Jens Pulver Interview

Former UFC Lightweight champion Jens Pulver recently moved over to WEC after his last loss to BJ Penn. Pulver sat down with Irish Whip Fighting and spoke about his next fight with Cub Swanson, the BJ Penn fights, and much more.

Irish Whip Fighting: First of all, you had to pull out of your WEC debut against Cub Swanson due to a serious knee injury. How's your knee doing?

Jens Pulver: Well my knee is alright. I tore it, which sucked, but luckily it's just the ligament, it's not the meniscus. So I don't need surgery, I just need time, you know? A lot of rehab, strengthen it back up, icing, just the pain in the butt stuff right now. And once I get that back, I should more than be ready by December 12.

IWF: When do you think that we can expect to see you back in the ring? Are you fighting at WEC 32 on December 12th?

JP: Well, one of the things was I want to fight this year. I don't want to wait. I don't know how many more shows WEC has [this year], and I hope they have one or two. But the goal is hopefully late November, early December, something like that. I don't want to wait till next year. I don't want to wait nine months in between fights, you know -- I can't stand that stuff. Hopefully the end of this year…just as soon as possible. I'm cleared -- I think I've got a physical that I get Monday to make sure I'm cleared for that date. So, hopefully the end of the year, around there.

IWF: Can you tell us a little about your childhood and how that helped you become a fighter?

JP: For me, obviously I've always wanted to be a fighter [and] I've always wanted to be in fighting. I loved boxing -- it was something that I always wanted to do. I remember people would ask me when I was a kid, 13 years old, "what do you want to do?" pretty much, and I'd say, "I want to be world champ". I loved wrestling, you know? But I guess the biggest thing for me is that I'm just not afraid to get punched; I'm not afraid to get hit. I grew up getting punched and hit. I mean I've never died from it.

It hurt worse mentally being around my father than the physical aspect -- physical beatings are nothing. They go away, they heal…the bruises, they're gone. I didn't get into fighting because I was abused. I just have always loved the whole aspect of being in a sport where it's all on you. It's all left up to you. Your hard work, your heart, your skill. I didn't like being on a team where maybe I went to bed early, maybe my diet was great, but the other 10 guys on my football team stayed out and partied and drank. Well, we would get beat. I didn't want to have to worry about 10 other opinions and ideas. I liked it [being] all about me, because I was an individual trying to be on a team rather then being on a team trying to be an individual.

IWF: Would you call your win against BJ Penn back in 2002 the biggest victory of your career?

JP: No, not even. It was a good victory. It was big for the moment. It was big defending the title. But…no… because for me it was just a guy coming up that wanted to take my belt that I just wanted to beat. I didn't know that later on it would turn into this. Winning the title was big; beating John Louis was bigger because I was hurt so bad. My fight with Stephen Palling was probably my favorite fight on the planet. It was my greatest fight that I've ever been in.

It was big beating [Penn], but it was just another title defense against an up-and-coming guy that everyone said was going to beat me. At the time I never knew it would turn into all of this. But was it my biggest fight? Absolutely not. It was a gigantic fight, don't get me wrong, but I don't look at it as my biggest fight. Winning that belt was huge and fighting Palling was huge. We [him and Palling] wailed on each other -- it was an unbelievable fight. The second fight with BJ was big because that was the cleanest I've ever been beat up. I've been caught with a shot trying to get down and I've had a few quick fights that way. But BJ just dumped on me and beat on me. He was getting that mount and getting me on the ground and just beating on me. But yeah, my second fight with him was big for me just because it was so humiliating -- it was just an ass-kicking.

IWF: Did you think Penn was an improved fighter from the last time you faced him?

JP: Oh of course I think he was more improved. The kid's been in there against a lot of people. When I fought him the first time he was young, he still felt bulletproof, or whatever else you want to call it. He hadn't been tested yet. So I could take him into deep water because he had never been there -- he was beating everyone in one round. The second time around, shoot, look at all the battles he's been in, look at the weights he's gone up, or the world titles he's fought for. He was a whole different person, and that was good. I knew he would be a different fighter. I didn't know if I was going to get a lazy BJ Penn, but everyone was asking me if I thought he'd make weight. I was like, "Yeah, he'll make weight…the kid hates me. He'll do it just because he hates me. Just because he wants to hit me, he's gonna make weight. He's going to come back and be the old BJ Penn that everybody’s been waiting and hoping to see…‘The Phenom’…or ‘The Prodigy’…whatever you call it.”

IWF: He held that choke for a LONG time. With ‘Babalu’ recently being fired for holding a choke too long, do you think that BJ should've received some punishment?

JP: You know, at the time I didn't, but I don't think Renato should've received any punishment either. I didn't even think about that. I guess it kinda seems ironic because I don't think Renato held the choke as long as BJ did. It doesn't matter to me -- I didn't see what BJ did as being wrong and I didn't see what Renato did as being wrong. I was the one who got caught in the rear naked choke. I can understand; it's been five and a half years that BJ's had to deal with this. And that's the thing, when you're in the cage and you're fighting somebody, especially when you don't like the person you're fighting,…like truly dislike the person, when you get that hold and you squeeze it, you just get this [self]-assured feeling…it's like…AHH…you just want to put that exclamation point on it. I just got exclamated on.

But I can't believe what's his name, Renato, got the boot. And I don't blame BJ. Shoot, if I had landed a choke on BJ, God would've had to come down and get it off probably, and that's the truth. It would've felt so good to have my arms around him choking the shit out of him…But I'm the one to fall into it, so he can do whatever he wants. It's like getting mad when someone celebrates…don't let them beat you if you don't want [them] to celebrate on you! [Laughs]

IWF: Are you and BJ cool now?

JP: I never spoke to him…I mean, I don't think we need to be pen pals or phone buddies or anything. I think we tried each other once; it's different directions. Truth be told, I look around hearing what everyone says, and I just think to myself… "Man I don't think we're supposed to be friends." [Laughs] I just don't see it, you know? Cause now we're even, 1-1. I hate it! Someone's got to be in front of the other one! I don't know what to think right now. I'm just going to do my fights, let my knee heel, and whatever happens will happen. I just don't like this being even stuff. Someone's got to be ahead of the other one. We'll have to figure something out…

…I'm trying to be gentle here, but I'm trying not to get anything started! [Laughs]

Yeah he beat me, but do I think I could do better? Do I think that the fight could've been different? Yeah, of course. It just sucks that we each have one win. But, he has the biggest win, so cool.

IWF: Would you ever consider a third fight against Penn?

JP: Oh my god yes. I'd give my right arm for a third fight. I've just got to figure out how to earn that third fight. But yeah, I would love to fight. And the thing is, even if he's at 155 [lbs.], I'll fight him at 145. I don't even care about the weight. I'm just going to focus on this fight with Cub, but in the back of my mind I have someone to gun for. I get to gun for BJ, who actually did kick my butt. It wasn't some freaky shock or anything like that, it was a genuine ass-whooping. Now I have someone to chase after, which is kinda what I've been waiting for for a while. Now I can chase after earning that shot to fight BJ again. I'll just have to beat everybody, so I can get my hands on him. It'd be cool.

IWF: After your last fight with Penn, you announced that you were going to drop down to featherweight and fight in the WEC. Why did you decide to do this?

JP: Well I weigh 150 pounds when I'm in shape. And it sucks, because the guys got bigger than me. I just had a good time when I fought at 143 [lbs.], and boxing at 147 [lbs.]. I was just thumping people down there. But there was never a financial opportunity or a show like the WEC out there for 145 pounders. So, I fought at 155 [lbs.], and 160 [lbs.] at PRIDE Bushido. Now there's no hit, it's not a step down for me. It's actually a step up for me to fight at 145 [lbs.] at WEC. There are a lot of 145- and 135-pounders there. Yeah, everyone can sit there and try to say it's a minor league or whatever. But, that's where all of the 145-pounders are. It's the premier spot for that weight class; there is no other spot for 145[-pounders]. And I can still stay close to my UFC family. When I asked them about it they said, "Yeah, no problem." I'm just excited, happy as can be. I get to help build the weight class, and it's just great.

IWF: I know we're all extremely excited to see you fighting again.

JP: Oh yeah man. It's going to be fun, really fun. Cub's trying to irritate me and get under my skin a lot, and he's doing a real good job of it. It's just going to be fun. I can't wait.

IWF: You're the UFC's first lightweight champion, and you technically never lost the belt. What does that mean to you as a fighter?

JP: It's a phenomenal feeling. It doesn't do anything because I don't think about it much anymore. I don't sit there and think "man I was the best once, so that makes my career good enough"…No, my career isn't good enough. I've got a lot of things that I want to get done. At the same token, it's nice to look at those belts. As I'm getting older I'm starting to realize that many people are going to go in and out of this game of MMA and they’re never going to be able to put a belt around them. So that means for one or two years I was the best in the world. When it's all said and done that's a pretty cool feeling. When I'm done I'll be pretty proud of it, but right now it's not something that I really think about. I don't sit there and think "what's wrong with me, I was world champion". But looking at my trophy case it's pretty cool to have four UFC titles.

IWF: Can you tell us a little bit about your experience working as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter?

JP: Well, I loved it. I'd do it again. If they ever asked me, absolutely. I had a great team; I had fun with those guys. It was great to sit back and watch Nate [Diaz] do his thing. I was proud of him…I stay in touch with my team. It was an absolute blessing. I had a great team, I had great support from all of the guys, and they made things a lot of fun. It wasn't a hard thing to do. Coaching those guys wasn't hard to do. I just had to be like "Hell no, I'm not getting in there. Let me tell you what to do." [Laughs] It was cool, you know? But yeah, I'd love to do it again; it was a lot of fun for me.

IWF: Who are some of the most promising fighters you worked with on the show?

JP: On my team of course Nate and Manny [Gamburyan] were tough. Nate…that kid is really tough. [Corey] Hill was great too. Cole Miller is a well-rounded athlete already. I think he's just got to trim up his heart and his courage a little bit; he needs to believe in himself. Once he does that, he'll be unstoppable. He's destroying people right now. He's got the attributes and the skills, but he needs to believe in himself. I like [Joe] Lauzon, my hat goes off to that kid. I didn't really respect him after catching me with that shot, but I didn't know him. But the more I watched him on the show, the more I respected him. I started thinking, man this kid's alright, this kid's cool. [Matt] Wiman -- I always got along with Wiman. [Rob] Emerson -- I always knew Emerson was a brawler. I'm not leaving anybody out; any one of them could prove me wrong. But just in my mind, those guys right there really stood out with me. Those are guys that it would be fun to hang out with or continue coaching. Any one of them I would take, but those guys just stand out.

IWF: Yeah man. I'd think that it'd be really cool to see these guys out there fighting. I know that Nate and Cole just got big wins at UFC Fight Night 11.

JP: Yeah man. When I see Nate and Cole do their thing, that's cool. These are eight fighters that I'll always root for. I'll root for any 155-pounder ‘cause I like to see great fights. But this is kinda like an extended family. I think they understand that if they ever need anything from me – ever -- I'd do it in a second. I guess I'm kinda like a proud uncle when I see these boys win. We all got to bond and do that crazy show together. I love seeing them win.

IWF: More and more fighters are getting caught with steroids lately. Why do fighters take them if they know they'll probably get caught?

JP: I don't know. Maybe ‘cause everyone else is doing it, maybe someone's telling them that it'll help, maybe someone's telling them that they won't get caught, or maybe someone's telling them that it'll help. I've never used that shit man, you know? I don't need it. More power to the ones who do, most power to the ones that don't. I do understand when you get older, to deal with injuries and stuff…medical reasons. But kids doing it at 22, 23, 25, 27…dude you're just robbing yourself. Build your body up, man. Get caught when you're 36-40! I'll understand then. I don't understand why a strong, young, gifted athlete has to sit there and pop the juice. When I was 25, I didn't sit there and drop a needle in my arm. I just don't need that, and I don't respect people that use it. It's not legal in this sport. You don't need it. Out train the guy, outwork the guy! If you lose, you lose. And I don't want to hear all that "It makes me better" shit, f-ing go on a diet! Pardon my language. Run! Eat! Work! This shit isn't supposed to be easy. If it was as easy as just buying it in a syringe, then how many more people would be a fighter? How many fake-ass fighters would we see down at the bar with their Tapout shirts saying that their time is coming. Shit, you know they don't train. If it was easy, all of those guys would be in there. I don't know man, I don't want any part of that.

IWF: You've been known for giving 110% all the time. Out of all of your fights, who has given you the toughest time?

JP: Me and (Stephen) Palling had a fight that a lot of people didn't see at 143 [lbs.]. It was the most painful thing I've ever been through in my life. I was out there getting hit with shots, and I was wishing that he would knock me out. The hits hurt so bad, I was like, "God, I wish that last one took me down." We went toe-to-toe for three rounds. It was very painful. And it was in Hawaii! You know the Hawaiian fans, don't come in there with some weak ass game, ‘cause they'll throw you out. They've always been solid. They may be on those islands, but their knowledge is disgusting. I was just like, “You know what? I'm just going to go out there and throw down,” even though I was fighting Hawaii's boy, Palling. Today he's my brother, period. I ended [up] being real, real, real good friends with the kid. But, we beat each other senseless.

But, it was weird, the other day we got to sit down and talk about the fight. I hadn't talked about it in about two years, and it was great to sit down with him and go over all of the stuff that had happened during the fight. But to me, that fight was very memorable. I gave it all to those Hawaiian fans, and to Palling too.

IWF: Well you did win the fight...

JP: Yeah true. I guess I can't sound hypocritical because I did win. But it's the worst beating that I've taken. If you're talking about a fight that I've learned the most from, then I've got to say it'd be my last fight with BJ, I hope. We'll see…

IWF: And, anything to say to your fans?

JP: Yeah of course. First and foremost, thank you. Don’t ever think that you can’t walk up to me and say hi. I’ll be pissed off if you don’t. Thank you is all I can say, but I can’t say it enough. The increasing amount and awareness of all of these fans is amazing. They’re not giving up on me, and I swear to God I’m going to give them something to cheer about. It’s coming, I swear it’s coming.


(Originally conducted for MMAMadness.com)

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Around The Horn

Lots of little things to talk about in the world of MMA this week...

The Dayton Daily News is reporting that the result of Sean Sherk's suspension appeal will be announced later this week, essentially determining the fate of the LW division. Dana White, although a long time supporter of Sherk, has announced that if the suspension sticks, Sherk will be stripped of the belt. If this is the case, we should see BJ contend for the title soon or at least compete in some sort of unofficial 4 man tournament.

MMAJunkie is reporting that highly-regarded Middleweight (and probably the highest ranked outside of Silva/Hendo) has been knocked out in his first round fight with Yoshihiro Akiyama this past weekend at a HEROs event. With Paulo Filho's lackadaisical performances of late combined with this most recent disappointment in the division, it is clear that Silva stands alone.

Bubba The Love Sponge is reporting that Dan Henderson may fight at 185 lbs. at the December UFC 79 event. Although he would not fight Silva, who would have to come in on just two months rest, the addition of Henderson makes 79 one of the most stacked cards since UFC 52. Serra/Hughes, Wanderlei/Liddell, and now Henderson offer enough star power to headline three events, but we'll get to see it all in one night. Order it up now!

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Monson to Fight Fedor?

Will Monson be the first to take on the #1 fighter in the world Fedor Emelianenko? How will these two match up if they fight?

Fedor's first challenge in M-1 Global will probably be Jeff Monson, according to Monson. Jeff has stated that he is in talks with M-1, and the two parties are very close to cutting a deal. I personally can't imagine the two sides not agreeing on a deal due to the many times that Monson has stated that he wishes to fight Fedor.

Although Monson has lost 2 of his last 3 fights, he will not be an easy opponent for Emelianenko. Irish Whip Fighting ranks Monson the number five submission artist in the world (as seen here). However, in the end I think Fedor is just too much for him to handle. Fedor is the best in some aspects of MMA, and what he's not the best at he's really good at.

I'm looking forward to Fedor's M-1 debut, and I think that Monson would put up a good fight against him. How do you think "The Snowman" would match up against "The Last Emperor"? Post your thoughts.

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Matt Hughes Interview

Former Welterweight champ Matt Hughes is currently preparing for his fight against current champion Matt Serra after finishing the filming of TUF 6, on which Hughes was a coach. In this interview, Hughes discusses Frank Trigg, his upcoming fight against Serra, PRIDE fighters, steroids, and more.

Ben Zeidler: How’s it going Matt?
Matt Hughes: Going great, how about you?

BZ: Can’t complain, it’s almost the weekend.
MH: (Laughs) When I’m not training, it’s always the weekend.

BZ: My first taste of UFC was your second fight with Trigg, and it was the reason I became involved in MMA, so thank you for that. Can you just talk a little bit about that fight?
MH: Frank is one of those guys who likes to run his mouth before the fight, but I didn’t let it get to me. I don’t know why he doesn’t like me, but he doesn’t and I don’t like him because he always runs his mouth. Prior to the fight, he got really close to me and his lips almost touched mine, I don’t know if he was trying to kiss me or what, but I didn’t like it and I pushed him back. I didn’t know how I would beat him but I knew I would. Whether it was going to be on a punch or a kick or submissions, I was going to win that fight. It went to the clinch early and his knee hit squarely in my groin. I turned to Yamasaki because sometimes the refs miss it and if you don’t act hurt, they won’t know you got hit. He didn’t do anything, and then Frank went after me and landed a few good shots. I’ll be honest, I was dazed, and the next thing I knew, he was mounted and I had his waist. I’m sitting there thinking what do I have to do to get out of here? I had my feet up against the fence and was able to generate a little bit of momentum and try to “oomp” him over. It didn’t work and he got my back. I was never concerned, not once, when Trigg was on my back.

BZ: He’s got a lot of trouble with that rear naked choke. He never knows how to finish it when he’s got it, and then he always gets beat by it.
MH: I know, it’s like he knows nothing about the rear naked choke. Anyway, I reversed him and I was pissed. If I hit someone low, I will back away and let him recover or let the referee get involved. He wasn’t like that. He used it to his advantage and I didn’t like that. I got on top of him and I didn’t want the ref to stop it, I didn’t want time to run out, I just wanted to finish it on my own. I wanted blood -- I was that pissed. This prick pissed me off enough to where when I got his back, I was hoping he’d roll back just so I could punch him more. He did roll back and I hit him with a big elbow and cut him. Then, he gave me his back and it was all over. With Trigg, all you have to do is give him a tough time and he makes mistakes. He doesn’t want to be in there, and I gave him an opportunity to leave the fight and he took it.

BZ: Can you tell us about your high school wrestler career and how you got started wrestling? Was your Dad into it?
MH: My dad was crazy into it, and so I did it with my brother growing up. My cousin was into it too. I wrestled varsity as a Freshman, the next year, I went to states and the rest is history.

BZ: I’ve actually heard that your brother, Mark, is the superior wrestler. Would he ever consider getting in the Octagon?
MH: I wouldn’t say he’s the superior wrestler. I won states twice and he was second once. He actually fought in the UFC, though. And he won, but it just wasn’t a big thing when it happened. He always said he wanted to try it and he did, and it no one made a big deal about it so he got out

BZ: Most fighters choose more intimidating music for their entrances. You decided to go with a little Hank Williams. How did you choose your entrance music for the fight?
MH: It really reflects me and who I am, and that’s why I went for it. The first time I asked, the UFC said no. They felt that it was too slow, so they gave me two options: “American Bad Ass” or “Let The Bodies Hit The Floor”.

BZ: Neither of those really sound like you.
MH: Exactly. So I said whatever and had some other music once, but then they let me do what I wanted because I kept winning.

BZ: Who do you see as the up and comers in the Welterweight division? 5 years, 10 years?
MH: 10 years? That’s a long time.

BZ: Okay, okay, 5 years.
MH: 5 years…Georges will still be around, barring injury. Diego and Kos, those guys. And I actually think Diego will be around longer than Koscheck, even though Kos technically won the fight. I was actually more impressed with Sanchez and I thought he won that fight.

BZ: Me too. I always get hell for my rankings because I put Diego first, but I think he’s the stronger of the two.
MH: Yeah, I think he’ll be around for a while. Fitch is tough too, but he’s not at the top of the food chain yet. He’s still got a little work to do.

BZ: How prepared do you feel you are for your upcoming fight with Matt Serra?
MH: We’re still early, so I haven’t started my full intensive training. But I promise you I’ll be ready because I don’t like him. He runs his mouth and I don’t like that. Also, when my kids watch the tape of me beating him, I want to look my best, so you can bet that I’ll be in shape for that one.

BZ: Can you give us a prediction for the fight?
I don’t know how I’m going to beat him, but you can bet that I’ll find a way. You can’t predict how you’re going to end a fight, you just go in with the best game plan you have and find a way to win.

BZ: The winner of the fight will most likely get St. Pierre. Do you think you can beat him? How will you change your strategy from the last fight?
MH: I don’t want to look past Serra, but if I get to fight Georges again, things will change. Definitely. I will definitely change my stand up and maybe my take downs. I only tried one take down in our last fight and I didn’t even give it 100%. I promise that lots will change.

BZ You’ve beat just about everyone in the business. Which win of yours would you call your biggest? The second against BJ?
MH: Yeah, that’s what I was going to say. The second against BJ. He beat me before so it was a really big win to get that back. He walks around thinking he can beat Heavyweights, so it was good to just beat him up.

BZ: You’ve said you have 2 or 3 fights left in you. That leaves the win against Serra and the win against St. Pierre. Who would you want for a retirement fight?
MH: I don’t think I’d want a retirement fight. I’ve toyed with going up to 185, but I don’t know if I’d do that. I wanted to fight Diego because he used to run his mouth, but he stopped that recently. He seems like an all right guy. Also, Diego hasn’t won in a while, so it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to fight him.

BZ: Dennis Hallman has seemed to have your number in the past, but that was seven years ago. How confident are you now that you could beat him, and how much have you grown as a fighter since those losses?
MH: Anyone has a chance in any fight, so I can’t say I’d walk through him, but I know I would beat him. I fought him when I was young and I made drastic mistakes both times. Would I make those mistakes again? No. The funny thing is that he beat me twice quick but he can’t beat anyone else. I’d take him on again, but he can’t even get in the mix or crack the top 20.

BZ: How did you feel when you received the honor of being a coach on The Ultimate Fighter?
MH: To be honest, I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to leave my family and the Midwest, but Dana wanted me to, so I did it. But I wouldn’t call it an honor.

BZ: Can you tell us about your experiences so far on the show?
MH: You know, I have a great group of guys -- no doubt about it. I wouldn’t change them for anything, they’re just really good people.

BZ: Who are the most promising guys on the show thus far?
MH: Mac Danzig, definitely. He’s already won a fight for our team and he’s a promising fighter.

BZ: Can you give us your prediction for Franklin-Silva II? I know you’re good friends with Franklin…you guys both did MFS together.
MH: Yep, Rich is one of my good buddies and he’s a smart fighter. I promise that the fight will not be the same. He is going to come in with a great game plan. I don’t know what he’s got planned, but it won’t the same and it will be a great plan. We have talked strategy yet, but if you think it’s going to be the same fight, you’re wrong.

BZ: As long as he doesn’t try to trade knees with Silva, he should be fine.
MH: Yeah, you won’t see that again.

BZ: What do you think is going on with the recent string of upsets in the UFC? Are the classic fighters just getting older?
MH: This is one of those sports where anything can happen. Maybe Chuck wasn’t prepared and Keith just capitalized on that. As far as Serra beating Georges, again, anything can happen. Serra threw a punch and the punch has to land somewhere. Cro Cop amazingly lost two in a row; it’s just the way the sport goes. It’s too hard to predict this stuff. I had Liddell, Diego, and Shogun all winning at the last event.

BZ: I know, it’s impossible to pick these days. I had GSP at UFC 69, Cro Cop at 70, and Liddell at 71. I’ve stopped making predictions. Now I just tell people to bet on whoever I don’t pick to win.
MH: (Laughs) Yeah, it’s too tough to call.

BZ: The PRIDE guys really seem to be having a hard time with the UFC guys. Is that due to PRIDE being weaker than people thought, UFC guys being better, or something else entirely?
MH: Before Shogun, I would say that it’s the new environment, but he was throwing elbows and using the cage effectively. He was definitely prepared to fight in the UFC. So now, I think it has to be that the PRIDE guys are a little overrated.

BZ: More and more fighters are getting caught with steroids lately. Why do fighters take them if they know they'll probably get caught?
MH: I really can’t answer that at all…I don’t know, I’ve never been a supporter. I don’t want to name names but I know for a fact that some of my opponent’s have been using steroids when they fought me. And to me, it’s like, I know I’m a better athlete, so if you need to take steroids to compete with me, you’re already in trouble. They’re bad for your body no doubt about it, and the rules are in place to protect us so guys need to start realizing that.

BZ: Can you tell us more about the Rancho3M orphanage in Mexico which you support?
MH: I do lots of charity work in my home town too, which it means a lot to me. And the orphanage is just something I started helping out because it’s a great cause. Proceeds from website go to the orphanage to help them out as much as I can.

BZ: Are there any sponsors that you'd like to thank?
MH: Yeah, I’ve got a great group of guys over at One More Round, and they’re coming out with some really good MMA clothing. It’s high end stuff but it’s really nice. Go to matt-hughes.com and check it out.

BZ: Would you like to say something to your fans?
MH: I’ve got the greatest fans in the world. We have a really strong site with a great forum where people can ask me questions and I’ll answer them. And I do a big blog entry every Wednesday, so go check it out. Thanks.

(Interview originally conducted for MMAMadness.com)

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UFC Video Game Trailer

In case you haven't seen it, here's the downright awesome trailer for the new UFC video game.

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LIDDELL-SILVA IS ON

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – For years, UFC® fight fans have speculated about the outcome of a historic dream matchup between two legendary figures in the sport of mixed martial arts, Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva. Tonight, on Spike TV’s 2007 Scream Awards, UFC President Dana White announced that this dream will finally become a reality when UFC and PRIDE former champions Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva face each other at UFC 79: NEMESIS live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday, December 29, 2007.

“Chuck and Wanderlei – two legends in the sport – will face off in the most important match of their careers at UFC 79,” said Dana White, UFC President. “Chuck and Wanderlei have both wanted this fight for as long as they can remember, and this is definitely the fight that fans have waited for years to see. Finally, PRIDE’s most dangerous striker will face the UFC’s most dangerous striker, and the world will know after years of speculation who will win and who will lose this fight.”

Tickets for UFC 79: NEMESIS are on sale now and are priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $300, $200 and $100. Tickets are available through any Mandalay Bay box office and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Macy’s West at the Fashion Show Mall and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call the Mandalay Bay box office at (702) 632-7580 or Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.ufc.com, www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

A special Internet ticket pre-sale is available now to UFC newsletter subscribers. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.ufc.com.

There also will be a special auction for Octagon-side floor seats available only through www.ticketmaster.com starting Wednesday, October 24 and ending Monday, November 5.

UFC 79: NEMESIS is available live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $39.95 ($39.99 CAD) and $49.95 for HD where available.

Liddell (20-5), considered by many to be the greatest light heavyweight fighter of all time, reigned as the 205-pound UFC champion for over three years. He knocked out seven opponents in seven consecutive fights, including Randy Couture (twice), Vernon White, Jeremy Horn, Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Tito Ortiz (twice), before he was defeated by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 71 in May. Chuck now returns to the Octagon to face the fighter he has wanted to fight for years – Wanderlei Silva.

“I’m excited this fight with Wanderlei is finally happening,” said Liddell. “I’ve been saying for a long time that, given the chance, I would knock Wanderlei Silva out. I think this will be a great fight for the fans, and one that lives up to their expectations, because I’m going to hit him until he falls down and stays down.”

The 31-year old Silva (31-7-1), known by fight fans as “The Axe Murderer” for his ultra-aggressive style and finishing ability, began his career almost 11 years ago in his native Brazil, fighting in Vale Tudo bouts that pushed him to the limit as he honed the skills that would soon make him one of the most feared fighters on the planet. He met great success by winning the PRIDE organization’s middleweight championship and defeating the likes of current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson (twice), Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba (three times), Ricardo Arona, Hidehiko Yoshida, and Kazuyuki Fujita, while engaging in some of the most memorable fights in MMA history. Well-rested after his February PRIDE fight against Dan Henderson, Silva is ready to take on Liddell and secure the most important victory of his mixed martial arts career.

“I’ve wanted to fight Chuck for a long time,” said Silva. “I think about this fight a lot, our styles are very similar – we are both great strikers. I’m training very hard, because I want to give my next victory to my fans. After I beat Chuck, then I want to fight the champion.”

In addition to Liddell vs. Silva, UFC 79 features the main event welterweight championship matchup between UFC champion Matt Serra (16-4) and former UFC champion Matt Hughes (43-5).

Current UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra, fresh off his knockout victory over Georges St-Pierre in April, looks to defend his title for the first time against the legendary Hughes and secure his own legacy in the UFC 170-pound division. Hughes, a two-time UFC champion with seven combined title defenses to his name, has a deadly ground game that has earned him wins over St-Pierre, BJ Penn, Chris Lytle, Royce Gracie, and Frank Trigg (twice).

For more information about UFC 78, The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale, UFC 79 or any upcoming UFC event, visit www.ufc.com or uk.ufc.com. All bouts are live and subject to change.

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WANDERLEI OPPONENT TO BE NAMED TONIGHT

The following announcement was posted today on the Baltimore Sun's MMA page:

UFC has just notified me that president Dana White will be making an appearance tonight on Spike TV's Scream 2007 show to announce Wanderlei Silva's first UFC opponent.

Speculation has been rampant regarding Silva's debut ever since he was signed to the promotion a couple of months ago. Most rumors have centered around him debuting against former UFC light heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell at UFC 79.

Scream 2007 will air tonight at 10 p.m. EST.

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PRIDE Fighters At A Disadvantage

With the past losses of Mirko Filipovic, the near loss of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and the current loss of Mauricio Rua, it is easy to see the pattern developing. For one reason or another (Quinton Jackson being the exception), these PRIDE guys are having trouble translating their skills to the Octagon. Are the PRIDE fighters overrated, are the UFC fighters better than we all thought, or is it something else entirely?

It’s possible that the PRIDE fighters are overrated, but it’s hard to justify when you consider that they’re all world-class athletes who have been fighting their entire lives. Cro Cop doesn’t just knock out Wanderlei Silva, switch boats to the UFC, and then just forget how to fight. Similarly, Nogueira shouldn’t go from hanging with Fedor to barely beating journeyman Heath Herring. It just doesn’t make logical sense. And while Shogun looked absolutely brilliant at times against Griffin (with his rolls, submission attempts and strikes), he looked downright tentative at others. Where is the man who went so hard at Rampage Jackson, he looked as if he wanted to knock the current champs head clear off his body? The skills are there, and so that leads me to believe that it must be another factor.

Could it be that the UFC fighters have improved? I think this seems more likely. UFC fighters are long past the days of specializing in just one mixed martial arts field, and are constantly improving and expanding their collective repertoire, and therefore, becoming downright lethal weapons in the Octagon. Another factor that I believe is aiding the improvement of UFC fighters is The Ultimate Fighter.

A venerable playground for newbies and veterans alike (ask Matt Serra), TUF allows fighters to train with guys better than them, fight more than three times in a year, and have access to some of the best facilities in the world. By participating in TUF (as recent winner Forrest Griffin and current champ Matt Serra both did), fighters avoid what is known as The Chuck Liddell Syndrome. For those of you unfamiliar, Chuck is the best guy in his camp. He doesn’t bring in Judo experts to test him with Judo or Boxers to test him with Boxing. TUF combats this by having fighters train with coaches who are leaps and bounds better than they are. They have no choice but to get better. Fighting often also helps the participants to have a greater level of comfort in the Octagon. Instead of having had three fights in a year, a guy coming out of the show may have up to eight under his belt. When you fight that often, there’s no rust or surprises. The final point goes without saying – having access to the training facilities of the UFC put the fighters at an advantage over anyone working with a specific camp, no matter how talented the trainers are.

Even more likely than the idea that improved fighters is contributing to the downfall of PRIDE guys is the possibility that the new environment has thrown all these guys off. Now, they’ve fought in front of crowds before, some even larger in size than those in the UFC. There’s only one major difference. Japanese crowds are dead silent. They are quiet and respectful, usually waiting for the biggest of knockdowns or the end of a fight to cheer their favorite star. Enter: American crowds. Just picture going from the serene, poetic landscape of a stadium in Tokyo to the drunken chaos that is an American sporting event. Fans yell, boo, and throw inanimate objects at will – sometimes, even following a victory.

In an exclusive interview with MMA Madness, Kenny Florian spoke of this difference: “PRIDE fighters have had to adjust to the rule changes, to the environment changes, and everything else. It comes down to the same factors in every event: first, MMA is unpredictable and second, styles make fights.” Florian touches upon something more telling than just the rowdy fans. Perhaps it’s the Octagon that’s throwing these guys for a loop. They’re used to leaning against ropes (which have more give than a cage), and can utilize corners to trap an opponent (see: Wanderlei-Rampage). Perhaps the new environment has them so distracted that they fail to follow their game plan or stay focused.

Rule changes probably have the fighters in a tizzy as well. Different round and time structure, no kicking a downed opponent, elbows are now allowed, and most importantly, the Shogun Stomp has been outlawed. This can’t sit well for a number of fighters (including some of the best) who previously relied on these very moves. Additionally, drug testing is much stricter in the UFC than in PRIDE. Now I’m not saying any of PRIDE’s guys were juicing, but if they were, they’re having a very difficult time of it now.

No matter the reason, it’s clear that some of the most successful PRIDE fighters are having trouble in the UFC. And interestingly enough, it’s the one fighter who had trouble defeating PRIDE’s best who is now champion. Perhaps Florian is right: styles do make fights, and most of the transfers’ styles just aren’t right for the UFC’s Octagon and their newly-improved warriors.

(Originally written for MMAMadness.com)

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UFC 77: Silva vs. Franklin

Anderson Silva Vs Rich Franklin 2

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IWF Fighting Prediction Results

Prior to UFC 77, our three main writers submitted their picks for the event. Let's check back in and see how they did.

Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin
Zeidler: Silva by Decision
Arnold: Silva by KO
Acosta: Silva by TKO
Result: Silva by TKO

Brandon Vera vs. Tim Sylvia
Zeidler: Vera by TKO
Arnold: Vera by TKO
Acosta: Vera by Decision
Result: Sylvia by Decision

Jorge Gurgel vs. Alvin Robinson
Zeidler: Gurgel by Submission
Arnold: Gurgel by Submission
Acosta: Gurgel by KO
Result: Robinson by Decision

Eric Schafer vs. Stephen Bonnar
Zeidler: Bonnar by TKO
Arnold: Bonnar by Decision
Acosta: Bonnar by TKO
Result: Bonnar by TKO

Kalib Starnes vs. Alan Belcher
Zeidler: Starnes by Decision
Arnold: Starnes by Decision
Acosta: Belcher by Decision
Result: Belcher by TKO

Yushin Okami vs. Jason MacDonald
Zeidler: MacDonald by TKO
Arnold: MacDonald by Submission
Acosta: Okami by TKO
Result: Okami by Decision

Ryan Jensen vs. Demian Maia
Zeidler: Maia by Submission
Arnold: Jensen by TKO
Acosta: Jensen by Decision
Result: Maia by Submission

Josh Burkman vs. Forrest Petz
Zeidler: Burkman by Decision
Arnold: Burkman by Decision
Acosta: Burkman by Decision
Result: Burkman by Decision

Matt Grice vs. Jason Black
Zeidler: Black by TKO
Arnold: Black by Submission
Acosta: Black by Submission
Result: Grice by Decision

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UFC 77 Results

A lackluster card in Cincinnati developed into a lackluster event with the majority of the action falling on the undercard, a HW fight that went nowhere, and a carbon copy of Franklin's previous loss to Anderson Silva. Props to UFCMania.com for the fight descriptions.

UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin (185-pound limit)

Round one: The crowd is going INSANE for Franklin. Franklin looks clear, calm, and confident. Very composed. Franklin is coming out to “Welcome to the Jungle”. Silva as usual looks calm and ready to attack, hes one scary dude. Both fighters looking for distance. Franklin with leg kick. Franklin with a nice right left combo. Silva gets into the clinch. Franklin with the take down. Silva to the feet but Franklin has a single leg. Back to the clinch up against the fence. Silva with a knee and right. Great spinning side kick to the body by Silva. Silva with two stinging rights!!! Back to the clinch. Silva goes for a sweep then lands a sick knee to the head. Great left by Franklin. Silva with a flying knee. SIlva with a sick left hook!!! HUGE right by Silva!!!! Franklin is DROPPED , BUT THE BELL RINGS AND SAVES HIM!!!!! That would have ended the fight if it wasnt for the bell!!

Round two: Leg kick by Franklin. Leg kick by Silva. Huge knee by Silva. Franklin is in trouble, and another knee to the head that drops Franklin!!! Its over folks!!! Silva once again DOMINATES Rich Franklin and it seemed it was only a matter of time before it was over, Franklin is simply outclassed by Silva and is obviously not on his level.

Round three:

Round four:

Round five:

Final Result: Anderson Silva defeats Rich Franklin via TKO (Strikes) in Round 2

-end-

Tim Sylvia vs. Brandon Vera (265-pound limit)

Round one: Sylvia does not look to be much bigger than Vera at all which is surprising. They were pretty much eye to eye. Vera clinches immediately. Nice elbow from Vera. Knees from Vera to the ribs. Sylvia with a nice elbow. Another great elbow from SYlvia. Nice body shot from Tim. Vera with a nice elbow. Clinched up against the fence. Both fighters exchanging knees in the clinch. Sylvia with a flurry. Vera with a nice right and leg kicks. Sylvia with another nice knee. Vera with an uppercut. Nice elbow from Vera. Uppercut from Vera. Sylvia with some knees. Thats the bell. A very uneventful round. The whole round was in the clinch and not much action.

Round two: High kick from Vera followed by a great right hand. Vera looking for a sweep, but both fighters are clinched up against the fence AGAIN. The crowd is booing like crazy. So far this is a boring fight. Vera with some knees to the thigh. Vera with a nice elbow. Sylvia with a nice right. AGain back to the clinch against the fence. Sylvia with an inside elbow. Nice knee from Sylvia. Vera with a sweep and a take down!!! Vera in side control. Vera with some knees to the ribs. Shoulders to the face from Vera. HUGE knee to the head from Vera, Levine gives a warning to Vera. WOW Huge body kick from Vera!!! Followed by another HUGE body kick!!!!! Thats the bell, with the take down and kicks Vera has to get that round 10-9.

Round three: Clinch again. Both fighters exchange rights. Sylvia with two nice rights. Clinched up against the fence again. Foot stomps by Vera. Again clinched up against the fence. Only 3 minutes left. Tim with a nice right left combo. Vera with a jab a nice overhand right. Vera with a great leg kick. Sylvia with a nice elbow and has cut Vera. Vera bleeding badly. Clinched against the fence again. Sylvia is raining punches at Vera to close the fight. That round has to go to Sylvia and so does the fight I think. Overall a terribly boring fight. I think this one should prove Vera NEEDS to drop to 205. Vera also states “I broke my hand” as soon as he goes to the corner.

Final Result: Tim Sylvia defeats Brandon Vera via Unanimous Decision

-end-

Stephan Bonnar vs. Eric Schafer (205-pound limit)

Round one: Bonnar with a nice right. Then throws a jab followed by a right. Schafer shoots but cant get the take down and now their both clinched up. Both fighters exchanging knees. Schaffer with a nice right. Bonnar working his jab for distance. Schaffer with two good leg kicks. Schaffer pulls guard. Bonnar looking to posture up and now hes dropping elbows. A great left by Bonnar. Back to the feet both fighters are clinched. Schaffer goes for the take down and gets it. Schaffer has the back now. He has one hook in. Schaffer trying to soften him up with punches. Shcaffer looking to lock in the choke. He looses one of his hooks and Bonnar survives for now. Bonnar turns and is back on top. Thats the round, great submission defense by Bonnar. That round could have gone either way.

Round two: Schafer pulls guard again. Bonnar on top. Bonnar with 2 HUGE rights! Now Bonnar is raining punches down. Hammer fists from Bonnar. Short tight elbows by Bonnar from the top. Bonnar stuck in half guard looking to pass. Bonnar raining some more punches. Bonnar lands two bombs!!! Schaffer is hurt!!! Bonnar looking to finish it!! Thats it! Its over Big John stops it and Bonnar comes away with an impressive win.

Round three:

Final Result: Stephan Bonnar defeats Eric Schaffer via TKO (strikes) in Round 2

-end-

Kalib Starnes vs. Alan Belcher (185-pound limit)

Round one: Starnes goes for the clinch and now Belcher uses a knee and right cross. Both fighters clinched up against the fence. Belcher working knees to the thigh. Kalib with a nice take down but Belcher right back to his feet. Starnes is bleeding on his forehead. Belcher working some nice elbows from the clinch now. Starnes with two nice left hands. Belcher with a flying knee from the clinc and a HUGE elbow. Great leg kick from Belcher and Starnes answers with a fantastic combo landing twoo solid rights in the process. Starnes with two more great rights. Belcher with a HUGE uppercut! Followed by another flying knee!! Starnes is gushing blood from his face!! Both fighters clinched again and Kalib lands two good lefts. Belcher with another nice uppercut and a huge knee. Starnes with a shot but Belcher sprawls out. Leg kick by Belcher and they are extremely powerful. Head kick from Belcher. Starnes with a right to close out the round.

Round two: Starnes has a Marvin Eastman type gash over his right eye. Its a brutal cut. Kalib with a nice right. Belcher answers with a one two combo. Vicious leg kick by Belcher. Starnes lands two great shots and Belcher drops his hands and smiles not a smart move. Belcher is putting on a Mui Thay clinic right now. Ref stops the fight to check the horrible gash on Starnes head. Thats it its over the Doctor stops it due to one of the most vicious cuts ive seen in awhile. You can see his skull through his cut thats how bad it is.

Round three:

Final Result: Alan Belcher defeats Kalib Starnes via TKO (Doctors stoppage due to cut)

-end-

Jorge Gurgel vs. Alvin Robinson (155-pound limit)

Round one: Robinson with a nice right then a scramble. Gurgel ends up on top. Robinson has full guard. Robinson with some nice hammer fists from the bottom. Gurgel with an elbow. Another scramble and Gurgel passes into a side mount. North South control for Gurgel then back to side control. Not much happening other than jockeying for position. Robinson back to full guard. Nice hammer fists by Robinson, but Gurgel back to side control. Gurgel with full mount but he looses it right away and back to side control. Gurgel with a great full mount, but the bell rings before he can use it. Gurgel won that round 10-9 he dominated the ground game the entire round.

Round two: Leg kick by Robinson followed by a nice left. RObinson shoots and with the take down. Gurgel goes for an armbar and Robinson scrambles now Robinson has the back of Gurgel. Gurgel reverses and is now in Robinsons full guard. Gurgel looking to pass. Hes working persistently looking for a mount.Robinson looking for a Omaplata and uses it to reverse positions. Now Robinson is on top in Gurgels full guard, Gurgel looking for an armbar. Robinson raining down some punches. Working some nice hammer fists. Gurgel is cut now. Robinson dropping BOMBS now!!! Gurgel goes for another armbar but its unsuccessful. Robinson doing some major damage from the top, and Gurgels face is bloodied and battered. Robinson gets that round 10-9, and I have to wonder if Gurgel can recover he took some serious damage to his face in that round and then he proceeded to walk to the wrong corner.

Round three: Gurgel is cut on his nose and eye. Robinson with a HUGE take down. Gurgel has full guard. But Robinson is posturing beautifully and dropping some serious punches. Gurgel going for another armbar. Robinson stifles it with some vicious hammer fists. Robinson still dropping bombs and doing some real damage to Gurgels face. Nice elbow from Robinson. Gurgel is breathing heavy and he looks out of gas. Robinson is really dishing out a beating now and just keeps landing unanswered punch after unanswered punch. Robinson passes and has his back now!!! Robinson raining some more bombs on Gurgels face. Thats the bell. Robinson completely dominated the last two rounds and did some serious damage to Gurgels face. Gurgel wobbles to his corner after this fight and I think its obvious Robinson won that fight.

Final Result: Alvin Robinson defeats Jorge Gurgel via Unanimous Decision

Undercard
Yushin Okami defeats Jason MacDonald via Unanimous Decision
Demian Maia defeats Ryan Jensen via Rear Naked Choke in Round 1
Josh Burkman defeats Forrest Petz via Unanimous Decision
Matt Grice defeats Jason Black via Split Decision

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Former champions Franklin and Sylvia gunning for victory against champion and contender at UFC 77

When the roaring Cincinnati, Ohio crowd ushers in Rich Franklin to the Octagon against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva on October 20, 2007, he will be minutes away from overcoming the most devastating loss of his career or reliving it. Can “Ace” conquer demons of the past? By Danny Acosta

Rich Franklin must search for a way to spin his own web against Anderson “The Spider” Silva in the main event. It was just inches past a year ago when the two mixed martial artists last met. The story was told in three minutes, but could be summed in one photo of Franklin’s redesigned nose.

Gruesome knees by Silva—who dominated the clinch, where Franklin wanted the fight—saw the champion stuck in his Silva’s inescapable web.

A dominating victory over Jason McDonald and a solid decision against Yushin Okami find Franklin challenging for the strap Silva ripped off him. Now Franklin knows to avoid the clinch, but against a Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, where does the Cincinnati-native find an advantage?

The Brazilian is a nightmare fight for anyone at 185lbs (I forgot to mention he holds a black belt in taekwondo). Rich Franklin is not the exception. He is good at everything, but does not excel in any one area—especially next to Anderson Silva.

Franklin’s triumph depends on effectively employing explosiveness and strength. He must demonstrate a willingness to stand—a dangerous proposition against the fluid striker—before pushing through a shot to bring the fight to the mat. Silva also has risky striking attempts such as jumping knees and kicks, which can bring the fight to the mat if capitalized on.

Silva’s lanky frame poses just as many problems on the mat as it does standing for Franklin. The former math teacher needs to explore ground geometry and find his way to side mount and full mount, where his grinding strength and endurance can make the difference on the way to a technical knockout against the iron-chinned Silva.

However, this is something ground specialists Travis Lutter and Nate Marquardt could not achieve. A fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Lutter did gain full mount against the Curbita native, but Silva remained composed and escaped, eventually submitting the Carlos Machado student. The multiple-time King of Pancrase failed to escape Silva’s guard. When he passed to half guard, he quickly found himself back in full guard and swallowed Silva’s sleeping pill punches later in the first round.

Franklin needs to work at a high pace, staying on the champion with the same aggressive, controlling manner he attacked David Loiseau. Conversely, aggression against Silva opens up a new realm to his already pinpoint striking. Still, Franklin needs to push the fight. Silva arrived in the United States from Brazil later than he expected due to visa issues—just three days before the fight. This may effect his cardio. Furthermore, it has been three years since Silva’s cardio was tested in the context of a fight.
In front of his home crowd, Rich Franklin has a chance to redeem himself and simultaneously regain his gold. Family and friends in attendance will cheer the hometown hero, but like Franklin, they should be fully aware Anderson Silva plans on building a legacy with his strikes and submissions.

Franklin’s workman ethic is the only way he can neutralize Silva’s array of technical abilities. Unfortunately for Franklin, working is so much harder when tangled in a web.

The Buckeye crowd will also be treated to a heavyweight clash with major title implications as former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia looks to once again defy doubters by besting the undefeated Brandon Vera.

Sylvia was last seen in the Octagon in March, losing his coveted title to resident super hero Randy Couture. Losing to a forty-three-year-old man fueled paradoxical speculation Sylvia is a bottom-rung heavyweight despite fighting at the championship level. The loss stemmed from a spectacular performance by Couture, but also Sylvia’s injured back, which required surgery post-fight.

“The Maine-iac” is now one hundred percent healed. He even expects to be 250lbs come fight time—a departure from his usual cutting weight down to the 265lbs, the division’s limit—to match Vera’s speed. An MFS Elite fighter, Sylvia was once known for knockout power and vows to return to his conscious stealing ways.

This is not the first time the Sylvia has met Vera in the Octagon; this is, however, the first time they will fight. Vera’s win over Frank Mir found him challenging then-champion Sylvia in the Octagon before contract disputes sidelined the San Diegan for eleven months.

Both fighters enter the bout shaking off ring rust. Sylvia comes in at a bigger disadvantage as he hopes to overcome the most high-profile loss of his career and an injury. Vera has less to worry about. The long lay off may be an issue, but he has never known defeat and is healthy—two issues weighing on his opponent’s mind. This may neutralize Sylvia’s immense experience advantage.

Sylvia’s main asset—as always—is his size. In addition, Vera is an undersized heavyweight. However, that may be an advantage in this fight. The former City Boxing fighter is light on his feet. If he can remain evasive and damage Sylvia with leg kicks, his road to victory is a clear one against the flat-footed striker.

While Vera does have a Greco-Roman wrestling background and a Lloyd Irvin ground game, taking the fight to the ground would expend a lot of energy against the much larger Sylvia and could prove detrimental. Both expect a standup bout and both should stay the course. Sylvia can test Vera’s chin and Vera can say he knocked out or outlasted a former champion known for his striking.

Training with UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson and trainer Juanito Ibarra, Vera’s change of pace in the gym should lead to an impressive performance. But with Sylvia’s hard hitting, as Vera said himself: “Don’t believe the hype, just believe what you see.”

In under card action, fellow Cincinnati resident and Rich Franklin’s coach Jorge Gurgel will step into the Octagon against Alvin Robinson at 155-pounds. Robinson is a strong wrestler, but Gurgel is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert who likes to punish opponents standing. He is also incredibly tough, having fought injured most of his career, including suffering a broken jaw in the second round of his three round slugfest in his last outing. Octagon experience and home field advantage will see Gurgel finish his first fight in the UFC.

Eric Schafer takes on The Ultimate Fighter veteran Stephan Bonnar in light heavyweight action. The fighters and former training partners are evenly matched except in the experience department, where Bonnar separates himself. “Ravishing Red” has the advantage of having Muay Thai coach Duke Rufus (Bonnar’s former coach) in his corner, but does not have the luxury of training for mixed martial arts under one roof. That is a plus “The American Psycho” recently picked up, moving to Las Vegas under the Xtreme Couture banner. Coming off a first round submission victory against Mike Nickels adds to his positive streak, which Schafer does not have since he lost his last fight in the Octagon. Add in the need for spotlights and Bonnar’s determination should pose too many problems for the ground fighter.

Middleweights Alan Belcher and Kalib Starnes hope to up their stock in a contender-thin division. Both are 1-1 in their last two UFC appearances, winning their last bouts. Starnes’ recent move to American Top Team has added a strong mental element to his various physical talents, which the overactive Mississippian will challenge. If the fight stays standing, Belcher should get the better of the exchanges, while opposite is true in a ground fight. Wherever the fight goes, both fighters can survive. This makes the deciding factor heart, tilting the scales slightly for Belcher.

Jason McDonald and Yushin Okami are no strangers to Rich Franklin, whom they both lost to, stopping their title search short. The Canadian plans to test the Japanese fighter’s cardio, but McDonald is walking into a trap. Okami is a large, strong, and evasive fighter. McDonald will tire himself out. That is, of course, unless Okami realizes the mistake he made against Franklin and corrects it by coming forward. Either way, he will score a technical knockout by avoiding submissions long enough to pound out his opponent and step back into title contention.

As each under card fighter wants to position themselves for gold, Rich Franklin and Anderson Silva are already there. UFC 77 may breathe life into a hometown hero or Cincinnati may suffer another spider bite. A win for Franklin continues the story, a win for Silva concludes the story.

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White's Reaction Could Determine MMA's Future

In this new column by Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole, White's role in rebounding from losing its name-brand fighters is discussed in a clearer manner than ever before.

Dana White may be the man most responsible for the meteoric growth of the UFC. It has a national television contract, it does ever-larger pay-per-view sales, it routinely sells out major venues and it has one of the most passionate fan bases in sports.

Much of that is due to White's grit, guile and cunning.

But White, the UFC president, has a challenge before him, the likes of which he has never faced in his seven years at the helm of the world's most successful mixed martial arts promotional company.

Though White hardly seemed upset by UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture's announcement Thursday that he is retiring as a professional fighter and severing all ties with the company, how he handles the situation will determine whether the company will continue its rocket-like ascent toward mainstream acceptance or whether it will return to the netherworld of niche sports status.

Couture quit for the same reason that No. 1 NFL draft pick JaMarcus Russell didn't sign with the Raiders until after the regular season began, for the reason why Alex Rodriguez is probably going to opt out of his contract with the Yankees: Money.

The UFC has played hardball with its fighters for so long because it has been the only game in town. And, despite the emergence of a slew of promotions like the International Fight League, Elite XC, Strikeforce and, new this week, M-1 Mix Fight, it remains the only viable alternative for most fighters.

It has the most money, the most fans and the best fighters under contract. If you're a fighter and you're looking to increase your exposure and your bankroll, you sign with the UFC.

Couture's sudden retirement changes the dynamic remarkably.

Former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell, who according to White is the company's highest-paid fighter, has lost two straight and has conceded that thoughts of retirement have wafted through his head.

Couture, whom White said was his second-highest paid fighter, retired on Thursday.

Matt Hughes, who fights Matt Serra for the welterweight title on Dec. 29, has said on The Ultimate Fighter reality show on Spike TV that he's only going to fight two or three more times before quitting.

Rich Franklin will lose a lot of his luster as a drawing card if he gets manhandled again by Anderson Silva when they meet for the middleweight title at UFC 77 on Oct. 20.

Tito Ortiz, who is down to one fight left on his UFC contract, is nowhere near the invincible force he seemed about five years ago.

And for as many great athletes who dot the UFC's roster of talent, none, with the possible exception of light heavyweight Forrest Griffin, have the capability of filling an arena like Couture and Liddell did.

White blamed what's becoming his personal whipping boy – MMA web sites and forums – for spreading phony rumors about fighter pay. Couture, who is in South Africa filming a movie and couldn't be reached for comment Thursday, released a statement in which he said he was retiring because the UFC didn't sign Fedor Emelianenko and no other fight mattered to him.

He also said he was upset with UFC management for what he believed was low pay. He made that point in a breakfast meeting last month with White and UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta.

"He felt he was not getting paid as much as Mirko Cro Cop, as much as this guy and as much as that guy," White said. "We told him he was our second-highest paid fighter, but he didn't believe us. Chuck's the only guy who makes more, but he kept hearing all these rumors and he wouldn't believe us."

White then launched into a tirade against what he called "the rumor mongerers on the Internet," whom he said are, "the lowest of the low."

He said fighters read those sites and believe them to be true, causing friction at the negotiating table.

"This business is like a beauty salon," he said. "These guys are all the toughest guys in the world, but they're like (expletives) in a beauty salon. They pass along rumors and gossip, which has no basis in reality and they believe all the (rumors) they hear. The Internet is very powerful and one of the best promotional tools we have, but it's a crazy place.

"They hear these rumors and they believe them and then they get insulted like (expletives) after we try to talk reality with them. They'll say, 'Well, this guy is getting this much,' but when I ask where they heard it, it's never a contract, it's always, 'I read it on the Internet.' It's crazy."

The Yankees won the World Series after Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson retired. The Lakers won NBA titles after Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson quit.

There is plenty of precedent in sports for teams and organizations succeeding after losing their biggest stars.

But those were established teams in established leagues with long records of success. MMA as we know it has only existed since 1993. And as recently as less than three years ago, few mainstream media paid it any mind.

Griffin and Stephan Bonnar helped change that with a slugfest in the finale of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV that was the equal of any held in boxing.

With a reach of 90 million homes, a fight which was like MMA's equivalent of the legendary Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns middleweight title brawl, forced a lot of people to begin tuning in.

There have been few bumps in the 30 months since that epic battle.

But if you believe – yep, Internet reports – then White has two major bumps he must hurdle. Several web sites have reported that Emelianenko has signed with a Russian promoter called M-1 Mix Fight.

White, who has been negotiating feverishly for the last six months in a bid to sign Emelianenko and match him with Couture, wasn't sure if the reports are true.

He demeaned Emelianenko, who is ranked No. 1 in the Y! Sports MMA poll, as a fighter, saying Couture would destroy him, and said Emelianenko's representatives were nearly impossible to work with.

"The negotiations with those guys were so nutty, that at this point, I don't give (an expletive) if he ever comes with us," White said. "If there were real rankings out there, he wouldn't be the No. 1 fighter in the world, believe me.

"Randy Couture is the top heavyweight. He's proven it. He's fought real guys. Who has this guy fought? Mark Coleman and Matt Lindland, who weighs 185 pounds. He's (an expletive) middleweight. My philosophy has always been to sign the best guys and make them fight, but you see that this guy didn't want to fight the best because he was impossible to deal with."

If Emelianenko had signed with the UFC and then subsequently defeated Couture, he would have been Couture's obvious successor as a drawing card.

On the other hand, had Couture, as White predicts, destroyed Emelianenko, it would have exponentially improved Couture's drawing power for as long as he wanted to stay around. Now, White is forced to find replacements for two high-level talents.

White isn't the coolest guy in the world, but he plays one on TV and he tried to pass off Couture's decision as one of those things that happen in the fight game.

"No matter how great they are, fighters come and go, but it's the sport that survives," White said. "Randy Couture retired once before and we didn't collapse, did we? I love Randy Couture and what he represented.

"He's a great guy and was a bad dude in that octagon. He's the kind of guy I want to associate my company with, but I also know that as a fighter, he wouldn't be around forever no matter what. We'll survive. This is just another day in my life. Believe me, as much as I would like to be promoting another Couture fight, it's not the news that is going to kill the UFC."

White is going to need all his cunning and guile to survive this one, though.

He said Thursday he's not certain he's going to go ahead with the long-rumored Liddell-Wanderlei Silva fight as the main event of UFC 79 on Dec. 29 and said he may just headline that card with Hughes challenging Matt Serra for the welterweight title.

In part, that could be a way for White to make up for the loss of a Couture-Emelianenko fight at UFC 80 on Feb. 2. He can slide Liddell-Silva into that slot as the main event on one of the biggest MMA weekends of the year and hope that the fight captures the public's imagination.

But until those drawing cards emerge to replace Couture, Liddell and Hughes, it's going to be difficult for the UFC to escape niche status and convince the Fortune 100 companies it craves as sponsors that it has reached the mainstream.

It's going to be White's greatest challenge yet.

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Why The UFC Needs Fedor

Just because Fedor signed with M-1 doesn't mean the UFC couldn't use him. In fact, they still need him.

It was just months ago, following the Fertitta brothers acquisition of Dream Stage Entertainment (PRIDE FC), that we were told time and time again how stacked the Hevayweight division was. “The best it’s ever been!” Joe Rogan and Dana White chirped without interruption. I bought into it, and the whole world did too…and why not? Seemingly, they had everything they needed to create a full calendar’s worth of solid booking. They had the classic UFC veterans, Sylvia and Arlvoski, who had just finished a trilogy of brawls. Randy Couture had moved up and stripped the belt from Sylvia, proving that age is not a factor in the UFC. And they had both Cro Cop and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, two of PRIDE’s biggest stars signed and scheduled with their tune up fights. Between then and now, the UFC has built itself into a position that can only be made better by one man: Fedor.

Before we arrive at our conclusion, let’s examine how the UFC got to the point of needing a savior in their Heavyweight division. Up until very recently (UFC 69, to be exact), two men reigned supreme: Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski. Sylvia lost the intial fight between the two at UFC 51, which was an interim title fight, by way of Achilles Lock, a rare submission in mixed martial arts. In the second match up, at UFC 59, Arlovski had Sylvia stunned and beat. Unfortunately, he let “The Maine-iac” stick around and eventually got caught with a punch, setting up a rubber match at UFC 61. What went from an almost decisive two straight wins for Arlovski, an ending of the feud, and a new challenger for Arlovski, had now turned into a boring decision victory for Tim Sylvia, giving him two of three wins. Arlovski had lost two fights he didn’t need to lose to the much less fit and likeable Sylvia. The UFC clearly didn’t know what to do with him, as they threw him up against Jeff Monson, over billing their heights and weights in order to make it a “battle of the monsters.” Thankfully, the defense wouldn’t last long as Captain America arrived on scene to save the day (and the UFC) again.

Randy Couture, who had spent time in the Light Heavyweight division beating up on big ticket names like Liddell and Ortiz had retired following a rubber match loss to The Iceman. Believing he could hang with Sylvia, he came out of retirement and stunned the world at UFC 69. Joe Silva and the matchmakers had an opportunity to create come great match ups following this win, with the influx of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. Instead of throwing Cro Cop right into the title hunt, they gave him a few tune ups instead while Couture was resting from the win. One of the tune ups turned out to be a devastating KO at the hands (feet, really…) of Gabriel Gonzaga. What was supposed to be a Sylvia-Cro Cop title fight was now Couture-Gonzaga…much less interesting. However, we can determine from this (and CC’s subsequent loss) that both Filipovic and Sylvia are no longer worthy contenders for Couture.

No Sylvia? No Cro Cop? No problem. The UFC had their next contender for Couture lined up in the manifestation of who many considered to be the #2 Heavyweight in the world, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. He had been playing second fiddle to Fedor for years, while handily running though the rest of the competition. Now, he would get his shot at the UFC title. He just had to get through Heath Herring. Cro Cop had already lost months prior, meaning a win would all but guarantee him a match with Couture. Nogueira won, but only after only being nearly knocked out in the first round, by a kick that many (including ringside commentator Eddie Bravo) said could have easily warranted a stoppage. The UFC looked at this lackluster performance coupled with the difficulty they’ve had marketing non-English speaking stars, and decided to push Nogueira even less than they had before the fight. After all, he hadn’t even made the fight poster.

Just like that, without as much as bad decision on the part of the UFC, Nogueira, Cro Cop, and Tim Sylvia had all taken themselves out of the title race. What was once the most stacked division in mixed martial arts history was now left with Randy Couture at the top and no one else ever close. Don’t get me wrong; Couture is a wonderful champion and probably the best bet for the UFC. But, he still needs challengers to legitimize his belt. He’s beat Sylvia. Arlvoski doesn’t deserve it. Nogueira could make a claim, but the fight wouldn’t be able to be marketed for any real profit. And Cro Cop REALLY doesn’t deserve it. So who fits the bill? There’s only one fighter left.

Fedor. A man so intimidating, he is known only by his cold, brutish first name. The stats on The Russian Experiment are known by now. He’s essentially undefeated, save for one loss due to a cut from an illegal move (he avenged it later). He’s beaten Cro Cop, Nogueira (twice), Mark Hunt, and just about every big name in PRIDE FC. And that’s exactly why the UFC needs him. There’s no one else who provide the sheer challenge to Couture’s magic. Not to mention that he’s the perfect antithesis to the golden boy of the UFC. For anyone who thought Liddell-Rampage was easy to market, you haven’t seen anything yet. Couture-Fedor (ahh, it even rhymes!) is the quintessential battle of good vs. evil, The United States vs. Russia, face vs. heel. Sure, Tim Sylvia was generally unlikable, but he’s equally untalented. Fedor would provide the presence of a bigger “bad guy,” with skills unparalleled to anything Couture has ever faced. The result: one of the biggest live gates of all time, an automatic rematch for the loser (while Dana White prays for a third fight), and the immediate revival of UFC’s heavyweight division.

(Originally written for MMAMadness.com)

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Ken Shamrock Interview

In this recent interview, Ken discusses the possibility of a fight with his brother, Frank, and Dana White's treatment of him. An Interview By Ben Zeidler

Ben Zeidler: Hey Ken.
Ken Shamrock: Hey, what’s up?

BZ: Can you tell us a little bit about what it’s like to watch your son fight? The Gracie's have been multi-generational for a while, but I think you’re the first of the true new MMA stars to have his son compete. What does he feel as a father, as a trainer, as a promoter when your son goes into the cage?
KS: You know, everyone was asking me if I was going to be nervous and I honestly didn’t know. But when it came for the fights of my nephew Jeff and son Ryan, I was calmer than when the fighters I train fight. I knew that they’d been to the fights before and knew what to expect, and I’ve been doing this for a while. I know what the worst thing that can happen is. I just felt comfortable out there…I don’t know, maybe when they get on a bigger stage, it will feel different.

BZ: Frank has openly stated he's willing to fight you. Is the feeling mutual for you?
KS: Do you want the complete and honest truth?

BZ: Yeah, let’s hear it.
KS: Frank is the kind of guy who will only fight someone if he thinks he can beat them. He won’t fight me unless he talks enough crap that he gets pushed into it by the fans. He might even price himself out of the fight just to get out it. He’s done that before. He walks around saying he’s the Lion’s Den guy and this and that. He was probably my third best guy when I was training them all, behind Bohlander and Mezger. Also, Frank has problems against people who can take him down and he knows I would take him down. Look at his fight against Renzo! I can knock him down and punch him out. He’s my brother and all, but don’t think for a second that I wouldn’t fight him.

BZ: You’ve had a long and storied career. What’s the biggest win?
KS: The third time me and Royce fought. They called it a draw but he had to be carried out at the end. Everyone knew who won.

BZ: Yeah, usually if you get carried out, it means you lost.
KS: Royce knew he was in trouble with me and that’s why the Gracies put in the time limit. They knew what was up. Royce would’ve been a part of the mat if they didn’t do that. But I do have great respect for Royce, and if it wasn’t for me and him, the sport wouldn’t be here.

BZ: What’s your take on this Randy Couture situation? Couture says Dana White lied to him when he said he's the 2nd highest paid athlete in the organization-
KS: (interrupting) Dana White did that to me!

BZ: So is Couture right to suggest that the UFC is lying? Does this sort of thing happen all the time?
KS: It’s a real shame what happened to Randy and he wouldn’t lie about what the UFC did to him. There are a lot of good fighters and good people out there, but Couture is special. He’s the guy you want your kids to watch fighting. There’s toughness, a will to win, and a certain professionalism that he brings. He just does things right. I know him as a person inside the organization. I don’t know his outside personal life, but he wouldn’t lie. For an organization to do that to a guy like Randy tells us a lot about their character.

BZ: Can you explain how the UFC screwed you?
KS: I’ve been getting this sport on top of the world since it began. Most of the highest gated events had my name on them. And before it was me and Tito, it was me and Royce, and before that, me and Severn, and before that, me and Kimo. This is a billion dollar industry and for me to get it where it’s at then cut me? This is like in the NFL where all the players who made the game so popular get screwed out of benefits because they just don’t want to pay for their investment in the sport. All those guys were out there on the picket lines saying that the sport was inhumane and we stuck with it the whole time. We fought through that. And then people like the Ferttitas and Dana are making all this money off of us. We had people call us animals and stand up against us. We went through all that and stayed because we love the sport and now they step on us and say we don’t belong?

BZ: Can you tell us a little bit about your experience with the IFL?
KS: When I heard about the IFL, I loved it right away. I love the idea of team fighting. In the earlier days, it was way more team oriented and people would jump in thr ring after a win and go crazy and cheer. You always had that team following you. MMA has gotten away from that and the IFL brings it back. Now, the teams are always together, working for a goal. Everyone is getting benefits for winning and at the end of the day the best team gets rewarded with a ring. Even better if your team isn’t good, your best guy can go to the Grand Prix and win a belt. There’s really an option for everyone. The only problem we’ve run into is that teams don’t stay together due to injuries and other factors. I’d say that the concept is good, but the sport needs more consistency and rules.

BZ: Who are some of the best guys on your squad?
KS: John Gunderson has a really good shot at that Lightweight belt. Pat Healy in Welterweight is very promising. And Roy Nelson, our Heavyweight, has a great shot at that belt as well.

BZ: Maybe Randy will follow you and get his own IFL team now that he's gone from UFC. All the former UFC guys seem to be doing that these days.
KS: Randy has a lot to give back and he chooses that path, I’m sure that he would not have a lack of guys who wanted to be on his team.

BZ: Are there any sponsors that you’d like thank?
KS: You can go to the site Kenshamrock.com and see it all there.

BZ: Do you have anything to say to your fans?
KS: I’m training and I have some things fixed and I’m back fighting. There are some fights out there for me and I’m looking forward to getting 2 or 3 more before retiring. The UFC breached my contract with one fight remaining, but that won’t stop me. I’ll be fighting next year so look for it.

(Originally conducted for MMAMadness.com)

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Irish Whip Fighting Exclusive: Josh Barnett Interview

MMA star Josh Barnett is considered one of "The 5 Men Who Can Beat Fedor" by many. Hear him talk about Fedor, the UFC, and his friend Babalu.

Irish Whip Fighting: When can we expect to see you fighting again?

Josh Barnett: The nearest I can think of is the Imagination TV show Pancrase: Legends of MMA. You can catch some of my matches there on November 7th for 15 weeks. But for some live in the ring action, I'm talking to some companies right now and we've got some things on the table. But there's nothing that's absolute, nothing to say that I'll be definitely fighting at a certain time.

IWF: Can you tell us any of those organizations that you're currently looking at?

JB: Umm…all of them (laughs).

IWF: Is there any chance that you could wind up back in UFC someday?

JB: There's always a chance. It's just about the right offer, that's all.

IWF: How soon?

JB: The UFC? I don't know, maybe you should call Dana up and ask him (laughs).

IWF: Why is there such a big conflict between you and Dana?

JB: When I think somebody says something that's BS, or if I think that something isn't being done up to par, then I say something. That's probably why. I've been in this business longer then he has, and there's just a certain amount of respect that I expect, and I don't necessarily feel like I get that from him all of the time. He says some things and that's fine. He's allowed to make any statements he wants; I'm going to make a rebuttal. It's up to him if he wants to get real torqued off about it, not me.

IWF: What do you think about your friend Renato Sobral being kicked out of UFC?

JB: I think it was totally lame. I think it was a totally BS deal. I think it was unnecessary to the level at what they did. I don't think it follows any of the protocol that is standard for other situations like this. And I think that there was other motivation behind it

IWF: People have done worse things in the cage then his choke. I know that B.J. Penn's choke on Jens Pulver was longer then Sobral's on Heath, and B.J. didn't get punished at all.

JB: No he didn't, and the only difference being Jens didn't go out. That's the only thing that I can see, but beyond that all I've heard is that they hugged after word. But David Heath on his way out said he respected Babalu, he had a lot of respect for him. So what's the difference there?

IWF: What punishment do you think Renato should've gotten?

JB: They had to punish him? Some sort of a fine if they had to, but not to that extent.

IWF: You've been known to speak Japanese and even use a Japanese theme as your entrance. Can you talk a little about the connection you have with your Japanese fans?

JB: Um…a psychic link…

IWF: Haha, can you elaborate?

JB: Yeah, I just really enjoy the culture. I really enjoy other cultures all around the world. And I think that knowing more then one language is a really rich thing to have in someone's life. I think that we've just clicked. Being on the level of nerdom that I'm on, it really talks to them. I love fighting over there, and I love the great positive vibes that I get from the Japanese fans.

IWF: In the first issue of FIGHT! Magazine, you were listed as one of the 5 people who could possibly beat Fedor. Why do you think your paths have never crossed?

JB: At this point it's the same reason why I haven't gotten into the ring yet, just politics and contract stuff. But right now it's not my fight. My management is out there doing stuff, not me, but we'll get it done.

IWF: If given the opportunity, how do you feel you would match up?

JB: I think that I'd match up pretty well with him. I'd be surprise if anybody else could do much going against Fedor. But there's an x-factor in that we're friends and that we respect each other so much, which will bring better fighting spirit out of both of us.

IWF: You've beaten everyone from Couture to Big Nog. What's the biggest win of your career?

JB: Yuki Kondo. I won the King of Pancrase with that win, it was in Ryogoku, and I had all my teammates from New Japan Pro Wrestling there. It was just an awesome thing.

IWF: Do you think that you could defeat current UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture?

JB: Absolutely. Absolutely. I think I could finish him in two rounds more or less, but not because he won't be out there doing his thing. It'll be a big fight, but I think our styles favor me. But he's doing really well for himself, and it's fun to watch him out there and to cheer for him. And if it does ever happen then I'll have to put the fan in me aside and just go out there and take care of business.

IWF: You're a well-known critic of the 10-point system, and lately, we've been seeing that come under fire with some questionable decisions or rounds that would be scored 10-8. Can you talk a little about that?

JB: Part of the biggest problem in MMA right now is that the submission isn't given a lot of weight in the United States. That's a huge detriment to me. I think that MMA fights should be judged on not so much control, but who comes closest to finishing a fight. If you are scoring knockdowns, mounted positions raining sizeable punches that are causing damage, or near submissions; that should count a lot more then just taking down someone a lot. Not to mention just going for a submission means you're trying to finish the fight. People that are just on top picking away isn't trying to finish a fight. They should be rewarded as such. I think that the PRIDE system was really the best system. And off course the human err factor comes into it as well. Sometimes people make mistakes when they're judging. People are going to disagree with the judges, and that's something that people are going to have to deal with. But those criteria that I mentioned before are the most important.

IWF: Did you find competition in PRIDE or UFC to be tougher?

JB: When I fought there definitely PRIDE.

IWF: Why is that?

JB: I don't know, at the time they were just better fighters, they were better athletes, and they were better fights. Whether they're having success outside of PRIDE is another thing, but at the time they were the cream of the crop.

IWF: Well the PRIDE fighters aren't doing very well in the UFC. Why do you think this is?

JB: I don't know, maybe all of that money that they're making now is allowing them to party all the time. I've been really surprised with some of these fights that I've seen. I have no idea.

IWF: We're doing a story in which we pit Legends against Current stars and ask other MMA fighters how they see the bout going down if the Legend was in his prime. Could you please comment on:

Dan Severn vs. Randy Couture

JB: Well I think that early on Severn would take him down and have most of the control, but eventually I think that Randy's standup could take Severn, and Randy could go into later rounds. He would wear Dan out and outwrestle him as well. I'd say Couture via TKO or a decision.

IWF: Rickson Gracie vs. Frank Shamrock

JB: Frank Shamrock beats the crap out of him.

IWF: Mirko Cro Cop vs. Brock Lesnar

JB: Versus who?! Brock Lesnar? What is Brock's prime? Have we seen it yet? I think that we can expect a lot out of Brock Lesnar. He's training under Erik Paulson's CSW instructor Greg Nelson who's an incredible coach. He's got a great mind when it comes to fighting. Brock is going to get exponentially better, this I can promise. But for right now I'd say that Mirko mows him over with a KO.

IWF: In a second section, we're pitting a guy with no MMA training against a Legend and asking how the fight would go down if the first guy received complete MMA training. Obviously, these are a bit more fun and less scientific. Could you please comment on:

Bruce Lee vs. Fedor

JB: Fedor all the way. Bruce Lee was a really well-rounded fighter for his time. He was very agile, athletic, and very explosive. But he just didn't have the developed ground game that Fedor does. Bruce Lee is a Seattle guy too, so I hate to pick against him.

IWF: Chuck Norris vs. Chuck Liddell

JB: Well Chuck Liddell is a D-1 wrestler, so if he has to he can take the fight to the ground. But if he decides not to like with Jardine, then it's hard to say. I'd say a draw.

IWF: Muhammad Ali vs. Royce Gracie

JB: So Muhammad Ali gets MMA training?

IWF: Yes.

JB: He does. Okay I say Muhammad Ali by sprawl and brawl decision. But choose another boxer not as quick, and I think Royce Gracie cranks the crap out of him.

IWF: Do you have anything to say to your fans?

JB: If you want to keep up with what I'm doing then just check out www.joshbarnett.tv. You'll find out more about the fighters I'm working with and when they're fighting. Just everything to do with Josh Barnett in general.

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