Upcoming
Events
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event on Onzuka.com?
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2006
November
Aloha State Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
August
Hawaiian Open of
BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
8/26-27/06
International
Masters & Seniors Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/22-30/06
CBJF World
Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/20-24/06
CBJJO World Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
5/20/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
4/15/06
UFC 59: Reality Check
(MMA)
(Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA)
4/7-9/06
2006
Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(BJJ)
(California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA)
4/6/06
Ultimate Fight Night on Spike TV
(MMA)
(Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV)
4/1/06
Punishment in Paradise
(Kickboxing)
(Sea Life Park)
3/25/06
Garden Island Cage
Match #3
(MMA)
(Kapaa H.S. Gym, Kapaa, Kauai)
Valley Isle MMA Event
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
3/18/06
Extreme Wars X-1
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/11/06
Hawaiian Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
Full Contact Showdown
(MMA)
(Kahuna's Sports Bar & Grill, Kaneohe Marine Corps Base)
3/4/06
Kickin It 2006
(Kickboxing)
(Filipino Cultural Center, Waipahu)
UFC 58: USA vs Canada (MMA)
(Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV)
2/26/06
Pride
31: Unbreakable
(MMA)
(PPV)
NAGA Hawaii State Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Honolulu)
*Cancelled
until Summer*
2/25/06
Icon Sport 44
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
2/4/06
Kick it Up
(Kickboxing)
(Pagoda Hotel Ballroom, Honolulu)
UFC 57:
Liddell vs. Couture 3
Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV
(PPV)
1/20/06
ROTR 9
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
1/16/06
UFC Fight Night on Spike TV
Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
(PPV)
1/14/06
Punishment In Paradise: East vs. West II
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Sea Life Park, Honolulu)
1/7/06
Kickin It 2006
(Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom, Honolulu)
|
|
February 2006 News
Part 3
Wednesday
night and Sunday classes (w/ a kids' class) now offered!
 
For the special Onzuka.com
price, click on one of these banners above! |
 |
Fighters' Club TV
The Toughest Show On
Teleivision
Tuesdays at 9:30PM
Olelo Channel 52 on Oahu
Akaku on Maui
Check
out the FCTV website! |
Fight
To Defend Mixed Martial Arts In Hawaii!
The Hawaii Government is trying to ban or restrict MMA in Hawaii.
Please
contact your local representative and let them know that you
support MMA in Hawaii. Click the link below to look up your Representative
and his contact info!
HB3223
has been passed with Amendments. Basically the bill has been
rewritten to create a MMA Commission to regulate MMA in Hawaii
and passed on to the Consumer Protection & Commerce Committee
and the Judiciary Committee for further hearings.
Get
all the details concerning the two MMA Bills by clicking here
|
Quote
of the Day
"Fire
is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men."
Seneca, 3 B.C. - 65 A.D., Roman Philosopher/Statesman/Dramatist
|
Fighters'
Club TV Episode 37 Airs Today!
Fighters' Club TV Episode 37 is cut and submittted to Olelo Programming.
This episode will air in our normal timeslot at 9:30pm, Tuesday
nights on Oceanic Ch. 52 (Olelo - Oahu) on the following dates:
February 14, 21, and 28.
It will also be available to order on Akaku in Maui from February
21st.
Episode
37 features:
-Highlights
from Icon Sport
- Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs Mark Moreno (+ interview
with Jason)
- KJ Noons vs Bryson Kamaka (+interview with KJ)
- Falaniko Vitale vs "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler
(+ interview with both fighters and special report by Tommy Dakota)
Technique
of the Week:
- Mauricio "Shogun" and Murilo "Ninja" Rua
demonstrate a Chute Box Clinch
(Translations from Tatame Magazine's own, Eduardo Alonso)
-
Footage from Icon's press conference with Jason Miller and Niko
Vitale
And
not to forget, Hawaii's two favorite FCTV hosts, Mark "Special
K"
Kurano and Mike "the Icon" Onzuka shooting on location
from the "Kicking it Up" event.
Comments,
Questions, Suggestions?
Please email us at: fctv@onzuka.com
MAHALO!
|
Niko
on KITV News Last Night
Niko Vitale spoke with KITV sports on last night's news and did
a short interview where he discussed the fight and the status
of his career. He said that loses three times in a row stings,
but did not state that he is going to retire which is good news
for Hawaii fight fans. He told the news that he will take a month
and then see where he is.
Just because he lost against two top middleweights, Niko still
has many great fights left in him and we look forward to his
return to the ring!
|
Check
out what's in the current issue of FCF...
UFC 57: Liddell knocks out Couture.
Randy
Couture: A legend retires.
Takanori
Gomi: Rise of a Fireball.
California
Commission weighs second option to cage.
David
"The Crow" Loiseau: Canada's other chance for UFC title?.
Englishman
James Thompson rises in PRIDE.
Smith,
Crunkilton and Pyle finish business at WEC 18.
American
Girls: Female MMA still a niche sport in the States.
Breaking
the runner-up syndrome, Brazilian Top Team strategizes for 2006.
MARS:
Japan's newest MMA promotion hits Ariake Coliseum.
Cage
Rage 15: Manhoef tames Cyborg.
ROTR
Grand Prix: Trigg, Condit, Okami and Shields move on.
Scott
Smith: UFC signs WEC Light-heavyweight Champ.
TKO
24: Clementi and Faber lead U.S. Invasion.
Guarafight
2: MMA calendar in Brazil opens with a bang.
Ultimate
Fight Night 3: Miletich's elite stand out.
In
our monthly columns...
In
Matt Hume's techniques, Dominic Kilstrand & Caros Fedor demonstrate
a Face Lock to Arm Hook.
The
Mental Edge: Veteran fighter Tim Lajcik joins FCF as a guest
columnist for a series of articles that tackles the oft-untouched
cerebral side of fighting. This month: Unconventional Training:
Beyond Treadmills and Barbells.
Mauricio
"Shogun" Rua BioFile.
Fight
fans make their predictions for PRIDE.31.
Every
issue of Full Contact Fighter is jam-packed with fight news from
the U.S. to Brazil to Japan. FCF travels the globe to bring the
fights to you. Get yours today! Available at Tower Records stores
around the world or by subscription...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For FASTEST
service call in your credit card order
(516)676-0033
Or
Click
here to order securely online with your credit card
or print off the order form & mail it in with your payment
|
Cronk
Wins First Ever ACF Title;
Mark Kerr and Wes Sims Sign
DENVER, COLORADO –Friday, February 24 at the Denver Coliseum,
American Championship Fighting (ACF) held their inaugural event,
entitled Genesis, before a crowd estimated to be just under 5,000,
which would make it the most highly attended mixed martial arts
event in the state’s history. Denver-based fighter John
“The Annihilator” Cronk surprised many by defeating
former Olympian and Team Quest fighter Heath Sims for the ACF
Welterweight World Championship.
Early
in the evening, ACF CEO Rico Vecc brought Wes Sims into the Ocho
to announce the signing of “The Project” to face Mark
Kerr for the ACF’s first heavyweight title bout, which is
slated to take place on May 6th in Denver.
In
the main event at Genesis, Heath Sims, highly ranked in Japan’s
Pancrase organization, looked to stand just long enough to clinch
and go for the takedown, which he eventually did. On the ground,
Sims briefly held side-control, but Cronk was able to scramble
and get the fight back up to standing. Once there, Sims again
looked for the takedown, but on the way in Cronk cinched on a
guillotine choke that caused Sims to submit 2:46 into the first
round.
With
the win, Cronk becomes the first ever ACF belt holder winning
the welterweight championship. He also improved his record, winning
five of his past six bouts.
Matt
Horwich, also of Team Quest, made his return to the Centennial
State having fought last year on Sport Fight’s first foray
into Colorado and on local promotion Kick Down. He stepped into
the Ocho with Hammer House fighter Rob Wince. Looking to keep
the fight standing, Wince staggered Horwich early and appeared
to be the more powerful of the two. But Horwich kept his composure
and scored with a head kick before pulling Wince into his guard
and smoothly locking on an arm bar to finish the fight.
Both
known for their strong backgrounds in kickboxing, Donald “Cowboy”
Cerrone and Cruz “The Saint” Chacon are both very popular
in Colorado. It was Chacon that took control early, getting Cerrone
to the ground and working to ground and pound him from various
positions throughout the first round. In the second, Chacon again
got the takedown and was positioned to continue his ground and
pound assault, but Cerrone managed to catch him in transition
with a triangle choke. Chacon attempted to break the hold by
picking up and slamming Cerrone, but the choke was secure, giving
Cerrone the win.
Chilo
Gonzalez continued to resurrect his career with an impressive
performance against Shawn Freese of Austin, Texas. Fighting out
of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Gonzalez got taken down early,
but reversed position, attained the mount and started punching
Freese. In the process he opened up a deep, fight-ending cut
over Freese’s eye.
The
fight between Samy Say and Hans Marrero went to the mat almost
immediately. Following a brief scramble for position, Marrero
locked out an arm bar little more than one minute into the round.
Steve
Schneider, originally slated to fight Ray Elbe, instead stepped
into the Ocho with Nathan Osterkamp. Schneider wasted no time
taking Osterkamp down before securing the victory with a guillotine
choke.
The
professional portion of the show opened up with a battle for
a $50,000 contract with the ACF virtually guaranteeing the winner
the opportunity to become a full-time professional fighter.
Noah
Thomas started off strong taking down Grant Hartwig, but lost
position when he attempted an arm bar. From his back, Thomas
then worked his way to a triangle choke. Attempting to break
the choke, Hartwig picked up Thomas, carried him a few feet and
then slammed him to the mat. Thomas didn’t relent, keeping
the choke intact and causing Hartwig to tap, earning the $50,000
contract.
The
night also featured three amateur bouts. Just before the professional
portion of the card started, fighting out of the Kongo Do Dojo
in Colorado Springs, Tanner Noble went into the second round
with LA Boxing’s Sisto Tapia before finishing him from the
mount by a TKO stoppage from strikes.
Sean
Claffey and James Valimont fought back and forth for two rounds.
Valimont consistently enforcing hard-fought takedowns and Claffey
consistently punishing him with strikes as he did so. After the
second round, the ringside doctor, Ered Nash, recommended the
fight be stopped due to deep cuts over both of Valimont’s
eyes. Claffey was awarded the victory by TKO.
In
the night’s opening bout, Nick Setrakian took Jason Harris
down early with a big slam. He then worked his way past Harris’
guard and dropped down a barrage of punishing punches and elbows
until the referee stopped the fight.
AMERICAN
CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING
ACF: GENESIS
Denver Coliseum
Denver, Colorado
Friday, February 24
Main
Event: Welterweight Title Bout
John Cronk def. Heath Sims by Guillotine Choke, 2:46 of Round
1
Feature
Bouts:
Matt Horwich def. Rob Wince by Arm Bar, 1:46 of Round 1
Donald Cerrone def. Cruz Chacon by Triangle Choke, Round 2
Chilo Gonzalez def. Shawn Freese by TKO, 0:47 of Round 1
Hans Marrero def. Samy Say by Arm Bar, 1:05 of Round 1
Steve Schneider def. Nathan Osterkamp by Guillotine Choke, 0:38
of Round 1
Noah Thomas def. Grant Hartwig by Triangle Choke, 1:23 of Round
1
Undercard:
Tanner Noble def. Sistio Tapia by TKO, 1:17 of Round 2
Sean Claffey def. James Valimont by TKO, 5:00 of Round 2
Nick Setrakian def. Jason Harris by TKO, 2:00 of Round 1
-----
About American Championship Fighting
American Championship Fighting (ACF) is a premier mixed martial
arts promotion. Under the ownership of Rico Vecc Promotions,
the ACF provides a combination of the preeminent mixed martial
arts fighters in the world in a highly entertaining atmosphere.
For more information go to www. theacf.net. Rico Vecc Promotions,
the owner of the ACF, is operated by successful entrepreneur
and ACF CEO Rico Vecc. A self-made millionaire, Vecc built his
fortune in real estate investing and has committed to helping
others through his National Wealth Institute (www.NationalWealthInstitute.com)
and his book “How to Become a Millionaire in Your Jeans
and a T-Shirt Through Real Estate.”
Source: Ken Pishna
|
Quote
of the Day
"Writing
is the only thing that, when I do it, I don't feel I should be
doing something else."
Gloria Steinem, American Journalist and Spokesperson for Women's
Rights
|
PRIDE.31
"Unbreakable" Results
Saitama Super Arena, Tokyo, Japan
February 26, 2006
Roman Zentsov def. Pedro Rizzo - KO :25 R1
Quinton Jackson def. Yoon Dong Sik – Unanimous Decision
Fabricio Werdum def. Jon Olav Einemo – Unanimous Decision
Alistair Overeem def. Sergei Kharitonov – TKO (referee stoppage-
strikes) 5:13 R1
Josh Barnett def. Kazuhiro Nakamura – Rear Naked Choke 8:10
R1
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Kiyoshi Tamura– Armbar 2:24
R1
Mark Coleman def. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua – TKO
(Referee stoppage-dislocated elbow) :49 R1
Mark Hunt def. Yosuke Nishijima – TKO (Referee stoppage-strikes)
1:18 R3
Tsuyoshi Kosaka def. Mario Sperry - TKO (Referee stoppage-strikes)
1:20 R1
Source: FCF
|
Jason
"Mayhem" Miller Giving Private Lessons!
Reknown MMA fighter and grappler, Jason Miller is now offering
private lessons for $100 per lesson, with deals being given for
those scheduling more than one lesson. They can be done at HMC
in Kalihi or at a location of your choosing.
Don't miss an opportunity to train with the man they call Mayhem,
who has trained with Romero "Jacare" Calvancanti, Team
Punishment (Tito Ortiz, Rampage Jackson, etc), Phil Baroni and
more recently with Marc Laimon of Cobra Kai Jiu-Jitsu.
|
Kickin
It 14
KICKIN IT 2006 PART 2 (AMATEUR KICKBOXING)
MARCH 4 2006 (DOORS OPEN 6:30 PM)
WAIPAHU FILCOM CENTER
MAIN EVENT
DALE KAMAI 175# HANS LEE
TEAM SOLJAH ANIMAL HOUSE
2005 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT KICKIN IT CHAMPION VS 2005 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
JR KICKIN IT CHAMPION. ANIMAL AGAINST SOLDIER, CHAMPION VS CHAMPION,
TITLE FOR TITLE
BILLY PINERO 75# TRISTON PEBRIA
TEAM DEVASTATION EWA BEACH FIGHT CLUB
TODD YOUNG 170# CLEMETTE HELEMANO
TEAM SOLJAH EWA BEACH FIGHT CLUB
KEOKI DAVIS SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT KEOKI GANDY
TEAM DEVASTATION THE UNKNOWN FIGHT TEAM
NYE DELASANTOS 165# OLA PLUNKETT
TEAM SOLJAH ANIMAL HOUSE
KAEO CANDENERO 75# KILEY RAMIRO
HSD HMC
NUI WHEELER 135# JAY BOLOS
TEAM SOLJAH ANIMAL HOUSE
TEARJA SELLERS 160# TIANNA HIGA
HSD TEAM ISLAND THUNDER
SAM PALOSAMI SUPERHEAVYWEIGHT TRAVIS
TEAM DEVASTATION ANIMAL HOUSE
RICKY MARILLO 145# KAIKA BULLOCK
TEAM DEVASTATION HSD
JORDAN SUA 125# DEVIN DAMO
FIGHTERS UNION ANIMAL HOUSE
KOICHI TANJI 125# EVAN QUIZON
HMC TEAM DEVASTATION
MILLER UALESEI 185# TBA
TEAM DEVASTATION HOUSE OF THUNDER
RICKI CASE 160# KONA AE
THE UNKNOWN FIGHT TEAM TEAM DEVASTATION
NATHAN NAKI 140# BRANDON AMANONCE
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ED PONTEZ 140 JUSTIN WONG
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ALL PARTICIPANTS AND MATCHES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
TICKET INFO. - CONTACT DOUG AT 721-6019
Source: Event Promoter
|
The
Lighter Side Gets Its Boost…Finally
By Sean McClure
Back in October I wrote an article called “The UFC Could
use a Boost from the Lighter Side” that laid out how much
the lightweights were needed back in action in the UFC. The original
article can be founds here, http://www.maxfighting.com/index.cfm?ac=news.detail&nid=750.
Well, it seems that the UFC has come to their senses and listenned
to the fans (and my article I like to think) because we know
the value of that Division and the caliber of fighters it brings
to the table. Here are the first wave of fighters to represent
the lightweight division in the newly reformed division:
Kenny
Florian, AKA “KENFLO”. Love him or hate him he is going
to be fighting at his natural weight and there will be fireworks
to go along with his return to it. Kenny handled his own in the
welterweight division with his only loss being at the finals
of the Ultimate Fighter season 1 to Diego Sanchez. Florian has
improved a lot in his striking and he has refined his grappling
by gearing it more towards MMA. Kenny could possibly be the lightweight
champion should they reinstate that belt in the UFC. The only
negative I can see here is that he might have gotten use to fighting
at the heavier weight and dropping down could be a little disorienting
for the TUF 1 star. He faces Sam Stout at UFC 58 and we expect
to see Kenny flourish in his natural weight class.
Yves
Edwards is back in the UFC. I will say it again, Yves Edwards
is back in the UFC. This man is a monster in this division and
he is facing a very game but overmatched Mark Hominick at UFC
58. Yves is the heir apparent to the UFC lightweight crown in
the minds of many hardcore fans. Edwards has provided many memorable
knockouts and other exciting moments inside of the Octagon. One
moment for example, was his amazing "Panther" kick
that KO'ed Josh Thomson in UFC 49. He has done well in the grappling
department as well, with a Choke submission over Rich Clementi
int he UFC, and and armbar against top grappler Dokonjonosuke
Mishima. He does have three submission losses on his record,
but the last one was 6 years ago against the submission machine
Rumina Sato. Yves is coming off a loss to Joachim Hansen at Pride’s
Bushido 9 in September of last year. Look for Yves to make a
strong statement at UFC 58 against Mark Hominick.
Mark
Hominick is a potent Canadian striker with a comparable ground
game. Hominick is on a 4 fight win streak right now with his
last win coming at Canada’s TKO organization’s TKO
24: Eruption. He has lost only four fights in his thirteen fight
career and most of them came early on when he was gaining the
experience he now so proudly displays with his MMA ability. His
last loss came in September of 2004 to Shane Rice thanks to a
nasty rear naked choke. He has since then avenged that loss with
a TKO. If Hominick beats the heavily favored Yves Edwards at
UFC 58, it will be truly hard to stop his momentum in the UFC.
Sam
Stout, Kenny Florian’s opponent at UFC 58, is a knockout
specialist with an impressive record of 8 wins, 1 draw, and 1
loss. That one loss was his very first MMA fight back in June
of 2003 and the draw came the next fight after that. Since then
he is unbeaten and has won impressively over all of his opponents.
He will be a good test for Kenny Florian if he stands with him
but if it goes to the ground Kenny is all over him like a cheap
suit. Look for Sam to swing for the fences and look to end this
early. Like Hominick, if Stout gets past the favored Florian
at UFC 58 he might have the momentum to do great things in the
division.
UFC
58 has brought back the lightweights and I for one could not
be any happier. Top that off with Jorge Gurgel returning to his
true weight in the division in May or June to fight in the Octagon.
Also with the possibility of a Josh Thomson return, or even the
chance that Jens Pulver might return to the UFC... and you can
bet that this year will be an exciting one that is sure to be
full of surprises, I am looking forward to it.
Source:
Maxfighting
|
Clash
of Champions
as the WEC Champ Takes on the KOTC Champ
By John Buhl
Though he has amassed an 11-1 record in mixed martial arts (MMA)
and holds the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) 145 pound championship
belt, Cole Escovedo knows that on March 17th he faces his toughest
challenge to date... a showdown with King of the Cage title-holder
Urijah Faber. The match—which will take place in the WEC—has
a co-headline WEC 155 pound title bout between champion Gabe
Ruediger and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Hermes
Franca.
Faber
also sports an 11-1 record, and has competed against world-class
competitors such as Pride veteran Charles “Krazy Horse”
Bennett and UFC veteran and top Canadian fighter Ivan Menjivar.
Despite the size of the event, Escovedo is keeping focused, not
intimidated by challenging one of the best fighters in the bantamweight
class.
“Yeah,
there’s always added pressure when fighting a tough known,
opponent, especially cause of what there is to gain and lose
by winning or losing the fight,” Escovedo said. “But
it doesn't really affect me. I just acknowledge the fact that
it's there and move on.”
Most
people looking to stay in shape choose a low-impact, recreational
activity. Escovedo, on the other hand, chose perhaps the most
difficult and challenging of combat sports to maintain physical
fitness.
“I
got started in MMA to stay in shape after graduating a police
academy,” he said.
Elaborating
on his fighting background, he added, “I've been known in
the MMA community as a ground fighter with a couple TKOs, but
mostly triangle submissions. I would say my strengths are my
Jiu-Jitsu and leg kicks, but that's about all I'll tell.”
“I
do have a black belt in karate but you’ll never catch me
using it,” he said with a laugh.
To
the delight of many of the top-level, smaller fighters, the UFC
is finally resurrecting its lightweight division at UFC 58. Escovedo
acknowledged that he would be willing to change weight classes
if such an opportunity became available. And a win over Faber
might do the trick.
“Yes,”
he replied emphatically. “Even if I had a hard time making
that weight, the ends would justify the means.”
Even
if the UFC does not come calling in the near future, the growth
of the sport and the WEC—an organization he has been involved
with since 2001—has Escovedo optimistic about his prospects.
“I
have seen a growth in the WEC itself, growing into a much larger
and respected organization,” he said. “It has many
fighters that have moved on to the UFC. And [those fighters]
come back to [the WEC to] get good fights to keep their skills
sharp or fight guys the UFC doesn’t have yet. But even though
the sport has grown, I think the WEC has grown on its own even
before the ultimate fighter explosion.”
To
end the interview Cole passed along the following thanks: “I
wanted to thank my team (Pacific Martial Arts, Fresno, Calif.,
as well as AKA in San Jose) for helping me get ready for this
fight. And to my family who has helped me with my daughter so
I can make to the time to train right.
Source:
Maxfighting
|
The
most feared Mark Kerr
In Mark Kerr’s golden days, our staff breaks into the giant’s
home in the USA and discusses steroids, Rickson and Gurgel. But
it was master Hulk who nearly got him into an early retirement
In
the end of the nineties, American fighter Mark Kerr bore the
alias of world’s most feared man. Not unfairly, of course,
for from 1997 to 2000 everyone who crossed his path wound up
tasting defeat’s bitter flavor – as bitter as blood
in the mouth. It was a total of 12 victories, four of which in
UFC’s shows.
Nowadays,
at 37, Kerr is unofficially retired, after walking out of his
three latest Pride apparitions defeated, and in January, 2004,
he pretty much knock himself out while trying to take down Japan’s
Yoshihisa Yamamoto.
However,
Kerr’s career will not be remembered by these mishaps. Hence
the importance of recalling the unforgettable interview given
by the titan back in 1999, when he welcomed our staff into his
Arizona house. Check out what Mark had to say about UFC vs. Pride,
his job as Rolling Stones’ roadie and the dream of fighting
Rickson and Royce Gracie – which unfortunately never happened.
Have
you always thought about being a professional sportsman?
Yes, I have practiced many sports, each at its time. I’ve
played baseball, athletics, wrestling, but I always thought I’d
be a professional football player. Until, when I was a senior,
I was chosen exclusively for wrestling. The other dreams died,
for one of the scholarship’s conditions was not to play
football.
How
was it for you in college?
I had trouble adapting, for Syracuse was an expensive university.
I moved to California, where I got a job in the Rolling Stones’
tour. I’d travel the country assembling and taking to pieces
the stages, and in that year I gained weight. That was in 1989,
when I was 20, and it was when I saw I didn’t want to do
that kind of job my whole life. So I decided to go back to college.
Was
your comeback easy?
I was lucky to meet Chris Camble, a lawyer and former world wrestling
champion, he had stopped fighting but decided to go back into
action. He moved to Syracuse he had much experience in the sport,
and got lucky he needed some human material to work with. As
a young, talented fighter, he chose me and put me under his wing.
He was my first idol, and a very important person for my career.
When
did you decide to go to m.m.a?
I got motivated when I saw Don Frye and Dan Severn win in UFC,
for I knew I was a better wrestler. Then I lost to Coleman in
the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 . He lost in the next round,
and we both signed up to fight in the UFC. He wound up being
chosen, which coincided with me having to stay with my mom in
her final days.
Now
back to m.m.a…
After my mother died I started training and on January 19, 1997
[former promoter] Frederico Lapenda organized a show I ended
up fighting in.
And
you faced perhaps your toughest opponent, Fabio Gurgel, who at
the time was trying to get over a loss to Jerry Bohlander in
the UFC and didn’t expect to fight a top wrestler…
Neither did I expect to fight someone in Fabio’s caliber,
and Lapensa surprised us with that match. But he knew what he
was doing.
But
you kept going in the UFC…
When I took off one of master Hulk’s teeth I almost lost
my hand due to an inflammation. I stop fighting for five months
and went back in UFC 14 and 15; then I went to Pride, where I
fought the 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions.
Changing
to Pride caused you some troubles, right?
In order to fight in the UFC I had to sign a contract, which
later on got me into a courthouse struggle. My deal said I was
supposed to fight three events in a championship format, and
since in Ultimate Japan they had super-fights, I didn’t
feel obliged to compete. So I accepted an invitation to fight
Royce in Pride, but SEG [UFC’s organizer] went to court,
trying to annul my passport, so we argued, but I ended up winning.
Why
did you choose to leave the UFC?
Every body started to do so, because SEG was making a lot of
money and not giving the fighters any. In Ultimate Fighting Championship
1, they got pay-per-view revenue that was among the ten largest
in TV history, but still they don’t pay the stars well.
What
about your challenge towards Rickson and Royce?
In the fight milieu, I gotta respect and be respected, and if
you respect me, I respect you. Everone must be confident, but
not arrogant, therefore it’s hard for me to say I want to
fight Rickson and Royce and not be arrogant, for they decline
it. I read an article where Rickson says no one had shown anything
noteworthy in the events, so he didn’t feel the need to
fight. Then he fights Takada. Now that’s a contradiction.
And Royce says he is injured and can’t do a thing about
it, but meanwhile people tell me he’s been teaching class,
running – I find it very weird, and wonder how serious the
injury can be.
But
don’t you agree when Rickson pushes fighters’ purses
up?
As a fighter I must agree on that. We do generate more money
than we make. But It is important for us to raise the values
even more, which is why I think the strong ones should face off.
Bouts such as Kerr vs. Rickson and Kerr vs. Royce would help
that happen.
And
concerning Royce, if he doesn’t wish to fight, why would
he have signed with Pride?
I think he thought I would never fight because I was being sued.
I don’t demand Rickson or Royce to fight me. If I am too
big, I’d like to see them fight someone tough, even their
own size. Bohlander, Shamrock maybe. After all, I don’t
mean to say bad things about them, but they grant no one credit.
For example, their cousin Renzo is one guy I respect, simply
because he accepts fights where there is an actual chance his
opponent might win. He weights 76kilo and I know he is afraid
of facing no one.
Did
your wins yield you a lot of publicity?
I have many friends at local radio stations, and they talk about
me whenever I am about to compete. Every time I fight I go to
some talk show and get a lot of calls. But I can walk around
on the streets, it’s not like in Brazil or Japan.
Is
it true you think of retiring?
That’s not what it’s about, but I don’t think
m.m.a. will take me very far, so I start thinking about what
I’m gonna do afterwards. Some times you have to make choices
not every body agrees upon, but I always look for what’s
best for me. So, when I retire, I must be ready to change arenas.
Meanwhile I’m just doing what I enjoy.
You
mentioned big guys. There are many out there taking steroids,
right?
Definitely. People don’t fully understand what it means.
Some fighters made their choice and didn’t perform very
well, and we are certain that’s due to steroid abuse. These
guys gained 20lb from one event to the next. I know many people
have talked about me, Coleman and many others, and I also know
about many guys who are on it, but I think if you choose to use
it, at least do it moderately. By the way, every lifelong decision
should be judged carefully. It’s like drinking. It’s
not a good idea to get hung over, but drinking a few glasses
can’t do much harm. There’s a crucial difference between
using and abusing.
You
say some fighters’ bodies changed. But you gained weight
yourself, right?
It’s different. If you look at pictures of me from five
years ago, you’ll se I didn’t change much, I gained
about 8kilo worth of muscle and I believe I am genetically prepared
for that gain. I read a lot about steroids, and I enhance my
body. People ask me whether I use them and I say I do what I
must in order to stand out in my sport, but I know how to protect
myself. I try to keep my body healthy and as clean as possible.
I know it is hard to believe, for everyone has pictured me already.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Quote
of the Day
"Fire
is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men."
Seneca, 3 B.C. - 65 A.D., Roman Philosopher/Statesman/Dramatist
|
Icon
Sport 45 Results!
Icon Sport
45: Lawler vs. Niko 2
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
February 25, 2006
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
 
Promoters are
always having to deal with one thing or another, be it injuries,
no shows, grudges, but this time it would be personal problems
that threw this event in flux. After signing a contract potentially
worth over $200,000, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, the number
one contender for Robbie Lawler's Icon Sport World Middleweight
title, broke into his ex-girlfriend's apartment and got into
an altercation with another individual after a night of partying.
Due to this, Icon Sport suspended Jason Miller indefinitely to
reiterate to the public that this kind of behavior is not indicative
of the sport of MMA and will not be tolerated in the Icon Sport
organization. A somber Miller apologized and expressed that he
made a huge mistake at a press conference. A call was made and
Falaniko Vitale was offered a second chance to redeem himself
after a war with Lawler that ended with Vitale losing his title
to Lawler after being up on all the scorecards up to the point
he got knocked out. Due to Vitale being a last minute replacement,
this match would not be a title fight.
The
air was thick with anticipation when these two warriors stepped
in to the ring. As expected both fighters exchanged some heavy
leather, and very much like the first match, Vitale was getting
the better of the exchanges and had Lawler covering up from his
strikes. However, the more Vitale started teeing off on Lawler,
the more his hands dropped and he lowered his defenses. Lawler
waited for the right opportunity and fired off a left hook followed
by a vicious right hook that rocked Vitale. Vitale stepped back
with his hands down and was almost out on his feet. Lawler pounced
on him and landed hook after hook crumbling Vitale. Jason Miller
was brought in to the ring after the fight to lay his claim to
Lawler's belt, but will have to wait until the suspension is
lifted.
The
under card was filled with fighters with established experience
in other areas, be it wrestling or kickboxing, now making their
MMA debuts. Marshall Harvest and Tyson Nam showed tremendous
potential, Harvest showcasing his wrestling and grappling abilities
and Nam showing off great take down defense and striking ability.
There were also some "blink and it is over" moments.
After Ikaika Choy-Fu was dominating, Taniguchi stayed in the
fight and stole the fight by locking in a 10 finger guillotine.
Derek Stadler also weathered a huge storm as Wayne Perrin pounced
on him. When the fight was moved to the middle of the ring, Perrin
started throwing punches with reckless abandon, which allowed
a composed Taniguchi to have the state of mind to lock in an
arm bar on a shocked Perrin. Rising star Jason Chambers brought
in his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to match up against Michihiro Omigawa's
Judo. The match ended in a split decision in favor of Omigawa,
but the scorecards do not accurately reflect Chamber's control
of the match. Chambers dominated the stand up and ground, but
fizzled at the end of the second round and ended up getting mounted
and punched, which seemed to sway a couple of the judges' opinions.
Both fighters were bloody, but Omigawa's face was beat to a pulp.
The third round was close enough for two of the three judges
to give it to Omigawa for the split decision.
3
Rounds - 3 Minutes
MMA: 155lbs.
Marshall Harvest (Animal House) def. Bryce Martinez (Bulls Pen)
Submission via rear naked choke at 2:12 minutes in Round 3.
3
Rounds - 3 Minutes
MMA: 155lbs.
Bronson Delima (Bulls Pen) def. Tim "Magic" Moon (Freelance)
Unanimous decision [(29-28), (29-28), (29-28)] after 3 rounds.
3
Rounds - 3 Minutes
MMA: 165lbs.
Mike Taniguchi (Animal House) def. Ikaika Choy-Fu (Jesus Is Lord)
Submission via guillotine choke at 2:10 minutes in Round 1.
3
Rounds - 3 Minutes
MMA: 170lbs.
Derek Stadler (Bulls Pen) def. Wayne Perrin (Team Big Dog)
Submission via arm bar at 1:06 minutes in Round 1.
3
Rounds - 3 Minutes
MMA: 135lbs.
Tyson Nam (Grappling Unlimited) def. Ryan Lee (Bulls Pen)
TKO via Referee stoppage due to strikes at 1:01 minutes in Round
3.
3
Rounds - 3 Minutes
MMA: 175lbs.
Kimo Woefel (Eastsidaz) def. Chad Gusman (Team Papakolea)
TKO via Referee stoppage due to strikes at 2:51 minutes in Round
1.
3
Rounds - 3 Minutes
MMA: 155lbs.
Mark Oshiro (Bulls Pen) def. Gene "Bino" Gregory (Mixed
Breed)
TKO via referee stoppage due to strikes at 2:20 minutes in Round
1.
3
Rounds - 5 Minutes
MMA: 160lbs.
Adam Bass (Team Wolfpack, Muncie, IN) def. David Padilla (Jesus
Is Lord)
TKO via referee stoppage due to strikes at 1:15 minutes in Round
3.
3
Rounds - 5 Minutes
MMA: 160lbs.
Michihiro Omigawa (Yoshida Dojo) def. Jason Chambers (10th Planet
Jiu-Jitsu)
Split decision [(29-28), (28-29), (29-28)] after 3 rounds.
Icon
Sport State Flyweight Championship Bout
3 Rounds - 5 Minutes
MMA: 145lbs.
David "Chinaman" Yeung (HMC) def. Jim Kikuchi (Icon
Sport State Flyweight Champion, 808 Fight Factory)
Unanimous decision [(29-28), (30-27), (30-27)] after 3 rounds.
*David
Yeung is the new Icon Sport State Flyweight Champion.
3
Rounds - 5 Minutes
MMA: 185lbs.
"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (Icon Sport World Middleweight
Champion, Miletich Fighting System) def. Falaniko Vitale (808
Fight Factory)
KO at 3:38 minutes in Round 1.
Source: Icon Sport
|
BTT
and CB share plane
'Shogun is 104kg and well prepared'
Made
up of masters Rudimar Fedrigo and Rafael Cordeiro, and team stars
Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio Shogun and Murilo Ninja, the Chute
Boxe delegation traveled only a few seats away from Brazilian
Top Team’s representatives, on flight Rio–London–Tokyo,
by Varig, which left Brazil yesterday and landed some hours ago
in the capital of England.
Side
by side on the plane, muay thai instructors Paulo Nikolai and
Luiz Alves changed seats little before the takeoff, as their
relationship isn’t quite friendly. Down the corridor, flight
attendants could find BTT’s Danilo Indio, and farther on
Pride champion Wanderlei Silva, who was traveling to both watch
teammate Shogun and negotiate his own participation in the upcoming
Open Weight Grand Prix, scheduled to begin in May.
Ze
Mario Sperry and Rogerio Minotouro chose Air France, whereas
Minotauro preferred American Airlines.
>From
Curitiba, where he stayed in order to take care of his upcoming
wedding, coach Cristiano Marcello said Shogun entered the plane
very well prepared, weighing about 104kilo and ready for his
experienced opponent. “Coleman is a classic fighter –
every body knows his play by heart. Shogun didn’t change
much about his usual preparation – he just did his average
muay thai and Jiu-Jitsu training.”
As
to wrestling, Coleman’s specialty, Cristiano said Chute
Boxe has never had as many high-quality coaches as today. “With
Christopher Lad’s and Fabio Ribeiro’s lessons, as well
as sparring Marcelo Zulu, Shogun has prepared as well as it gets.
We’re looking forward to February 26,” he concluded.
PRIDE
31 - Dreamers
February 26, 2006
Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan
Pedro
Rizzo vs Roman Zentsov
Quinton Jackson vs Yoon Dong Sik
Jon Olav Einemo vs Fabricio Werdum
Tsuyoshi Kosaka vs Zé Mario Sperry
Sergei Kharitonov vs Alistair Overeem
Josh Barnett vs Kazuhiro Nakamura
Rodrigo Minotauro vs Kiyoshi Tamura
Mauricio Shogun vs Mark Coleman
Mark Hunt vs Yosuke Nishijima
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Sherdog.com
Preview: PRIDE 31 “Unbreakable”
by James Hirth
In the U.S. PRIDE 31 is being marketed as “Unbreakable.”
But in Japan they’re looking forward to watching “Dreamers.”
Who
are the dreamers? The people who think Tamura is going to beat
Nogueira. Seriously though, the American moniker seems to better
fit this card. What is unbreakable? Plenty of things, including
Mauricio Rua’s shins, Mark Hunt’s chin and Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira’s spirit.
The
card is exciting, though not earth-shattering like we’ve
come to expect from PRIDE. I think the cards have generally been
so good that we’re spoiled and expect a Grand Prix every
two months. Well, there will be another GP this year and some
of the fighters on this line-up will be part of the field.
The
entire card breaks down as follows:
Brazilian
striker Pedro Rizzo and Russian Top Team fighter Roman Zentsov
take to the ring.
American
Quinton Jackson battles Korean judoka Dong Sik Yoon.
Norwegian
grappler Jon Olav Einemo faces Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist Fabricio
Werdum.
Tsuyoshi
Kohsaka and the Brazilian Top Team’s Mario Sperry square
off.
Russian
Top Team member Sergei Kharitonov goes toe-to-toe with Dutch
fighter Alistair Overeem.
Former
UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett confronts Yoshida Dojo
judoka Kazuhiro Nakamura.
Brazilian
Top Team grappler “Minotauro” Nogueira tangles with
U-File Camp grappler Kiyoshi Tamura.
Last
year’s PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix winner Mauricio Rua,
fighting out of the Chute Boxe Academy, meets Hammer House founder
and MMA legend Mark Coleman.
New
Zealand’s Mark Hunt, a one-time K-1 World Grand Prix champion,
takes on former pro boxer Yosuke Nishijima.
To
read the previews for each fight go to Sherdog.com.
Source:
Sherdog
|
The
Future of Mixed Martial Arts According to Me
by Marco Antico
As an avid follower of mixed martial arts (MMA) I often find
myself thinking about how this sport will evolve over time. Some
things are anyone's guess but other things I believe are predictable.
One only needs to examine where the true value lies and look
at the examples already set forth by other sports and big business.
Here’s what I mean:
Fighter
Salaries We live in a capitalistic society which dictates that
it is natural for there to be great inequalities among a society’s
workforce. The MMA industry is no different. Fighters that sell
tickets and pay-per-views (i.e. Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell
and Tito Ortiz) will make substantially more money than those
that the average fan has never heard of. Yet, with all the recent
successes of the sport the fact that most Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC) fighters make $10,000 or less per fight is a little shocking.
If these fighters compete 3 times a year they’ll still be
around to the poverty line after taxes and fight preparation
costs (i.e. trainers, managers etc.). If it weren’t for
sponsorships they’d likely be unable to continue their MMA
careers.
Why
should the UFC pay any more than they have to?
The
UFC is a profit and not a charitable organization. Why should
they pay anymore than the market dictates? Right now, with no
other organization giving these fighters near the amount of exposure
as the UFC, they can actually afford to pay these fighters less
than other organizations. For example, they offered Chris Brennan
five times less his fight purse offered to him by the Gracie
Fighting Championship. Brennan made the uncommon choice and turned
the UFC down to which the UFC responded (according to Brennan)
by calling him “an idiot”. The UFC will not pay their
fighters more until they’re forced to do so. They will not
be forced to raise their purses until they get real competition
in the North American market.
The
International Fighting League The International Fighting League
(IFL) is the new kid on the block. They have come up with a new
concept of having MMA teams compete in a regular season type
system, similar to other professional sporting leagues. I believe
a lot of things with the IFL are still up in the air but as of
right now they have contacted individuals such as Bas Rutten,
Pat Miletich, Renzo Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Randy Couture and other
very popular MMA personalities to be coaches. They have also
contacted fighters such as Duane Ludwig, Urijah Faber, Sam Stout
and Krystof Soszynski and promised them a stable salary as opposed
to a typical fight contract. Teams will be named after deadly
animals such as Anaconda and Viper. They will have three, three
minute rounds with all the traditional UFC rules except for no
elbows to the head. They’ve got a tentative deal with ESPN
2 and Fox Sports Net to broadcast a weekly show.
Despite
their good intentions, the IFL’s concept is seriously flawed.
The IFL is banking on the fact that people will watch MMA on
free television. This may be true. But, MMA is not a team sport
and trying to make it into one is not giving the fans what they
want. Unlike team sports in which there are 11 people on the
field at the same time trying to put a ball into a net, in MMA
there is only one person in the ring against another trying to
knock them out or submit them. Fans are not going to care which
group of 5 individuals are better than another selected group
of individuals. They’re going to want to see the best competing
against the best in the potentially most entertaining fight possible.
The IFL is geared to give the fighters what they want (i.e. a
stable source of income and wide exposure to a television audience)
but it fails to deliver what the fans want and thus consequently
has little chance of succeeding. Part of the IFL’s marketing
ploy is to emphasize the fact that each team has their own style
of martial arts and hence intrigue the audience to see which
is superior. This may have worked if the year were still 1993
but today everyone cross trains in various disciplines so this
concept somewhat no longer applies.
Gracie
fighters may be more proficient in grappling than Rutten’s
fighters who are better versed in striking. This clash of teams
may prove interesting for one episode but it will quickly grow
tiresome. Further, often times it actually makes for a more entertaining
fight when two excellent strikers do battle or two proficient
grapplers square off. By not allowing fighters with similar styles
to fight it actually hinders the show’s ability to produce
the most exciting match-ups.
It’s
the fighters themselves that make people want to tune in. The
rest is irrelevant. The team concept will quickly become a sort
of distraction and restraint on what people really want to see.
The IFL may draw viewers initially, but their inherent concept
is flawed and thus there is little chance of it becoming a long
term success.
The
Art of Match-Making The UFC always used to strive to make the
best possible match-up. Long time ago, Pat Miletich was quoted
as saying, “we should enjoy the sport now while it’s
pure because once the Don King types get involved things are
going to change”. I wonder what Pat’s opinion is now
of the sport being “pure”.
With
the commercial success of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), the UFC
no longer necessarily look to make the best possible match-up,
but instead they now arrange the match-ups which make the most
financial sense. Sometimes the two things coincide as is the
case with UFC 58: Rich Franklin versus David Loiseau. Unfortunately,
other times we must suffer through undeserved title shots such
as Nate Quarry versus Rich Franklin (which I hope has given the
UFC a well deserved lesson on the dangers of mismatches). One
needs to look no further than UFC 58 to see how the UFC’s
match-making has become biased. The reality show stars from The
Ultimate Fighter call it “being able to showcase their talents”.
A more objective viewpoint would call it favoritism. Joe Doerksen
versus Nathan Marquardt – Doerksen’s most dangerous
on the ground. There is arguably no ground fighter currently
in the UFC that is better than Marquardt.
Mike
Swick versus Steve Vigneault – Vigneault has shown his vulnerability
to strikers with fast hands (i.e. Chris Fontaine, Patrick Cote,
David Loiseau, Sean Pierson). Swick is best known for his quick
hands. Mark Hominick versus Yves Edwards – Hominick is a
phenomenal striker but he’s being pitted against probably
the best striker in all of MMA who is bigger and more powerful
than him. Kenny Florian versus Sam Stout – Stout’s
only loss was to a good ground fighter, Jay Estrada. Florian
is a black belt in jiu-jitsu.
Kenny
Florian and Mike Swick are former reality show stars and therefore
the UFC wants to continue to build them up. Yves Edwards is the
uncrowned UFC champion at 155lbs and Nathan Marquardt has been
in the main event of a live SPIKE TV show. Therefore, it’s
no surprise that the UFC chose to give these fighters preferred
match-ups as well. Sure, the Canadians still have a decent chance
at winning. However, I bet that Canada would at least split the
series if you rearranged these match-ups accordingly:
Joe
Doerksen versus Mike Swick Steve Vigneault versus Nathan Marquardt
Sam Stout versus Yves Edwards Mark Hominick versus Kenny Florian
Do you doubt the point I am trying to prove? Allow me to present
exhibit A if it pleases the court:
Stars
from “The Ultimate Fighter” are a combined 18 wins
and only 3 losses when facing non-reality show fighters in the
UFC.
The
only three losses are Nate Quarry versus Rich Franklin, Josh
Koscheck versus Drew Fickett and Melvin Guillard versus Josh
Neer. All other 18 times, the TUF stars have been able to overcome
their non-reality show adversaries. There is nothing else that
can explain this other than biased match-making. One may say,
“Perhaps they’re really just that good”. I would
counter that argument by saying, “Do you think that the
UFC is incapable of finding fighters of equal caliber to give
them more competition?” For example, Wanderlei Silva and
Randy Couture are barely above .500 in their most recent fights
because they’ve been competing against the best. Only champions
such as Chuck Liddell, Rich Franklin, Emelianenko Fedor and Takanori
Gomi have such impressive streaks of victory as the TUF stars
do. Are TUF stars world class champions such as these fighters?
I think not.
With
the increased frequency of events on pay-per-view and on free
television, the UFC must now increase their stable of fighters
and spread out their marquee match-ups. The UFC will look to
make one or two best possible match-ups per fight card and likely
think two or three steps ahead with the other match-ups on the
card.
The
Real Threat Lies Within Many people wondered the purpose of the
UFC trying to trademark the term, “Fighting Championship”.
This move, along with resigning their marketable personalities,
was done by the UFC to protect themselves against potential future
competitors. Unfortunately, for the UFC the real threat actually
lies from within! The casual fan doesn’t care whether the
mat says UFC, ROTR, TKO, WEC, PRIDE, K-1 and so forth. The true
value of the UFC’s product lies not in the packaging of
their event, but rather in the fighters themselves. It’s
the fighters that people will spend money to watch. At the end
of the day, it’s the fighters that will hold all the chips
and not the UFC.
Nothing
is stopping HBO from one day deciding to contact Tito Ortiz and
Chuck Liddell to fight on their first ever MMA pay-per-view.
This is the unfortunate paradigm facing the UFC. The bigger they
grow the sport, the bigger their fighters will become and the
less that they’ll be able to control salaries and loyalty.
Their greatest fear will indeed come true: Tito Ortiz will become
bigger than the UFC! As will Chuck Liddell, Andrei Arlovski,
Rich Franklin and other top fighters with marketable personalities.
UFC versus PRIDE Will Happen, Eventually Both companies are currently
doing very well financially in their respective market places.
Neither company likely has it on their radar screen to set up
an inter-company competition anytime soon. It may not happen
immediately but sooner or later the best of the UFC are going
to have to face the best of PRIDE. Can you imagine the NFL without
the Superbowl or the NHL without the Stanley Cup? The only reason
the best in MMA do not fight each other right now is because
the sport is not yet mainstream enough. When the day comes (and
that day may not be far away) that MMA is talked about at the
office water cooler, written about in every newspaper and shown
on every sports network the pressures to see Fedor Emalianenko
versus Andrei Arlovski and Wanderlei Silva versus Chuck Liddell
will grow. As explained above, the UFC and PRIDE may not even
be the organization which puts forth such fights. If you haven’t
already noticed, both companies are already well into their rematch
phase as very few “dream fights” have not yet occurred.
Some champions such as Fedor Emelianenko and Chuck Liddell have
already exhausted all number one challengers in their respective
organizations. As the sport grows, the fans will demand it and
the financial incentives will be present to arrange such an event.
Conclusion The true value in MMA, as is the case in all other
professional sports, lies in the athletes. It is the athletes
that will dictate how this sport will be run in the future. Promoters
will eventually lose their ability to control fighter salaries
and loyalty. We fans will continue to get more MMA exposure and
we will eventually get to see the match-ups we always wanted.
Team concepts and other non-tradtitional presentations of the
sport will come and go but the every man for himself concept
will always reign supreme.
The real concern to fans is the danger of MMA adopting some of
the undesirable traits exhibited by boxing. Will the best fighters
only fight once a year against legitimate competition? Will the
fighters no longer be accessible to the fans? Will corruption
and fight-fixing become a concern? The answers to these questions
also lie with the MMA athlete.
Source:
marcoantico.com
|
The
UFC files case against International Fight League
Earlier this month, Zuffa LLC filed a case against the International
Fight L | |