As more and more PRIDE fighters continue to pour into the UFC organization, it has become apparent that the transition from PRIDE to the UFC is a much more difficult one then first suspected. When the deal was initially struck between the two organizations not much was made about how the fighters would respond to not only a different rule set, but a whole different environment. Much like any other top level athlete, fighters are creatures of habit. Any little change in environment can make a huge impact when it comes to a fighters performance. So why has the transition between the two organizations been such a tough one so far?
From a fans perspective the differences between the two different organizations seems minimal. So what if theres an octagon instead of a ring? So what if the UFC has 3 x 5 minute rounds instead of PRIDES 20 minute fight which features a 10 minute first round with 2 subsequent 5 minute rounds? While these differences may seem insignificant for the fans the fact of the matter is that when your a fighter, even the smallest differences are amplified. Anything that can take you out of your normal routine could affect your performance.
One fighter who was particularly vocal about adjusting to the ways of the UFC was Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Rampage admitted that he was more nervous then he usually is before a fight when he made his UFC debut against Marvin Eastman. After his win over Eastman, Rampage reportedly asked for a few more fights to adjust to the UFC. Instead, the UFC offered him a title fight against Chuck Liddell. Rampage accepted the fight and the rest is history.
On the other hand, some fighters have had a much tougher time adjusting. When Mirko "Cro Cop" first announced his intention to fight in the UFC, fans were quick to label him as the uncrowned king of the UFC heavy weight division. Many people thought he would simply walk through the division before becoming champion. Well, it didn't quite work out like that. In his first fight against Eddie Sanchez, he was just simply too much for his opponent. His next fight was against the Brazilian, Gabriel Gonzaga. In what was one of the most shocking KO's in all of MMA, Gabriel Gonzaga knocked out Cro Cop with a high kick that would make even the Croation Sensation proud.
To some, the transition was an easy one. Guys like Anderson Silva and Quinton Jackson have made it look easy as both now hold the titles in their respective divisions. Others like Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria, Fabricio Werdum, and Heath Herring haven't had the smoothest transition to the UFC, although Herring rebounded from his rocky start by almost delivering a KO in Bog Nog's debut. However, these fighters shouldn't be overlooked. All three are world-class athletes and after some time, should be able to really feel comfortable in an octagon.
In the coming months, MMA fans will be treated to great match ups featuring the best that both organizations have to offer. At UFC 75, Dan Henderson will fight Quinton Jackson. Henderson should find himself right at home when he steps into the octagon. After all, he did fight in the UFC early in his career. Henderson's ability to speak English and thus, fully understand the rule changes, should assist his transition. Another dynamite signing for the UFC was that of the young Chute Boxe star, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Rua is the number one ranked 205 pound fighter based on www.mmaweekly.com rankings. Alot of people are anticipating Rua to have very hard time adjusting to the UFC, mainly because he wont be able to deliver those vicious soccer kicks that the Chute Boxe academy is famous for. However, Rua is a very versatile fighter, young, and willing to learn.
The bottom line on the matter is that yes, it is a difficult transition. From the cage to the rules and everything in between. Some fighters handle it well, and others not so well. Where would you rather fight, PRIDE or UFC? If you ask that question to all of the fighters that have and are planning to transfer over to the UFC, I'm sure that you will pretty much get the same response out of all them: "I dont care, I just want to fight." And thats what the fans want to hear.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The Transition From PRIDE To UFC
Monday, July 30, 2007
RAW Reaction: Kennedy/Carlito Get Big Wins
Tonight's RAW contained eight matches, and needless to say, there were some surprises. Kennedy pins Lashley with a clean victory and Carlito beats the Champ!
Firstly, Carlito's Cabana is back, which should provide him with a nice push out of the mid-card and toward the top of the roster. Let's hope. We'll review the matches one by one here:
Divas Tag Match - The sole purpose of this match was to move Santino Marella in a new direction. It's been rumored lately that he'll be making a heel turn, which makes sense considering that WWE sees foreigners as more hatable wrestlers.
Santino Marella vs. Umaga - It was surprising not to see Jeff Hardy make an appearance in this match. He'll most likely be fighting Umaga at SummerSlam, so look for that feud to continue. Umaga is really starting to get some huge pops.
Cody Rhodes vs. Daivari - It wouldn't have surprised me at all to see Cody lose this match and moved to Smackdown. Afterall, he was just brought up from OVW and might want some more time before he has a full-time spot on the A show. But he seems to be over with the fans and I'm sure we'll be seeing much more of him. Also, he threw an absolutely awesome powerslam in this match.
Mr. Kennedy vs. Bobby Lashley - Match of the night. Firstly, it was great to see Lashley finally using his amateur wrestling background and throwing Kennedy around rather than just doing traditional powerhouse moves. Secondly, it was awesome to see WWE give Kennedy a clean win over Lashley, a man who has been pushed to the sky since earlier this year. I think WWE realizes that Kennedy has more potential between the two.
King Booker vs. Jerry Lawler - This match was fairly laughable. Lawlers offense amounted to punches and, at one point, an elbow drop. This whole "King" thing is just leading into a King Booker-Triple H match at SummerSlam.
Cryme Tyme vs. Two Guys - Not bad for a squash match. The auction of the guy's boots after the match went a little long, though. Is Cryme Tyme finally receiving their push? If you recall, several months ago they won a guaranteed title shot...SummerSlam?
Randy Orton vs. Sgt. Slaughter - Right now, WWE is just throwing legends at Orton for him to kill. I think they might have finally run out. Regardless, it's getting repetitve and I hope that they move on from it. It's almost assumed at this point that Orton will be winning the title from Cena at SummerSlam...I just hope he wins it clean.
John Cena vs. Carlito - It was cool to see a main event like this. Two very popular and over guys doing battle. It was also "cool" to see Carlito win this one. The fact that Cena didn't kick out of Carlito's finisher also makes him seem a little fallible, setting us up for a loss at SummerSlam?
Overall, tonight's RAW was an entertaining one. By the way, I'm sick of visiting (other) wrestling sites and reading about how stupid, crappy, and unwatchable WWE is. If people don't like the WWE product, then why are they watching it? And ordering the Pay-Per-Views??? WWE puts out a very entertaining product, and while we all wish they did things differently, they are doing what they think is best.
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
MMA and WWE Can Coexist!
I love watching both MMA and WWE. Many think that they cannot coexist and that MMA is loads better then WWE. Here I will tell you what I like about each show, what one show can offer that another one can’t, how they don’t have to interfere, and how they can coexist and live in harmony.
I’ll start out this article by saying that since joining The Irish Whip I have become an MMA fan…due to Ben and Masson’s articles over the past months. Also, as you know, I am a huge WWE fan. However, it seems to me that the WWE does not get the respect from MMA fans that it deserves. MMA fans always use the ignorant and hackneyed term “fake” when it comes to wrestling.
FAKE is the exact 4-letter word that makes MMA fans and WWE fans not get along. If I may quote my “great friend” Darth Nihlist:
“The WWE has been surpassed by the UFC. Please refrain from talking about the WWE here. UFC is all that needs to be discussed. It is real, WWE is NOT!! Thank You. The writers here are obviously juveniles that pander to the WWE.”
“If you sheep want to keep following a pre-determined outcome form of entertainment, so be it.I like my sports to be REAL and not scripted. Yahoo searches and all that are just proof of the idiocy that is ruining this country. How many searches does yahoo get about the idiot president and his pointless war????”
Fake kills me. The blood is real (see Tommy Dreamer at the first One Night Stand), the pain is usually real (see Sabu tear open his arm from barbwire and have his bicep hanging out…and then wrap his turban around it and continue the match), and sometimes the rivalries are real (see Flair vs. Foley…or Edge vs. Matt Hardy).
WWE is just as exciting as MMA (Jeff Hardy jumping off of a 20-foot ladder onto someone is just as/more exciting then Mirko Cro Cop kicking someone in the face). Also, WWE is televised a lot more. WWE has 3 shows a week, while I often find myself watching Ultimate Fighter 2 reruns. The 3 shows a week allow the fans to watch the top performers of the company at least once a week (analogy by Ben: think of Liddell vs. Rampage every week)…while I would have to pay to watch Chuck Liddell fight every 2 months.
However MMA is actual combat where people actually get hit all the time (another analogy by Ben: think if John Cena actually got punched out). MMA is fun to watch because you know that each fighter is throwing in 110% throughout each fight. MMA is also very exciting because of its unpredictability. In MMA a guy could get knocked or submit out in the first minute of the fight! Unpredictability is the epitome of exciting.
Actually, let me break down unpredictability real quick. It has pluses and minuses. The pluses are that it causes excitement and causes the fans to be in an atmosphere where they don’t know what is going to happen at all. However, the minuses are that if someone pays to see UFC 74 and Randy Couture knocks out Gabriel Gonzaga in the first minute, and St. Pierre knocks out Koscheck in the first minute…there are no refunds. If you pay for Wrestlemania, then you know that you are going to get to watch it for around 3 hours.
Let’s move to scheduling. UFC has “UFC Unleashed” on Thursday nights, ppvs on Saturday nights, and I think that Ultimate Fighter is Wednesdays (correct me if I’m wrong)…and WWE has RAW on Monday nights, ECW on Tuesday nights, Smackdown on Friday nights, and ppvs on Sunday nights. Now is it just me or do none of these dates conflict? These two sports can easily coexist if the MMA fans give WWE respect and vice versa.
Hopefully I didn’t start some civil war…but we’ll see. By the way, I have decided to no longer be under by pen name “Jared Gerrard” and use my real name Jordan Arnold. So if you were wondering where I went…it’s just a new name.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Irish Whip Fighting Exclusive: Private Tour Of Team Quest And Interview With Matt Horwich
D: “That’s really impressive….so how did you find team Quest?” D: “What has your experience with the IFL been like and what are your thoughts on the merger between the UFC and PRIDE fc?” D: “If you could fight anyone in the world who would it be?” D: “Give us your dream match ups for every weight class.” D: “Thank you for your time and giving www.irishwhipfighting.com and all the fans a glimpse into the world of Matt Horwich. The last thing I want to know is what your goals for the future are and how your fans can get in contact with you.”
On the day the IFL announced their fight card for their 2007 Grand Prix (which consists of the four top fighters in each weight division) I had the unique opportunity to sit down with rising MMA star Matt “Suave” Horwich. With victories over the likes of Jason McDonald, Vernon White and Josh Burkman, he is one of the most dangerous and well rounded middleweights fighting today. Drawing strength from his deep spiritual faith he has unmatched focus determination that has helped him realize his dream of becoming a world class fighter. Coming off of a stunning KO via a “cro-cop” like high kick he shared with me his thoughts on winning the IFL GP and his goal to become the first ever IFL middleweight champion as well as becoming the first Rock/MMA superstar.By Doug MacEwan
Doug: “What initially attracted you to Mixed Martial Arts and how did you get your start?”
Matt: “Like a lot of young kids growing up I was always watching Bruce Lee movies and got involved in traditional Martial Arts at a young age. After watching Royce Gracie dominate the first few UFC’s, I saved up as much money as I could and moved to northern California to train with him for five hours a day five days a week for a month straight. It was an amazing experience for a sixteen year old and that helped me build the foundation for my submission skills.”
M: “Even though I took some time off from training to pursue other interests like playing the guitar and exploring my musical side I was still watching all the UFC events I could and saw Randy Couture dominating much like Royce did during his first reign as the HW champ. At this point in my life I was traveling around and the opportunity presented itself for me to travel up north to begin training with Randy at Team Quest.
D: “What was it like training with all of the great fighters at Team Quest and what makes Team Quest arguably the best MMA training facility in the world?”
M: “Having the opportunity to train with the best MW fighters in the world in Matt Lindland and Dan Henderson along with other world class fighters like Ed Herman Nate Quarry and Chris Leben, you are being challenged by the best every day you come to the gym. Both Henderson and Lindland are two of the best wrestlers in the history of our sport and they helped me develop an excellent ground game. The environment is exactly what you need to push yourself to become a champion and you are constantly pushed every day to be the best. The work ethic we all have at TQ as well as the whole atmosphere here could not be better. I have to give a lot of credit to Matt Lindland who is like a father figure to many of the fighters and works really hard to promote us and get our names out there on top of training us to become the best. He had helped me so much over the course of my career and it amazes me how he is able to dedicate so much energy into helping all of us on top of the work he needs to devote to his own career. We also believe in cross training with other gyms and I have had the chance to train with BJ Penn, Chuck Liddell and many other top fighters and gyms.”
M: “First of all I can’t say enough great things about the IFL. They treat their fighters extremely well and pay us a monthly salary to help us afford to train full time on top of what they pay us per fight. It ends up being much more than the UFC can offer unless you are one of the really big names. I am really excited about the upcoming GP and I think that the IFL has a great business plan and will continue to grow and become more successful. As far as the merger with PRIDE and UFC there are two ways to look at it. On one hand you now have the dream match ups like Shogun vs Liddell and the fans will get to see match ups they only dreamed about in the past. On the other hand this makes the UFC more powerful and without that competition they could end up paying the fighters less than they would have if they had PRIDE bidding against them for talent.”
M: “I would love an opportunity to fight Anderson Silva because in order to be the best you have to fight the best. I have tremendous respect for him as a fighter and as a person and it would be an honor to test my skills against him.”
D: “How do you stay focused with all of the distraction and temptation that has gotten the best of many great talents in the past. I am also curious to hear your thoughts on the recent string of positive steroids tests that have plagued MMA”
M: “I put a lot of faith in god and I find it easy to make the choices that will put me in the best position to be successful. I owe it to myself and the people around me that I care about to stay focused and diet and train the right way. As far as steroids it is unfortunate that some people try to take short cuts and sacrifice the integrity of the sport and themselves. I can only control my own actions so there is not much I can do other than set a positive example”
M: “ That’s tough but here are the fights I am dying to see: HW-Fedor vs Gonzaga, LHW-Shogun vs Liddell, MW-Lindland or Henderson vs A. Silva WW- BJ Penn vs St. Pierre 2”
M: “Thank you for your visit. My goal is to continue to fight hard and to win the IFL Middleweight belt. I would also like to continue to develop my musical talent and purchase land to build a house where I can spend time with my friends and loved ones. My fans can reach me on my myspace account under the screen name ‘Wildheart' or look me up by my name Matthew Horwich.”
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Irish Whip Fighting Exclusive: Denis Kang Interview
Denis Kang is one of the top contenders in the 185lbs division in
Masson Liang: What promotions have you narrowed it down to?
Denis Kang: Sorry man can’t talk about that.
ML: With that aside, you put on an incredible performance at Bushido 13 losing a razor-thin decision; you must be itching for a rematch. Is there a possibility for fans to witness a Kang vs. Misaki II anytime soon?
DK: There definitely could be, because I would jump at the opportunity to fight him again.
ML: Who is your toughest opponent thus far?
DK: Probably Andrei Semenov. I hit this guy with everything and he kept coming.
ML: Have you fought anyone you truly disliked? How did that affect your performance?
DK: I've never made my fights personal so no.
ML: Considered by many to be one of the top 185 pounders in the world, where do you rank yourself in the 185lbs. division?
DK: I think I can be the best in the world. Right now
Training….
ML: Have you trained at camps anywhere outside of the
DK: I love ATT and I don’t plan on going anywhere else.
ML: Who in mixed martial arts today do you look up to the most? Are there any fighters out there you'd love to train with?
DK: Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira.
ML: Joining ATT in Jan. '05, how has training changed from your ways before ATT?
DK: I have a lot more training partners now, and many coaches to work on every aspect of my game. It's great to have so many other pro fighters to train with every single day.
ML: How big of a factor do you think the mental aspect is in preparation for a fight? How do you usually prepare yourself mentally for a fight?
DK: The mental aspect is everything you could say. I don’t care how good you are if you cant hold it together in the ring you will get beat by a much lesser fighter.
ML: Do you pay any attention to rumors and negative feedback that may arise time to time on the Internet?
DK: Nope.
ML: Do you have any words of encouragement for young fighters out there looking to pursue a career in mixed martial arts?
DK: Keep training and thriving for improvement in every area of your game.
ML: Being acquainted with Dan Henderson, have you gotten a chance to help him train at all for his upcoming title bout against
DK: I've spoken to him a few times but I have never trained with him.
ML: Should fans expect to see you in attendance at
DK: Maybe, it depends on my schedule.
ML: Hardcore
DK: I would love to fight in the Octagon one day.
Other…
ML: Where do you see the sports of mixed martial arts in 5 years?
DK: 5 times bigger than it is now, haha.
ML: Taking a look around the Irish Whip, what do you think of the site?
DK: I like it. It seems very informative and easy to navigate.
ML: Are there any last words you'd like to say to the "Super Korean" Kang junkies out there? Sponsors?
DK: Thanks for the support throughout the years. I know I haven’t fought that much in 07 but it ain’t over yet and I will be in action soon!
Read More...
Friday, July 27, 2007
Combat Sports 101: The Styles Behind MMA
Many argue that the world of combat sports has evolved far beyond the boxing and its glory days. People crave more than two men only utilizing their two hands, battering each other for twelve dreary rounds. These days, people yearn for more action and with more action, there comes more technique.
The answer to this craving is the future of combat sports. It is mixed martial arts.
Mixed martial arts is a combat sport is composed of a wide assortment of fighting technique, techniques which range from striking to grappling.
In this little educational piece, I will run through the primary styles of mixed martial arts used today (note the word primary; it may not include every single art out there).
Striking
I. Muay-Thai Kickboxing
Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing or The Art of the Eight Limbs, is Thailand’s national sport. Techniques of Muay Thai usually include the feet, shinbones, fists, elbows, the clinch and knees.
Muay Thai’s worldwide popularity blossomed around the 1990s, being extremely effective in mixed martial arts fights. Muay Thai remains as one of the most popular styles of striking amongst MMA fighters today.
Muay Thai has showed great effectiveness in mixed martial arts today. Fighters who have found much success with Muay Thai include current UFC middleweight champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva, former PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and the majority of the Brazilian-based Chute Boxe Academy. Although these fighters’ styles revolve greatly around the art of Muay Thai, they have incorporated elements of grappling, wrestling, and submission wrestling in order to compete in MMA.
II. Kickboxing
The art of kickboxing differs from that of Muay Thai kickboxing. Kickboxing focuses mainly on utilizing just punches and kicks opposed to standing elbow strikes and the clinch as in Muay Thai.
The term “kickboxing” alone is usually independent of “Muay Thai” and often refers to American and Japanese derivatives of the sport.
Kickboxing of course has proven to be quite effective as well. Most notable fighters whose primary arsenal relies on kickboxing are Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Mark Hunt, both of whom fought in the K-1 organization before transitioning into MMA.
III. Boxing
Boxing in my opinion is one of the greatest styles a fighter can learn to develop their standup skills in MMA. Boxing is essentially the style of the hands, so I believe there is not a style out there that can top it as far as punching goes.
The main components of boxing include one of the most under used strikes in MMA today, the jab to set up combos, the cross, the hook, and the uppercuts. Defense includes slipping, bobbing, and footwork.
Boxing is used in MMA today by high profile fighters such as PRIDE’s lightweight champion Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi, Nick Diaz, and UFC’s former lightweight champion Jens “Little Evil” Pulver.
Grappling
I. Jiu-Jitsu
There is no question that more than 50% of the ground skills involved in MMA is contributed to by Jiu-Jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu focuses on grappling and in particular ground fighting using joint-locks and chokeholds to force an opponent into submission and ultimately tap out!
Jiu-Jitsu was said to include many “dirty” techniques and was then adopted by the Gracie family and turned into a “cleaner” combat system.
The Jiu-Jitsu used in MMA is mainly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), which came about when the Gracies went to the United States to spread their art. The Gracie family continued to develop their system throughout the 20th century and has refined its techniques, which are seen in much of the MMA matches today.
There is no doubt that BJJ is extremely effective in today’s MMA matches. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (or BJJ) became most popular when UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie won UFC 1, UFC 2 and UFC 4 with his superior ground game. Royce’s opponents were usually much larger and practiced other styles, including boxing, shoot-fighting, karate, judo, and wrestling.
However, today some of the greatest BJJ MMA practitioners include: former PRIDE heavyweight champion Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira, BJ “The Prodigy” Penn, Shinya Aoki, and a wealth of other fighters.
II. Wrestling
Wrestling is an essential skill in mixed martial arts today. A fighter can have a good background in Jiu-Jitsu, but have poor wrestling skills.
Wrestling, the oldest form of martial arts, includes a variety of techniques which include: clinching, holding, locking, leverage and one of the most important techniques in MMA, the sprawl.
Wrestling consists of numerous styles, such as: Greco-Roman wrestling, freestyle wrestling, catch wrestling, and others.
Many successful MMA champions and fighters have extensive wrestling credentials before entering a career in MMA. The most notable of fighters whom come off a wrestling background are: former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, and current UFC heavyweight champion Randy “The Natural” Couture.
However, many wrestlers in MMA have been criticized and said to “Lay-and-pray.” Lay-and-pray is a term used to describe when wrestlers take an opponent down and lay on top of them without attempts to finish the fight with “ground-and-pound” or submissions. Lay-and-prayers only seek to maintain control of positioning and smother any offense by the opponent, imposing little or no offense themselves, hoping for a decision victory.
III. Sambo/Judo
Sambo and Judo are not the most popular styles utilized in mixed martial arts but have certainly proven to be highly successful when utilized. Sambo is combat sport and self-defense system developed in the former Soviet Union, and recognized as an official sport by the USSR All-Union Sports Committee in 1938, presented by Anatoly Kharlampiev. While Judo is a combat, originating in Japan, that involves hip throws, tosses, joint locks, as well as punches and kicks. Sambo heavily resembles Judo.
Many of today’s top fighters utilize either Sambo or Judo. Fedor Emelianenko, PRIDE Fighting Championships's current heavyweight champion and consistently ranked the world's best heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter has a background in judo and is an avid practitioner of Sambo. Other fighters with backgrounds in Judo in MMA include: Hidehiko Yoshida, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Pawel Nastula and UFC’s Karo “The Heat” Parisyan.
Judo and Sambo not only has proven to be successful amongst MMA matches but is certainly exciting to watch.
So there you have it, the primary martial arts inside of mixed martial arts. I hope you learned a thing or two from this article and if you have any questions simply post a comment below!
The Lianger
Updates on Fedor's Status in the UFC
Sherdog.com recently sat down with Red Devil Manager Vadim Finkelstein, who is ultimately in charge of the career of PRIDE's heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko. In this interview, Finkelstein discusses Fedor's status on the UFC.
It seems as if the UFC is in the crosshairs of Fedor and his contract negotiations.
When Sherdog.com asked Fedor's manager for the current status of their contract negotiations, he had this to say:"At the moment we are in negotiations with a number of organizations who have put offers on the table. I'll be blunt in saying that the UFC offer is the most financially attractive one. However they are very harsh in their terms and are not very flexible in actually negotiating them.
The interview also touches upon their preferences as to how the UFC should adopt Fedor, as far as opponents go. Finkelstein says that he'd prefer that Fedor fight not the best immediately, in order to adapt to the cage format and etc.
Fedor has now been the PRIDE heavyweight champion for four years and I think we have earned the right to negotiate a contract that suits both parties. Instead we are faced with a blunt "you are either in or you're out." This does not really suit us. If the negotiations continue in a similar manner, we'll prefer to fight for less money but with an organization which is more flexible.
The problem is that Fedor is the face of Combat Sambo in Russia. His popularity is at a level where he is acquainted with president Putin himself, in part because he is so successful and well known for Combat Sambo here.
Combat Sambo is a Russian sport that's not at a level of difficulty of MMA, but is hugely popular with our public. Fedor must represent Russia in Combat Sambo and at world championships, specifically the ones coming up in September. All we want him to do is compete something like once a year in Combat Sambo. But the UFC is not happy with that.
Their proposal has all kinds of clauses, all kinds of fines etc. that do not suit us. The UFC is not really that eager to communicate and negotiate. The negotiations are still continuing, and we will try very hard to get our demands met, if not Fedor will simply not compete in the UFC, even though that will be unfortunate as they currently have one of the, if not the, strongest, heavyweight divisions in the world."
Hmm, it looks to me that they would definitely like to join the UFC, but there are still some kinks in the contracts that Dana White is reluctant to hand over. Fedor is probably the last big heavyweight the UFC needs to compelete their new and improved superior heavyweight division and I think White should really reason with Fedor's managers to have him in the UFC.
Well, this is still an inkling of hope for Fedor in the UFC and I'll take what I can get. I'll keep you posted on further news on the situation.
The Lianger
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Pulls Out of EliteXC Deal
More and more free agents are emerging in the MMA market while top name promotions make their attempts to obtain the best ones. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou has now been added to that roster.
Sokoudjou was originally thought to be signing with EliteXC during the Shamrock vs. Baroni event that went down last month.
According to Elite XC president, Gary Shaw, the deal was near completion until a more appealing deal was offered to Sokoudjou, a deal Shaw was "not willing to match."
Shaw did not specify which promotion "stole" Sokoudjou away but, reports are stating that it was K-1.
Denis Kang is another example of a top middleweight, who has recently become a free agent as well.
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou is a Judo practitioner and champion and currently trains with Team Quest. Sokoudjou's most notable wins were his most recent two fights at PRIDE, where he knocked out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in 23 seconds and knocked out Ricardo Arona in under two minutes at PRIDE 33 and 34, respectively.
As of now, the rumors have it looking like Sokoudjou will be signing with K-1 HERO's. I will keep you posted.
The Lianger
Thursday, July 26, 2007
The Lost Art of The Submission
Where has the submission gone? I've racked my brain for a while now, and the only submission finishers I can think of in the WWE right now are Ric Flair's Figure-Four and John Cena's STFU (unless you count Mark Henry's bear hug as being legitimate). A submission maneuver is a great way to end a match. Where have all of them gone?...
The Ankle Lock...The Crippler Crossface...The Sharpshooter...all of them are among the most exciting and versatile finishers in the history of the business. These finishers were used by only the best technical wrestlers in wrestling in order to highlight that specific characteristic: technically sound. Does this mean we no longer have any good technical wrestlers? Certainly not, the business has just changed!
WWE buys into the idea that a match is better ended with a pin than with a tap-out. They assume that a high-impact move is the best way to finish off a match. Here is a perfect example: CM Punk. If you recall, for his first several months in ECW CM Punk used the Anaconda Vice to make his opponents tap. Now, someone in WWE is having him use the Go-To-Sleep as his finisher. It's a cool move, but giving Punk a submission finisher really separated him from the rest of the wrestlers.
John Cena and Ric Flair are the only main-eventers that use submissions as finishers now. Flair's use of the Figure-Four only persists because he has used it his whole career. John Cena has used the STFU to win the main event at Wrestlemania for the past two years. The STFU is a very awkward submission. Cena often struggles to apply it and it comes out looking crappy. Why not let guys like Punk at least use the Anaconda Vice?
What happened to the submissions? You tell me.
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Ranking The PRIDE FC Light Heavyweights
Prior to Zuffa's buyout of PRIDE and its stars, one could easily suggest that PRIDE held the most stacked Light heavyweight division of all-time. Between veterans Wanderlei Silva, Ricardo Arona, and Dan Henderson along with newcomers Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Rua (pictured), you'd be hard pressed to find a more stellar group of fighters. Yes, they're all superstars in their own right, but who is the best?
In order to rank the Light heavyweights, I chose the top guys (in my opinion) and looked at their "quality wins," meaning a win against any other member of the group. With apologies to Alistair Overeem and Ninja Rua, I went through the quality wins of the following fighters (in no order): Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Ricardo Arona, Quinton Jackson, Mauricio Rua, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. After examining their quality wins, I was able to eliminate two from contention and rank the top 5.
Not enough information: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. Little Nog had as many contests as some of the other fighters (3 contests against quality opponents), but only beat Dan Henderson while dropping contests to Mauricio Rua (who hasn't) and a recent one to wonder kid Sokoudjou. I felt that not only was there not enough information to make a determination on Little Nog, but if I had to make a decision, his 1-2 record wouldn't be enough to crack the Top 5. Sokoudjou, in his own right, is extremely impressive, but is only 5 contests into his MMA career. Granted, two of these are against Little Nog and Arona, but that isn't enough for me to place the "African Assassin" among the Top 5. Perhaps if he had beat Wandy and Hendo, that would be a different story, but he hasn't...not yet, at least.
5: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Despite all the hoopla surrounding his dual wins against Chuck Liddell and infamous powerbomb of Arona, Rampage has done little else for himself. Since the Liddell wins don't count as quality victories (one came outside the auspices of PRIDE in addition to Liddell not being among the quality fighters), Rampage has just one quality win to show for himself (Arona) to go along with his loss to Shogun Rua and two losses to Wanderlei Silva. This 1-4 record was just decent enough to put him above Sokoudjou and into the Top 5.
4: Dan "Hollywood" Henderson. He does wield and impresive victory over Wanderlei Silva, but similar to Jackson, Henderson has little else to his name. His most recent win is the only one of its kind against a quality opponent while he holds a loss to Wanderlei, Little Nog, and Arona. His record stands at 1-3, with his only win coming against an opponent he's also lost to. Good, but not Shogun good.
3: Ricardo "Brazilian Tiger" Arona. At first, I thought that this spot was a little high for Arona. He, like everyone else, holds a loss to Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua along with downright beatings from Rampage and Sokoudjou. However, he's the only man to ever beat BOTH Wanderlei Silva and Dan Henderson. And for that, I believe he deserves a top spot. His record comes in at 2-4, good enough to pull him in ahead of Henderson.
2: Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva. Originally, this spot was Wandy's. Then it was Shogun's. And now, it goes back to Wanderlei Silva. I looked at Shogun and Silva's quality wins and found that they've both beat Arona and Rampage (twice for Wanderlei). The discrepancy came when looking at who else they had beat, and of course, who they have lost to. Other than the matches listed previously, Silva's only other quality win came against Henderson while Shogun's came against Little Nogueira. In 2005, Little Nog beat Henderson. Point for Shogun. Now, to the losses. Silva has lost to two quality opponents (Arona and Henderson) while Shogun has lost to...oh, right. No one. Point to Shogun. Wanderlei is damn impressive, but considering his recent losing streak and less than perfect 4-2 record, he falls in at number two.
1: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. How can you argue wth three quality wins (Arona, Rampage, Little Nog) and no losses against quality opponents? It's not likely that Shogun would fight Wanderlei as they are both Chute Boxe students, but a bout with Henderson following UFC 75 isn't out of the question at all. If Shogun managed to win that match up, he would solidify himself at the top of every 205 lb. ranking in the world. And oh yeah, he's just 25 years old.
Post below with your thoughts on my rankings!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Nick Diaz Returns Sept.15 in EliteXC
Nick Diaz will finally fight after a six month suspension due to a positive marijuana test which ruled his impressive gogoplata submission win over Takanori Gomi at PRIDE 33 a No Contest. Nick Diaz is ready to make a triumphant return on September 15th, this time at Elite XC's show in Hawaii.
EliteXC's event will take place in the beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii and its main event will feature EliteXC middleweight champion Murilo "Ninja" Rua versus ICON middleweight champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler.
Nick Diaz recently challenged StrikeForce middleweight champion Frank Shamrock, who most recently defeated Phil Baroni in stunning fashion, to a middleweight show down. However, EliteXC president Gary Shaw has confirmed that Diaz will be fighting at September's show at 160lbs.
Nick Diaz's opponent for September 15th has not yet been determined.
Nick Diaz's last fight before his suspension was at PRIDE 33 against PRIDE's current lightweight champion Takanori Gomi in a non-title fight, which took place on February 24 in Las Vegas. Diaz had originally won the fight by a gogoplata submission, which was the second successful attempt in PRIDE's history. After the fight, the NSAC declared that Diaz had tested positive for marijuana and ruled his win a "No Contest" along with a six month suspension and a fine of $3,000.
Nick Diaz's younger brother, Nate Diaz, recently won The Ultimate Fighter 5 television series.
Updates on Nick Diaz's opponent for September 15th should be announced soon.
The Lianger
WWE Senior Superlatives: 90s Edition!
Two weeks ago, Masson and I collaborated on our MMA Senior Superlatives. A week later, our WWE writers came together to do a current version of WWE Senior Superlatives. But let's be honest...the excitement of either current landscape cannot be matched by the greatest historical period of combat sports: the 90s.
And so, our three main WWE writers have been polled on the following categories and were asked to choose wrestlers fromthe 90s/Attitude Era. Check out the results and let us know what you think!
Most Powerful-B: Diesel, D: Kane, J: Goldberg
Best Pound for Pound-B: Bret Hart, D: Shawn Michaels, J: Bret Hart
Best High-Flyer-B: Shawn Michaels, D: Shawn Michaels, J: Shawn Michaels
Most Stamina-B: The Undertaker, D: The Undertaker, J: Shawn Michaels
Most Hardcore-B: Mankind, D: Mankind, J: Mankind
Most Crafty-B: Owen Hart, D: Owen Hart, J: Shawn Michaels
Most Athletic-B: Kurt Angle, D: Kurt Angle, J: Kurt Angle
Most Exciting-B: Stone Cold Steve Austin, D: The Rock, J: Goldberg
Best Finisher-B: Stone Cold Stunner, D: The People's Elbow, J: The People's Elbow
Best Face-B: Shawn Michaels, D: The Rock, J: Sting
Best Heel-B: Sycho Sid, D: Vince McMahon, J: Hulk Hogan
Best Promos-B: The Rock, D: The Rock, J: The Rock
Best Entrance-B: Shawn Michaels (WM XII), D: The Undertaker, J: Sting (from arena top)
Best Ring Control-B: Triple H, D: Bret Hart, J: Triple H
Best Technical-B: Bret Hart, D: Chris Benoit, J: Bret Hart
Highest Pain Threshold-B: Mankind, D: Mankind, J: Mankind
Most Complete Wrestler-B: Bret Hart, D: Stone Cold Steve Austin, J: Bret Hart
UFC 75: Bisping to Square Off Against Hamill
The Ultimate Fighter 3 winner, Michael "The Count" Bisping, is looking to make some big changes as far as training goes. Bisping has found a new training partner for his upcoming fight against fellow TUF 3 participant Matt Hamill. Bisping will be training with UFC's light heavywewight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson up in Big Bear.
In a recent UFC.com article, Bisping rants and raves about his disapproval of upcoming opponent Matt Hamill. Bisping thinks that a win against Hamill will not only be a walk in the park, it would do nothing for him in terms of moving up in the light heavyweight division, Bisping actually believes it will be "a backwards step because he[I] won The Ultimate Fighter."
Bisping is hoping to send out the message to Hamill about his new training camp for the fight.
Bisping had this to say:“And if he’s hoping that I’m gonna cut corners in training he’ll be very upset when he reads this – because I’m going to Big Bear to train for a month with Rampage Jackson. That’s how keen I am to put on the performance of my life and smash this arrogant egomaniac to bits. I’ve done a complete 180 – I’ve never been so excited and motivated for a fight in my career because I am fighting a guy I can’t stand personally. No way am I losing to this egomaniac – and I am really excited to go to California to train with a fighter of the level of Rampage.”
Michael "The Count" Bisping, for those not too familiar, is also Cage Warriors Fighting Championship's former light-heavyweight champion, as well as Cage Rage's former light-heavyweight champion. Bisping holds an undefeated professional record of 13 wins and no losses. His most recent win was over UFC long timer Elvis Sinosic, whom Bisping defeated via TKO by strikes at UFC 70: Nation's Collide.
Matt Hamill, the elder of the two, was also on The Ultimate Fighter 3 alongside Bisping and also holds a perfect record of 3 wins and no losses. Hamill's latest win was against Rex Holman at UFC 68: The Uprising, winning in similar fashion as Bisping's most recent win, by TKO due to strikes.
Michael "The Count" Bisping is set to face Matt Hamill at UFC 75: Champion vs. Champion on September 8th at The O2 arena in London, England.
UFC 75 will be featured for free on Spike TV via tape delay.
I think Bisping should be able to walk over Hamill with relative ease, especially since he will be training with "Rampage" in Big Bear for this fight. Bisping has a significant advantage on the feet and is pretty attains a pretty well-versed ground game on top of that. However, I don't think a win against Hamill will be a setback to Bisping's UFC career, it'll just be another feather in his hat to boast about.
Bisping is becoming a premier player in the UFC's light heavyweight division and always putting on a good show, with all his wins ending by way of KO/TKO or submission.
The Lianger
WWE June Madness: A Champion Is Crowned
It took victories over Chris Jericho, The Rock, Mankind, and Shawn Michaels, but our June Madness Tournament Champion has been crowned! Can you guess who it is?
Our new Champion is none other than The Dead Man, The Undertaker. He put together an unprecedented string of victories, finishing with a 56 to 44 victory over HBK, to be awarded with this honor. Let's follow his progress round by round:
Sweet Sixteen:
1-Stone Cold Steve Austin
16-Vader
8-Razor Ramon
9-Mankind
5-The Rock
12-HHH
4-The Undertaker
13-Chris Jericho
6-Diesel
11-Ultimate Warrior
3-Shawn Michaels
14-Kane
7-Yokozuna
10-Sycho Sid
2-Bret Hart
15-Kurt Angle
Elite Eight:
1-Stone Cold Steve Austin (beat Vader 80-20)
9-Mankind (beat Razor Ramon 100-0)
5-The Rock (beat HHH 60-40)
4-The Undertaker (beat Chris Jericho 80-20)
6-Diesel (beat Ultimate Warrior 80-20)
3-Shawn Michaels (beat Kane 80-20)
10-Sycho Sid (beat Yokozuna 80-20)
2-Bret Hart (beat Kurt Angle 80-20)
Final Four:
9-Mankind (beat Razor Ramon 100-0, Stone Cold 57-43)
4-The Undertaker (beat Chris Jericho 80-20, The Rock 67-33)
3-Shawn Michaels (beat Kane 80-20, Diesel 100-0)
2-Bret Hart (beat Kurt Angle 80-20, Sycho Sid 86-14)
Championship Match:
4-The Undertaker (beat Chris Jericho 80-20, The Rock 67-33, Mankind 57-43)
3-Shawn Michaels (beat Kane 80-20, Diesel 100-0, Bret Hart 67-33)
Is The Undertaker deserving of this honor? Should HBK have received the victory? Post below and let us know!
Monday, July 23, 2007
If You Like Biting, Try MMA, Says Hopkins
Bernard Hopkins spent the days prior to his recent win bashing MMA. He spent the minutes after calling his 12 round decision over Winky Wright "the fight that saved boxing." Is he right about either?
Before the fight, Hopkins had this to say about MMA and the UFC, more specifically:"You want to watch UFC? Go down to your local bar on a Friday night. After a few drinks, a couple of drunks will start throwing punches at one another. There's your UFC for you. UFC is street fighting in a cage. Boxing is a controlled, skilled talent. There's no comparison. Boxing's not going anywhere. It's hundreds of years old, man. You want to see biting, kicking, and kneeing? Go to your nearest bar. You want to see fighting, go to Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on July 21."
I love "The Executioner," but he couldn't more dead wrong in his comparison of the sports. For someone who knows the sport, there's a big difference between "someone throwing punches," and Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell. Perhaps he's just see Frye-Takayama? In another quizzical moment, he alludes to the fact that biting is allowed in the UFC. I believe that biting was outlawed almost a decade ago, making Hopkins, similar to his career, a little outdated.
After the fight, he dropped the topic of MMA and said something just as shocking:"Winky is tough, and he kept coming," Hopkins said. "He knows that I respect him a lot. I had no ill intent. It was all good for both gentlemen, and boxing is back."
Boxing is back? Is he nuts? Frazier-Ali IV couldn't bring boxing back, let alone the 12 round snoozefest that Hopkins won. He must know better than this statement. Wright and Hopkins are two of the most defensive boxers of this era, and he thinks that their styles colliding won back the fans? Not a chance.
I consider this just another piece in the continuing set of delusions that boxers and boxing fans alike have been telling themselves for the last ten years. The UFC is comparable to bar fights? Laughable. Boxing is back? Even funnier.
Five Men Who Can Beat Fedor
Every sport has its top dog. The guy that sits atop the food chain of the sport. In MMA, that man is Fedor Emelianenko. In this article, I highlight the five men who I believe have a legitimate chance of beating "The Last Emperor."
With the recent acquisition of PRIDE by Zuffa, the doors have been opened for all types of match ups that were once deemed to be impossible. The top fighters in each weight class will be fighting each other now regardless of which organization they fought for before. MMA has always been known as a very unpredictable sport. The smallest of mtakes can end up costing a fighter the match. Many people are quick to say that Mr. Emelianenko is unbeatable. As good of a champion and as dominant as he may be, the fact of the matter is that in this sport, no one is unbeatable. Anything can happen in a fight at any time. Below is a list of five fighters who I believe have the tools to defeat Emelianenko. Now, I'm not saying that these fighters WILL beat Fedor. (A few that I chose have already lost to him.) I am saying that these guys have the tools to defeat Fedor. For any one of these fighters to beat Fedor, they would have to execute their game plan to a tee. When you are facing a guy as dynamic as Fedor is, you cant make many mistakes. If one of these fighters does happen to fight Fedor, don't bet the house on the challenger, but maybe...just maybe if all the stars align right, someone can beat this man.
Josh Barnett
Josh Barnett is a tough style match up for anyone. His catch wrestling 
allows him to be a great wrestler from the top while at the same time always looking for a submission to win the fight. Josh Barnett would need to put Fedor on his back as soon as possible and keep him there for as long as possible. Barnett has really improved his stand up game but Fedor's striking style is a lot for anyone to handle.
Keys to Victory for Barnett
Put Fedor on his back and defend all of Fedor's submissions from the bottom.
Mark Hunt
Just as with any other fighter that came from a K-1 background, Mark Hunt 
was criticized for his lack of a ground game when he first got into MMA. Since then though, Mark Hunt has rounded out his game. Hunt's brand new ground game was on full display when he took on Fedor at PRIDE Shockwave 2006. When that fight hit the ground many people were suprised to see Hunt get on top and even attempt a submission or two. If Hunt's defense on the ground improves we could see him give Fedor a run. Hunt's best chance against Fedor would be on the feet. Any one of Hunt's punches has enough power to knock out Fedor.
Keys to Victory for Hunt
Turn this fight into a brawl, and try and land that one big, elusive knockout blow.
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
It doesn't take long for one to figure out how Cro Cop would have to beat 
Fedor. Left kick from hell! Just like any other match Cro Cop would have to keep this one standing and look to deliver the one kick to finish the fight. When these two first fought it was one of the most anticipated matches in all off MMA. Even with Cro Cop coming off the most devastating loss of his career, a second match with these two would deliver just as much build up as the first.
Keys to Victory for Cro Cop
Keep the fight on the feet Mix it up with kicks and punches and look for the knockout.
Randy Couture
When this list was first made I was a bit skeptical about putting Randy 
Couture on the list. Then I remembered what the critics were saying before the Tim Sylvia fight. The fact is that Randy Couture has a knack for pulling off things that no one expects him to. However a win over Fedor Emelianenko at this stage of his career seems unlikely but not impossible. His classical wrestling style has the potential to give Fedor fits on the ground.
Keys to Victory for Couture
Get on top of Fedor, and stay on top. Watch for submissions from the bottom.
Sergei Kharitonov
Many people around the world of MMA had Kharitonov pegged as the next man to challenge Fedor for the belt not to long ago. A 
devastating loss to the little brother of the champion hasn't helped his cause but I believe that he is still a threat to Fedor. Kharitonov has a extensive background in combat Sambo which should help him in a match against the master of Sambo. Kharitonov is also a very good traditional boxer which will help him against Fedor's wild, looping punches.
Keys to Victory for Kharitonov.
Use Sambo and boxing to neutralize Fedor's strengths
Sherk Releases Statement On Steroid Test
Last week, both UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca tested positive for steroids after their fight at UFC 73 Stacked on July 7. Franca had released his reasons for doing what he did to MMAWeekly.com, and now Sean Sherk has released statements of his own on the situation.
Sean Sherk has chosen to appeal the allegations that he used anabolic steroids. Today Sherk has remained to stand by his appeal and released his point of view on the situation in a press release:"At the present time, I cannot explain the positive drug test in Sacramento, California," stated the UFC lightweight champion. "I know that I have never used any steroids or other banned substances, and I am investigating possible causes of the positive test with my attorney. I have never cheated, and all of my success has come from hard work and dedication to my sport."
Sherk's attorny, Howard Jacobs, will be representing him in his appeal against his suspension and fine.
The appeal will be in Los Angeles, held on August 6 at 10 A.M. Challenger Hermes Franca and Phil Baroni, who tested positive after his fight with Frank Shamrock at EliteXC, will also have their appeals heard.
The Lianger
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Great American Bash Reaction
Have Smackdown's belts been rendered meaningless? Will Cena be champ for much longer? Will CM Punk no longer be the centerpiece of ECW? The answers...
All titles except for the Cruiserweight Championship were retained at this years Great American Bash. Let's go match by match and see what each outcome entails:
MVP def. Matt Hardy to retain U.S. Championship
- MVP is a great champ and WWE recognizes his potential, so it's no surprise to see him get a clean win here. This feud could be a great one, though, so look for it to continue into SummerSlam for a rematch.
Hornswaggle wins Cruiserweight Championship
- Well, the Crusierweight belt hasn't meant that much in recent years, but it's probably reached a new low. It's not as bad as giving the Great Khali a world championship, but it's getting there. If anything, Hornswaggle at least brings more attention to the belt and it should be cool to see how this storyline is handled. Hornswaggle vs. Chavo at SummerSlam? Surely not...
Carlito def. Sandman
- Apparently, even though this was a Singapore Cane match, the cane was never even used. Also, Sandman had no beer when he came out of the crowd. Is WWE censoring him? I hope not. This feud will most likely evolve into Sandman and Hacksaw vs. Carlito and William Regal for a gimmick match at SummerSlam.
Candice Michelle def. Melina to retain Women's Championship
- It seems that WWE is set on Candice being champ for a while, which is fine by me. It's tough to see where things will go from here though...Mickie James is clearly the most popular diva, so why not give her a title shot? At the same time, though, Jillian Hall and Beth Phoenix are two good heels. I'm thinking Mickie James becomes the #1 contender.
Umaga def. Jeff Hardy to retain Intercontinental Championship
- No real surprise that Umaga gets the clean victory over Jeff Hardy here. Now this is the question: will Umaga carry the belt into SummerSlam? I don't think so...remember that Umaga will be fighting against the Jackass crew, and what better way to get him angry at them than their interference forcing him to lose the belt?
John Morrison def. CM Punk to retain ECW Championship
- Morrison's set for a long title run here. He really deserves it: he's a great wrestler but he needs to get better on the mic. I think CM Punk is a better wrestler and a better speaker, but he will be champ before long. I'm not so sure that this feud will continue. We've seen house shows advertising Morrison vs. Tommy Dreamer, even though we saw Dreamer lose to him just a couple weeks ago. Regardless, I hope that this feud does go through SummerSlam: WWE needs to have its future (CM Punk) on the card.
Randy Orton def. Dusty Rhodes
- This was easy to pick: does anybody see DUSTY RHODES getting a push? Orton has been on a roll lately in order to set up for...a championship run and a feud with Triple H. Orton will beat Cena (finally) at SummerSlam to win the belt. Look for Cody Rhodes to start feuding with Santino Marella, Santino being a heel.
Great Khali def. Batista and Kane to retain the World Heavyweight belt
- This is absolutely sad. But here is what we're headed to: Great Khali vs. Batista at SummerSlam. This is so dumb.
John Cena def. Bobby Lashley to retain WWE Championship
- This was easy to see coming, or HEAR coming. Take one listen to Bobby Lashley on the mic and you know that he is miles short of being WWE Champion. He's been pushed too hard and too fast...I'm glad he finally got beat clean. He'll feud with Kennedy now and (hopefully) put him over.
There we go! What are your thoughts about the Bash or the upcoming SummerSlam?
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Society Geared For MMA
A new angle on why MMA has surpassed boxing as America's dominant combat sport by Doug MacEwan
As an avid fan of both boxing and MMA, I have taken notice of all the different theories as to why MMA has replaced boxing as the most popular combat sport in the world. On the surface you hear the talk of the rampant corruption in boxing turning long time fans away, but wasn’t it Don King who promoted “The Rumble in the Jungle” during boxing’s golden age? And furthermore isn’t it the Ultimate Fighting Championship, undoubtedly MMA’s most popular organization, that is run by two casino owners with alleged connections to the New Orleans mob?
I have also listened to many an argument about the apparent brutality of MMA drawing today’s blood thirsty masses away from the more sterilized boxing environment, but anyone who has watched Gatti vs. Ward or Corrales vs. Castillo 1 can tell you that there is plenty if not more violence over the course of a twelve round boxing match as compared to a three or five round MMA fight. This theory is supported by the fact that no MMA athlete has ever died as a result of fight related injuries while boxing produces unfortunate deaths year after year.
So why are we tuning into MMA and tuning out the “sweet science”? The answer suddenly came to me this morning as I was checking my email on my new i phone while watching old UFC clips on youtube while using tivo to fast forwarding through lulls in action in last nights fight between Bernard Hopkins and Ronald “Winky” Wright . We have become an instant gratification society that wants their e-mail, their coffee, their television, and especially their knockouts RIGHT NOW!!! We move so fast these days that we find a twelve round chess matches between two boxers (no matter the skill level) to be boring. We are so over stimulated these days that we can only commit all of our focus on one fight for about ten minutes before we get up to check our myspace or fast forward to the next fight. The UFC, and MMA in general, is much better geared to entertain our society where stimulation of all shapes forms and sizes is bombarding from every direction. We don’t have time to wait for boxers to feel each other out for three rounds…..we want to see a high kick to the head in the first three minutes so we can respond to all twenty text messages before the next fight starts. Even UFC fans constantly boo the fighters when they lock up on the ground fighting for better positioning to sink in a tight submission.
I realize how oversimplified my explanation is, but you can’t deny the facts….we want action and we want it now. From the day TIVO came out and gave the viewer the ability to fast forward through commercials, our society changed. I still love boxing and will continue to fork over $50 for the big PPV events, but I don’t see the trend of MMA being the premier contact sport ever changing, and it would not surprise me if it was absorbed into MMA altogether some day. The truth is twelve rounds of chess-like action no longer fits with main stream society, and I am surprised it has taken the likes of HBO and ESPN so long to hop on board with MMA. I think an ex girlfriend summed it up best as she was breaking up with me: “you’re like a little puppy that stops playing with one ball as soon as another ball come racing across the floor….” and even though her comment had nothing to do with boxing or MMA, I kept hearing that over and over in my head as I paused the Hopkins-Wright fight ten at least times to check if I could find a particular highlight of last years PRIDE “Open Weight Grand Prix”.
The Irish Whip Predicts!
All of our writers were polled and asked who would win the following matches at WWE's Great American Bash...
WWE Championship: John Cena (C) vs. Bobby Lashley
All three writers see John Cena reating his belt. Cena 3-0.
ECW World Championship: John Morrison (C) vs. CM Punk
Drew and Ben see John Morrison retaining while Jared sees CM Punk winning the belt. Morrison 2-1.
World Heavyweight Championship: The Great Khali (C) vs. Kane
All three writers see The Great Khali retaining his belt. Khali 3-0.
Texas Bullrope Match: Randy Orton vs. Dusty Rhodes
All three writers see Randy Orton winning the match. Orton 3-0.
WWE Women's Championship: Candice Michelle (C) vs. Melina
Ben and Jared see Candice Michelle retaining while Drew sees Melina winning the belt. Michelle 2-1.
WWE United States Championship: MVP (C) vs. Matt Hardy
Ben and Drew see Matt Hardy winning the belt while Jared sees MVP retaining. Hardy 2-1.
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Umaga (C) vs. Jeff Hardy
All three writers see Jeff Hardy winning the belt, with possible interference from the Jackass crew. Hardy 3-0.
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. Jimmy Wang Yang and others
Ben and Jared see Chavo retaining while Drew sees Wang Yang winning the belt. Chavo 2-1.
All in all, our writers have predicted two title changes (both Hardys) and four unanimous decisions (Cena, Khali, Orton, Jeff Hardy).
Post below with your own predictions!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Hermes Apologizes; Sherk Appeals
As we all know, UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk recently tested positive for Nandrolone Metabolite following his title defense July 7, along with his challenger Hermes Franca. Both fighters have been fined and suspended for a year. Franca released a sincere apology on MMAWeekly.com however, Sherk has decided upon a different approach.
Hermes Franca has proved himself to be a class act. Franca has confessed and released a statement to MMAweekly.com, admitting that he knew he was going to fail the drug test.
Franca goes on to explain that eight weeks out from the fight, he endured a severe ankle injury that held him back from training to his full potential against Sherk. Franca requested a postponing of the fight to which the UFC denied. For this reason, Franca looked to steroids for his answer.
Here is a snippet from Franca's apology:“At this point I was desperate and needed anything I could to get my injury as
Franca continues by showing much regret for what he has done and how he has ultimately affected his family.
close to healing as possible and be able to recover from the daily training
regimen I was going through. I made the shortsighted choice to hopefully
accelerate the healing process and allow me to keep training. Under the pressure
of literally not being able to pay next months bills I made a choice. I had to
fight and did whatever I could to do so.” "I had not fought for 5 months. Fighting is literally how I put food on my wife
I feel pretty bad for Franca, but he chose to do what he did and unfortunately, he needs to face the consequences fair and square.
and childs table and how I pay my bills. As a fighter though, even at this
level, I live a simple life and I literally live from fight to fight. Not
getting a paycheck for another few months and losing my chance to fight Sean for
the title was overpowering. Fighting is the life I chose and I love it."
UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk, on the other hand, has decided to take a different path in this steroid dilemma.
According to the Los Angeles Times , Sherk has appealed a one=year suspension and $2,500 fine that resulted from his UFC 73 failed drug test.
Sherk's hearding before CSAC will be held on August 6. After the hearing and a final ruling is reached, UFC President Dana White will decide whether or not the lightweight title will be stripped from Sean Sherk.
After retaining his UFC lightweight title with a unanimous decision over challenger Hermes Franca at UFC 73, CSAC announced that Sherk had failed his drug test, testing positive for Nandrolone Metabolite. Upon which he was suspended for a year and fined $2,500.
All this steroid bullshit is giving MMA such a bad name and horrible attention from the media, gaining much coverage from major news sites. I really hope this all blows over well and Sherk is stripped of the belt. I love Sherk, don't get me wrong, but he needs to be made an example of. The recent influx of steroids is getting ridiculous.
-The Lianger
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Drugs: A Rising Problem in MMA?
These days, drugs almost seem to be a part of a mixed martial artist's everyday diet. Recently we've had an influx of fighters testing positive for some form of substance. These fighters include UFC hall of famer Royce Gracie, Nick Diaz, Stephan Bonnar, Thiago Alves, Johnnie Morton, and more recently UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk and his most recent challenger Hermes Franca. Unfortunately, drug abuse is becoming a major problem in MMA.
The California State Athletic Commission recently released drug testing results. As many as twenty-eight fighters licensed by CSAC have violated the state's anti-doping policy from March 31 through July 6 of 2007. What's more sad is that a whopping 71 percent are from mixed martial arts alone. Shocking to say the least, considering that MMA has 14 fewer cards than boxing and kickboxing combined.
The list released by CSAC does not specificy the type of failure to fighters of any discpline, however there were 28 violations reported, 9 of which are from steroids.
Many fighters however, tested positive for traces of Marijuana and even COCAINE. Yeah, brilliant.
So it seems everyone wants a piece of the drug bandwagon, it's like a freakin' epidemic. MMA receives enough negative light and having the substance abusers mostly coming from mixed martial artists does not particurlarly help the cause. In the past, steroids have not helped a fighters performance from a positive standpoint (i.e. Stephan Bonnar, Hermes Franca, Johnnie Morton, Melvin Guillard, etc.) but, fighters are still inclined to do them.
Well, hopefully this little trend will come to a halting stop soon. Here is the list released by CSAC, courtesy of Sherdog.com.
CSAC DRUG VIOLATIONS FROM 03/31/07 THROUGH 07/06/07
Total Violations: 28
Breakdown of Violations By Sport
Mixed Martial Arts: 20
Boxing: 5
Kickboxing: 2
Breakdown of Events Tested By Sport
Mixed Martial Arts: 17 (3, all athletes tested for drugs of abuse and steroids; 2, all athletes tested for drugs of abuse and random steroids; Remainder, random testing for drugs of abuse and steroids.)
Boxing: 28 (3, all athletes tested for drugs of abuse and steroids; 2, all athletes tested for drugs of abuse and random steroids; Remainder, random testing for drugs of abuse and steroids.) Kickboxing: 3 (Random testing for drugs of abuse and steroids.)
Total Steroid Violations: 9 Multiple Steroids in a Single Violation: 4 Breakdown of Steroid Violations
Elevated T/E Ratio: 4
Stanozolol Metabolite: 3
Boldenone Metabolite: 2 (Also known as Equipoise -- available only by prescription through veterinary clinics.)
Nandrolone Metabolite: 2
Prostanozol Metabolite: 1
Estra-4 9-dien-3 17-dione: 1
Desoxymethyltestosterone: 1
Total Drugs of Abuse Violations: 17 Multiple Drugs of Abuse in a Single Violation: 1 Breakdown of Drugs of Abuse
Marijuana: 13
Cocaine: 2
Methamphetamine: 2
Amphetamines: 1
Adulterated Drug Test: 1 (Athlete purposely altered with tap water in test kit -- confirmed by the laboratory.)
Refusal to Test: 1 (Considered a violation.)
Drugs are bad, kids,
The Lianger
