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11:20 PM
Good morning, afternoon, evening, or whatever in-between time your eyes have found their way to the Punch Drunk Hangover! As is the case most Mondays, I'm here with another one-stop shop for catching up on Mixed Martial Arts news, hoping as always to help you escape from the doldroms of an average Monday like a good grab to the nether regions, waking you up and making your day that much more exciting! Have no fear...the technique is Bas Rutten approved!!!
The turkey has been digested, the Detroit Lions are winless, terrorists are still spineless jackasses, and, leaving another memorable Thanksgiving break in the rear-view mirror, December 208 has officially arrived. Hard to believe it was barely over a year ago that Sammy Vasquez died from a blood clot in his brain hours after competing at a MMA event. The passing was labeled as being the first in recorded history resulting from a regulated Mixed Martial Arts bout. A year later it seems the loss hasn't had any significant effect on the sport, and, no disrespect to Vasquez 's memory or those who loved him, I don't think that's a bad thing. His death was unfortunate but nothing MMA should have been penalized for by the government, media, or mainstream public. There is no hiding from the basic understanding men and women who compete in Mixed Martial Arts are risking their longterm health, even death, in doing so. The same is true for professional skydivers, football players, boxers, wrestlers, stuntmen, crab-fishermen, firefighters, law enforcement, and any other line of work involving the daily possibility of bodily harm. But, it is their choice to live life that way, as it was Vasquez's choice to be a professional Mixed Martial Artist, and their decisions should be honored as long as no foul-play is involved. I am under no illusion that as MMA grows in popularity so does the risk of another fighter passing away from injuries sustained in a regulated bout. However, if/when it occurs, I hope people take the same time to objectively look at the circumstances surrounding the death, as it appears they did a year removed from the case of Vasquez, and hold off on passing judgement on the sport as a whole due to an isolated tragic result. Now, if someone gets beheaded Mortal-Kombat-style, it could be another story entirely...
I apologize for the lame joke made in a feeble attempt to change subject matter, but I also want to focus on another, less-morose topic meant to brighten the day, curl your lips in an upwards manner, and get you thinking about the next thirty-one days! As I stated in the opening of this week's PDH, Thanksgiving is history and hopefully you're now hungry enough to "gobble" up some MMA-goodness. This is a great month for fans of the sport - even you Zuffie Zombies who are oblivious to anything outside the realm of the Octagon - and I wanted to take a few minutes to preview upcoming events in December that caught my eye.
WEC 37 (12/3):
This might surprise some fans, but there's actually a live WEC event this Wednesday (December 3rd) coming to you live on Versus. I've been surprised at the lacking promotion for the card but it's possible advertising for the show got lost in the shuffle of UFC 91 and Thanksgiving, plus there aren't an overwhelming number of names in the lineup that carry mainstream appeal. However, just because you don't recognize the fighters slated to compete doesn't mean you shouldn't check out the event, as I have a feeling it's going to be technically sound and very entertaining. WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres, who is always a site to see, defends his title against undefeated Manny Tapia. Torres is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters out there and he's always worth watching. Overall the card features a number of lighter Mixed Martial Artists worth keeping an eye on, including Wagney Fabiano, Urijah Faber's prodigy Joseph Benavidez, veteran Bart Palaszewski, and what promises to be an exciting clash between Brian Bowles and Will Ribeiro which will likely determine the next contender to the WEC Bantamweight strap.
Maximum Fighting Championship 19 (12/5):
MFC is a Canadian promotion that I've caught a few times on HDNet and enjoyed at least as much as any smaller MMA show. They've brought up some solid talent over the years, including Jason MacDonald, and also do a nice job including recognizable MMA veterans on their cards. MFC 19 is no different in that regard, as Xtreme Couture's John Alessio will be fighting hard-hitting Brit Paul Daley, while the night will also feature a Light Heavyweight title-bout and the debut of MMA vet Derrick Noble at 155-pounds.
K-1 World Grand Prix (12/6):
Admittedly, I'm not overly familar with kickboxing, but even the most novice of fans is aware that K-1 is where the cream of the crop competes. For the first time ever, HDNet is broadcasting K-1's World Grand Prix next weekend and in High-Definition no less! I suspect the fight between Peter Aerts and Badr Hadi to be an absolute war between two of the best kickboxers in the sport. Jerome LeBanner is also on the card, plus two undercard "reserve" bouts involving the Korean giant, Hong Man Choi, matching up against K-1 legend Ray Sefo, and the always-violent Melvin Manhoef taking out his aggression on some poor chap who isn't able to use jiujitsu against the powerful Dutchman. I can say with certainty that the K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 will officially be the first kickboxing event I watch from start to finish.
UFC Fight for the Troops (12/10):
While some fans might feel the undercard leaves something to be desired, it can't be said that the UFC isn't still offering a helluva good show for free when they have two other events planned in the same month (one of which is only a few days later). The main event between Josh Koscheck and Yoshiyuki Yoshida should be excellent, as you might expect to be the case most of the time when two "Top 10" fighters lock horns inside a ring. Their bout should be heavy on grappling based on Koscheck's wrestling background and Yoshida's success in judo. I think both men have very comparable submission-grappling skills, so I can see the fight going all three rounds, but if Koscheck is able to keep things standing I like his chances in terms of finishing Yoshida. However, it will be interesting to see if "Kos" is experiencing any lingering effects from his recent loss to Thiago Alves, because Yoshida is absolutely skilled enough to take advantage of any holes he sees.
I think Koscheck's teammate at American Kickboxing Academy, Mike Swick, will have a much easier path to success given his opponent's standing among Welterweights. It's not that Jonathan Goulet isn't a decent fighter, because he's certainly a fighter who possesses a great deal of experience and a well-rounded set of abilities, but he's simply not at Swick's skill-level and it should be quite evident come time for the two to fight on the 10th. I'm much more excited about the Lightweight affair between Frank Edgar and Matt Wiman, who I think is an underrated 155-pounder, because I think their styles match up well and I see it as being a far more competitive bout than Swick vs. Goulet.
Also, rewinding back a bit to criticism of the undercard, I actually don't think the lineup is too horrible given the event's nature. WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Steve Cantwell, who will no doubt have some naysayers in the troop-heavy crowd based on his destruction of US Marine Brian Stann to obtain the title, makes his Octagon debut, UFC veterans Justin McCully and Eddie Sanchez mix it up, as do Brodie Farber and Luigi Fioarvanti, and a number of Ultimate Fighter alums are also in action (Tim Credeur, Ben Saunders, and Corey Hill). All in all, I think fans are looking at a very decent group of competitors who are all throwing down for an extremely worthwhile cause.
Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale (12/13):
Followers of TUF 8 have to wait for two more episodes of the series to unfold before knowing the coheadlining fights at the Season 8 Finale, but the pair of bouts announced thus far both have a lot of promise and feature Mixed Martial Artists plenty of UFC fans will recognize (Kevin Burns vs. Anthony Johnson, Wilson Gouveia vs. Jason MacDonald). That being said, I'm a bit surprised the UFC hasn't announced any of the undercard yet since it's clear a number of the cast members from TUF 8 aren't going to be involved in the season's divisional finals. Is it really too early to let fans know about match-ups involving Tom Lawlor, John Polakowski, Dave Kaplan, Kyle Kingsbury, or one of the other memorable personalities from the current season?
Also, for what it's worth..and that ain't much...my prediction on the other four "televised card" players are Maghales/Bader and Nover/Browning. If that's the case, I see Bader and Nover winning their respective weightclasses' TUF Championships based on overall ability instead of reliance on one particular area of fighting (jiujitsu for Vinny and stand-up for Junie).
Mixed Fighting Alliance (12/13):
I'm sure most of you are wondering what could possibly be interesting about a promotion you've likely never heard of or seen before. December 13th, 2008 marks former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley's Mixed Martial Arts debut. He is scheduled to face Joshua Franklin at the above-listed MFA eevnt. I'm interested to see how seriously Lashley has been taking his training and whether or not he has legitimate potential as a professional fighter. To be honest, because my expectations are so low, it won't be very difficult for Lashley to exceed them. In addition, the Mixed Fighting Alliance also features a Heavyweight fight between former UFC title-holder/current Vegas-buffet champion Ricco Rodriguez and one-time UFC Heavyweight contender Jeff Monson. Those two bouts alone are worth the price of admission if you live in the Miami area. I'll definitely be checking the broadcast out if HDNet happens to air the event or, if nothing else, looking for a recap of the show as soon as it concludes to see how things went down.
UFC 92 (12/27):
UFC's year-end event certainly doesn't need my endorsement to catch the public's attention, as I think I'd be as likely to find a MMA fan who wasn't interested in UFC 92 as I would be to procure video tape of Lee Murray cold-cocking Tito Ortiz in a London alley. "The Ultimate" has three match-ups worthy of headlining status - Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans (LHW Championship), Frank Mir vs. "Minotauro" Nogueira (Heavyweight Championship), and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva (which will likely determine who will face the winner of Griffin/Evans). While "Rampage" and Silva are both fighters I would consider among my personal favorites, I'm actually not a big fan of the UFC's decision to have the former PRIDE stars fight each other for a third time in their careers. For the one person reading this column who doesn't already know this, Wanderlei Silva knocked Jackson both times they previously entered the ring against each other and did so in ways that made Quinton's fans cringe. With the UFC's Light Heavyweight division being so deep, and starring so many fighters who neither man have ever faced, I don't see the reasoning behind Dana White and Joe Silva trying to re-live the glory days of PRIDE. I'm also a little concerned with Jackson's mental state, especially in the wake of a potential third loss to "The Axe Murderer".
However, as wary as I am of Jackson vs. Silva, I'm quite giddy over the two championship fights at UFC 92! Yes, those are in fact my nipples poking through my T-Shirt, and yes...I've just given you too much personal information. I wasn't particularly interested in Nogueira vs. Mir when the Heavyweights were signed to compete, but must admit I'm far more interested in seeing the title-bout now that I've had a chance to learn more about the two while watching the Ultimate Fighter. In regards to selling the December 27th showdown between the two I would say TUF 8 has definitely done its job and is a success on that front. Mir appears to be cocky and condescending in nature, almost like the bully in an 80s movie about high school, while Nogueira's smile is contagious and his personality is likeable in general, as is the notion he's invested himself so wholly in seeing his students succeed. I find the season to be similar to TUF 3 where Tito Ortiz's stock grew immensely while Ken Shamrock came off as more of a tool than ever before.
Forrest Griffin's first defense of his Light Heavyweight championship should be fun to watch and Evans makes for a great opponent because he makes it difficult to pick a clear winner going into the fight. It's impossible to doubt Griffin after wins over "Rampage" Jackson and "Shogun" Rua, but it's equally difficult to say he'll win for sure after "Sugar" Shad rendered Chuck Liddell into a puddle on the canvas - plus Evans has the ever-dreaded pre-fight nipple-twist at his disposal!
Even beyond the triple-threat of main events, the undercard of UFC 92 looks good and should highlight some solid talent like CB Dolloway, Yushin Okami, Ryo Chonan, and Matt Hamill. I'm also looking forward to the Heavyweight clash between Cheick Kongo and a debuting Mustapha Al Turk. Al Turk has won seven of his last eight fights and should add nice depth to a division sorely needing help depending on how well he performs against future-contender Kongo.
K-1 Dynamite 2008 (12/31):
Arriving at the last semi-significant MMA event of 2008, we come to New Year's Eve and FEG's traditional end-of-year extravaganza. In standard fashion a number of the actual bouts on the card have yet to be announced, though the pair of fights already being advertised are quite excellent. Joachim Hansen vs. JZ Calvancante matches up two "Top 10" Lightweights who aren't afraid to strike but are as equally comfortable on the ground. Sakuraba vs. Tamura also has the makings of on a epic encounter. While both men have passed their primes, they're each icons in Japan with personal history and who the MMA community have been wanting to see in the ring together for a number of years. I'm also interested in seeing the two kickboxing bouts K-1 has set up featuring a couple of men fans are used to seeing in five-ounce gloves (DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix Champion Gegard Mousasi and T-Blood general Tatsuya Kawajiri). Throw in Mirko Filipovic vs. Sergei Kharitonov, which has been rumored as a possibility, along with Bas Rutten on commentary, Lenne Hardt announcing entrances as only she can, and the techno-circus production FEG is known for, and you've got yourself a great send off to 2008...
...well, more like a "Welcome to 2009" since there's a good chance most people will record the event and watch it at a more suitable hour on January 1st.
There's my three cents on all the great shows fans can look forward to over the waning hours of 2008 - now time to give my spin on a handful of other subjects gracing the headlines this past week. I'd love to hear your thoughts on things, so feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment at the bottom of the page.
The following medley of items were reported between November 24th, 2008 and November 30th, 2008:
MMAWeekly.com is reporting that former WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber will rematch Jens Pulver at WEC 38 on January 25. The two fought last June and Faber ended up winning via unanimous-decision after five hard fought rounds. Both fighters are coming off of TKO losses at WEC 36. Faber dropped his title to Mike Brown while Pulver lost to Leonard Garcia.
I'm going out on a limb here to say this will be Jens Pulver's last fight in the WEC, perhaps in Mixed Martial Arts. I can see no reason for "Little Evil" to fight Urijah Faber other than cashing in on the lone marketable fight left on his horizon. Had Pulver beaten Leonard Garcia I would feel differently, but the fact is that Jens has lost four of his last five fights, he's pushing 35, and his skills appear to be regressing rather than improving. The result of the bout against Faber means little in the WEC Featherweight title-picture. A win for Pulver would be a nice feather in his cap, and certainly make for a "John Elway" moment if he decided to call it a career, but it definitely wouldn't push Jens into a championship match against Mike Brown based on his recent career failings. On the flipside, Urijah doesn't need to beat Pulver to claim top contendership based on his previous success in the cage and another win over the former UFC Lightweight Champion would do little for him in terms of improving his stock. If Faber doesn't receive an immediate rematch against Brown, as appears to be the case given news he'll fight at WEC 38, then the only logical opponent for him is Leonard Garcia based on the Hispanic fighter's knockout of Pulver at WEC 36 and his current standing amongst WEC 145-pounders. Urijah has absolutely nothing to gain by fighting the Miletich product a second time.
I'm not saying the rematch will disappoint fans in terms of entertainment value, as I expect another exciting battle between Faber and Pulver. However, just because it gets your blood pumping doesn't mean the bout makes sense from the standpoint of what's best for the WEC's Featherweight division.
According to Sherdog.com, the UFC will be heading to Germany for the first time for UFC 99 on June 13 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne. The UFC is interested in a Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell 4 main event for the card. However, Couture has mentioned that he is personally interested in a possible fight with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin.
Before dissecting this news piece, I think we should all reflect on the hallowed words of UFC President Dana White - "Ich bin ein motherfu*king Berliner!" It's great news that interest in the UFC, and Mixed Martial Arts in general, in Germany has become substantial enough to sustain a PPV event. I'm not surprised by the UFC's continued global expansion and it's smart of them to explore other avenues of income with the American economy being what it is. As far as the possibility of Randy Couture facing Chuck Liddell for a fourth time, I'd rather strap a pair of lederhosen on and swim across the Rhine while being pelted with wienerschnitzel. I see nothing positive coming from "Part IV" and in a way I think it dishonors their epic trilogy from a few years back. Based on the circumstances, I actually suspect George Lucas may have taken a job in Zuffa headquarters as an advisor to the braintrust.
To further elaborate on my issues with the bout, I think I've been consistent in expressing my feeling that top fights should be involved in match-ups that have more at stake than a win/loss. Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, while not necessarily top contenders to any promotional championship, are still among the upper-tier of competitors in Mixed Martial Arts from both skill and marketability perspectives. They need to be scheduled to fight other athletes who are not only as talented but also make for fresh, exciting opponents. It's that sort of booking keeping fans' interest and also works toward building up new superstars. What do we have to gain from the fourth incarnation of Couture vs. Liddell? The magic isn't there anymore, as it was when both were at the pinnacle of the UFC, and a win for either would do little to improve his standing amongst his peers.
Couture and Liddell have limited fights left in them. Why use that time up rehashing something tired and unnecessary? Why not instead have "The Natural" fight the loser of Nogueira/Mir or a Light Heavyweight he's never faced before like Quinton Jackson, Thiago Silva, Lyoto Machida, Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin, "Shogun" Rua, or Wanderlei Silva? Forrest Griffin would only be an option if he loses to Rashad Evans, as Couture shouldn't leapfrog any deserving 205-pound fighters without proving himself again in the division, but even that storyline has more appeal to me than the UFC forcing a once-great pairing on fans simply because they can. Likewise, I would rather see Chuck Liddell in the Octagon against a LHW he's yet to throw down with, like the aforementioned Rua, Franklin, Henderson, and Machida, than step into the eight-sided ring a fourth time against Randy Couture. And, of course, there's always Anderson Silva to consider for either Couture or Liddell. There are simply too many available options to book an event as big as UFC 99 so lazily. Chuck and Randy deserve better. The fans in Germany deserve better - we all do.
411mania.com has learned that the UFC has released Lightweight fighter Jorge Gurgel. However, Gurgel's free agency didn't last long. Within minutes of being released by the UFC, Gurgel signed a multi-fight deal with the Strikeforce organization. Gurgel is coming off a tough unanimous decision loss against Aaron Riley at UFC 91 which won "Fight of the Night" honors.
The UFC lost nothing by letting Gurgel go, though I'm sure Rich Franklin would disagree with me on that point given his friendship with his long time training partner. Gurgel's talent cannot be denied. However, his problem in the ring tends to be a mental one, as he fails to utilize the things he's best at and instead ends up losing a number of fights he could have walked away victorious from. Strikeforce is as a good of a landing pad as any Mixed Martial Artist could hope for after being let go by the UFC. Their Lightweight Division is very competitive, featuring athletes like Duane Ludwig, Josh Thomson, Gilbert Melendez, Mitsuhiro Ishida, and Yves Edwards, and Strikeforce has proven itself to be a MMA promotion with staying power and the promise of potential to keep growing. WEC would have also been a nice spot for Gurgel, as he could have likely earned a title-shot within a few fights given their 155-pound scene, but he may have gotten a better offer from Scott Coker's group in San Jose or simply wanted to part ways with Zuffa. Either way, look for him to compete within the next few months, as I'm sure the Brazilian by way of Cincinatti is eager to prove himself to fans and get his feet wet in Strikeforce.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com is reporting that the UFC has released Light Heavyweight Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou from his UFC contract following his loss to Luiz "Banha" Cane at UFC 89. Sokoudjou exploded onto the MMA scene in 2007 with huge upset wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona in PRIDE. However, he went just 1-2 in the UFC with a win over Kazuhiro Nakamura at UFC 84 and losses to Cane and Lyoto Machida.
I assume this move was financially motivated since 1-2 is not typically a ticket out of the UFC unless the losses come at the hands of second-rate competitors (which does not apply to Cane or Machida). Sokoudjou came into the UFC with a deal paying him $40,000 to show plus an additional forty-thousand dollars per win. At the time of his signing, Sokoudjou was coming off two huge knockout wins in PRIDE (Nogueira/Arona) and was viewed as likely being the next 205-pound superstar in MMA based on a number of things - those dual in-ring accomplishments, his background in judo, his association with Team Quest, and other various physical factors like age and appearance. However, he failed to live up to the potential so many, including the UFC, saw in him, and I think that's ultimately what led to the organization feeling he was no longer worth the money he was being paid. Sokoudjou didn't lose his job with the UFC because he lost to Cane/Machida, but rather because of the way he dropped both fights. He was tentative to engage, outclassed at every turn, and appeared to have questionable conditioning in both bouts. If there's one thing Dana White doesn't tolerate, other than cross-promoting and allowing fighters to maintain control of their likenesses, it's Mixed Martial Artists who don't go 100% in the Octagon and at least attempt to put on an exciting show. Whether due to nerves or being thrown to the wolves too early in his career, the Judoka was never able to perform up to what the perception of his abilities were, and now he's a free agent because of it.
In the meantime, at least on the American side, I can see him signing with either Strikeforce or Affliction, as both promotions can use his reputation to build nice fights within their organizations. In fact, I think Renato "Babalu" Sobral taking on Sokoudjou would make for a very appealing match-up. I could also see Sokoudjou signing in Japan since he already has history with DREAM's parent group (FEG) and World Victory Road always seems open to snatching up available talent. No matter where he goes, Sokoudjou should be fine, and I think being able to further-develop his skills outside of the UFC will actually be a positive where his career longevity is concerned. I honestly don't believe UFC 89 is the last time fans will see Rameau in the Octagon. He just needs time to grow as a fighter before swimming in the UFC's 205-pound sharkpool.
World Victory Road has confirmed that former EliteXC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Silva will fight Yoshihiro Nakao at the company's next Sengoku show scheduled for January 4 in Saitama, Japan. Silva last competed in July and defeated Justin Eilers for the EliteXC Heavyweight Title. He then tested positive for Boldenone and was suspended by the CSAC for one year. Japanese-based organizations don't typically recognize U.S. suspensions, but Silva could face repercussions in the United States if he does compete in Japan while suspended. His opponent, Nakao, is 7-1 as a pro and defeated Jim York via second-round KO. Nakao may be best known as the guy who kissed Heath Herring during a pre-fight staredown back in 2005.
World Victory Road and Antonio Silva - truly, a match made in heaven. I've never been afraid to voice my lack of respect for the way WVR handles business. A prime example of the Japanese company's subscription to the way of "Bullshitto" is posterboy Takanori Gomi being spoon-fed opponents, then still receiving a shot at the WVR Lightweight Championship after dropping a bout to a relative nobody. The notion they would sign an athlete suspended for steroid use is an embarassment to the growth of MMA in the mainstream and a slap in the face of fans who want to seen clean competition. Granted, the lack of testing in Japan and abuse of performance enhancing drugs by Mixed Martial Artists who compete there is no secret, but at least fans have always been able to hold out hope that perhaps things were getting better as MMA continued to become more globally recognized. Fans built a mental blockade around Japanese MMA to obscure what many felt in their hearts to be true - that steroids were still openly acceptable there - and Antonio Silva's signing by World Victory Road just washed it away like a wave ripping through the walls of a sandcastle. There can be no doubt that, at least where WVR is concerned, performance enhancing drugs are as welcome as dramatic, overproduced entrances.
I also hope this means Antonio Silva is done fighting in the United States for a lengthy period of time of no less than two years. Athletic Commissions tend to frown on athletes competing while suspended for drug use and I guarantee most will remember it when "Bigfoot" tries to sign with Strikeforce, the UFC, or any other promotion based primarily in the USA. I would have a lot more compassion and respect for Silva if he owned up to his punishment like a man instead of using a loophole to continue fighting elsewhere. Instead, he's blasting a proverbial stream of urine on American Mixed Martial Arts and the growth of the sport in general, so I'm inclined to drop trow and fire back. It's a shame too, because Antonio has a lot of potential based on his size, strength, and technique, but he'll never maximize it as long as his enormous head is screwed on so wrong.
MMAWeekly.com is reporting that the PPV buyrates for UFC 91 "Couture vs. Lesnar" will reach over 800,000 orders and the show stands to take in a minimum of $35,960,000 in revenue. The final tally will not be available for months but the number is expected to be even higher, yet it is doubtful the company will reach the 1.2 million goal predicted by UFC President Dana White. UFC 91 is one of the most profitable events in the history of the UFC.
As if his win over Randy Couture wasn't evidence enough, is there any lingering doubt the UFC was extremely wise to sign Brock Lesnar to such a large deal? He has clearly provided more of a return on their investment, both in the cage and outside of it, than could have ever been hoped for (especially after losing his first fight in the Octagon). I think most people expected UFC 91 to score in the 800,000-1,000,000 buy range, so the figure doesn't shock me, but it's still impressive to see the sort of revenue the event actually generated. Thirty-six million dollars is obviously nothing to dismiss. It's a clear indicator of Lesnar's ability to create mainstream interest along with MMA fans continued love of Randy Couture. It also shows the general public can be sold on a main event based on hype, storyline, and starpower; that people are not necessarily as focused on fighters' reputations as they are on seeing an entertaining fight between identifiable characters. For example, fans of professional wrestling would argue that Hulk Hogan is horrible in the ring while praising an indie-circuit performer as the best ever, yet one point could not be disputed - Hulk Hogan is the most popular professional wrestler of all time. Mike Tyson was a draw in boxing long after his skills had left him because of his unique personality and demeanor in the ring. And, as is proving to be the case in Mixed Martial Arts, an individual who has as little professional experience as Brock Lesnar is still arguably the biggest draw in the UFC while someone like Lyoto Machida could walk down the street and never get noticed by passers-by.
According to FiveOuncesOfPain.com, the much-anticipated rematch between Alistair Overeem and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic will not go down at K-1 Dynamite's!! New Year's Eve show as originally planned. FEG Executive Sadaharu Tanigawa recently announced during a press conference that the fight won't happen on New Year's Eve but is still expected to go down at some point in 2009. However, Cro Cop is still expected to fight on the card. His opponent may end up being PRIDE veteran Sergei Kharitonov.
It would have been nice of FEG to provide a full explanation as to why the bout was cancelled. Overeem clearly had something to do with the decision, as Filipovic is still expected to fight on the card while there's no mention of the Dutch "Demolition Man". Is he injured? Is there a contractual hold-up? We'll never know until Overeem speaks on the matter or Tanigawa offers more details. However, confusion aside, no tears have been shed on my part resulting from news of the rematch being off. When the two first locked up earlier this year I felt Alistair did enough to prove he was the better Mixed Martial Artist and would have won decisively had he avoided launching Mirko's testicles into orbit. Filipovic is a shell of the head-kicking dynamo he once was in PRIDE, something I largely credit to injuries he's sustained and what I suspect is some damage to his emotional state after struggling in the UFC. Perhaps the most necessary discipline when it comes to success in the ring is not one related to a background in wrestling, jiujitsu, or kickboxing, but instead mental discipline. If Filipovic has started doubting his abilities then he's essentially already lost before walking up the stairs and into the squared-circle.
The following soundbyte was delivered over the past week...
Nate Marquardt talks to Sherdog about two possible future opponents - Michael Bisping and Demian Maia...
"Both of them are good fighters. Bisping can go and go, and Maia is good on the ground. But neither one of them has fought anyone who is as good as me or at the same level of fighter that I am. It would be a huge jump in class for them to fight me, and I think I could finish either one of them off in round one or two."
It appears as though Marquardt, who occasionally sports a Hobbit-esque haircut, may have been dipping into the Longbottom Leaf prior to sitting down with Sherdog. Maia may not have competed against anyone in MMA with Marquardt's resume, but the Brazilian has only fought in nine professional bouts while Nate can boast four times as many in-ring appearances. Beyond that, to label Maia as merely "good on the ground" is akin to saying Gina Carano is a "mildly attractive female Mixed Martial Artist". Demian's BJJ is as good as it gets and I'm positive he could twist Marquardt into a pretzel if a fight between the two ever hit the mat. As far as Michael Bisping, he took current #1 Light Heavyweight Contender Rashad Evans to a split decision. Is Marquardt implying his teammate at Jackson Submission Fighting in New Mexico, who happens to be coming off a brutal knockout of Chuck Liddell, isn't as "good" as him? The implication is certainly there in quotation this commentary is based on.
Also, please don't get it twisted. I would absolutely rank Nate Marquardt above Bisping or Maia if you asked me to compile a list of the "Top 10" Middleweights in MMA. He has done far more than either of them and competed against, even beaten, a number of top fighters. However, to say neither "The Count" or Maia wouldn't last five minutes against him is asinine. They have both proven themselves to be extremely competent fighters and implying anything different is ignorant. I personally think Marquardt's words may have been deriven from jealousy over Bisping's popularity and rumors of Demian possibly being selected as a coach for the ninth season of the Ultimate Fighter. Lending weight to that assertion is the fact Nate brought up TUF in the same interview I took this quote from and pitched himself as far as why he would make a good coach.
Source: 411mania.com
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