win the fight. They want to be entertained." Condit said he had to fight the way he did to win and is proud of the way he implemented his team's gameplan of constant movement to avoid wild exchanges with Diaz."I thought I fought a damn good fight," he said.It remains uncertain the extent Diaz will be disciplined. But if Diaz is available to fight and if Georges St-Pierre takes longer to recover than anticipated, Condit's up for another five rounds with the former Strikeforce champ."I’m in this game to fight big fights and to fight the best in the world," Condit said. "Nick’s one of the best in the world. It’s something the fans would like to see. I’m willing to give Nick a rematch."

Posted in: fight, diaz, fan, rematch, condit

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Not happy being asked to step back into the tournament format, former Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez happy to rematch Shinya Aoki and give his fans big fights.

Posted in: fight, fan, eddie alvarez, tournament format, bellator future

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When two wrestlers face off inside the Octagon often times what the fans receive is the exact opposite of what they would expect. The expectation would be that the fans would be in for a technical battle fought on the ground, a glorified NCAA match where the two fighters look to showcase who has the better skills in the discipline that led them to the upper reaches of the mixed martial arts world. Instead what they tend to receive is a stand up battle, where the fighters look to showcase the fact that they

Posted in: fan, arts world, battle, wrestlers face, showcase

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Fans are invited to next week's "UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans" press conference in Atlanta. The fan and media event kicks off the pre-event promotion for UFC 145, which features the long-awaited grudge match between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former titleholder Rashad Evans, takes place Thursday, Feb. 16 at Ventanas in the city's Luckie Marietta District. The event is free and open to the public and also streams live on UFC.com.

Posted in: ufc, fan, media event, longawaited grudge, preevent promotion

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My god the timing of this Nevada State Athletic Commission statement on the current rules of mixed martial arts. It's as if they dipped into the mind of every Nick Diaz fan that believes it was unjust that he's on the verge of suspension for testing positive for marijuana at UFC 143. That's a really long sentence, but I can assure you that it's grammatically correct. If I had to take 6th grade English again, I would kick some friggin' butt. Fighters Only covered the NSAC press release in which the commission invited MMA fans to suggest possible changes to their traditional unified rule set. The Nevada State Athletic Commission will be holding an open meeting this month where mixed martial arts fans can suggest alterations they would like to see to the unified rules. Fans can also submit their suggestions by email to NSAC director Keith Kizer by email via kkizer@boxing.nv.gov NSAC’s press release declares the body to be interested in “comments from interested persons on any matter related to contests or exhibitions of unarmed combat, or any other matter within the jurisdiction of the NSAC.” Unfortunately I can't speak for LayzieTheSavage, however I can only assume what rule change would be at the top of his very short list. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing a fighter's walkout music be included in the judging criteria of a fight. [Source]

Posted in: fan, mma fans, nevada state, rule, nsac

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The Twitter Mailbag is back and ready to answer all your questions, even if most of you only want to talk about Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz. Never fear, we also find time for a few other topics in this edition of the TMB. If you’ve got a question of your own, you can find me on Twitter here. Or keep pretending that you’re too cool for Twitter. How’d that work out with other technological developments, by the way?Enough preamble. Who wants to get us started?@tommyahlering does nick diaz deserve a rematch at this point?‘Deserve’ is an interesting word here. Really, who deserves an immediate rematch? Who’s undeniably entitled to one? I’d argue that it’s really only essential in the cases of a draw, a no contest, or some type of bizarre/unfair ending, such as in the case of the first Mac Danzig/Matt Wiman fight, where the referee mistakenly stopped it thinking that Danzig had been choked unconscious. Those are instances where the fight ends with such a lack of closure that an immediate rematch is justified, maybe even necessary.But a close fight that ends in a debatable decision? I’ll file that under: rematch possible, but not essential. Diaz wasn’t robbed by the judges in this fight. Not like "Shogun" Rua was robbed in his first fight with Lyoto Machida, anyway. Diaz lost a close decision, just like Michael Bisping did against Chael Sonnen and also like Rua did against Dan Henderson. The big difference is, Bisping and Rua didn’t complain quite so loudly or threaten to retire over it. I can see why some people want a rematch here. With Georges St-Pierre injured, the welterweight division is in a holding pattern anyway, so why not? At the same time, it sets an annoying precedent. It tells fighters that if they don’t like the outcome of a close fight, all they have to do is whine about until they get another chance. What would happen if Diaz won a narrow decision in the rematch, and it was Condit who threw the post-fight tantrum? Would they do it a third time to settle things once and for all? Would the entire 170-pound division have to sit around and wait for someone to either win decisively or take a loss with dignity?It’s not that you couldn’t make the case for an immediate rematch here, given the circumstances. But does Diaz deserve one? Brother, to quote Clint Eastwood, deserve’s got nothing to do with it.@AdriantheWizard If the Condit/Diaz rematch doesn't unfold & Condit refuses to wait for GSP, who's the next contender for the interim belt?That’s the problem, isn’t it? If the UFC doesn’t hold Condit out of action until GSP is healthy enough to fight, then who is there for him to fight? On the flipside, if it does bench him until GSP is ready, what’s the point of having an interim title? It’s a tough one, no doubt about it.What makes it more difficult to figure is the fact that GSP has already cleaned out the division pretty well. If you put Condit up against someone like Josh Koscheck, you run the risk of being forced into a third GSP-Koscheck bout, which a lot of fight fans wouldn’t cross the street to watch. That leaves contenders that GSP hasn’t yet faced, guys like Johny Hendricks (who’s coming off that 12-second KO of Jon Fitch) or the winner of the Diego Sanchez-Jake Ellenberger fight. Realistically, none of those fights generates a lot of heat right now, so the UFC would have a tough time selling it. Let’s just face it: as long as the true champ is hurt, there’s no clear way to go that doesn’t feel like a consolation prize.@SeaninDC my theory is most people upset at CC/Diaz not b/c of running, but b/c they feel CC won on a technicality ie evade not fight...its like winning a game by the letter of the law instead of the spirit of the gameI’m familiar with this argument. I make it every time my wife beats me at Scrabble using words like ‘za’ and ‘jo.’ The fact is, even when I make this argument I know that it’s just sour grapes. Winning is winning. Just because people wanted Condit to march right into Diaz’s punch combinations, that doesn’t mean he has to. He did the smart thing. When he felt his back touch that fence, he got out of there before Diaz could do the same thing to him that he did to B.J. Penn. He brought the fight back to the open space and started over. He also landed a lot of punches, kicks, and spinning elbows for a guy who was supposedly fleeing in terror for 25 minutes.I understand that some fans were expecting another Diaz-Daley, but a) that didn’t work out so well for Daley, and b) if Diaz wanted Condit to stand in one place and box him, it was his responsibility -- not Condit’s -- to make it happen. You can pick your strategy, but you don’t get to pick your opponent’s.@ctlacosta what's a fan to do during ufc's long march break?Read a book or something. I recommend Jim Shepard’s Like You’d Understand, Anyway. Anybody who can switch between stories about Texas high school football players and Roman legionaries stationed at Hadrian’s Wall can keep you entertained until the UFC returns to the airwaves.@blackzag05 what beer embodies Nick Diaz's spirit? #mailbagSteel Reserve. I think technically it’s malt liquor rather than beer, but it’s close enough. I think it’s the Nick Diaz of alcoholic beverages because a) it’s powerful, b) the people who like it seem to really like it, often while crouched beneath bridges, and c) one way or another, it tends to provoke a strong reaction right away.@heizerbjj here's my Twitter mailbag question. How many Twitter mailbag questions were regarding Diaz/Condit? Also, do you think the Sonnen/Bisping decision was worse than the "robbery" of Diaz/Condit?The answer to the first question is: more than I care to count. The answer to the second is: neither was an especially bad decision, which is true of most close fights. I happened to score those fights for Sonnen and Condit respectively, but if they had both gone the other way I wouldn’t have been shocked. That’s how it goes with decisions. If you let the fight stay that close, you’re rolling the dice. Fighters know this. Fans know it too, or at least they should. It’s just that, when you’re rooting for one fighter over another, it tends to color your judgment. You talk yourself into believing that a close fight was a clear win for your guy, which is when the robbery talk starts up. Neither of those fights was a robbery. Sorry, Diaz and Bisping fans, but that’s the truth. @jmhawkins I'm lucky enough to be going to UFC 144 in Japan. How different do you think this card will be to a usual UFC event?First of all, you are lucky. That should be a memorable experience, and I’m a little jealous that I won’t be there as well. I was fortunate enough to cover one of the Dynamite!! New Year’s Eve events for Fight Magazine a couple years ago, and it’s something I’ll never forget.But you raise an interesting question that I’m not sure anyone can answer with any certainty just yet. The UFC is generally pretty good at exporting its product in its purest form. The staging, the music, the lights, the pre-fight activities -- all that runs like a Swiss watch at this point. What the UFC can’t always account for are the cultural differences. For instance, who knew that the crowd in Rio would start throwing beer until it happened? Not the UFC staff, many of whom looked as if they didn’t even know such a thing was possible as soon as the suds started raining down on them.Japan, needless to say, is probably going to be a different environment. In a city the size of Tokyo, it’s surprisingly easy to get 50,000 or so fans into the Saitama Super Arena, which is a cavernous airplane hangar of an arena that you have to see to believe. But the Japanese fight fans may not react the same way as a Vegas crowd to pump-up highlight reels and techno "Hotel California" remixes. In fact, they may not react much at all, which is both good and bad. Good, because it means we’ll all be spared the booing that sometimes starts up if a fight slows down for even a few seconds. Bad, because the TV audience might not know what to make of a pay-per-view broadcast that’s so quiet you can hear the fighters breathing.@generalwebb anderson silva reminds me of fedor. He beats average guys and duck his best challenger. Is the spider overated?By ‘best challenger’ I assume you mean Chael Sonnen, and by ‘duck’ I assume you mean ‘already beat once.’ So no, I’m afraid I can’t agree that Silva is overrated. He’s beaten everybody there is to beat in the middleweight division, and he’s slated to take on Sonnen again this summer. How can you possibly complain about that?@AndytheHurst What does the UFC do with: Josh Koscheck, Gray Maynard, Vitor Belfort, Rampage Jackson, and Roy Nelson?When you lump them all together like that, it seems like there’s only one clear option: convince them to form a Guns N’ Roses tribute band and tour the country in a used RV. Obviously Rampage is the only one with the charisma to be Axl Rose, and Josh Koscheck is just a few months and a ban on peroxide away from having Slash hair. Maynard, Belfort, and "Big Country" can fight over who gets to be Duff McKagan. You can’t tell me you wouldn’t watch a reality show about this brilliant little endeavor. It’s called ‘Becoming GN’R,’ and it will be the most successful show on FUEL by the end of this sentence.@JasonRule Beltran is going down to lhw. To late to save his job. Do see Big Country doing the same?I hope not. I’m ordinarily suspicious of fighters who think they’ll change everything with a move up or down in weight, but it’s almost never a good idea for heavyweights who move down to light heavyweight, where the competition tends to be faster and more athletic. At around six feet tall, Nelson would still be short for the division at 205 lbs. He’d be slow and hungry too. That’s no way to live.@VineStreetLife TMB:any ideas on how to objectify the scoring in an MMA contest? Is such a thing even possible? This is the root of the issue.I think judges could stand to be better educated, and to be held accountable for the decisions they render. But in a fight as close as Condit-Diaz, some controversy is inevitable. You’re asking people to watch a five-minute round, during which each guy might throw 20 or 30 strikes, attempt a couple takedowns, and employ all manner of defensive tactics. Then, when it’s over, we turn to the judge and say, ‘So, what’d you think?’ That’s fine when one guy is clearly winning, but in a back-and-forth round it gets arbitrary in a hurry. MMA is such a diverse sport that it’s not just about who threw and landed more strikes. For instance, how do you score a takedown that didn’t result in a submission attempt or even any significant action on the ground? How do you score a failed takedown attempt? How do you score a blocked head kick that breaks the blocker’s arm, even if no one knows about it until after the fight? A certain amount of guesswork and human error will always be involved. The best we can hope for is that we have judges that know what they’re looking at and looking for, and that we root out the ones that are habitually rendering bad decisions. We all know who they are.@BroccoliMonster #TMB How do you think the Rousey/Tate fight will go?For starters, let me say that it’s a fight I’m really looking forward to, and in a just world it would get a lot more hype than it has so far. As for a prediction, I think Tate will frustrate Rousey on the feet early on, win some rounds with takedowns and a very conservative ground game, and take a decision that Rousey spends the next six months complaining about. And yes, then Tate will no choice but to face Sarah Kaufman again, which is when the real fun starts.@JefftheJeff Mailbag: the Diaz Bros. vs The Hart Foundation: who ya got?!As long as the Diaz boys don’t make the mistake of taking their eyes off Hitman and Anvil during the singing of the national anthem, I think the 209 cruises to victory thanks to vastly superior cardio. Those tanning beds really take it out of you.@JoakimKalantari why do you hate Nick Diaz?Against my better judgment, I’m going to address this one only so that I can never address it again. I don’t hate Nick Diaz. I love watching Nick Diaz fight. My colleague John Morgan over at MMA Junkie once told me that he thinks the highest praise a media member can bestow upon a fighter is to say, ‘I’d pay to see this guy fight,’ and I think he’s right. We attend these events and watch these pay-per-views for a living, but even if I had to dig into my own pocket to see Diaz fight, I would. I have.At the same time, my job is not to be a fan, to pick sides and stick with them no matter what. My job is to call it like I see it, and with Diaz there’s simply no way to do that without being critical from time to time. He’s a great fighter, but outside of the cage he’s a bit of a mess. He insists on playing by his own rules, and he’s never encountered a problem that he couldn’t blame on someone else, even if he alone caused it. He has a passionate, loyal fan base, and from a purely sporting perspective that makes sense. He’s great at what he does. At the same time, few MMA fighters have sabotaged their own careers to the extent that Diaz has. We all make mistakes, but he adamantly refuses to take responsibility for his. He is a man with the virtues of his faults, which makes him fascinating. It does not, however, make him faultless. It doesn’t make him beyond criticism. His fans can think that any criticism of him amounts to unforgivable blasphemy, and that’s fine. That’s the prerogative of fans. The job of writers is to tell it like it is, which is what I try to do, even while knowing without a doubt that it will always upset somebody somewhere.@TheHarrison101 What did you think of the UFC's new intro?It’s awesome. I was suspicious after hearing Dana White tout its price tag -- as a rule, when someone starts telling you how expensive something is, they’re trying to convince themselves that the cost was justified -- but when I saw it I felt damn near inspired. It’s visually fun, and it’s an homage to this sport’s growth and development. Plus, I was so sick of that freaking gladiator.@Vilainsoleil What's your take on the Strikeforce HW's? They are 3-0 and yet Carwin/Big Nog are above Cormier/Barnett...It’s a regrettable situation, but one that will be remedied in time. The average fan may not appreciate how good Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier are, or even what a great fight that should be, but at least there’s an end in sight. The Strikeforce heavies are doing pretty well in the UFC, and the two guys left in that heavyweight Grand Prix should only continue the trend. That is, if they can make the move while they’re still young.

Posted in: ufc, fight, diaz, fan, itrsquo

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Seriously everytime I log on to /r/mma or sherdog, its all talk about how nick lost that fight and doesn't deserve a rematch. As soon as that decision was announced I new there would be a rematch because the fans were robbed a good fight. Everybody is bitching about Nick Diaz way more than I see Diaz "nuthuggers" claiming he whined his way into a rematch. When the biggest names in the sport all say it was Diaz's fight you really think that the judges really made the right decision? I mean come on 2 of them scored it 49-46, giving only rd 3 to Diaz. Nobody even doubts Condit won rd 3, its 1,2 and 5 that Diaz should have won. Diaz didn't even get a medical suspension. That means after the fight a doctor looked over Diaz and said he's good enough to fight tomorrow if he wanted too. Doesn't that, as a FIGHT fan make you question who really won the fight? submitted by voodoochild87 [link] [comment]

Posted in: fight, diaz, nick, fan, rematch

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Posted in: mma, hour, fan, episode

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Jason "Mayhem" Miller wants to get back inside the Octagon, and he's hoping his fans can help him. Miller said on The MMA Hour that he's ready to return to the UFC following his loss to Michael Bisping at December's Ultimate Fighter Finale. And he said he believes his fans could help him get into the Octagon by pressuring UFC President Dana White to book him for another fight. "You guys tweet Dana that you want to see me fight," Miller said. "I want to fight as soon as possible. So the more pressure that anybody who wants to see me fight, the more pressure they put on the brass, well, guess what? I'll fight sooner." White was extremely critical of Miller's performance in his loss to Bisping, to the point that some fans wondered if White would cut Miller. Miller said, however, that the UFC has indicated to him that he'll be given another fight. "I've gotten a head nod, but nothing official," Miller said. Miller didn't name any particular opponent or any particular event he'd like next. "Whenever -- I'll fight next weekend," Miller said. "I'm sick of sitting on the couch," he said. "I'm a fighter. I need to fight."

Posted in: ufc, fight, dana, miller, fan

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"It’s not unusual for comic book fans to wonder what life would be like as a crime-fighting vigilante. Would you be strong enough, brave enough and tough enough? Even having seen the movie "Kick Ass," most fans are content to read about or watch superheroic exploits rather than living them. "However, there is a comic book fan out there who possesses the strength and ability worthy of a superhero -- one that might even give Iron Fist a run for his money. Ultimate Fighting Championship Lightweight Championship contender Benson "Smooth" Henderson is both a fighter and a comic lover. As one of UFC's fastest-rising stars, Henderson is 15-2 for his career and 3-0 since entering the UFC in 2011 -- and he's preparing for one epic fight."read full article

Posted in: henderson, fan, epic fightread, book fans, crimefighting vigilante

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One of the best parts of "Bull Durham" is when Crash Davis dispenses interview advice to Nuke LaLoosh. Emphasizing the safety of clichés and generic statements, Davis, a veteran minor-leaguer tutoring the red-hot prospect, is giving Tim Robbins' character a basic template to get over on the press, and the public. "You can't have fungus on your shower shoes in the (majors)," explains Davis. "Win 20 (there), and then you can do it, and the press will say you're colorful." Until then, he adds, you're just a jackass with dirty shower shoes. The same could be said for winning over fans in MMA, especially when you are operating at a deficit given past statements and interactions. It's a thin line between being controversial and widely disliked, but one of my favorite observations is how a fighter, well-aware of public sentiment against him, responds, especially after a win. Brock Lesnar rebuilt his public image somewhat after his meltdown after the Frank Mir rematch and fell back on safe clichés and less bombastic stuff. After bouts against Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez, Lesnar was far less controversial and toed the interview line. He even got a lot of sympathy for his classy exit interview upon losing to Alistair Overeem, a far cry from the dislike he elicited with the WTF-style reaction he drew after UFC 100. Yet after decisioning Mike Pierce last night (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) at UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit" in Las Vegas, Nevada, in a tossup bout that could have gone either way, Josh Koscheck pretty much gave any fan left on the fence regarding him a one-way ticket to haterville by flipping everyone the bird in his postfight interview. Then wondering openly to Joe Rogan why they dislike him. Before the aforementioned bird was flipped, I was watching, hoping Koscheck would spout a few generic clichés, play it safe, utter something along the lines of "It was a tough fight. I hope you fans enjoyed. Mike's a great opponent." Just to let that simmer in the public consciousness a bit. Instead, he reacted emotionally and advanced a self-fulfilling prophecy. It doesn't really matter in terms of earning power or skills, as Koscheck is an elite welterweight who's been around and is going to stay around for a while. But it was disappointing to see him take the easy way out. You catch more flies with honey -- fighters shouldn't complain why they aren't getting any when you're doling out the middle finger instead. Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst and Jason@jasonprobst.com

Posted in: ufc, koscheck, fan, interview, shower shoes

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With UFC 143 behind us, some MMA fans will be taking a break with friends and family today as they sit back and enjoy the biggest sporting event in America as the New York Giants and New England Patriots square off in Super Bowl XLVI. The game kicks off around 6:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC. This post is a chance for those of you who are sitting around watching the game who want to talk about the happenings with your fellow MMA fans. Think that sack of Tom Brady by Jason Pierre Paul showed some sort of fantastic double leg technique? Want to have the same old conversation about which NFL players would be beasts in the Octagon? Feel like dropping the knowledge that Eli Manning (6'4" 218 lbs) is basically the same size as Jon Jones? This is your place to have the conversation. And while you're here, make sure you're reading all of our great coverage of last night's big UFC event.

Posted in: mma, fan, mma fans, tom brady, york giants

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The UFC 143 main event between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz reminded of a very specific reality when it comes to the fight game. Condit's ability to stick to a gameplan that neutralized Diaz's style cut into some of the excitement expected from the fight. Instead of a wild brawl we were given a tense strategic fight. For many fans Condit's gameplanning was a sort of betrayal, he broke the agreement some saw the main eventers as having with the fans. For me it was one of the things you need to see at the highest levels of the sport, just as vital as Dan Henderson's wild brawl with Mauricio Rua. I'm not suggesting that the two fights are on the same level of excitement for me, but rather that I find both fights to be acceptable and exciting in their own way. In the Bloody Elbow staff picks, everyone but me picked Diaz to win. The reasons ranged from Diaz having too good of a chin for a firefight to Diaz's barrage being too much for Condit to withstand for 25 minutes to not being able to find space for his own strikes as Diaz relentlessly threw blows. Even when I picked Condit, I thought he would look to get the fight off the feet and work from top position. Instead of trying to dent Nick's chin in a firefight that most picked Diaz to win, Condit circled, kept his back of the cage and used kicks to score points while exploiting the holes in Diaz's footwork to stay out of danger. This is, to me, the point of combat sports. Condit practiced the art of hitting while not getting hit. Much of the anger and disappointment seen from certain fans stems from the idea that it isn't legitimate to look to score points and not finish. To some people, looking to win a decision is not nearly as legitimate as fighting for the finish at all times. That seems to ignore the fact that Condit was working high kicks, he did throw powerful combinations at Diaz's head and he worked spinning backfists that never really landed. But why should Condit have gone for broke trying to knock out a man who is notoriously hard to knock out? Why go for submissions against a man who has never been submitted? Based on the majority of analysis of the fight, Condit was very unlikely to stop Diaz, so he didn't ever go for broke trying and leave an opening for Diaz to get his offense rolling. Condit fought smart, and sometimes fighting smart means backlash from the fans. It's an unfortunate reality of the game, but Condit should be proud of his ability to stick to a smart strategy and can look at his UFC championship belt if he ever finds himself unsure of if he did the right thing.

Posted in: fight, diaz, fan, condit, score points

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"Mike Pierce, I knew he was a tough kid coming into the fight, but to be honest, I really didn't have the urge to fight him because he is down there on the ladder. It was a lose-lose for me you know, but I am down for challenges and I found a way to win. It's not the prettiest thing but you can't have knock out everytime. To the crowd out there and everybody who hates me, ***k yourselves. I'm sick of being nice you know, I'm sick of it. You know, I go out of my way to be nice to fans, I go out of my way to let them get to know me, but, you want to keep booing? I'll keep being a dick. You want to come at me, I'll come at you. Don't come up to me and get an autograph from me then. Stay away, don't come up to me. You know, I know I got fans out there, but all these pricks out there at the Mandalay Bay tonight, I'll walk down the street and they will all be like, "Oh Koscheck!" F*** you! I'm definitely ready to take on the winner of tonight's fight. I think it will be a different matchup than tonight with Pierce. I think I'll be able to let my hands go and use a lot of wrestling and just go at it you know. I think the winner is going to fight again, so why not let Josh Koscheck have that fight?" -- You don't like Josh Koscheck? Well, guess what, he doesn't like you, either. After his split decision win over a very game Mike Pierce last night (Feb. 4, 2012) at UFC 143 in Las Vegas, Nevada, "Kos" tells UFC.com that he is sick of being nice to fans and there will be no more Mr. Nice Guy. Koscheck, who has always had a love-hate relationship with fans, had never really vented on the boos he often receives, but after the "Sin City" crowd showered the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) product with boos after a very close split decision win, he didn't hold back any punches. And, apparently, it was the straw the broke the camel's back. So a word of advice to you autograph seekers out there, if you aren't a true "Kos" fan, do not come up and ask for an autograph and expect get one if you recently booed him. It just ain't happening. Anyone think Josh is going too far with his comments? Or do you actually side with his harsh sentiments?

Posted in: fight, josh koscheck, koscheck, fan, split decision

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Rampage Jackson has signed a three app deal to develop mobile games. His deal with Fountain Valley, California’s MEDL Mobile includes an executive position with the company. Via MEDL press release: Jackson, an active gaming enthusiast, has been appointed to the role of Creative Game Development Executive at MEDL and will work closely with its team of creative executives and programmers to develop three games based on his ideas. The first app is slated for launch in Spring 2012. The three-app deal signifies a continuing trend of celebrities who are marketing their own mobile apps to connect with their fans and extend their brands into the fast-growing mobile apps market. Jackson is known for being exceptionally engaged with his fans, which is partly why his role in creating the apps will be much more in-depth and hands-on than what is typical of a celebrity-branded app. While the apps will bear Jackson’s name, they will not necessarily reflect his UFC or acting endeavors; rather, they will be based on his original ideas as a gamer. “Rampage is a long-time avid gamer with great ideas that he’s been interested in developing for some time,” said Todd Jacobs of William Morris Endeavor. “This isn’t a case of a celebrity stamping his or her name or brand on a trendy product, but of a serious creative talent who is looking to chart new territory for himself and for his fans who share his passion for gaming.” “With Rampage’s acting career taking off and his UFC achievements well established, now is a perfect time for him to expand into mobile and connect with his fans in a new way,” said Dave Swartz, MEDL Mobile co-founder and chief creative officer. “In his case, it’s going to not only provide another avenue for his brand, but an opportunity for him to validate yet another one of his talents – creative development.” Payout Perspective: Its nice to see UFC fighters expanding their business ventures and the phone app market seems to be a growing industry. We’ve seen from the UFC Countdown shows that Rampage is an avid gamer. We’ll have to wait and see what Rampage develops and at what price point. His name alone should be able to garner his fans to get the app.

Posted in: rampage, jackson, fan, app, medl

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When Josh Koscheck was left without an opponent for Saturday's UFC 143, Mike Pierce saw an opportunity for himself and the fans.

Posted in: ufc, josh koscheck, fan, josh, mike

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The next UFC Fan Expo has been confirmed for the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas July 6-7.

Posted in: ufc, fan, mandalay, expo, bay

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The ultimate fan experience! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is returning home for the UFC Fan Expo 2012, which will coincide with the promotion's annual Fourth of July weekend event at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 6-7 in Las Vegas, Nevada. As with any UFC Fan Expo, you can expect meet and greets with legendary UFC, Pride FC and Strikeforce fighters, mixed martial arts (MMA) demonstrations, grappling "Super Fights," fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions, as well as other combat related opportunities and entertainment. The exhibit floor will also feature apparel, electronic gaming, food & beverages, fight gear, fitness equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements and lifestyle products from over 150 leading vendors. Here is the UFC Fan Expo 2012 ticket sales schedule: Friday only ticket for July 6, 2012: $40.00 Saturday only ticket for July 7, 2012: $45.00 Two-Day ticket for July 6-7, 2012: $60.00 VIP ticket: $200 Ultimate UFC VIP ticket: $2,500 Please note the above prices are for "early birds" and they are expected to increase as we get closer to the event. And as anyone who has been to one of these things can attest, it's damn near impossible to see and do it all in one day, so opt for the two-day ticket, if possible. To purchase tickets for the UFC 2012 Fan Expo click here, and don't forget, there are also some huge fights taking place that weekend. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on the upcoming UFC Fan Expo and to see what all the fuss is about, check out our live coverage from the exhibit floor in Toronto as well as Houston by clicking here and here.

Posted in: ufc, fan, ticket, expo, july

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Believe it or not, but after more than five years of loving mixed martial arts and over 2.5 years of writing about the sport, which included multiple media appearances at Strikeforce, Bellator and countless regional events, I'd never been to a Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event ... not even as just a fan. That was until I scored a lower bowl seat at the second UFC on Fox event, which took place at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., this past Saturday night (Jan. 28, 2012). When you attend an event as a member of the media, you aren't allowed to cheer. You have to remain composed so as to not show any bias. If you showcase emotion during a fight, it's considered unprofessional. I was pretty stone-faced to begin the night just out of habit, so it took me a few fights to loosen up, but by the time Charles Oliveira pulled off the first calf slicer in UFC history, I'd finally snapped out of it and was marking out pretty badly. I mean, come on. How often are you going to see a freaking calf slicer? Posted below are some of my observation from the seat of a fan during UFC on Fox 2: "Davis vs. Evans:" There are a ton of people who still have no respect for the ground game - There was a belligerent guy who sat in front of us who thought he was hilarious. Every time a fight went to the ground, he cupped his hands around his mouth and screamed out "Quit touching wieners!" It was never funny, but it didn't stop him from doing it most of the night. The UFC production level is amazing -- All night, they kept us entertained whether it was remixes of popular songs between fights, visual effects during the fighter entrances or the Baba O'Riley highlight, which is practically worth the cost of admission alone and gets you incredibly pumped up right before the main card begins. Chris Weidman vs. Demian Maia sucked the life out of the building -- As excited as the fans were after the Baba O'Riley sequence, they were equally (if not more) disappointed in that fight. When you've got two very strong ground fighters and they choose instead not only to "stand and bang" but to gas out by the beginning of the third round, it wasn't appreciated. The entire fight was met with crickets interrupted by the occasional smattering of boos. You end up watching a significant portion of the fights on the jumbotron -- With eight sides to the Octagon, that means eight giant black strips of foam padding, which means eight obstructions. Why the four video guys aren't standing directly behind the foam padding is beyond me, but they instead stand on stools directly in the middle of the fence on four sides of the cage. The entire middle of the Octagon was cut off by a cameraman for us, so we actually watched at least half of the action (if not more) from the giant video feed despite having some pretty good tickets. Anthony Pettis is really good with the fans -- "Showtime" was walking down the aisle to get to a seat on the floor and he got absolutely swarmed by UFC fans. Despite the fact that it looked like his buddies wanted to get to their seats, Pettis made sure to sign everything and take a picture with every person who wanted one on the way down to his seat. It's just another example of UFC fighters giving back to the fans better than many other professional athletes. Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping are really big stars -- The loudest ovations for any fighters weren't the main event, it was for Chael Sonnen, who fans badly wanted to see beat the tar out of Michael Bisping. Bisping got the opposite reaction as they booed the Brit every time he was put on the screen the entire night. Facing Bisping may have done wonders for Chael's popularity and beating of him may have put him over even more. Speaking of that ... No commentators made it seem pretty obvious that Chael won the fight -- I didn't realize what the big deal was or that there was a controversy because I just watched the fight with no extra voices in my head telling me who was winning or doing something impressive during the fight. I thought the first two rounds were close, with Chael getting the first and Bisping taking the second. From what I heard, Joe Rogan was really talking up Bisping and that may have led to more people siding with "The Count." I suggest watching the fight on mute and that may actually help you decide who won better. People were leaving in droves during the main event between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis -- It was like they really had somewhere to be that was more important than discovering the next light heavyweight title challenger. It was like the seventh inning of a Dodgers game or something. Maybe that's what people do during fight events, but I thought it was crazy that so many people didn't care to see who was officially announced the winner. I suppose the result wasn't in doubt, though, because I made a $1 bet with a fan sitting next to me that Evans would win and he paid me after the second round was over. Jon Jones not confronting Rashad in the Octagon was a mistake -- I believe Geno already covered this one, but Jones was literally in the building on Saturday night doing some analysis on the FOX show. All he had to do was take a quick detour from the booth to the Octagon and it could have set up a huge staredown and built some heat for the UFC 145 main event. Instead, we just had Rashad semi-apologizing to the fans for not putting on as good of a performance as he wanted. It was a pretty big letdown. Well there you have it. Sure, the under card was more exciting than the main card, but that was something many had predicted before the night even started. I had a great night, even if the main card was a disappointment and you end up watching several of the fights on the big screen. The live experience is amazing and I would highly recommend doing it yourself if you haven't before. Were any other Maniacs in attendance last Saturday night in Chicago? Speak up if so, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Shout out to Rich Hansen, Jamie Penick and the rest of the guys.

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, event, fan

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Last weekend was a great day for fans of combat sports. For most fans, the big event of the day was the UFC on Fox 2, with Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping, and that one other fight that we don't want to speak of. But for many sports fans, the UFC stood in the shadow of another major event - the retirement of Badr Hari. In the main event of an It's Showtime event on Saturday, Hari retired from the world of kickboxing. And he did it in style. Hari said farewell to kickboxing with a brutal one round KO of top ranked Gokhan Saki, blasting an uppercut through Saki's defenses midway through the first round. The tough Saki never had a chance after that, and soon after, he was done - the final victim on Hari's 10 year path of destruction through kickboxing. As I outlined in the lead-up to Saturday's fight, Badr Hari is a man who has made a career out of spectacular moments - many good, many bad. It's fitting that he end his career with one final moment, and I for one am glad it was a moment of Hari at his finest. The last image he leaves us with is his hand raised, his opponent vanquished. That's the Hari I am a fan of, and it was good to see him one last time. Hari's dynamite KO and emotional farewell capped off a great show from It's Showtime - one that featured other fast and impressive stoppage victories from the likes of Daniel Ghita and Errol Zimmerman. Watching the UFC show later that night, it was hard not to draw a parallel between the two. Both organizations put on major shows, both looked to draw in new audiences. But the differences in the action each delivered were clear. While It's Showtime had a card filled with fast action and some of the best stand-up fighting in the world, the UFC ended up with a slower paced, decision heavy card that turned off a lot of viewers. After the UFC card, the most talked about highlight was a few seconds of post-fight talk from Chael Sonnen - one of the few moments that night to catch fire and give a real feeling of excitement to fans everywhere. Watching the UFC show and thinking about the earlier It's Showtime event did not do the UFC any favors. Despite the quality technical battles of Sonnen vs. Bisping and Davis vs. Evans, the UFC on Fox show lacked a certain spark - one that was on display throughout It''s Showtime's event, culminating in Hari's big win. From a pure action and excitement perspective, one card was superior on Saturday, and it wasn't the one on network TV. But while It's Showtime may have trumped the UFC in action on Saturday, Dana and company triumph in perhaps the area that matters most - building for what comes next. Walking away from the UFC show, we have Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen and Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans both lined up - two fights fans have been eagerly anticipating for some time, now both on the way. It's Showtime fans walked away having seen the last fight (for now) of the undeniable greatest star of this sport's era. Yes Ghita and Zimmerman looked good, but a future without Hari is simply less exciting. And as much as I enjoyed watching the kickboxing action on Saturday, I couldn't help but wonder what the future will bring for the sport. But thoughts of the future can come later. For now, I encourage you to join me in reveling in the moment we were given on Saturday. Check out Hari vs. Saki if you haven't seen it, and stick around for the complete It's Showtime show. If you don't watch it, you're missing out on the weekend's best action combat sports had to offer.

Posted in: ufc, vs, showtime, fan, hari

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I was listening to the local Vancouver sports jocks on TEAM 1040 this morning, a couple of fellows by the names Matt Sekeres and Blake Price, and they took a minute out of their show to dump on this Saturday's UFC on FOX offering, describing it as "utterly boring and unwatchable". Price called Chael Sonnen's WWE style promo "an embarrassment" and they had a good laugh at a few tweets they had received suggesting that the UFC on FOX was more newsworthy sporting action than the NHL all-star game. (Talk about the pot calling the kettle black). Vancouver is undoubtedly a one sport, one team, town (Hockey, the Vancouver Canucks) and a good portion of the sports media personalities working in the city often make a fool of themselves when pressed to provide anything but cookie cutter opinions on the rest of the sporting world. That being said I thought it was interesting to hear a take from those outside the "MMA bubble"; I have to say that despite their obvious lack of MMA knowledge, I agreed with their description of the event as boring. We all heard Joe Rogan describe Demian Maia and Chris Weidman as "two drunk guys outside a bar". For those familiar with the sport the action was better after that first misstep, but for a newbie, Sonnen/Bisping and Evans/Davis had little excitement. The major mistake I think the UFC has made when it comes to their two FOX cards is that they are pushing their championships over exciting fights. For casual fans who don't really know what they are watching, the championships aren't important. If my first exposure to the sport left me yawning, why would I care who is the best? Even worse, if it was a boring championship fight that I was watching, why on earth would I ever watch it again? Ben Henderson and Clay Guida was THE fight to put on FOX, according to most of the die-hards and the MMA media. Instead of their spectacular 15 minute whirlwind , we got Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez sullying the most prestigious title in the organization within a minute. For this card we were treated to Chael Sonnen and Rashad Evans doing just enough to secure spots in championship matches of their own. Sonnen appeals mostly to pro-wrestling fans who almost surely have already been exposed to MMA and either like it or don't. Those who think pro-wrestling is silly, (which is nearly everyone who doesn't think it's awesome) will likely think Chael is silly and they won't care whatsoever that he is great at tackling people and holding them there. If that was my first time watching MMA and I saw that fight and then saw that promo? I'd laugh my ass off. "He's calling it his Octagon? He barely even punched his opponent in the face!" Evans talked an awful lot before the fight, it seemed clear he was going to go out and knock Davis' block off. Of course, those familiar with the Evans/Jones saga can't really blame him for playing it safe but to the casual fan it must have seemed like like much ado over nothing. So far the UFC fighters (strikers) that would appeal most to the mainstream have been nowhere to be seen, save for Junior Dos Santos, but his fight against Velasquez was too short and sweet for casuals not to dismiss Velasquez. Think about boxing, which is still the dominant combat sport out there. Even Mike Tyson, who was a known entity by the time he hit the big time, took a few rounds to dispatch of his foes. The heavyweight championship lasting just a minute is unheard of in boxing. Now I completely understand that Dana White and Joe Silva want to use FOX to entice new fans to buy the pay per views but you can't just keep the most exciting fighters under lock and key unless someone pays $59.99 to see them. Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz are set to do battle at this weekend's UFC 143. I don't think anyone on the radio would be laughing today about "the single UFC fan who tweets the show" had the UFC flip flopped the main events. Zuffa seems to have realized that they aren't putting enough firepower out there, booking Jim Miller against Nathan Diaz as one of the fights on the third FOX event. That fight, like Henderson/Guida, is just about as close as you can get to guaranteed fireworks. Here's hoping they find a way to get Nathan's brother Nick on the card, who is 100 times more exciting than Sonnen inside the ring and likely 10 times more interesting (to the casual fan) outside. How do they say it? Third times a charm? Let's hope so.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, sport, fan

Read the full article at Head Kick Legend

Fight fans already in Sin City, or headed there, have a plethora of free events to attend leading up to Saturday's UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit fights.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, sin city, fan events

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

It seems Georges St. Pierre’s recovery from ACL surgery is going well. He tells fans in this short video that he’s already doing gymnastics training again. It’s very limited though, so he’s probably not doing stuff like this just yet.

Posted in: fan, recovery, recovery part, gymnastics training, acl surgery

Read the full article at MMA Convert

British middleweight Michael Bisping faces Chael Sonnen tomorrow night at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, Illinois. Tonight at the weigh ins, the voluble fighter flipped off the pro-Sonnen crowd when they booed him. It seems to have cost Bisping a sponsor based on this tweet from MMA Elite: @MMAELITE_AldenAlden Halpern I must apologize to all of our fans.After sponsoring Bisping he flips off fans at weigh in. He will never be sponsored by us again! Jan 27 via web Favorite Retweet Reply It's interesting that MMA Elite also sponsors Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal without complaint. Jackson is remembered for his energy drink fueled "rampage" that left him under arrest for hit and run and Lawal failed a post-fight drug test just weeks ago. Apparently sticks and stones will never cost you a sponsor but flipping the bird at fans will get you off the sponsor rolls pretty quick. What do you think? Poll Does MMA Elite's decision to fire Michael Bisping make you more or less likely to buy their products? More! They're standing with the fans. Less! This is lame.   144 votes | Results

Posted in: mma, fan, bisping, sponsor, elite

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

After going on tour to Toronto (UFC 129) and Houston (UFC 136), the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Fan Expo is returning home for 2012. According to a report from MMA Fighting, the UFC Fan Expo will coincide with the promotion's annual Fourth of July weekend event at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 6-7 in Las Vegas, Nevada. As with any UFC Fan Expo, you can expect meet and greets with legendary UFC, Pride FC and Strikeforce fighters, mixed martial arts (MMA) demonstrations, grappling "Super Fights," fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions, as well as other combat related opportunities and entertainment. The exhibit floor will also feature apparel, electronic gaming, food & beverages, fight gear, fitness equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements and lifestyle products from over 150 leading vendors. Oh, and by the way, there are also some huge fights taking place that weekend. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more information on the upcoming UFC Fan Expo and to see what all the fuss is about, check out our live coverage from the exhibit floor in Toronto as well as Houston by clicking here and here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, expo, exhibit floor

Read the full article at MMA Mania

MMAWeekly.com has confirmed that the UFC has a July 7 pay-per-view event in the works, coinciding with a Fan Expo.

Posted in: ufc, fan, expo, payperview, july

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsThe UFC's annual Fourth of July weekend event will return to its usual home in Las Vegas, MMA Fighting has learned. The event will also host the first UFC Fan Expo of 2012. The event, currently unnamed due to the UFC's still evolving schedule but possibly numbered UFC 148, will take place on July 7, likely at MGM Grand Garden Arena, according to sources. The Fan Expo, meanwhile, is slated for the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 6-7. The last Fan Expo took place in Houston last October, in conjunction with UFC 136, and nearly 25,000 fans were estimated to attend the two-day event, which offers photo opportunities, autographs sessions and training sessions. Past events have also featured Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. To date, three Expos have been held in Las Vegas, while others have taken place in Las Vegas, Toronto, Boston and London. The Fourth of July show is historically one of the biggest outings of the year for the promotion, which has hosted the holiday weekend event at its home base of Las Vegas for each of the past four years. The last time it wasn't in Sin City was back in 2007, when the event was held at Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, event, fan, las vegas, july

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Hi Prater. When the fight was stopped between Erick Silva and Carlo Prater, who battled on the main card of the UFC 142: "Aldo vs. Mendes" pay-per-view event back on Jan. 14 in Rio, most of the fans both at home and in attendance thought it was another first round win for the fast-rising "Indio." Not exactly. Following the stoppage, referee Mario Yamasaki awarded Prater the win by disqualification, citing repeated blows to the back of "Neo's" head, despite warning Silva to keep 'em clean. UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, who was amidst the post-fight confusion waiting for his opportunity to interview Silva, confronted Yamasaki on live television and asked him to explain his decision against the big screen replay, which appeared to exonerate the Brazilian from excessive fouls. It was conduct that was "completely unethical" from a "swagger" who walks amongst fighters, according to comments Prater made to Brazil's SporTV (translated by Eduardo Cruz): "I think in the end I was made out as a villain. I wasn't laying on the Octagon floor for nothing after the fight. I want that to be clear. I had to stay in the hospital until Monday. They (UFC) asked me not to go public because, indeed, that wouldn't do any good for me or Eric. In my opinion, [referee] Mario (Yamasaki) did the right thing. It's been a long time since rules have been implemented. You are not allowed to do anything you want inside the cage. Watching the fight video I could see at least nine blows to the back of the head. I think the way Joe Rogan behaved was completely unethical. He went with the crowd. A real professional doesn't do that. He was acting like a fan when he should be acting as a broadcaster. Mario is a million times more competent than him. He's been living off this for 20 years. Joe Rogan is just a swagger, someone who walks amongst fighters but isn't really a fighter himself. He doesn't understand. Whatever ... human beings make mistakes and I am not going to be holding grudges against him. I felt really strong strikes to the back of the neck and my right shoulder. They were really painful, shock-like sensations. I was trying to take Erick to the ground on instinct. But I couldnt because it was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. Like my nerves were in shock. I was really scared, I though I had torn something." Rogan insists he meant no disrespect, but rather felt he "had a responsibility to address the issue" because he "represents the people watching at home that might have obvious questions." Questions like, "Why did Silva lose?" Some fans took him to task for calling out Yamasaki, who was forced to make a judgement call in real time, without the benefit of instant replay. Others, however, felt it was an appropriate line of questioning. We certainly know how Prater feels. For more on UFC 142's head-gate click here.

Posted in: ufc, fan, rogan, yamasaki, prater

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Good news for all you "Bendo" fans. Round 5 is releasing a limited edition figurine (1500 produced) of Ben Henderson this April, complete with his WEC lightweight title. Will the "Smooth" one add another belt to his collection at UFC 144 next month is Japan?

Posted in: fan, edition, ben henderson, bendo, figurine

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UFC on FX TONIGHT!Thanks to and awesome fan tonight in the hotel lobby for a great picture lockerz.com/s/175998972 -Melvin Guillard“@SpaniardMMA: I'm gonna get me some cowboy boots for the wkend. Maybe @JimMiller_155 can help me out?!?” my pleasure! -Jim MillerJust signed my @ufc posters. 1st time I've been on a @ufc poster, pretty cool for me! pic.twitter.com/O02cC7xw  -Duane Ludwigon weight & ready to roll.Check out the weigh ins LIVE on FOX FUEL 5pm EST @AmmoToGo @BrawlerBoards @P28Bread @Venumfight @Replayd @revgear  -Josh NeerCAN YOU TELL WE'RE BOTH ANGRY F-IN MONSTERS READY FOR DEATH??? HAH!!! PEOPLE NEED TO JUST CHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLL!!! moby.to/pwypja  -Pat BarryThat’s Two Out of TwoPeople say @arielhelwani & I are the most fashionable guys in MMA. By people I mean me & Ariel Helwani.  -Kenny FlorianThe Power of Twitter19k followers!! Whoo!! I feel 19,000 times cooler than I did upon first opening a twatter account!  -Ronda RouseyA Reem Come TrueRan into my UFC buddy GSP during breakfast! pic.twitter.com/TQbXLF5I  -Alistair OvereemAmazing video documenting @Alistairovereem's win over Brock Lesnar thereem.com  -Joe RoganForrest asks Haters to Up Their GameI'm not gonna spar anymore, from now on I'm gonna "playfight"And everyone that was gonna say isnt that what you did in your last fight. Be more clever  -Forrest GriffinHave You Heard: Sonnen vs Bisping!For those that r wondering. Injury on Fri sparring causing bone spurs to dislodged in my joint causing locking & pain. Surgery on Thursday.  -Mark MuñozUnlucky for chael sonnen. I'm now fighting him next week. Tune in, jan 28th, fox tv. Fight of the year mofo's.  -Michael BispingSpent months training to fight Munoz and now I have to fight a guy who sounds like "PIP" from South Park.  -Chael SonnenWhen Was your Last Call? Get it?Day #4 without a phone. Not sure if I like or dislike it yet. -Danny "Last Call" CastilloPerspectiveWatching basketball ... Holly sh*t these overgrown people are ugly. You think they look down on me from way up there n think the same?  -Ian McCallSo UFC RIO Was Good, Huh?Over all I had an awesome experience in brazil. Met a lot of great new fans n friends. Even got to get a lil fishin in after the fight  -Chad MendesAldo/Mendes ended quicker than I thought it would, can't say I'm surprised since Aldo is incredible. Rumble released, not surprised. #UFC142  -Mark BocekThanks for all the support that I have from my hardcore fans from the past and from the new fans I love u guys -Vitor BelfortWhat a crazy crazy night of fights, action, drama! #UFC142  -Sean ShelbyBest part of #ufcrio was @Mike_Pyle and Funch looking viturially identical  -Patrick HealyHey @Mike_Pyle you were the only non Brazilian to win tonight #UFC142  -Brad TavaresWhat a night!!!! Insane night of fights AGAIN! I love this sh*t :)  -Dana WhiteThe tag line of #UFC142 should be "only in brazil"  -Joe LauzonSpoiler Alert: Wow!!  -Nathan QuarryThat was dope Jose Aldo , way to celebrate with your fans #ufcrio #ufc142  -Derek BrunsonEdson Barboza!!!! That's why I was big on this kid. Most technical striker in the UFC!!  -Kenny FlorianHoly sh*t!!!!!!!! Most brutal KO I have ever seen in front of me!!!!! -Dana WhiteSorry, Mitch. We’ll Wrap it Up.I'm watching a movie, SHUT UP!!!! Hate movie talkers  -Mitch Clarke

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, im, amp

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Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective. This week we look at the UFC’s return to Brazil in which Jose Aldo defended his featherweight title against Chad Mendes. Aldo finishes Mendes and celebrates in crowd Jose Aldo’s explosive power was on display as a knee coming out of a clench ended Chad Mendes’ title shot. After the fight, Aldo ran into the crowd which provided a great moment albeit a gasp for UFC security. Realistically, Aldo’s security breach is much ado about nothing. He knew that he had the crowd behind him and he wanted to celebrate with his fans. Sure, someone could have done harm to him, but as I stated, he knew his audience. If someone wanted to do harm to him, they could have done so on the walkout. While the trampling of fans may have occurred, it seems as risky as when fans storm the court or field as they do in football or basketball. Do fans feel concerned when a Green Bay Packer does a “Lambeau Leap” after a touchdown? Yet, this was a “teachable moment” for UFC security for next time. It was awkward seeing Aldo trying to shake UFC security as he was trying to celebrate. Even Reed Harris tried to step in to direct Aldo back to the cage. For Aldo, he’s cleaned out the Featherweight division. It will be interesting to see what he’ll do next. A possible superfight with Frankie Edgar (or Ben Henderson) would be a great matchup and something that could be promoted as a battle of current division champs. Belfort chokes out Johnson What a bad trip for Anthony Johnson. A failed weight-cut, losing a portion of his show purse, a first round submission and Johnson returns to the United States without a job. Johnson weighed in on Friday at 197 pounds for his middleweight fight. That means he was 11 pounds over (considering the 1 pound allowance). Belfort, understandably would agree to take the fight if Johnson weighed no more than 205 pounds on Saturday. If Johnson didn’t make it, it certainly would have killed the top end of the PPV. Fortunately, he made weight Saturday. Still, making Dana White sweat the night before whether one of his fighters would make weight was the likely nail in the coffin for Johnson’s UFC career. Johnson has had past problems with cutting weight. He definitely is a chiseled athlete, but an athlete that should fight at 205. For Belfort, its another step back toward Anderson Silva’s title. Attendance and Gate According to the Wrestling Observer (subscription required), the attendance at the HSBC Arena garnered 10,605 paid fans for a gate of $2.8 million. The arena is said to hold 14,000 so we may extrapolate the number of comps assuming the arena was at capacity. In Brazil, UFC 142 was seen on Globo, its top-rated network. Although the three live fights were shown between 12:45am to 2:00am, it garnered 23 million viewers (Wrestling Observer). Bonuses MMA Junkie reports that the bonuses were worth $65,000 each. Edson Barboza won KO of the night for his spectacular spinning heel kick of Terry Etim. Barboza and Etim also won Fight of the Night. The leg lock machine, Rousimar Palhares won for submission of the night. UFC Prelims on FX This was the first time that the UFC Prelims appeared on FX and it received an 880,000 viewer average. The ratings were lower compared to its regular showings on Spike TV. We will try to update you with the UFC 142 Countdown rating  on Fuel. Sponsorships The Octagon included MetroPCS, Xyience, Burger King, Bony Acai, Manguinhos Refinaria, and IntegraMedica with Bud Light in the center of the Octagon. In addition to these sponsors, the UFC advertised its upcoming video game UFC Undisputed in the Octagon. Burger King also ran a promotion with Anderson Silva in which he would have lunch with a fan that won a contest for what the Spider should do to celebrate 1 million twitter followers. The Burger King sponsorship has only been in Brazil but we shall see if the relationship will extend to the United States. KMart is back with the UFC as it placed a voiceover at the beginning of the first round of each fight for its new promotion offering $10 off for UFC 143. It was a nice form of brand activation as its logo and the promotion reminded viewers at the beginning of each first round on the PPV. MMA Junkie reported on soccer clubs getting into the sponsorship of UFC fighters in Brazil. The UFC was said to be cautious about the newfound sponsor money due to the intense rivalries between the clubs. Along with his normal pre-fight sponsor banner, Belfort had another banner in honor of his kidnapped sister. He also spoke about the rash of kidnappings in Brazil at the post-fight press conference. Silva also participated in the UFC’s #Hunt4UFC promo where he gave out tickets to lucky fans. It will be interesting to see how much value the Brazilian sponsors such as IntegraMedica and Manguinhos will bring to the UFC and vice versa. Odds and ends -Another set of fights which ended with first round stoppages. UFC 134’s main events all ended in the first round and the same occurred for UFC 142. -Aldo’s crowd surf and Barboza’s heel kick were featured on Deadspin right after the fights. Barboza’s heel kick made number 3 on ESPN’s top plays of Saturday night. -No word whether there were any glitches with the XBox Live platform as many of those shut out of UFC 141 were given 142 for free. -For you pro wrestling fans, Aldo’s run in the crowd, reminded me of DDP of WCW fame heading into the crowd after a match. -Mike Pyle embraced the “heel” role in his victory over Brazilian Ricardo Funch as he egged on the crowd after his victory. Conclusion UFC 142 was a success from the perspective of its further ties with its Brazilian fan base. There were many PR events during the week including UFC fighters taking surf lessons and open workouts. No doubt the UFC has reengaged with the fans and it bodes well for local viewership of the first international Ultimate Fighter held in the country this year. But, the U.S. buy rate will not reflect the same as it ran opposite the NFL Playoffs. In addition to the playoffs, the fact that this card catered to Brazilian fans meant less known names to the U.S. fan base which will affect the final buy rate results. We also have the factor that a lighter weight division was at the top of the card which has meant (in recent history) a lower buy rate.

Posted in: ufc, fight, johnson, fan, aldo

Read the full article at MMA Payout

Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport right now, and with its continued growth as a sport comes the continued growth of fans. Fans of MMA are passionate and rally behind individual athletes very often, to the point where they almost feel part of the fighter’s camp.

Posted in: fan, growth, mma ufc, sport right, fans fans

Read the full article at Low Kick

Strikeforce's first card of 2012 drew 1,992 fans to The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for a gate of $68,805.

Posted in: strikeforce, rockhold, fan, las vegas, la

Read the full article at Heavy MMA

UFC featherweight champ Jose Aldo may not have realized it at the time, but when he sprinted from the Octagon and celebrated with the mass of fans at UFC 142 he likely cemented his legacy in the fight promotion. After ending Chad Mendes evening in the main event of the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil card with a perfectly-placed knee, “Scarface” ran into the large group of Brazilians and celebrated to the chagrin of the security guards in the arena. None of that mattered to Aldo, however, as the champion just wanted to be among those that meant so much to him. “My fans give me so much love and so much good energy, so there’s nothing better than celebrating with them,” Aldo explained after his moment in the mass of fans. It remains to be seen who Aldo will face next for his UFC title, but those watching will likely never forget the scene they saw at UFC 142. Enjoy re-living Aldo’s celebration with his countrymen following UFC 142 in the video below:

Posted in: ufc, fight promotion, fan, aldo, security guards

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Whether you love or hate the job he does in the broadcast booth there’s no doubt Joe Rogan is as passionate a fan of Mixed Martial Arts as any person sitting in the crowd or watching on television. As such, the popular comedian occasionally opens himself up to criticism when he is not as objective as some fans might expect when it comes to someone in his role. The latest example of this came over the weekend at UFC 142: Aldo vs. Mendes when Rogan interviewed referee Mario Yamasaki after disqualifying Erick Silva for landing an illegal blow to the back of opponent Carlo Prater’s head rendering him unable to continue. However, upon further review it appeared Silva’s strikes were on point for the most part and certainly nothing intentional meriting a DQ. During Rogan’s discussion with Yamasaki he put the veteran official on the spot, publicly disagreeing with his call rather than asking for an explanation and moving on. Rogan went on MMA forum The Underground earlier today where he offered up his side of things after being called out for his actions by fans/media. “He’s a great guy, and I’m always happy to see him,” wrote Rogan about Yamasaki. “When I step into the Octagon, however, I represent the people watching at home that might have obvious questions, and when something is controversial I’m forced to confront it honestly because that’s what I would want to hear from a person in my position if I was a fan watching it at home.” “I think Mario Yamasaki is one of the best in the world at refereeing MMA. No doubt about it. He’s got great insight to the sport, he’s a life long martial artist, and he’s a really smart guy,” Rogan continued. “What I was acting from, is that I saw an incredible young talent get denied a KO victory for a questionable call. When I entered into the Octagon and was told of the official ruling that Silva was going to be disqualified for illegal blows to the back of the head everyone that I was around who heard the news opened their mouths in shock. Everyone said, ‘What?’” “The people in the truck couldn’t believe it. I had to read it back to them because I thought it was a mistake, and when I leaned over to explain it to (Mike Goldberg) he couldn’t believe it either,” the longtime color-commentator concluded. “I had to ask Mario about it. I didn’t know how he was going to respond, but I had to ask him. Erick Silva is a very promising fighter and I felt like I had a responsibility to address the issue. No disrespect intended.” As it turns out the result was so controversial UFC President Dana White ultimately awarded Silva a win bonus despite technically losing the bout. Silva also has the ability to protest the result, a move likely working in his favor where a “No Contest” ruling is concerned as UFC V.P. of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner is in charge of making a determination based on the lack of athletic commission in Brazil where the event was held. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, silva, fan, rogan, yamasaki

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Another Sunday morning, and 2012 is already off to a running, flying knee start. You may not be a fan of Dana White, it's impossible not to admit that since UFC 139, ZUFFA has been offering the renaissance of MMA delivered directly to your television. Shogun vs. Hendo set the bar astronomically high at the end of 2011, and since then our brains have ignited, reformed, and then ignited yet again by the MMA we've been seeing. We are living in the Golden Era of MMA. Now that you are self-aware, enjoy it. While you're at it, read our Sunday Morning Rumor Mill. It appears Urijah Faber and Alpha Male have completely cut ties with Miesha Tate. The reason for the split was due to Tate and her significant other supporting Dominic Cruz in his upcoming title defense against Urijah Faber. As far as Miesha Tate's upcoming fight, Urijah Faber is now a huge fan of Ronda Rousey. Pretty crazy item, but Dana White's bodyguard (the guy that usually hands out tickets for the #Hunt4UFC Twitter contest) is literally being 'hunted' by fans. Apparently he's had eager fans follow him around town and 'stalk' his hotel room during fight weekends. A few have even called his home phone in the middle of the week asking for tickets. Jose Aldo was warned not to run into the crowd again following his actions at UFC 142. Nate Marquardt has severed ties with BAMMA UK. Dana White appears to be actively pushing the issue of 'instant replay' to athletic commissions. It's rumored that he commented on it again after UFC 142. It's rumored Gina Carano is gauging the success of her new movie 'Haywire' and using it to determine if she should come back to MMA. The premiere of MTV's 'Caged' rated higher than analysts expected, however we'll have to wait a few more weeks to see if the trend maintains. Ken Shamrock seems to be forming a rebuttal due to Dana White's criticism of ESPN's 'Outside the Lines' piece.

Posted in: mma, dana, fan, faber, urijah faber

Read the full article at Middle Easy

In case you hadn't heard, UFC 142: "Aldo vs. Mendes" takes place tonight (Sat., Jan. 14, 2012) from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It almost seems sensational to say such a thing but let's get real here: there's too much MMA these days. Way too much. I hate to toot the oversaturation horn but the quickest way to make something feel less important is to offer a lot of it. And now that Zuffa has purchased Strikeforce, we're to a point where "major" MMA fights are happening damn near every weekend of the year. That's not a good thing, either. Take tonight, for instance. One of the best fighters on Earth, Jose Aldo, will defend his featherweight championship in front of his home crowd against Chad Mendes, a strong American wrestler. And no one really cares. Sometimes it's difficult but if you can jump outside your MMA bubble and see things through a far more casual lens, which is what most fans are looking through, you'll realize how small time this fight feels. In fact, as far as buzz online and all other business indicators, this event is DOA. MMAmania.com does rather well with page views and all that but it's obvious when an event comes that really moves the needle. So far, this one has hardly touched it. It's sad, really. These fighters deserve better. But so do we, the fans. You know, the ones being asked to shell out $60 for these shows. We're being told now to care about cards that are headlined by men who have never once even been on the main card of a UFC pay-per-view. It's entirely possible that a large segment of the fanbase who actually does bother to buy the show tonight won't have a clue who Mendes is or where he came from. They'll just see a small, compact fighter against another small, but speedy fighter but the speedy guy is champion, so at least we know he's kind of a big deal. And that's the problem, ladies and sirs; with the UFC so eager to hold a new event every weekend, they're giving themselves no time to properly build up a veritable stable of superstars. If you put Jon Jones up on a pedestal, he'll stand out in a small crowd. But what happens if that crowd just grows and grows and grows and you don't get the necessary time to sift through it? He becomes just another member of the crowd. WWE fans have been dealing with this problem for some time now. The difference? The pro wrestling promotion holds a pay-per-view event once a month. Even then, fans decry the lack of a proper build to each event and can't help but feel cheated because they've been given no reason to care. And how could they? There are only three to four weeks in between major shows. UFC, on the other hand, is trying to make us care while running shows almost every week. That's completely impossible. Fighting is not enough. Purists will tell me I'm wrong but the reality is that fighting is just not enough to make us truly care. Casual viewers enjoy drama and they while they don't necessarily need a backstory, it's far preferable than not having one. You know why the Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir rematch sold 1.6 million buys on pay-per-view? Because it had the proper storyline going into it. Or how about Rashad Evans vs. Quinton Jackson or Chael Sonnen vs. Anderson Silva. You can go back all the way to Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz and even Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock. All big money bouts and not just because they were fights but because fans actually had a reason to care about them. What exactly are we supposed to care about tonight? Brazilian defends title in front of partisan crowd against guy no one knows and they're both small enough to look like my kid brother. Excuse me while I rush to the remote and place my order. UFC President Dana White should almost feel grateful to Anthony Johnson for his weight cutting issues. It's actually provided an interesting story for fans to key on heading into the event. Everyone in Brazil seemingly loves Vitor Belfort and the guy who signed to fight him couldn't make weight. In fact, he missed badly, coming in a full 11 pounds over the agreed upon limit. So it was stipulated that if Johnson could weigh in at under 205-pounds today (he did), the fight would go on as planned. If not, they would cancel it the day of the event. Intrigue! As silly as it all seems -- and it is when it comes down to it -- it's something actually worth following. And now when fans are watching the event tonight, they have a reason to want Belfort to tear Johnson's head off, unlike the main event, which has provided us with no clear reason to root for either man. Imagine this conversation at a party tonight between friends: "Vitor vs. Rumble up next, brother, who you got?" "Rumble will probably win but I really want Belfort to knock him out. You see he missed weight by 11 pounds? Dude is supposed to be a professional and he's coming in that heavy? Go Vitor." That may or may not have been a conversation I just had today. And the headliner? "Who you got in the main event?" "Who's fighting again?" I rest my case.

Posted in: ufc, vs, event, fan, care

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We get a fair amount of traffic from Stockholm, Sweden so if any Swedish MiddleEasy reader out there would like to lend me their sofa for the weekend of April 14th, I will happily accept. Also, you must give me a pass to raid your fridge an unlimited amount of times during those few days. Another stipulation would be that you must introduce me to a Swedish chick that looks on par (or better) than the ones on the banner picture. If you can fulfill all of the following requirements, then my head can grace your sofa cushion -- and I'll sign it for you. According to our buds at MMAViking, UFC Sweden sold out in just one hour early this morning, and according to some MMA fans that attempted to purchase tickets, seats were gone in about 30 minutes. It seems that the UFC’s upcoming event in Globe Arena in Stockholm was sold out in just one hour after the tickets went to public sale. According to some fans Ticnet’s customer service said that the event was sold out 30 minutes after the sales started. UFC Fight Club members and UFC Newsletter subscribers already had their chance to buy tickets from a pre-sale on Wednesday and Thursday while the rest had to wait till Friday to get a chance to buy tickets. Fast ticket sales is just another sign that the Nordic MMA fans have been waiting for a long time for the UFC to land in the Northern Europe. Actually, I just discovered Coachella is on that same day, so I'll have some tough decisions to tackle in my life. Check out this screencap from Ticnet.se showing a grand total of zero tickets available for the event.

Posted in: ufc, event, fan, sale, ticket

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The UFC was greeted back to Brazil with open arms, as the Brazilian fans enthusiastically showed why the UFC should return more often. UFC heavyweight champion Junir Dos Santos’ statements regarding the Brazilian fans: “It feels so great to be with the fans in Rio. I’ve only been champion for a short time, but this feeling (of support) will never get old. I love it. This is the first big UFC event of the year and it’s very important for us in Brazil, the fans in America and people everywhere.” Featherweight champion Aldo also only had great things to say about his fellow country men. “Wow! The way the fans were chanting my name, cheering, trying to get pictures with me, it was incredible. Everyone knows my story, how I grew up, and to make it to this type of stage feels great. Chad Mendes is a tough challenger, but this is the fight I’ve wanted for a long time. He’s the number one contender and I love the challenge.” Even Mendes, an American fighter facing off against the beloved featherweight champion, received good fan support: “I was surprised by how supportive the fans were. I didn’t expect to receive the cheers and I appreciated it. I think the fans realize how important this fight is for the featherweight division, for the UFC and for the sport. I’m ready to go and I know Jose is. I can’t wait to do this.” The UFC has a long list of high-caliber Brazilian fighters — and a dedicated MMA fan base that is only growing — so it’s not a surprise to see the No. 1 MMA promotion again saw such a high turn out of Brazilian fans.

Posted in: ufc, champion, fan, i love, brazilian

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Filed under: News, ProEliteYou know that pair of red Speedos in your closet that you always think about wearing? Well, it's time to dust them off because they're your ticket to free MMA shows for life. ProElite's head of fight operations T. Jay Thompson announced on Twitter recently that any fan who shows up to the organization's Jan. 21 event in Hawaii wearing red trunks will receive free ProElite tickets for life. Yes, for life. Of course, the publicity stunt is in honor of headliner Ikuhisa Minowa, who's famous for fighting in plain, red trunks. "It's fun," Thompson told MMAFighting.com. "I'd like to think I'm being innovative, but I'm a fan of promoters like Bill Veeck and P.T. Barnum. I like promoters that don't take life too seriously." ProElite 3, headlined by Kendall Grove vs. "Minowaman," airs live on HDNet on Jan. 21 from the Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, HI. Below is a promo clip for the event.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: proelite, life, fan, trunk, publicity stunt

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Filed under: UFC, NewsThe UFC 142 fight card is designed to get the fans in Rio de Janeiro worked up to support the local guys, with eight fights featuring Brazilians against foreigners, including local fan favorites taking on American challengers in the main event and co-main event. But those two Americans, Chad Mendes and Anthony Johnson, said on Thursday morning at the pre-fight press conference in Rio that they've had purely positive experiences from the Brazilian fans they've met, and they're being treated more like guests than rivals. "Brazil has just been great," Johnson said. "The fans have been great. I'm speechless, really, about this country. I had heard good stories and bad stories about this country but so far all I've experienced is great things, so thank you, Brazil." Mendes described the open workout on Wednesday in front of Brazilian fans on a Rio beach as one of the best experiences of his life, and he said that while he knows his opponent, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, will have a lot of fans in the HSBC Arena, he doesn't worry about what the fans might say. More Coverage: UFC 142 Fight Card | UFC 142 Results "I'm probably going to get booed," Mendes said. "It's here in Jose's backyard and he's the champion. But other than boos, I can't speak Portugeuse so I can't understand what anyone's saying anyway. I'm going to be in the zone and ready to get in there and do what I do." Mendes said being away from home hasn't diminished his confidence. "I feel great," Mendes said. "I'm basically treating this like it's any other fight, whether it's in Brazil or it's in the United States. I have tunnel vision, I have that goal of winning that belt. That's something I've trained for and it's all I'm thinking about." And Johnson said he views the opportunity to step into the Octagon with Belfort as a big step in his career. "I'm looking forward to the fight," Johnson said. "I can't wait. I definitely can't wait." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, mende, im

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]

Posted in: ufc, fan, mattyblayze, mattyblayze link, experience

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To kick off its new business partnership with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Microsoft was kind enough to give away the UFC 141: "Lesnar vs. Overeem" pay-per-view (PPV) for FREE to the first 30,000 fight fans who subscribed to Xbox Live and downloaded the UFC App for streaming the Dec. 30 fight card. Except no one got what they didn't pay for. As our very own Sergio Hernandez illustrated in this post, the influx of requests became too much for the servers to handle, leaving most fans with nothing more than an error message and a night full of frustration. Microsoft later apologized and announced it would make amends by offering fans a fight card for free at a later date. As it turns out, it won't be much later at all. In an e-mail sent out to users, XBox Live revealed it will offer fans the chance to watch the UFC 142: "Aldo vs. Mendes" event for free this Sat., Jan. 14, 2012. But that's not all. The complete e-mail is after the jump. You're receiving this note because you were one of the many fans who registered to experience UFC 141 on Xbox LIVE. First and foremost, please allow us to apologize for the technical issues that impacted your access to UFC 141 on Xbox LIVE. We remain committed to providing you with the quality experience you expect, therefore we completed a thorough investigation into the issues that prevented you from enjoying UFC 141 on Xbox LIVE, and we're confident that we've addressed the problems. We'd love it if you'd give us a second chance, and we'd like to offer you another opportunity to experience UFC on Xbox LIVE free of charge with UFC RIO: Aldo vs. Mendes on January 14th, 2012. Instructions on how to access UFC RIO on Xbox LIVE are outlined below. In addition, we're providing all those impacted by the UFC 141 technical issues with one month of free Xbox LIVE Gold membership. As we continue to polish and refine the application, new functionality and features will be released. In the meantime, we believe we're building the most compelling, interactive way to experience the fun and excitement of UFC in your living room, and now it is our job to prove it to you. Thank you for being a valued Xbox LIVE member. Sincerely, The Xbox LIVE Team There you have it. Instead of Lesnar vs. Overeem, you get Aldo vs. Mendes and one free month of XBox Live Gold membership. You're getting something you didn't have to pay for because you didn't get something you never paid for in the first place. Sounds like a winner, Maniacs.

Posted in: ufc, vs, fan, xbox, experience

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When you look back at the career of Dan Hardy up to this point, it's hard to believe he would one day be mocked the way that he has. Nobody really cares that he engaged in a war with Chris Lytle in August that was as exciting as it was brutal. What matters, at least to his critics, is that he got choked out while attempting a takedown in his fourth straight loss, illuminating a unique once-in-a-lifetime irony. An irony highlighted by Hardy's own mouth: he's always been vocal about wrestling, and his allegiance to the Nick Diaz school of pugilism. Like Hardy's current career, it's hard to believe how fans so viciously turned on him. His style is entertaining. He's well rounded (except for his wrestling of course). He publicly, and quite eloquently defended MMA. And he doesn't come out to crap like STEMM, instead opting for the unique sound of Cock Sparrer's England Belongs to Me. But none of that matters when you're brash, British, and got a title shot many fans look back on and scratch their heads over. Hardy was a proper contender in my opinion at a time when WW was still figuring itself out, but it doesn't change the fact that his performance did little to justify the shot in retrospect despite a supernatural display of musculoskeletal toughness. What makes Ben Fowlkes' story on Dan Hardy so unique is that it allows readers to peer into a window many fans would have otherwise ignored, and provides a vivid look at the proverbial "fall from grace" narrative. Hardy has become a sort of pariah in the MMA world. 'What the hell is a guy that is currently 0-4 still doing in the UFC?', the critics ask. Beneath the vitriol from fans that usually accompanies it is a completely fair question, and one Hardy himself is aware of. It calls into question consistency, 'why Hardy and not others?', and even prompts the cynical observation that it's only because Hardy "is British" that he's able to stay. I think these criticisms ignore whether or not Hardy is worth keeping. Plenty of fighters wash out of the UFC and eventually return. But not all of them have fought for a title. Despite a record that indicates he isn't UFC-level, perhaps he deserves the benefit of the doubt. As for how Hardy feels: "I don't feel like myself right now," Hardy says. You look in his eyes and you know he means it. He sits slumped in a plush leather chair in the lobby of a posh downtown Toronto hotel. He speaks so softly you have to lean in close just to hear him. The last thing he wants to do these days is draw attention to himself. He knows what people are thinking. And even if they aren't thinking it, they might as well be, since he hears their accusations in the wordless glances from across the room. It's not just the fans, either. "I start to feel like other fighters are looking at me like, why is he still in the UFC? And I don't want people looking at me like that." Click here for the full article. Like any article by Fowlkes, it's well worth your time. He can be found at MMAFighting and on twitter @benfowlkesMMA. Previous entries after the jump. The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Fraser Coffeen and Ben Thapa Talk Technique in the Judo Chop Series The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Tony Loiseleur on the Woman Who Is Not Just George Lucas' Daughter The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Luke Thomas and Tommy Messano Explore the Future Between Wrestling and MMA The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Brent Brookhouse on Gary Goodridge and Brain Injuries in Sports The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Tony Loiseleur on the Shooto Tax Scandal The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Ben Fowlkes on the Poignant Journey of Daniel Cormier The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Michael David Smith and the CSAC's Error in Licensing Jose Figueroa The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Daniel Herbertson on Enson Inoue's Journey to Fukushima and Beyond The Best MMA Writing of 2011: Jordan Breen on Ian McCall Through the Lens of Shakespeare

Posted in: mma, ben, fan, fowlke, i dont

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Figured out how you're gonna watch this yet? If you're like me, you're hoping that the UFC and FOX use their heft and craftiness to maneuver the FUEL channel onto more cable providers and better package tiers. Since FUEL is going to be full of fight nights and international TUFs, it'd help if the majority of fans actually had access to the channel. But this quote isn't exactly heartening: The UFC president realizes that Fuel TV isn't available everywhere (36 millions homes vs. 100+ with Spike and FX) so fans will have to make a decision."If you're a UFC fan, you really love your UFC, it's impossible not to have Fuel," White said. "What happens is, UFC fans have to make hard decisions, and they want it in HD and cable doesn't have it in HD you're gonna have to switch to DirecTV, or Comcast is going to have to carry it."White lobbed a shot the way of cable networks that don't carry Fuel TV."If you don't have it [UFC fans will] go to where it is," White said. "Really the only option for people who don't have it on Comcast or Time Warner, they can switch and go to DirecTV tomorrow and have it." Man, I hope that isn't a long term strategy. My monthly cable bill is already a reminder that I'm the UFC's bitch, and now they're telling me I should switch providers? The UFC is lucky it's got fans like us by the balls. A lot of us probably will break down and switch when it's time for TUF Brazil to debut.

Posted in: ufc, fan, youre, fuel, cable

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So, why are some cheaters in MMA 'good guys' and others 'bad guys' in the eyes of fans?

Posted in: mma, guy, fan, woman, woman sonnen

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The oddsmakers may be slating UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos as the early favorite over Alistair Overeem, but you, the fans, seem to think otherwise.

Posted in: overeem, do, alistair overeem, fan, oddsmaker

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After a few decidedly tumultuous months, Strikeforce re-upped with Showtime and presented its first fight card of the year last night (Sat., Jan. 7, 2012) with its "Rockhold vs. Jardine" event in Las Vegas. During the show, UFC President Dana White stopped by for an interview and when asked by Mauro Ranallo what can fans expect from Strikeforce in the coming year, replied with the following: "I think (the fans) can expect the same thing (from Strikeforce) that they get from the UFC. We're going to put on great shows, live shows, television shows, exciting fights -- everything you've come to expect from the UFC, you will see here on Showtime and Strikeforce." They didn't exactly get off to a hot start last night, as the crowd at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino seemed as alive as a cemetery and most of the action on the card left a lot to be desired. The broadcast was aesthetically pleasing, sure, but good production doesn't replace exciting fights between legitimate contenders. Name value also matters and the sad fact of the matter is Strikeforce doesn't have it. Which is why Keith Jardine fought for the promotion's middleweight title. He was obliterated, as expected. Of course, we're talking about just one event and there will be at least seven more this year, so perhaps it's best to hold off complete judgement of Strikeforce under the Zuffa banner. There are improvements to be made, but we're being assured that we'll happen so let's let it happen, right Maniacs? Speaking of upcoming events, the Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey fight was finally booked for March 3 in Ohio and White talks about how much he's looking forward to it in the full entry.

Posted in: ufc, fight, strikeforce, year, fan

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Brock Lesnar retiring -- along with Georges St. Pierre likely being out of action for the entirety of 2012 -- has left the UFC in a dilemma. Not only were they the biggest draws for the company, but they were the most significant draws for a company that has yet to find a close runner up in audience attraction. Anderson Silva has to be considered in the twilight of his career on age alone, and his drawing power is only just now being fully realised after years spent dominating his division. Had Silva not fumbled with a trio of bizarre, frustrating performances against title challengers he should have otherwise blown away, he'd arguably be the headline act UFC could most depend on without Lesnar or GSP. Silva's ability to draw though is now dependent on a viable contender people believe has a shot at beating him, which partly explains why his fight with Vitor Belfort did a lot better on Pay Per View than his fight with Yushin Okami, and why a rematch with Chael Sonnen is perhaps the most anticipated fight in 2012. This year it's expected Jon Jones will be looked on to carry the UFC as its most dominant champion, but fans and critics alike are already wondering who could possibly present a competitive challenge for him, and that this might pose a problem in Jones' ability to become a big attraction at the gate and on PPV. Herein lies the issue. UFC fans have been conditioned into believing the best should always fight the best, and that there are no easy fights in the UFC because it's something that Dana White -- as the UFC's main spokesman and figurehead -- likes to to use to trumpet the UFC's promotional model over that of Boxing's. But if the fans perceive what they're given as anything less, there's usually outcry (for example - most European cards). To their credit the UFC has managed to bring certain fighters along slowly in order to develop them, whether it be current and former champions in Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez or Jon Jones, but also with some prospects such as Alexander Gustafsson. Bringing prospects along slowly, or even building their champions without appearing to feed them nothing but cans is going to be a difficult balance to strike. Casual fans and even some hardcores usually revel in one sided destructions, and generally speaking the more dominant and consistent a fighter is, the easier it is to build a following and fanbase. The problem is having mismatches that would likely result in quick finishes as PPV headliners. Watching a fighter get squashed by an obviously superior opponent is ideal for free Television though, and the increased number of shows UFC plans to put on thanks to its new partnership with Fox is an ideal opportunity to puff up fighters the UFC has long term plans for. For the UFC to build a fighter like a Mike Tyson or like a Roy Jones Jr, the raw talent MMA's equivalents have is out of their hands. But, like Tyson and RJJ, the UFC can protect certain fighters to a degree so they can develop but also so they can showcase their abilities against outmatched opponents and wow audiences. Using the Fox/FX shows to build number one contenders and present occasional title fights will work best with the right opponents used to elevate them and we're less likely to see the pass-the-parcel of title contenders (or even title holders) that have become somewhat common in the UFC. Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar should be put on free TV to squash an opponent and build his base, but instead risks being ignored on an international show which will feature less press coverage as a result, against an opponent who could quite possibly beat him. Similarly, Fox opting out of showing Ben Henderson vs Clay Guida was a missed opportunity to build either as a title contender and sell some PPV's. Phil Davis vs Rashad Evans headlining UFC on FOX 2 sounds like a fantastic match to give to fans, but you wonder if it would have made more sense to build both guys and line them up sequentially as the next to face Jones rather than set one of them back. Keeping Davis' undefeated record intact or almost guaranteeing Evans a chance to destroy a lesser fighter in a similar fashion to his fight with Tito Ortiz would have kept both in better standing going into a championship bout with Jones and may have generated a bigger buzz about their chances. As it stands, either Evans' grudge match with Jones is derailed, or Davis' streak ends and fickle fans write him off as a potential challenge. Neither scenario is particularly good for business. The ability of the UFC to build new stars to fill the void left by Lesnar and GSP in 2012 is going to be a point of debate perhaps for the rest of this year, and it's safe to say the UFC would like to do better on PPV than it did in 2011. Building these stars starts with the matchmaking, and maybe a little padding of records on free TV needs to be part of the process.

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, fighter, fan

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Name: Stephen Thompson Nickname: Wonderboy Age: 28 Height: 6'0" Location: Simpsonville, South Carolina Imagine eavesdropping on a conversation between two fans. A hardcore fan tells his buddy about an up-and-coming prospect in South Carolina who racked up an incredible 53-0-0-1 record in kickboxing. He won nearly every single amateur kickboxing title on the planet, and now he's making his way into the sport of mixed martial arts. You palm a smirk. "His takedown defense is probably terrible, and he'll get owned on the ground with no experience in the grappling department. He'll fail," says Steve, your casual fan friend whose favorite fighter is Kimbo Slice. Steve wouldn't be off base with his comments however. It's difficult for anyone to believe a world-class kickboxer can succeed without some sort of background in the grappling arts. Luckily, 28-year-old Stephen Thompson (5-0) is well-versed on the ground, earning a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt from his brother-in-law, none other than legendary grappler Carlos Machado. If that weren't enough, his thirty-two knockouts on the amateur kickboxing circuit and #1 ranking during his days in the World Combat League suggest he was a prodigy talent in the striking arts at a young age. Add twenty-four years of experience and a bevy of world-class training partners such as Georges St. Pierre and Rashad Evans to the mix, and you've got a fighter with loads of potential. There is some mystery surrounding Thompson's progression, mainly due to the lack of footage of MMA action, but from secondary accounts I've been able to gather - there is a buzz surrounding Thompson. Most fans who've seen him in action agree that he has the goods to make an eventual run at a top-tier promotion, and they've even likened his style to that of Lyoto Machida. Thompson's credentials are awe-inspiring, and the fanatical fan deep inside of us wants to proclaim him the next prodigy. But we're realists, and Thompson has a lot to prove moving forward. Specifically, his strength of competition isn't great, nor is he fighting enough to warrant an immediate move to the UFC or Bellator. The next step is the tougher competition that awaits him in a larger regional promotion. If he can past the test there with flying colors, Thompson will get the attention he deserves and make waves by the end of the year. Check out video footage of Stephen Thompson after the jump... FlyweightBantamweightFeatherweightLightweight #1 - #2 - #3 -#4 -#5 - #6 - #7 - #8 - #9 - #10 - #1 - Rony Mariano#2 - Aljamain Sterling#3 - Chris Holdsworth#4 - Josh Hill#5 - Fabiano Fernandes#6 - Claudio Ledesma#7 - Sirwan Kakai#8 - Kyoji Horiguchi#9 - Leandro Hygo#10 - Pedro Munhoz #1 - Hacran Dias#2 - Joey Gambino#3 - Brandon Bender#4 - Lance Palmer #5 - Jim Alers#6 - Anthony Gutierrez#7 - Max Holloway#8 - John Teixeira#9 - Cody Bollinger#10 - Bubba Jenkins #1 - Fabricio Guerreiro#2 - Alessandro Ferreira#3 - Adriano Martins#4 - Justin Salas#5 - Neilson Gomes#6 - Eduard Folayang#7 - Zorobabel Moreira#8 - Anton Kuivanen#9 - Jordan Rinaldi#10 - J.P. Vainikainen WelterweightMiddleweightLight HeavyweightHeavyweight #1 - #2 - #3 -#4 -#5 - #6 - #7 - #8 - #9 - #10 - Stephen Thompson #1 - #2 - #3 - #4 - #5 - #6 - #7 - #8 - #9 - #10 - #1 - #2 - #3 - #4 - #5 - #6 - #7 - #8 - #9 - #10 - #1 - #2 - #3 - #4 - #5 - #6 - #7 - #8 - #9 - #10 - Stephen Thompson Promo Stephen Thompson vs. James DeCoreWorld Combat League Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson (USA) vs. Sergej Bogdan (RUS)2005 WAKO Gold Medal Match Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson vs Tim Williams

Posted in: fan, stephen, thompson, wonderboy, video footage

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Soon after Alistair Overeem sent former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar into retirement after a first round shellacking at UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem this past weekend (Dec. 30, 2011) conspiracy theorists started working overtime. Their number one theory: Lesnar would ride off into the sunset only to return a few months later to his roots and to the organization that helped him become "The Next Big Thing," World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). From 2000 through 2006, Lesnar won the hearts of millions of "professional" wrestling fans around the world and made millions of dollars as one of the most popular and polarizing figures in the history of the organization. After leaving the wrestling business and after a brief stint in the National Football League (NFL), Lesnar decided to try his hand at mixed martial arts (MMA). After making a successful debut at K-1 Dynamite in 2007 against Min Soo Kim, the former NCAA wrestling champion signed with the UFC and made his much anticipated debut against Frank Mir at UFC 81, losing in the first round via kneebar. Six fights, one UFC heavyweight title run, and a couple of battles with diverticulitis anchored by two consecutive losses later, Lesnar called it quits. However, according to former WWE commentator and close friend, Jim Ross, don't expect Lesnar to go running back to his old stomping grounds anytime soon. Check it out: "For those that know Brock well, the answer to this question is actually quite simple. It's NO. Brock dislikes, putting it mildly, traveling. Plus, he doesn't need the money even though he's smart enough to not turn down a big payday if the lay of the land is to his liking. That's why the UFC thing was good for him because he could earn big money by traveling 2-3 times per year to fight. I could see Brock doing a major, one off WWE appearance ala a WrestleMania, but not this year, and doing so while not even making the live Raw events that lead into it. I could also see WWE traveling to Brock to shoot vignettes to build whatever match that he might be booked. For fans who think that Lesnar will return to make a significant amount of TV dates only and then only work a handful or so of PPV's, I hate to burst your bubble, but in my opinion that simply isn't happening." Somewhere in Fantasy Land, millions of wrestling fans hearts just shattered. On the other hand, UFC President Dana White can perhaps breathe easier with the possibility of not having to worry about a contract dispute for the time bieng with the former heavyweight champion who was one of the biggest PPV draws for the UFC. This from the UFC 141 post-fight press conference: "When you retire, he retires under contract. I have no idea (how long the contract is). Listen, I've had my moments with Brock Lesnar but I've had a great relationship with him and we'll figure it out, no big deal. Never had a situation with a guy where we haven't done the right thing." How about it, Maniacs, are any of you closet WWE fans upset at the possibility of not seeing Lesnar wreak havoc in the squared circle in 2012, cracking heads with steal chairs and jumping off top ropes?

Posted in: ufc, fan, wwe, lesnar, brock

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With Brock Lesnar's retirement following his UFC 141 loss to Alistair Overeem, many are wondering if there's a way for the UFC to make up for the business being lost. In the second part of Luke Thomas' interview with Dave Meltzer, Luke asked if Lesnar's impact was long term or just a brief shot in the arm for UFC business. Dave's response: There are people he brought in who grew, who appreciated and became sustainable fans. The vast majority of that I would say is not the case. I'll give you a perfect example. If tomorrow, something happens and Georges St. Pierre retires and he's got all this Canadian fanbase. I would guarantee you that, some of those fans will stay, but most of those fans will also be gone because that's what happens in every sport. Just like with Ali in boxing. When Ali left, yeah, he made a ton of fans for boxing but how many of them really stayed for Larry Holmes? Not that many. I think in team sports, it's different. I think in team sports, they sustain better. In individual sports, I notice the kind of guys whether it's Tiger Woods or Ali that swell the audience for those sports, when those guys are gone, yeah, they did help the sport, but most of the audience that they swelled, they're gone when the star is gone and I think that's gonna be the same thing with Brock. I think that the vast majority of people that he brought to pay-per-view, I don't think they'll buy another pay-per-view. Some will buy every pay-per-view though. Using Ali and Holmes is a bit of a problem though. Ali was a rare superstar personality, but his career had foes like Liston, Foreman, Frazier and Norton, rivals who allowed for something more than Ali to simply be a "big mouth." Holmes never had quite that same level of big name rival other than maybe Leon Spinks. Post-Ali the overall quality of the division was down, it wasn't just that no one cared because Holmes wasn't Ali. If anything Lesnar may have been more of a Tyson, a guy who was the entire attraction for a large segment of fans. Post-Lesnar, the UFC heavyweight division isn't a wasteland. In fact, with the addition of the Strikeforce heavyweights it will be the strongest heavyweight division in the history of any promotion. But this all raises the ultimate question facing the UFC: Are they ever going to embrace really marketing guys as unique? Lesnar was something more than just "a UFC fighter" because of his background. To many fans the majority of the roster just feels like interchangeable pieces. I love the UFC and they've done things so well that it is to the point where no one can argue against Zuffa being good for MMA. But I really feel like the marketing is in a rut. I talked about it back in October when I was on Press Row with Jordan Breen, but it feels like they're reluctant to truly establish many fighters as special. They're embracing it with Jon Jones to a degree, but does it seem like the UFC sells a guy like Jose Aldo, who is the dominant featherweight force in the world with a thirteen fight win streak is sold as particularly special or unique in a way that goes beyond the same way that they marketed Mauricio Rua when he had the title? They were just both "feared Brazilian strikers" and little more other than little tidbits of their personal stories. It just feels like few men are treated like actual stars in the UFC's marketing efforts now and that transfers over into the public perception (as is the point of marketing, I suppose). When Aldo faces Chad Mendes I'm sure we'll hear a bit about how Aldo is really good, but we'll go right into the recycled "if you were going to build a fighter to beat the champ, this is the guy you would build" shtick. Going back to the start of when the UFC boom started, it was Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture filling the superstar roles. They were each great fighters, but they were also three unique and identifiable personalities. Did the marketing of them as special go off the rails at times? Sure. The UFC 43 ring walk for Liddell was ridiculously over the top, but when the generally soft spoken Couture beat him it was the start of Randy's real rise to a star. And that's somewhat evident when you look at UFC 43 drawing a buyrate of 49,000 and then UFC 44 with the unification bout between Couture and Ortiz drawing 94,000 buys and UFC 46 with Couture against Vitor Belfort doing 80,000. If anything, that old school moment should teach the UFC that it's okay to market a guy as something more than just "really good" because his opponent can gain a lot if he pulls off the win over someone sold as truly special. Lesnar leaving means that the UFC is lacking in fighters that the public is going to find truly unique. It's time for the marketing team to open the playbook a little bit and find the willingness to start pushing the best the promotion has as more than just "wrestlers" "strikers" or "dangerous." 2011 was the first down period in a long time for the promotion (partly because of injuries to the very few mainstream stars) and they should view it as an opportunity and a challenge to do what the UFC has always done and up their game.

Posted in: ufc, guy, fan, ali, marketing

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The name Muhammed Lawal may not be recognized by many mixed martial arts fans today. However, throw in the nickname "King Mo" and fans become well aware of who we are referring to. Lawal, who stands 6'0'' and weighs 205 pounds has come to be one of the most popular fighters in MMA today...

Posted in: fan, mo, king, lawal, muhammed

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"It's going to be really, really good for the fans. Because he's a striker (and) I'm a striker, it's going to be a stand-up battle. ... He's pretty good at using his kicks, his knees, his punches. But I believe so much in my boxing." -- UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos tells USA Today that fight fans are going to have it good when he climbs inside the Octagon to defend his title for the first time against freshly crowned number one contender Alistair Overeem sometime this year. That's because both men are strikers, "Cigano" with his powerful boxing and "Demolition Man" with his polished kicks and knees. "The Reem," of course, is a K-1 kickboxing champion, as we all know very well by now and plans to utilize his well-rounded standing skill set to frustrate his Brazilian foe. Dos Santos, meanwhile, believes so unflinchingly in his boxing that he'll stand and trade with Overeem while looking for one more knockout blow. It would only be his sixth in nine fights inside the Octagon. That's all. "Lesnar vs. Overeem" may have been BIG but "Dos Santos vs. Overeem" is going to be AWESOME. Right, Maniacs?

Posted in: overeem, vs, boxing, do, fan

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The UFC on Xbox Live application went public on Dec. 20, 2011, offering live weigh-in streams, interviews with fighters and even episodes of the latest "Countdown" specials to fight-loving Xbox 360 owners. It was a one-stop shop for almost anything Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). To celebrate the launch, UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem was offered free of charge to the first 25,000 customers who signed up. It was a soft opening of sorts, allowing a controlled number of people experience what the application has to offer while also allowing themselves some wiggle room to work out any kinks that may come up. Well, there was only one problem this past Friday night (Dec. 30, 2011), but it was a big one. It seemed those 25,000 fans who were lucky -- ahem -- enough to get the pay-per-view (PPV) for free from UFC on Xbox Live were out of luck as error message after error message popped up when they tried to open and access the application. Now, I'm no Dionne Warwick, but this was the exact issue I brought up on Dec. 11: Granted, this was a closed preview so the servers weren't as stressed as they will be once the service goes public. Whether or not any hiccups will pop up starting with UFC 141 will remain to be seen. It certainly appears that question has been answered. Throughout the evening, those in charge took to their official Twitter account to update frustrated customers. That was a typical tweet sent out in the hours leading up to the start of the PPV. Discussion amongst fans comprised those hoping the application would start working by the time Nam Phan and Jim Hettes stepped inside the Octagon at 10 p.m. ET and others who were trying to decide if it was too late to hit up their favorite sports bar. And then everyone's worst fears were realized when the folks at UFC on Xbox Live sent out this tweet. The dagger. To make it up to those fans left out in the cold -- and assuredly to save face on the public relations front -- they have announced that a future UFC event will be offered for free for those who signed up for UFC 141, but were unable to watch. It's unsure if that event will be Jan. 14's UFC 142, another future event or even allowing fans the option of any other future PPV show they would rather watch. The thought was there -- show off your new service by offering up a $50 show for free -- but the execution was off by a mile. Any Maniacs out there who were affected by this? If so, has UFC on Xbox Live lost you as a customer?

Posted in: ufc, fan, xbox, application, error message

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Luke Thomas looks at four big fights MMA fans can look forward to in 2012. Read it at MMA Nation.

Posted in: fight, mma, luke, fan, luke thomas

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

UFC 141 rung in the New Year with some fantastic fights and interesting post-fight tidbits to digest. The retirement of Brock Lesnar first and foremost among them. Now I am grew up in the '90s , I went from ages 4 to 14 during the golden age of pro wrestling and I couldn't care less about it. Nothing against pro wrestling fans but if I want to watch scripted fighting I'd like them to have swords, ideally light-sabers, but really any old sword will do. So watching unnaturally large men scream in to the microphones and hit each other with chairs never really drew me in. So when Brock Lesnar came into MMA, I wasn't huge on the idea of a pro wrestler coming into a real combat sport. Now since then I've developed a respect for the catch wrestling roots of pro wrestling and Brock Lesnar won my respect as a fighter. Now questions abound because when ever an athlete that won a championship in his/her sport, there is the question of where that athlete fits into the pantheon of all-time greats. And Brock Lesnar is no different, where does he fit amongst the great MMA heavyweights. Certainly he isn't the best Heavyweight of all-time; names like Randy Couture, Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira or even Mark Coleman should come before Lesnar to name a few. But this should not relegate Lesnar to the dustbin of MMA history. Lesnar came to the sport with excellent NCAA wrestling credentials and freak athleticism but already in his 30s, never having trained MMA and experienced great success. While Lesnar's legacy will include his distaste for getting hit, it should not lessen his victories over Randy Couture, Frank Mir, his awesome come back against Shane Carwin and even his win over Heath Herring who was once an a top 15 heavyweight in his own right. So I wish Brock Lesnar a happy retirement. You reached the top of the sport, defended your title, and changed the heavyweight division. Those are things that can never be taken away. More after the jump.... Don't Mess With the 209 Seriously, Nate Diaz is a beast and I was not giving him enough credit when picking that fight. After that performance I think his boxing is better than his brother Nick's. Nate has just laser guided straight punches that take full advantage of his reach and strike with more power than his larger kin. He put a beating on Donald Cerrone and though I tweeted that I wanted to see that as a 5 round fight, on reflection that might have killed Cerrone. Nate's outstanding boxing, fearsome jiu jitsu and endless cardio I think makes him a major threat to UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar. That would be a fight I'd be very interested in watching, regardless of Edgar's result against Ben Henderson in Japan. Knocked the Fitch Out Jon Fitch just saw his interim-title dreams disappear as he watched that replay of Johny Hendricks dropping him with that left hand. While many an MMA fan, including some Zuffa brass most likely, rejoiced at Fitch's loss, I feel bad for the former Boilermaker. A man whose only crime was being excellent in skills not pleasing to fans will be relegated to undercards despite being a top ranked welterweight. I'm not a huge fan of drawing broad conclusions on a fighter after a quick loss.The UFC has been feeding him heavy hitters for just about two years now hoping for this result and he has survived and thrived but I think this loss could benefit MMA fans in an unexpected way. To get back in the title picture, Fitch will be forced to change his game. He likely doesn't have enough time left in his prime to grind his way back up. While lacking KO power, Fitch is an excellent grappler and perhaps he will focus more on passing guard and isolating arms or attacking the neck. I have no doubt that if Fitch put together two wins by submission in 2012 he would be challenging for that interim title before 2013. Other Thoughts: Alexander Gustafsson looks better and better each time out. He is going to give guys fits with that rangy boxing and improving wrestling. He is going to be a Top 5 Light Heavyweight and if Jon Jones moves up to Heavyweight he could be a champion. Get this guy a step up in competition. I knew Jimmy Hettes was good, but WOW. Love to see great Judo in MMA and then follow it up with excellent and urgent grappling on the mat. Not going to go over the top because Phan, while an able gatekeeper and a likable guy he isn't an elite Featherweight. That said, Hettes is someone to watch going forward. Dong-Hyun Kim really wanted that crane kick and he almost got a KO out of it. Interesting and fairly convincing win from Kim, solid bounce back win. Bonus Dream thought: Satoru Kitaok did a good job of surviving with Shinya Aoki on his back but Aoki beat him up and showed pretty solid all around skills despite not finishing. Fedor did what Fedor does in Japan and the commentary crew was TERRIBLE.

Posted in: mma, fan, brock lesnar, lesnar, fitch

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"Winning is the most important thing on our minds. How you win is a far second. Jon is a great fighter. He represents how hard work beats talent. He is not fast or flashy, he doesn't take steroids, he doesn't cheat, he just works hard. Those who criticize [Jon Fitch] for the most part are fans who do not understand MMA. So I ignore it. Jon is training more intensely to finish. We are working on techniques that we see in other fights and trying to drill systems that fit with his style. We will see a much improved Jon Fitch in his next fight." American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) coach Dave Camarillo (via Riddum.com) defends the fighting style of perennial welterweight contender Jon Fitch, who hasn't seen a finish in nine consecutive fights. The former Purdue wrestler will try to change the perception that he's "not a risk taker" when he answers the call of surging 170-pound prospect Johny Hendricks on the main card of UFC 141: "Lesnar vs. Overeem" on Friday night (Dec. 30, 2011) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Any fight fans out there who may have been critical of Fitch ready to give him a second look after hearing Camarillo's perspective? Or is what you see, what you get? Thoughts?

Posted in: fight, jon, fan, fitch, jon fitch

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This week I've set out to do something different in Mixed Martial Arts: acknowledge the pro wrestling past of Brock Lesnar. MMA fans are terrified of the legitimate ties between MMA and professional wrestling. Maybe it's shame. Maybe it's a case of "if I don't say it out loud, then it's not true". In any case, this week is all about the WWE career of Brock Lesnar. Thus far we've covered his debut, a light hearted backstage segment with Kurt Angle, and his match with Zach Gowen. Today, I'd like to cover one of the worst moments in his WWE career. For those that love the "business" winning WWE gold is a dream come true. It's validation for all the time spent on the road and legitimizes a push the wrestler received. At Wrestlemania XIX, in front of 54,097 fans at Seattle, Washington's Safeco Field Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle squared off for Angle's heavyweight championship belt. The atmosphere was absolutely electric with the Rock defeating Stone Cold Steve Austin in the previous match. When Lesnar and Angle hit the ring the crowd at Safeco Field were on their feet to see two of the biggest names in professional wrestling square off for the most important title in the world. With both Lesnar and Angle having legitimate amateur backgrounds, the opening of the match focused on the more technical side of wrestling. Treating fans to some clean chain wrestling sequences, Angle and Lesnar put on a display of talent that is rarely showcased. For twenty minutes both Lesnar and Angle took fans on a psychological ride culminating in the big finish: a shooting star press. Lesnar was able to pull this move off multiple times during his stint in Ohio Valley Wrestling and both agreed that a 295 pound man pulling off this stunt would bring the house down. What happened next was one of the most terrifying moments in wrestling history. Video and more after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem After hitting his second F-5 on the night, Lesnar made the move to the top rope for the big finish. Lesnar took flight off the top turnbuckle with the shooting star press, a forward moving backflip. Unfortunately, he miscalculated how far he could jump and under rotated, barely clearing his head from connecting with the unforgiving mat. Instead, his head slammed into Angle's ribcage. Our own Tim Burke was there live and actually yelled out "HE'S DEAD!" He wasn't dead, just severely concussed. Angle was forced to improvise the finish, setting up Lesnar for another F-5 and the clean pin. Lesnar almost became a statistic: another wrestler who suffered a career ending injury due to a botched move. Obviously Lesnar survived and didn't break his neck but the moment showed how dangerous professional wrestling is and how quickly a crowning moment can be taken away due to the slightest miscalculation. Be sure to come back tomorrow for the final day of Lesnar's WWE career where I discuss the "holy sh*t!" moment that fans had never seen before.

Posted in: fan, wwe, lesnar, angle, moment

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Filed under: UFCLAS VEGAS -- The MMA world is so used to Saturday night pay-per-view events that even UFC president Dana White was bound to slip up when promoting the rare Friday night outing this week. Unfortunately, he made the mistake when talking with the people at the UFC's new wireless partner, MetroPCS. "I just met with the MetroPCS people and I said, 'I'll see you Saturday,'" White told reporters following Wednesday's UFC 141 press conference. "I'm promoting this thing and I said, 'I'll see you Saturday.'" It's so easy to do. The UFC has gotten its fight week routine down to such a consistent rhythm, fans and media alike are conditioned to expect things in a certain order. Press conference on Thursday, weigh-ins on Friday, fights on Saturday. Only the names and locations change -- until this time. But in order to avoid the colossal headache of trying to promote a fight on New Year's Eve in Las Vegas, the UFC had to move everything up a day this week. Now even White isn't sure how fans will react. "To be honest, we're a little concerned about Friday night," White said. "Everybody's programmed for Saturday, Saturday, Saturday." And, in theory, the UFC could have slated UFC 141 for Saturday night. After all, big fights on New Year's Eve are a tradition in Japan, but then so is staying home to watch TV that night. The UFC could have tried to convince fans to order a pay-per-view rather than go out and party, but then, that wouldn't have been the only gamble, White pointed out. "The problem is, you can't put on fights in Las Vegas on [New Year's Eve]," he said. "They shut the strip down. You can't even get around here. It would be a nightmare." At one point, the UFC president was "almost 100 percent confident" that the organization was headed back to Abu Dhabi for a New Year's Eve show, he said. And yet here we are again, back in the UFC's hometown, with White hoping that fans won't wake up on Saturday morning eagerly anticipating some big fights that they already missed. It's one variable of many that makes it hard to predict this event's chances for success. With UFC 141, the organization is returning to the 10 p.m. ET start time that it had previously abandoned in favor of moving the action up an hour. The UFC also turned to its new friends at FUEL TV -- a FOX cable channel that is available in about 60 million fewer homes than the UFC's former TV partners at Spike -- to help promote the event with the customary "Countdown" show. Ratings were dismal for that effort, with a measly 15,000 viewers for its Dec. 21 premiere, according to MMA Junkie. But White, of course, claimed that this was more or less what he expected so early in the game. "It wasn't alarming at all," he told reporters. "Those are the type of ratings that that network pulls. ...Those numbers will build. We're going to build that network." Part of the problem is availability. Fight fans know where Spike TV is on the dial, and most of them probably have it in their cable packages. The same can't be said of FUEL, though White seems to be hoping that fans will pipe up once the UFC takes its act there full-time in 2012. "I think that once all this programming goes out on FUEL, I think the fans are going to end up [requesting it from cable operators]," he said. "More and more people are going to want FUEL." That's fine for next year, but what about Friday night? The UFC is offering up one of its biggest pay-per-view draws in Brock Lesnar, not to mention a simmering feud between Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz, and it risks waving goodbye to a healthy chunk of pay-per-view revenue if it can't get the word out and convince fans to find a seat on the couch by Friday night. It might not be quite as difficult as putting on a fight in Vegas on New Year's Eve would have been, but it's no small challenge, either. When even the president of the company occasionally flubs the night of the show while selling it out in public, you know there are potential problems on the horizon. Once you have to deviate from your own dependable schedule, there are bound to be some people who don't get the message in time. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, saturday, fan

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Fight fans already in Sin City, or headed there, have a plethora of free events to attend leading up to Friday night's UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem fights.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, sin city, fan events

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In a show of solidarity with his sister who was badly injured in a car crash over Thanksgiving holidays, Urijah Faber has shaved off his golden locks. No news on whether he'll be selling that hair to fans. Will he be selling that hair to fans? Come on, MMA news websites, will he??? I need to know! I want that hair. That beautiful, delicious hair. Erotic hair shaving video after the jump. read more

Posted in: fan, i need, hair, urijah, car crash

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Fans are invited to next week's "UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem" press conference in Sin City. The fan and media event serves as part of the fight-week build-up for the Dec. 30 pay-per-view event at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena. The presser, which streams live online, is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 28, in the main lobby of the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.

Posted in: fan, sin city, garden arena, media event, fightweek buildup

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submitted by Studdy [link] [1 comment]

Posted in: fan, mayhem, im, studdy, mayhem fan

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To celebrate today's launch, we are presenting @ufc 141 FREE to the first 25,000 fans to order!20 minutes ago via webReplyRetweetFavorite@UFConXboxLIVEUFC on Xbox LIVE In case you haven’t heard UFC on XBox Live launched today and to celebrate today’s launch the team behind UFC on XBox Live has just announced that they’re giving away free UFC 141 pay-per-views to the first 25,000 fans to order. Um, so if you have an Xbox and plan to watch UFC 141 at home, seriously, what the hell are you waiting for? Why are you still reading this?!?!?!?

Posted in: ufc, fan, today, xbox, order

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submitted by DeadFlux [link] [5 comments]

Posted in: fight, mma, fan, mma fights, deadflux

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When the UFC flirted with the notion of signing Gilbert Melendez away from Strikeforce a few months ago the 29-year old lightweight champion winked back, letting the world know he was equally interested in joining their 155-pound ranks. Melendez’s motivation for doing so was in part due to establishing himself as the #1 fighter in his division but also as a means of getting his name out there on a greater scale. Melendez, who fights Jorge Masvidal tonight on Showtime, spoke recently about the way he feels he is perceived by the general public who aren’t always as informed as they should be when passing judgment. “I feel like I’ve always got respect from my peers, and I think a lot of the real fans and the journalists have known,” Melendez explained in an interview with Strikeforce’s website when asked about his profile as a top fighter. “I think it’s more of the common fan. The common fans think I’m in the minor leagues because I’m not in the UFC. The common fan thinks I’m no good because I’m not in the UFC. It’s not that I care so much, but it’s important for me to brand myself in the future and have a life outside the cage. I need to be accepted by everybody, so that does feel good, and that’s what I’m going for. I’ve had a lot of entertaining fights and I would like a lot of people to check those out.” Melendez Excited About Being the Face of Strikeforce in 2012 “El Nino” also believes the mainstream’s lack of knowledge regarding his abilities is a common characteristic he and Masvidal share. “I definitely see an underrated fighter,” said the Californian of his challenger. “He’s a 170-pounder dropping to 155, he’s got some long, straight punches, some really strong knees and kicks, and some tricks. He’s a talented guy and I think he poses some threats, so he’s definitely a great challenge for me. He’s another guy that’s capable of beating a lot of those guys in the UFC, and just because he’s not in the UFC he hasn’t gotten quite the credit he deserves. So I’m pumped about this. He’s a guy who’s even talked a little crap about kicking my butt for a long time now, so I’m kinda pumped about that as well.” As for what comes after this weekend, Melendez isn’t sure but referred to past bouts with Mitsuhiro Ishida and Shinya Aoki as examples of Strikeforce bringing in new talent to challenge him. “I just look at what’s ahead of me right now, and I can’t look past that until after this fight. I’ve got a really big task ahead of me, and once I get past that then I can start talking about any new number one contenders…I think Jorge is one of the last tough top guys out there, but who knows, maybe they’ll bring someone in, and I have faith in them for that.” Fans, common and educated, can catch Melendez vs. Masvidal tonight at 10:30 PM EST with other bouts on the card including Christiane Santos vs. Hiroko Yamanaka, Gegard Mousasi vs. Ovince St. Preux, and Billy Evangelista vs. KJ Noons. PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

Posted in: guy, i ’m, fan, ’m, melendez

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Two years ago, Gegard Mousasi looked like a man on the verge of greatness. At 24 years old, he had already compiled an impressive 27-2-1 record along with a list of accolades. He was the undefeated Dream Middleweight champion and the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion. He had tried his hand at kickboxing and effortlessly KO'd K-1 veteran Musashi. He was on a 14 fight win streak and hadn't lost since facing Akihiro Gono in Pride back in 2006. He was being mentioned as a possible top 10 pound for pound fighter in the world. He was, beyond a doubt, one of the names to watch. Today, he is largely forgotten. As Mousasi gets ready to face Ovince St. Preux at the Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal card this weekend, that momentum of two short years ago is gone. That's not so odd though - in this sport, fighters can fall hard and fast. But what's strange is this - in those 2 years, Mousasi has only seen 1 loss. He's gone 4-1-1 in MMA, plus defeated the K-1 Heavyweight champion Kyotaro under K-1 rules. So why have fans forgotten about Mousasi? Two factors are at play here. First is the nature of that 4-1-1 record. The 4 wins have all come in Japan, and so have not been seen by many casual fans. On the other side, that loss and draw were both under the Strikeforce banner, here in the US in significantly higher profile fights. And both of those performances were not Mousasi at his best. First was the loss to King Mo Lawal on the Strikeforce CBS show. There, Mousasi just had no answer for Mo's wrestling, being taken down repeatedly and ultimately unable to mount an offense. It was an easy, one-sided decision for Mo that greatly hurt Mousasi. After that loss, his next US appearance was meant to be against Mike Kyle, but when Kyle was injured, Keith Jardine stepped in on one week's notice and fought Mousasi to a draw. Again, Mousasi did not look great in this fight. And worse, he didn't look great against a man who casual fans had last seen in the UFC on a disastrous 1-5 run. After those back to back Strikeforce fights, many casual gave up on Mousasi. Also at play for Mousasi is the decreasing perception of Japanese MMA. As fighter after fighter has come over from Japan and failed to impress, fans have begun to write off the level of competition there as significantly lower than in the US. Despite Mousasi's record, even hardcore fans now look at him and see a fighter who has only succeeded in Japan, only against talent that are either past their primes, or have never had their own successes outside the US. And so, like the casual fans, many hardcore fans have given him up as well. This Saturday, that can change. If Mousasi gets a big win over OSP - if he shows the kind of domination that led him to highlight reel stoppage wins over Mark Hunt, Jacare, Babalu, and more - then those Mo and Jardine fights will fade, as will the complaints about his Japanese run. They won't disappear, but they will grow a bit quieter. And the fans who once looked at Mousasi as a future great will be reminded of what made him special. And if Mousasi loses, or wins and looks uninspiring in the process? Then fans will decide they were right all along and the hype was always unjustified. It's a tough position to be in, but Mousasi holds his future in his hands. Let's see what he does with it on Saturday. SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal

Posted in: fight, strikeforce, fighter, fan, mousasi

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Sean Pierson loves fighting for his hometown Toronto fans, but he's ready to expand his fan base when he fights Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 141 on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas.

Posted in: fan, pierson, sean pierson, fan base, blogger pierson

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

Executives from Strikeforce and Showtime have announced a new contract that will keep the two sides partnered up in the television broadcasting business for at least the next year. Their original deal had been set to expire in early 2012. The new pact will see Showtime broadcast up to eight Strikeforce shows per year. Undercard fights will also air live on Showtime Extreme. The announcement ends lengthy speculation about the future of the relationship, which seemed unsalvageable as recently as October. In a joint teleconference including the two sides, UFC president Dana White, who has had an active role in negotiations since mid-October, said the tide turned after a regime change at Showtime. Asked if a deal could have been struck without the regime change, White said probably not. "I dont know," he said. "Obviously, it didn't go well [previously]. It probably wouldn't have. Listen, lets cut the b-------. Me and [former Showtime sports boss] Ken Herschman aren't fans of each other. He's not a fan of mine, I'm not a fan of his. He's not there anymore. I flew out there, I liked these guys, and we did a deal, period, end of story." Stephen Espinoza, who now runs the division as executive vice president & general manager of Showtime sports, would not divulge the length of the agreement between the sides, but promised to continue the long relationship between the brands in presenting Strikeforce as a first-tier product. White echoed that, saying that Strikeforce would look to sign top available talent, and that fans shouldn't expect it to be run as a "B-league" or feeder system for the UFC, as some had feared. "Let's be real clear: Strikeforce is not a secondary brand," Espinoza said. "Luke Rockhold is not a secondary fighter, Cris Cyborg is not a secondary fighter, GIna [Carano] is not a secondary fighter, Gilbert [Melendez] is not a secondary fighter. This is a top-tier organization. It was a top-tier organization as a brand when Scott [Coker] was running it independently of Zuffa, and it will continue to be now that they're in partnership with Zuffa." Among the few changes announced is the eventual abandoning of the heavyweight division. World Grand Prix finalists Daniel Cormier and Josh Barnett will meet in the final -- which is likely to take place before the end of the first quarter of 2012, according to Coker -- and then the winner will fight one more time in Strikeforce before the weight class is discontinued. The reason? Lack of depth, according to White, who said the promotion will focus on all of its other existing divisions. He also reaffirmed that Strikeforce will continue to promote both the women's 135- and 145-pound classes. For the first time, Showtime will also have a stake in the event preliminaries, as undercard fights will be aired live on Showtime Extreme. The first event on 2012's Showtime-Strikeforce calendar will be on January 7, with an event from The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and featuring Rockhold defending his newly won middleweight title against Keith Jardine. The event presentation will look similar to past offerings, with White promising a few tweaks. The announcing team is likely to stay intact, Espinoza added. The extra events will bring Zuffa's 2012 total to over 40 live shows, making White's schedule a nightmare. "People don't even think it's going to be humanly possible, but I disagree," he said of the travel that will be required of him. But that doesn't mean he's not excited for the potential of Strikeforce, and he plans to offer the UFC's sister promotion as much of himself as is possible in the coming months. "This is what I love to do," White said. "This is the s--- that gets me out of bed in the morning. The Showtime guys and Scott Coker, everyone will laugh but it's business as usual for these guys. They've had this relationship for a long time. I'm getting involved in this thing and I'm excited about it. I'm going to get behind it 100 percent. Like I said, we're going to get in, we're going to do some fun stuff, make some tweaks and see how big we can make this thing."  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: strikeforce, event, deal, showtime, fan

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For years, Shooto has been the stomping ground for international talent. And for awhile, when Miguel Torres was on top of the world and not joking about rape, hardcore fans felt like a fight between Masakatsu Ueda and Torres was a dream match. With Torres cut from the UFC (I suspect Torres may be back, and despite my "moral outrage" over the situation, firmly believe he should be), it's entirely possible this could become a reality. At least with the news that Ueda (14-1-2) has just signed a deal with Bellator Fighting Championships according to the Fight Lounge. No word yet on his debut, but it's likely he'll be participant for the Bellator BW tournament. Ueda will be a solid addition to their BW roster. He already owns a win over BW contender, Eduardo Dantas back in 2009. Unfortunately hardcore fans remember Ueda best for Shuichiro Katsumura's upset of Masakatsu via an atypical maneuver: a submission set up brilliantly as Katsumura went from a failed attempt at mission control to "ninja choke". Ueda, one of the few Japanese prospects known to be occasionally booed by Japanese fans (yes folks, Japanese people are not immune to audible displays of frustration), brings with him a grappling pedigree hard to match. He's an excellent top control grappler in the vein of Ricardo Arona. His striking is still a little rudimentary, but he's come a long way, and even found himself in a minor slugfest against faded legend Rumino Sato back in July. Ueda is 33, so he's no spring chicken, but then that would appear to be put him right at home with Joe Warren being 35, and Alexis Vila being 40. Ueda is still expected to be in action early in January at Shooto's Survivor Tournament Final against Kyoji Horiguchi. Poll Do you like Ueda's chances of going far in the Bellator 135 lb tournament? Yes. He beat Dantas. Of course he'll do well. No. He had to split decision Royler Gracie. Of course he's dead meat.   1 votes | Results

Posted in: bellator, fan, torre, he, ueda

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"Fighters get into this place when they're fighting -- Jon choked him out but he was in this zone, so I said to Jon, 'Go check on Machida and get yourself some fans,' which was a dumb thing to say. What I was trying to convey to him was, you're a professional athlete and there's ring decorum, and I should have said 'Remember the fans because everyone is watching what you do.' I misspoke. 'Go check on him and the fans will appreciate it' was what I meant, but I'm a bonehead sometimes and it came out wrong, which wasn't my intention at all. I wasn't trying to manipulate Jon." That's his story and he's sticking to it. Famed mixed martial arts trainer Greg Jackson explains to MMAFighting.com what he really meant when he was overheard telling his star pupil, Jon Jones, to check on a choked out Lyoto Machida just to get some fans. The soundbite was picked up by UFC.tv and it wasn't long before fans were outraged and making their voices heard. Jones defended his light heavyweight title against "The Dragon" at UFC 140 this past weekend (Sat., Dec. 10, 2011) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada by submitting the Brazilian with a standing guillotine in the second round. Instead of gently letting him down, Jones released the hold so Machida could fall to the mat like a sack of potatoes, which he did. "Bones" did check on his opponent but it was only after Jackson was heard urging him to do so. Then again, who's to say Jones wouldn't have done it himself anyway? Either way, Jackson wants to assure you that it was not his intention to manipulate his fighter and he's just a bonehead sometimes. Do you accept his apology and subsequent explanation?

Posted in: jon, jone, fan, check, lyoto machida

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"The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale," which featured Michael Bisping's technical knockout win over Jason "Mayhem" Miller, drew 1,909 fans for a live gate of $453K.

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Fans are invited to Thursday's "Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal" press conference in San Diego, Calif. The fan and media gathering, which previews Saturday's Showtime-broadcast event, takes place at Seau's The Restaurant, which is located at 1640 Camino Del Rio North #1376 in San Diego. Saturday's fight card takes place at the nearby Valley View Casino Center.

Posted in: conference, fan, san, diego, media gathering

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If I was a commentator on MiddleEasy, I would rip into all of you that claimed Greg Jackson said 'Against the fence' instead of the so obvious 'Go get some fans' after Jones' demolition of Lyoto Machida at UFC 140. However, I'm not. I'm just a guy that has rewatched the entire series of 'The Wire' to make the accurate statement that while it was a great show, 'Breaking Bad' is still better. We all have to admit that if Greg Jackson yelled 'Go get some fans, Donald Cerrooonee!' then we wouldn't even be having this controversy. Instead, we would proclaim it was the coolest thing ever to be said inside the octagon since Nick Diaz's 'Train all day, Joe Rogan podcast by night -- all day!' Unfortunately, that wasn't the case and on today's MMA Hour, Greg Jackson admitted that it was indeed a 'dumb thing to say.' "Fighters get into this place when they're fighting -- Jon choked him out but he was in this zone," Jackson said. "So I said to Jon, 'Go check on Machida and get yourself some fans,' which was a dumb thing to say. What I was trying to convey to him was, You're a professional athlete and there's ring decorum, and I should have said 'Remember the fans' because everyone is watching what you do. I misspoke." I woke up this morning with the undying urge to eat a soft cookie with frosting on top, but I knew that if I were to consume this edible paradise -- I would not be getting fans. I ate it anyway. Take that 'Article Conclusion Nazi.' [Source]

Posted in: jackson, fan, thing, greg jackson, greg

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“Fighters get into this place when they’re fighting — Jon choked him out but he was in this zone. So I said to Jon, ‘Go check on Machida and get yourself some fans,’ which was a dumb thing to say. What I was trying to convey to him was, You’re a professional athlete and there’s ring decorum, and I should have said ‘Remember the fans’ because everyone is watching what you do. I misspoke… ‘Go check on him and the fans will appreciate it’ was what I meant, but I’m a bonehead sometimes and it came out wrong, which wasn’t my intention at all… I wasn’t trying to manipulate Jon.” — Greg Jackson on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani explaining what he meant when he told Jon Jones to check on Lyoto Machida to “get some fans” What do you think? Genuine explanation or damage control? Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting

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submitted by BongRipsPalin [link] [3 comments]

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Filed under: UFC, NewsAfter Jon Jones choked out Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, Jones's coach Greg Jackson stepped into the Octagon and urged Jones to check on Machida and see if he was OK. Jackson's comment was picked up by microphones and broadcast to fans watching on UFC.tv, and Jackson's phrasing was interpreted by some fans as an attempt to stage manage Jones and perhaps show a false concern for his fallen opponent. But on Monday, Jackson said the whole thing was misunderstood. After the fight, as Machida was on the ground getting medical attention, Jackson shouted to Jones, "Jon! Jon! Go check on him! Go check on Lyoto, get some fans!" To MMA fans who think Jones comes across as a phony, that "get some fans" line was seen in a negative light, as though Jones and Jackson weren't really concerned about Machida, but Jackson thought it would be good PR for Jones to pretend to be concerned. But Jackson appeared on The MMA Hour on Monday and said he was kicking himself for the way he phrased his comment to Jones, because he hated the way it was interpreted. "Fighters get into this place when they're fighting -- Jon choked him out but he was in this zone," Jackson said. "So I said to Jon, 'Go check on Machida and get yourself some fans,' which was a dumb thing to say. What I was trying to convey to him was, You're a profesional athlete and there's ring decorum, and I should have said 'Remember the fans' because everyone is watching what you do. I misspoke." Jackson said he wasn't trying to suggest that Jones should only be concerned about Machida because that might make fans like him. He said he was pointing out that Jones is a role model and that fans would want to see how Jones reacted to choking Machida out. "'Go check on him and the fans will appreciate it' was what I meant, but I'm a bonehead sometimes and it came out wrong, which wasn't my intention at all," Jackson said. Jackson said he's disappointed that some fans are picking up his comment to Jones and beginning to believe that Jones's nice-guy image is an act that Jackson is trying to craft. "I don't feel it's fair because it wasn't my intention," Jackson said. "I wasn't trying to manipulate Jon." As for the fight itself, Jackson said he thought Machida's style, as a southpaw with an unusual counter-striking approach, gave Jones some trouble in the early going. But he said he was proud of the way Jones responded. "Jon took some hard shots and really showed his jaw," Jackson said. "Machida's a true warrior, and what a smart guy. I was very impressed." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), once again, made its way up to the "Great White North" had another successful showing for Canadian fans as UFC 140 overtook the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Dec. 10, 2011. A whopping nine out of 12 total fights ended by way of stoppage. Fans were treated to ridiculously quick knockouts, wild submissions and fast-paced fights filled with furor that ended in decision. From top to bottom, the entire card was a huge hit. After the jump, MMAmania.com takes a look at who emerged from Saturday night's event as the big winners and the lowliest of losers. Let's get ready to roll! WINNERS Jon Jones -- The biggest winner of the weekend is usually obvious. This time, it's not any different. "Bones" was supposed to be tested this go-round by a fighter unlike any he had ever fought. Lyoto Machida's karate background and elusive style was supposed to give Jones problems and possibly expose some weaknesses. For a little more than a round, it looked as though this would be the case. Then it happened. "The Dragon" got reckless, rushed in with one of his trademark "karate blitzes" and he got clipped with a left hook that buckled his knees instantly. It took Jones less than a minute, from that point, to back his opponent against the fence (the last place Machida wanted to be with Jones) and lock up one of the nastiest standing guillotines MMA fans have ever witnessed. The result left most onlookers stunned in silence. The crazy thing? He's still getting better. Frank Mir -- When Mir last faced Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 in 2008, "Big Nog" blamed his loss on a staph infection and to not being one hundred percent. This time, Mir was intent on proving that the last time wasn't a fluke and that he clearly was the better man. Case closed. After a couple minutes of very exciting exchanges and technical transitions, Mir was able to not only submit a man who was revered for his Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and had never been submitted in his career, but he did it in quick and brutal fashion. Constantinos Philippou -- After having to go to a very close split decision with an aging Jorge Rivera in his last fight, "Costa" wanted to show fans (and his bosses) that he really does belong in the UFC. He was handed no tomato can for his next opponent, as he took on the always tough Jared Hamman. Philippou was a man on fire, coming forward aggressively and leaving it all in the cage. For a brief moment, it looked as though Hamman was going to be able to withstand the punishment he was dealt and continue fighting. Philippou was not dissuaded. He just kept throwing bombs with technical savvy and precision and it was only a matter of time before Hamman's will was not enough to keep him standing. The end result saw Hamman fall face forward into the canvas and Philippou having his hand raised after an exciting knockout. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira -- The only reason "Lil' Nog" is not higher up on the list is because it's still hard to tell which version of Tito Ortiz he really beat on Saturday night. For now, it would appear that he beat the version that was dominated and devastated by Rashad Evans at UFC 133 on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia. That Tito Ortiz may not have recovered. Maybe he never will. Only time will tell. That said, all you can do, as a fighter, is fight who they put in the cage with you. For "Minotouro," that fighter was Ortiz and he handled him about as well as anyone could have predicted. The "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" rushed Nogueira like a bull, hoping to overwhelm him and possibly make him the victim of his signature ground and pound. Ironically, it was the other way around. It will be interesting to see if this win carries over into bigger and better things for Nogueira, who had lost two in a row leading up to his win over Ortiz. Chan Sung Jung -- After losing two in a row to Leonard Garcia and George Roop, respectively, "The Korean Zombie" has rebounded with his second consecutive, impressive finish in as many fights. This result seemed to have as much with Mark Hominick's mistake as it did Jung's execution, but he did what he had to do, when he had to do it. The seven-second knockout left Canadian fans shocked in silent sadness. Sucks for Hominick, but man, was it ever an impressive win for Jung. LOSERS Tito Ortiz -- What a whirlwind year this has been for Tito. Just a year ago, most people thought he was done. Then, on July 2 at UFC 132, Ortiz destroyed Ryan Bader, leaving fans to wonder if he'd recovered and was back to his old MMA self. A mere month later, Ortiz did the UFC a huge solid by stepping in to save UFC 133 when Phil Davis had to withdraw from his fight versus Rashad Evans due to injury. It wasn't pretty. After a second, similar showing against Nogueira, it's hard not to wonder if taking the fight against Evans was the wrong career move. Truth is, we'll never really know. Ortiz has one fight left on his contract with Zuffa. It's likely that Dana White will honor that and give him one last farewell fight. It's been a good run, but all good things must come to an end. Mark Hominick -- I mean this as no slight to Hominick. For God's sake, this guy has been through enough in the last few months, with the untimely and way-too-early passing of his trainer, friend and mentor Shawn Tompkins. That aside, this was a disappointing showing. How many times have we seen an MMA fighter come into a fight, way too high on emotion and adrenaline, and have those motivational factors be his own undoing (see: Jake Shields). It stinks. Everyone was pulling for Hominick. It's just not a good way to fight. Hominick remains one of the top featherweight strikers in the world. He'll be back. This is just a bump in the road. Krzysztof Soszynski -- Not a good night for "The Polish Experiment." Like Hominick, Soszynski was quickly dismantled in front of his home country crowd. Igor Pokrajac picked him apart technically and ended the fight so fast that many fans missed it when it happened the first time. "K-Sos" charged Pokrajac like a wild animal. It was the wrong strategy and he paid dearly for it. Hopefully Soszynski is able to learn from this loss and move forward as a better fighter. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira -- Let's be real. "Big Nog" got worked. He's now lost three of his last four contests. I have a hard time saying he's done, at this point. After his brutal KO victory over Brendan Schaub at UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it looked as though Nogueira might have re-emerged as the heavyweight force we had come to know and love. Too soon to say if that was or was not the case. His next fight should reveal a good deal about where his career is heading. The extent of the injury to his arm will also play a big role in how he moves forward. As far as his next fight, Matt Mitrione is coming off a tough loss and needs an opponent. Any interest in that match-up? That's our list. Let's hear yours! Use the comment section to let us know what we got right and where we misfired. (Hey, nobody's perfect.) To check out complete UFC 140 results and detailed blow-by-blow coverage click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, hominick, ortiz, fan

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Despite his dominance in the cage, Jon Jones isn’t well liked by fans outside of it. He’s often criticized of having a public persona that is carefully managed by the team of people behind him. Or put more simply, he’s often accused of being “fake.” Well, Jones might as well get used to it, because this video of his lead trainer, Greg Jackson, yelling at him to check on Lyoto Machida to “get some fans” isn’t going to help him convince anyone otherwise. HT: MiddleEasy

Posted in: jone, jon jones, fan, lyoto machida, fans ’

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In Dana White’s first video blog for UFC 140 the UFC President gave viewers an intimate backstage look at UFC 139 with a focus on the fallout from each of the evening’s offerings. In his follow-up entry, White has turned his attention to the build for tonight’s PPV, giving fans a taste of what he experiences during the week of a major show as UFC 140 is. With little more than a click people can tag along with White as he does a few interviews, interacts with fans, oversees a press conference, and in the moments before/after yesterdays weigh-ins. White Gives Revealing Look at UFC 139 in Recent Video Blog “Canada is such a cool place, man. Everywhere you go the venues that we do…all of (them) are so cool. They’re all beautiful buildings, everything is nice and clean,” White explains on the vlog before joking, “The weather sucks though. If Canada had Cabo weather everybody would live here, including me.” Check out the full video below: Tweet

Posted in: ufc, fan, video blog, click people, buildings everything

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Miguel Torres apologized to the UFC and his fans in a statement posted on his official website this afternoon following the former WEC bantamweight champion’s sudden release from the UFC on Thursday over offensive tweets: “I have a lot to be thankful for in my life, I have my beautiful wife and daughter, my family, my health, my gym, and in terms of my career, I succeeded to the biggest stage in the sport of mixed martial arts, the Ultimate Fighting Championship.  I am very sorry for upsetting my bosses at the UFC, and also to my fans and everyone else who was upset by the language in my tweets.  I understand it was wrong, and I meant no harm or disrespect.  Given the chance, I will do whatever it takes to make things right. I am going to learn from this.  I think life throws you opportunities that can make you a better person, and so that’s what I’m going to do here. That is how I am going to react. I am going to use this to improve myself, and I hope that my fans will continue to support me.” Torres was released from the UFC following a controversial tweet that he posted on Wednesday evening in which he repeated a joke from the popular Comedy Central television show “Workaholics”. The tweet read: “If a rape van was called a surprise van more women wouldn’t mind going for rides in them. Everyone likes surprises.” After hearing about the tweet, UFC President Dana White decided to release the former WEC title-holder from the organization. The news came amidst other controversies including UFC fighters and the subject of rape. Forrest Griffin recently tweeted on the topic, along with Rashad Evans referencing the ongoing sexual assault scandal at Penn State. Both were not punished for their comments. Torres (40-4) did not detail what his future holds concerning his MMA career away from the UFC. Pictured: Miguel Torres (via UFC.com)

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Hey guys, I just woke up and heard a rumor that Miguel Torres was cut from the UFC. At this point, it's just a rumor so I'm requesting that one of you fans confirm it in the comment section below so that all the readers of MiddleEasy can see it. I'm sure they will give you plenty of thumbs up and congratulate you on your MMA knowledge, so feel free to do so. Just minutes ago, Miguel Torres has issued a formal statement regarding the entire 'Rape Tweet' debacle in a blog post simply entitled 'To my fans.' If you're a fan of Miguel Torres, then you should probably read it -- but if you're not, enjoy a little bit of Tron MMA instead. “I have a lot to be thankful for in my life, I have my beautiful wife and daughter, my family, my health, my gym, and in terms of my career, I succeeded to the biggest stage in the sport of mixed martial arts, the Ultimate Fighting Championship. I am very sorry for upsetting my bosses at the UFC, and also to my fans and everyone else who was upset by the language in my tweets. I understand it was wrong, and I meant no harm or disrespect. Given the chance, I will do whatever it takes to make things right. I am going to learn from this. I think life throws you opportunities that can make you a better person, and so that’s what I’m going to do here. That is how I am going to react. I am going to use this to improve myself, and I hope that my fans will continue to support me.” As of right now, Ecko MMA, Bud Light, and Toyo Tires are Torres' sponsors. The real question is whether these companies will pull a 'Tiger Woods' and drop Miguel due to the recent controversy. [Source]

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With only a few days to go before light heavyweight title-holder Jon Jones looks to go 4-0 in 2011 with three wins over former champions, anticipation for the event couldn’t be higher as fans ready themselves to see “Bones” take on Lyoto Machidaat UFC 140 in what many feel will be the dynamic 24-year old’s stiffest challenge to date. Before the two talented 205ers meet in the Octagon they will take to the stage this afternoon in Toronto to discuss the bout, as will fellow main card opponents Tito Ortiz/Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Frank Mir/Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. UFC President Dana White will also be on hand. Things kick off at 1:00 PM EST and Five Ounces of Pain will be tuned in to relay live results back to readers as they unfold in real time. Read below to check out all the scintillating soundbytes and relevant nuggets of information plucked from the proceedings: Jon Jones - Thinks he has gotten more and more respect amongst the MMA community since beating Quinton Jackson, says he just needs to win and everything else will take care of itself - Doesn’t have any interest in picking his opponents - Knew he would eventually fight Machida anyways as he will against Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson - Tells himself there’s no other place than in the cage he should be each time right before his fights, feels he’s blessed to know what he was put on the planet for / “This is my zone. This is my place. This is my house.” - Thinks MMA is one of the safest sports out there / “Yeah, we take risks, but this is what we chose to do with our lives.” - Loves the viral video of Machida inserted into “The Karate Kid” - Has learned a lot about Machida’s style and picked up on some tendencies after studying tape, won’t reveal specifics for obvious reasons - Knows he’s not invincible because he’s seen other people in similar positions fall, plus he’s surrounded by fantastic fighters at Greg Jackson‘s gym / “I stay on the prowl. I always work hard. I’m four years into my MMA career and there’s still so much I don’t know…There’s so much great stuff that my teammates are way better than me at.” Lyoto Machida - Feels he is more prepared to fight for the title now than he was the first time based on having matured - Loves fighting in Canada - Has been training the entire time since his last fight but nothing specific, just trying to improve all-around - Believes he’s changed a lot since losing to Mauricio Rua and “Rampage”, feels he is more mature as a fighter now - Did not train with Anderson Silva for the fight but talked and watched some videos he sent - Knows there is some pressure to win based on his popularity in Brazil but doesn’t concern himself with it Frank Mir - Lets performance speak for itself and doesn’t worry about the respect he gets from fans as long as he’s consistently winning\ - Thinks Nogueira underestimated him the first time they’ve fought - No longer prepares for the person but rather gets ready for the toughest fight possible so he’s okay in any position - Talks about how barbaric boxing is and that says the NFL has taken the UFC’s lead by making players sit out after being concussed rather than taking to the field again Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - Thinks MMA is the #2 sport in Brazil behind soccer - “Is no excuse. He won the fight. He was faster….Now I gotta chance to face him, I want to show it’s a different fight. I will try to do my best…” - Was thrilled to be fighting on the same card with his brother and assisted in their training because they could spar against each other and bring in more people to help them based on both having camps, had missed doing that as they had while fighting for PRIDE - Is not worried about losing his title, understands there’s always the risk but “with great risk comes great reward” Tito Ortiz - Feels personal satisfaction in fighting three times this year after undergoing some of the surgeries on his neck/back he endured - Says he’s there for his fans which is why he’s now the “People’s Champ” / “I want to be an inspiration in people’s lives.” - Refuses to answer a question from Ariel Helwani, saying he doesn’t like him, but still replies after White ribs him - Changed his image and nickname based partially on his family too - Believes in karma and he plans on good things happening to him in the future based on his change in lifestyle - Mentions he’s fought for 15 years and is relatively fine while many boxers take serious brain damage based on standing eight counts - Has no regrets about not fighting Chuck Liddell a third time, is very thankful for how things played out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira - Says UFC Rio dramatically increased MMA’s popularity in Brazil - Thinks it will be a special night on Saturday - Knows this is a very important fight and will not let the opportunity pass him by Dana White - Isn’t sure what to expect in the main event other than it being a great fight based on both styles / “This is gonna be a fun fight.” - Acknowledges the importance of Mir/Nogueira - Is now a believer in Jones / “It’s pretty clear this guy is here to stay and is the real deal.” - Credits fans with picking fighters based on style/personality rather than nationality / “People aren’t buying tickets to watch Lyoto Machida come in here and give a speech.” - Again brings up the concept of a World Cup with Ultimate Fighter, says they’re casting the Brazilian version on Monday - Says they may do a stadium show this summer in Brazil - Names Georges St. Pierre as the most popular Canadian in sports and responds to the jeers by pointing out the love he experiences overseas and in Asia - Jokes that he’s told Jones he’s taking a mandatory vacation no matter what happens after such a busy year - Is not a fan of Ortiz’s new nickname because of how long he’s been known as “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” - “The next ten years are a lot more important than the last ten. We’ve still got a lot of work to do.” - Not concerned about GSP’s future because knee injuries happen to athletes all the time - Looking for new commentary talent starting next year to help with their expansion - Will know by next week how the Strikeforce talent will pan out in terms of bringing more fighters over - Evans will get a title-shot if he beats Phil Davis at UFC on FOX 2 but the same may not be true in return if Davis wins

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While we did get to hear some choice quotes from Sonnen, for me the best part was the fan interaction. Demian Maia, my favorite fighter, was kind enough to spend around 5 minutes just chatting with me. In fact, all fighters spend around 90 minutes interacting with fans, signing autographs and taking pictures. This was completely unlike any athlete interaction I've ever had. For those who still question, Sonnen is a perfect gentleman in person. He was kind enough to have an encouraging word for his fans, listen to their stories and sign autographs/take pictures. Munoz, Rashad, Bisping and Davis were no different, though there wasn't much demand for Davis or Bisping. This was my first interaction with UFC fighters, apart from the ones who come to my gym for a seminar etc. and it just blew my mind. submitted by carlender [link] [comment]

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Filed under: UFC, NewsCHICAGO -- With a few days to reflect on it, UFC President Dana White remains baffled by how easily Michael Bisping beat Jason "Mayhem" Miller at Saturday night's Ultimate Fighter Finale. "I still don't know," White said of Miller's performance. "It was bad. To be honest, believe me, my Twitter has been blowing up with all the Mayhem fans blasting me, but facts are facts. It was the worst standup I've ever seen in my life. I don't know if I've ever seen worse standup. The guy's been in the business for over 10 years. It looked like it was his first fight ever. It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen." White said Miller's issues in his third-round technical knockout loss go beyond ring rust or nerves and seem much more fundamental. "Some of the punches that were thrown by Mayhem Miller in this fight, you could go to a girls' Tae Bo class and see better form, better stand-up. It was embarrassing," White said. Miller was the fan favorite against Bisping, who has long been promoted by the UFC as a valuable fighter for the U.K. market but hasn't caught on with American fans. White said he's become accustomed to fans booing Bisping, but he maintains that Bisping has proven himself as an elite middleweight and a legitimate future title contender. "Michael Bisping is easy to hate so people want to discredit him because they don't like him, but Bisping is the real deal. He's a tough guy," White said. White has resigned himself, however, to the fact that Bisping will never be as popular in the United States as he is in England. And he says he's not bothered by the fact that Bisping got confrontational with the fans who booed him at the Ultimate Fighter Finale weigh-ins. "Bisping is who he is," White said. "There are certain people, there's something about them that you're not going to like. Michael Bisping is one of them and so is Josh Koscheck. These guys could try to go out there, make everything better, say nice things, and you're still not going to like them." As for the weigh-in incident, White said fans have to expect fighters to react that way when they're taunted the day before the fight. "The day of the weigh-ins, these guys have been away from their families for eight weeks, they're cutting weight for the last two days, they're miserable and nasty, and if you say something to him, he's a fighter, what do you think he's going to say?" White said. "This isn't the NFL, this isn't the NBA, this is the fight business." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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If you're an MMA fan that's been enraged by a decision, chances are you've used Twitter to commiserate and argue with fellow fans. iJudgeFights.com, a website currently in development, hopes to give would-be judges a place not only to vent, but to score fights and measure them against those who do it for a living. "I wouldn't say people are outraged, but there are periods where people are disappointed with the outcome of fights, and we feel that not only are we going to be able to help, but create interaction that hasn't existed before," iJudgeFights co-founder Jonathan Wakrat today told MMAjunkie.com.

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Bellator Fighting Championships has tried Thursday and Saturday nights to reach the most MMA fans possible. Now, beginning in 2012, Bellator will give Fridays a go on MTV2/EPIX. “Our focus was to find the right night, where the largest number of MMA fans could enjoy the show,” said CEO Bjorn Rebney in a press release on the move. “We’ve been discussing this move with our partners at Viacom for months. When we looked at the alternatives, we agreed that Fridays provided a great night for us to reach MMA fans with our live, real sport, tournament events every week.” Bellator’s upcoming Season 6 will begin March 2. Tournaments in five different weight classes will unfold in the cage over the first half of the year along with six title-fights. Thus far the divisions involved in the tournaments include 145, 155, 170, and 185 pounds with championship defenses forthcoming from Zach Makovsky, Joe Warren, Ben Askren, Hector Lombard, and Cole Konrad. In 2013, Bellator will shift its viewing to Spike TV, replacing the UFC in the television lineup. Spike TV and MTV2 are both owned by Viacom. PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR

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With his third round TKO victory over Jason Miller at the UFC Ultimate Fighter Season 14 Finale this weekend, Michael Bisping re-established himself as a name at the top of the Middleweight division. And now, fans may not like to hear it, but it has to be said: Michael Bisping is in line for a shot at the title. This is sure to annoy many, but it is the reality of the Middleweight division and its current lack of depth. We now know that Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz will meet early next year, likely to determine the next challenger for Anderson Silva. If Sonnen wins there, that should lead to the big Silva vs. Sonnen rematch, which is a great title fight. But after that, you have to consider Bisping as next in line. Bisping has a few things going for him on a path to the belt. First off, he has a strong regional fanbase. He's no Georges St. Pierre, but fans in the UK have responded positively to Bisping's rise, and a Silva vs. Bisping headliner on a UK card would be heated. Second, he's hated. Next to Sonnen, he may be the most despised person by many fans - and given Chael's cult appeal, there's a good chance Bisping moves past him in this area. It's possible he is so hated that fans won't tune in, but there has always been a big appeal in combat sports to seeing the loud-mouth get shut, the "bad guy" finally get his. Pro wrestling built their entire world on that formula, and it's also the reason many people tuned in to Miguel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito this weekend. There's a significant portion of fans that will revel in Silva viciously demolishing The Count, especially after the inevitable lead-up trash talking and disrespect from Bisping. But more than anything, he benefits from being around for awhile in a shallow division. Silva has defeated Maia, he's defeated Belfort, he's defeated Okami, he's defeated Sonnen (and may do so for a 2nd time). Bisping is a fresh contender in a division woefully short on fresh contenders. Because honestly, who else is there? Mark Munoz is possible, and he'll get there before Bisping is he beats Sonnen. Brian Stann seemed like he had a shot, but was derailed by Sonnen. Mayhem doesn't look to be getting near the top anytime soon. So we are left with Bisping. Which is unfortunate. Because the way Mayhem was landing those looping, sloppy punches on Bisping in round 1 should tell you all you need to know about a possible Silva vs. Bisping fight. There's simply nothing Bisping has to offer The Spider other than a warm body for Silva to perform his art against. Of course, that's nothing new for Silva, who has been facing less than worthy competition throughout his UFC run - it's one of the drawbacks of being the best in the world. If we do get an Anderson Silva vs. Michael Bisping UFC Middleweight title fight, we can at least cross our fingers that Bisping will go down in spectacular James Irvin style fashion, which will provide a moment of satisfaction to so many fans. But there's a real danger it will go the other way. So I'll be praying Bisping doesn't limp his way to another Thales Leites snoozer, and keeping an eye on who might provide that next challenge. SBN coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale

Posted in: vs, silva, fan, bisping, sonnen

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A couple days ago I reported that Benson Henderson spent time in Korea while in Asia for the UFC's press conference to formally announce UFC 144 in Tokyo, Japan. During his time in Korea he trained with Chan Sung Jung and Korean Top team and did media appearances. The big news was that he also got a chance to spend time with his mother's side of the family in Korea. It was Ben's first time meeting them and I reached out to find out what the experience was like for him. "It was an incredible experience meeting them, and it was even more special to be able to be there when my mother saw them again too. It was definitely planned, as I always had planned to go to Korea," said Benson Henderson. "I just thought it would happen when I was done fighting. You feel a little more complete as a person when you do something like that." Benson has been afforded many opportunities because of his success in MMA. While winning the WEC belt may be what fans see as the most memorable moment, he sees meeting his family for the first time as the best MMA related moment. Meeting them with his mother just adds to that. After the trip to Korea, Henderson flew to Japan for the UFC 144 press conference. There have been a lot of concerns from fans and media that the current state of MMA in Japan as wells as the unfamiliarity with the UFC product may lead to an unsuccessful return to the Land of the Rising Sun. Benson gave me his perspective on the reception the UFC received at the press conference. "The response was great. I believe the fans knew who all of us were. They are great MMA fans and very passionate about the sport. There's a lot of knowledge there, so it was fun to talk to a lot of the people in Japan." While there are still worries about the current booking of the Japanese event, the fact that the fighters were well received is a good sign that the UFC may find some success in the market. Joe Silva is opting to go the non-freak show route and booking the fights as competitive match ups instead of one sided affairs. The lightweight title fight between Benson and Frankie Edgar may actually be the best fight for the Japanese audience who have been far more accepting of the lighter weight fighters. Henderson vs. Edgar promises to be a Fight of the Year candidate.

Posted in: ufc, henderson, fan, korea, benson

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During the weigh-ins for The Ultimate Fighter 14 (TUF) Finale a couple of days ago, a shower of boos rained down on Michael Bisping when he stepped out from backstage and made his way to the scale. His opponent, Jason Miller, didn't end up doing "The Count" any favors when he encouraged those in attendance to keep vocalizing their disapproval of the TUF 3 winner. Bisping responded in kind and said he didn't care about not getting any love, promised to beat Jason Miller and told everyone that he didn't much care from them. At least that's what one would expect from a cultured, civilized Brit like Bisping. The actual response was the exact opposite, completely vile and filled to the brim with contempt. With a few words that aren't fit to print, the Wolfslair fighter made his true feelings known and didn't bother to mince words. It seems "The Count" has been taking some correspondence courses while in Manchester from the "Chael Sonnen School of Stacking That Paper" as of late. While he's always been a bit of a loudmouth and exuded an overall cockiness, his pre-fight trash talk of Jorge Rivera and last night's opponent Miller kicked that attitude into overdrive. And I couldn't be happier. Maybe it's the pro wrestling fan inside me but I love the way Sonnen and Bisping are selling their fights nowadays. The casual fan will either want to see them get their comeuppance or gravitate towards the braggarts. For one reason or another, people will tune in to see the fight. I can also understand some people's fear that walking the thin line between sports and sports entertainment will lump mixed martial arts (MMA) in with the Hulk Hogans and Steve Austins of the world but MMA has one thing going for it that pro wrestling does not: it is real and people know it's real. I'm not a conspiracy nut, I don't think there's a secret cabal behind the UFC, fixing fights in an effort to determine which fighters win and get promoted. That's simply not true. While there has been instances of collusion and fight fixing inside the MMA cage and ring, there hasn't been any evidence of that in the Las Vegas promotion aside from flimsy, "Look at the way he fell down!" arguments that only deserve space in the lowliest of internet forums. That being said, the comparison to WWE simply doesn't hold up. A little bit of showmanship to grease the wheels in fight promotion isn't a bad thing. One of the biggest fights already announced for 2012 involves longtime welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and one of the poster boys for trash talking Nick Diaz. Should Sonnen get past Mark Munoz, a rematch with Anderson Silva will do monster business. But talking smack only gets one so far. They have to be able to back it up. Bisping did exactly that last night when he battered and absolutely demolished "Mayhem" over the course of three rounds. UFC President Dana White even tweeted it was the most one-sided fight he had ever seen. Besides the fact that he obviously didn't see Johnny Bedford's shellacking of Louis Gaudinot, you would be hard pressed to argue with White over his statement. The first round was close but Miller gassed badly in the second while "The Count" was beginning to find his form. By the middle of the third round, the former "Bully Beatdown" host was nursing a cut on top of a nasty mouse under his left eye. He looked visibly exhausted and was offering zero offense and next to no defense. From pillar to pillar, post to post, Bisping throughly dominated his opponent and made good on his promise to "smash [Miller's] face in" while also earning the ire of a ton of fans who would've loved to have seen a repeat of UFC 100. Those fans didn't get their chance last night. And as long as "The Count" keeps winning, they won't but they'll keep watching in hopes that someone will knock Bisping down a peg or two. Because just like he said at the weigh-ins, Bisping doesn't care about not getting love. He only cares about getting eyeballs. And it's working.

Posted in: fight, miller, fan, bisping, didnt

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Jon Jones defending his title against Lyoto Machida, Tito Ortiz going up against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, the long awaited rematch between Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira; UFC 140 is definitely not short on star power for the event set to go down on Dec. 10, 2011, at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Nonetheless, all you rabid fight fans have one more reason to tune in -- the return of Brittney Palmer. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced today that America's favorite ring card girl is back from her hiatus and will join Chandella Powell and Arianny Celeste up in the "Great White North."Palmer, who was the ring card girl in the WEC, made the jump to the UFC along with the rest of the roster when the promotion closed its doors and quickly captured the hearts of fight fans everywhere. However, her stint was short lived, as she took time off her duties to focus on school and her passion for art. A sad day indeed.It wasn't long, though, until UFC President Dana White asked fans via Twitter if he should bring Palmer back into the mix. The overwhelming response was, "hell yes" and voila, she is back. Rest easy, Maniacs, all is normal again.

Posted in: ufc, palmer, fan, fight fans, championship ufc

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When the UFC announced that Brittney Palmer was no longer a ring card girl, there was some backlash from fans. Palmer, deciding to pursue an opportunity at art school, was unable to balance the travel schedule for Zuffa as well as modeling opportunities and school work. However, a few weeks ago UFC President Dana White tweeted his followers asking if fans wanted to see the former ring girl back in the promotion. White received tons of responses from fans that unanimously decided that Palmer should return to the UFC. Palmer spoke with MMA Weekly radio and had the following to say about her return: "It's so amazing, I love it. Studying art itself and art history, just everything, it changes who I am as a person and the way I look at things, and the way I look at people," Palmer said. "It's the most amazing experience I've ever had and I've never felt more grounded and more fulfilled in my whole life. It's paying off." "It's cool to think even though I'm just the girl that holds the card, I have as many fans as I do. I feel blessed." There is no word on if this will be her full time return or a one off, but this is good news for all Brittney Palmer fans.

Posted in: ufc, way i, palmer, fan, girl

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As part of his busy schedule during his UFC press-tour in the Philippines, B.J. Penn drew thousands of Filipino fight fans in the SM Mall of Asia today, as he had a public workout and demonstration. Penn was overwhelmed by the size of the crowd and constantly thanked the fans for making him feel very welcome. "I wanna thank the fans for coming out and for loving the sport," Penn said to the delight of the crowd. "It won't be long until there's a Filipino champion in the UFC." Although it was impossible to reach every fan who attended, that didn't stop 'The Prodigy' from trying. Shortly after his workout concluded, the former two-division world champion walked through every corner of the venue to try and take pictures or sign autographs for as much fans as he could possibly could. Much like the open workouts held in the country by Georges St. Pierre, Brandon Vera, and Chuck Liddell on these past few years, there was another huge turnout from fight fans who are hungry for a UFC event. Maybe this one finally convinces the UFC brass to bring a show to the country? Stay tuned on the coming days for more on Penn's trip to the Philippines, and do check out more photos after the jump.

Posted in: ufc, filipino, fan, penn, workout

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Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, BellatorWith season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter drawing to a close and the big finale fight between the coaches drawing near, now seemed like as good a time as any to go head-to-head with my buddy and colleague Michael David Smith over a few of the more pertinent questions of our day. Questions like, what's up with Strikeforce? Also, what's up with Bellator? And, if you're not into this TUF Finale business, just what are you into, smart guy? All that -- only, you know, slightly more artfully rendered -- awaits you below. MDS, why don't you start us off. 1. A big part of TUF is supposed to be hyping the fight between the coaches. Has anything on The Ultimate Fighter this year made you any more interested in Michael Bisping vs. Mayhem Miller than you were three months ago? MDS: I'm kind of surprised by how little the Bisping-Mayhem feud has moved the needle because Bisping and Mayhem are both engaging characters who know how to sell a fight. I assume part of the issue is that there's been less promotion for the fight because it's on Spike, and Spike and the UFC have ended their relationship. If this fight were going to be on pay-per-view, as most coach vs. coach fights have been, I'm sure the UFC would be doing a lot more to promote it. But the larger issue seems to be that Bisping vs. Mayhem doesn't seem to do a lot for fans in terms of its relevance to the UFC's middleweight division. Both guys are solid fighters, but the winner of this fight will still be behind Chael Sonnen and Mark Munoz in line for a title shot, and if either Bisping or Mayhem did get a title shot, it's not like anyone would pick either one of them to beat Anderson Silva. So it doesn't have the feel of a really important fight. Fowlkes: While I don't disagree that this fight lacks the promise of an immediate impact on its division, I have a hard time accepting that that's why there's not more heat behind it. Yes, the UFC seemed to choose these two as coaches based on force of personality alone, but didn't that work as well as anyone could have hoped? They laughed, they yelled, they pranked, and they even coached. They had their obligatory tense and borderline violent moments, but they also had some fun. That's got to be better than "Rampage" Jackson sleeping on the mat, right? The TUF franchise did its job on this one, at least according to its own abilities, and its stagnant formula. It's the UFC that decided not to go hard in the paint when it came time to push it on fans. Maybe that's a consequence of the brewing feud between White and his soon to be ex-TV partners. Maybe it's collateral damage from a crazy couple of months worth of events. Maybe it's a little of both. I just know that this is, on paper, a pretty good fight. I was interested when I first heard about the pairing, and I'm interested now. I can't say that watching them trade expletives or kick through a couple flimsy cardboard doors on the TUF set did a whole lot to get my heart rate up (after fourteen seasons, I've seen all the meaningless property damage and half-bleeped arguments I can take), but so what? It's still an interesting fight, and I still genuinely want to see it. 2. Bellator's season has come to an end. Do you think MMA fans cared? What do you think needs to happen to make fans pay attention in 2012? Fowlkes: Here's an instance where we must resist the temptation to think of MMA fans as one monolithic slab. Did fans care? Sure. Some of them, anyway. Bellator gets a small, though consistent slice of the MMA pie with every event, and that slice is big enough to spread the word when there's an awesome finish or a great fight. And yet, there's another side to that coin. I suspect there's a healthy segment of the MMA fan population that is aware of and maybe even mildly interested in Bellator, but nonetheless doesn't feel the need to watch every weekend because, hey, if something worthwhile happens, it'll be on YouTube in the morning. Part of the problem is the Bellator schedule. It's cool to have a fight every weekend as the season plows forward, but it also makes it difficult to convince fans that one fight night is bigger or more important than any other. Oh, there's a Bellator event on Saturday? Well, there'll be another one next Saturday, and the Saturday after that, so no big deal. The schedule also makes it difficult for Bellator, as an organization, to focus on building a select few stars. As soon as one show ends, the Bellator crew has to turn its attention to the next one. Meanwhile, the champ in each weight class can either sit around and wait for the next tournament winner, or he can engage in a completely non-sensical non-title bout. Neither is a particularly attractive option for the champ or the organization. These are all problems that arise as a result of Bellator's main selling point, which makes them especially difficult problems to resolve. How do you keep the tournament structure without taking the spotlight off your champs for too long? How do you keep a season rolling forward without it feeling routine? I'm not sure I know, but Bellator is going to have to figure it out eventually. MDS: I agree with you that there's a problem with the Bellator schedule, but I don't think the problem is that they run every week during their two "seasons." I actually like the weekly format of knowing you're going to have a certain night of the week when Bellator is going to be on, just as I like knowing that The Walking Dead comes on every Sunday while it's in season and Modern Family comes on every Wednesday while it's in season. My suggestion to Bellator is they should choose a night other than Saturday. I just don't think it makes sense for a No. 2 MMA promotion to go on Saturday nights, the territory that the UFC has already staked out. To me, that makes about as much sense as a startup football league scheduling its games for Sunday afternoons in the fall. I love the tournament format and want Bellator to keep it, but it does create major problems with the champions: What are they supposed to do while they wait around for the next No. 1 contender to emerge from the next tournament? The "superfights" haven't really worked out very well, as Bjorn Rebney himself has acknowledged. I think the answer is that the champions should be in the tournaments. You win the Season 5 tournament? Congratulations. You're the Season 5 tournament champion. Now Season 5 is over, so it's time for you to enter the Season 6 tournament. That's what every sport that uses a seasonal format does -- the defending champion goes right back into the mix. And that's what Bellator should do, too. 3. Strikeforce is back this month with its first non-Challengers show since the Heavyweight Grand Prix semifinals more than three months ago. Do MMA fans still care about Strikeforce? Should they? MDS: I don't get the sense that fans care much about Strikeforce. If anything, fans wish the UFC would hurry up and absorb all the best fighters so guys like Gilbert Melendez (who fought only once in 2010 and only once so far in 2011) could fight elite opposition more often. Melendez is defending his title against Jorge Masvidal in the main event, and the overwhelming reaction I've heard has been disappointment that Melendez isn't in the UFC fighting a better opponent than Masvidal. The reason I still care about Strikeforce is, more than anything, my affinity for women's MMA. Cris Cyborg vs. Hiroko Yamanaka is going to be a very good women's fight, and if Strikeforce disappears there's going to be an uncertain future for women's MMA. But the bottom line is that the UFC is currently stripping Strikeforce for spare parts and will eventually do away with it. Given that, it's hard to fault fans for losing interest in the promotion. Fowlkes: Well MDS, you just confirmed my suspicion that it's impossible for a dude to type the phrase "my affinity for women's MMA" without it feeling just a little bit creepy for some reason, but okay, I have to agree with you on that score. I would also like to see women's MMA survive, and Strikeforce is the best bet for that right now. Pulling the plug immediately would probably put a lot of very dangerous women out of work, and that's not good for anybody. But as for whether fans do and/or should care about Strikeforce in general, I have to say 'not really' and 'probably not.' Sorry, but that's what happens when the UFC pillages your roster, taking almost every significant draw and leaving you with a couple champions who are all but begging to be the next ones sucked up by the UFC tractor beam. The heavyweight GP still has a legitimately compelling final between Daniel Cormier and Josh Barnett, and a middleweight title fight between Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy is one I wouldn't sneeze at, but after that it starts to look pretty thin. The Strikeforce fighters -- the ones who have options, anyway -- don't really want to be there, and few can even be bothered to maintain the illusion anymore. Everyone knows this thing is running out of road, and nobody particularly wants to be there to ride it all the way to its sad end in a nearly empty arena, in front of a home audience that's just waiting for Dexter re-runs to come on. 4. December features the TUF Finale, a Strikeforce card and two UFC pay-per-views. What's the best fight of the bunch? Fowlkes: Without a doubt, the biggest fight in December is the UFC 141 main event between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. And I don't just mean big in terms of total combined weight, though there's that too. It's just, from a media buzz/pay-per-view sales perspective, nothing in the coming month can top the combination of Lesnar's name and Overeem's experience. It's smart of the UFC to have that on the night before New Year's Eve, when people will be more likely to stay home and rest their livers anyway, and you have to think the end result will be plenty of eyeballs on that one fight. But then, biggest doesn't necessarily equal best. That distinction I save for another fight on the UFC 141 card: Donald Cerrone vs. Nate Diaz. Cerrone's been on a one-man paper-stacking mission this year, racking up win purses and post-fight bonuses like a man in hock to the IRS. Diaz struggled at welterweight, but looked downright scary when he took Takanori Gomi apart as a lightweight at UFC 135. Both these guys have the sort of tough-first mentality that involves taking no crap off of nobody, and when they get in the cage together I expect a technical, though ruthless fight. It'll be sort of like a demolition derby featuring half-drunk Nascar drivers: a whole lot of engine-revving and middle finger-waving, no small amount of profanity before, during, and after, and absolutely no regard for safety or long-term repercussions. How can you not like that? MDS: Lesnar-Overeem is without a doubt the biggest draw, and I don't know if there's any other fight in December that will give me butterflies in my stomach when the cage door closes like Lesnar-Overeem will. That fight is going to be awesome. But for pure entertainment value, I don't think there's a better fight on the docket than Mark Hominick vs. Chan Sung Jung at UFC 140. Remember how often we used to say after WEC cards that there was no promotion putting on great fights as consistently as the WEC? Hominick vs. Jung is exactly the kind of fight that made us love the WEC, with two featherweights who will relentlessly batter each other for 15 minutes or go down swinging if they can't. If Hominick vs. Jung is the best fight in December, I won't be the least bit surprised. If it's not, that probably means we're in for an amazing month. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, bellator, strikeforce, fan

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Fedor Emelianenko demolished Jeff Monson and showed he still has something left in modern MMA, as the Russian heavyweight looks forward to future challenges. “We worked very hard during the training camp in Holland,” Fedor told Jonathan Snowden (BloodyElbow/SBNation writer). “I did not want to repeat my mistakes. It’s a unique feeling. I’m very thankful to all my fans in Russia and around the world.” Fedor remains a superstar in his native Russia, with MMA and combat sports fans unfazed by his three-fight losing streak in the United States. “Fedor has been gaining tremendous popularity in Russia in recent years despite his losses. Media covers our events pretty well. In Russia and Europe the media is not afraid that the UFC will come and slap them on their hands for doing that,” said Vadim Finkelstein, M-1 President, during the interview. “When we hosted the event at one of the busiest shopping malls in Moscow where both Fedor and Jeff came to meet the fans and sign posters several weeks before the fight, we were amazed as to how many people showed up, it was a huge line, people waited for hours.” Even if he doesn’t fight in the United States again, I hope to see Fedor collect a few more wins before retiring on his own terms — despite what UFC President Dana White and other naysayers claim.

Posted in: fight, fan, fedor, russia, line people

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If you're a fan of Chael Sonnen's pro wrestling-inspired promos gimme a 'hell yeah.' Former WWE superstar 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin (via The Underground) tips his hat to the trash-talking middleweight, who has a history of ruffling Brazilian feathers prior to each fight. Sonnen 3:16 says 'Anderson Silva sucks.' Any fight fans out there disagree with "The Rattlesnake?" Or is Sonnen's verbal bashing no different that what Tito Ortiz was doing earlier in his career?

Posted in: fan, sonnen, fight fans, chael sonnens, trashtalking middleweight

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The UFC held a press conference for the February 25th UFC 144 show in Tokyo today, and had a bunch of fighters in attendance. The two biggest names were UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, who will be defending his title against Ben Henderson on the card, and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who will be facing Ryan Bader in the co-main. Rampage had the most interesting stuff to say (as expected), and touched on why he prefers fighting in Japan to fighting in America. And even goes as far as saying he prefers Japanese fans (Audio via Dan Herbertson, transcription via MMA Mania): "Back when I was fighting here, I had so much energy. I just wanted to put on a good show for the fans because all the energy they give. In America, you're under so much pressure to win at all costs because the fans talk s**t to you if you lose even if it's a good, exciting fight. In Japan, it's just a different energy. Who knows? Maybe I'll take more chances and not care because it's all about the crowd. I react to the crowd. I don't care about the people watching on TV ... In Japan, I used to slam a lot and put on more of a show because the energy from the fans gave me power and I don't feel the same energy in the US. So, I can't honestly say I improved or evolved in a good way since leaving Japan. I'm all about putting on an exciting fight in Japan. One thing I love about Japanese fans and why I love them the most is that they don't care if you win or lose. All they care is if you have samurai spirit, that you put on a good fight. That's why Japanese fans are my favorite. And American fans are jealous that I say that all the time." While Jackson has arguably been more successful in the UFC, winning the UFC light heavyweight title and main-eventing most shows he's on, he definitely has a point about his fighting style changing. Will Rampage return to his old ways in his bout against Bader? We'll see on February 25th.

Posted in: ufc, fan, japan, energy, japanese fans

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Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson had to "bitch" to his manager and "upset a few UFC representatives," but "Rampage" is finally heading back to the "Land of the Rising Sun." Jackson will now face Ryan Bader in a 205-pound affair on the main card of UFC 144: "Edgar vs. Henderson" on Feb. 26, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. PRIDE fans were first introduced to the Memphis native in memorable match-ups against International superstars like Kazushi Sakuraba, Mauricio Rua and Wanderlei Silva. And there was that much-talked about win over UFC poster boy Chuck Liddell back in 2003. Since leaving Japan, Jackson has failed to "evolve in a good way," according to statements made in today's UFC 144 pre-fight press conference (via Daniel Herbertson). In addition, he's been longing to perform in front of his "favorite fans" who unlike stateside fans, support him whether he wins or loses: "Back when I was fighting here, I had so much energy. I just wanted to put on a good show for the fans because all the energy they give. In America, you're under so much pressure to win at all costs because the fans talk shit to you if you lose even if it's a good, exciting fight. In Japan, it's just a different energy. Who knows? Maybe I'll take more chances and not care because it's all about the crowd. I react to the crowd. I don't care about the people watching on TV ... In Japan, I used to slam a lot and put on more of a show because the energy from the fans gave me power and I don't feel the same energy in the US. So, I can't honestly say I improved or evolved in a good way since leaving Japan. I'm all about putting on an exciting fight in Japan. One thing I love about Japanese fans and why I love them the most is that they don't care if you win or lose. All they care is if you have samurai spirit, that you put on a good fight. That's why Japanese fans are my favorite. And American fans are jealous that I say that all the time." Jackson (32-9) is fresh off a fourth-round submission loss to Jon Jones in their UFC 135 main event title fight. It was the first defeat for "Rampage" since he dropped a close unanimous decision to Rashad Evans at UFC 114 in May 2010. Bader, meanwhile, competed at UFC 139 back on Nov. 19, scoring a first round knockout victory over Jason Brilz. The fact that he barely broke a sweat made it possible for him to have such a quick turnaround to fight in February. That win was "Darth's" first in three fights. But if he can get past Jackson, he'll be right back at the top of the contender line. And if Jackson loses? Well, at least he'll have the support of his "favorite" fans.

Posted in: ufc, fight, jackson, fan, japan

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Quinton Jackson’s reaction to originally being left off the lineup for UFC 144 was one of anger and disappointment. However, his behavior was not based on an overwhelming desire to earn a paycheck or to numb the sting of having been beaten in his last bout. Rather, Jackson’s passion was based on his hunger to entertain an audience he has an immense amount of respect for due to the time he spent in PRIDE. After taking his cause public and continuing to push things behind the scenes the UFC finally relented on their stance and booked him to face Ryan Bader on February 26 at the company’s upcoming return to the Land of the Rising Sun. The news came as a great relief to Jackson who spoke some about the differences between fighting in Japan when compared to the United States at a recent press conference promoting the event. “Back when I was fighting here, I had so much energy. I just wanted to put on a good show for the fans because all the energy they give,” Jackson explained. “In America, you’re under so much pressure to win at all costs because the fans talk sh*t to you if you lose even if it’s a good, exciting fight. In Japan, it’s just a different energy. Who knows? Maybe I’ll take more chances and not care because it’s all about the crowd. I react to the crowd. I don’t care about the people watching on TV.” Jackson continued on to say the change in environment actually had a negative effect on his in-ring style, stating, “Actually my standup has evolved a lot since I last fought here, but at the same time that’s what’s gotten me in trouble a lot lately. Everyone sees me boxing a lot more, so they’re creating great game plans to counter my boxing. In Japan, I used to slam a lot and put on more of a show because the energy from the fans gave me power and I don’t feel the same energy in the US. So, I can’t honestly say I improved or evolved in a good way since leaving Japan.” Though the actual impact the surroundings will have on the former UFC light heavyweight champ remains to be seen, Jackson made it clear he  hopes Bader shares his enthusiasm for attempting to wow those in attendance. “The only thing that matters when he steps in the cage in Japan is that he comes in to put on an exciting show. I’m all about putting on an exciting fight in Japan. One thing I love about Japanese fans and why I love them the most is that they don’t care if you win or lose. All they care is if you have samurai spirit, that you put on a good fight. That’s why Japanese fans are my favorite. And American fans are jealous that I say that all the time.” UFC 144 will mark the first fight in Japan for “Rampage” in six years after making a name for himself in PRIDE from 2001-2006. His many memorable performances in Japan include those coming in match-ups with Chuck Liddell, Kevin Randleman, Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio Rua, and Ricardo Arona. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/FEG

Posted in: ufc, jackson, fan, japan, energy

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Japanese fans are Rampage Jackson's favorite, and he doesn't care if that makes his American fanbase jealous. Why? Because, according to Jackson, win or lose, Japanese fans admire his "Samurai Spirit." Once a major star in the Japanese based organization, PRIDE FC, "Rampage" slammed and brutalized opponents en-route to international success. After multiple wars with Wanderlei Silva and high-profile victories over such opponents as Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell, Jackson made his UFC debut in 2007...

Posted in: rampage, jackson, fan, doesnt care, japanese fans

Read the full article at Low Kick

Filed under: UFC, NewsQuinton "Rampage" Jackson is very, very excited to to fight in Japan. All you have to do is ask him. In a Monday morning press conference in the Land of the Rising Sun, Jackson told the Japanese media that it took some effort on his part to ensure his place on the UFC 144 card, and that he finally had his request granted after a non-stop, one-man campaign. "I had to fight and complain and b---- to my manager," he said. "Now I think the representatives of UFC are upset with me a little bit ... But ask me, do I care?" For Jackson, any amount of trouble was worth it because of his love of Japanese audiences, who in his opinion value effort above results, a seismic shift from American audiences. Jackson, who will face Ryan Bader in the co-main event on February 26 in Saitama, Japan, is no stranger to Nipponese culture. From 2001 to 2006, he fought there 18 times while under the PRIDE promotion. "Back when I was fighting here, I had so much energy," he said. "I just wanted to put on a good show for the fans because all the energy they give. In America, you're under so much pressure to win at all costs because the fans talk s--- to you if you lose even if it's a good, exciting fight. In Japan, it's just a different energy. Who knows? Maybe I'll take more chances and not care because it's all about the crowd. I react to the crowd. I don't care about the people watching on TV." It was in Japan where he authored some of his most memorable career moments, including the often-replayed powerbomb knockout win over Ricardo Arona in June 2004. That fight holds particular significance to Jackson because it took place on his 26th birthday. It was also in Japan where Jackson became renowned for his slams, a particular favorite of the Japanese crowds who enjoyed his improvisational style. In a rare bit of public introspection, Jackson noted that since signing with the UFC though, his game has gotten standup-heavy at times. "Actually my standup has evolved a lot since I last fought here, but at the same time that's what's gotten me in trouble a lot lately," he said. "Everyone sees me boxing a lot more, so they're creating great game plans to counter my boxing. In Japan, I used to slam a lot and put on more of a show because the energy from the fans gave me power and I don't feel the same energy in the US. So, I can't honestly say I improved or evolved in a good way since leaving Japan." But in some ways, that doesn't matter to Jackson right now, because he's only concerned about entertainment value. One new wrinkle the fighters will have to prepare for is fighting early in the morning. While most fights take place late Saturday night, this event will occur in the morning in Japan in order to sync up with American TV viewing habits. Jackson noted that as a youth, he was in plenty of fights that came unexpectedly, and he has the time to plan for an early morning peak. He also said that the hardest part of fight day is usually the anticipation of what is to come, and that competing early in the day would cancel out much of that nervous energy. Beyond that, he said that the biggest obstacle in his way is Bader, and more specifically, making sure he and his opponent understand the collective mind set of Japanese fans. The only thing that matters when he steps in the cage in Japan is that he comes in to put on an exciting show," he said. "I'm all about putting on an exciting fight in Japan. One thing I love about Japanese fans and why I love them the most is that they don't care if I win or lose. All they care is if you have samurai spirit, that you put on a good fight. That's why Japanese fans are my favorite. And American fans are jealous that I say that all the time." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, jackson, fan, japan, energy

Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse

Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson won’t have earned himself any new American fans with comments he made at a press conference in Japan today....

Posted in: jackson, press conference, conference, fan, american fans

Read the full article at Fighters Only

Wanderlei Silva thanks his fans for believing in him in this emotional post UFC 139 interview.

Posted in: ufc, silva, wanderlei, fan, thank

Read the full article at Heavy MMA

Filed under: Bellator, NewsThe final Bellator Fighting Championships event of 2011 also featured the final fight of Kurt Pellegrino's career. Fighting in front of his home-state fans in New Jersey, Pellegrino was defeated in just 50 seconds by Patricky "Pitbull" Freire, and he said afterward that he won't fight again. "I started my career in Atlantic City and I wanted to end it in Atlantic City as well," Pellegrino told the fans at Caesar's Atlantic City afterward. "I lost fair and square. I love you all so much. This is the last time you'll ever see me fight again." Pellegrino telling the fans (many of whom were his friends and family) that he had lost fair and square seemed to quell their anger at an apparent fast stoppage in his loss to Pitbull. Although Pitbull leveled Pellegrino with a left-right combination and then jumped on top and hit him with several punches on the ground, Pellegrino did still appear to be intelligently defending himself at the time of the stoppage, and the fans loudly booed the outcome. A UFC veteran who went 7-5 inside the Octagon, Pellegrino left the UFC on a two-fight losing streak in May, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. It was a surprise when he returned to MMA to fight for Bellator, but it's not a surprise that he's now saying he's done fighting at the age of 32. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, bellator, fan, atlantic city, pellegrino

Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse

MMA is finding itself in the middle of a fascinating international political story, courtesy of M-1 Global and the recent Fedor Emelianenko vs. Jeff Monson fight. At that event, Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was in attendance, and shown in the audience throughout the show. After Fedor was victorious in the main event, Putin entered the ring to congratulate him and say a few words to the audience in Moscow. And the Russian fans booed him. The boos alone are notable as Putin is expected to cruise to another term as Russian Prime Minister in the March 2012 elections. This kind of mass demonstration of displeasure with Putin is not common in Russia. But it's the aftermath of the show where things get really interesting. The show aired live on TV in Russia, but in all subsequent replays, the post-fight booing was edited out. However, footage immediately surfaced on YouTube that confirmed Putin being booed. When news of the boos began to leak, Putin's office released a statement indicating that while there were indeed boos while Putin was in the ring, they were actually directed at Fedor's opponent Jeff Monson, not at Putin himself. Russian fans were outraged at this accusation, and, in a powerful show of viral politics, took to Monson's Facebook wall to post thousands of messages showing their support for Monson and stating emphatically that they were not booing the American - they were booing Putin. Much of the anger stems from the idea that Putin would claim the fans were booing a man who came and fought honorably, when in fact the fans have shown their appreciation for Monson for coming to Russia to challenge Fedor. The story has been picked up by major international new outlets, including the BBC, The Moscow Times, and countless others. It's a fascinating story, and a rare moment when our sport is at the center of such a big issue. Watch video of Putin being booed in the ring:

Posted in: fan, fedor, monson, russia, putin

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Sure Josh Koscheck would like another shot at Georges St-Pierre, but right now, he's a Nick Diaz fan.

Posted in: nick, josh koscheck, fan, josh, georges stpierre

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Ah, Thanksgiving. I'm a sucker for tradition and the November holiday is chock full of it. From the Macy's parade to a day full of football on the tube to turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and all the regular fixin's (screw you, I'm from Texas) on the dinner table, there's always a lot you can depend on when Thanksgiving rolls around. But beyond eating yourself into a food coma and passing out in front of the TV, Thanksgiving is a day for ... well, giving thanks. It's in the freaking name, for goodness sake! And that's exactly what the crew here at Mania intend to do. A week ago, we all received a black envelope with a single slip of paper on the inside. On it, written in blood, were coordinates and a single word in a long dead language not spoken since before the dawn of the man. Jesse, Geno, Brian, and myself found each other days later at the coordinates in front of a cave that was surely the gateway to hell itself. Uttering the word each of us received, the cave opened up and beckoned us in. Inside, Tom was waiting with a case of High Life and a demo copy of UFC Undisputed 3.  So we got to work. Happy Turkey Day, Maniacs! Tom - Founder of Mania, throne of skulls owner: Naturally, I'm thankful for many MMA things this holiday season. Normal.dotm 0 0 1 277 1583 MestizzoCine 13 3 1944 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Exciting performances, network television deals, entertaining heels and most of the best fighters in the world (almost) all competing under one umbrella, makes this year, next and all those moving forward truly monumental. It's truly a great time to be a fan, especially with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) about to embark on its most ambitious schedule ever, planning to cram 34 events into one calendar year. Buckle up, it's going to be one helluva wild ride watching sweaty, highly-trained men punch, kick and choke each other repeatedly. During this time, it will be important to take a step away and enjoy the other scenery that will be along for the ride, particularly Britney Palmer. She's not the UFC ring girl madam, a mantle of responsibility that falls on Arianny Celeste, but she is certainly the most fun to look at all the time. For me, anyway. And when it was announced that she and the promotion were parting ways so she could pursue a career in art, it came with great sadness. My heart sunk to the floor. Friday fun threads would never be the same. Her replacement, whoever that might have been, wouldn't be the same, either. Ring girls have come and gone throughout the years, including Amber Nichole Miller, Ann Rivera, Edith LaBelle, Ali Sonoma and even the incomparable Rachelle Leah. For some reason, I could cope with their departures. It was natural. Just like fighters get stale or lose interest among the general public, so, too, do beautiful faces and amazing figures. Us MMA fans are a spoiled lot. But, the Palmer era didn't last long enough. It didn't feel right. I wasn't ready for it. So when Dana White took to Twitter and asked fans to vote if he should lure her back, and the response was an overwhelming, "YES!" I could not have been happier. Thank you, Dana White. More important, thank you, Britney Palmer. Geno - Managing Editor, Cageside Seats General: What I'm thankful for is Brock Lesnar. And yes, it's pro wrestling related but allow me to explain. I actually fell out of love with pro wrestling (I'm back now, baby, go to CagesideSeats.com) somewhere around 2004, due to general disinterest and an increasingly difficult life at home, though that's none of your damn business, not that you asked. That's right around the time Lesnar bailed on the WWE to pursue the greener pastures of the NFL. It didn't work out, of course, and after a short stint in Japan, Brock took the next logical step and made his way into the world of mixed martial arts. And he brought me right along with him. He had a lot of help. My oldest brother Bill (who is doing well and almost fully recovered from his cancer, thanks again to everyone for the well wishes), had been trying for some time to convert me into an MMA fan but it just didn't take for the longest time. I can remember seeing various events before UFC 81 back in Feb. 2008, though none of the information stuck until I revisited it later. One day, Bill made it easy on me and told me I should come watch the fights with him because Lesnar was going to be fighting. Like a complete donk, I replied, "Wait. Brock is going to be fighting? Like ... for really real?" After he finished laughing, he told me yes, Lesnar would really be fighting and he was probably going to get his ass kicked. So I made my way to his house to enjoy the show, eager to see how Lesnar would do in a real fight instead of a worked match against guys trying harder to protect him than actually hurt him. And then my brother's girlfriend, Talytha, needed me to go to the grocery store with her to pick up a few things (read: beer run). I was assured we would return with plenty of time to spare and I would get to see Lesnar fight. Except Ricardo Almeida and Nate Marquardt both choked out their opponents in less than two minutes flat and Lesnar was on much sooner than expected. Then his fight lasted all of 90 seconds, an explosive and exciting debut that saw him nearly murder his opponent before succumbing to a kneebar thanks to his huge lack of experience. And I was standing in line at fugging Wal-Mart. Missed the whole damn thing. I made it back in time for the main event, though, and the ensuing display of heart, skill and technique by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his heavyweight championship win over Tim Sylvia, who trains just down the road from me, caught my attention ... and kept it. The very next event, UFC 82, was hyped to the sky by Bill and his friends, who convinced me to check out this badass motherfugger named Anderson Silva. And I did. And I haven't looked back since. Now it's over three years later and I'm a Managing Editor of an awesome MMA website (thanks Tom and Jesse), and doing something I absolutely love. And I have Brock Lesnar (and my big brother Bill) to thank for it. Happy Thanksgiving, Maniacs. Brian - Staff Writer, interviewer extraordinaire: I'm thankful for many things. In MMA, I'm thankful for the inverted triangle choke, AKA the most creative submission hold I've ever seen. Toby Imada was getting his ass kicked by Jorge Masvidal and pulled it off as a desperation maneuver in the third round to win the fight. It was wild, it was something I'd never seen before and it was further proof that there is so much more we can learn, improvise and evolve in mixed martial arts. Now, the inverted triangle is actually becoming more commonplace. Chris Lytle used it as did Cole Miller in combination to set up incredible finishes in 2010 and then Richard Hale of all people finished a fight with it at light heavyweight earlier this year. Most of all, though, I'm thankful for the Maniacs. Having originally come over as a commenter on Bloody Elbow, I wasn't sure how well I'd be accepted, but after only a few short weeks, you guys took me in with open arms. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't have your support. I read every comment of every one of my articles and try to respond to most of them. Just one comment can make my day and you guys have done that on a regular basis. I love your feedback. I love interacting with you guys. I love it when you correct a mistake I made so future people won't think I'm an idiot who can't proofread. Hell, I even love it when I get trolled by ABB or STB just because it makes me feel like I belong. Keeping up the interview schedule I do is not easy, but you guys make it worth it each and every time. Keep doing what you do, Maniacs. You make much more of a difference than you would ever know. Sergio - Staff Writer, Skyrim enthusiast: It has been quite an incredible two years. Back in October 2009, I started a weekly two-hour MMA show for a small internet radio station that ran for about eight months. During that time I was able to interview guys like Anthony Njokuani, Jason David Frank (Dragonzord~!), and Bjorn Rebney. The birth of my daughter left me with little time to continue the show so I started writing funny (not really), drunken (very much so) recaps of MMA events in my spare time for Cageside Seats back when it wasn't pro wrestling exclusive. That's when I met Geno, who pretty soon after started his gig here at Mania. Somehow he conned Tom into bringing me aboard as well and I've been here ever since. So I'm thankful for the opportunity that Tom, Jesse, and Geno have given me to write about a sport I love and am incredibly passionate about. I'm also thankful for each and every one of you a-holes that welcomed me into this crazy, dysfunctional family. It's sort of like my own except I don't hate any of you. Now with all that mushy stuff out of the way, I'm also thankful for Nick Diaz. Love him or hate him, the foul-mouthed, ornery Stockton bad boy certainly makes the sport interesting. From putting every opponent Strikeforce placed in front of him on blast to getting a shot at Georges St. Pierre's welterweight title and losing it because he wouldn't show up to a "beauty pageant," Diaz has never failed to generate chatter among fans. I mean, the dude responded to being bumped from the biggest fight of his life with a video he recorded while driving down the highway cursing at other drivers! He may have retired B.J. Penn, he wishes he got paid big bucks to compete in triathlons so he could quit MMA, and still drives an old, broken down Honda despite making 600 Gs in 2011. Thanks to him, the word "homie" has become an integral part of my everyday vernacular. So yeah, I'm thankful as all get out for Diaz. In fact, I'm ordering a "Don't Be Scared, Homie" t-shirt right now... Jesse - Managing Editor, all-around B.A.: It's turkey day twunny 'leven, and if I'm thankful for one thing in combat sports, it's gotta be the fans. Let me explain. When I was a senior in high school (1991, bitches), I told my guidance counselor that upon graduation, I wanted to get a job at HESS. Yes, the gas station. I wanted to pump gas for a living. I wasn't really sure why, but when pressed, the best I could come up with was the uniforms. They had really snazzy uniforms. Green and white with a big name patch sewn into the breast. I could already picture it ..."JESSE." She gave me that long stare, almost as if she couldn't decide if I was half-fucking with her or just half-retarded. I think she eventually settled on the latter before scribbling something into her notes that to this day, I'll bet is none too flattering. And as luck would have it, HESS wouldn't even hire me. I filled out the application and agreed to minimum wage, but the grease monkey who conducted the "interview" seemed puzzled (and perhaps a bit suspicious) that a clean-cut kid from the suburbs wanted to pump gas on a busy highway. Defeated, I settled on a job at the local Amoco, but it just wasn't the same. I still got slightly buzzed on fumes, but their idea of a dress code was a shirt with no holes. That's when I decided to become a garbage man. Now they call them "sanitation engineers," but fuck that, I wanted to play with garbage. And how awesome would it be to cruise around town hanging onto the back of a moving truck? Couldn't get that job, either. The fat guy in the county office muttered something about joining the union and strict qualifications and yadda, yadda, yadda. Whatever man, just gimme my fucking handshake and send me on my way. Those were the only two jobs I ever really "wanted." Until the day I decided to write an article about a PRIDE fight I saw. It was posted on a pro wrestling website in late 2006 and some guy named Tom Myers just happened to stumble across it. For reasons not yet fully understood, he invited me to come try my hand at writing about combat sports on this "little fan blog" he started called UFCmania. If he only knew! In the first piece I ever wrote for this site, I openly bagged on Randy Couture for coming out of retirement, because I was convinced he was going to get KTFO by Tim Sylvia. How do you think Nostradumbass was born? The point is, I saw that post go live and I watched people respond. I remember slinking back in my chair and thinking, "Wow, it would be cool if I could get paid to do something like this." And now I do. That's thanks to you, fans of mixed martial arts and more importantly, fans of MMAmania.com. Without you, every single one of you (yes, even the haters), I'd be spritzing produce at some inner-city grocery store or bussing tables at the local pub. I have a job I like. After 15 years of having a dozen I hate, I can't express how grateful I am to get a check every month as payment for watching and discussing MMA. Am I driving a Benz? No, but my commute is from my bed to my computer desk. I don't wear a tie and I don't have to deal with office politics. And I have you to thank. So, without further ado, thank you MMA, thank you MMAmania and thank you MMA fans. Outside of my girls (and this year's HESS truck), they're what I'm thankful for the most this holiday season. Now let's eat!

Posted in: mma, time, fan, love, im

Read the full article at MMA Mania

He may not be a "great" fighter, but that doesn't mean he can't put on a great fight. That's Krzysztof Soszynski's mindset heading into his UFC 140 light heavyweight showdown against Igor Pokrajac, scheduled for Dec. 10 at the Air Canada Center in Toronto. "The Polish Experiment" breaks it down for Aaron Tru: "I'm a huge fan of the Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar type of fights, I love them. I have two great wars with Stephan Bonnar. I always go out there and try to put on a great show for the fans. I'm not a technical fighter, I never have been. I'm not great at jiu-jitsu, I'm not great at wrestling, I'm not great at striking, but I'm decent at all three. The most important thing about me is I got heart. I'm gonna go out there, swing for the fences and do my best and as long as the fans and the UFC are happy, that's all that matters." More from "K-Sos," who's riding a two-fight win streak following back-to-back unanimous decision wins over Goran Reljic and Mike Massenzio, after the jump. For all the latest news and notes on UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" hit up or event archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, fighter, fan, igor pokrajac, im

Read the full article at MMA Mania

"I go out there and I bust my ass and I win fights in a professional sport. If it wasn't about winning they wouldn't pay us more for winning. I'm just doing what I do best, I win fights. I have a big fan base, maybe developing slower than people who get a lot of first round knockouts, but my career is gonna go for a long time, I'm gonna be putting in a lot more fights. I've had 15 fights in the UFC and I plan on putting in another 30. I plan on being here a long time, my fans love what I do, they give me a lot of support and I fight for my fans." Good news for all you Jon Fitch fans! The former UFC welterweight number one contender out of American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) is going to begin his first fight in a series of 30 at UFC 141 on Dec. 29 against the rough-and-tumble Johny Hendricks at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fitch (23-3-1) is here to win and please his fan base in the process, so how about it? Are you excited to know you've got another 30 fights to look forward to? Sound off! (Haters need not apply.)

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, lot, fan base

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Once upon an time, there was a fighter named Rampage who liked to howl. While his career began in America, his fearsome reputation was built in Japan, in a mixed martial arts promotion called Pride FC. During his time in Japan he fought seventeen times, winning on twelve of those occasions. While he became known for his enormously powerful punches, Rampage's Pride career will forever be remembered for two things; his feud with arch nemesis and anti-hero Wanderlei Silva and this slam KO of Ricardo Arona. While never quite reaching the merchandised heights of Bob Sapp, Rampage was hugely popular in Japan. Who can forget the UFC vs Pride fight between Rampage and Chuck Liddell? Then there's the time he handed Igor Vovchanchyn a note before they fought, which was reported to have been written by Rampage's mom, stating 'please don't hurt my son.' It was moments like these that made Rampage such a huge fan favourite in Japan, as well as America. When his new employers, the UFC announced they would be promoting a show in Japan in February 2012, Rampage was one of many ex-Pride fighters that many expected to fight on the card. Alas this was not to be, much to the disappointment of the fans and Rampage himself who took to the micro blogging website twitter to share his frustration: A rematch with Shogun Rua in Japan would have made a lot of Pride fans salivate; a rematch with Minowaman in Japan would have made a lot of Pride fan's heads explode.

Posted in: time, rampage, fan, pride, japan

Read the full article at Middle Easy

From Russia without love. Prime Minister Vladimir Bootin Putin went from cold war to cold shoulder when he tried to show his support for Fedor Emelianenko on Sunday (Nov. 20, 2011) following "The Last Emperor's" unanimous decision win over Jeff Monson in Moscow. From MMA Fighting: The booing of Putin has become a major story in outlets like the New York Times and the BBC. The Associated Press called the reception for Putin "an unprecedented rebuke." However, not everyone agreed that Putin's presence is what led the 22,000 fans in the arena to boo: M-1 Global Director of Operations Evgeni Kogan wrote on Twitter that fans were booing a Russian singer. One report said the fans were booing Monson. Another report claimed -- seriously -- that the fans were booing because there weren't enough toilets in the arena. Since everything I know about Russia I learned from Yakov Smirnoff and repeated viewings of Red Heat, I'll have to take it on faith that this is a big deal. Especially since 'round these parts our fighters openly challenge the President to fisticuffs whenever they disagree with government policy. For more on M-1 Global: "Fedor vs. Monson" click here and here.

Posted in: fan, jeff monson, fedor, monson, putin

Read the full article at MMA Mania

"I love to fight, I'm fighting because I love it. My motivation is my fans. I don't do this for money. I love to make my fans happy. I'm so glad to be working for the UFC, whatever the boss wants for me I'll do. I'll fight who he wants." Former PRIDE star and UFC fan favorite Wanderlei Silva got back into the win column at UFC 139 last weekend, in the co-main event opposite San Shou striker and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le. The 185-pound tilt, which took place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, saw "The Axe Murder" destroy his foe with a lethal combination of punches, elbows and knees. So where does he go from here? Silva says he'll fight whoever the promotion wants him to. Anyone want to see a Vitor Belfort rematch? Who do you, as a fan, want to see him challenge next?

Posted in: ufc, fight, wanderlei silva, fan, love

Read the full article at MMA Mania

It occurred to me on Saturday night as I watched former UFC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres dismantle Nick Pace on the UFC 139 undercard that we really are a bunch of petulant children. Despite the fact that Torres beat Pace in every department, whether it be on the feet or the ground, we bitched incessantly about Torres' hesitance, relegating him to a landfill of past greats who tasted the leather and didn't survive. In the minds of many fans, Torres was washed-up goods, and his performance against Pace only confirmed that he didn't fit into the mold of what we love. Five fights later, Stephan Bonnar dominated Kyle Kingsbury with an exhibition of his underrated grappling acumen in the opening bout of the UFC 139 main card. As one would expect, Bonnar was met with boos during the post-fight interview, and it only got worse when Bonnar confirmed that he didn't want to let Kingsbury pull off the incredible by doing something stupid in the late rounds of the bout. Even former ruler of the mixed martial arts' world Fedor Emelianenko isn't immune to the criticism. He shocked fans with an evolved approach against hulking heavyweight Jeff Monson on Sunday morning at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow, Russia, utilizing quick footwork, a ranged kicking game, and short punching combinations to lessen the risk of being caught. The reaction? The Twitterverse erupted into one of the winiest daycare facilities on the face of the Earth, complaining that Fedor had lost his edge and should have finished Monson in the first round. I'm not going to fabricate an opinion that I'm completely disgusted with the majority of MMA fans out there who think Torres is boring, Bonnar should have went for the finish, or Fedor should have blasted Monson into next week. Obviously, there is a part of me that wants to see Alvarez vs. Chandler, Rua vs. Henderson, and Silva vs. Le over and over again because those types of battles are pleasing to the mind and eye. Like the emotional struggle within a fighter to find, as Joe Rogan stated during the Torres' bout, the delicate balance between the two styles, fans also have that internal emotional struggle. It's much simpler for fans however. Our lives aren't dependent on the choice. The choice only affects how we see the entertainment value in a fight. I can make a conscious decision to believe Torres' performance was great. He won, he won decisively, and he is a presence in the upper-echelon of the division. Conversely, I can write him off as boring and the value of his future fights, in my mind, isn't remotely close to what it was when he was wrecking everyone put in front of him during his early days in the WEC. For fighters, the choice is difficult and temporary. It can change from fight-to-fight, but it's more likely that, with age, a fighter makes the conscious choice to pick his health over fame. The careless, immature 20-year-old brute who buried his opponents in a whilring dervish of violence ten years ago isn't the same fighter he used to be. Now, he has a wife and kids who nervously sit in front of the television hoping he makes it out of a fight unscathed and makes it home for dinner every night. Naturally, the heavy-hearted thoughts of a person whose riddled with regrets and slowed speech are prevalent among fighters. They understand the risks they are taking every time they step into the Octagon. They also understand that fighting carelessly and recklessly can bring massive success, help you keep your job even when you lose, and give you a chance to earn an enormous bonus check at the end of the night. In order to make next month's mortgage payment, which makes the most sense? 

Posted in: fight, fighter, fan, torre, bonnar

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Filed under: M-1 GlobalMajor media outlets like the BBC and New York Times didn't cover Fedor Emelianenko's victory over Jeff Monson on Sunday. But they did cover what happened afterward. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of Russia -- a longtime fan of combat sports in general, and of Fedor in particular -- stepped into the ring to offer a congratulatory message to Fedor after his unanimous decision win. But as soon as Putin started talking, the fans in the Olympic Stadium in Moscow began to boo. A Russian YouTube user posted the video of Putin's post-fight remarks, and it's already been viewed almost a million times in its first day online. That video is below. Although the Fedor vs. Monson fight barely made a blip in the English-language media (other than MMA sites like this one, of course), the booing of Putin has become a major story in outlets like the New York Times and the BBC. The Associated Press called the reception for Putin "an unprecedented rebuke." However, not everyone agreed that Putin's presence is what led the 22,000 fans in the arena to boo: M-1 Global Director of Operations Evgeni Kogan wrote on Twitter that fans were booing a Russian singer. One report said the fans were booing Monson. Another report claimed -- seriously -- that the fans were booing because there weren't enough toilets in the arena. No one floating those alternate explanations has explained why, if that's what the fans were booing about, they began their booing at the exact moment Putin began talking. And if the fans weren't booing Putin, it's hard to understand why Russian state television broadcasts felt the need to edit out the booing. Russian commentator Konstantin von Eggert told the Associated Press that Putin absolutely was being booed, and that it was a public humiliation the likes of which Putin has never suffered. "We have never seen anything like this on this scale before," von Eggert said. "It is a symptom that some in Russian society are tired of Putin's image." And so, while this was far from the biggest fight of Fedor's MMA career, the post-fight activities may have been far more significant. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fan, fedor, monson, russian, putin

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Posted in: fan, shogun, gary, youre, shogun fan

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There are times in every person’s life that are bound to affect them for the rest of their lives, to carry on through the years and become stories that are passed down to children of the next generation. These moments encapsulate the very essence of humanity, the little things in life that many often take for granted or are too busy to stop and reflect upon. It has been said that great art is one of the truest ways to express such moments, to create a living time capsule that can be passed down from generation to generation.Truly powerful art can evoke great emotion from its audience. It can make them laugh, smile or even move them to tears. It is the great art that is relatable and can transcend just being art, but become a way of life and have a serious emotional impact on the audience. For many, Mixed Martial Arts is simply a sport, a vehicle for fast, furious and brutal entertainment of a visceral common denominator. For other fans, though, it has become a true form of art and expression.Gary LaPlante is one of these fans, whose life has become intertwined with that of the fighting careers of men whose fights have not just entertained him, but touched him on a deeper level. “PRIDE Never Die” might be a phrase that some fans will use with derision, a form of ridicule for fans who hold on to the heroes of PRIDE FC’s past glory. Gary instead chooses to embody it, for him it has become a way of life. A strong, inseparable bond has grown inside of him towards his heroes and his unwavering support is public, unabashed, for the world to see.The achievements of fighters like Fedor Emelianenko, Wanderlei Silva, Mirko Cro Cop and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua are much more than simple battle scars and a win or loss on an official record to Gary. Instead, their passion and dedication for their art of fighting has become something more, forging this bond for him and creating memories that will live on with him for the rest of his life. They have moved beyond the realm of athletes or entertainers to him, and in to the history books as true titans and heroes in an era where imagination and heroism are all-but dead.This video that we are presenting to you is not just another video that you’d find on the internet while surfing around, instead this is a brief look inside of what true passion and fandom are. It is a look into what Mixed Martial Arts can be and how it can move beyond the traditional boundaries of fandom and become so much more. This is an uncensored and unedited look at just how delicate life can be, chronicling one fan’s earnest reaction to watching one of his heroes competing in one of the sport’s most gripping contests to date. This is Gary. Photo by Bauzen.

Posted in: life, fan, art, hero, glory gary

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The buzz going into tonight's card ... actually, there's wasn't a whole lot of buzz. UFC 139 -- despite a solid set of fights from top to bottom - was the victim of being scheduled the week after the company's debut on Fox. The entirety of the promotional muscle was flexed in favor of the heavyweight title tilt between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. Through no fault of their own, Dan Henderson, Mauricio Rua, Wanderlei Silva, Urijah Faber -- all hugely popular and box office draws in their own right -- were playing second fiddle to UFC on FOX 1 and the historic bout from last Saturday (Nov. 12). It didn't seem that they -- especially "Hendo" and "Shogun" -- took the slight all too lightly. The fans inside the HP Pavilion had just witnessed an incredible war between Silva and the former Strikeforce middleweight champion that saw "The Axe Murderer" pull off his first knockout since he loosened Keith Jardine from his consciousness way back at UFC 84. An extremely satisfied Brazilian had fended off calls for retirement, at least for one more fight. After the cathartic experience that was Silva's win, it felt as if nothing -- even Henderson taking on Rua -- could top it. But somehow it did, somehow it managed to prove -- in the first instance on pay-per-view (PPV) -- that every main event should be and always should have been five rounds. It wasn't the best fight ever. That's all subjective. But there's no denying the fight was a ton of fun. That is fact. The 25 minute war turned my Twitter feed -- mostly filled with fellow writers and bloggers -- into a collection of fanboys, excitedly professing how amazing the fight was. Men and women who are usually reserved to maintain a sense of professionalism couldn't stop talking about how incredible Henderson's performance was or Rua's toughness in a way not too dissimilar from how a normal fan would. It reminded everyone how much fun the sport can be. After the 64 second shellacking that Velasquez took at the hands of "Cigano," the meme that began to spring up was casual fans asking, "Is that it?" No! Oh my, no, that's definitely not it. Yes, quick knockouts -- like the one Michael McDonald scored during the Spike telecast -- are a big part of the sport but so are amazing back and forth battles where both fighters leave everything -- blood, sweat, and tears -- inside the Octagon. As stated before, it didn't seem like anything would top the feelings and emotions experienced after a longtime fan favorite won what might have been the most important fight of his career. Only winning four of his last 10 fights, it appeared as if Father Time had finally caught up with the fearsome striker. So when Le -- hopelessly clinging onto his opponent's leg -- lay prone on the mat with a face that wouldn't land him any future movie roles -- aside from one in a horror flick, perhaps -- every Pride Fighting Championships fan's heart skipped a beat when Bruce Buffer called out Silva's name as the winner. How could anything be better than that? And early into the first round, it didn't seem like we would find out. The American wrestler landed one of his patented "H-Bomb" right hands and staggered "Shogun." The Brazilian kept fighting but took a pounding for the best part of three rounds. Then -- in what used to be referred as the "championship rounds" -- Rua stepped on the gas. This was the second non-title main event to be slated for five rounds -- the first on PPV -- and thank the heavens for that. Had it not been, the fight would have ended after three rounds and we would have been robbed of the last 10 minutes that saw "Shogun" give Henderson the fight of his life. Had it been the main event for UFC 136, "Hendo" would have won 30-27 and while everyone would be talking about how great a performance the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champ put in, there would not be the outpouring of unabashed fandom there is now. Somehow, against all odds, Rua recovered and soldiered forward. In doing so, he and his opponent gave mixed martial arts (MMA) fans one the best fights we have had the pleasure of viewing.  This -- THIS -- is why I love MMA.

Posted in: fight, round, henderson, fan, rua

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Fans are already raving about the performances at UFC 139, which produced several highlight reel moments.The fan plaudits were echoed in the traditional...

Posted in: ufc, silva, fan, hendo, momentsthe

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Before the UFC 139 weigh-in, Josh Koscheck took some time to answer fan questions at a Q&A session.

Posted in: ufc, time, koscheck, fan, josh

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UFC Japan is a great card on paper... except for the fact that it's not going to appeal to the Japanese fans.

Posted in: ufc, fan, japan, matchmaking direction, direction

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Yesterday, MMAJunkie.com, citing industry sources, reported that the UFC's debut on Fox snagged a peak viewership of 8.8 million viewers, surpassing Kimbo Slice's historic peak of 6.51 million viewers at EliteXC: Primetime in May of 2008. As expected, many fans jumped the gun on what these numbers actually mean. Similarly to Sunday's news that the UFC pulled in 5.7 million viewers on average throughout the one-hour broadcast, the reaction was the complete opposite of what more informed fans and analysts felt were the actual takeaways from the news. The details surrounding the numbers spotlight a solid argument that casual sports' fans were curious to see Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos walk the walk, but not talk the talk. According to a report from SI.com, the broadcast began at 5.2 million viewers, but steadily lost viewers during the half-hour leading up to the fight, which included interviews cut from UFC Primetime: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos. Viewers tuned out only a few minutes after the sixty-four second knockout, dropping off an estimated 2.9 million viewers to 5.9 million viewers. What exactly can we glean from those statistics? Fans tuned in to see the action, but the long-winded analysis, interviews, and stories weren't sought out by fans. Why? Because those pre-fight packages didn't include the very thing that fans were tuning in to watch -- the violence, i.e. entertainment, that live MMA provides. The disconnect between the reaction and the reality of the reports is that a peak number of 8.8 million viewers means nothing in the span of only three or four minutes. Advertisers are the paying customers while the product's goal is to entice viewers, maintain their attention, and give advertisers an audience. The UFC's debut on Fox fulfilled that goal, bringing in a reported average of 5.7 million viewers. During that very small bump in viewers, however, the only advertisers "winning" were those who had logos on the mat or around the Octagon. Most of those advertisers aren't paying over $100,000 per thirty-second spot. The advertisers who are saw no benefit to the event lasting only sixty-four seconds, which leads to a conclusion that the UFC and Fox need to find a way to heighten the average over a longer period of time. Casual sports' fans are curious about the UFC, but if you can't maintain their attention -- where's the benefit to advertisers? UFC ringside commentator Mike Goldberg confirmed with MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani during Monday's MMA Hour that the UFC will, in fact, run with a two-and-a-half hour broadcast for their next show. With the correct promotion and match-ups, the event could reach the goal of a higher, prolonged average viewership number. If they can pull off a larger average, it could go a long way to the UFC's product gaining more lucrative advertising dollars, higher-profile sponsors, and more prominence. Peak ratings are really nothing more than a barometer for what exactly interests the demographic the product is trying to lure. In this case, we already knew what that was. When Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos touched gloves, 8.8 million people were fixated on the combat that was about to unfold in the cage. During a schoolyard fight, when do the most people rush to the action to get a glimpse? When the fists start flying. The grandiose reaction to the news by many fans reeked of misinformation. I doubt those fans were celebrating the fact that the UFC had just obtained a vital piece of information to a puzzle that many sports haven't been able to solve. For many of those fans, the puzzle had been solved. In reality, the valuable information gleaned from the numbers will help the UFC strategize and pull in bigger numbers in the future. Let's not sensationalize what an 8.8 million viewer peak means for the UFC and the sport. It doesn't mean much when it lasts only sixty-four seconds. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

Posted in: ufc, fan, viewer, number, advertiser

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In the latest tie-in between MMA and social media, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney is asking fans on Twitter what undercard fight should make air this Saturday at Bellator 58. Rebney took to the popular social media tool this week, asking fans to follow him and tell him what bout should join Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandler, Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard vs. Trevor Prangley in a non-title fight and Marlon Sandro vs. Rafael Dias on the main card that begins on MTV2 at 7 pm EST. He'll be taking feedback via Twitter until Friday at 12 pm EST and the winning fight will be announced during the weigh-ins. The three fights to choose from: Jared Hess (11-3-1) vs. Brett Cooper (15-7): The 27-year-old Hess is a Bellator veteran, former tournament finalist and has lost two of his last three. Cooper has also competed frequently in Bellator and has won four of his last five, all via T/KO. Jessica Aguilar (11-4) vs. Lisa Ellis-Ward (14-6): A rematch five years in a making, Aguilar goes into Saturday with a two-fight winning streak and is victorious in six of her last seven. Ward hasn't competed in over a year and was last seen getting submitted by Megumi Fujii at Bellator 31. Farkhad Sharipov (13-4) vs. Fabio Mello (8-6): The #2 ranked World MMA 135-pounder Sharipov returns after getting a six-fight win streak snapped in September, while Mello makes his promotional return after a two-year absence and rides into Saturday with three straight wins. To cast your vote, follow Rebney and let him know what you want to see by noon on Friday. SBN coverage of Bellator 58

Posted in: fight, bellator, vs, fan, rebney

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - MMA legend Wanderlei Silva has heard his critics loud and clear, but he's simply not listening. He's got more important folks to consider. "My motivation is back," Silva told MMAjunkie.com. "I need to make my fans happy again. I have a lot of fans around the world. I know Saturday a lot of guys are going to have barbecue in their homes, and I know my responsibility to the millions and millions and millions of people that are going to watch that fight. I want to make my fans happy."

Posted in: silva, fan, fight i, world i, million

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The UFC's historic network-television debut is done, but fans don't have to wait long for more big fights. This weekend sees the promotion head to Strikeforce's former headquarters in San Jose, Calif., and officials recently announced that fans are invited to both a UFC 139 pre-event press conference and open workout session in anticipation of the UFC's first trip to the city. Both events can be attended free of charge.

Posted in: ufc, fan, workout session, networktelevision debut, fans dont

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No known weaknesses. That was the line we heard regarding (now former) UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez heading into the historic defense of his title against Junior dos Santos at UFC on Fox 1. We heard it again on the broadcast, courtesy of Joe Rogan. Cain Velasquez has no weaknesses. Of course, anyone who has followed Cain's career knows this line is nothing more than PR spin. He does have a weakness, and it's in his stand-up defense. Prior to dos Santos, Cain had faced one ranked Heavyweight who used striking as his primary weapon. That striker, Cheick Kongo, hurt Velasquez more than once, prompting many to ask if Cain had problems with his chin and his defense. On Fox, the heavy handed dos Santos found that chin again, and showed that yes, Velasquez can be knocked out, and yes, he does have a weakness. The question then is, why couldn't the UFC be honest? Why spin this hyperbole about Cain and his invincibility? Couldn't the story have just as easily been "Velasquez is a dominant champion, but he hasn't faced a powerful striker in 2 years. Last time he did, Cain found himself in trouble. Does the KO specialist challenger have his number?" That's the true story, the one hardcore fans knew was the actual narrative of the fight. But the UFC chose to sell us "Cain can't be beaten" instead. The trouble is, Cain was beaten, and he was beaten convincingly. And this is where the problem with this kind of promoter speak comes in. Because now, fans who bought the UFC hype are left confused. What the UFC wants fans to walk away thinking is that dos Santos is Just That Good. But instead, the dishonest message only ends up muddying the water and damaging the credibility of the messengers.  This kind of promotion is nothing new to the UFC. They have long promoted champions as unbeatable with no flaws, and challengers as the perfect foil to this superhuman champion. But watching Fox's more sport-oriented production brought the absurdity of these claims into focus. The UFC needs to take a cue from more mainstream sports coverage. Cut the spin and give fans the truth. An honest appraisal of Velasquez would have added more drama to the fight, not less. And it would have demonstrated that these analysts are indeed experts who understand the complexities of the sport. Dana White has long insisted that the UFC and MMA should be considered a mainstream sport. The Fox broadcast was a good step in that direction. Now it's time to take that next step and dial down the hyperbole. Sell the fans the truth. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

Posted in: ufc, fox, do, fan, velasquez

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In the week prior to the UFC's debut on Fox this past Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, the focal point of discussions among MMA media and fans didn't revolve heavily around the style clash between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. Most of us weren't talking about Ben Henderson's impressive rise from WEC lightweight contender to potential UFC lightweight contender. The focal point of the discussion, even among fans, was what the barometer of success was for the UFC's debut on network television. Among the talking heads, most estimates hovered around a baseline of six million viewers on average with many analysts suggesting the UFC would hit six-and-a-half to seven million viewers. Those estimates were based on past events that aired on free television, most notably EliteXC's Primetime event featuring both Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano. That event peaked at 6.51 million viewers and produced an average of 4.3 million viewers. The initial numbers released by TV by the Numbers on Sunday were a disappointment, indicating the UFC's debut only drew an average of 4.64 million viewers. Later in the day after time zone adjustments were made, however, Fox released a higher average number of 5.7 million viewers. Surprisingly, the reaction from many pundits and fans didn't change. The expectations were set high, and the UFC didn't meet the bar. Strangely, the overestimation seems to be driven by this elitist view that the combination of Gina Carano and Kimbo Slice shouldn't be able to draw even close to a brand like the UFC. If that's the basis of an argument, why didn't the UFC crush the 6.51 million viewer peak of EliteXC: Primetime? Why didn't the UFC produce higher viewership with Fox's marketing muscle behind it? I think the UFC's reliance on brand recognition combined with the fact that Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos aren't known to casual sports' fans made those ratings' goals unrealistic. Obviously, Kimbo Slice's success on network television set the bar at a high level. We have to start somewhere, and to think that the UFC wasn't looking at the number as a benchmark is ridiculous. Unfortunately, that high level was thought to be low, low because people believed that the more recognized UFC brand and a main event heavyweight title bout would surpass a circus act like Kimbo by miles. Kimbo Slice may not be a real mixed martial artist, but he transcended the boundaries that limited the drawing power of any mixed martial arts promotion. It's the same reason a fighter like Brock Lesnar can pull down over one million buys on a pay-per-view. He interests casual sports' fans who may not necessarily follow MMA religiously or even casually. Look no further than the non-MMA fan asking Ariel Helwani where Kimbo Slice is at in his career on the streets of Hollywood. Or how about the young man who knows what the UFC is, but he only knows that Kimbo Slice is a UFC fighter? SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos The UFC Primetime shows didn't create any hype between the two fighters either. Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, in our own little world as UFC President Dana White describes it, are great fighters that we want to see. In the spectrum of casual sports' fans, they aren't, and there wasn't any animosity between the two to fuel interest.  The UFC should be pleased with the ratings they got. Going head-to-head with a pivotal college football match-up between Oregon and Stanford, which drew 7.11 million viewers, is normally a recipe for disaster if the 18-34 demographic is what you're attempting to reach, yet the UFC still pulled in 5.7 million viewers. I imagine the peak numbers will be considerably higher since the game went to halftime as Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez entered the cage, possibly exceeding the 6.51 million mark of EliteXC: Primetime. I think we really need to look hard at the idea that the UFC's brand alone can draw in massive numbers on network television. Sure, the UFC's name is more well-known than the actual acronym of the sport, but does that really mean that people will have a vested interest in a fight without being persuaded to care? Kimbo Slice's rise to fame in MMA was predicated on a bunch of Youtube! backyard fights that made him a pop culture attraction. Those videos ended up getting viewed by millions of people. Is it really unimaginable to think that the numbers he pulled are on the high mark rather than the low? It shouldn't be. Despite all the marketing and hype produced around a heavyweight title fight, there is still truth to the idea that a name and a story draw. The UFC on Fox's debut didn't quite have that flavor, yet pulled in a solid number against some stiff competition. What's the disappointment in that?

Posted in: ufc, fan, viewer, kimbo, didnt

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For some old school fans of mixed martial arts, Saturday night (Nov. 12) was a "sad day" and the "end of an era." But for who? And why? MMA Nation's Nate Wilcox explains right here.

Posted in: day, fan, school, art, school fans

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) just completed its first-ever network television broadcast as UFC on Fox 1: "Velasquez vs. dos Santos" took center stage at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Sat., Nov. 12, 2011. A champion was unseated and a new heavyweight king was crowned. A lightweight number one contender was determined in a thrilling three-round, whirlwind affair. There were submissions. There were knockouts. As usual, the UFC delivered a card that was packed with thrills from top to bottom. Unfortunately, a good deal of viewers missed the majority of this card because it was only offered via streaming Internet. (Hang, tight. We'll get to that.) We've had a day to critique, analyze statistics and feel all the aftershocks of the earthquake that was UFC on FOX. It wouldn't be a UFC weekend on MMAmania.com without a close look at the events big winners and lowly losers. Here we go: WINNERS Junior dos Santos -- I know, I know. It's too easy to pick the winner of the main event as the main "winner" of the "winners and losers" recap post. However, "JDS" was the underdog by every sense of the definition. "His hands are great, but what about his cardio?" -- "He's got knockout power, but can he stop a Velasquez takedown attempt?" If you tell me today that you expected dos Santos to come out and put Velasquez to sleep in just over a minute, you're probably full of it. On the flipside of the coin, if you're telling the truth, you might be a very rich man. "Cigano" is one of the nicest guys in all of mixed martial arts (MMA). Even if you're a Cain Velasquez fan, it's hard not to feel good for this guy. Well done. Ben Henderson -- Again, not a lot of drama in this pick, but it is what it is. "Bendo" came in having won his first two UFC fights. Most recently, he absolutely dismantled Jim Miller at UFC on Versus 5 in Milwaukee, Wisc., on Aug. 14, 2011. Guida was on a tear of his own, coming into Saturday night's event with a four-fight win streak. For three thrilling and fast-paced rounds, the two long-haired firecrackers flew back and forth at each other. There were fantastic stand up exchanges. There was a plethora of near finishes by way of deep submission attempts. At the end of the day, Henderson was a little quicker to the spot and just a little better in every area. Though the fight was closely contested (deservingly taking home "Fight of the Night" honors), Henderson was clearly the better man and will get his title shot against Frankie Edgar on Feb. 25 in Saitama, Japan. Ricardo Lamas -- After an inconsistent run in the lightweight division, Lamas looks like he's really found a home against the 145-pounders. After beating Cub Swanson with a beautiful arm-triangle submission that earned him the "Submission of the Night" bonus, "The Bully" has now won his first two featherweight fights in impressive fashion. Look for Lamas to get a bigger name in his next fight and to be truly tested to see what he's made of.  Alex Caceres -- "Bruce Leroy" was quickly becoming a joke in the eyes of many MMA fans and pundits. During his time on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 12, Caceres was loud and obnoxious, both with his words and his wardrobe. He talked a lot and delivered very little. After losing his first two UFC bouts by way of rear naked choke, it was time for a new look. That look came in the way of a drop down to bantamweight for Caceres. In his debut, he looked great. His upset win over Cole Escovedo was something that no one anticipated.  The UFC -- As an organization, this was a HUGE night. The coverage was sensational. If you have Fuel TV, you were privileged to enjoy insightful and entertaining pre- and post-fight shows, which were unlike anything we've really ever seen before as fans. Anybody who is anybody in Hollywood was in attendance. Many new fans tuned in to see just what the UFC is all about and they were treated to a thrilling heavyweight knockout. By most methods of measurement, this was a massive success for an organization that has come a long way since its inaugural foray just a short 18 years ago. LOSERS The UFC -- Confused? How could the UFC be one of the big winners AND be the number one lowly loser? It's simple. Dana White and his organization won big, but they left a lot on the table. By committing to broadcast only one fight, they needlessly painted themselves into a corner. I'm a huge UFC and MMA fan. So are most of you, Maniacs. A good deal of us were not thrown by having to watch the other fights on Facebook or FoxSports.com. We're used to it. But, that's the problem. Uncle Dana wasn't trying to win us over. He's already got us in his corner. Millions of new viewers tuned in at 9 p.m. ET. They didn't see the Facebook fights and they may never do so. All they know is that after a huge build-up and a ton of hype, they saw one minute and four seconds of fighting and a heavyweight put to sleep. The new fans don't care about the pre-fight coverage or the post-fight wrap-up. That's exciting to us, but we're veteran fans. I've had to tell countless friends and family (whom I convinced to tune in) that this isn't what a standard card will look like. The shows usually go longer than this. You'll get to see more fights. Some of them will give it another chance. For others? That was the one opportunity they were going to give the UFC and the jig is up. They're moving on. If the point of UFC on Fox 1 was to put on a great show that was rich in MMA coverage depth, then it was a huge success. If the goal was to win over a bunch of new fans and carve a niche into the mainstream, I'm not sure the goal was achieved. It's okay. They'll get there. Norifumi Yamamoto -- "Kid" really needed a win in his fight against Darren Uyenoyama. After being dominated in his UFC debut by Demetrious Johnson at UFC 126 on Feb. 5 in Las Vegas, the world was watching to see if he could rebound and live up to the hype that originally drew the UFC to his doorstep in Japan. There aren't many bantamweights that can stand up with Yamamoto. The problem is that they don't have to. This is mixed martial arts. So far, in his two UFC fights, Yamamoto has been pretty much taken down at will and outwrestled very badly. If he gets another chance to prove his merit after this, he'll need to pull out all the stops. Cole Escovedo -- After essentially acting as a human punching bag for Alex Caceres on Saturday night, Escovedo has now lost five of his last six fights. None of the losses were really that close. There's really not a whole lot more to say. Escovedo will be fortunate if he is allowed to continue to work for the UFC after losing his first three fights for the promotion. Either way, it's time for some introspection and re-invention.   That's all, folks. Certainly there were other winners and losers, but this was our list. What does your list look like? Give us your best shot, but be gentle. It's been a long weekend. To check out complete UFC on FOX results and detailed blow-by-blow coverage click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, winner, loser

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Months of anticipation, weeks of analysis and days worth of promotion finally led up to last night (Nov. 12, 2011) and the broadcast network premiere of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Starting off as what could be described as the movie "Bloodsport" come to life and later banned in states across the country, the Las Vegas-based fight promotion has come a long way since its somewhat seedy beginnings. Last night's inaugural event -- UFC on Fox 1 -- was the culmination of countless hours put in behind the scenes by Dana White and company. Even more so, it was the long sought after payoff brokered on the backs of the men who have stepped inside the Octagon. A litany of shattered and snapped bones, cuts small and large, and a near endless list of other injuries helped bring fans last night's historic moment. Junior Dos Santos captured the heavyweight title by knocking out Cain Velasquez in four seconds past the minute mark in the main event of the card that Dana White called the most important in the company's history. However, there was no back and forth action, there was no battle of attrition. By the very nature of mixed martial arts (MMA), fights can end as easily in a matter of seconds as they can stretch out for the entirety of the time allotted to it. So was the payoff worth it? When the UFC was left with little other option, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) reality show was birthed and its first season ended with the now myth-like fight between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. The two light heavyweights battled back and forth for 15 minutes and in their actions, personified everything that is -- and can be -- great about MMA. We have witnessed a fight or flight moment inside the Octagon before and somehow the fight managed to supersede all expectations. And now we've seen a similar moment end with an exciting knockout, but there's a lingering feeling that it was a bit underwhelming. But let's be honest. If not for the enormous amount of hype, scrutiny and pressure attached to the heavyweight title bout, the ending -- quick, brutal and decisive -- would have been completely and wholly satisfying. Seeing the Brazilian loop his devastating hook directly into Velasquez's temple would have brought fans to their feet. Witnessing the new champ finish his opponent off with an unrelenting flurry of ground and pound would have left fans cheering themselves hoarse. Instead, some are pontificating whether or not the minute-long fight was good for the UFC's bottom line instead of celebrating dos Santos' victory or the fact that the company -- once on the brink of vanishing from the sport -- has joined the likes of the NFL and MLB as a member of the FOX Sports family. For every casual fan's "Was that it?," there surely is a corresponding "That was an incredible knockout!" A heavyweight Griffin/Bonnar would have been ideal, there's no doubt. It would have been the best possible outcome, but we got what we got and it was a performance from "Cigano" that cements his place at the top of the heavyweight mountain. Another complaint about the broadcast was the decision to only air the main event when a lightweight bout that was predicted to be a Fight of the Year contender ended up being exactly that. The fight between Ben Henderson and Clay Guida pitted two top 155-pounders looking to secure a date in Japan against lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. Both "Smooth" and "The Carpenter" are notorious for entertaining scraps and more than lived up to their reputations with their three round war. The fight was not aired on FOX. It instead had to be sought out online via Facebook or on the Spanish language FOX Deportes. In an hour-long broadcast that showcased a fight that ended in a little more than a minute, fans were putting the UFC to task for not promoting the bout onto network television. But last night wasn't about putting on the type of show that will be what actually ends up on FOX in 2012. UFC's deal with FOX doesn't even begin until January. This show was somewhat of a one-off to hype the heavyweight division and also promote Brock Lesnar's tilt with Alistair Overeem next month. It was designed to introduce the fan who had never seen UFC before to the raw power that heavyweights possess in their four-ounce glove covered fists. And there was no better way to do that than "Cigano" blasting Velasquez in a minute. Was 60 minutes worth 64 seconds? Absolutely.

Posted in: ufc, fight, heavyweight, fan, minute

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While the American fans' experience of UFC on Fox last night featured 1 minute of fighting sandwiched between 59 minutes of promotional fluff and basic analysis, it seems the international broadcast had a lot more meat to it. Just from the feedback from fans at Bloody Elbow and from watching myself in the UK via Premier Sports, our hour of television was mostly packed with combative action. Based on the collective experience of fans watching in the UK, Canada, Australia, the Philippines and Sweden, we opened with Jon Anik playing host, welcoming us to the broadcast and boldly claiming the UFC Heavyweight title as the most prestigious in all of combat sports; the initial mood was already celebratory. A quick pass-over to Rogan and Goldie before we were treated to an immediate replay of Ben Henderson vs Clay Guida to get things going. I thought this was a smart move and wondered if Fox had changed their minds and wanted to wait and see how this fight turned out before giving the go-ahead for its inclusion on the main broadcast. That at the least would have made sense, but it would appear American fans missed out unless they caught it online. There were commercial breaks between rounds but that was to be expected, and because the fight was a replay they didn't cut into the beginning of the second or third. Jon Anik comes back on and reaffirms what most should now be feeling: what a great way to get things going with this Fight of the Night performance. Back to Rogan and The Goldster and the introduction of the main event fighters Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, their entrance, the fight and the post fight interviews, all without a commercial break. I imagine this would be the same as the Fox broadcast. After the Octagon was cleared, we were then treated to a replay of DaMarques Johnson KO'ing Clay Harvison. With the wild energy of Guida vs Henderson as a lead-in followed by two emphatic (T)KO stoppages, the international fans were more than satisfied with the portion of MMA they got in the comfort of their living room. Jon Anik remains a pro and helped make the presentation feel like a legitimate sporting event and a positive experience. We also benefited from not having to listen to Dana White be a Buzz Kill in his appearance on the U.S. post-fight show.  It's just a shame American fans were shortchanged, even if it was free to watch on Television. Hopefully they can better service its audience when the UFC 'officially' starts working with Fox next year.

Posted in: fight, fox, fan, broadcast, jon anik

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UFC champion Cain Velasquez emerged from the depths of the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on Saturday night to a loud, pro-Velasquez crowd screaming at the top of their lungs with support for the Mexican-American fighter. The environment was undeniably new to the champion considering the magnified importance of the event he was headlining. Velasquez, alongside Junior dos Santos, was the focal point of the UFC's introduction to the even larger casual sports' fanbase, and in a sixty-four second flash -- Velasquez's reign came crumbling to an end. That's all it took for Brazilian heavyweight striker Junior dos Santos to connect with a stunning right hand to the back of the ear of the champion. The shock of the punch disrupted the Velasquez's equilibrium, causing him to stumble around on the canvas as Dos Santos' assessed the situation and found the quickest route to his chin again. Dos Santos delivered, finishing Velasquez quickly and efficiently to become the new UFC heavyweight champion. As expected, MMA's fickle fanbase couldn't decide whether this was a monumental success or a horrible turn of events. UFC President Dana White seemed to be frustrated the fight only lasted sixty-four seconds despite his speeches throughout the promotion of the event that it may only last thirty seconds. Many fans felt that the brief introduction wasn't enough to grab the attention of casual sports' fans tuning in for the first time. Historically, however, the ranting from fans is generally the opposite. Fighters like Jon Fitch and Georges St. Pierre are generally the focus of fan criticism due to their inability to finish off their opposition despite dominating them for the entirety of a fight. We can draw the same criticisms from the boxing fanbase as well, particularly around the style of Floyd Mayweather.  So which is it, fans? Does every fight have to strike a delicate balance between length and action? Do we need to have Clay Guida and Ben Henderson fight on every Fox card to please the masses? History says that shorter, more destructive fights are far more pleasing to the eye than a boring decision that fans can ride hard against for weeks after the fight.  Hindsight is 20/20, and Henderson vs. Guida was predicted by many analysts to be the barn burner the UFC would need to connect with fans. Unfortunately, Fox didn't see their names as a selling point, which may have been the right move. The fight just doesn't have the allure that comes with a UFC heavyweight title showdown, nor does it have the stories that new fans witnessed in the lead-up to the main event. At the end of the day, the UFC's debut on Fox was a monumental success. They were able to promote Brock Lesnar's fight coming up in December, air a number of commercials alerting fans to next week's UFC 139 pay-per-view, sell Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos for twenty solid minutes of UFC Primetime footage, and have enough time at the end of the broadcast to catch Junior's priceless reaction to becoming the new UFC heavyweight champion. The UFC got what they should have been hoping would come from either fighter, a highlight reel finish with all of the wow factor the UFC needs to draw in casual sports' fans. Isn't that, after all, what many casual fans want to see? SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

Posted in: ufc, fight, do, fan, velasquez

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Filed under: UFC, UFC on FOXANAHEIM, Calif. -- Ben Henderson said before Saturday's fight that his goal was to make UFC president Dana White feel like he absolutely had to get the bout on primetime TV "some how, some way." With his Fight of the Night performance in a winning effort against fellow lightweight Clay Guida, he may have done even better than that. As Henderson and Guida hurled themselves across every square inch of the Octagon in a thrilling three-round battle before the main event, it was hard not to feel like the UFC was going to regret not getting this fight on live network. But then, there were network obligations to meet. FOX wanted the UFC to do just one fight -- the heavyweight championship of the world -- and so all the eggs were placed delicately in that one basket. 64 seconds after the start of the main event, well, you already know the fate of that particular basket. We could argue about whether having a title fight that was over quicker than viewers could microwave their popcorn was a good thing for the sport and for the UFC, and I'm sure we will. What seems less debatable, at least to those of us who saw the Henderson-Guida bout, is that it was the lightweights who stole the show on Saturday night, even if they did it in the relative shadows of a live web stream. White, somewhat understandably, was in no mood for criticism of the way the FOX broadcast was structured to focus only on the title fight. "For anybody to bitch about this fight and how they didn't get to see that fight -- shut up," he said in the post-fight press conference. "You should have bought tickets if you wanted to see all the fights and you don't like to watch it on Facebook. Seriously, shut up. I don't even want to hear it." In a way, he has a point. It's not like the fight wasn't available at all. If you have internet access and a Facebook account, you had every opportunity to watch Henderson and Guida beat the follicles off of one another for the full 15 minutes. If you were technologically incapable or simply felt like you couldn't be bothered to sit down and watch a fight on a different glowing screen, you only have yourself to blame for missing a great fight. But hindsight being what it is, one can imagine White waking up on Sunday morning and wondering, what if? What if they'd decided to kick things off with the Henderson-Guida bout? What if they'd given the nation's network TV audience a chance to flip out over the two high-energy lightweights, and given ratings a chance to build along with the intensity in the cage? What if Guida and Henderson had served as the night's dramatic appetizer, and Junior dos Santos' TKO of Cain Velasquez had been the swift and definitive grand finale? It would have necessitated a very different broadcast, but it also would have resulted in a more successful one. Then again, it's easy to be genius on Sunday morning, once you know the ratings and the results. At the post-fight press conference a disappointed Guida had trouble finding much consolation in the fact that his was the most exciting fight on the card, and even the $65,000 bonus for Fight of the Night didn't appear to cheer him up all the much after the decision loss. However, he noted, "The reason I fight is to put smiles on people's faces and get people cheering. I feel my fans with every punch I throw, and every time I get punched in the face I feel my fans." On Saturday night he gave his fans plenty to cheer about, even if they had to do it in front of a computer screen. In a way, that's almost fitting for MMA and the UFC. After getting kicked off TV the sport and the company survived largely thanks to a small but passionate fan base on the internet. Those message-board fans helped keep the sport alive until it could get back in the public eye, and the UFC has since embraced every conceivable platform for getting as many fights to as many fans as possible. On Saturday night the big story might have been network TV and the heavyweight championship, but it was the little guys on an internet stream that delivered the real bang for the buck. The good news is, once the UFC's deal with FOX begins in earnest in 2012, it can give the mainstream a chance to find out that in MMA, unlike in boxing, it isn't just the main event that matters.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, fan, guida

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Anchor Bay Entertainment provided me with a review copy of the UFC Ultimate Fight Collection 2011 Edition and I have to say that this is a tremendous collection for fight fans, but not one without its flaws. The Good: 20 discs of content with 170 fights and over 50 hours of content? That's a great value for a retail price of right around $135. The "Best of Fight School" "Best of Rogan 1-on-1" and "Best of Unguarded" features on the bonus disc are a nice add to the overall package and give a little something to watch to break up the fight-after-fight-after-fight pattern one falls into with such a big set. The set is organized into each event so you are able to watch the way the UFC flowed over the year (the set covers from July 2010 through June 2011). Rather than simply show the broadcast, the show do have interesting looks at the fight week build and behind the scenes footage before main event fights. I previously shared a preview video for the Georges St. Pierre vs. Jake Shields bout that shows a bit of this. The Bad: For some reason the events are not packaged in chronological order. Instead it goes UFC 116 through 131, then the Fight Nights and then the Versus cards. It just makes for unnecessary work if you want to watch the fights in the order in which they happened. It seems like a chronological ordering would have made much more sens. A lot of fights are left out and some of them are legitimate and important fights. Phil Davis vs. Rodney Wallace at UFC 117? Gone. Nik Lentz vs. Andre Winner? Nope. Demian Maia vs. Mario Miranda, Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens, Cheick Kongo Vs Travis Browne? All gone. Two of the best performances of the year in Mike Pyle's dissection of John Hathaway and Dustin Poirier's drubbing of Josh Grispi both got the axe as well. As are all but four of the fights from UFC 120. All told there are 45 fights that didn't make the set. The Verdict There are too many fights and too many unique clips to not add the set to your collection if you are someone who is a big UFC fan. I can see the fight list being a deal breaker for some fans who like to have complete cards. I'm a collector minded guy so it does bother me that so many great and meaningful fights (and even the bad ones) have been taken out. I understand limitations on how much space they had available but far too many fights involving top 10 fighters were left out. That's enough negativity though. This is a fun set, it's a great gift and it looks great sitting on a shelf. The amount of people who would be troubled by the completion issues as much as me is likely incredibly small so I fully recommend the set for any MMA fan in your life.

Posted in: ufc, fight, vs, fan, collection

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If you’re wondering why Junior dos Santos is representing the UFC (and the sport of mixed martial arts) along with Cain Velasquez on this Saturday’s premiere event on FOX, it goes way beyond left hooks and right crosses. For me, the ‘a-ha’ moment came on a Sunday night in March of 2010, shortly after dos Santos scored his fifth consecutive UFC victory with a first round knockout of longtime contender Gabriel Gonzaga. We were in the van transporting fighters and staff back to the host hotel, and I called back home to check in on the family. Well, the first words out of my wife’s mouth were all about dos Santos and his KO win. I turned back to the Brazilian contender, who was in the early stages of picking up English to add to his native Portuguese, and told him that my wife was very impressed with his performance.That now familiar dos Santos smile shot from ear to ear and he told me excitedly “Thank you, thank you, give her a hug for me.”My wife was sold, and Junior dos Santos had a fan for life in New York with that comment. I have to assume that it’s been like that for anyone who has encountered “Cigano,” a fighter whose charisma will likely ensnare any new viewer who sees him on Saturday night in Anaheim, and in the time since the Gonzaga fight, his English has improved beyond leaps and bounds, making him even more accessible to fans and the media.“I think the secret is to pay attention, and ask questions,” he said of his impressive grasp of the new language. “I pay attention to everything - TV shows, song lyrics - and when I hear somebody using a word or phrase that I don't know, I ask them what it means. I learn things pretty quickly, so that helps too for sure.”Seeing him these days, it’s hard to fathom that it’s only been slightly over three years since he first exploded on the UFC scene with a first round knockout of countryman Fabricio Werdum in 2008. Back then, he was like many Brazilian fighters who came to the United States - they were great to watch in the Octagon, but there was a distance between them and the fans because of the language barrier. Dos Santos has done wonders in bridging that gap.“It was and is important for me to communicate in English, both so I can communicate with fans but also so I can communicate what I want to say with everybody,” he said. “I wish I could communicate with all of my fans in their language - my Japanese fans, my Ukrainian fans, my French-Canadian fans. It's very frustrating not to be able to communicate, or to not speak the language, so yes, it was very important to me to learn and to be able to speak for myself.”And while he still gets assistance from manager and translator Ana Claudia Guedes when needed, dos Santos’ ability to carry his end of the media load has helped make this fight the event it is. So while everyone loves a good old-fashioned grudge match, at this important juncture in the history of the sport, you couldn’t have two better representatives for MMA than dos Santos and Velasquez. Dos Santos humbly agrees.“I think people have a lot of misconceptions about the sport,” he said. “And it doesn't help when fighters act like cavemen to each other. But sometimes people who scream the loudest get the most attention, and in effect the negative behavior is rewarded. It's tough to fault somebody for something that seems to work effectively in their favor. For me, personally, I prefer to do my talking inside the Octagon. I treat other athletes with respect, and I have no ill will or hard feelings towards anybody. I fight for the sport, and I talk where it matters - in the Octagon.”That’s the main reason dos Santos is here, because while there are plenty of nice guys in this business, not all of them pack the punch and possess the talent that the number one contender from Salvador has. And in the process of going 7-0 in the Octagon with five finishes, he has achieved something unique in the ultra-competitive world of the UFC. He is an undisputed number one contender. There are no arguments that this guy or that guy should get the next shot at Velasquez’ belt. It’s dos Santos and no one else. “The importance of the fight isn't lost on me,” he said. “I know what a huge event it is. But I go into every fight ready to give my best, ready to give my all. I take the importance of the event, I take what you call “pressure,” and I turn that into motivation. That's what it is for me - motivation to fight my best game, and to leave everything I have inside that Octagon.”Dos Santos and Velasquez have both dismissed the idea of pressure so much over the past few weeks that you have to start believing them. And maybe it is true. Maybe after you’ve made that walk so many times it becomes just part of your routine. But make no mistake - this is no ordinary fight. In fact, given that dos Santos and Velasquez are elite and dynamic heavyweights who haven’t reached their 30th birthdays yet, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that Saturday’s bout could be the beginning of the UFC’s version of Ali-Frazier.“Yes, I'm sure that regardless of the outcome of this fight, we will fight each other again,” said dos Santos. “I know that, but I don't spend time thinking about future fights; the only fight on my horizon is the one directly ahead of me.”And in Velasquez, dos Santos will be facing someone unlike anyone he’s faced before.“Cain Velasquez is a really complete fighter, and also a very nice guy,” he said. “He has always treated me well, and with a lot of respect. I think Cain's strengths are fairly clear to those who watch his fights: his cardio is his top strength, and his ground and pound is brutal. But I am prepared for both of those, and I feel really good. I'm more excited than I am concerned; it's an honor for me to fight somebody of his caliber, and I look forward to it.”The simple breakdown to the fight is that standing it favors dos Santos and on the mat it favors Velasquez. But what may be the key factor is how Velasquez reacts in his first fight since surgery on his right rotator cuff and his title-winning bout against Brock Lesnar in October of last year. Dos Santos was in attendance for that fight, scouting his next foe.“That fight put two top wrestlers against each other, and consisted of each trying to take the other down,” said the 27-year old. “There were some good strikes, especially that knee that Cain got in. But I think Brock may have spent too much energy trying to get Cain down; he may have worn himself out before he even took that knee to the head.”What Velasquez certainly showed that night was the ability to deal with adversity, just like he did in his UFC 99 win over Cheick Kongo. And while neither has gone five rounds, Velasquez does have the experience of preparing for the championship distance in the lead up to the Lesnar bout. How did that process go for “Cigano?”“I think my fights against Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin helped me with that, helped me to learn to pace myself to go several rounds,” said dos Santos. “I think at the Roy Nelson fight, for a little while I got frustrated because he wasn't going down. And I learned from that. I learned that I have to take my time, stick to my own fight strategy, and take good technical shots. So I'm definitely prepared, physically and mentally, for a five round fight. That said, I don't think this fight will go five rounds. And I don't want it to. Five rounds is boring in the heavyweight division - I don't want a boring fight. Somebody will get knocked out.”That’s what fans want to hear from their heavyweights. What does Junior dos Santos want to hear on Saturday night? That answer is as big as the smile on his face.“What I want to hear is ‘the NEW UFC heavyweight champion,’” he said. “That's what I want to hear. I sometimes imagine Bruce Buffer saying that, and it gives me motivation. Becoming the champion is a dream so big that I could never have imagined it.”

Posted in: fight, round, do, fan, velasquez

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The American Dream. A three word cliche used to describe why people move to the United States by whatever means necessary. Chasing the mythical land of opportunity. Where any man or woman can change their stars should they work hard enough. The same can be said about Las Vegas, the home of Zuffa. It's a city where anyone can become a millionaire and a person can be whoever they want, if they they can dream it. It's a cliche that very often never actually plays out, with many of us continuing to work a job where upward movement is rare and the ability to become the CEO is nearly impossible.  It seems that Dana White never got that memo. A hotel bellhop turned boxercise instructor, White was never supposed to become rich and famous. He reached his ceiling and would have to settle into a life as just another man living in Las Vegas. He was the manager for Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, but with the SEG-owned UFC in shambles, the money just wasn't there in the sport to support a family on MMA. These relationships; however, did provide him some knowledge that SEG was looking to sell the company. Finding partners in childhood friends, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, Dana was given the opportunity to not only turn the promotion around but also his own career path.  The Zuffa run UFC struggled for years, despite White's best efforts. A year into the purchase he was given his first opportunity to deal with network television, showing a single fight on Fox Sports' Best Damn Sports Show, Period. While it was a relative ratings success, the sport just didn't catch on in the United States. Four years and a reported debt of $44 million, Zuffa took one last gamble to make the UFC successful with the reality television show The Ultimate Fighter. Even with the finale happening live, the Spike TV execs wouldn't commit to a second season. It was only until Forrest Griffin vs Stephan Bonner that both sides knew they captured lightning in a bottle.  We're just over 48 hours away from the UFC finally making their network television debut. The anxiety is high for everyone at Zuffa, with the understanding that Saturday could determine if MMA or Ultimate Fighting will be accepted by a much larger audience. The desire isn't to reach the casual fan. The hope is to capture the non-fan and detractor. Dana White said on yesterday's media call that the goal of the card and broadcast is to educate the audience on what they are seeing. Everyone involved has been rehearsing since Tuesday to make sure the fights go off without a hitch.  Jonathan Snowden of MMA Nation knows what's at stake. Snowden, a former tape trader, has been a fan of this sport long before the Zuffa regime and has witnessed the rise and fall and rise again of the UFC. He also understands why the UFC is banking on Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos.  The Fox experiment is just beginning. We'll all know soon enough if the average sports fan will love this sport the way hardcore fans do. For most of us, the UFC is more religion than sport. It's what we live and breathe. Once you get it in your blood, every other sport pales in comparison. The future of MMA is now - we've been on a roller coaster ride together for 18 years. Saturday we finally take the plunge down that first giant hill. The mainstream might end up rejecting our beloved. But it won't be because of Dana White and the UFC. They've done everything we could have possibly dreamed to get us here, to this pivotal moment. I'll be watching. I hope ten million more are by my virtual side. The UFC is leading with their best foot forward and Fox is keeping in stride. With a lead up to card spanning the entire suite of Fox platforms and Alistair Overeem and Brock Lesnar providing analysis on a pre-show, Saturday night is about the heavyweights. MMA fans complaining about Guida and Henderson being relegated to Facebook fail to see the big picture. White has dealt with the fans and media questioning his decisions and looking for an opportunity to say "told ya so" since he took over the UFC.  Now 10 years after the purchase he finally has the chance to say it himself. He can say "I told you that pushing for government regulation when others were content fighting at Indian casinos as a good idea." He can say "I told you that a reality television show about fighters would work." And he can finally say "I was right all along for holding out on a network television deal." He can say all these things because they are true. He can say all these things because he possesses the vision to see where the sport will be in five years. And he can say these things because he, along with his friends turned a niche, dying sport, into a global powerhouse. The "American Dream" does exist as long as you are willing to make the sacrifice. Just ask Dana White.  SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 1: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos

Posted in: ufc, fox, sport, year, fan

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The UFC will reach a major milestone this Saturday when they make their network debut on Fox. Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will meet Junior dos Santos in what has been billed as the biggest fight in UFC history, but I'm a little skeptical. I fully expect this fight to draw big numbers on Fox, especially with all the marketing the network has done in the lead up to this Saturday, but I don't see it being the fight everyone is making it out to be. The main reason Griffin vs Bonnar captured the attention of such a wide audience on Spike was the back and forth brawl that ensued. It wasn't so much the opportunity and coverage; it was an incredible fight, and caught the interest of an entirely new fan base witnessing MMA for the first time. The fight on Fox this Saturday is unlikely to have the same effect. MMA isn't the niche sport it once was, and though it's still a long ways off from becoming a true mainstream sport, the majority of Fox viewers have probably watched an MMA fight at one time or another.  Fox does cater to an older audience than the usual UFC demographic which could attract some new viewers, but I think the fight will for the most part draw in fans with at least some prior knowledge of what the UFC is all about. Also, I don't see this being the back and forth scrap many are expecting. Perhaps it's all the hype Dana and Fox have been generating, but a lot of fans seem to be expecting a real slugfest. This is very unlikely. Cain Velasquez is one of the best wrestlers in the heavyweight division, and will control where this fight takes place. He's chosen to strike with his last two opponents, but neither had much to offer on the feet, and so Velasquez felt safe showing off his improved stand up. This won't be the case against JDS. Junior dos Santos is easily one of the best strikers in the division and has proved this time and time again in the octagon. The only fighter Cain has fought that is even remotely comparable is Cheick Kongo, and he landed some devastating punches in every single round of that fight. Unless Velasquez is over confident in his striking, you should expect him to take Santos down at will, and unleash some heavy ground and pound for the majority of the fight. This approach may be effective for Cain, but it's unlikely to cause a major stir among viewers. With all that said, Saturday will still be a momentous night for MMA fans everywhere. This marks the start of a major partnership between the UFC and Fox, and could change the way the general public views our favorite sport. Here's hoping for one hell of a fight. 

Posted in: ufc, fight, fox, saturday, fan

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Former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin recently won $5000 for having one of the "most creative" tweets as judged by the promotion's new Twitter contest. The rules are fairly simple: Dazzle your followers with humor and innovative tweets, score some cash. On the heels of his winning performance, maybe Griffin felt it was time to up the ante. Or perhaps he had an error in judgement. Then again, maybe he just tried to be witty and bombed. Whatever the case, his Nov. 8 tweet that read "Rape is the new missionary" went over like the proverbial lead balloon. Probably not the best way to connect with your fans as the promotion gears up for its first-ever network television debut with UFC on FOX: "Velasquez vs. Dos Santos" on Nov. 12 in Anaheim, California. And the timing couldn't have been worse, now that most of the sports media is focused on the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal. Griffin, who promptly deleted the tweet when he was "unfollowed" by a fan, continues to receive a public spanking. Yahoo Sports called for a donation to a rape-victim charity, while Huffington Post got huffy and questioned the "Ultimate Fighter's" view on women. Then there was this article by ESPN, which sparked a heated reaction from its readers: It's doubtful there will be any major repercussions, even though he is a professional athlete representing the UFC. The rule of "don't go around saying dumb s---" is loosely interpreted. If it were the NFL, say, a slip up like that might banish him from the league. Remember when Kansas City running back Larry Johnson tweeted a homophobic slur towards a fan? It cost him $213,000 and not just his spot on the roster, but ultimately his standing in the NFL. He's blowing on the house of cards he helped build, and historically he's been allowed to. But it'd be better if he just didn't. The bottom line is that Dana White refuses to muzzle himself when he wants to get something off his chest, and he won't muzzle his fighters. This is usually refreshing, particularly when rote answers are a plague in other sports. And yet, there are times when that sort of leeway is disastrous. If we were five years down the line, to the projected heights that White and Lorenzo Fertitta are taking the sport, tweets like that will carry too many associations. The kind that may hurt the brand image, and burn sponsorship bridges, and steal away control over careers. In short, a tweet like that could bring upon Griffin a profound feeling of the very verb that he treated so lightly. Chuck Mindenhall's comments (above), from his article "Forrest Griffin leaves bad taste with Tweet," left an even worse taste with his readers. Here's a sample of his feedback. This is the dumbest story i've read on here Ghost_702 borrrrrriiinnnngggg. did a girl write this?mowens2404 well, i thought it was funny...MFootballFan hahahah i've notice a decline in intelligent articles on ESPN recently.RBJ_05 A poor statement from a poor fighter.bluedevil24255 So he can tweet.....as long as his opinion is the same as the majority??? No Mindenhall, you dipsh*t! That's what's wrong with sports and American in general! You have freedom of speech, as long as it makes the majority happy!jachmar15 WAAA WAAA WAA, stop being so $@% pc. Forrest is the man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!turdferguson1113 society today is above and beyond ridiculously sensitive. there's a thing called FREEDOM OF SPEECH people! Get a clue MindenhallTHERAKE_1124 Griffen sucks anyway, who cares. The guys is a middle of the pack fighter who gets paraded around by Dana like he's a top talent...except he's not.azcards480 Chuck Mindenhall exhibits the "bad taste" with that hideous hat he's wearingtaylorburke28 WOW! This article was pointless. If you don't like what he says then don't follow him. He doesn't have to be or say what you want him to say. Seriously people there are better things to do then to $@%!$ about one guy post up. Like if Anderson Silva and Brock Lesner and even Jon Jones can get away with crap in the octagon than what ever Forrest Griffin says doesn't even matter. steelarrowhead His comments were inappropriate and stupid but dont expect ANYONE here to believe that an NFL player would get kicked from the league for tweeting the same thing, that was a stupid comment Mindenhall, how about when Adrian Peterson likened being an NFL player to being a slave!? he didnt even get hit with fineFu_Matchu Why don't people just relax!? This is the problem with social media. It just gets you in trouble whenever you open your mouth and voice your opinion on anything, no matter how right or wrong you are in the light of the media and fans. It's ruining society. You can't do or say anything anymore because someone is always watching and listening. I'm sure he doesn't beat his wife and doesn't think rape is cool. The jokes were in bad taste but it doesn't make him a bad guy.Fu_Matchu I think people (women especially) can be just a little too sensitive, way to often. Obviously he doesn't actually believe in any of the crazy or random things that he says...its just for a giggle. So to get offended just shows how poor of a sense of humor people (women) have. I love Forrest...he's a goofy dude, and these comments won't set him back any more than an $@%! whoopin by Anderson Silva did.Lambois42 This is not about women, or people being too sensitive in these times, this is about common sense and understanding the environment in which you choose to provide a position. I'm all about free speech, but you have to understand that there are going to be other opinions out there that may counter your own. I appreciate Forrest for being himself and sharing his views, but in the end sometimes those views may not be popular.HebrewBaron Forrest Griffin is generally one of the classier fighters in the UFC. I agree with thedarkwingduck2k50.. too many blows to the head.. Those Bonnar fights probably cost them both many, many brain cells.thedarkwingduck2k50 The general consensus among the media is that Forrest put his foot in his mouth, and should do more than just put himself on "Twitter restriction" for a week. The consensus among fans? Let him say what he wants and stop crucifying him for speaking his mind. As with any debate, the pendulum swings both ways. Not every media outlet has condemned him, just like there are plenty of fans who don't support him. Without turning this into mud-slinging contest, I'm wondering, which side of the argument do you fall on?

Posted in: fan, people, griffin, tweet, forrest

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- Introducing Chael Sonnen: One UFC fan's story about the fighter you never knew (MMAMania)"I took my 11 year old son, Ty, to UFC 136. He is a huge UFC fan and we traveled from NJ to go to the Fan Expo and attend the fight. After Chael's victory, my son approached the security gate to get his autograph. Chael lifted my son over the gate and took him behind the scenes where the other fighters were either recovering from their fight or preparing for an upcoming battle. A security guard brought me back as

Posted in: ufc, fan, chael sonnen, chael, son

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Filed under: UFC, UFC on FOXLos Angeles -- Despite the magnitude of the UFC on FOX event this Saturday night in Anaheim, UFC president Dana White kept it simple and direct at Wednesday afternoon's press conference to promote the show. No supporting cast. No big procession to mark the big occasion. Just the two people who mattered, and the one man willing to shout from the rooftops about how important it all is. Right across the street from the Staples Center in downtown L.A., walled in by the trendy bars and restaurants of the L.A. Live complex, White stood flanked by a couple of men whose dented faces and misshapen ears were enough to tell you that they hadn't come down here for a screen test, and squinted into the sun as he declared that what we were looking at was the ingredients for "without a doubt, the biggest fight in UFC history." At least, that's what he's hoping for. It's what he's betting on, and why, White said, he chose heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos to lead the charge in the UFC's network TV debut. "If you're in this position where it is the biggest fight in UFC history, the biggest moment for the sport of mixed martial arts, these are the two guys you want to step in there and go out and fight," said White. Of course, while Velasquez and dos Santos might make for a great pairing in the cage, they don't seem to be the UFC's best and brightest when it comes to selling a fight. Maybe it's that both are just too easy-going, too agreeable. Neither is known as a man of many words, and both are too respectful to reach into the pro wrestling bag of tricks for snappy one-liners and stinging insults. Even when dos Santos was reminded during the presser that he once suggested that the champion in any given weight class isn't necessarily the best fighter in that division, he owned up to the remark before quickly adding that "in this case," Velasquez is the current top dog at heavyweight, "but I'm going to change this on Saturday." For his part, Velasquez was bolstered by the support of the Hispanic fans who had come out for the event, drawing cheers when he thanked "La Raza" for their support, but mostly relying on White to play up that angle for him in typical fight promoter fashion. After running down the bullet points of Velasquez rise to stardom, White called his heavyweight champ "a testament to the American dream...where somebody can go out there and work hard and focus and he really is that story. I don't care if you're Mexican, American, German, or Puerto Rican, man, I don't know how you can't love Cain Velasquez and his story." Velasquez, not surprisingly, kept it slightly more low-key. "I represent hardworking people," he said. "That's what my family is and that's what I've grown up around. Mexicans are hardworking people. That's what it means to me." Not that dos Santos was without his supporters, however. Even after it was suggested to him that he might find himself in unfriendly territory inside the Honda Center, small, but passionate chants of "Cigano! Cigano!" broke out among a few fans. "I think for sure there's going to be a lot of people rooting for Cain on Saturday night, but I know I'm going to get a lot of people rooting for me too, in the whole world," said dos Santos. "That's the energy I will bring with me inside the cage and use in the fight." A question from one enthusiastic fan about which hand dos Santos planned to knock the champ out with drew boos from the mostly pro-Velasquez crowd, but merely seemed to confuse dos Santos at first, before he replied, "I have two hands for a reason...but I like this one," as he held up his right. Another fan told Velasquez that his achievements made him proud to be Mexican, which seemed genuinely touching before he quickly followed it up with a slightly unreasonable request to walk to the cage with the champ's entourage on Saturday night. "I don't think we can do that," said a visibly uncomfortable Velasquez. But White, who'd already agreed to give another fan tickets to the promotion's upcoming Toronto event immediately after telling fans not to ask him for tickets, dismissed such practical concerns easily. "Yeah, we'll do it, dude," he said. Maybe it was the sunshine getting to the UFC president. Maybe he's just feeling so good about the upcoming network debut, he's become a soft touch for increasingly demanding fans. Or maybe sometimes all you have to do is ask and the rest takes care of itself. As for White, he's already made clear what he's hoping for out of Velasquez and dos Santos when FOX pulls back the curtain on Saturday night. Whether he too will get what he wants remains to be seen. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, do, fan, velasquez

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Hey, ever hear of that guy named Chael Sonnen? The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight number one contender, aside from being one of the top mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters in the world, is a polarizing figure, one who can spark a debate with just the mere mention of his name. Or Anderson Silva's. Most of the UFC fan base are familiar with his on-screen personality, as Sonnen and his sharp tongue slice and dice their way through pre-fight interviews and media appearances. In fact, outside of Brian Stann at UFC 136, you'd be hard-pressed to find the former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler having anything nice to say. Or so we thought. Underneath the hard shell, the barrier that separates Sonnen the personality from Sonnen the human being, lies a "gentleman" who -- with the cameras off and crowd out of sight -- gave one lucky fan, 11-year-old Ty Costlow, an experience he'll never forget. "I took my 11 year old son, Ty, to UFC 136. He is a huge UFC fan and we traveled from NJ to go to the Fan Expo and attend the fight. After Chael's victory, my son approached the security gate to get his autograph. Chael lifted my son over the gate and took him behind the scenes where the other fighters were either recovering from their fight or preparing for an upcoming battle. A security guard brought me back as well, and what followed is a father/son moment that we will both never forget." See the rest of Ty's story, after the jump. Chael took off his wraps and signed them for my son. There are professional photo sessions taken immediately after the fight, Chael included my son with him in the photos. He then took us to each locker room, introduced us to the fighters and had them sign Ty's shirt, hat, and program. We then were allowed into Frankie Edgar's locker room where he was warming up for his title fight. Frankie stopped his warm-up and spent time talking to my son and signing various items. We returned to our seats to watch the final two fights. Chael had the security people take us to a section where UFC fighters sat who were not fighting that evening. Each of them signed my son's program. Chael was a gentleman and gave my son an experience that he will never forget. The entire UFC family could not have been more accessible and friendly. I'm sure that there is not another group of professional athletes that would be as inviting to an 11 year old boy during an event. I will always be a Chael Sonnen fan after seeing his heart warming interaction with my son. This is one of many UFC fan experiences that largely go unnoticed, but should be recognized. I stumbled across a comment left by Ty's dad on one of the UFC forums and contacted him to not only give Sonnen the credit he deserves, but to illustrate what so many detractors of MMA will never understand. Fighters are not bloodthirsty barbarians who thrive on violent encounters. They're real athletes, real sportsmen and above all, real human beings. Ty's story, borne from a desire to do nothing but reward a fan of the product, is proof of that. And that proof can be seen at the 5:28 mark of Dana White's UFC video blog right here. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Chael Sonnen. The fighter you never knew.

Posted in: ufc, fan, sonnen, chael, son

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"One of the great things about being a sports fan is remembering exactly where you were when a moment in history was created.... Regardless of the year, the teams or the outcome, sports give us an outlet and an opportunity to be a part of history. It’s something we can tell our kids about decades later, something we relive with our buddies over beers as we recount where we were and how our lives have changed since. In just a few days, we at the Ultimate Fighting Championship are presenting fans across the world with another opportunity to be a part of sports history. This Saturday, live and free on FOX from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., the UFC heavyweight championship of the world will be decided when undefeated Cain Velasquez defends his crown against knockout artist and number one contender Junior dos Santos. Not only does this mark our first event on FOX since we announced a multi-year broadcast agreement with the network this past summer, but it marks a return to the glory days for many sports fans. It signals a return to the days when sports’ biggest prize – the world heavyweight title – is decided live and free on network television." -- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White waxes poetic, penning a column in today's Chicago Sun-Times that invites mainstream sports fans to witness mixed martial arts (MMA) history this weekend. Of course, White is referring to the landmark UFC on FOX 1 one-hour television broadcast, which features a main event between UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos. It is the first of many fights the will be featured on FOX; however, perhaps none will be more significant. To get his point across, White tugs on nostalgic sports heart strings, saying that the event on Nov. 12, 2011, which will begin at 9 p.m. ET, will be on the same historic level as Kirk Gibson's winning walk-off homerun in the 1998 World Series or Buster Douglas' upset of Mike Tyson with a stunning finish inside the Tokyo Dome back in 1990. Once again, White also assures fans that tuning into the "epic heavyweight title fight" on the FOX broadcast will not interfere with Manny Pacquiao's trilogy fight against Juan Manuel Marquez later in the evening. Think White's public plea is effective (and accurate) enough to reel in new fans or is he simply reaching in his comparisons?

Posted in: ufc, world, fox, sport, fan

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submitted by lumbugg [link] [1 comment]

Posted in: mma, fan, age, lumbugg, smokin

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The most famous mixed martial artist in Brazil - and one of the most famous in the word - Anderson Silva is used to being approached by fans when he is...

Posted in: silva, fan, brazil, anderson, word

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: ufc, fan, octagon, mattyblayze

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One ballsy British fan did what no one else in the past 10 years did. He slipped past security and ran through the Octagon at UFC 138 right before the main event started. Funny stuff. Even Dana White was amused. Fan just jumped the barrier and ran into the octagon! That's a first in 10 years!!!!! The Brits lolNovember 5, 2011 4:36 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite@danawhiteDana White HT: Yahoo! Sports

Posted in: ufc, year, fan, octagon, octagon thats

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MMA fans and boxing have rarely appeared to get along. And vice versa. The narratives are as follows: MMA fans claim MMA is taking over. That boxing has ruined itself, and like God before the establishment, is "dead". Boxing doesn't give the fans what it wants. Conversely, MMA is a sport with no history, and little respect for the culture its bound by except to the Mountain Dew generation that appreciates it.  The sport of MMA is a nomad. it flaunts its lack of identity, and to the critics, it's just an extreme sport stripped of metaphor. Oh right, we're all a bunch of homophobes too. Beneath these memes are real truths, which explains why the conflict are so intense. Boxing does have real problems. To say it's dead is a gross misrepresentation, but to say that it's in need of help is not. For MMA, it's finally in a place where the new spotlight will spawn the presence of a real sports culture. Whether that culture sticks is another matter entirely, but for now, MMA can say "we've made it". Mixed martial arts is the NOFX of the sports world: popular, but not mainstream.  This weekend, both boxing and MMA delivered the goods. UFC 138 was a barnburner: the kind of card you hope for whenever you want to introduce your friends to what MMA is all about. HBO was having its own miracle as James Kirkland and Alfredo Angulo created a modern classic of sorts. And this weekend, both sports are primed to deliver yet again. For MMA, it's a bigger deal for the collective fanbase and media: we're finally on primetime. The five hundred pound cherry on top is that fight between Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos for the HW title. It's a fantastic fight. It's probably the best fight HW has had to offer since Mirko Filipovic vs. Fedor Emelianenko, and for some fans, it might be even better. Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, meanwhile, are completing their trilogy. While the lack of Mayweather may upset casual fans and boxing critics, doing so simply ignores that the boxing main event this weekend means a potential end to a very unique trilogy. Both fights delivered: particularly the first one, eerily similar to Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard II. Marquez was felled three times in the first round. Yet somehow, he battled back to outbox Manny for most of the fight. Unlike in years past, there's nothing to bitch about on either side. Kirkland, Barao, Angulo, and Munoz all put on memorable performances. It was the little guys who proved the critics wrong this past weekend. Now it's the star's turn to prove the two sports can, and should coexist. Nobody is asking you to hold hands with each other. But if you're a person who stays awake at night wondering which of the two sports will be victorious in the end, then in the words of Patton Oswalt, you're an unfortunate soul who will "miss everything cool and die angry". Speaking of everything that's cool, check out the first round of Kirkland/Angulo after the jump. Alfredo Angulo vs James Kirkland - Round 1 (via grishmugho)

Posted in: fight, mma, sport, boxing, fan

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The UFC Bantamweight division is in trouble. Dominick Cruz is a dominant champion who has come close to cleaning out the division, but his style and personality have not clicked with fans. Urijah Faber is the only semi-name in the division, leaving casual fans almost no one to grab their attention. The result? A severe lack of fan interest in the fledgling division. With nearly every top Bantamweight already holding a loss to Cruz, it looked like the division might have to wait some time before catching on with the casual fans. Enter Renan Barao. At UFC 138, the Brazilian fighter turned in a star-making performance, crushing Brad Pickett in the first round and establishing himself as one of the top new names at 135. And with this win, Barao may have just proved himself as the man to bring life to the division. Barao's win is sure to draw comparisons to his Nova Uniao teammate Jose Aldo, and with good reason. Like the UFC Featherweight champion, Barao is the kind of dynamic, explosive fighter that fans were promised when these lighter division came to the UFC. He's exactly what the division needs - a fighter that fans can rally behind. So the big question is - now that the UFC has a potential Bantamweight star on their hands, what do they do with him? There is an obvious temptation to fast track Barao into a title shot. With champion Cruz on the sidelines, we may have some time before the next defense. An option would be for Barao to face the winner of UFC 139's Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles fight in two weeks, with the winner moving on to a title shot. But I don't believe that is the move to make. The UFC should send Barao down the same path Aldo traveled in the WEC. Right now, Barao is in the same position Aldo was after defeating Rolando Perez at WEC 38. He's scored his first televised win, and immediately turned heads in the process. But with Aldo, the WEC did not rush the title shot, giving him two more high profile fights and wins before setting up the Aldo vs. Mike Brown title clash. By the time that fight rolled around at WEC 44, Aldo had tremendous momentum and fan interest on his side - both of which have carried over to his current run as the UFC champion and his status among many as a top five pound for pound fighter. Barao can reach those same levels. And the UFC 138 win over Pickett was a great first step to getting there. But it was just that - a step. The UFC has a potential star on their hands, but to get the most out of this star, they need to introduce him to a wider range of fans first. Put his next fight on the PPV portion of a strong card and let the casual fanbase get excited about this new Bantamweight phenom. After that? Put him against Cruz and cross your fingers. If all goes well, Bantamweight could have their own Jose Aldo, and a new champion to put in the pound for pound rankings.

Posted in: ufc, division, fan, barao, aldo

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The UFC Twitter incentive campaign, launched in May at the UFC Fighter Summit, awards 12 bonuses per quarter rewarding creative and successful uses of Twitter. Fighters are placed into one of four categories based on number of followers as of June 1, the beginning of the quarter. Three prizes are given out within each: most total followers at the end of the quarter, biggest percent increase in followers over the quarter, and most creative use of Twitter. Twelve bonuses of $5,000 each will go to the following nine fighters: Most followers: Anderson Silva, UFC middleweight champion - 604,511Minotauro Nogueira - 176,852Demian Maia - 69,792Cris Cyborg, Strikeforce women's featherweight champion - 12,252Biggest percent increase in followers:Anderson Silva - 106.5%Minotauro Nogueira - 290%Demian Maia - 157%Paulo Thiago - 301%Most creative:Forrest GriffinFrom the dawn of TUF through his best-selling books, Griffin has been revered for his unique and comic voice. On Twitter, his messages are sporadic but unmistakeably Forrest. Notified of his win, he wrote: "Irony: found put on twitter I won a prize for tweeting" and  "When the @ufc says most creative what they obviously mean is incoherent ramblings." Joe LauzonLauzon used a multi-platform approach to scoop the MMA media and break the news of his UFC 136 fight against Melvin Guillard... with the blessing of the UFC, of course (no leaks!). He wrote a post on his own site with his reasons for taking the fight and his (ultimately correct) prediction for how it would play out, then tweeted a link. Benson HendersonHenderson live-tweeted during the UFC 133 pre-fight conference call, giving fans access to what is usually a media-only affair. He also took questions from fans during the call, fully incorporating them into the event.Joseph BenavidezBenavidez held a Twitter contest asking fans to suggest and then vote on a new nickname, which was to be announced by Bruce Buffer inside the Octagon at Benavidez' August fight. The contest received over 1,000 mentions and 250 nominations. Brazilian fighters in particular benefited from a surge in popularity due to August's UFC Rio event. All of the fighters who nabbed "Most followers" and "Largest percentage growth" are Brazilian. UFC President Dana White and the UFC have long been proponents of fighters taking advantage of the social media platform. White famously instructed his athletes to "Tweet your asses off," believing the platform is ideal for engaging fans and building fighters' presences. Statistics on number of followers are tracked by Digital Royalty, a social media brand management company. Nominees in the "most creative" category were submitted by fighters, fans, UFC staff and Digital Royalty; winners were selected by White.  

Posted in: ufc, fighter, fan, twitter, follower

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submitted by saku-39 [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: mma, fan, youre, saku, oldschool

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The argument is made every single time. If a card looks horrendous on paper, it will probably end up being amazing. The argument has legs simply because more often than not, it's true. It's not always the case (UFC 119, I'm looking right at you) but there's just something about those cards that lack star power and are under promoted that brings out the fun of watching fights. Maybe it's the expectations of us, the fans, watching the event. We're so convinced that it will be horrible that even the slightest bit of entertainment seems momentous. We take off our mixed martial arts (MMA) crown and put on our fight cap and enjoy ourselves. Maybe it's the fighters who don't live in a bubble and can't help but realize they're stuck on a lackluster card. Hoping to be the person to provide the "the card was awful but did you happen to check out" moment for all the post-fight recaps and discussion, they go all out. Whatever the reason, UFC 138 was exactly that. What it lacked in big names it made up for in fireworks. All five fights on the main card ended before the third round and the main event was a fun 10 minute war between winner Mark Muñoz and his opponent Chris Leben. The fights aired on tape delay several hours later on Spike. Due to the time difference between Birmingham, England and the US, the fights took places from mid- to late-afternoon here in the states. But I ended up seeing "The Crippler" on my TV this afternoon. How, you ask? Because Spike was airing a special episode of UFC Unleashed with some of the heavy-handed fighter's best bouts. So the question should be asked: why wasn't UFC 138 aired live? I can understand the argument that Spike wouldn't be keen on airing a card like tonight's live. It was looked at like a card not fit to be numbered alongside great events like UFC 84, UFC 100, and UFC 116. It was a glorified Fight Night headlined by longtime Fight Night headliner Chris Leben. In fact, the only time "The Crippler" main evented a numbered event was during another jaunt across the Atlantic for UFC 89. Mark Muñoz had never headlined an event before and the only other big name on the card was that of Thiago Alves who had only won once in the past two years going into his fight with Papy Abedi. But the channel was airing UFC programming anyway during the time Alves, Leben, and Muñoz was were plying their trade inside the Octagon. Hour upon hour of UFC Unleashed dominated the afternoon programming for the channel leading up to its airing of the Birmingham event.  Why didn't they use three of those airs to air the show live? They would still be able to air it again that night as planned but would also satisfy the hardcore fans that wished to see it as it unfolded. There's nothing quite like live sports and removing the "watch it as it happens" quality also removes some of the drama and intrigue. I believe that's a big reason why Dana White and company have opted to air every single preliminary fight on Facebook.  Another reason a live showing would seem imperative is the college football game between #1 LSU and #2 Alabama. For many fans, the national championship won't be decided in January, it was decided tonight in Tuscaloosa. It was a can't miss game and when presented with the prospect of watching either that or a tape delayed UFC with a weak card, it's not hard to figure out what choice many 18-49-year old males made. I know the relationship between the UFC and Spike has soured beyond repair by this point. There was little to no promotion for tonight's card while I'm pretty sure even my grandmother knows that Cain Velasquez is taking on Junior Dos Santos next week (Nov. 12) on Fox. It reeks of contractual obligation but the treatment of the show does nothing for either company and only serves to hurt both. It's 2011. If I want to watch my beloved Red Devils play live from Manchester, I can. If I wanted to check out the 2011 Cricket World Cup finals from all the way in Mumbai live as it happened, it was easily possible. Live sporting events from across the globe are available on any cable or satellite provider and also through several legitimate websites.  The term "tape delay" is archaic and shouldn't be uttered with the technology we have at our disposal. MMA fans -- some of the most passionate across the sports spectrum -- deserve and should demand better.

Posted in: ufc, fight, event, fan, card

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You don't see many in-depth interviews with Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertitta, but when he does sit down with the media it's usually a very insightful, interesting read. So the interview conducted by Sergio Non of USA today with Lorenzo is must-read stuff. While I have a deep appreciation for the impact that Dana White has had on the UFC's success, Lorenzo's role often gets overlooked and he represents a voice that I think is going to be much more important in the network TV era. His ability to express the same points as Dana without the seeming confrontational attitude is simply easier for many people to swallow but he still exudes a great degree of confidence and doesn't suffer from the same lack of personality that many complain about with a Roger Goodell type. Some interesting parts of the interview: Your co-owner Dana White says you're not mainstream. How much would you agree with that? I agree. We have definitely carved out our market and our niche, but we are not mainstream. We've had a lot of success, but you certainly can't say, at least here in America, that we're on the level of an NFL or anything of that nature. But the good news is we have room to grow. I think this is a platform -- a platform like Fox is what can get us there. I think there's still a large group of media and large group of just what I'd call sports fans, casual sports fans, that maybe kind of know what UFC is, but they're not saying, "Hey, right now I have to be home to watch this fight." That's what we're hoping, is to bring millions more people in to see the UFC. I know that we've had some controversy from some of the boxing promoters, like Bob Arum, saying we're stupid; why would we put the heavyweight championship on free TV; that's a stupid move. The reality is this: Our model has been very successful for us, as far as putting our product on free TV to generate new fans, and that's the way we look at it. I'm not concerned about what our bottom line looks like in November; I'm concerned about what it looks like five years from now. The whole idea is to draw millions of more fans into the group. If I can convert 100,000 of those millions that will be watching for the first time into customers for the next 20 years, then our investment on Fox has paid off. This is, of course, the ultimate value to the Fox deal. Dana White isn't being quite accurate when he says they're losing money on the Fox shows. They're not making the same amount of money that they would off of a pay-per-view, but between the broadcast rights that Fox is paying and the live gate they're certainly not coming out in the red. But they are serving as basically a commercial for future pay-per-views. Exposing fighters, getting fans hooked, it's all part of a larger strategy that should pay off down the road. And they're able to do it in a way which should result in actual monetary gains. In effect, they're being paid to advertise their product.

Posted in: ufc, fox, fan, theyre, sports fans

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

"I think there's still a large group of media and large group of just what I'd call sports fans, casual sports fans, that maybe kind of know what UFC is, but they're not saying, 'Hey, right now I have to be home to watch this fight.'That's what we're hoping, is to bring millions more people in to see the UFC. I know that we've had some controversy from some of the boxing promoters, like Bob Arum, saying we're stupid; why would we put the heavyweight championship on free TV; that's a stupid move. The reality is this: Our model has been very successful for us, as far as putting our product on free TV to generate new fans, and that's the way we look at it. I'm not concerned about what our bottom line looks like in November; I'm concerned about what it looks like five years from now. The whole idea is to draw millions of more fans into the group. If I can convert 100,000 of those millions that will be watching for the first time into customers for the next 20 years, then our investment on Fox has paid off.... It's a huge commercial. You have to let people sample the product. Once again, there's a lot of people out there that really haven't been exposed to the UFC, don't know guys like Cain Velasquez, how special he is; a guy like Junior Dos Santos. Once you watch them, you create new fans." -- You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-owner, Lorenzo Fertitta, talks to USA Today about the decision to feature a major heavyweight title fight, Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos, on network television rather than pay-per-view (PPV). Fertitta explains that the long-term benefits far outweigh any short-term financial losses, betting that the telecast on FOX, which is the first-ever for the promotion on network television, will attract a large amount of new fringe fans. New fringe fans who will ultimately turn into consistently-paying customers of the future once they come down with UFC fever. It worked on Spike TV with the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), which culminated with the most important fight in the history of the promotion with Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar. Does the fight between Velasquez and dos Santos at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Nov. 12, 2011, hold the promise of another watershed moment for mixed martial arts (MMA) or will it take repeated exposure to truly make a mainstream dent?

Posted in: ufc, fan, network television, sports fans, fringe fans

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Fedor Emelianenko fans will have to fork over a little dough to see his next performance in M-1 Global

Posted in: fan, return, fedor, emelianenko, fork

Read the full article at Sherdog

Though the buzz this past weekend may have surrounded UFC 137 and the epic encounter between Nick Diaz and BJ Penn, another highly-anticipated duo hit the airwaves in the form of heavyweight headliners Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos whose UFC Primetime was shown Sunday on FOX in the midst of NFL action. Highlighting their journeys thus far leading up to UFC on FOX 1, a November 12 event where Velasquez will put his belt up for grabs against the Brazilian bomber in the promotion’s debut on network television, the special was gripping throughout and is sure to have roped in some casual fans based on its quality. Velasquez Predicts All-Out War Against “Cigano” Now, the UFC has released the video in its entirety for fans who may have not had an opportunity to catch it originally or even for those who simply want to see it again. Watch below and enjoy! You will laugh, you will cry, and you will most certainly be proud to not only be a MMA fan but have Velasquez/Dos Santos representing the sport in less than two weeks… Tweet

Posted in: ufc, fox, fan, velasquez, heavyweight headliners

Read the full article at Fighters.com

Remember when being the “heavyweight champion of the world” equated to a multi-million dollar career and fame/recognition from those who were not even boxing fans? The past decade has proven time and again to sports fans world wide that in fact, boxing is a dying a very slow and painful death. How can this be? How can a sport that doesn’t even require a ball be losing its fan base? Since when did watching two pros battle it out with nothing but their fists become boring? There are endless reasons under speculation as to why boxing is not as acclaimed as it once was. Many feel MMA is to blame, which may be true at some level. MMA is growing their fan base hourly, if not by the minute with the UFC, Strikeforce, BAMMA, and Bellator franchises all gaining viewers daily. One must realize though, the two sports are not easily compared, it’s very apples and oranges to even attempt it. Boxing is but one facet of MMA, and boxing has also been around for centuries unlike the mere decades that MMA has under its belt. The two cannot be compared plain and simple, for proof watch the Randy Couture vs. James Toney fight…a clear example of why the two sports should never collide. A Detailed Breakdown of Couture vs. Toney Is it the cheap shots in boxing that is turning people off? Perhaps this is a more accurate description of why the sport is catching so much negative press. The Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz fight that recently occurred was won by what some considered to be a cheap blow. The Chad Dawson vs. Bernard Hopkins match ended via a tackling maneuver and cost Hopkins his title. It is these exact tendencies that can fuel the rumor mill and completely diminish a sport, and the effects are starting to show. Repairing the sport can be done, it isn’t completely gone as of just yet. Some suggestions would be to hold fights people actually want to see: Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Maidana vs. Rios Donaire vs. Mares-Agbeko II Wonjongkam vs. Segura Ah, the infamous pay per view issue. HBO is a great forum for boxing to continue, but it isn’t large enough to compete with the pay per views. In the UK for example, they do not gain a dollar from HBO they are run by Sky Sports, they don’t pay for UFC fights there either, they simply buy ESPN each month which is rather inexpensive and they instantly gain every UFC card. It’s this shaky practice that has so many moaning about boxing PPV’s and this past year HBO has not had a great year packed with fights. Add in a few questionable decisions or ref calls to that and you have a bunch of crabby boxing fans furious they paid for a set of fights that they feel were “fixed” or ended on poor ref calls. There needs to be a clean up of the never ending divisions. There are simply too many at this point and as a result it makes for a bunch of “okay” classes versus just a few truly solid ones. Someone that has accomplished even two or three different weight classes would be idolized for their achievements versus the ones that go through divisions and hold titles like its nothing. Money…this is by far an issue in Boxing. What funds actually go back into the sport to improve it and make it stronger? Not much, if any at all. Currently, the millions that are being made by top A list boxers are providing lavish lifestyles for them, going to promoters, trainers, television networks and managers. There is yet to be a good plan for insurance for boxers especially those just turning professional as well. Boxing is one of the most entertaining sports of all time. It can still be what it was, it can still be adored by boxing fans as well as MMA fans if it is fixed quickly. People love seeing a good fight, and to let an exceptional sport go to waste after centuries of existence would be a real tragedy to the professional sports industry. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: fight, vs, sport, boxing, fan

Read the full article at Fighters.com

When highly-paid athletes discuss and complain about their earnings publicly, the average sports fan has trouble generating sympathy for them.

Posted in: fan, athlete, mma fans, highlypaid athletes, sports fan

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [comment]

Posted in: bj penn, tekprodfx, fan, penn, bj

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"Just watched fight. I know what I did wrong &how 2fix it. Frustrating 2watch it. I c y fans were salty. Learned lesson on big stage ... I'm sorry for my performance. I knew his GP was 2get me on cage. I was too careful of that ... I'll never let a fight like that happen again. Onwards and upwards." UFC heavyweight prospect Matt Mitrione takes to his official Twitter account following his first official loss inside the Octagon. "Meathead" drops to 5-1 with his uninspired performance against Cheick Kongo at UFC 137 back on Oct. 29 in Las Vegas, one he apologizes to the "salty" fans for. The good news is the former NFLer sounds like he's just as frustrated as the fans, vowing to fix what went wrong in last Saturday night's co-main event and come back stronger. So who do you, as a fan, want to see him matched up against next? Fantasy matchmakers, let's hear what you've got.

Posted in: ufc, cheick kongo, fan, performance, fantasy matchmakers

Read the full article at MMA Mania

The UFC released the second VLog from Dana this week. The first video blog focused on the backstage fighter reactions to UFC 136. It showed that the sport isn't just about fighting in the cage and gave that inside look at the highs and lows a fighter experiences following a win or a loss.   The second video blog shown above focuses more on fight week and the fan interaction with Dana. It opens with Nick Diaz standing around waiting for the presser to start. He looks pretty anxious because it turns out the UFC PR staff had him down an hour early just to make sure he makes it on time. Fans get to see what a UFC media scrum is all about, with Dana talking about the perceived monopoly on the sport with the MMA reporters. Nagashima, a K-1 MAX kickboxer makes an appearance and uses his twitter followers to perhaps get signed to a UFC contract. The highlight for me is Dana's interaction with the fans. He's been criticized by some as having lost focus with the wants and needs of the UFC fanbase. I'll respectfully disagree based on his interacting with a woman whose son has cancer. Dana makes arrangements to fly him out to a UFC event and cover all costs. He hasn't lost focus. He is more concerned about a faceless fan than possibly any sports executive in the world. Sure you have to put up with the "f-bombs" but in the end, he still hasn't lost sight of what's important. 

Posted in: ufc, video, dana, fan, video blog

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

When I joined Bloody Elbow as a full time staff member, I said that UFC 133 would be the last card of the year to do mediocre buys. I looked at the rest of the year and the fights that were booked and expected everything from UFC 134 on to do at least 400k on PPV. It was a fair statement, the cards were stacked and after such a long drought of "can miss" events, it was logical to think that fans would flock to these incredibly deep PPVs. Alas, that is not the case. The rumored buy rates for UFC 134, 135, and 136 all remained sub 500k, with only UFC 135 breaking the 400,000 mark. These numbers are disappointing to say the very least and have caused many to question if the UFC had in fact peaked and was on the decline.  UFC 137 was the guaranteed big money draw for the UFC. The return of Georges St. Pierre and the money match up with Nick Diaz. Then Diaz blew off two media appearances and the fight was off. Diaz claimed that he didn't know about them and that if he knew they were important, he'd have been there. Rumors swirled that he had been advised by those close to him to blow it off and let the presser come to him. This turned out to be terrible advice and fans know what happened next. Diaz was replaced by Carlos Condit and was matched up with B.J. Penn. The Condit/St. Pierre fight would essentially bring the same amount of attention as St. Pierre is the reason for anyone to purchase tickets or the pay per view. At this point in his career GSP could in fact "fight a broomstick" as KJ Gould so aptly stated, and people would buy the card. Fans felt the Condit fight would be more of a test for Georges, thinking that he would push the action and force the champion to fight. Others felt cheated out of the Condit/Penn fight that promised to be a fight of the year candidate. None of these discussions mattered in the end, when St. Pierre was forced to pull out of defending his title due to a knee injury.  Nick Diaz again finds himself in the main event and again has displayed either an inability or a lack of desire to play the game. The very game that Dana White has been on record as the only thing preventing Diaz from crossing over into the main stream. Diaz missed the first thirty minutes of the UFC 137 media call, saying that not only was he unaware of the call, but that his phone was dead. He actually explained that he only found out about it 10 minutes before calling in. Fans know that once he enters the cage, he'll be the exciting fighter that we all enjoy watching. However, his total disregard for any media responsibilities is troubling. He feels that the rules don't apply to him and he's been coddled by people who are willing to feed into that mindset.  This will be Nick's chance to prove to his doubters that he can sell a UFC pay per view on his own. People have criticized him believing that while there's interest on twitter, it doesn't necessarily mean that people will buy a card based on Diaz as the draw. He has the support of B.J. Penn as his opponent but the rest of the card is weak by casual fan standards. Most people are unaware who Hatsu Hioki is and Matt Mitrione vs. Cheick Kongo is one of the weaker co-main events in PPV history. This just proves how important St. Pierre was to this card. Losing one man has turned this from a "gotta buy" to a card where people have returned tickets for a refund. To provide perspective, prior to St. Pierre dropping off, the card was sold out. At this very moment you can purchase tickets on TicketMaster for face value.  The UFC's PPV buy rates are down this year for a bunch of different reasons. From injuries to weak cards to just too much of an active schedule which caused fans to pick and choose which cards they were going to purchase. Since August, the UFC has promoted five PPVs. That's $275 to ask fans to pony up in a 90 day period. Add in the Mayweather vs. Ortiz PPV and the $70 price tag and fans were left with choices. A card like UFC 136, which sporting two title defense was passed over, with many fans planning on buying UFC 137. Now with UFC 137 not having a true headliner, the UFC may have back to back cards with sub-300k buy rates. Allow that to settle in for a moment. At the very height of UFC popularity in 2009, the UFC was regularly pulling 500k for PPVs. Many believed that 300k was the benchmark for what fans will buy based on UFC branding. Now two years later, the UFC's branding has either become weaker within a year or the schedule is causing fans to wait for big cards, only to not purchase them due to an injury at the top of the card. This weekend will probably be a great event, but with the loss of Georges St. Pierre, there will be a huge portion of fans that will never see it. And that's something that Zuffa will need to work through in 2012, a year that Dana White has stated will be a make or break year for the company.  SBN coverage of UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz

Posted in: ufc, diaz, year, fan, card

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Nick Diaz has a reputation as someone who is not a fan of the press.Actually, according to the man himself, he is just not a fan of the second-tier press....

Posted in: diaz, fan, blog, someone, pressactually

Read the full article at Fighters Only

Just yesterday news broke that Viacom, who owns Paramount Pictures and is the parent company of SpikeTV, bought Bellator. Which means that SpikeTV will be the new home for Bellator in 2013.  Just to belabor the obvious, I'd say it's a big deal. Part of what makes the move interesting is that is that for the first time, another organization is slipping into the television shoes once worn by the UFC. Which will give us a vivid look at the real difference between MMA, and the UFC. Will fans watching Bellator for the first time lose interest? Will it capture their attention in the same way the UFC once did?  Nate Wilcox over at MMA Nation explains how the differences work in Bellator's favor (compared to previous promotions). "Bellator has always been an exceptionally far-sighted promotion compared to the usual grandiose schemers who enter the sport. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney has been careful to avoid directly challenging the UFC or positioning Bellator as a direct competitor to MMA's alpha dog. He's also taken the organization's goals much more piecemeal. Unlike the IFL, Affliction, the World Fighting Alliance (WFA), EliteXC and Strikeforce, Bellator has avoided the wrath of UFC president Dana White. All of those promotions came out of the gate making brash claims and announcing plans to compete head-to-head with UFC for headlining fighters, major television deals and pay-per-view customers." I agree with Nate on this point, but I also wonder to what extent those differences will pay dividends. Bellator doesn't have a respectable talent pool passed 170. Hector Lombard is a Normal Stansfield in a sea of Lewis Skolnicks. And a bigger stage for fans to view a champ losing a fight, but keeping his title in a lackluster affair might inspire mockery (see Wiuff's win over M'Pumbu). Heavyweight doesn't deserve  the oxygen of a wet fart, so let's skip 205 and above. On top of that, as we've seen with the UFC's struggle to sell exciting champions like Dominick Cruz, and Jose Aldo, there's the question of whether or not MMA fans care about the lighter weights (?). Speaking for myself, I know I damn sure do. This is precisely why I've enjoyed Bellator. But that's precisely why they may be a hard sell for the Spike audience. How will the tournament format impact viewership? It certainly didn't do wonders for the IFL (though to be fair, I think that had more to do with the "teams" concept). However, perception is reality is the old cliche goes. And fighters, particularly prospects, will flock to the larger stage that Bellator will provide. This is a welcome change to the MMA scenery from a fan perspective because it also means female MMA should continue (let's just assume Strikeforce is indeed, dead, which it is), despite the recent hub-bub about Zoila Gurgel. I suppose people are expecting Zuffa to go typical apeshit. And that's probably a fair assumption. But I personally doubt it. For one, they're not in a position to buy Bellator, and certainly not with the FTC cloud surrounding them. Second, Bellator isn't competing against their talent pool. You could say, this is a game changer, but I'm inclined to disagree. The time it would take for Bellator to gather enough capital to create the frenzy required to buy up the kind of talent the UFC would feel like they couldn't afford to miss is something Bellator doesn't have, nor will they anytime soon. Their divisions beyond WW are wastelands, and even below that, they don't have any real stars. But perhaps that will change once UFC fighters start getting more and more pink slips. The MMA landscape is changing, and I'd like to think for the better.

Posted in: ufc, bellator, mma, fan, talent pool

Read the full article at Head Kick Legend

"This is the UFC so there's always that chance. There's no question about it that I will ask for that if Nick has a tremendous performance and he can finish B.J., I would ask for that. But the biggest thing is if the fans want it. If the fans all ask for that, Dana [White] is a smart guy. He knows the sport is about the fans. So who knows?" -- That was the always outspoken Cesar Gracie's response when queried about what's next for his star pupil, Nick Diaz, during an appearance on The MMA Hour earlier today. Diaz, the Strikeforce welterweight champion, was originally slated to fight Georges St. Pierre for his 170-pound strap this weekend, but he was removed from the main event after skipping out on consecutive press conferences and drawing the ire of company president Dana White. Do you feel Gracie has a point? Or should the Stockton, Calif., native continue to have to prove himself before he earns (another) shot?

Posted in: ufc, fan, gracie, bj i, chance theres

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Hatsu Hioki is regarded by many as the last Japanese representative that could potentially make waves in the United States mixed martial arts scene. In Japan, he found success in every organization that he fought in, from his victory over Jeff Curran in Pride to his TKO win over Rumina Sato in Shooto. He even crossed the Pacific to defeat Mark Hominick twice in TKO. His rise to fame began in World Victory Road in 2009 as entrant in the Featherweight tournament. Other names included UFC featherweights Nam Phan, Chan Sung Jung, and Michihiro Omigawa as well as Marlon Sandro and Masanori Kanehara. Hioki is currently the number two featherweight in the world according to the USA Today / MMA Nation consensus rankings and is viewed by many as one of the few men at the weight class that could truly test Jose Aldo. He fights George Roop on Saturday and is possibly one win away from a title shot. The question however is can Hioki find success in the United States when his fellow countrymen have failed miserably? Michihiro Omigawa's signing was met with much excitement. Omigawa had finally found himself at the featherweight division after years as the fodder at lightweight. He was no longer outsized by bigger fighters after adopting weight cutting practices and developed his boxing to compliment his judo. Unfortunately, his return to the UFC was unsuccessful and he was soundly defeated by Chad Mendes. He dropped his next fight against Darren Elkins, despite the fact that many felt he did enough to win. He's now 0-4 in the UFC. Norifumi Yamamoto was at one time viewed as the top lighter weight fighter in the world. A dream match was often discussed between matching him up with Urijah Faber. He made his UFC debut at UFC 126 against Demetrious Johnson. Yamamoto has always been known for his wrestling, even attempting to make the Japanese Olympic team. Johnson not only beat him on the feet, but was able to take him down at will and keep him on the ground. For Yamamoto it may just be a case of too many outside distractions that have caused his decline and could be the reason that he's gone 1-3 in his last four fights. Injuries have kept him sidelined and he's expected to fight a virtually unknown Darren Uyenoyama at UFC on Fox.  Takanori Gomi was once considered the very best lightweight fighter in Japan. He ruled Pride with his knockout power and his incredibly underrated wrestling. Like Yamamoto he had a decline before making his stateside debut, but since joining the UFC ranks, he's going 1-3. He's lost all three times by submission and has shown up in incredibly bad shape. His sole loss was against Tyson Griffin who has recreated himself at 145. Fans and media are wondering why the UFC is keeping Gomi around and it is quite possible that he's only being used to legitimize the rumored UFC Japan card. He doesn't add anything to the division and isn't much of a challenger for anyone else at 155.  And then there is Yoshihiro Akiyama. Before his signing, Dana White was tweeting about how he signed the man to challenge Anderson Silva. Fans bought into his hype and believed that Akiyama would return to save us from the Spider's reign of dominance. Instead he fought a totally uninspired fight against Alan Belcher, one that I still believe the Talent won. After that win, he's gone on a three fight losing streak. First he was triangle choked and forced to tap by Chris Leben, then he was jabbed for 15 minutes by Michael Bisping, and most recently he was knocked out for the second time in his career by Vitor Belfort. Akiyama, like Gomi is most likely being kept around for the Japanese card, but he hasn't given fans and media any reason to believe that he can hang with the best of the division.  Ignoring the limited success non Japanese fighters were competed overseas have had in the UFC, it is a fair question to ask with regards to Hatsu Hioki. Japanese MMA Fans are counting on him to prove that the country is still relevant in some capacity to the overall MMA scene. Fans are overlooking his first test in George Roop, possibly because he still carries the The Ultimate Fighter tagline with him. Roop has made vast improvements since his time on the reality show and is one of the few contestants from his season still under UFC contract. Roop became the very first man to knockout Chan Sung Jung as well as stopping Josh Grispi with a body punch.  It is safe to assume that Hioki is unlike his peers and isn't vastly overrated by fans and media. He possesses legitimate skills and is a real test for anyone that is matched up against him. The fear is that he'll become just another Japanese MMA fighter who washed out of the UFC. He was impressive in Sengoku but how good was his competition. Kanehara was extremely overrated and Marlon Sandro was just knocked out by Pat Curran in Bellator. Hioki has the opportunity to do what only Yushin Okami has done before him. He has the chance to be the man to prove that Japanese Mixed Martial Arts is still relevant. He just needs to adopt American practices.  SBN coverage of UFC 137: St. Pierre vs. Condit

Posted in: ufc, japanese, fan, he, hioki

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

The discussion surrounding the realization that the UFC is experiencing a decline in their pay-per-view business from last year to this year has been exacerbated by the recent low point of UFC 136. The card, headlined by a UFC lightweight title showdown between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, produced an estimated 250,000 buys, which makes it one of the worst PPVs in terms of revenue of the year. It was, however, one of the best cards in terms of action and entertainment value. It simply didn't have the star power or promotional power to garner more interest from fans. The blame can't solely rest on whether Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard pander to the cameras. The UFC's marketing machine didn't promote an emerging star in Chael Sonnen at all in the lead-up to the fight, likely a decision based on the fact that his opponent, Brian Stann, was an American war hero who was immune to verbal jabs. Sonnen's own out-of-the-cage legal run-ins with the law were also probable reasons to keep him a low priority in the event's promotion. Other reasons have surfaced that are broader in scope than the attributes of UFC 137. There is a general sense that the UFC may have oversaturated the landscape. The counterargument to that has been that the quality of events has been significantly lower this year due to injuries that have destroyed potentially solid revenue-earning cards. The UFC's event schedule has also made it difficult, running sometimes two or three events in a short timespan. Obviously, that makes it tough on a fan's wallet, and it creates an environment where one must choose which cards to buy. Some weight classes lack appeal with fans due to unfamiliarity or the diminished star power of their most prominent fighters. What about our cultural propensity to gravitate toward the heavier weights, or the fact that the UFC only fields a few proven stars? We could sit here for hours speculating. Star power is a factor that has its hands in almost every one of those issues. It's an idea that can alleviate the smaller problems while singlehandedly propping up entire events. The perfect example is Brock Lesnar, a man who can bring over one million buys to an event by simply having his name on a poster and press release. What do the current stars in the UFC have that others don't? Skill has never been the issue. It's always boiled down to what fighters can offer emotionally for fans. St. Pierre is probably the least reliant on that idea, but he's gained his status by nationalism, playing the good guy opposite the bad, and having a love-hate or loving relationship with every fan who watches the sport. Lesnar and Jackson, on the other hand, have personalities that intrigue fans, crossover appeal to different segments of people, and the physical gifts to provide jaw-dropping entertainment. They fit a mold that is seen as the Holy Grail of what a star should look like. The discussion surrounding the realization that the UFC is experiencing a decline in their pay-per-view business from last year to this year has been exacerbated by the recent low point of UFC 136. The card, headlined by a UFC lightweight title showdown between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, produced an estimated 250,000 buys, which makes it one of the worst PPVs in terms of revenue of the year. It was, however, one of the best cards in terms of action and entertainment value. It simply didn't have the star power or promotional power to garner more interest from fans. The blame can't solely rest on whether Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard pander to the cameras. The UFC's marketing machine didn't promote an emerging star in Chael Sonnen at all in the lead-up to the fight, likely a decision based on the fact that his opponent, Brian Stann, was an American war hero who was immune to verbal jabs. Sonnen's own out-of-the-cage legal run-ins with the law were also probable reasons to keep him a low priority in the event's promotion. Other reasons have surfaced that are broader in scope than the attributes of UFC 137. There is a general sense that the UFC may have oversaturated the landscape. The counterargument to that has been that the quality of events has been significantly lower this year due to injuries that have destroyed potentially solid revenue-earning cards. The UFC's event schedule has also made it difficult, running sometimes two or three events in a short timespan. Obviously, that makes it tough on a fan's wallet, and it creates an environment where one must choose which cards to buy. Some weight classes lack appeal with fans due to unfamiliarity or the diminished star power of their most prominent fighters. What about our cultural propensity to gravitate toward the heavier weights, or the fact that the UFC only fields a few proven stars? We could sit here for hours speculating. Star power is a factor that has its hands in almost every one of those issues. It's an idea that can alleviate the smaller problems while singlehandedly propping up entire events. The perfect example is Brock Lesnar, a man who can bring over one million buys to an event by simply having his name on a poster and press release. What do the current stars in the UFC have that others don't? Skill has never been the issue. It's always boiled down to what fighters can offer emotionally for fans. St. Pierre is probably the least reliant on that idea, but he's gained his status by nationalism, playing the good guy opposite the bad, and having a love-hate or loving relationship with every fan who watches the sport. Lesnar and Jackson, on the other hand, have personalities that intrigue fans, crossover appeal to different segments of people, and the physical gifts to provide jaw-dropping entertainment. They fit a mold that is seen as the Holy Grail of what a star should look like. Are there other fighters who possess those talents, and why isn't the current system in place to build those stars working? Out of an enormous roster of talent, the UFC has very few proven draws. We can eliminate most of the roster because they aren't featured, but that still leaves the upper-echelon talent in every division available for the star treatment. Why aren't there more stars then? The UFC's model, as MMAMania.com's Geno Mrosko opined yesterday during a conversation we had on Twitter, is based on excitement, emotional investment, and worth-your-money performances. If you're paying $55 dollars for a PPV, it better deliver. Imagine if the NFL ran under the same model. As Mrosko stated, Terrell Owens might be the main attraction and defense wouldn't be as important. What other sport shares this similar type of prioritization of appeal? Basketball. Personalities on top of exciting performances fuel interest in the sport. If that's the case for the NBA, then why can't the UFC create a bevy of stars with that same idea? Every one of those sports has time on their side. Fanbases that consistently replenish themselves across generations, the build-up of an end goal for its participants and fans every year, and an established farm system that is not only creating talent, but driving interest and creating insane levels of revenue every year, especially in basketball and football. The UFC has none of that, nor will it likely ever have that sort of structure in place. Those are long-terms problems. In the short-term, the UFC must still deal with the fact that they can't seem to drive interest in the ligher weight classes. The personalities don't exist to build within the current mold of how to drive stars, and nobody stands out as the man to break that mold. There is hardly any focus on personal stories either, which the UFC consistently fails to leverage. There doesn't need to be a Countdown show to tell those stories. There just needs to be a bigger outlet to get the message across to fans.  How does the UFC progressively move toward a better way to build stars? The issues that plague it due to its uniqueness as a sport won't disappear, but they should only hinder it from maintaining fans across generations. Unless you're going to create teams based on fight camps or move to some sort of seasonal format like Bellator that actually has major relevance to the landscape of the sport, those issues are always going to remain unsolved. Time is an issue that is solved by sustaining the business. As the sport progresses and remains in the public's field of vision, it will gain more fans because it is seen as a legitimate sport. The more understanding by the public that this is, in fact, a competitive sport, not human cockfighting, the more sports' fans will embrace it. It will also expand the UFC's demographic from the 18-34 crowd to the larger 18-49 crowd. Eventually, we'll all be grandfathers watching this sport, and perhaps out kids and our kids' kids will be watching alongside us with interest. That expands the UFC's advertising potential and fanbase, adding years to its viability. Time only solves the issue of creating an established fanbase and enough viability to intrigue a more general sports fan, or a casual fan, as we like to call it, in MMA's case. The new Fox deal should provide a platform for more creative means to promoting fighters. Crossover promotion of the UFC with other sports is key, and publicizing backgrounds of fighters and creating an emotional connection is something the UFC can leverage with the new deal as well.  In the aftermath of the UFC 137 buyrate news, many pundits clamored that the UFC needs to do a better job of producing stars without actually providing ideas to solve the problem. I can't fault those people, however, because there isn't clear how to do that. The new Fox deal will give the UFC a significant tool to increasing its chances, but I don't believe it's going to create a blueprint that can consistently create stars for the UFC for years to come. There will always be obstacles that stop the UFC from toppling the NFL, NBA, or MLB. The reality is that there is no obvious answer, only a myriad of perplexing problems that don't have the advantage of a historical counterpart to reference. At least not at the levels that Dana White is hoping to propel the UFC into in the coming years.

Posted in: ufc, star, sport, year, fan

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Nick Diaz is growing fans in spades and they are willing to back him up with their cash.

Posted in: diaz, nick diaz, nick, fan, bandwagon

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Filed under: UFC, NewsBeginning next year, fans will be able to watch select UFC events in 3D theaters across the country. The organization announced Thursday that it had partnered with digital theatrical distribution company Cinedigm Digital Cinema to deliver 3D broadcasts of its pay-per-view events, starting with its annual Super Bowl Weekend card on Feb. 4, 2012. According to the release, the 3D broadcast will be available in more than 120 theaters across the country and will be the first of four of its kind next year. "By partnering with Cinedigm, we're taking the UFC viewing experience to a whole new level," UFC President Dana White stated. "For the first time ever, fight fans can watch a UFC Pay-Per-View card in 3D at theaters across the country. We want UFC fans to have the best viewing experience possible and now they get a chance to experience major UFC Pay-Per-Views in 3D." The UFC's first-ever 3D broadcast was UFC Live on Versus 3 in March, however, it was only available on television. The Super Bowl Weekend card has yet to be announced, but middleweight contender Chael Sonnen has pushed for his rematch with Anderson Silva to take place that weekend. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, ufc events, fan, theater, broadcast

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Next week's UFC 137 event took a major blow when UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre was forced to withdraw from the evening's main event, but the blockbuster card still features many prominent names. With the event rapidly approaching, UFC officials recently announced that fans are invited to next Thursday's UFC 137 pre-event press conference. The fan and media event takes place Thursday, Oct. 27, at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino beginning at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT local time).

Posted in: ufc, event, fan, ufc officials, blockbuster card

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It appears the UFC will continue to struggle with PPV sales this year as one of their biggest stars, Georges St. Pierre, has been forced to drop out of his title defense next weekend at UFC 137. This is another major blow to what has already been a rather dismal year for the company. Dana White announced through his twitter last night that GSP would be pulling out the fight due to injury, but it was later confirmed that the welterweight champion had sprained his knee during training. He’s expected to resume training in four weeks. This of course leaves BJ Penn vs Nick Diaz as the main event for UFC 137. For us hardcore fans, this fight is still more than enough reason to purchase the card, but will casual fans feel the same way? It’s certainly an exciting match up but Nick Diaz was never a major draw for Strikeforce, and little has changed since then. BJ Penn is still well known to even casual fans but I doubt he can carry this PPV on his own, and without a strong supporting cast it’s unlikely this PPV is going to be successful. This is a very unfortunate turn of events for the UFC after already having to move Nick Diaz from the main event but I’m sure they’ll recover just fine. With their FOX debut and Lesnar’s return to the Octagon later this year, things are still looking up. 

Posted in: ufc, fan, title defense, company dana, way itrsquos

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The scene was set for Mark Hominick at UFC 129. A Canadian native, Hominick would compete in his hometown, on the biggest stage in MMA history, and take the title away from dominant champion Jose Aldo. It would have been the perfect story, if not for the Brazilian champion. Hominick suffered his first loss after five straight wins in that April bout. Three and a half months later, Hominick suffered another, much more tragic loss when his long-time trainer and friend Shawn Tompkins passed away. It was a few rough months for “The Machine” but with a December challenge in the form of Chan Sung Jung, Hominick is ready to get back to action at UFC 140. “I just want to go out there and destroy (Jung), and make a statement with the fight.” Hominck said in an exclusive conversation with Five Ounces of Pain “I want to go out there and show the fans that I’m still here and that I’m going to be a contender in this division for a long time. I’m gonna climb my way back until I get a title shot and get the belt around my waist.” Without Tompkins in his corner for the first time in years, Hominick will look to draw strength from his former coach and friend. “We’re going to miss his leadership and guidance. We’re trying to rally around each other but it’s going to be a big void without him,” the 29-year old explained. “As a core unit, it’s made the team stronger,” he continued. “We’ve always had the Adrenaline training center so we’ve always done our day to day camp there with the staff there, we would just head to Vegas for the last five weeks to train with Shawn and have him in the corner.” A staple of Team Tompkins technical striking has always been the left hook to the body, which just happens to be Hominick’s favorite strike to throw. He’ll need to keep things technical against “The Korean Zombie” a striker known for his brawling style. Hominick looks to do just that when the two meet on December 10. “He’s more of a brawling type and the way to beat that is to be technical, which is what I do.,” said Hominick. “I never think about getting into a brawl. I like to keep it on the feet but I do with it speed and technique.” Besides his technique, Hominick is hoping that his experience will help him overcome the relentless attack of “The Korean Zombie.” Having fought in the co-main event at UFC 129, which did a record attendance of 55,724 fans and 800,000 buys on PPV, the 20-9 featherweight has dealt with the pressure of fighting on a big stage before. Regarding the match-up’s magnitude, Hominick said, “I understand what it takes to be at the top and the added pressure. Just the schedule leading up. Not just the training, but the media and the attention that comes with the fight. I understand that there’s a lot more to the job then just training every day.” Due to their two styles and ability to produce exciting fights, Hominick vs. Jung is a fight that the fans ever since both men last stepped foot in the octagon. Jung took to twitter and asked for the fight shortly after Hominick’s loss to Aldo, and Hominick had no problem stepping up to the plate. “I wanted to fight a name fight and solidify my spot as a top contender. Everyone knows the Korean Zombie,” stated the former title contender. “He’s coming off the submission of the year against Leonard Garcia and the fans know him and his style. He comes to fight every time. This is going to be a fan friendly fight that we both wanted. He called me out first and I gladly accepted.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, fight, hominick, fan, jung

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Five fights from the UFC 137 undercard are to air on Facebook.As usual the fights will be viewable via a live stream on the UFC official fan page. The...

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, undercard, air

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By now you've probably heard quite a few fans -- and just as many pundits -- tell you that UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen models himself after pro wrestlers. With his over the top interviews and larger than life personality, which is mostly fabricated, it's difficult to disagree with such a statement. But how many truly know the extent of his pro wrestling genius? I can imagine how many of you are checking out now, surely shaking your head at this subject matter. It's the old pro wrestling vs. MMA debate and whether or not the two actually have any discernible similarities. I'm not here to argue that, although it's important to note a few things. Pro wresting, while those that participate in it are athletes in the sense that they perform feats that require great athleticism, is not a sport. It's a form of entertainment, an art that few truly bother to ever really understand, even folks that call themselves fans. MMA, on the other hand, is the pinnacle of sport. It represents the purest form of competition. One man's blood, sweat and tears against another man's blood, sweat and tears. It's violently romantic, a beautiful blend of carnage and fluid motion. When putting it like that, how could the two possibly share a common bond? The answer is in the promotion. The loose tie is tightened only when considering the nature of creating hype via savvy marketing. UFC President Dana White will admit to you that he borrowed heavily from the business model WWE head honcho Vince McMahon used to make his entertainment conglomerate a smashing pay-per-view success. McMahon did so by eschewing pro wrestlers who knew how to work a match inside the ring for specialists with the gift of gab. Hulk Hogan, a name nearly all of you should know, certainly didn't rise to prominence because of his big boot and ensuing leg drop. In fact, his matches are widely regarded as the worst in main event level history. But he had an aura about him and knew exactly how to turn a microphone into a tool to control the crowd that paid to see him. He made you want to spend your hard earned money to watch him wrestle even if you had never actually seen him wrestle. That's how charismatic he was when cutting his promos. His timing and delivery was -- and still is -- unmatchable.  Chael Sonnen, who never would have been a star otherwise, used these principles to not only talk himself into a title shot against one of the greatest fighters that ever lived, but he turned himself into one of the biggest stars in the entire industry. Rewind back to Feb. 21, 2009, and UFC 95 in London, England. Sonnen fought at that event, the second act on the main card of a free show on Spike TV. He was making his re-debut inside the Octagon for his second tour of duty and while he had grown since his initial stint with the promotion, it didn't show in that first fight back. He was taken down and submitted just a few minutes into the contest. This wasn't the same Sonnen, though. Sure, his Achilles heel had reared its ugly head once again to cost him a bout against a future title challenger. But his wrestling was as good as it had ever been and his mouth was as potent as it would ever be. He quickly rebounded by accepting a short notice match-up against Dan Miller, gaining favor in the process, and outworking the New Jersey native en route to a decision victory. It was around this time that Sonnen's tongue began working almost as hard as his takedowns. Ensuing victories over Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt, both dominant decision wins, lacked the excitement typical fight fans usually crave. But, again, he made up for this by selling his fights not with his abilities inside the cage but with his speaking skills outside of it. Sounds familiar, no? After his victory over Marquardt, Sonnen began unleashing verbal bombs on Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. He did what no other 185-pound fighter in the UFC was willing to and he called "The Spider" out at every turn. He learned from notable pro wrestling promo artists like Rowdy Roddy Piper how to turn himself into a hot commodity.  He did so by turning himself into a character. The sporting enthusiasts among the MMA audience loathed him for his less than honest method of shameless self promotion. Sonnen utilized what's known as "kayfabe" -- the act of creating -- and never breaking -- character in order to better market himself to sell pay-per-views. His game plan was carefully crafted. Silva, you see, had a reputation of his own as a supremely talented fighter that had no real respect for the fans. His abilities were otherworldly but if he felt unchallenged, he had a tendency to mail in performances. When I say mail in, I mean openly mock his opponent, his employers, and all the fans in attendance and watching at home. He was loved for how unbelievably talented he is but hated for his perceived attitude as a bit of a diva. Silva can speak English, but rarely does so when conducting interviews. Instead, he uses a translator, his manager Ed Soares, who has a tendency to conveniently forget a word or two when relaying back what his fighter says.  Sonnen saw and heard this and used it to his advantage. Chael, the man, may or may not have felt the same as fans but Chael, the character, lambasted Silva for his shortcomings in the media. He did so to endear himself to the wider audience, who had previously refused to accept him as an elite fighter. It's not that he wasn't but his style of fighting, which relies largely on a grappling heavy top control game, is the least aesthetically pleasing mixed martial art. So instead of making himself famous by spectacularly knocking out a band of elite middleweights like Silva did, he used timing, a microphone and marketing savvy to become the antihero that fans had been waiting for as a foil to the seemingly untouchable 185-pound king. There were those that were terribly turned off by Sonnen's blatant insincerity. This group of people generally leaned toward hating his guts for even bringing this sort of behavior into the usually classy world of mixed martial arts. They wished nothing more than for Silva to give him his comeuppance. And that, my friends, is the genius. Sonnen managed to use pro wrestling influence to do what most modern day pro wrestlers can't even do -- he played both sides of the fence and made the largest audience possible want to pay to see him fight. He worked one group into thinking he was the perfect foil for Silva and his wrestling style would finally bring an end to the middleweight champions five year reign of terror. He worked the other group into enough of a frenzy that they simply wanted to watch "The Spider" destroy him once they finally stepped inside the cage and the talking stopped. It was utterly brilliant. The result of the fight, at that point and to his larger purpose, was immaterial. If he won, hey, he backed up his big talk. If he lost, whatever, he got a huge payday out of it and made himself into a media darling that will have a sustained career afterwards as a main event level draw.  Sonnen would go on to lose that night at UFC 117 but not until he pounded away at Silva for four and a half rounds. He backed up every bit of his big talk by using the same game plan he flat out told the champion he would. Takedown, ground and pound, rinse and repeat. But, in the fifth and final round, with the title within his grasp, Sonnen choked ... literally. He allowed himself to be snared up in a triangle and tapped to award his opponent the victory. Silva went home the champion, Sonnen went home having made himself a star and the UFC basked in the glow of a highly successful pay-per-view event. Sonnen became even more like a pro wrestler when word came about that he failed a drug test for elevated levels of testosterone after the fight. It marred what was otherwise an unbelievable all around performance. Controversy would follow, including Sonnen being busted for money laundering and lying in front of the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). He would emerge relatively unscathed, though, as the reputation he had built beforehand was one of a liar, anyway. He broke kayfabe only every now and again and only long enough to earn himself the proper points to get back to where he needed to go. Throughout the entire process, he never stopped calling out Silva. Despite losing to him by way of definitive submission, he maintained he would earn himself a rematch and finish the job he came so close to doing last year. But how? Silva and his management team played their cards smart by simply stating that other worthy contenders were available and fresh talent was emerging every day. Sonnen losing by way of submission, instead of say, controversial decision, didn't exactly give him much of a case for a rematch, even if he came closer than anyone to defeating the dominant champion. Sonnen, though, a cerebral tactician with the ultimate goal always in mind, positioned himself perfectly once again to challenge his arch nemesis and earn a big payday in the process. Here's how he did it. He accepted a bout against Brian Stann at UFC 136 on Oct. 8 in Houston, Texas. This accomplished many things. For starters, Stann had been on an absolute tear leading into the fight and was widely considered a potential title challenger ... if he could win one or two more fights. Just as soon as he was paired up against Sonnen, the bout was announced as a number one contender match. The bout was also booked to take place in the state of Texas, which has a notoriously lax athletic commission who wouldn't hesitate to clear Sonnen to fight by granting him his license. And they didn't. The UFC was also holding a Fan Expo during the weekend, meaning all the big stars on the roster would make their way down and most of them would be in attendance for the fights. Including Anderson Silva. Finally, Sonnen was simply a style nightmare for Stann. His strong wrestling and relentless pressure would prove too much to overcome, as the Republican former realtor absolutely destroyed "All American" en route to a second round submission finish, about as good a result as Sonnen could have possibly hoped for. And then color commentator Joe Rogan entered the cage for the usual post-fight interview and Sonnen became even more pro wrestling than pro wrestling. This was his moment to sell the masses on a second fight against Silva. This was his time to explain to everyone why he should be given a second shot at the title despite losing definitively the first time around. This was his time to shine. And shine he did. He kicked things off like any great promo artist by delivering a line that would grab the attention of the entire arena while also letting them know he means business. "Anderson Silva, you absolutely suck!" The crowd exploded with glee, the same crowd that booed him during his entrance before his fight against Stann. This was made even more incredible because, again, Silva was sitting in his seat not far from the cage with Sonnen looking directly at him while he said this. It's a brilliant move, really, to use this forum to say such a thing. Silva is essentially a hapless victim, trapped like a sitting duck to sustain the oncoming verbal assault while the live crowd cheers it on. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't do a damn thing about it. Then came the bait: "Super Bowl weekend will be the biggest rematch in the history of this business. I'm calling you out, but we're upping the stakes." Now the crowd, which was already on its feet, is on pins and needles awaiting what Sonnen will say next. This is his mastery of manipulation. He had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand, heavily intrigued by what will come next. Then the hook: "I beat you, you leave the division. You beat me, I will leave the UFC ... forever." That's pro wrestling at its finest. Sonnen has now done two things: He's established a solid reason to hold the rematch that extends beyond his coming close to winning the first time. If he loses, he'll bail on MMA (which is entirely possible considering his age and other factors) and if he wins, Silva will hardly be able to show his face inside UFC arenas. The Brazilian has no reason to follow the "leave the division" stipulation but again, that's not even the point. What happens after the bout is immaterial, as noted previously. The other, more important, thing Sonnen accomplished with this was he got the fans right back on his side. Maybe not in the sense that they'll cheer him but they'll most definitely be ready and willing to drop another $60 on a pay-per-view headlined by Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen part deux. And that's it in a nutshell, ladies and gentlemen. That's Sonnen using pro wrestling influence to manipulate his way to the top of the food chain using a combination of skilled fighting with stellar marketing to make a boatload of money for all involved. And hell, we fans might even be treated to another classic finish. Nothing wrong with that.

Posted in: ufc, fight, silva, fan, sonnen

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"There can be only one." Former champion BJ Penn says the fans are in for a treat when he faces fellow scrapper Nick Diaz at UFC 137.

Posted in: ufc, fan, penn, bj, video interview

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

More than a decade has passed since Rickson Gracie competed in mixed martial arts, but the 52-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt still holds a prominent place in the minds and hearts of most hardcore fans.

Posted in: fan, gracie, heart, rickson gracie, rickson

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Check out our exclusive gallery of UFC Houston Fan Expo photos from HeavyMMA photographer James Law.

Posted in: ufc, houston, fan, photo, photo gallery

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UFC fans will have to wait a little longer to see Gilbert Melendez inside the Octagon.

Posted in: fan, ufc fans, return, gilbert melendez, melendez-masvidal

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Sports fans can be the most cruel critics when a team or individual isn't performing well. Unforgiving and relentless, droves of fans will take to the streets, the stadiums, the offices, the schools, and the Internet to let everyone who will listen know of their displeasure. As a lifelong Bears and Cubs fan, I've participated in these types of prolonged criticisms, and judging from the Detroit Lions' utter destruction of the pitiful Chicago Bears' offensive line last night -- it's going to continue. Those same criticisms run rampant in mixed martial arts. Fighters come in through talent acquisition or The Ultimate Fighter reality series and fail in some manner that fans see as embarrassing or undeserving of a shot in the world's premier organization. If those fighters fail again, it's likely they'll be sent back out into the regional proving ground, and many of them never make it back to the big show. UFC veteran Ben Saunders, at first glance, didn't fit that profile. The 6'3" welterweight was cast on The Ultimate Fighter season six after amassing a 4-0-2 record in Florida's local MMA scene. His sheer size made him an immediate threat to anyone he was pit against on the show. Unfortunately, eventual finalist Tommy Speer grinded out Saunders in the quarterfinals. After the show, Saunders made all the sacrifices to become a well-rounded martial artist, improving by leaps and bounds on both the feet and the ground under the watchful eye of one of the best camps in the world, American Top Team. Wins over Dan Barrera and Ryan Thomas proved he was progressing, but his brutal victory over Brandon Wolff at UFC: Fight for the Troops in December of 2008 was a rude awakening for anyone sleeping on Saunders as a rising prospect. The win earned Saunders bigger and better opportunities. Unfortunately, Saunders faltered against the better competition put in front of him, amassing a 1-3 record in his last 4 appearances. He absolutely crushed UFC veteran Marcus Davis at UFC 106, but dropped decisions to Jon Fitch and Dennis Hallman at UFC 111 and UFC 117 respectively while also succumbing to strikes from Mike Swick at UFC 99 prior to his win over Davis. The two consecutive losses earned him a release from the promotion. Too much, too soon was a constant mantra repeated by fans in the aftermath. As the old adage says "When one door closes, another one opens". Saunders signed with rival promotion Bellator six months later in February. The move was seen by some fans as a bad one due to Bellator's restrictive contracts, but I'd argue it was the perfect opportunity. I've watched countless hours of footage of every prospect on the planet, and there isn't a substitute for fighting against veteran competition while attempting to improve your skills. Saunders skipped that segment of his career, mainly due to his incredible success in the UFC. Despite his failure to break through to the upper tier of the UFC's welterweight division, he's now doing exactly what he needs to do in order to become an elite level fighter. He's fighting known prospects and veterans who possess different styles. They may not be the most successful fighters on the planet, but they offer Saunders what he needed after The Ultimate Fighter... a consistent increase in competition while he improves the details of his skill-set. Unlike many of the perished fighters of the UFC who washed away out of our memories, Saunders made the right call. The 28-year-old has demolished the competition in three fights with the organization, including a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu clinic on Scouting Report rankee Luis Santos this past Saturday at Bellator 53. He'll square off against heralded prospect Douglas Lima in the finals, an even greater challenge than his last. Win or lose, Saunders' choice is one that we don't see often, and other aspiring MMA fighters should follow in his footsteps. SBN coverage of Bellator 53

Posted in: ufc, bellator, fighter, fan, saunder

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As a reminder, fans are invited to Wednesday's UFC 140 press conference in Toronto. The fan and media event kicks off the pre-event promotion for UFC 140, a pay-per-view event that takes place Dec. 10 at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. Wednesday's presser, which streams live online, takes place at the same venue.

Posted in: ufc, toronto, wednesday, fan, place dec

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Sometimes you have fight cards that have the all the hype of the 2010-2011 Miami Heat. The problem is that occasionally, you get the same results as the 2010-2011 Miami Heat. UFC 136 in Houston, Texas, this past Saturday night (Oct. 8, 2011) had all the makings of a stellar show prior to the promotion's arrival at the Toyota Center. Fans witnessed the rubber match to end all rubber matches, as well as another champion retaining his belt and keeping his pound-for-pound fighting status alive in the process.What's more, a top middleweight contender was appointed as the plot between Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva only thickened. And in other action, underdogs shut up their critics and fan favorites gave their audience a reason to stand and applaud. It delivered, from bottom to top, as advertised. Here are some details on an exciting night of fights that somehow seemed to fly below the radar: In the main event, UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar put the final nail in the coffin of the story between himself and Gray Maynard. Well, at least for now, anyway. After being brutally dominated and nearly knocked out in the first round, Edgar bravely fought through the pain, worked his way back into the fight and managed to turn the tables on "The Bully" in the fourth round. Watch video highlights from Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard UFC 136 fight right here.In a number one contender eliminator match between Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann, Sonnen used his top-level takedowns and grossly underestimated ground-and-pound to pummel his buddy and grab hold of a second chance to beat up current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva.After the fight, Sonnen grabbed the microphone and called out "The Spider," going so far as to offer to leave the UFC if he drops a "loser leaves town match" in early 2012. Bold words, but what's new?Kenny Florian was unable again to take advantage of an opportunity to wear UFC gold around his waist in a very close bout against Jose Aldo. "Scarface" got the decision nod from the judges, but afterward had President Dana White calling for him to move up to lightweight and take on "The Answer." Watch video highlights from Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian UFC 136 fight right here.Former network administrator and computer geek, Joe Lauzon, showed fellow lightweight Melvin Guillard that it's not a good idea to count your chickens before they hatch. He also showed that it's not a good idea to give "J-Lau" your back ... ever.In a fight that instantly gained momentum in the conversation for "Fight of the Year," Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan had the "Space City" fans jumping out of their seats. After a controversial decision the last time these two met on Dec. 4, 2010, Phan took the decision this time, much to the delight of the fans in attendance.Anthony Pettis jumped back aboard the "win-wagon" with an exciting split decision victory over fellow lightweight Jeremy Stephens. Demian Maia did much to further de-rail the hype train of former Sengoku Middleweight Champion Jorge Santiago in a dominant decision victory.And fans saw the debut of perhaps the next "Cro Cop" as Croatian Stipe Miocic brought the pain to the always-willing-to-brawl Joey Beltran.Enough of our banter. What was your favorite UFC 136 highlight, Maniacs? For complete UFC 136 results and a detailed recap of all the action click here and here. To check out a recap of the UFC 136 fights that were streamed online via Facebook click here. Want to know what happened on the UFC 136 "Prelims" portion of the card? To read a full recap click here. And just in case you want to get up to speed on the entire UFC 136 fight card from cradle to grave click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, decision, fan, &nbsp

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THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Zuffa, LLC today announced that reigning UFC® middleweight champion Anderson Silva has been named the cover athlete for UFC Undisputed® 3, the forthcoming installment in the critically acclaimed mixed martial arts (MMA) videogame franchise from the Ultimate Fighting Championship®. The Brazilian-sensation Silva, who most recently defeated top contender Yushin Okami at UFC® Rio in August to retain his middleweight championship, currently holds both the longest winning streak and longest title defense streak in UFC history. In a franchise-first opportunity, fans were invited to vote online for one of five current UFC champions – Silva, UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones or UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez – to be this year’s cover athlete.  More than 110,000 votes were cast by fans from around the world, with Silva garnering the largest percentage among his fellow competitors.“Enabling fans worldwide to select the UFC Undisputed 3 cover athlete has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” said Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core Games, THQ.  “Anderson Silva possesses a tremendous work ethic and incredible prowess inside the Octagon, making him an excellent choice to serve as our cover athlete for the game.”“The fans have voted and Anderson Silva will be on the cover of UFC Undisputed 3,” UFC President Dana White said. “This game has a ton of new features, including the PRIDE mode, and we can’t wait for fans to get a chance to play it.”

Posted in: ufc, silva, champion, anderson silva, fan

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Another great and memorable weekend, thanks to the UFC. My first event, as a fan. was Ultimate Fight Night 22 last September in Austin, Texas, and it was a blast. If you want to check out that FanPost click here. Well, needless to say, UFC 136 delivered one of the best pay-per-view cards this year as it was stacked with talent from top to bottom. We arrived in Houston on Friday morning to attend the first day of the UFC Fan Expo. It's a little overwhelming, as I had no idea where to start. We first went to the Q&A with "veteran voice of the Octagon" Bruce Buffer to get the day started. He's an interesting guy, who has had many businesses and manages his brother Michael Buffer. He doesn't plan on retiring from announcing anytime soon, but wont be doing the "Buffer 360" anytime soon either due to a bad knee. Next up, we went to visit Miesha Tate. She had a booth over at Gaspari nutrition and was signing with Sam Stout. Their lines were pretty short, so we took advantage of it. I asked "Hands of Stone" if he had any opponents scheduled and he had nothing in the works as of now. (I never know what to do with my hands in these pics.) Our next stop was Jason "Mayhem" Miller's Q&A session, which of course was entertaining. All the fans were begging him to beat the shit out of Bisping. He was asked if he'd like to face Nick Diaz or a rematch with Shields and he wasn't interested in those fights. He explained that at the time in Strikeforce those were like his only quality fights, whereas now in the UFC he has a whole new talent pool.  And here's the beautiful Arianny signing autographs for her fans, one of the longest lines in the building. And this was the end of day one for us. We were going to go to TapouT party but my idiot friend forgot dress shoes and the bouncer was a tool.  Alright, here is day two at the UFC Fan Expo and it began with a Q&A session featuring TUF fighters Forrest Griffin, Josh Koscheck, Matt Mitrione, Brendan Schaub, Stephan Bonnar, Cole Miller, Amir Sadollah and Rashad Evans. Bonnar was asked what was the biggest surprise on season one and his answer was how much Leben could drink. "The Crippler" went through so many bottles and would put peppermint extract on the grocery list for "baking purposes." Things then got a little heated when a fan asked who Koscheck wanted to fight next. Koscheck answered with Leben before Dave Farra stirred up the pot and asked what about Bonnar. (Koscheck was suing Bonnar for not getting permission to print his likeness on Bonnar's clothing brand). "Kos" said he would fight Bonnar at 185-pounds but "The American Psycho" offered 195, because he was afraid he'd die if he cut to 185. For the rest of the day I just walked around the expo getting in short lines or taking pictures of fighters from behind their lines. Here are some of them. "Meathead" signing autographs. Taking a pic with Kenda Perez. And of course the number one UFC ring girl. Had to wait in line for this one, but fortunately I was the last one she took. There were still a good hundred+ people behind me. But I did get the name of the bar she was partying at that night. Jon Jones getting bumrushed by fans at the Xyience booth. Pat Barry and Punk Ass signing at the Tap out booth. Pat was nice enough to pose. Daniel Cormier and I. Luke Rockhold in the background. They also sat right in front of us at UFC 136. Bad Boy Girls. Kenny Rice and I. Bas Rutten had already left for fights. And finally I went to the fights around 5pm for the prelims and the first one was a hell of a fight between Mike Massenzio and Stave Cantwell. Also, I bought one of those event radios, so you can listen to commentary during fights -- well worth the $20. At first they weren't working, but I tweeted @DanaWhite and @UFC about it and they tweeted back five minutes later that it was fixed. I've never done the twitter thing before but man is it handy when you go to UFC events. I would recommend it so you know where you can see you favorite fighters and even solve problems like the one above.  So most of the prelims were pretty exciting, a lot of us fans would take pictures with fighters between fights and they were more than happy to oblige.  Of course, I had to take one with the wife. Here's Urijah and I. Here's Rashad Evans, the true number one contender. He thinks the Machida vs Jones fight will be interesting. The guest ring girl. meh Demian Maia after his win over Santiago. A disappointed Greg Jackson after Leonard Garcia lost. Leonard after his fight of the night with Nam Pham. A disappointed Kenny Florian after his decision loss to the flying spider monkey Jose Aldo. Jose Aldo after his championship win. On to the afterparties. VIP with Arianny Celeste at Link Lounge, after the fights. Damn drunkard didn't know how to let the camera focus. Here's another at Link Lounge. About an hour before closing, I decided to to leave the wife and go to Chael Sonnen and Anthony Pettis's party at 5th Amendment. I walked in the door and this crazy hooker comes flying at me on some sort of flying sex swing. So I couldn't find Pettis or Chael, so I was gonna call it a night before I ran into Jake Ellenberger. On the way out, I ran into Tracy Lee from Combat Lifestyle, who we had drinks with in Austin at UFN 22. She spotted Sonnen walking up to bar so I followed, pretending to be part of her crew and got a pic with Chael. He actually seems like a really nice guy. Can't wait for the "Spider" rematch. So that was my weekend, it was a blast and I would do it again any day. I would definitely recommend floor seats just for the environment alone. I did have a good view as well. You'll be surrounded by celebs and fighters and it's quite the experience. Thanks for reading Maniacs. Also, getting pics at the event and afterparties is way easier than at the fan expo. Just ask fighters where they are partying that night, or check twitter. Combatlifestyle.com also had a list of afterparties under the event tab.

Posted in: ufc, fight, day, fan, bonnar

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Welcome to another edition of Payout Perspective. This time we come to you from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas where fans saw one of the best cards of this year. Edgar bullies Maynard The first round of Edgar Maynard III looked a lot like Edgar Maynard II. Instead, Maynard remained composed throughout the rest of the round. However, Maynard seemed too lax in the second and Edgar got to Maynard in the fourth. Maynard looked stunned after the match. Not sure who looked more crestfallen: Maynard or Kenny Florian. Aldo outlasts Florian Jose Aldo controlled the match and defeated a game Kenny Florian. When the final round ended, Florian had a look of a defeated fighter and someone that knew his career (at least trying to win UFC gold) was over. Sonnen outclasses Stann Chael Sonnen returned to the Octagon to beat Brian Stann. This was a definite step up in competition for Stann and it showed. Sonnen had his way with Stann and used the arm triangle to choke him out. But what was more interesting than the fight was the post-fight interview. Short, brief and concise. Sonnen challenged Anderson Silva (who was in attendance and sitting next to Charles Barkley) to a loser leaves match (Silva leaves division or Sonnen leaves the UFC). A textbook pro wrestling promo: 1) Insult opponent, 2) challenge said opponent to a fight, 3) state when the fight is happening, 4) state stipulations and 5) leave. Silva thought the promo was hilarious and the UFC attempted to diffuse the situation by panning the camera to Barkley. Phan outlasts Garcia – Third fight upcoming? In the fight of the night, Nam Phan defeated Leonard Garcia in another entertaining slugfest. How is it that Leonard Garcia got more post-fight interview time than Nam Phan? It seems like the UFC is trying to package these guys together. Initially, Phan said in the post-fight interview he didn’t want another fight with Garcia but seemed more receptive later. I think Phan is thinking about moving up and on but the UFC may sign them up for another fight. Garcia will never be cut by the UFC although he really must try something different. All of his fights look like he’s swinging like a guy in a bar at last call. He’ll be in the same category as Pat Barry and Dan Hardy. Entertaining fighters but not successful. Attendance and Gate: MMA Fighting’s Mike Chiappetta reported attendance of 16,164 for a gate of $2.3 million. According to the Toyota Center web site, the arena houses 18,300 for basketball and 19,000 for concerts. Not sure The attendance figure is better than the UFC’s last event at the arena, UFC 69. However, 69 produced a bigger gate: $2.8 million. Bonuses MMA Junkie reports that the bonuses for UFC 136 were $75,000 each. Fight of the Night: Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia Submission of the Night: Joe Lauzon KO of the Night: Frankie Edgar Promotion of UFC 136 The UFC had an off beat promo for UFC 136 entitled, “The Great Debate.” It currently has over 191,000 views on YouTube. The UFC also held another #Hunt4UFC, where White gave hints on places around Houston to be at for fans to win tickets. Sponsorships Upcoming movie release, Immortal, Tapout, Dodge, UFC Trainer, UFC.com store, Xyience, SafeAuto Insurance, Toyo Tires and Bud Light with the center were in the cage tonight. Is it me or is the UFC.com store being promoted much more. Fighter walkout shirts are here. I like the track jackets that some fighters are using. Although its hard to pull over the gloves, its still another piece that clothing brands can market. We saw for the first time the video game cover for the UFC video game, “Undisputed 3”. As reported by USA Today, Anderson Silva was voted to be on the cover after THQ conducted a poll to see which UFC champion should be on the cover. Xyience took the fighting check point. It appears that its a revolving sponsor although Harley Davidson had the checkpoint for some time. There was a huge push for the movie Immortal. Chael Sonnen wore it on his fight trunks and had an Immortal hat on during a taped interview in the pre-fight hype package. UFC Fan Expo The UFC held another fan expo in Houston which gave fans, sponsors and fighters the ability to interact. No word on attendance at the expo but we will follow up. With the first one going on in Toronto for 129 and this one happening for 136, we should expect at least a couple expos in 2012. Post-UFC 136 storylines Sonnen vs. Silva – Super Bowl Weekend. The event is not on the schedule yet but I guess we have our first fight. This will be a big event and should help jumpstart 2012 with a big buy rate. Sonnen will be in full promo mode and with the help of Fox, we’re going to be seeing Sonnen’s face all over the Fox networks. There are talks of this being in Cowboys Stadium although that seems like talk at this point. Aldo vs. Mendes – An interesting matchup but what will be more interesting will be how much longer Aldo will stay in the Featherweight division. He’s had trouble with the weigh cut and an Aldo-Edgar, Aldo-Melendez fight would bring some spark to the lighter weight divisions. Edgar vs. Melendez or Aldo? – The worst kept secret is that the Strikeforce lightweight champion is coming to the UFC to “unify” the titles. The matchup makes sense and would draw interest. But when will it happen. Melendez is slated for a Strikeforce title defense in December. But, Dana White is bullish on Melendez in the UFC lightweight division. White also said that he’s interested in Edgar going up against Jose Aldo. PPV Buys Last night marked the end of a three week period where four UFC titles were up for grabs. UFC 136 was one of the best, if not the best card the UFC has put on this year. Top to bottom, the card was exciting. It will be interesting to see what the PPV buys will end up at. Does anything lower than 400K say anything about fan perceptions of the lower weight divisions? Or is it just that there are too many PPVs going around that fans just can’t buy them all? Odds and ends Rashard Evans got booed again when the camera panned to him. What was funny is when the camera widened fans cheered for Forrest Griffin who was sitting next to him. Griffin looked back at Evans and playfully laughed at him. Pretty funny considering these two fought for the title a couple years ago. Chad Mendes was announced as the newest member of Team Edge. Good for him considering he may get the next title shot against Jose Aldo. Another loss by Tiequan Zhang. He was thought to help garner interest from Chinese fans. But, his losses are mounting and it seems like the UFC may have to look to someone else to make inroads into the Chinese market. The Spike Prelims featured Anthony Pettis and Demian Maia. Good match-ups which should mean another good rating. Among the writeups for UFC 136, there was this one on Nam Pham.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, sonnen, maynard

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While we, as a fight fan collective, recover from the Octagon hangover that UFC 136: "Edgar vs. Maynard III" gave us last night (Oct. 8), I'll spend just a little time reminiscing of a simpler time. A time before Chael Sonnen was issuing "Loser Leaves Town" challenges to Anderson Silva and a Anthony Pettis/Jeremy Stephens fight turned into a grappling contest. Oh right, that time was yesterday afternoon. The second day of the UFC Fan Expo started off fast and fierce as soon as doors opened at 10 am local time. As a token of the fight promotion's gratitude, Bruce Buffer was there to welcome all the mixed martial arts (MMA) fans that shrugged off the cobwebs from the previous evening's partying and woke up early. The first day of the Expo I was able to snap photos as I walked around the George R. Brown Convention Center but yesterday was more business. I sat down and chatted with Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez and future UFC Hall of Famer Vitor Belfort.  You can read what Melendez had to say here and Belfort's thoughts here. Don't worry, Maniacs, I was still able to get a few pictures of the talent that the UFC lined up for the Expo. Bud Light Lime bounce house. You know, for the kids. Anthony Johnson hanging out at the Hayabusa booth. After the photo, he shoved my face to the ground and then delivered a nasty head kick before we were separated. I still maintain it was a quick stoppage, though. This was the line to step inside the Octagon and get a picture taken. Well, it's PART of the line. The full line was about three times longer than what's in the photo. Nate Diaz in what appears to be some time of time warp. He was signing autographs for fans and I could have sworn I got a photo of him smiling but when I pulled it up on my camera, it was blank... Oh, "Meathead." Never change! They had some very cool old school UFC memorabilia in a truck set up outside as part of the Octagon Nation Tour. I can't lie, I got goosebumps when I saw freakin' Royce Gracie's gi. All in all, going to the Fan Expo is quite a treat if you fancy yourself an MMA supporter. It's got everything you could ever want: grappling competitions, MMA merchandise galore, and some very sexy ladies. Oh, and the fighters are cool too. And for any of you that happen to be autograph seekers, find out which hotel the UFC has taken over and hang out. You will run into everyone from Bruce Buffer to Urijah Faber to Rashad Evans. Well, this is Sergio signing off. Hope you enjoyed the weekend! Ta ta, Maniacs!

Posted in: ufc, time, fan, convention center, expo

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In the lead-up to UFC 136 this past week, UFC President Dana White had a hesitant tone when talking about Chael Sonnen's future. Questions revolving around where he stands in the division, and who UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva would face next were met with non-committal answers. In the back of everyone's mind, it was obvious that Sonnen vs. Silva II was a huge fight that the UFC would eventually have to put on. The only question was when. Sonnen made the answer obvious after destroying Brian Stann in a main card middleweight match-up at UFC 136 on Saturday night. Stann wasn't given any space to work, constantly defending against the relentless pace and wrestling of Sonnen. Impressively, there weren't any signs that Sonnen's lengthy layoff due to his legal problems and positive drug test for elevated testosterone levels had any effect on his performance. It was a perfect route of a legitimate, rising star. Sonnen's post-fight pro wrestling promo in which he told the cheering crowd in Houston, Texas that Anderson Silva "absolutely sucks" and that he would leave the UFC if Silva beat him in a rematch brought an undeniable excitement to the fanbase watching. Any uncertainty in Dana White's mind was absent during the post-fight press conference as White stated the rematch needs to happen as soon as possible because the fans want it, Chael wants it, and Anderson Silva wants it. The question now is whether this potentially massive pay-per-view card will produce exactly that... massive numbers. UFC 117, which was headlined by both Silva and Sonnen, reached an estimated 600,000 buys with a below average supporting cast. Undoubtedly, the rematch with the proper promotion and supporting fights could reach upwards of 800,000 to possibly 1 million buys as White alluded to at the post-fight presser. There isn't any evidence to suggest that Sonnen has the connection with the UFC's fanbase to bring in those types of numbers. While there were many opinions in the aftermath of UFC 136 that were negative toward Sonnen's consistent schtick as the American badass, it's difficult to see it not amping up casual fans who don't have the hunger for the technical nuances of fighting. Those fans just want to see a great fight, and the added emotions and drama behind such a rematch should be enough to bring in new fans, especially if the UFC can promote the fight on their new network partner Fox. Anderson Silva has brought more prominence to himself in recent appearances as well. The front kick knockout of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 and his destruction of Yushin Okami at UFC 134 have laid to rest some of the bad memories of his stale performances in the past. He's also helped drive pay-per-view buys to an estimated 750,000 at UFC 126, hinting that he's beginning to move the needle as he should. Sonnen is the major player in helping this eventual rematch breakthrough the ceiling. The UFC will undoubtedly push him into the spotlight to cut promotions and drive interest. They have all the material they need to connect with casual fans because Sonnen is in full production mode from now until the fight happens. It may be a tired WWE tactic, but the difference is that this schtick is in the confines of the real world, not a soap opera. Casual fans will eat it up, and Sonnen vs. Silva II will likely become a massive success.

Posted in: ufc, silva, anderson silva, fan, sonnen

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The big news broke yesterday morning (Oct. 7) that UFC and Microsoft had reached an agreement to stream the fight promotion's pay-per-view (PPV) events through XBox Live, the company's online platform available through its Xbox 360 video game system. Did I say video game system? Well, scratch that because that small box become so much more than that. This landmark deal is proof of that. Now able to stream content from providers such as ESPN3, Netflix and Hulu, the Xbox 360 has evolved beyond just being a toy that plays the newest Call of Duty. It has become a multimedia powerhouse and the UFC is getting in on the ground floor. Starting with UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida," fight fans will be able to order PPVs straight through the new UFC menu option that will go live on December 1. But the fun doesn't stop there, Maniacs. Fight picks, interviews, pre-fight press conferences and much more will be available. I was lucky enough to get a hands on look at what Microsoft and the world's number one fight promotion have in store for us during the UFC Fan Expo this weekend.  It was impressive to say the least. As I mentioned above, the biggest news coming from the announcement is obviously the PPV which can be ordered in standard or high definition (HD) for the same price one would pay through their cable or satellite provider. The HD version streams through at 720 which is due to a compromise from the boys at Microsoft. The video quality isn't noticeably different but buffering will be almost nonexistent. To help compensate for this, fans will get the feed at 60 frames per second. In order to make the payment process as headache free as possible, you will have to use a debit/credit card to purchase the PPV so Xbox Live points won't cut it.  Now let's get down to the fun stuff. Here's a quick look and what the interface will look like: On top of the full event itself -- all preliminaries and main card bouts -- fans will be able to view the pre-fight press conference or the weigh-ins while also having access to interviews with the fighters from the event. Want to watch the Countdown to get yourself pumped for the fights? You can do that too. Microsoft wanted to avoid having fans sit through buffer screens and came up with a clever solution. The video starts immediately albeit at a slightly lower quality which increases as the video progresses. No load screens here, Maniacs. Now let's talk fight picks. Maniacs pride themselves on being experts when it comes to predicting who will get their hand raised at the end of the fight. UFC on Xbox Live offers yet another medium to trash talk. FIght fans will be able to pick the winner and method of victory for the evening's bouts and then share those predictions on their Facebook page. But let's say for some reason you can't decide between Leonard Garcia and Nam Phan. Select the fight and you'll get access to a gaggle of stats. Fight record, in-depth results from each fighter's last three bouts, and much more. FightMetric, which is the official stat provider inside the Octagon, will make sure you make as informed a decision as possible. But what good is getting fight picks right without the glory, without the bragging rights? National scoreboards, contests, and achievements are just some of the incentives Microsoft is offering for you Nostradumbasses in training. Another neat feature is being able to tag content for your friends. Know someone who is a huge "Rampage" fan and notice a new interview has gone up? You'll be able to send someone a message that will alert them on the new content. Microsoft is also integrating their new Kinect hardware with the service. Voice commands will make a hands-free experience possible with phrases like "Xbox previous screen" or "XBox Jon Jones" pulling up the appropriate content. There are still kinks that need to be worked out. Microsoft isn't sure if fans will be able to watch from multiple systems in a single home linked to the same Xbox Live account or how long the PPV will be available for replay.  But they will have around two months to get figured out, however. The service goes live on December 1 just in time for the new light heavyweight title bout between Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida. If what the UFC and Microsoft already have in store is any indication, their new venture will only get better as time goes on. It's exciting news for those who are looking to save some cash by saying goodbye to the cable company.

Posted in: ufc, fight, fan, xbox, microsoft

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What's cracking, Maniacs? Sergio Hernandez here, reporting from the UFC 136 Fan Expo in Houston, Texas. Before the big fights tomorrow (Oct. 8, 2011), headlined by Frankie Edgar defending this lightweight title against Gray Maynard, I'll be swimming through the throng of people and rubbing elbows with countless mixed martial arts (MMA) personalities. The Fan Expo started back at UFC 100 and essentially gave MMA fans an opportunity to spend two days getting autographs and snapping photos with some of their favorite fighters while also allowing various companies -- sponsors and otherwise -- a chance to hock their wares. Without further adieu, let's get down to the wackiness I managed to get myself into today. But first things first, I met "Screwton's" Paul Wall. That was pretty cool! If you haven't been to a Fan Expo, I can honestly tell you it's a little overwhelming at first. There is a lot of stuff going on all at the same time. When I first got to the George R. Brown Convention Center, I checked in and got my media badge before heading to the main floor. I decided to just walk around at first to absorb some of the atmosphere. From watching UFC VHS tapes by myself in junior high to what I witnessed firsthand was a bit of a shock to my system. Never in a million years did I think I would get to experience anything like this. After making my way around the floor one time, I stopped by the Xbox Live booth to check out their new UFC programming feature. I was walked through it and I have to say, it's pretty damn impressive. What fans will be able to do from the start of the service is cool enough, what the guys at Microsoft have planned for the future is even more exciting. MMAMania.com will have more of an in-depth feature on that tomorrow morning so keep an eye out for it. Next, I was introduced to the co-owner of Hayabusa Fightwear (thanks to Tom, best boss ever) and we spoke about a new line of training gear designed by the late Shawn Tompkins. The famous striking coach teamed up with Hayabusa prior to his untimely passing. A full rundown of that product line will be hitting Mania in the next few days. Afterward, the Hayabusa guys asked me if I wanted to try out their "punching bag machine." It was like your standard punching game you'd see at a bar, but it was hooked up to actual bags. I took on one of the Hayabusa guys even though I knew I was going to embarrass myself. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure he took it easy on me. A victory for Sergio! I was introduced to Dana White's favorite reporter, Ariel Helwani, and made small talk about professional wrestling. What blew my mind was the amount of people walking up to him and asking for photos. I ran into fellow Dallas-native Anthony Njokuani and briefly caught up with him. He and his lady recently had a baby so I congratulated him on that. My friend and I got to try out UFC: Undisputed 3. We randomized our fighters and I ended up with Quinton Jackson and he played as Cyrille Diabte. Needless to say, "Rampage" scored a brutal second round technical knockout. After that, I wandered around some more and took some pretty pictures before heading to the weigh-ins. Some Grapplers Quest action. Just one of many exercise and training booths throughout the Expo. Former WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres Don Frye and his amazing mustache with a lucky fan. Cesar Gracie fighters Strikeforce 155-pound champ Gilbert Melendez and former Strikeforce 185-pound champ Jake Shields Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Meisha Tate signing autographs for fans Fresh off his title defense last weekend, UFC 135-pound champ Dominick Cruz was taking photos with fans despite having a heavily bandaged hand Sean Sherk spotting! Some young whippersnappers trying out UFC: Undisputed 3 and giving the fans what they want: Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva! And finally, the lovely THQ girls! Hope you Maniacs enjoyed the photos. I'll be back tomorrow with more coverage from the Expo and UFC 136 itself. 

Posted in: ufc, fan, convention center, expo, hayabusa guys

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(Pic) Daniel Cormier shows off his mangled hand at the UFC Fan Expo in Houston today (Oct. 7). "DC" suffered the injury during his knockout victory over Antonio Silva in the semifinals of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix back on Sept. 10. He's expected to meet Josh Barnett in the finals sometime early next year. Our very own Sergio Hernandez is live and on the scene at the UFC Fan Expo so remember to stay tuned to MMAmania.com for extensive coverage from Texas.

Posted in: ufc, fan, expo, daniel cormier, houston today

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Two best friends walk into an apartment, eyes weary, hair ruffled, both beat by a hard day's work. While sitting on their scruffy couch with their feet on the coffee table chugging down a twelve-pack watching the tube, the discussion turns to the agenda for the weekend. Naturally, both men, who fit nicely into the 18-34 male demographic, are mixed martial arts' fans. One being of the casual nature, the other being a hardcore fan who has sought out even the most obscure mixed martial arts action from around the world. As you can imagine, these types of scenarios are familiar to many of us. They breed questions like "Who the hell is Fedor Emelianenko, man?" and "Jose Aldo? Never heard of him". The response normally involves burrowing through Google to find footage. In Jose Aldo's case, his eight second destruction of Cub Swanson normally elicits the desired response and the immediate hook for those casual fans who are fortunate enough to have a hardcore fan giving them an introduction. Some fans may go through these exact motions as we lead into UFC 136 this weekend, converting passing fans into awe-inspired believers of Aldo's greatness. Others have turned their friends on to Aldo's style in the past. Unfortunately, there aren't enough of us to preach the gospel. Jose Aldo is one of the few talents that fans feel can make the breakthrough to a casual fanbase that doesn't seem at all interested right now. The infancy of the new divisions is the standard excuse for the disinterest, but there is also the idea that the UFC hasn't done enough to promote the fighters. Whatever the case may be, the talent in those divisions must take advantage of the opportunities thrown their way. UFC 136 is one of those opportunities. History suggests that Aldo is already in the midst of an uphill battle to capitalize on his main card status however. The headlining bout, a lightweight title showdown between champion Frankie Edgar and challenger Gray Maynard, is the top billed fight on the card. Their second encounter at UFC 125 was a spectacular back-and-forth battle of wills, but the event only fetched an estimated 300,000 buys. A disappointment, yes, but not surprising with a supporting cast of Chris Leben, Brian Stann, Brandon Vera, and Thiago Silva. UFC 136 will feature a better mix with two title bouts and a supporting middleweight bout between Chael Sonnen and Brian Stann. While the promotion for Sonnen has been subdued, the grandeur thrust upon Maynard and Edgar in the aftermath of their showdown at UFC 125 should boost interest among fans for their third encounter. Jose Aldo's inclusion should add some eyes as well, although that isn't a certainty. Actions speak louder than words, and fortunately for Jose Aldo -- the UFC gave him the audience at UFC 129, a card headlined by Georges St. Pierre vs. Jake Shields. The event was a guaranteed pay-per-view success, and Aldo vs. Hominick was placed in the co-main event slot for the evening. It wasn't exactly a coming out party for Jose however. Pumping up Aldo as a world beater and getting a convincing unanimous decision win shouldn't be an issue, but I'm willing to bet some casual fans saw it as another fight proving these smaller fighters can't finish. Later, we found out that a pre-fight illness exacerbated the weight cutting process, weakening the champion and visibly affecting him as the fight dragged on. The fight didn't take place under optimal physical conditions for Aldo, but from a business standpoint -- he was in prime position to gain fans. We have no idea if Aldo "connected" with a large number of casual fans with that performance. What we do know is that other featherweights and bantamweights haven't been pulling in large audiences. Dominick Cruz, the UFC's current bantamweight champion, put on a helluva performance against Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Versus 6 this past Saturday in front of an average of 789,000 viewers. Placement on Versus guaranteed the card wouldn't produce huge numbers, but there was some optimism that the numbers would rise because it was a title showdown. That wasn't the case, and the lead-up to the event revealed a lot of pessimism toward the potential for Cruz to appeal to fans. It isn't certain whether Aldo will suffer the same fate based on his performance against Hominick. Aldo has a history of destroying his opposition however. He's being put in a position to attract fans because he has a fan friendly style, thus making this weekend's card important in determining whether he's one of the lone fighters in the newest weight classes to have a quantifiable effect on fan interest that has, in its short history, been small. It isn't clear yet whether he does, although trends in other weight classes, i.e. the ability to finish, suggest that he should peak interest if he can put together a string of impressive wins. This weekend's card is another prime chance for Aldo to blow away the foolish assumptions that fighters in these weight classes are boring, unskilled, or can't finish. March was the last time a featherweight or bantamweight finished a fight in a main card match-up, but I'm banking that Aldo makes a breakthrough on Saturday night in Houston.

Posted in: ufc, fan, card, jose aldo, aldo

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Or did Dominick Cruz merely prove some fans don't care about him? Call me an elitist, or an idiot. Call me whatever you'd like, but I can't in good conscience let go of this frustration whenever a fan opens their mouth about Dominick Cruz, and his failure, in their eyes to impress or compel them. Brian Hemminger has a fantastic breakdown of the fight over at Mania, complete with gifs, and so I encourage you to read it.  The gifs were one among many moments worthy of highlight. The first round was interesting because for the first time, Cruz was being outstruck, and outsped (?) by "Mighty Mouse" Demetrious Johnson. Johnson took the first with conviction. And gone was Dominick's trademark elusiveness, and footwork. He wasn't gonna dance his way out of this fight. And so he didn't. He adapted, took the fight to the ground, and made the match a grappling war. The criticism that he wasn't looking for the finish holds no malodorous water here. Cruz pulled out all the stops, constantly passing guard, and against a very tricky fighter in Johnson no less (which I felt made Cruz' performance more impressive). He even snuck in a German Suplex that led to what seemed like a fight ending rear naked choke.  Tomas Rios tweeted that "if you don't appreciate this fight, you don't like MMA. You just don't." Which prompts the question: what exactly are fans looking for to excite them, if not a five round grappling war of attrition? Is the prospect of a finish what necessitates excitement? There was one in the third. So why the disconnect? I don't expect all upper level MMA to be appreciated in this way. I respect Jon Fitch, but don't find his handy work especially appealing. Yes, I've grabbed a beer during one (some) of his fights, but it's not something I gloat about. The guy's one of the world's top welterweights and so that demands my attention, even when his style strains that attention. But Cruz has been a fountain of frenetic action. Few people will leave out his modern classic with Urijah Faber at UFC 132 in their top ten lists when all is said and done. So what's the problem? My suspicion is that part of it is due to the sport itself not knowing what it wants. It wants to be a sport, but the emphasis on entertainment has led to bouts being set up as "grudge matches" rather than performance challenges. With so many ways to finish a fight, we expect a dominant fighter to find ways to do so. Chris Lytle finished Dan Hardy. Why the hell couldn't GSP? I've always been of the belief that MMA fans are nothing if not terrible at contextualizing performance. A quick knockout, or a first round submission is somehow the ultimate indicator of dominance. But quick knockouts and first round submissions don't offer narratives. You saw this with Mauricio Rua's win over Forrest Griffin where fans had a hard time believing Shogun wasn't "back" despite looking relatively sloppy. MMA is characterized by how sudden it is, and so the logic follows that a great fighter should reflect that element of MMA. Dominick Cruz is not sudden enough for MMA fans. That's a fair description, but the conclusion that Cruz isn't compelling as a result feels like a non sequitur when you look at his past two performances. High level MMA is played on a chess panel. Not a checker board. Next week Frankie Edgar is defending his title against Gray Maynard in a fight that will likely go to a decision. Later this month GSP defends his title against Carlos Condit in a fight that will also likely go to a decision. Until Nate Diaz submitted Takanori Gomi at UFC 135, there hadn't been a single win via armbar in the UFC in all of 2011. As fighters become more informed, I suspect the description of MMA as "sudden" will slowly fade. The irony in the Cruz criticism is that should he lose at BW, I have a hard time envisioning anyone capable of finishing him with his capacity to grapple, strike, take a shot, defend a takedown, score a takedown, defend submissions, etc. I look forward to the future of MMA...it's too bad some fans won't be around to see it. Poll Do you agree with this post? Yes No   0 votes | Results

Posted in: fight, mma, fan, cruz, dominick cruz

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UFC champion Dominick Cruz did exactly what he needed to do to hit a curveball out of the park on Saturday night in the UFC on Versus 6 main event title showdown with Demetrious Johnson. Johnson's blazing speed countered Cruz's dominant stand-up game, making it difficult for the champion to utilize the herky-jerky movements that got him to where he sits today atop the division. Champion make adjustments however, and Cruz did exactly that, out wrestling Johnson to neutralize his speed and winning convincingly on the scorecards. Unfortunately, there weren't many fans who watched the chess match unfold. The marketing in the week leading up to this card was nearly non-existent. Crossover promotion for the event on other channels didn't exist. Buzz for the event on our own website was abysmal to say the least. Stefan Struve vs. Pat Barry received far more interest from fans than a title fight for the UFC bantamweight strap.  Cruz isn't doing himself any favors either, but how can we lay any blame on him for dominating the competition? His dizzying array of movements on the feet have been likened to Jon Fitch's smothering ground game. Boring and expected. Opponents can't figure it out however. It took a speedy natural flyweight named Demetrious Johnson to solve the puzzle, and he still couldn't bring home gold. For some hardcore fans, last night's title tilt was an entertaining showcase of skill filled with great scrambles and solid grappling. Strangely, even hardcore fans have criticized Cruz's style. Many fans were bored by his efforts last night. Casual fans? They probably didn't even watch the show. Far more appealing sports programming existed, and they likely didn't even know about the event, headlined by two guys they never heard of. The future is even more grim for Cruz. While he attempts to make a long, lengthy run at the record for the most consecutive title defenses, his options are growing more and more bleak. The bantamweight division isn't filled with talent. In doing research for the upcoming edition of the Scouting Report, it's been difficult finding new talent to fill the lower rungs of the division. Title contenders who have a legitimate chance, at least on paper, of stopping Cruz don't exist. Joe Rogan is wrong. There isn't a long list of contenders awaiting Cruz. Cruz is in a difficult situation. Fans don't hear his name and think "I have to see that fight". Some fans have never heard his name... ever. His style of fighting isn't appealing to the casual fan. The bantamweight division is almost as shallow as the heavyweight division. The only saving grace is that it sits below the featherweight division, creating chances for 145 pounders to make the drop. If the UFC ever creates a flyweight division, it takes away from Dominick Cruz's contender pool.  Fans want knockouts, and Dominick Cruz, despite his dominance, doesn't produce that type of offense. His rangy stand-up tactics will never destroy the chins of his opponents. The bantamweight division, in general, isn't a power division like the light heavyweight or heavyweight divisions. For all the talk that the product sells itself, these fights sure haven't produced any buzz.  The UFC isn't doing the division any favors. The division barely has a presence on UFC pay-per-view main cards or events aired on free TV. That won't change. It will never change. Bigger, stronger, faster mantras will always rule the combat sports' landscape no matter how hard we try to convince people that the lighter weight classes are far more exciting. There are many fans who look past two tired heavyweights slapping each other in the third round of a UFC PPV main card fight. Time may be the answer, but it's going to be a very long time.

Posted in: ufc, isn, division, fan, cruz

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Hey guys, I'm fighting tonight for the 5th time after a 2+ year layoff. This is just a hobby for me but I'm nervous nonetheless so wish me luck! We're both fairly wild stand up guys so it has potential for fireworks, fans should enjoy it anyway. submitted by TheFlyingZombie [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: guy, fan, mma fight, layoff, fireworks

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Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez was expected to make his second title defense in mid October against the season four 155-pound tournament champion Michael Chandler. Instead, the bout has been delayed due to a nagging injury in his training camp at the Philadelphia Fight Factory. The top-ranked lightweight explains his current predicament to HDNet: "Without giving anything away, I just want to let fans know and let people know I tried to work through the injury. It seemed like every time, it was basically the last 10 days, every time I would get a little bit of momentum, I would setback, get a little momentum, setback. In all honesty, for me, it wouldn't be right. I'd be selling myself short to go out there on the 15th and I'd be selling the fans short to go out there on the 15th. They would be expecting to see somebody and with the consistent injury bug, there's just no way I could get the momentum to be 100 percent prepared for the 15th. It's very important to rest my body properly. The fight is not cancelled. it's just postponed I think 30 days or so. I apologize to you guys. It's not in my nature to make my injuries a part of a promotion's problem, a part of the fans' problem but again it wouldn't be fair. It wouldn't be fair to the people wasting their night tuning in and seeing me at 60-70 percent." We wish "The Silent Assassin" a speedy recovery. Do you expect to see him back on time, Maniacs?

Posted in: time, day, fan, title defense, injury

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The UFC's light heavyweight division has not had a dominant champion since Chuck Liddell dropped his belt to Quinton Jackson at UFC 71. The fight was supposed to be Liddell's fifth title defense, tying the record set by Tito Ortiz. Jackson was able to defend the belt once against Dan Henderson. Since then the division has played a game of "hot potato" with with only Lyoto Machida defending the belt. This past weekend Jon Jones joins Machida and Jackson on the incredibly short list of defending champions. However, after his almost flawless performance this past Saturday, is it possible that a dominant champ is bad for business? First and foremost, the UFC is in the entertainment business. The pay per view model means that fans need to feel compelled with the match ups in order to spend upwards of $55 for a single fight card. Following UFC 134, there were many people on twitter within the MMA industry saying it would be the last Anderson Silva card they'd ever purchase. Silva, it seems, is too dominant as a champion and when there is little doubt that he'll steamroll his opposition, it becomes a hard sell to fans. My fear is that Jones is on a crash course towards this exact situation.  In the lead up to UFC 135, David Castillo of HeadKickLegend.com stated that the big issue with Jones is that no matter how hard fans work in the gym, they will never possess the physical gifts of Bones. These physical gifts are what set him apart from his peers at 205. Fans often commented how big Liddell and Tito Ortiz were for the weight class and how Forrest Griffin walks around at 245+ in between fights. Jones dwarfs everyone. He has the reach of a heavyweight and gets bigger every fight. Even if all the skills were consistent across the division, Jones' body would still set him apart.  The UFC's light heavyweight division is sold as the most deep division in the sport. Housing names such as Rashad Evans, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, and Dan Henderson at the very top, there is no shortage of opponents to test out Jones. The issue is that once you leave the top tier, there is a massive gap in perceived skills. Phil Davis and Alex Gustafsson are interesting prospects, but have yet to develop their skills to match Jones should they meet right now. Antonio Rogerio Noguiera and Rich Franklin are quickly moving into the realm of over-the-hill veterans whose best days are behind them. Jackson and Rua are both recent victims of Jones which removes them from the list of possible title challengers. Dana White has stated that the winner of Rua/Henderson will receive a title shot once Rashad and Jones settle their score but does anyone really think that either fighter possesses the skills and ability to defeat Jones? Evans is selling the match up and many are convinced he can push Jones mentally and physically. But does he really have the skills to end the Jon Jones era?  Jones is at a spot where even before the fights get booked, fans are already counting out his opponents. He finds himself in a similar position to Anderson Silva and to a lesser extent Georges St. Pierre and Jose Aldo. Zuffa, despite their best efforts, have been unable to convince fans that anyone at 185 is a real test for Silva. Chael Sonnen put on a hell of a performance but testing positive for PEDs and losing to an injured Anderson Silva has some questioning how he would do in the rematch. St. Pierre and Aldo are fortunate that the landscape of their divisions is ever changing with the UFC bringing Hatsu Hioki for Aldo and Jake Ellenberger propelling himself into the top 10 with the knockout of Shields.  The UFC is desperate for fans to buy into the Jon Jones hype. From planting the story about him stopping a mugging in Patterson, New Jersey to trying to sell him as the humble fighter with a warrior's spirit, they want him to be the champion of the future. The issue is that using the press is only one part to a greater issue. If he doesn't ever face someone who can push him, it won't matter how many spinning elbows he can throw in a fight. Fans want to see compelling fights that force the champion to dig down deep to overcome adversity. Jones and the UFC will need to find a way to keep fans' interest or they will quickly run into difficulty ensuring that people will still buy his defenses. Jon Jones is dominant, he just be too dominant for the UFC.  SBN coverage of UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, division, fan

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The UFC has invited fans to attend a pre-event press conference taking place this Thursday, ahead of the weekend’s ‘UFC on Versus 6’...

Posted in: ufc, conference, fan, lsquo ;ufc, weekend &rsquo

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UFC 135 saw an aging Matt Hughes manage to briefly win the stand-up against the younger Josh Koscheck before getting hurt and eventually knocked out. It isn't a new moment for UFC fans to see Hughes finished by a younger foe, but there was a certain sense of finality involved this time. The talk of Hughes retiring was louder than ever and many fans expected him to hang up the gloves win or lose. It didn't play out that well as Hughes said he wasn't retiring, but rather was asking for the UFC to "put him on the shelf" for a while. Still, as an old fan, I'm left wondering just how quickly the legend of Hughes will be forgotten. Often forgotten in all the talk of Jones, Rampage and GSP being "near unbeatable" at this point in their careers, that was the way we used to speak of Matt. Too powerful, wrestling too good and ever improving in other aspects of his game. And all that without being a guy who trained full time for his fights. Jason Probst of Sherdog talks about that period in the career of Hughes: It must be especially vexing for Hughes, whose five-defense reign as champion was as intimidating and destructive as any that preceded it. During those salad days, Hughes was known for training minimally for bouts, showing up to get in, at most, a short camp prior to walking into the Octagon to his signature entrance music and crushing challengers. My favorite Hughes-is-AWOL story while champion was his title defense against Sean Sherk at UFC 42 in 2003, when the unbeaten challenger was preparing like a maniac. It was originally told to me by Monte Cox and is worthy of recounting here. With two weeks left before his defense, nobody could find Hughes. Finally, he showed up to train at the Miletich Fighting Systems camp, with an exasperated Cox asking him where he had been. "I had to help my brother put a new roof on," replied Hughes. With that, he went out to decision an inspired but ultimately overmatched Sherk in five hard-charging rounds. That was the quintessential Hughes, who always maintained that farming was harder than training; his dominance was even more impressive because it was well-known that he barely prepared for fights. It may seem like some sort of lack of dedication worthy of being punished in today's fight game. But it didn't matter then, Huges was that much better than the men he faced. That version of Hughes, not the one left prone on the canvas, will be the one many of us remember.

Posted in: ufc, matt hughes, hughe, matt, fan

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You've probably heard hundreds of opinions from analysts and bloggers who have wrote about the upcoming UFC card. So to keep it fresh and interesting, here's a different and unique take on things from two famous personalities making their guest picks for Bloody Elbow. On the debut of Bloody Elbow Celebrity Picks, model and former Octagon Girl, Natasha Wicks edged musician and former Saosin front man, Cove Reber by correctly predicting 80% of UFC 134's main card. Today, another musician and fight fan will be testing his wares against a guy who lives and breathes MMA. This edition is going to be musician vs. fighter. Ben Kenney, for those who are unfamiliar with him, is a solo artist, who is more known for being the bassist of the band Incubus. He plays a multitude of instruments and has also been recognized in the music industry during his days playing guitar for the hip hop band, The Roots. He will be taking on BE's favorite commenter, Ben Saunders, who is a UFC veteran, and current a Bellator tournament fighter. Kenney is a huge MMA fan, but will that be enough to overcome Saunders' experience already having 16 pro fights under his belt? Who will win this Tale of Two Ben's (with similar looking facial hair styles)? Ben "Negro BroCop" Kenney Ben "Killa B" Saunders Jon Jones vs. Quinton Jackson I'm a big fan of both but Jon is on a different level. I've watched Jon closely since the Stephan Bonnar fight and I don't think I've ever seen that much improvement happen over an entire career, let alone a few years. He'll come out with some more of that futuristic shit and Rampage won't find a home for his strikes. Jon Jones by TKO in round 2. This fight depends on Rampage alone. Which Rampage will show up to fight? Did he get into the head of Jon Jones? Can he connect with 1 bomb that tests Jon Jones chin and his heart as a champion? Two things that have yet to be tested... How does he fight in Championship rounds 4 and 5? These are questions me and a lot of fans would love to see answered in this fight, but I honestly think Jon Jones has done his home work, and knows that checking low kicks and eating knee's from the clinch have been Quinton's kryptonite. Has he fixed these holes, and will he land his chin testing strike? Will he make it to rounds 4 and 5 and have more hunger and energy to finish Jones? We Will have to see.Being a HUGE fan of both I have to make a biased opinion and choose Rampage for the upset via Round 3 TKO because I have been a fan of him before Jones started MMA. Gotta keep it old school. lolP.S. or Jon Jones wins via TKO round 2... lol Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck I will put my money on Kos, although Matt Hughes (I like to say his name BJ Penn style, as one word, like "Matthews" only with a strong T) is one of those cats who you can never ever count out. I'll say Kos by decision but this could end 100 ways in either guys favor. Well this is definitely an interesting match up. On paper it would seem Koscheck should be too much for Hughes on the feet and with the wrestling, but Hughes does show improved stand up - minus the BJ quicky - and I give Hughes the Submission advantage. It should be very interesting nonetheless but I say Kos by 2nd round TKO. Travis Browne vs. Rob Broughton I think this will be good. I'm not very familiar with Rob Broughton but he seems to be another one of those iron chinned brits. Travis has a lot of momentum though. Seems like he's getting better and better. I got Travis, by decision after a long grinding brawl. Travis Browne seems like a beast and Rob Broughton is a fighter I have yet to get the pleasure to see fight before. So it could be the dark horse for fight of the night or a real quicky... lol  But I will go with Browne by TKO in round 2. Nate Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi I'll probably get dissed for this one. I'm saying Gomi, by TKO, round 3. Unfortunately for Nate, Nate is not Nick, and Gomi probably has to step up and keep his job. He can definitely do it with his stand up and I think Nate is the one who'll pay the bill this time. Takanori Gomi by TKO. This fight is what I believe will be fight of the night. I give the advantage on the ground to Nate but who knows how much Gomi has improved there. Wrestling goes to Gomi, and striking is even if not in Gomi's favor a bit. The rivalry between nick and Takanori seems like it will transfer well into Nate's fight with Gomi. I expect an explosive action packed decision win by Gomi. But look forward to watching Nate pull it off as I am a BIG fan of both.  =) Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt I'll go out on a limb and put my money on Mark Hunt. Ben used to wreck shop but I don't think he brought that over with him to the UFC. Mark is interesting in a "anything could happen"  way. I say Mark Hunt in the 3rd by heel hook or some other unusual sub. I am a Huge Mark Hunt fan so rooting for him, and the fact he is ATT affiliated, I choose Hunt. His stand up is at a higher level and being shorter he should have a better take down advantage if Ben shoots for a takedown he will really have to get low on Mark. But Ben is tough and could win by KO, TKO, Sub, or Dec cause this sport is so amazing when it comes to outcomes. They are both well rounded at this point. But I say Hunt by KO round 1. After the jump, Ben Saunders has a few words for his opponent, and to the BE readers. Ben Saunders: "As for my opposition Mr. Ben Kenney, I've been a fan of The Roots and Incubus for a long time. It's an honor to "battle predict" against you. But I still hope my picks KNEE URS IN THE FACE! Muahaha..." I want to thank American Top Team, all my coaches and teammates for helping me become a better fighter every single day. If you guys are down to represent you can pick up my Official "Killa B' Walk out T. You guys can also buy my official KB Wear Signature shirt at my Official Website. And I am working on getting these "LETS MUTHERFUKERS" T-Shirts made too.... Bloody Elbow will be represented for the world to see and bask in it's glory! Or something like that... lol P.S. I'M BATMAN! Who do you think made the better picks? Let them know in the comments, or follow them on twitter: @vatoben and @bensaundersmma

Posted in: fight, round, ben, fan, gomi

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I don't like Jon Jones. Anyone who has followed my writing here knows that isn't anything new for me to say. It may be minor or petty or whatever, but his public persona rubs me the wrong way. It's not a case of carefully protecting his image, it's the way that protection is carried out. ESPN's Chad Dundas expanded on the idea that MMA fans expect some sort of edge to their fighters: Where other sports are over-processed, staid and self-serious, the UFC has taken pains over the years to come off as casual, edgy and a little bit unpredictable. It was a "reality" show, after all, that gave the UFC its first foothold in the mainstream. More recently, one of its core promotional tactics has been to utilize unfiltered blasts of social media to connect with fans. "As Real as It Gets," promised the company's own slogan for a time. For better and worse, the political correctness that hampers mainstream entities like the NFL and NBA hasn't quite caught up to MMA yet. At least part of the sport's appeal has always been grounded in hardcore fans feeling like they really know their heroes and fans have come to expect "realness" from MMA personalities with the same regularity they expect a pay-per-view or two every month. But between this and the article I wrote earlier about Jones and Quinton Jackson's appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live to hype up their UFC 135 I've come to a very solid conclusion. It's just simply that I don't like Jon Jones. And that's okay. It's not that he is "too good." If there is anything I do genuinely love, it's watching Jon Jones fight. When Bones is in the cage there is a sort of beautiful violence to his performances. You can try to pick apart the level of competition he has faced, but when it comes down to examining how he has beaten them, it becomes a pointless exercise. He is a great talent. It's not that he doesn't work hard. From all reports Jones is an extremely hard worker who is dedicated to his craft. The skills he shows inside the cage aren't something a man is simply born with. And it also isn't that I expect some sort of edgy behavior. Yes, I've said that I think Jones comes across as a phony in interviews. But I've also said that guys (like Rampage) have been "too real" in their inability to tone it down in the media. It's probably bordering on a double-standard. But it's possible for people to come across as genuine and "real" while still toning it down a little for media appearances. My genuine concern is that I hear from fans every day who feel like they have no connection to Jones or think he is fake. If his public persona has been so carefully put together that he isn't connecting with fans, he will not draw the big numbers that someone of his talent should. Maybe eventually we see Jon get more comfortable and start to act more natural in the media. He is only 24 and it may be slightly unfair to pin all of this pressure on him to be a top level fighter and completely media savvy, but that's what comes with the belt. But the real point here is that it's okay to like or dislike athletes for any reason at all. It's part of being a sports fan. I grew up thinking Darryl Talley was the greatest football player the world had ever seen because he wore Spider-Man spandex under his uniform and was nicknamed "The Duke of Awesome." Meanwhile, I hated John Elway because of something about his face. It may be stupid, but being a sports fan has always been inherently stupid. We pick laundry to root for in team sports and we shell out $60 to watch fights involving guys who are more than -400 favorites. So stop freaking out every time someone doesn't like a fighter you think is great. It doesn't really matter, unless it stops that person from putting down money to watch them fight. Then it's kind of a big deal. If someone doesn't like Jones because they think he comes across as fake or because he won't sign replica title belts or really for any reason, who cares? Why get twisted up if someone doesn't like Josh Koscheck for his hair? Or Cub Swanson for his horrible tattoos? Or Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for his...okay, look, you have to like Nogueira. Fans are going to be fans, and that means making decisions on who they root for based on totally valid or totally stupid things. That's just part of the fun.

Posted in: jon, jone, sport, fan, &nbsp

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Three days before his 23rd birthday, Quinton Jackson scored a submission victory over Kenneth Williams in a Gladiator Challenge show in California that lifted his record as a professional mixed martial artist to 10-1.A month later, on July 29, 2001, he made his PRIDE debut in Japan against Kazushi Sakuraba before over 27,000 fans. Life would never be the same for the native of Memphis, Tennessee.A little more than ten years later, Jackson is facing a young man in Jon Jones who knows what it’s like to get his life turned upside down at the age of 23. The New Yorker known as “Bones” became the youngest champion in UFC history earlier this year when he stopped Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to take the light heavyweight title. Now 24, Jones will defend his crown against someone in “Rampage” who has a pretty good idea of what it’s like to be in his shoes.“I was hungry,” recalled Jackson of his first days in Japan, where he went from obscurity to stardom in the matter of that one fight (a loss) with the legendary Sakuraba. “I was just coming into PRIDE and I knew I was being fed to the wolves, but I made due with my situation. I was happy with what was going on, and I was still humble. I didn’t let the stardom that PRIDE brought go to my head because as soon as you fought in PRIDE, the welcome that the Japanese fans gave you couldn’t be compared to what you got in America. It was really big, it was in the newspapers and all over the news the next day and it was mainstream a long time ago. I was just happy to be there and finally making money at the sport I loved. Back then I didn’t hate training as much because I didn’t have so many bumps and bruises. (Laughs) Back then it was all love.”He pauses, almost as if transporting himself back to the Land of the Rising Sun, where he made his name as one of the best light heavyweights in the world.“I miss those Japanese fans,” Jackson continues. “I can honestly say that the Japanese fans were the best fans I ever fought in front of. I like the England crowd as well, but the Japanese fans respect you so much that they’re quiet, so you could hear your cornermen. You don’t get that nowhere else in the world.”Back then, Jackson was as happy go lucky a fighter as you would find. Hilarious in interviews, always joking, it wasn’t until the lights went down and he stepped into the ring that “Rampage” came out. He went 12-5 in PRIDE over his five years there, with Igor Vovchanchyn, Murilo Bustamante, Chuck Liddell, Ricardo Arona, and Murilo ‘Ninja’ Rua among his victims.After a WFA win over Matt Lindland in 2006, the next stop was the UFC, and while it wasn’t his first stop in his home country as a professional, he did notice that there was a new acceptance of the sport in the United States, and with such widespread acclaim came casual fans who didn’t exactly know who the wisecracking guy with the chain around his neck was. But regardless of the reintroduction process, he never lost the fans who had been following him through the wonders of Pay-Per-View and the internet.“Those are the hardcore MMA fans that were fans before it got mainstream,” said Jackson. “Those are the fans that know a lot about the sport and they’ve seen our past fights. They’ve been with us for a long time, they know MMA a little bit more and they know that everybody can’t win all the time. The new fans, they’re kinda like fair-weather fans. They’ll be cheering for you in the beginning until you start getting your ass whupped. Then they don’t cheer for you. They’ll start booing you and stuff like that and they don’t have respect for the fighters.”It resembles the backlash a lot of fighters, including Jackson, and now including Jones, go through. And though Jackson may not like being flavor of the week one day and out of favor the next, he’s not about to change who he is. “Nothing’s gonna change my personality – no titles no money, nothing like that,” he said. “I always stayed grounded and stayed humble because I look at this job as a career, just like a doctor or a lawyer or schoolteacher. I don’t think I’m better than anybody else because I’m a professional fighter. A lot of fighters and people, when they have high-profile jobs, they think they’re better than other people, and it can go to your head if you’re not a grounded person. That’s why people don’t understand when I say this is my career and my job. It’s not that I don’t love the sport, it’s that it being a job keeps me grounded. I have a strong father who talks to me all the time, and one of the things he instilled in me as a kid is that ‘don’t let money make you; you make money.’ So people can make fun of me and say I’m just doing this as a job, but that’s just the American Dream. That’s what we were taught our whole lives – go to school, get an education, so you can get a good career so you can make money. That’s me, I’m living the American Dream.”Frankly speaking, he is. A successful fighter who also had a big role in the hit A-Team movie a couple years back, Jackson is doing all right for himself after surviving various ups and downs both in and out of the Octagon. Yet those trials and tribulations make him appreciate what he has now.“I thank God all the time and I’m very blessed,” he said. “I keep it real - I’m not an educated person. I went to college, but I’m not one of those people who thinks they’re smarter than everybody else. I’m intelligent, but I’m not educated, so there’s no way I could be making this type of money in another career. I wasn’t gonna be a doctor or a lawyer, so I’m happy that I can help my parents out and put my little sister through college and buy Lamborghinis and go on vacation and have a nice house to live in and leave stuff for my kids. I’m happy and I’m blessed.”In fact, the only time you’ll see him stray from that frame of mind is a) in the middle of an arduous training camp, or b) when discussing his first loss in the UFC, a controversial five round decision defeat at the hands of Forrest Griffin in July of 2008 that cost him his UFC light heavyweight title. He’s lost before and he’s lost since, but this is the one he can’t let go of.“I just don’t feel like I lost that fight,” said Jackson. “When I fought Ninja (Rua), I thought I lost that fight until I went back and watched it. And when I fought (Lyoto) Machida, he rocked me in the last round, and when I got rocked, I didn’t remember all the good stuff I did until I watched the fight. So when I think I lost a fight, I’m the first one to say it. And I just feel like I didn’t lose that fight with Forrest. I was the champion, and you’ve got to beat the champion to be the champ. He injured me in the fight, he did a great job and had a great gameplan, but I felt like I did just enough to win that fight. I dropped him a couple times and I feel like I won 3-2, but they took my belt away. With Shogun (Rua) and Machida, everyone thought Shogun beat Machida the first time they fought, but Machida kept his belt and they clearly said ‘you’ve got to beat the champ to be the champ.’ So everybody was confused. I felt my fight was more decisive than Machida’s in being clear that I won. It is what it is, but it does bother me.”Since that loss, Jackson has gone 4-1, with the only defeat coming via decision to Rashad Evans in 2010. Sandwiching that defeat are wins over Wanderlei Silva, Keith Jardine, Machida, and Matt Hamill, earning him a shot at Jones’ belt this Saturday night in Denver. It’s the fight he’s been waiting for in more ways than one, but most importantly to show that he belongs at the top of the 205-pound heap.“I think it’s very important for me to get that belt back so I can show the world that they made a mistake,” said Jackson. “I want to show that I’m still here, and I still train like a champion and I haven’t stopped training like that since that fight.”As for Jones, Jackson admits that the phenom “is a very exciting fighter,” but when asked what he sees when he looks at the champion, he simply says “fresh meat.”Sounds like there's a “Rampage” on the horizon.

Posted in: jackson, ’t, i ’m, fan, ’m

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Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra once said "half this game is 90% mental." The old adage is comical in a literal sense, but it has meaning. No matter what sport you've played in the past, you've undoubtedly heard coaches talk about how important the mental part of any game is. It couldn't be more prevalent in the lead-up to the main event showdown between champion Jon Jones and challenger Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson at UFC 135 on Saturday night. Jones has been the focus of what can only be described as a sociological study driven by each and every one of us. It started with the sordid details of his falling out with former teammate Rashad Evans, and the verbal sparring session that ensued. Some fans made their minds up about Jones at that moment. "He's a backstabber, a phony", said some fans. Evans continued to spit venom at Jones, telling anyone and everyone who would listen that Jones was putting on a facade. Interestingly enough, many fans felt there were telling signs that Jones was "faking" it. The verbal assault by the masterful Quinton "Rampage" Jackson this week has been even more revealing. In almost every interview and face off between the two fighters, Jackson comes off as the real deal while the perception that Jones is a fake continues to gain steam. "Spygate" added fuel to the fire, and Jackson consistently laying blame on Jones for the situation isn't helping. Furthermore, many fans have noticed that "something" seems to be off with Jones in those interviews. I can't say that I don't agree.  It's difficult to pinpoint exactly what that something is, but I tend to focus on the exaggerated reactions and fumbling answers when met with Jackson's effortless quips. It's almost as if Jones is jealous that it comes too easy to Jackson. In other instances, Jones is visibly uncomfortable, indicating he is either holding back a true emotion or deeply insulted by playing this game with Jackson. The latter thought hits a rarely touched upon subject: race. As community member Brian Hullaby opined yesterday, there is a sense that Jones gave up a certain amount of his "blackness" to become more mainstream among fans, and Evans and Jackson have taken offense. That's what they mean when they say he's being a fake or a phony. It's hard to fault Jones, however, when his past has been filled with racism from his own race. Those wounds don't disappear overnight, and Jackson's frontal assault is bringing up bad memories of those days. For most fans, none of that matters. They aren't watching this sport to become emotionally invested. They don't care if Jones can't take a few verbal jabs from Jackson. This is fighting after all. They want blood, sweat, and tears. I don't buy that for a second. Those reactions stem from the topic being incessantly driven into our skulls over the past two weeks. In reality, becoming connected in some way with a fighter is an emotional investment that has lasting effects on how we consume the product. We become deeply passionate about those involved, thus increasing the sport's enjoyment. If you are maintaining a constant interest in the sport without any emotional investment, you're lying. You can understand then why Jones' identity is such a major topic. Fans want an emotional investment, and it became easy to get interested when the drama revealed itself publicly. There's a reason why reality TV and live events dominate the ratings on television. We love drama, and both Jones-Jackson and Jones-Evans fulfill that requirement.  It is what it is. Cliché enough for you. It's true in this case. Jones is who he is, a young, understandably immature man who has been thrust into the limelight. A meteoric rise as Mike Goldberg might say. He wants to present a wholesome image, an image that he believes a mainstream audience will eat up. At least that's what we believe anyways. Our obsession with revealing that he isn't that person to anyone who will listen is a witch hunt that doesn't really matter. In reality, the blame game and the accusations have created more hype around this fight than what the actual truth would have. Why are we so obsessed with the search for Jon Jones' identity? Why must we reveal what he is holding back? It's difficult to even fathom a reason why, if any. Perhaps he has a bad side he doesn't want to reveal. Maybe he doesn't want to stoop to a level that he sees the same as the bullies who called him "gay" in high school for wrestling in tights. Maybe he isn't holding back at all. The Jon Jones we are seeing is the real Jon Jones. Whatever the case, choose a side to invest in and wait to see what happens. Enjoy the ride. Both fighters are invested just like us in this fight, why ruin it by overpowering the pugilism with subjective squawking. An answer may never reveal itself, even if Jackson somehow destroys Jones on Saturday night. Jones may go through his entire career with the same lingering questions. Will finding the answer really change anything? We will root for him, or against him. We'll still buy a pay-per-view regardless. Let the truth come out in time. For now, let's just enjoy the show.

Posted in: jon, jone, jackson, jon jones, fan

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If Kaleo, 4, and his younger brother Keawe, 3, were asked, what does their dad do for a living? Their dad says their response would be, “To them, daddy is a superhero and he goes and beats up the bad guys.” While not entirely correct, one could see how they might get that impression, as their father is the 6-7, 250 pound recent “Knockout of the Night” winner Travis “Hapa” Browne. It’s a thin line these UFC heavyweights are walking between being ginormous athletic wonders battling it out in the Octagon and being comic book superheroes. Browne’s last fight certainly didn’t help with the confusion as he knocked out the 6-11 Stefan Struve with a “Superman punch” in the opening round at UFC 130. “I hit way too hard,” states Browne. “Watching his fights, he gets touched a bit in the first round. Watching who he has fought, who he has survived against and who has stopped him, I knew that once I got a hold of him and once I hit him hard he wasn't going to be able to survive it. I was just waiting for my time to connect and I did and I hurt him. The combination I threw before I threw the Superman punch, I dinged him up a little bit when I clipped him. I knew he was going to try to come in and he was getting desperate at that point.”The victory over Struve was even more gratifying for the Hawaiian especially coming off Browne’s previous outing at UFC 120 against Cheick Kongo. “I had to win and I had to put on a show because my last fight with Kongo was horrible,” admits the 30-year old, whose draw with Kongo last October is the lone fight on Browne’s pro record that he hasn’t won. “Being on the bench for seven months after my Kongo fight didn't sit well with me. I hadn't won since my James McSweeney fight and that's what we work for to get those W's. Going into the fight with Struve, I knew I had to put on a performance that people would never forget about and it ended up happening for me.”Browne’s bout with Kongo was definitely his least entertaining, but it served as arguably the best learning experience for “Hapa” and his burgeoning UFC career. Browne is big, even for a heavyweight, and moves like a man half his size, dipping, darting, and throwing all that body weight into his punishing standup. At the same time, Browne is new to this sport, with only two and a half years of professional MMA experience under his belt and is currently competing with elite fighters in the Octagon. In the end, that matchup with Kongo might serve as the watershed moment for him as the fight which pushed him the most to become one of the elite. “In my previous fights, I could go in there and just bully somebody with my size, strength and speed, so I didn't necessarily have to be that fighter I want to be and want to evolve into,” explains Browne. “When I fought Cheick, he's a big guy too and he's a veteran and the longer you spend in this sport you're not intimidated by people. He wasn't intimidated by my size and strength and it showed. He took a few of my shots and he didn't crumble under the pressure. It showed me that I need to be more prepared. A lot of it was my conditioning and my technical skills and a little bit of everything.”Fast forward to UFC 130 and Browne is in mid-air decking the Dutchman Struve in the face for the knockout blow. “In my last fight, when I hit Stefan with that Superman punch I was as fresh as can be,” asserts Browne, who has finished 8 of his 11 opponents in the first round, so he knows how to start fights like a house on fire and, now, Browne diligently works on keeping that burn going longer. “I need to be able to hold that pace for all three rounds. I need to know when to take a moment to rest and when to explode and just to be smarter about my overall gameplan. It's definitely been something I have been working on a lot.”The next challenger awaiting him is England’s own Rob “The Bear” Broughton at UFC 135 in Denver, Colorado. “He's a tough guy, he pushes forward the entire fight, he's got good boxing and from what I've seen he actually has a really good ground game,” tells Browne of the 15-5-1 Broughton, who is primarily seen as a boxer, but who won his debut against Vinicius Queiroz at UFC 120 by rear naked choke. “I think it's going to be a great fight for the fans. They're going to see me moving around trying to pick my shots and they're going to see him trying to knock me out or take me down. He's a highly underrated fighter and I'm not overlooking him by any means.”Entering the cage for his fourth time, the fans should expect Browne to show off his increasingly dangerous striking, but he has kept his abilities on the ground thus far a mystery. “If it goes to the ground then I'll show off what I have, but I'm not trying to show to everybody in the division exactly what I got,” says Browne who has nine wins by KO/TKO, but actually got his start in MMA through Brazilian jiu-jitsu, an art in which he holds a purple belt. “Everybody has put me in the category of a striker or a knockout sort of guy, but they don't know anything about my ground game and I like it that way. I wouldn't mind surprising a couple people. If this is the fight that I have to show it, then great; if not, then I'll save it for another day.”Browne has spiced up his training for Broughton by moving his camp from Alliance MMA in his adopted home state of California to Jackson’s MMA in New Mexico. “For this fight with Broughton, I moved my camp to Albuquerque so that I could get the high altitude training that I needed to get in,” reveals Browne, who is training with the top tier fighters of Jackson’s like UFC 135’s main eventer and light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones, as well as renowned coaches like Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn. “I respect coach Jackson a lot and he is seriously like a psychologist, not a coach. He gets in your head and he makes you believe you can do anything you want to do. The good thing with Jackson's camp and with other good camps out there is that we're all really here to help each other as well. We're all super intense right now and we're all getting our game faces on.”At UFC 135 in the “Mile High City”, Browne will enter the Octagon against Broughton looking to keep that undefeated record alive and, also, to give the fans a fight to remember.“I would love to have a three round war,” affirms Browne, who wants to give the fans their money’s worth and show what the heavyweight division is truly capable of. “I want to prove that I can go all three rounds and stick in there and move with the best of them and take punishment and dish it out. I like ‘Knockout of the Night’ and I like ‘Submission of the Night’, but I want to take that ‘Fight of the Night’. I want us to put on a fight for the fans where they walk away from it and say that watching that fight made this card worth it.” If Browne walks out of UFC 135 with a win and a “Fight of the Night” bonus, there will be no argument from fight fans that for Browne’s sons, their dad is a superhero.

Posted in: ufc, fight, night, fan, browne

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Fans are invited to attend a special "UFC on Fox 1" press conference tomorrow in Los Angeles.

Posted in: ufc, fox, conference, los angeles, fan

Read the full article at Heavy MMA