Five Quick Rounds 6.08.10: Tito Ortiz, UFC Replays, GSP vs. Koscheck, More
Posted by Larry Csonka on 06.08.2010
Five Quick Rounds debuts with discussion of Tito Ortiz’s exit from The Ultimate Fighter, the hypocrisy of ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption, Georges St-Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck being held in Pittsburgh and much more!
FIVE QUICK ROUNDS~!
WELCOME
Welcome one and all to the debut edition of Five Quick Rounds! Five Quick Rounds is a new little column I am doing, little being the key word, here on the 411. I always have something to say, but don't always have time to fill a full 3R's or My Take On column, so this way I can share some thoughts, gripes and analysis, but in a short and condensed form. I know, not that original, Simpson's did it. But it will be a fun way for me to share some thoughts, and I hope that you enjoy it.
ROUND ONE: TITO ORTIZ **TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** Round one this week will cover Tito Ortiz. I have a love, hate, love, hate relationship with Tito. There are times I dig the man, like his recent coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter. I felt that in many ways he was a good coach, in that he seemed to care about his guys and really wanted them to succeed. I can respect that. But then there are times like right after UFC 106, and his loss to Forrest, where he had to list his injuries. I dislike when fighters do that, not because it may or may not be true, but because it feels like an excuse and takes away from the other fighter's victory. We finally saw on TV that Tito was gone from The Ultimate Fighter, and it caused a bunch of debate. While people want to discuss that he should not have been removed as a coach, I think most are forgetting one thing. Tito should NOT have taken the job in the fist place. If there was any concern regarding his health, he should have seen a doctor before hand. Some will say it didn't flare up until he trained hard one day during the tapings, but that also means that the problem already existed. And the bottom line is this, the UFC runs a business and has to sell a fight, they needed Franklin on the show since it was so close to when the fight would take place. **HORN SOUNDS**
ROUND TWO: BELLATOR IN HINDSIGHT **TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** Round two will be a topic of discussion for you, the faithful readers of 411. Now, I will say that I have really enjoyed what I have been able to watch of Bellator season two. Not always perfect, and I worry that they are going to run out of money before they get a better TV deal. But I like the product, it does show signs of improvement, and I am also a fan of the tournament process. With all of that being said, and I know that hindsight is always 20/20, but I ask you this. Do you think that it would have been better to have Roger Huerta face Eddie Alvarez in a non-title super fight and then have Josh Neer in the tournament? **HORN SOUNDS**
THE UFC REPLAY STRATEGY **NO TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** You see that picture over there of Dana White? That's the, "I already got your money for UFC 113 in my Scrooge McDuck like swimming vault, so fuck you, I will replay it on Spike TV to stick it to Strikeforce." Now before I start, I know that SPIKE TV also plays a HUGE part in all of this, but I have to say that I am really sick of watching $50 PPVs being shown about a month after they originally aired. In all honesty, this isn't something that bothers ME that much, since I get the shows for purposes of writing for the website, but it's a real eight dicked dildo to the ass of the general PPV buyer. As of now the UFC is doing MONSTER PPV buys, and in the month of May they did 1.5 million PPV buys, something I predicted by the way. So as of right now they aren't being hurt by the strategy, but you have to think that people will eventually get pissed off about this, and stop buying PPVs as often as they do. All I know is this, I have a group of friends that bought the PPV, and are now pissed that they did. They are your occasional PPV buyers, and only bought 113 due to the Shogun vs. Machida rematch. Trust me, they are now pissed because they could have waited and watched for free. I feel that if they have to counter program, that they should take fights from different shows, not a complete event, especially one so close. **HORN SOUNDS**
ROUND FOUR: THE PTI HYPOCRITES **NO TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** Last week on ESPN's PTI show, one I tend to enjoy, they showed a clip of an old boxing match with the fastest knockout on record. What happened was this: one guy went to touch gloves and the other just nailed him with a left hook instantly, knocking the guy out cold. After the fight, he ended up going out on a stretcher with an oxygen mask on. They showed the guy wheeled out on a stretcher with an oxygen mask on, Michael Wilbon said, "that's the kind of fun moment you just can't get when you watch MMA." For those that have watched Tony and Wilbon discuss MMA, you know that they are part of the good old boys club. Boxing rules and fans drools. Boxing is the sweet science, and MMA is filled with skinheads and thugs. They aren't as bad as they used to be, but you can still ell that they HATE discussing MMA. While people such as Jim Rome will embrace covering and discussing the sport, these guys look at any chance to bash it. I guarantee you this, had the clip been from MMA, and the same exact thing happened, these monkeys would have been crying about the lack of integrity in MMA, and how something like this would never happen in boxing. I wish the good old boys club would realize that there is room for MMA and boxing. I know that they are threatened due to the UFC's rise and PPV dominance, but come on, there is room for both, so stop your little war, just because you're afraid your sweet science may get passed by. **HORN SOUNDS**
GSP vs. KOSCHECK SHOULD BE IN PITTSBURGH **TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** In today's final round, I want to discuss the upcoming welterweight title fight between GSP and Josh Koscheck. The UFC has said that they would like to hold the fight in Canada (hopefully Toronto) but that Pittsburgh was an outside shot. I think that the company should simply drop the idea of running the show in Canada and commit to Pittsburgh today. GSP is GOD in Canada, and yes the show would sell out, but all of the Canadian shows do well. GSP is also a proven PPV draw not only in the US, but in Canada as well, I mean, he KILLS it there, so they lose nothing. Dana is always saying that "we are coming to YOUR town," and since PA got regulated, they have run one show, in Philly. And that show was a MASSIVE success. Philly is a fighting city, and I think that we all knew that MMA would do well there, and it did. But now they have a chance to capture Pittsburgh, the time is now. Koscheck is from Waynesburg, which is roughly 60-miles from downtown Pittsburgh, and being from Pittsburgh, I know that we are loyal to our own. Having the novelty of the UFC coming to town for the first time, and having "one of their own" challenging for some gold is the PERFECT way to debut in the city. It makes perfect business sense. **HORN SOUNDS**
SO LONG
And so after the final round, all is said and done. Looks like a unanimous decision this week, due to my Anderson Silva like dancing. Come back next week, and always stay until the championship rounds…
Posted By: Kuch7 (Registered) on June 08, 2010 at 04:22 AM
I don't see the PPV replay complaint.
Big boxing fights that cost a ton of money would be replayed on cable just a few days later. It's happened before.
Also, I mean, it's not hard to find inexpensive alternatives to watching all the UFC PPV's. The bar I go to every month legally orders all the shows and I never have to pay a cover charge to get in.
Also you are getting to watch a new event live. It's not the same getting a free replay over a month later. Or just paying $10 or $15 a few weeks after to get the DVD.
Also at the end of the day, UFC is giving us more FREE MMA than really anybody. So I mean you can either buy the PPV's or you can wait to watch the replays for free on Spike or all the awesome free prelim fights or shows we get now.
Posted By: Jeffrey (Registered) on June 08, 2010 at 05:34 AM
don't worry. the old fogies who still clutch on to boxing are retiring, dying, and fading away.
Posted By: rey (Guest) on June 08, 2010 at 06:53 AM
I agree with you for the most part, especially the GSP/Koscheck fight happening in Pittsburgh (I'm from about 60 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, so I know exactly what you're talking about).
However, I have to disagree with the UFC replay strategy argument - I can see where people are getting aggravated, but c'mon - if you want to wait a month to watch it for free, then just wait the extra 2 weeks and buy the DVD for $15. I don't check release dates and whatnot, but it seems like UFC dvds hit Best Buy shelves 6-8 weeks after the event, so if you'd wait 4 weeks to watch it for free, why not just stop buying PPVs altogether? You can get four events on DVD for the price you'd pay for one on PPV, and the only reason I buy the PPVs is so I can discuss the fights after they happen. I tend to enjoy the shows more after I buy the DVDs and can just sit back and enjoy them.
Posted By: Wyatt Beougher (Guest) on June 08, 2010 at 08:05 AM
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ROUND ONE: TITO ORTIZ **TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** Round one this week will cover Tito Ortiz. I have a love, hate, love, hate relationship with Tito. There are times I dig the man, like his recent coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter. I felt that in many ways he was a good coach, in that he seemed to care about his guys and really wanted them to succeed. I can respect that. But then there are times like right after UFC 106, and his loss to Forrest, where he had to list his injuries. I dislike when fighters do that, not because it may or may not be true, but because it feels like an excuse and takes away from the other fighter's victory. We finally saw on TV that Tito was gone from The Ultimate Fighter, and it caused a bunch of debate. While people want to discuss that he should not have been removed as a coach, I think most are forgetting one thing. Tito should NOT have taken the job in the fist place. If there was any concern regarding his health, he should have seen a doctor before hand. Some will say it didn't flare up until he trained hard one day during the tapings, but that also means that the problem already existed. And the bottom line is this, the UFC runs a business and has to sell a fight, they needed Franklin on the show since it was so close to when the fight would take place. **HORN SOUNDS**
ROUND TWO: BELLATOR IN HINDSIGHT **TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** Round two will be a topic of discussion for you, the faithful readers of 411. Now, I will say that I have really enjoyed what I have been able to watch of Bellator season two. Not always perfect, and I worry that they are going to run out of money before they get a better TV deal. But I like the product, it does show signs of improvement, and I am also a fan of the tournament process. With all of that being said, and I know that hindsight is always 20/20, but I ask you this. Do you think that it would have been better to have Roger Huerta face Eddie Alvarez in a non-title super fight and then have Josh Neer in the tournament? **HORN SOUNDS**
THE UFC REPLAY STRATEGY **NO TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** You see that picture over there of Dana White? That's the, "I already got your money for UFC 113 in my Scrooge McDuck like swimming vault, so fuck you, I will replay it on Spike TV to stick it to Strikeforce." Now before I start, I know that SPIKE TV also plays a HUGE part in all of this, but I have to say that I am really sick of watching $50 PPVs being shown about a month after they originally aired. In all honesty, this isn't something that bothers ME that much, since I get the shows for purposes of writing for the website, but it's a real eight dicked dildo to the ass of the general PPV buyer. As of now the UFC is doing MONSTER PPV buys, and in the month of May they did 1.5 million PPV buys, something I predicted by the way. So as of right now they aren't being hurt by the strategy, but you have to think that people will eventually get pissed off about this, and stop buying PPVs as often as they do. All I know is this, I have a group of friends that bought the PPV, and are now pissed that they did. They are your occasional PPV buyers, and only bought 113 due to the Shogun vs. Machida rematch. Trust me, they are now pissed because they could have waited and watched for free. I feel that if they have to counter program, that they should take fights from different shows, not a complete event, especially one so close. **HORN SOUNDS**
ROUND FOUR: THE PTI HYPOCRITES **NO TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** Last week on ESPN's PTI show, one I tend to enjoy, they showed a clip of an old boxing match with the fastest knockout on record. What happened was this: one guy went to touch gloves and the other just nailed him with a left hook instantly, knocking the guy out cold. After the fight, he ended up going out on a stretcher with an oxygen mask on. They showed the guy wheeled out on a stretcher with an oxygen mask on, Michael Wilbon said, "that's the kind of fun moment you just can't get when you watch MMA." For those that have watched Tony and Wilbon discuss MMA, you know that they are part of the good old boys club. Boxing rules and fans drools. Boxing is the sweet science, and MMA is filled with skinheads and thugs. They aren't as bad as they used to be, but you can still ell that they HATE discussing MMA. While people such as Jim Rome will embrace covering and discussing the sport, these guys look at any chance to bash it. I guarantee you this, had the clip been from MMA, and the same exact thing happened, these monkeys would have been crying about the lack of integrity in MMA, and how something like this would never happen in boxing. I wish the good old boys club would realize that there is room for MMA and boxing. I know that they are threatened due to the UFC's rise and PPV dominance, but come on, there is room for both, so stop your little war, just because you're afraid your sweet science may get passed by. **HORN SOUNDS**
GSP vs. KOSCHECK SHOULD BE IN PITTSBURGH **TOUCH OF THE GLOVES** In today's final round, I want to discuss the upcoming welterweight title fight between GSP and Josh Koscheck. The UFC has said that they would like to hold the fight in Canada (hopefully Toronto) but that Pittsburgh was an outside shot. I think that the company should simply drop the idea of running the show in Canada and commit to Pittsburgh today. GSP is GOD in Canada, and yes the show would sell out, but all of the Canadian shows do well. GSP is also a proven PPV draw not only in the US, but in Canada as well, I mean, he KILLS it there, so they lose nothing. Dana is always saying that "we are coming to YOUR town," and since PA got regulated, they have run one show, in Philly. And that show was a MASSIVE success. Philly is a fighting city, and I think that we all knew that MMA would do well there, and it did. But now they have a chance to capture Pittsburgh, the time is now. Koscheck is from Waynesburg, which is roughly 60-miles from downtown Pittsburgh, and being from Pittsburgh, I know that we are loyal to our own. Having the novelty of the UFC coming to town for the first time, and having "one of their own" challenging for some gold is the PERFECT way to debut in the city. It makes perfect business sense. **HORN SOUNDS**
