UFC 97 Redemption Official Fight card

Monteal, Quebec Canada...home of Strip Clubs, the Tri Star Gym, Lots of Snow and about once a year...the greatest fighters on the planet earth. The UFC returns to Canada for "UFC 97: Redemption,"

For the Main Event of the evening...One of the greatest fighters at any weight, Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva squares off against fellow Brazilian Thales Leites. If the "Spider" wins it will be his 9th victory in a row with the UFC...a new record. If he loses then we wil have a new MW champ and Silva will lose a little of that God-Like shine he carries around.

With 11 other fights, UFC 97 sold-out in less than one week...just like the UFCs last trip to Canada (UFC 83) where the organization's all-time attendance (21,390) and live gate ($5.1 million) records were set.

The Card is not bad:

MAIN CARD (televised)

• Middleweight champ Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites
• Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
• Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann
• Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk
• Luis Cane vs. Steve Cantwell

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-televised)

• Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Eliot Marshall
• Xavier Foupa-Pokam vs. Denis Kang
• Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry
• Ed Herman vs. David Loiseau
• David Bielkheden vs. Mark Bocek
• Ryo Chonan vs. T.J. Grant
• Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman

Not really sure why Kang v. Foupa-Pokam is on the prelim card and Soszynski vs. Brian Stann is on the main card. I am sure that the almighty Dana has his reasons.

I always love to watch Silva fight...a true artist. I don't know how many more cans they are going to throw at Congo before giving him a shot for a shot...love to see him vs. Carwin or CV. I really hope that Liddel beats the snot out of Shogun. Primarily because I like Chuck and want him to be relevant for a few more years...the clock is ticking FAST. Also because I love to see ex-pride guys get dismantled...Kang, Soku, Shogun, CroCop....WEAK performances in the Octagon. Shogun BARELY beat coleman and looked like ass doing it.

I love this shit.

Nick Diaz is a fighter

Training...it's not just for fighters anymore

Once upon a time if you were hitting a punching bag or training in a gym with a punching bag...you were there for one purpose; To Fight.

Not anymore.

The South County Times online reports:

"We call it a fun boot camp," said Finney, owner of Finney's Kickboxing and Boxing, one of the premier training gyms in St. Louis. The gym specializes in teaching novices and professionals alike the fine art of boxing, kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

"Out of more than 300 of our members, only 10 percent are professional fighters and at least 40 percent are women," Finney said. "Most people don't want to fight, but they want to train like a fighter."

"What draws people here is the extensive cardio training they get, along with strengthening their core, while at the same time learning important techniques and timing of how to protect themselves," Finney said. "There is no other place in St. Louis you can go to get this kind of high-level instruction with a professional fighter as your trainer."

This is great for two reasons. Number 1: Less fat people...we have far too many in this great land of ours. Number 2: Better fighters...The more athletes (of all ages) that are exposed to the benefits of training as a fighter, the higher the likelihood that a few will choose that path.
Better athletes = better fighters. Better Fighters = Better Fights. Better Fights = More Fans. More Fans = Sustainable Growth.

We are witnessing the evolution of the sport. From Tank Abbott to GSP and beyond.

MMA needs Nick Diaz

Reported by MMAJUNKIE.COM

While Diaz responded that he was planning on fighting regardless, he later told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he took exception to Shamrock's address of his personal choices. "I don't really give a rat's ass (if Shamrock doesn't approve of me using marijuana)," Diaz said. "So does Michael Phelps. He's an eight-time [expletive] world champion Olympian, the best Olympic champion of all time. That's a little incentive to get with the program, don't you think?

I love it...Diaz urging everyone to "get with the program" and start smoking weed....so we all win gold medals?

I don't care what anyone says...Nick Diaz is good for MMA.

I really do Like Dana White

Jason Guida is OK with Being a Can

As reported by MMAJUNKIE.COM

With Ken Shamrock's recent suspension by the California State Athletic Commission for a failed drug test, the hybrid boxing/MMA event "March Badness" was left with a hole in the evening's MMA main event.

According to a new report from VERSUS.com, that void has been filled by former "TUF" cast member Jason Guida (17-19), who will now take on Bobby Lashley (1-0).

How embarrassing.

The worlds most dangerous man gets clipped for the juice and they plug in...Jason Guida. Granted Bobby Lashley is unproven but he can't be happy about this. Instead of the UFC hall of fame variety Can to beat on (Ken Shamrock)...he gets the underachieving brother who can't make weight for the ultimate fighter (Jason "I'll never be as good as my brother" Guida).

If MMA can make it through this...it's not going anywhere.

When authenticy outweighs intelligence

Jeff "Snowman" Monson is for real.

There are millions of fake people in the world. Jeff Monson is not one of them.

He had an arrest warrant with his name for allegedly spray painting an Anarchy sign on the Washington State Capital building. Typically you would try to avoid anyone seeing you do this...not Monson. Monson is Atypical.

Monson decided to deface government property while having an ESPN photographer snap away. No Joke. Not surprisingly EPSN published the shot and the detectives had the break they needed for a warrant. Keep in mind...it's not like he's holding less than an ounce in Massachusetts...he could face up to 10 Years at ass rape camp and a $20,000 fine. Not to mention an additional $19,000 for the cost of clean up.

The man has beliefs and he is willing to suffer the consequences for his method of communicating that belief. Either that or he didn't think it through to the point of realizing that he would get caught.

Idiot or Radical?

My vote is Radical. If you disagree and think that he is an idiot then I suggest that you let him know exactly how you feel.

Beware the Crane Kick

would Daniel LaRusso contend for a MMA belt?


In all reality...the answer is no. However, let's forget about reality and take a walk down Miyagi lane.


Can't you see The Karate Kid making an entrance at a WEC show...cheesy 80s music blasting as he is followed in by The Wise Old Asian and his privileged blond girlfriend...maybe even his Mom and Hispanic buddy would make the walk as well....Daniel, all the while, with that fake look of innocent bewilderment that says "I wish I was back in Jersey..."


Maybe instead of just one opponent...he could fight the entire Cobra Kai dojo (where incidentally...there is no pain...SENSAI!). They would all walk in together, brimming with overconfidence, jacked up on No Dose, itching to sweep his left knee all while the soundtrack to the "Lost Boys" plays at full blast.


In real life, he would need to work on his takedown defense but real life can be such a drag. I much prefer to picture him alluding punches and kicks ala Machida and then catching some serious air when Crane Kicking each and every member of the Kais into Movie Style Unconsciousness.

You ARE the best around...nothings going to EVER keep you down.

Upon winning the match (matches?) he would be mobbed by his wholesome if unintimidating entourage and then it's off to the "Golf n Stuff" for a date or maybe the beach for the obligatory bon fire where he would be unceremoniously attacked by his rivals on low grade mini bikes...

And just like every good 80s movie...wait for the sequel where he will take a small pack of ferrets in a strange combat club in Taiwan.

Worse movies have been made...wax on.

"Build it and they will come"

Bellator Fighting Championships and ESPN announced a sponsorship agreement with Ford Motor Company.

Thats right...that FORD. As in the company that revolutionized the car industry.

Ford becomes Bellator's exclusive automotive sponsor. Not surprisingly...it's the 106-year-old company's first MMA sponsorship.

Bellator, the first-ever ESPN-backed MMA organization, debuts April 3 and hosts events for 12 consecutive weeks. The shows then airs on ESPN Deportes. Fighters such as Eddie Alvarez, Wilson Reis, Hector Lombard and Jorge Masvdial will compete for the organization.

It appears that part of Fords interest was Bellators connection to Latino consumers...Bellator will be featured on ESPN Deportes.

Bellator is the proverbial Canary in the Coalmine for the Disney owned ESPN. The network has has been very inconsistent with it's coverage of the sport. However, like every other network, you need to go where the money is and the growth of the sport is hard (if not foolish) to ignore. It this works and works well...it will be HUGE for the sport as the #1 network for sports worldwide will certainly spend more time on coverage.

Having said that...if this "Canary" does not...fly so to speak then MMA coverage will most likely remain spotty.

Either way...better to have Ford as a sponsor than Toyo tires or Mickeys...

"Follow the Money"

Open Letter to Tim Sylvia

Dude.

Are you sure you want to box a past his prime, over the hill, out of shape has been boxer?

What if you lose?

I mean...your stock has been falling (with the quickness as some would say) for more than 2 years. Boxing Ray Mercer is as close to a "no win" proposition as you can get.

The only thing worse than an MMA fighter that the fans hate and that keeps losing big fights is an MMA fighter that the fans hate that keeps losing big fights and then loses in a boxing match against an over the hill fatty.

Spare us the horror...save your dignity for when you really need it and get back in the effing gym. Don't forget where you stand but more importantly...never lose site of where YOU DON"T STAND.

Careful What you ask for...

Dana White UFC 96 Video Blog Fight Night

Why I care, the Final Chapter

I have discovered and am now a completely devoted fan of a sport that consistently delivers everything that is primal about enjoying sports. Clarity of a victor…physical struggle, skill, hard work, rivalry, honesty…purity. Emotion. It makes me care and I’m down with that.

It makes me care like I care about the Red Sox, no Joke. This coming from a Life long fan that has been to 19 of the last 20 opening days (only missing one when my son was born). With the Sox, as a fan, I have been crushed and elated and pissed and proud and crushed. Make no mistake…it’s all good. You need to feel the “Crushed” or it is impossible to feel the “Elated”.

Imagine taking all the sporting contests in the world and shooting them all through the type of filter that they use to get salt out of ocean water (a very strong one) and after all the excess crap was filtered out what you had left was the purest elements of sport on the planet.

I have seen the product of such a process and it is Mixed Martial Arts.

and THAT is why I care.

Why I care Part IV

At the core of every sporting event is emotion.

The avalanche of this reality has had me subconsciously seeking a higher purity of sporting competition. I was on a quest for that elusive raw emotion that has been delivered so many times in the past yet can’t be forced into appearing on demand.

It’s the reason why we love rivalries…because they are highly effectively at conjuring up the potent, brilliantly raw emotion of sport.
Red Sox / Yankees is one of the best examples…every game gets better because the story-line continues to grow.

More blatantly…rivalries are so prolific in this arena because they are the result of mixing competition with history.

Why do I care Part III

Think of your favorite sports team…any sport.

Ok, good. So, think about a time when that team wasn’t playing well.
Examples: The New York Yankees in the 80’s, The Oakland Raiders the last 5 years, The 76 Tampa Bay Bucs…you get the idea.

Can you feel it? It’s so bad that you want to avoid Sports Center as to avoid any coverage of their poor play. Well…you would probably still watch it but you would turn away at the first mention of your ailing club.

The Embarrassment, Empty blackness, Thick Morose, complete and utter hopelessness…that may be a bit overboard.

Amazingly, most can remember having that feeling at some point…Now think of a time where that same team lost an extremely important game…maybe even after they were winning.

Ok, hold that feeling. Good.

The pain, it gets sharper…it lingers. Truly heartbreaking. Depressing. All true sports fans know of the pain of which I speak.

Now think of a time where your team was on top of the world. i.e. The 2004 Boston Red Sox, The Jordan era Chicago Bulls and The New England Patriots since 2000. Feels good, no?

Why do I care. Part II

Relatively speaking, this Sport is as Pure as it gets if you are looking for competition. In the age of Baseball Steroids, NFL convicts and NBA brats...MMA (in it's current form) is a true contest that taps into the core of every Mammal walking erect with opposable thumbs.

One on One. Are you confident in your own ability to engage with and subdue another human? There is no place to hide. There are no teammates to take the blame. You must stand alone and you must compete.

If there is an absence of purity...you may be entertained but you will not be moved with emotion. RE: Harlem Globetrotters. No emotion = No one really cares. That's what most guys on the couch with a beer really hate to admit, the reason why they love sports is because it's emotional.

Why do I care. Part I

For the cognizant portion of my 38 years on this planet...I have been a huge sports fan. More specifically; a fan of competition. I can watch and enjoy any sport at any level, as long as the competition is real. However, over the past 5 years my passion for watching and analyzing MMA has been unparalleled and unrivaled. I am an absolute 100% fight freak.

Why? Why do I care so much? Why do I, a Vice President of a Marketing company with a wife and 2 kids, endlessly surf the web for the latest news on MMA...even if it's that a 3rd rate fighter in a lower rung organization has a hang-nail...I need to know. Why? The answer is simple: Purity of competition.

The most important question for all of MMA LAND...

...is can the growth trend continue?” I can tell you right now that I do not know the answer. However, I know that if the answer is yes then MMA will eventually be one of the most popular sports in the world. “Socceresque”, global popularity.

However, if the fan base does not continue to grow the sport will eventually end up the very same way it started; an underground cult.

For anyone who is thinking of that scenario as a good thing, you are sorely mistaken and foolish.

If the new fans simply dry up it would start a chain reaction of economies that would result in a sad shell of a formerly great and promising sport. As fast as this sport soared in popularity…it could decline twice as fast.

In the immortal words of Christopher Cross circa 1981 “I know it’s crazy, but it’s true”. The quality of MMA as a sport has a direct correlation with the quality of athletes. This should not be surprising to anyone as that equation would hold true in any sport. The point is that the best athletes are (at least in part) fighting for the money.

You can try and kid yourself that there are fighters that “don’t do it for the money” that notion is truly false. Name one that would continue to fight…long term…for free. It simply could not happen…life is not free. Therefore the higher the prize the better the athlete. George St. Pierre is a perfect example of a guy who could have played any sport and played it well…an unreal athlete…and has chosen to fight.

No new fans = No new deals with Sponsors
No new deals with Sponsors =

Without continued fan growth, MMAs

..Who will be the UFC Champs in two years?

Consider this; two years ago the champs were as follows:

HW: Timmy
LHW: Liddell
MW: Rich Franklin/Silva
WW: Matt Hughes/GSP
LW: Sean Sherk

Two years may seem like a long time but it goes by quick and a lot can change. It makes you think about which fighters have the desire, physical ability and training to end up on top in two years.

It's much more difficult than trying to predict who will win a certain fight that is already set as you need to place your opinion on the entire landscape of the sport...not just the UFC.

Who will the UFC sign over the next four years that may end up a Champ? What Current champ (if any) can hang on that long? What current member of TUF (if any) will hold a belt? the list of questions is long...the possibilities are endless as are the opinions.

Here are mine:

HW: Fedor
LHW: Machida
MW: Anderson Silva
WW: GSP
LW: Kenny Florian

I know that MW and WW seem like cop outs but I just don't see anyone beating GSP or Spider. Two years is 6-8 title defenses (maybe less with injuries) and I can't see any contenders that pose a serious threat to either. Oh yeah...I almost forgot...if you think that Anderson Silva will be retired in 2010 seek help. It will not happen.

Kenny is a long shot...I realize this. But he certainly has the desire...gets better each time he fights and has great trainers. Plus...he’s from Boston. Go Sox.

The UFC will eventually sign Fedor...it will happen, simple economics will prevail. When he does get signed...he will win the belt and keep it.

Call Machida what you will...boring, the ever popular "elusive" etc...but he is for real and if he gets the belt he is the type that could have a long, long run.

Once again...just my opinions.

What are yours?

Hot and scary

Q: When does a snake get loose in a MMA Cage?

A: When someone is trying WAY too hard.

The OC register reports that 1,200 were on hand for the six-fight card, including the requisite ring girls, lovely models hawking beer and T-shirts, dudes who just like watching a good fight and ladies who just seem to have a thing for guys twisting and punching the guts out of each other.

The are not likely to forget the ring debut of Inglewood's Lateef Williams … make that Lateef "The Python" Williams.

Seconds after his opponent, Jimmy Stormo, tapped out at 2:43 of the first round of the light heavyweight bout, Williams tossed a live python into the center of the ring.

The Dude WON and then tossed out the Phyton?

Douchebag.

Is Nick Nolte good for MMA?

We are going to find out.

Celebrity News Service News reports that Veteran actor Nick Nolte has been cast in a new mixed martial arts film "Warrior" for Lionsgate. Gavin O'Connor is set to direct the project.

Joining him as Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and "House" star Jennifer Morrison in the film drama written by O'Connor and Anthony Tambakis.

The 68-year-old actor will play an ex-Vietnam vet boxer-turned-steel mill worker whose family was torn apart by his alcoholism. When he becomes sober, he welcomes back his youngest son (Hardy) and trains him to compete in a mixed martial arts tournament. He and his older brother (Edgerton) are on a collision course in the ring.

Perfectly Cheesy.

25% Rocky, 25% Hooisers (alky Dad), 25% Karate Kid, 25% Bible

Cross your fingers.

Will the real Carl Kettle please stand up.

Subtitle: The worst MMA nickname of all time.

As Buffalonews.com reports, Carl Lee Kettle who is a mixed martial artist fighting as "The Rezmanian Devil" was not arrested this weekend by Salamanca police, as was incorrectly reported in The News Monday.

However...officers did arest an alternate Carl L Kettle, 27, early Saturday on numerous charges. Salamanca Police Chief Troy J. Westfall had said Sunday that the man in custody was an "ultimate fighter," a designation that led to the confusion.

Stereotype much?

Local FIghter in his first fight!

The GFL put on a show at the Capital center in Concord...great crowd and a good example of how the sport is growing. A local man debuted a the event and won via Rear Naked Choke in the first round...after applying the extremely rare Full Nelson!

Congrats!