Fight Network previews Strikforce's heavyweight Grand Prix featuring Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers taking place on June 18, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum Countdown Preview Show - Strikeforce
Fight Network previews Strikforce's heavyweight Grand Prix featuring Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers taking place on June 18, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. 
Tito Ortiz: The UFC Veteran We Love to Hate
Not since Chael Sonnen’s attempt to single-handedly bring down Brazilian culture and heritage in a bid to discredit Anderson Silva has the amount of pre- and post-fight drama threatened to overtake a UFC event.
In the span of a week we have endured the aftermath of Nate Marquardt’s unusual dismissal from the UFC, the back-and-forth pissing match between Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and challenger Urijah Faber, and one of the best comeback performances of all time in Cheick Kongo’s knockout win over Pat Barry.
Despite all of this, the one thing has been able to separate itself from the shadow of UFC On Versus 4 and breakaway from talk of the impending UFC 132 has been the unrelenting hate poured on UFC veteran Tito Ortiz in the lead-up to his match.
Calls for Ortiz’s resignation have plastered social networking sites, dominated UFC blogs and even infiltrated respective journalistic establishments worldwide.
And while no other fighter in the UFC (save maybe Sonnen or Michael Bisping) makes it harder to be liked, the unrelenting disgust poured on Ortiz in the lead-up to UFC 132 has prompted me to defend the man who helped introduce me to the sport.
The first thing MMA fans would point to as a reason for Ortiz’s prompt dismissal is his record. In his last four fights Ortiz is an abysmal 0-1-3. However, the argument still stands that Ortiz is one of the elite figures in MMA.
These four fights did not come against barroom brawlers on a downward spiral, but against some of the best the UFC had to offer the beleaguered veteran.
Forrest Griffin, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans have all tasted UFC light heavyweight gold, and at the time were considered top-five contenders in their weight class respectively.
Ortiz could have simply taken the easy road after any one of these losses, picking up a cheap win or quick victory against a bright-eyed rookie nearly reduced to tears by all the bright lights and noise that accompany a UFC event.
Even now with the end looming, and the promise of an early retirement hanging over his head, Ortiz faces arguable his toughest opponent in years in standout light-heavyweight Ryan Bader. In accepting this bout, Tito has sent a message to the UFC that he will not accept an easy win and is willing to put in the time and effort it takes to beat the much younger Bader.
Ortiz has never been one to take the easy road. Where many would have either given up or found a lesser known outlet to vent their frustrations against an unworthy adversary, Ortiz has remained. In his last four fights Ortiz was able to go the distance on all occasions, grinding it out with world-class athletes while he flirted with victory.
The beginning of his career was characterized in a similar fashion. By slogging out wins in front of minimal crowds for even less pay, Ortiz established himself as the face of a featureless organization. There was no The Ultimate Fighter contract to easily slip in to, nor any big time endorsement deals to pay the rent. All Ortiz had to fight for in the beginning at UFC 13 was his pride. A man who fights for anything less is not worth the gold he may one day strap across his belt.
In the words of Chuck Liddell, "It’s always fun to beat up on, Tito.” And while Chuck was speaking as one fighter about to pound on another, maybe he was on to something from a fan perspective as well.
In a sport that is just truly beginning to find itself, Ortiz is a throwback. A man who has been able to transform with the ever changing landscape of MMA, quite literally rolling with the punches and evolving with the complex new form of martial arts.
From humble beginnings at UFC 13 in front of a crowd of just over 5,000 people, to fighting on a card that garnered over one million pay-per-view buys, Ortiz has done and seen it all in the world of mixed martial arts.
At UFC 132 Tito Ortiz will be fighting for his UFC, and potentially MMA career. That being said there is nothing more dangerous than a man who has been backed in to a corner, threatened with the anonymity that unemployment brings.
Ryan Bader is now the only thing standing in the way of Ortiz and a few more promising years of fame, fortune and fighting. I would not be surprised to see Ortiz go out the way UFC legend Randy Couture did. In a blaze of glory, and with all the intensity and showmanship that defined a storied UFC career.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/752259-tito-ortiz-the-ufc-veteran-we-love-to-hate
Video analysis: Strikeforce fighters want UFC champ, will it happen?
Nick Diaz is set to make the jump to the UFC in October. Strikeforce heavyweight fighters like Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett have made it clear they want in as well. Most of the fighters in Strikeforce's heavyweight Grand Prix say the victor in the tournament should get an immediate shot at the UFC heavyweight king early in 2012.
Is that possible?
During the UFC 131 prefight press conference, Yahoo! Sports' lead MMA writer Kevin Iole asked Dana White about the winner of the Strikeforce heavyweight GP getting an immediate shot at the UFC champ. The UFC president seemed surprised by the question and was non-committal.
Iole joined us this week on video and said the Strikeforce vs. UFC champ showdown makes sense and will probably happen, but Zuffa also has to be careful in managing its relationship with Showtime, the current broadcast partner for the smaller promotion.
If he wins this grueling tournament, Overeem wants the UFC king next.
"It's all about achieving a goal, and then you look toward the next goal," Overeem told the MMA media in Dallas. "This is my next goal. [...]
"After this tournament, there will be another goal. I don't know what that goal is, but if you think about it, and I'm not occupied with it, but the winner of the tournament should fight the UFC champion. That sounds like a logical next step."
Overeem's opponent on Saturday, Fabricio Werdum, has the same goal in mind.
"If I win this Grand Prix, I will count the titles," Werdum said. "I want to be the champ of this Grand Prix and defeat the champ of UFC."
The current UFC champ Cain Velasquez is looking forward to taking on the best from Strikeforce.
"Those guys are great, top level guys," Velasquez said earlier this year. "I'm glad that the UFC can finally, later down the road match everybody together so we can have a true No. 1 champion. I want to fight the best guys and those are the best guys, too."
Nate Marquardt Incident Highlights Need for Comprehensive HRT Policy in MMA
Filed under: UFC
If you have to do a live interview where you answer questions about the testosterone injections that cost you your job -- and, ideally, you'd probably rather avoid that situation altogether if possible -- the way Nate Marquardt did it is probably the best way. In his interview with Ariel Helwani on Tuesday's edition of The MMA Hour, Marquardt was open and direct about his hormone replacement therapy (HRT, if you're down with the lingo). He explained what he did, when he did it, and why. He appeared emotional, vulnerable, and -- as far as we could tell -- honest.
Even the people who wanted to string him up the moment they heard UFC president Dana White say he was "disgusted" with Marquardt must have at least considered putting down the torches and pitchforks when they heard his side of it.
But even with all the questions Marquardt answered in the hour-long interview, the one that still bugs me is the one we may never be able to pin down: does any of this make Marquardt a cheater, or does it simply make him unlucky?
At least in the eyes of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, receiving testosterone injections is not, in and of itself, cheating. If you can prove (to the satisfaction of the commission) that you need it, and if you can make sure your hormone levels fall within a pre-determined range by the day before the fight, it's really no problem at all.
In fact, if Marquardt had managed to hit that range -- and by all accounts, he just missed it -- the fight would have gone on, he'd still have a job, and none of us would have ever known that he was getting a little hormonal help on the side.
If that's the case, then the difference between illegally using performance-enhancing drugs and competing entirely on the up-and-up is a matter of degrees. It's a difference of a few nanograms per deciliter. It's less about what you're doing, and more about how much of it you're doing.
Marquardt knew those were the rules when he decided to play this particular game, and now he's suffering the consequences of failing to abide by them. But maybe what we should really be asking is if these rules are all that fair to begin with.
There's a reason you can't compete with too much testosterone in your system. It's a performance-enhancing drug. It's one that the body produces naturally, but it's also a powerful substance than can change your whole personality in the right (or, depending on the personality you started with, wrong) doses.
In fact, that's one of the reasons Marquardt said he needed it. He was tired and grumpy all the time, to the point where his wife didn't want to be around him, he said. So he went to the doctor, got a prescription for testosterone, and presto chango, he's a changed man. No more fatigue. No more irritability. Just full speed ahead.
That, by definition, makes it a performance-enhancer. But it doesn't make it cheating, apparently. Not unless you do just a tad too much of it, and then it's scorched earth for you, my friend. Then you're pulled from the main event, fired from your job, and verbally blasted on national TV by your boss, who will claim to be "disgusted" by you for engaging in a practice that he was totally fine with just a few months ago, and would have been totally fine with again if only your hormone levels had dropped just a wee bit faster.
Am I the only who feels like this makes absolutely no sense?
The problem with hormone replacement therapy for pro fighters is that athletic commissions haven't really made up their minds about it yet. That much was clear when Chael Sonnen went before the California State Athletic Commission to make his case for an after-the-fact therapeutic-use exemption for testosterone.
The commission agreed that firmer, more coherent policies on HRT were absolutely necessary, then it took no clear action to make any of that happen. Instead, it decided that Sonnen had failed to give proper notice to the right people at the right times. It nailed him on a paperwork issue, more or less. As for whether he should have been mainlining testosterone to begin with? That one they weren't about to touch.
The fact that Sonnen was still being offered an Ultimate Fighter coaching job after that incident while Marquardt and his camp got to find out via Twitter that he'd been fired from the UFC altogether, that tells us where the UFC's concern really lies in this discussion.
If you get in trouble after an event -- that is, after the UFC has already made its money off you -- then your hormones are your problem. The fines, the suspensions, that's between you and the athletic commission once the fight's over.
But if those same exact hormones get you pulled from a main event the day before it's supposed to go down -- that is, after the UFC has done the work of promoting the fight but before it has reaped the lion's share of the profits -- then brother, look out. Then it won't matter that you told the UFC about it months beforehand, or that you tried to go about it in the most transparent possible way.
If that's how the UFC wants to play it, that's the UFC's choice. Whenever the issue of drug testing comes up, it can -- and usually will -- step back and let the commissions take the flack. It will also make its hiring and firing decisions based on financial considerations first, and everything else a distant second.
But while the UFC's main concern is profit, the commissions are supposed to be the ones ensuring fairness. Right now the commissions seem to think that letting one fighter artificially raise his natural testosterone levels is fair -- as long as he gets a doctor's note first, and as long as he keeps those levels below at a certain point.
Whether that's a version of fair play we agree with, or one we truly want to hold our athletes to, that's something this sport has yet to decide.
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/28/nate-marquardt-incident-highlights-need-for-comprehensive-hrt-po/
MMA News 6/28: Nate Marquardt, Tito Ortiz, Ryan Bader, Brendan Schaub and More
Bleacher Report's MMA news recap for Tuesday June 28:
Nate Marquardt talks UFC on Versus 4, testosterone therapy and UFC release.
"Worst referee ever," will work UFC 132 main event.
Nik Lentz' eye socket broken by illegal knee at UFC on Versus 4.
Tito Ortiz talks Ryan Bader fight.
Brendan Schaub confident he can one day hold UFC title.
Gilbert Melendez eager for UFC title shot.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
UFC on Versus 4 Results: 4 Fights Cheick Kongo Should Take Next
At UFC on Versus 4, Cheick Kongo showed a ton of heart as he made a huge comeback against Pat Barry.
Barry had Kongo hurt bad, landing a flurry of punches. But Kongo regained his composure good enough to land a couple of hard shots of his own, knocking out the American Kick boxer.
With the win, Kongo showed just how much he could overcome.
Here are some fights the Frenchman should consider if he wants to move up in the division.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
UFC on Versus 4 Medical Suspensions: Pat Barry, Nik Lentz Shut Down for 60 Days
Five fighters from Sunday's UFC on Versus 4 card in Pittsburgh have been hit with medical suspensions following their fights, three of them for 60 days. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission released the post-fight suspensions to MMA Fighting on Tuesday.
Most notably, main event heavyweight Pat Barry was suspended for 60 days and will need clearance from a neurologist before returning. Barry looked to be on his way to a win over Cheick Kongo after dropping him twice, and it looked as if referee Dan Miragliotta was close to stopping the fight.
But Kongo rallied back, still wobbly on his feet, and delivered a massive right hand that put Barry on his back. Kongo's win is already being discussed as one of the greatest comebacks in UFC history.
And the damage he took from an illegal knee by Charles Oliveira will have Nik Lentz out for 60 days, as well. He also must have his right eye cleared before returning. Lentz said Monday on Twitter that he had broken bones around his eye that will likely require surgery, and his coach, Greg Nelson, told MMA Fighting on Tuesday his fighter has a broken eye socket.
After an exciting first round - one that led to a Fight of the Night bonus - Lentz took a knee to the head in the second that the referee didn't see. Lentz's right knee was grounded, and Oliveira went on soon after to secure a fight-ending rear naked choke. The PSAC has confirmed the result of the fight is under review. It is possible Oliveira's win could be overturned to a no contest.
And Christian Morecraft, who ate a three-punch combination from Matt Mitrione that knocked him cold, also was hit with a 60-day suspension. The win by Mitrione, who will appear on Tuesday's edition of "The MMA Hour" to talk about the fight with host Ariel Helwani, improved his record to 5-0 in the UFC with four wins by TKO or knockout.
Additionally, Matt Grice, who suffered a first-round TKO loss to Ricardo Lamas in the fighters' featherweight debuts, will be on the shelf for 45 days. And Edward Faaloloto, who opened UFC on Versus 4 with a first-round TKO loss to Michael Johnson, Season 11 runner-up on "The Ultimate Fighter," will be shut down for 30 days.
None of the fighters involved in unanimous decisions were issued suspensions, and only one fighter involved in a stoppage loss was spared a suspension - Curt Warburton. Warburton tapped to a kimura just 1:58 into the first round against Joe Lauzon, and it appeared that his right arm might be damaged. But Warburton said Monday on Twitter that his arm and shoulder were OK after the fight.
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/28/ufc-on-versus-4-suspensions-pat-barry-nik-lentz-shut-down-for/
Howard has ‘called’ Fight of the Night on Sunday night
PITTSBURGH -- If the other fighters on UFC on Versus 4 have plans for the Fight of the Night bonus, they should think again, according to John Howard. He and Matt Brown have the FOTN locked up.
"Matt Brown's really tough. He's got a chin and he comes out banging. He's going to bang with me and not lay and pray. Win or lose, we both get fight of the night. I called it," Howard said.
Like Brown, Howard is on a losing streak. He was TKOed by Jake Ellenberger in August and then dropped a decision to Thiago Alves in December. Both fighters are also known to be sluggers.
"It's going to be a good fight to watch. He's an awesome striker, I'm an awesome striker."
But beyond the fight with Brown, Howard has one fighter in his crosshairs: Anthony Johnson. "Rumble" and Howard have been trashtalking each other for months over two canceled fights.
"I cannot stand that kid. I do not like that kid. He doesn't like me. It's hard to be in the same room as him. I saw him yesterday in the media room, and it was hard not to start something with him. That kid has serious problems. Hopefully, we can fight in the UFC, but if not, there's going to be a streetfight. We have a score to settle for sure."
In their talk, Howard said that Johnson crossed a line.
"He called me a cotton picker. I took that personally. You don't go that far. That's personal."
Before he can get his hands on Johnson, Howard has to get through Brown.
"I'm a professional. At the end of the day, I do have to fight for a living. Look past that, and know that I've got to deal with it later. Good things come to those who wait."
Sunday, June 26, 2011
UFC Live 4: Michael Johnson Dominates Edward Faaloloto, so What's Next?
Exhibiting patience from the opening bell, Michael "The Menace" Johnson was tactically precise with his combinations this evening during UFC Live 4 at the Consol Center in Pittsburgh.
Arriving to the Octagon with a huge ovation from the crowd and an excellent choice in opening music with 2Pac blaring in the background, Johnson improved in his striking to dominate Edward "Falo" Faaloloto.
Changing planes, striking angles and implementing a variety of combinations, Johnson weakened a tough Falo from the outside with excellent strikes. Also utilizing his wrestling background, The Menace was successful with some rough ground-and-pound.
Gaining the advantage in the stand-up, Johnson delivered a series of precise punches while on his feet. Seeing Faaloloto was hurt, Johnson secured the clinch, and finished the Hawaiian with damaging knees to the body and a series of excellent strikes to his head.
Continuing to rise up the UFC lightweight ladder, Johnson will definitely step up in competition for his next contest; a future matchup against Dan Bocek or a rematch with Jonathan Brookins would be a good choice for this dynamic fighter.
Keep an eye on the evolution of this tremendously-talented lightweight competitor.
I welcome your comments.
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Dos Santos’ vicious attack locks up title shot and leaves Carwin’s nose broken
There's no further debate needed about who gets the first shot at UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez. Junior dos Santos picked apart Shane Carwin, broke his nose and left the behemoth looking like he was hit by a truck. The Brazilian rolled to a unanimous decision victory, 30-26, 30-27, 30-27, in the main event at UFC 131 in Vancouver.
Dos Santos gets a shot at Velasquez., who's been sidelined since last October recovering from shoulder surgery. The champ has talked about returning in the fall with an eye on the UFC event scheduled for Houston in October.
Saturday night belonged to dos Santos though as the Brazilian handled Carwin at nearly every turn.
"My quickness and agility were the differences tonight. I had a longer reach and heavy hands. Shane was a great opponent, but tonight I proved that I'm ready for the title shot," dos Santos said.
One has to wonder if Velasquez can even successfully defend the title one time with how good dos Santos looked. Dos Santos (13-1, 7-0 UFC) gets better with each fight. Carwin tried to use his wrestling to slow him down but had no success. On the feet, JDS used a quick jab to set up overhand rights and left hooks. He also mixed in some great body shots.
This was a long journey for Dos Santos, who hasn't fought since last August. After his win at UFC 117 over Roy Nelson, JDS was expected to get the first shot at Velasquez. Then the champ went down with the shoulder injury and dos Santos was slotted into the UFC's reality show "The Ultimate Fighter" to coach against Brock Lesnar. The coaches were scheduled to square off at UFC 131.
Earlier this year, the heavyweight contenders spent six weeks in Las Vegas taping the reality show. Last month, Dos Santos found out that Lesnar was backing out of the fight due to complications with his diverticulitis. Lesnar had surgery to remove 12 inches of his colon and is hoping to return at the start of 2012. When he comes back, the division is going to be stacked at the top.
In this clash of big men, Carwin (12-2, 4-2 UFC) almost appeared hopeless after the first round. Moving in and out of the pocket, Dos Santos was too fast for the 255-pound monster. JDS outstruck Carwin 88-20.
With 50 seconds left in the first, JDS caught Carwin with a 1-2 that floored him. Carwin fell to his knees and tried to cover up, but the onslaught from dos Santos was relentless. Somewhere in the hailstorm of punches, Carwin had his nose broken. Referee Herb Dean showed patience by allowing Carwin to fight on. He survived, but when he rose to his feet, the nose was flattened, his left eye was bruised and there was blood all over his face.
Dos Santos' confidence grew as the fight went along. The pummeling continued in the second and third rounds. He landed most of his jabs and held his hands low. Carwin tried to throw back, but too often he was left punching at the air.
In the third, Carwin, a former NCAA Div. II wrestling champ, finally scored a takedown, but he couldn't keep JDS on the ground. It had to break his spirit when dos Santos got back to his feet in less than 15 seconds. In the final two minutes, Dos Santos even landed two huge takedowns of his own to put an exclamation point on the victory.
Carwin admitted that after a year off to recover from back surgery and work on his conditioning, his game had slipped.
"I gotta get my timing back when it comes to boxing. It was a really tough fight to come back to. Junior is a (freakin') tough dude and he was strong. I've got some holes to fix in my wrestling in order to get back to where I need to be," Carwin said.
JDS' wrestling in the final round may have been a subtle message to the champ. Velasquez is an outstanding wrestler, but if he can't get dos Santos off his feet, he's in for a helluva battle.
The FC MMA Awards: Fights That If Were Real, Could Go Down in History
Hello fight fans and welcome to the first annual Fighters Creed MMA Awards, presented by Fighters Creed! Here is a list of the eight fights that earned prestigious titles and will go down in MMA history!
Each moment has been recapped in stunning detail and listed below! Be sure to vote for “Best in Show” in our poll!
*This is purely a fictitious account of fights. All have been made up for comedic and entertainment purposes only and in no way represent any personal or general negative implications of the fighters or persons named. This list is in no affiliation with other awards.
Enjoy!
Award for “Best Closing of the Distance”
Winner: Stefan Struve vs. Demetrious Johnson
This fight was nearly three rounds of intense cat-and-mouse chasing, except the mouse was chasing the cat.
Demetrious continued battering at the shins of the “Skyscraper” in the second round. Near the end of the that round, Johnson went in for a single-leg takedown. Struve held his ground while Johnson went for an inverted kneebar, but the round ended seconds later.
In the third round, Struve used his reach advantage to place his hand on top of Johnson’s head and keep his distance, but Demetrious ran up Struve’s arm, took his back, slapped on a rear naked choke, and tapped out the Skyscraper.
“Mighty Mouse” wins Submission of the Night.
Award for "Most Referee Timeouts in One Fight"
Winner: Clay Guida vs. Urijah Faber
The first round starts and both fighters touch gloves. Clay immediately goes for a clinch and starts to dirty box.
Urijah Faber’s cornrows become undone, and his full mane is now down. Clay Guida goes in for another close exchange, but his hair gets tangled with Faber’s. Referee Herb Dean stops the fight and fixes the hair.
Thirty seconds later, it happens again, this time on the ground. Herb Dean stands them up, and fixes it again. This continues in the second round.
Then they both go for a violent takedown simultaneously and get tangled again. Herb Dean assesses the situation and calls in Stitch to cut the hair apart.
The third round starts and it happens again. Herb Dean rushes in again, but gets his own hair stuck. Doctors stop the fight, and judges call it a three-way draw. Herb Dean is awarded Fight of the Night.
Award for "Overcoming Adversity"
Winner: Frankie Edgar vs. Roy Nelson
Frankie starts off his fight with some quick jabs. Roy Nelson takes the punches, but eats them only to setup a takedown.
He quickly grabs a double-leg using his right arm only and slams Edgar to the ground. Edgar is rocked by the slam, and while dazed, Nelson scrambles and puts Edgar into a crucifix.
Edgar manages to squirm enough to dodge Nelson’s attacks from above. He then gets Roy into side control, but loses it again.
The second round starts and Roy Nelson takes Frankie down. This time he goes immediately to the north-south position. Edgar starts making a waving motion and loses his mouth guard, so referee Herb Dean calls a timeout. He stands both of them up, returns the mouth guard to Frankie, and then tells him to go back down to the position they were just in. Frankie clearly begs Herb Dean to just stand them up, but the ref refuses and places them back the way they were.
Frankie has now endured this torture for almost two rounds, but miraculously he lifts Roy Nelson off of himself. He then proceeds to suplex Nelson and knock him out for KO of the Night and Fight of the Night.
Edgar later says that his adrenaline boost came as a result of Nelson talking trash about the Jersey Shore while he had Edgar pinned.
Award for "Quickest Knockout"
Winner: Mirko Cro Cop vs. Wanderlei Silva
The bout starts and both opponents rush toward each other, meeting in the middle.
Mirko Cro Cop throws a jumping, 360 roundhouse and knocks out “The Axe Murderer” in six seconds.
After the fight doctors attempt to reattach Silva’s nose. Meanwhile Cro Cop is interviewed by Joe Rogan, where he reveals that he has been training with Steven Seagal.
Award for "Fewest Number of Takedowns in a Single Fight"
Winner: Fabricio Werdum vs. Thales Leites
The fight starts and both men touch gloves. They then square off and circle each other for about 20 seconds.
All of sudden, they both fake charge at each other, and in unison, they fall on their backs.
As if tanning under the lights of Mandalay Bay Arena, the fighters refuse to move. They bait each other by kicking at each other’s in-steps from time to time before Herb Dean stands them up.
The second and third rounds continue in the same manner as the first.
Judges call it a draw, and a rematch is setup immediately by Joe Silva. The fight will be the main event, and GSP vs. Silva is its co-main.
Award for "Most Disgusting Fight"
Winner: Mark Hominick vs. Dwayne Lewis
The fighters start the fight off by trading blows over and over. Lewis throws a head kick and lands flush to Hominick’s forehead. Hominick responds with a quick superman punch to the eye of Lewis.
Jabs and elbows are exchanged until hematomas have fully formed on both fighters.
In the second round, both fighters go for a quick takedown at the exact same time, causing their faces to smash together.
Joe Rogan’s commentary is briefly interrupted by a loud popping sound. Referee Herb Dean calls a stop to the fight, and corner and cut men rushed in to fix their fighters and the mess.
During the panic, six full bags of ice are spilled. Arianny Celeste slips on the ice that had been swept to the sides, which leads to her falling on her head rendering herself unconscious.
Both fighters are awarded KO of the Night, and Joe Rogan receives an Emmy for his commentary.
Award for "Most Artistic Fight"
Winner: Jason Miller vs. Hermes Franca
The fight starts, and it immediately goes to the ground.
The two fighters scramble for positions, reversing each other and exchanging ground and pound. The sweat and Vaseline converge into their hair, and the dye begins to bleed out by the start of the second round.
The canvas is becoming a rainbow of current and past colors, rendering the sponsors unreadable.
By the end, the mat looks like the insides of a kaleidoscope. Dan Hardy jumps the cage and makes some final touchups.
Award for "Most Memorable Entrance"
Winner: Georges St. Pierre vs. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza
Entrance music starts and Souza comes into “Welcome to the Jungle."
Lights dim again and “O Canada” starts to play. Suddenly, a spotlight hits St. Pierre, and he is coming to the cage riding a gigantic moose.
He parks the moose at the prep station, while they apply Maple Syrup Vaseline to Rush’s face. He then enters the cage.
The fight starts, and GSP starts to jab. Souza, being frustrated with the quickness of GSP, lunges all out for a superman punch. He lands flush, and GSP gets rocked. Seeing his companion in trouble, GSP’s moose decides to jump the cage.
In the wake of excitement, Brock Lesnar, who was lazily spectating, perks up. He reaches for his hunting rifle, grabs the ammo under his chair, and takes aim.
He lands a shot dead center of the moose’s head, killing it on the spot. Lesnar, too, jumps the cage and starts to tend to his recent kill.
Confused and thinking GSP would be disqualified, Souza believes he has won the fight and starts to do his signature crawl.
Lesnar turns around and sees this, panics, and shoots Souza, thinking he was a caiman.
GSP is awarded a win, due to Souza being unable to continue.
Fans and critics rejoice…GSP has finally broken his decision streak.
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Injury to 'Cyborg' Santos Forces Him Out of Paul Daley Bout
Filed under: Strikeforce, News
A shoulder injury has knocked Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos out of his scheduled July 30 Strikeforce fight with British bomber Paul Daley, MMA Fighting has confirmed through sources with knowledge of the situation.The injury was first reported by MMAPrime.tv.
A source told MMA Fighting that Strikeforce was at work on finding a suitable replacement.
The Daley-Santos fight had only been announced less than two weeks ago, and was expected to be an exciting addition to the card at Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The duo are known as two of the fiercest strikers in the promotion's welterweight division, as Santos has earned 11 of his 18 career wins by knockout, and Daley has 20 of his 27 via KO.
With just over one month to go, there may be limited options to replace him. One possibility is undefeated rising star Tyron Woodley, who has nothing scheduled at the present time. Last month, Woodley told MMA Fighting that he was hopeful of a July return and preferred a bout with Daley. Though that fight didn't materialize at the time, his manager later told MMA Fighting that Woodley would ramp up his training and be prepared in case a slot should open.
Daley (27-10-2) is coming off a first-round TKO loss to Nick Diaz in an April championship bout. Afterward, Diaz vacated the belt to move to the UFC and a chance to fight its champion Georges St-Pierre. With Diaz gone, the division is in a state of flux, and Daley is back in the mix for gold. Now, all he needs is an opponent for July 30 and a chance to prove it.
The anticipated Strikeforce show features a main event pitting Fedor Emelianenko against Dan Henderson.
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/24/injury-to-cyborg-santos-forces-him-out-of-paul-daley-bout/
Official B/R MMA Rankings June 2011: Top 10 Middleweights in MMA
Some of Bleacher Report’s best MMA writers have come together to give their opinions on who is the best-of-the-best in June. Each respective division voted on by these writers.
Going along with Bleacher Report's continuing efforts to provide our readers with the most unique content, we are also taking strides to compile consensus MMA rankings for each weight class.
It's been a tough month for some of these fighters since the last time we did the rankings in mid-May. UFC 130, 131, Strikeforce Overeem vs. Werdum and even The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale have helped shape the rankings voted on by the writers of Bleacher Report MMA.
So here you are, the reader, the Mid-June 2011 Bleacher Report official rankings as voted on by our panel of writers from the MMA section.
Special thanks to those who contributed:
Nick Caron
Jason Schielke
Vince Carey
Sean Smith
Dwight Wakabayashi
John Heinis
Sal DeRose
Talking Strikeforce MMA at the Dallas Mavericks Victory Parade - Strikeforce
Talking Strikeforce MMA at the Dallas Mavericks Victory Parade Video by Strikeforce
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Diego Nunes Doesn't Mind Being Overlooked in UFC's Featherweight Division - UFC 131
Diego Nunes Doesn't Mind Being Overlooked in UFC's Featherweight Division Video by UFC 131
Demian Maia Fighting With New Purpose Since Birth of First Child - UFC 131
Demian Maia Fighting With New Purpose Since Birth of First Child Video by UFC 131
UFC on Versus 4: The 5 Reasons Rick Story Is Not Ready for Nate Marquardt
No question, Rick Story has earned his place as a solid top 10 ranked welterweight.
He is riding a six-fight win streak with his last two performances being impressive upsets over Johny Hendricks and Thiago Alves.
There is no reason to believe that Rick Story does not have what it takes to defeat Nate Marquardt or any other welterweight in the world.
That being said, I just do not think he is ready for Marquardt yet. Of course Story CAN win, and I wish him the best of luck, but the smart money is on Marquardt.
Here are the five reasons why.
Five-round main events have their downside
Last week, the UFC announced that five-round fights would now happen for all main events. Yahoo! Sports' own Dave Meltzer wrote an excellent breakdown of why five-round title fights are a good thing. He discussed how many close, non-title main events have taken place and that five-round bouts will make the winner more obvious.
But there are downsides to this decision. Namely:
Not every fighter is ready for a five-rounder. The UFC's Ultimate Fight Night, UFC on Versus and "The Ultimate Fighter" finale events give the UFC a chance to promote up-and-coming fighters. The main events are often populated by fighters who will eventually be near a title shot, but they need time to grow. Pushing them into five-rounders too early could hurt their development.
A main-event injury could wreak more havoc on the cards than we've seen. Consider what happened with UFC 131. Just weeks before the fights, Brock Lesnar had to pull out of the main event, and Shane Carwin stepped in. If Carwin had to switch up for a five-round fight on short notice, then he (or any fighter) might not be able to prepare for a five-rounder in time. The fighters would be in a position to either go into a bout not as prepared as their opponent or turn down the opportunity to headline a card.
It takes away a champion's advantage. A champion has few advantages going into his fight, besides the cool walk-in with someone holding the belt over his head and the fact that to win the belt, he has been into deep waters before and knows just what those extra two rounds require. Now anyone who has been in a main event will have that experience.
25-minute fights will eat into a broadcast window. As Meltzer noted in his column, five-round fights means that in televised events, five-round fights will only allow for three other bouts within a broadcast.
It isn't the silver-bullet to end judging questions in close fights. Lyoto Machida and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar, and Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar all fought five-round bouts. Every one of those bouts were close, had controversial decisions and required a rematch. Those extra two rounds didn't decide anything.
What are your thoughts on five-rounders? Tell us in the comments or on Facebook.
The Cut List: Who's in Desperate Need of a Win at UFC Live?
Filed under: UFC
Being on a UFC Live fight card is kind of a good news/bad news scenario for fighters. The good news is that you get exposure on free cable TV, and it's a little easier to stand out from the crowd without the pay-per-view megastars soaking up all the attention. The bad news is, if you're on one of these to begin with, chances are it's because the UFC doubts there are enough people willing to pay to see you fight.
Obviously, everyone wants to go home with a win bonus and a smile on his face on Monday morning, but some fighters need a victory worse than others on Sunday night. Let's sort through the undercard and see who they are, and what their chances look like this weekend.
Cheick Kongo (15-6-2, 8-4-1 UFC)
Who he's fighting: Pat Barry
Why he's in danger: Honestly, when I looked up Kongo's career record in the UFC I was surprised that it was -- at least on paper -- this good. Twice as many wins as losses? That's not bad. Then you look at who he's beaten (aside from that one big win over Cro Cop) and you see names likes Dan Evensen, Mostapha Al-Turk, Christian Wellisch, and Gilbert Aldana. In fact, of Kongo's eight victims, only one is still in the UFC (again, Cro Cop, and just barely). The rest of those guys are long gone, and a few have stopped fighting altogether. Suddenly that record doesn't look so impressive. Still, the UFC likes him, and it's not like he's been on a horrible losing skid, though in his last fight he fought to a mediocre draw with Travis Browne, and he was lucky to get that. The last time he looked good in a fight was against Antoni Hardonk in 2009. If he can't beat Barry, you have to wonder how long he can realistically hang around the bottom of the division before dropping out the bottom.
Odds of getting cut: 4-1. Maybe it's his impressive physique, or maybe it's just because he's avoided the dreaded three-fight losing streak. Whatever it is, the UFC seems content to keep giving him work. Unless he looks absolutely horrible against Barry, expect that trend to continue at least a little while longer.
Matt Brown (11-10, 4-4 UFC)
Who he's fighting: John Howard
Why he's in danger: Brown is currently in the throes of the aforementioned three-fight skid that usually spells doom for a UFC contract. It's a little surprising that he wasn't cut after his loss to Brian Foster in November, but hey, apparently the UFC believes in fourth chances, at least for some guys. When he broke into the big leagues Brown seemed like a hard-nosed fighter with lots of potential. A few losses here and there can be written off as a consequence of the steep learning curve, but Brown is 30 years old and has more than five years as a pro. The time to develop gradually is over. Now it's time to get busy winning some fights, or else seek your destiny elsewhere.
Odds of getting cut: even. Howard is the betting favorite, and for good reason. Brown just hasn't shown many bright spots lately, and he's had plenty of opportunities. If he loses on Sunday -- and if he's not related to someone important in the UFC front office -- he's getting cut.
John Howard (14-6, 4-2)
Who he's fighting: Matt Brown
Why he's in danger: Howard started off his UFC tenure with four straight wins, then followed it with two straight losses, which will always place you firmly on the chopping block. Let that be a lesson to the kids out there: try and sprinkle your losses in among your wins rather than clumping them all together like that. It just looks bad. 4-2 in the Octagon is actually pretty respectable, and the two losses came against Jake Ellenberger and Thiago Alves, so it's not as if he's getting beaten by chumps. Still, you can only lose so many in a row. The problem with fighting a guy like Brown, who is hovering over the unemployment abyss already, is that if you beat him, well, he was on his way out anyway. If you don't, then you might just swap spots with him. Howard has proved his toughness in two grueling battles recently. Now he needs to prove that he can still beat the guys he's supposed to.
Odds of getting cut: 5-1. Howard should win this fight, and even if he doesn't the UFC might give him one more chance just because, hey, Matt Brown got to lose three in a row. Why not Howard?
Tyson Griffin (14-5, 7-5 UFC)
Who he's fighting: Manvel Gamburyan
Why he's in danger: In the face of three consecutive defeats, Griffin has chosen the ever-popular weight class jump as a cure for what ails him. He hasn't fought at featherweight since 2005, but now that he doesn't have to take a pay cut to do it in the WEC, why not give it a shot? His current losing streak is deceptive, however, since most people agreed that he deserved to win the decision over Nik Lentz at UFC 123. The UFC couldn't exactly kick him to the curb off a questionable split decision loss like that, so of course it had to let him try to drop a few pounds and begin anew. Will it make a difference? Quite possibly. He's always been a tad undersized for a guy who relies on wrestling and top control as much as he does. Maybe this is the rare situation where a drop in weight really is the answer. Or maybe not. We'll find out soon enough.
Odds of getting cut: 3-1. I like Griffin's chances in this fight, and even if he loses he might be able to blame it on the weight cut. That excuse only works once, however.
Joe Stevenson (31-13, 8-7 UFC)
Who he's fighting: Javier Vazquez
Why he's in danger: As lovable a guy as "Daddy" is -- and he is -- his career has taken a troubling turn lately. It's not just the three straight losses. It's that a) Mac Danzig knocked him out with a punch that didn't appear to have too much behind it, and b) he followed that up by losing to former WEC also-ran Danny Castillo. It is at about this point that you start to look at the 44 fights Stevenson has packed into an 11-year career and you wonder if the wear and tear is catching up with him. He, too, is trying the old drop-to-featherweight trick. He's also fighting another relatively undistinguished WEC transfer, so he really needs to win in order to show the UFC that he's still competitive. The UFC has already demonstrated its willingness to cut past TUF winners. If Stevenson keeps dropping fights to lesser-known opponents, his number will come up next.
Odds of getting cut: 2-1. If he doesn't win, wave goodbye to Joe "Daddy." As much as we all hate to see bad things happen to good people, win percentage means more than good citizenship in the UFC. That's just the way it is.
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/22/the-cut-list-whos-in-desperate-need-of-a-win-at-ufc-live/
Friday, June 24, 2011
After stardom in Japan, Cavalcante looks for career re-birth in U.S.
Gesias Cavalcante is only 27, but his relatively new gig with Zuffa and Strikeforce has to feel like a new life.
A megastar in Japan, inactivity and some tough losses have pushed way down the ladder in the lightweight ranks. He's set to begin the climb back up this weekend at Strikeforce in Dallas against Justin Wilcox.
"JZ" will be part of the televised undercard on HDNet. That's a strange spot for a guy, who a little over four years ago was headlining big cards in Japan with DREAM and K-1.
"The crowd [in Japan] is great. The way they treat fighters is amazing. No matter if you win or lose, if you're a champ or not, people respect you like you're above human beings," Cavalcante told Cagewriter.
Cavalcante recalled a fan encounter at the prefight press conference before DREAM 9.
"I saw a woman freaking out, screaming 'Jz! Jz!' I couldn't� understand her at all because she was speaking Japanese. She grabbed my hand and starts rubbing her belly," Cavalcante said. "I was like 'whoa, what's going on?' A guy translated for me that she was pregnant. 'She likes you so much, she has respect for you, so she wants her son to be like you.' What a compliment!"
The adulation and fame was great, but the inconsistent scheduling stalled his career.
"That's how injuries happen, You're training so hard. I was always pushing. I'm a gym rat, but those are the times bad things happen," said Cavalcante.
He's only fought five times in the last 45 months. Cavalcante (15-4) went just 1-3 with a no contest in those fights against Josh Thomson (Strikeforce), Katusnori Kikuno, Tatusuya Kawajiri, and twice versus Shinya Aoki.
The Brazilian, fighting out of south Florida, saw immediate dividends when Zuffa purchased Strikeforce. Just weeks before that he was in limbo. Within 10 days of the sale, the promotion told him about his fight against Wilcox.
The timing of the Strikeforce ownership switch came at a good time since Cavalcante recently changed training camps and management. Now managed by Authentic Sports Management, Cavalcante and several other prominent fighters (Danillo Villefort, Yuri Villefort, Jorge Santiago, Edson Barboza and Luiz Cane) from American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fl. moved a few miles to the north and joined Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton.
"It's a fresh start for me in every aspect," said Cavalcante, who's working with former UFC fighter Mike Van Arsdale and striking coach Mohamed Ouali. "I feel like I'm the son who grew up and wants to walk on his own."
This Saturday we get our first glimpse of the new Cavalcante. He's excited for the fight because he knows that he'll be able to find Wilcox. There won't be any running or lay and pray from "The Silverback."
"The last two fights, he stayed with the striking. He didn't shoot once. It's a good fight, an exciting fight. He always comes forward. He tries to come and put the pressure on and that's what I love," Cavalcante said. "We'll meet in the center of the ring and bang."
Wilcox (11-3) has improved immensely over the last two years. A former college wrestler at Edinboro, he works out of American Kickboxing Academy on San Jose, Ca. He's won six straight. Wilcox's striking is now a dangerous element in his game and he's a vicious finisher.
After 16-Month Layoff, Wanderlei Silva Readies for Firefight with Chris Leben
Filed under: UFC
Regardless of what the future holds for Wanderlei Silva, his legacy is secure as one of MMA's first great champions, an intimidating presence who boasted knockout power in bursts of aggression that bordered on frenzy. That fan-friendly physical style made him a legend, but it also took a toll on his body over time. The last few years have not been so kind to the 34-year-old "Axe Murderer," who has lost five of his last seven fights. And on the heels of his most recent bout, a UFC 110 decision victory over Michael Bisping in his UFC middleweight debut, Silva disappeared. First, he was sidelined by broken ribs that took him out of a proposed UFC 116 fight. Then, he had his right knee surgically repaired, knocking him out of competition for months. But at July 2's UFC 132, Silva returns from the longest layoff of his career -- a 16-month absence -- with hopes of a career rebirth. Given the wars he's taken part in, and the physical price paid by his body, fans are left to wonder how much he has left.
Stylistically speaking, a fight with Chris Leben isn't the easiest return bout one can have. Like Silva, Leben fights in an aggressive, physical style that virtually ensures neither fighter will leave the cage quite the same way they walked in. Yet for Silva, the same type of firefight that's always excited him still motivates him today.
"The fight is really important for me," Silva said. "I've been out. I had a hard year for me. I really trained so hard for the fight. Finally, I'm going to fight with a guy [that] I think is going to fight with me, because my other opponents run. Some guys stay in front of me for a couple minutes and then start to run. My next opponent Chris is going to really come to fight. The fans are going to have a great show on July 2nd."
The fight essentially came at the request of Leben, who replaced the injured Silva at UFC 116, defeated Yoshihiro Akiyama, and then asked to be the man to welcome Silva back to action.
At the time though, it was clear that Silva wouldn't be back for quite a while, and Leben had a bout in the meantime, losing to Brian Stann in a first-round KO on New Year's Day.
Meanwhile, Silva was back at home struggling through physical rehabilitation and the emotional upheaval caused by his inability to do what he loves most.
"I'm a competitive guy. I like to be in the octagon and fight my whole life," he said. "I had a really tough year. But I have unbelievable support from my fans. My fans send me messages every day and give me good support. For that, I really want to give a good show because the UFC is going to all the homes in the world. It's unbelievable. I want to show the real and the best Wanderlei Silva for all my fans around the world in the fight."
Despite Silva's rough recent stretch, his weight-class shift could have him in title contention in short order with a few W's. His win over Bisping has him 1-0 in the division, and victories over Bisping and Leben would certainly put him in the conversation of contenders, given the fact that current champion Anderson Silva has mowed through most of the rest of 185's best.
Silva admits that he still thinks about winning another major championship, but that after being out for so long, his focus is solely on his dangerous bout with the hammer-fisted Leben.
"I think this is a really important fight for me. A lot of guys asked me because I [asked] the boss, Can I fight Chris Leben? The guys asked me 'Why?' I said because I watched his fight with Akiyama. He did very well. He fought very well with Akiyama, a tough guy. [Leben] has a style like my style. He fights like me. This is the fight I asked for because I know we can make one of the best fights of the year, maybe the best fight of the year. I don't know about him but I love money. I want a check for the best fight of the night, and maybe the best fight of the year."
But more than money is fighting for the future. The past is secure, and stories of his prime will live on for years. It seems that a 34-year-old should still have some good days ahead, but after 16 months away, will he be reborn or rehashed? Silva is wise enough to know that July 2 will begin to answer that question. The fact that it comes against a fighter who he describes as a younger version of himself encapsulates the symbolism of the bout; Silva isn't just fighting Leben, he's fighting time.
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/06/22/after-16-month-layoff-wanderlei-silva-readies-for-firefight-wit/
UFC 131 odds update: Over or under on Carwin-JDS lasting two rounds?
Two hard-hitting rhinos collide tonight in Vancouver when Shane Carwin and Junior dos Santos lock horns at UFC 131. Both fighters say they're willing to trade shots. If that's the case, is there any chance this main event/title eliminator makes it to the third round?
Las Vegas sportsbooks tabbed JDS a good-sized favorite and the betting public has backed the Brazilian. Dos Santos is now a minus-200 choice. There's intrigue around the round proposition bet. The over/under for the fight is one and half rounds with the under checking in as a strong favorite at minus-160.
Adam Hill joined me on "The MMA Insiders" show on ESPNRadio1100 in Las Vegas to give our selections on many of the fights at UFC 131.
The biggest moves on the card have come with Krzysztof Soszysnki, Vagner Rocha and Jon Olav Einemo.
Soszynski, a big light heavyweight, is fighting a last minute replacement in Mike Massenzio. The former college wrestler normally fights down at middleweight and only weighed in at 201 pounds for this 205-pound bout. Soszynski has steamed from minus-240 to minus-400. Bettors are either impressed with Jon Olav Einemo's jiu-jitsu resume or his pure size. His opponent Dave Herman has been bet down from minus-270 to minus-200. During the week, Donald Cerrone was a huge 5-to-1 favorite over Rocha. Bettors looking for some value have sided with Vagner Rocha, who is now down to plus-300.
Round prop bets:
Carwin Rnd 1 - 3/1
Carwin Rnd 2 - 6/1
Carwin Rnd 3 - 15/1
Carwin Dec. - 8/1
Santos Rnd 1- 9/5
Santos Rnd 2 - 5/2
Santos Rnd 3 - 7/1
Santos Dec. - 6/1
Draw 25/1
UFC 131 betting odds (Courtesy Venetian Las Vegas):
Shane Carwin (+170) vs. Junior dos Santos (-200) - Heavyweight
Diego Nunes (+220) vs. Kenny Florian (-300) - Lightweight
Vagner Rocha (+300) vs. Donald Cerrone (-400) - Lightweight
Jon Olav Einemo (+170) vs. Dave Herman (-200) - Heavyweight
Mark Munoz (-125) vs. Demian Maia (-105) - Middleweight
Yves Edwards (+130) vs. Sam Stout (-160) - Lightweight
Jesse Bongfeldt (+300) vs. Chris Weidman (-400) - Middleweight
Jason Young (+250) vs. Dustin Poirier (-350) - Featherweight
Mike Massenzio (+300) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski (-400) - Light heavyweight
James Head (+105) vs. Nick Ring (-135) - Middleweight
Joey Beltran (+110) vs. Aaron Rosa (-140) - Heavyweight
Darren Elkins (+210) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (-260) - Featherweight
You can watch UFC 131 right here on Yahoo! Sports
Shane Carwin Discusses Leaner Diet, Plan of Attack Against Junior dos Santos - UFC 131
Shane Carwin Discusses Leaner Diet, Plan of Attack Against Junior dos Santos Video by UFC 131
Vancouver Athletic Commission speaks on Elkins/Omigawa decision
At UFC 131, judges' decisions caused consternation in the MMA world, from the UFC president on down. The 30-27 cards in Kenny Florian and Mark Munoz's wins were confusing enough, but the decision that was truly confounding was Darren Elkins' win over Michihiro Omigawa.
Dana White responded by paying Omigawa his win bonus and treating the fight like a win for the Japanese fighter.
"We're going to pay [Omigawa] his win money," White said. "I don't care what the judge says, he won the fight. … I say he won. Overruled."
But now the Vancouver Athletic Commission is speaking out about judging in the Elkins-Omigawa bout to point out that Elkins could have reasonably taken the fight. In a statement to SB Nation, the commission's executive director explains:
"In the first round, Elkins backed Omigawa up with punches the entire round. He controlled the center of the cage. He was throwing a lot more shots, and landing more -- and in combination. If there is any controversy as to the outcome of the fight it must be because of the second round. That was a very challenging round to score. An argument can be made in favour of either fighter. Elkins landed more punches. At one point, when Omigawa came forward, he was stopped dead in his tracks by Elkins' combination punches, and at another point he was slightly buckled.� Due to Omigawa's unusual stance and balance, it was difficult to tell exactly whether he was rocked by some of these shots. However, you could see Omigawa's leg bend, and the control shift to Elkins as he landed the combo, stopping Omigawa in his tracks, taking the center of the cage, and going on the attack again. These sequences, as well as the total effective strikes landed, could reasonably warrant awarding the round to Elkins. Elkins didn't land many more than Omigawa, but he did land more. As to the blood - it represents something, but a cut can be caused by a glancing blow and some fighters just cut more readily than others.
By this description of the fight, it appears that forward movement is the most important thing in scoring a round. Punches landed are a side note. How would they score a fighter like Dominick Cruz, who constantly baits his opponents into coming forward with his non-stop movement? Chan Sung Jung, A.K.A. the Korean Zombie, should try to schedule every fight in Vancouver, as he's known to continually come forward during his bouts.
At UFC 131, the judges had monitors, a new procedure that is expected to become the norm for UFC events. In the past, judges had to rely on watching the live action in the cage -- which could be difficult when the fight hits the ground -- or look at the video boards hanging in the arena. The fact that monitors didn't quell judging controversies frustrated White.
"Something has to be done about the judging," White said. "It has to. It's so bad, and not only does it affect people's lives, it ruins everything for people that are watching. You watch it, and you're like, 'What? What ? 30-27? What are you watching?'
But monitors are a short term solution, when what is needed is more education, training and experience, but that takes time. Meanwhile, high-stakes fights still will come down to the very human judges, and the mistakes and subjectivity that comes part and parcel with their humanity.
Video analysis: Iole says it’s time to change what MMA judges are looking at
MMA judges continue to come under scrutiny at the biggest cards around the world. Fans, fighters and even promoters are frustrated with decisions like the one handed down at UFC 131 when Michihiro Omigawa lost a unanimous decision to Darren Elkins. The Japanese star lost his fourth straight in the UFC.
Two judges gave Elkins a 29-28 decision while Dave Hagen scored it 30-27 for the winner. The 29-28's were far from embarrassing. After all, Elkins outlanded Omigawa 78-65 according to Fight Metric. Giving the third round to a fading Elkins was a little shaky since Omigawa outlanded the American 21-7.
Yahoo! Sports' lead MMA writer Kevin Iole checked in on the judging discussion and pointed out that the officials may be taking the wrong things under consideration when scoring a fight.
MMA News 6/22: UFC 132, Jon Fitch, BJ Penn, Dana White, UFC 131 and More
Bleacher Report's MMA news recap for Wednesday, June 22:
UFC 131 medical suspensions issued.
UFC president Dana White says the UFC is not a monopoly.
UFC 132: Dominick Cruz talks bout with Urijah Faber.
UFC on Versus 4: Nate Marquardt talks competing at welterweight.
UFC on Versus 5: Stephan Bonnar injured.
Jon Fitch vs. B.J. Penn rematch possible?
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Older Overeem lacks fighting spirit in loss to Griggs
That's not the way you want to start a high level MMA broadcast. Valentijn Overeem, with a spotty 29-25 record coming in, bailed mentally from his fight against Chad Griggs. Overeem submitted due to strikes at 3:28 of the first round of the first Showtime fight on the Strikeforce card in Dallas.
The American prospect scored a takedown and fell into half guard. Overeem did a nice job of controlling Grigg's left arm. Once "The Grave Digger" freed his arm, he unloaded on Overeem. The older brother of Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem, turned to his side where Griggs pounded away. Seconds later, Overeem tapped to alert referee Kerry Hatley that he'd had enough.
Griggs landed 28 of 40 shots and picked up win No. 3 of his Strikeforce career.
Griggs (11-1) first exploded onto the scene with a 2010 victory over Bobby Lashley. Showtime announcer Mauro Ranallo foreshadowed the happenings when he said Overeem's less than stellar record was due to the fact that he hasn't always handled rough situations well.
Chad Griggs Wants a 'Real Big Name' Opponent Next - Chad Griggs
Chad Griggs Wants a 'Real Big Name' Opponent Next Video by Chad GriggsSource: http://mmalice.com/chad-griggs/chad-griggs-wants-a-real-big-name-opponent-next-video_c65946c1f.html
UFC 132: War with Chris Leben Inevitable, Will Further Wanderlei Silva's Legacy
When we talk about mixed martial arts legends, often we measure greatness in terms of success. Living legends of this era of the sport like Georges St-Pierre or Anderson Silva have known very little more than pure success across their careers.
They found that success at the highest level of the sport and in championship form. Looking back fighters like Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture also forged their legacies in UFC gold. These men are legends without question.
But they are not alone, their success may define their legacies, but unwavering success is not the only litmus test for greatness. Take Don Frye for example. Sure he held a title or two over his career, but his fans celebrated him for his war; for what he brought into the cage with him.
It was not just his titles that captivated an entire generation of die hard “Predator” fans. It was his gentle touch, and appreciation for small talk. No, no it was not. It was his warlike, beast mode, mustached weapons of mass destruction that lured the Frye-onians.
Like Frye, there are many other fighters who may not be perennial championship contenders but they hold a very special place in the heart of MMA fans in the know. Clay Guida comes to mind but there are many more.
But no fighter on the planet is more celebrated for his fight every but as much as his recent success, than Wanderlei Silva. Show me any fight fan who can't pick Wand out of a line up and I'll show you a Tapout fashion statement who showed up when Lesnar crossed over.
The MMA community has a very “what have you done for me lately” mentality. Just ask Fedor. You can go from one of the most talked about fighters in history to old news after one triangle choke, and one doctor stoppage. Then you become just another heavyweight looking to prove you still belong.
Wanderlei has somehow circumvented the idea that winning is the only thing that matters. When it comes to his career, there is plenty of success make no mistake about it. He is no stranger to being a champion looking at his days in Pride. But checkered across his record are scattered and lately some clustered losses.
What die hard Wanderlei fans already know and will be happy to explain to anyone who may not realize is this; Even in his losses Wanderlei has found a way to make almost every fight spectacular. His most devastating failures of course reflected a superior opponent but more often than not they also reflect the results of a war he imposed.
His fight with “The Iceman” will go down in MMA history right up with Griffin vs Bonnar. His loss to Rich Franklin was razor thin in an amazing bout. What fans remember is not just the loss reflected in the right side, they remember how hard he fought for them as he lost. It is not every fighter who can lose so impressively as Wanderlei.
The fighter in this world is a rare breed. Most will fight if challenged for life or limb. Few will seek out the competition and sacrifice that can be found preparing for and participating in MMA. Among that certain brand of human being there are even more elite individuals who stand out among the crowd.
Wanderlei Silva is a gleaming beacon of light that is undeniable. His archives of outright war, competing both in and outside the comfort zone of his ideal weight class, are stunning to put it gently.
Having built his modern legacy competing with some of the sports greats, Wanderlei has proven his own greatness win, lose, or draw. Often it has been the opponent that became the catalyst for the best Wanderlei we have ever seen. For example Michael Bisping opened the door for Wanderlei to fight his fight, an aggressive and reckless format of hand to hand combat.
And once again, “The Axe Murderer” shined over a man many consider a top UFC middleweight.
With that in mind Silva's next opponent is very much the type of fighter who will leave the door wide open for him to really open up and make it a scrappy and dangerous fight. Chris Leben is one of those fighters who is not the most tactical, or the most analytical when he gets inside the cage.
Like Silva, Leben is an all out in your face type of fighter with a granite chin and hands of stone. He loves to fight, not simply to win, but to fight and his own resume reflects some amazing bouts, some wins, some losses.
See when Leben (25-7) and Silva (33-10-1-1) enter the cage together the only people in the entire arena concerned with scoring will be the cageside judges. When Dana White says “Never leave it in the hands of the judges”, these two listen.
Just for fun, how about we do some MMATH. At UFC 132 Silva and Leben bring into the Octagon with them a combined seventy seven professional MMA bouts. The experience they bring to the table alone is astonishing.
Of Silva's thirty three wins, he finished 80% of his victims, twenty three by KO, three by submission. Of Leben's twenty five wins, he finished 76% of his victims, thirteen by KO, and six by submission. Face it fight fans, the boys come to bang.
What it really amounts to is pure matchmaking genius, and a clash of styles between top middleweights that rarely happens. At the end of the day, the run Anderson Silva is on is not of this world and will long be recognized as the bar of measurement for all time greatness but few can challenge him.
Wanderlei and Leben are not the most elite fighters in the division. They are not the most hyped fighters at middleweight. But damn it they pose a challenge for one another. There is a chemistry in their styles that is guaranteed to prove volatile when they mix.
So while Anderson Silva continues to consume contenders, these two will prove the be the meat and potatoes of the division. These two will remind fight fans what it is they really love about the fight game and quite simply they love the fight.
They may enjoy taking in the undeniable greatness of an Anderson Silva, but they will not be able to stop talking about the battle of the ages that is about to take place between Wanderlei Silva and Chris Leben.
The facts are simple here fight fans. Two of the sports most notorious brawlers, both needing something different from this fight, but both looking to find one answer to everything at UFC 132. The answer is open war, it is something both men are very well acquainted with, it is something their fans have grown to expect from them. Neither man has ever been in the business of letting their fans down. So simply put, don't miss this fight.
The bad men are coming to town, and they have a few things to sort out. Things are about to get ugly.
This article originally featured at Hurtsbad MMA.
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