The MMA News Report 5.16.07
Posted by Morgan Marx on 05.16.2007
Stories about GSP’s next fight, where UFC 72 will actually air, and another major merger in the world of MMA make the news this week. Also, we take a first look at the card for UFC 71 . All this and more inside.
INTRODUCTION
This is our last chance to take a breath before the busiest time in MMA history begins. From multiple UFC events to numerous shows from rival companies, there won't be a week that goes by with out a card to preview, results to dissect, and decisions to discuss. So today we do a little bit of news housecleaning, correct a mistake from last week's column, and start previewing UFC 71. Enjoy.
MAILBAG
Friend of the column Mozz Manzoor checks back in with a quick observation about the Cro Cop beheading:
I was particularly glad you brought up the perplexing 'stand up' during the Cro Cop fight. Although I am sure most of us are now glad that it happened because it lead to that spectacular knockout, it was something I thought needed mentioning. I did not originally think it could be because UFC management wanted Mirko to win, but after you mentioned it, I could not escape that fact. I guess I'm a bit of a UFC fan boy.
Mozz is referring to the stand-up that occurred near the end of the Cro Cop v. Gonzaga fight. While largely staying away from the subject, I mentioned that the stand-up was slightly suspicious in that it benefited the man the UFC "wanted" to win.
To set the record straight, I don't believe that Herb Dean ordered the fight to be restarted solely to benefit Filipovic. There was no conspiracy. I don't believe that the UFC is fixed, nor do I believe that fighters like Tito Ortiz or Andrei Arlovski are gifted specious victories. However, as the UFC pushes to be recognized as a regular sport, they're going to have to deal with these accusations.
Every year the NBA takes fire for the state of their referring. Columnists like Bill Simmons repeatedly mention the inherent bias in the way that the refs call the games. Home teams as well as superstar players are favored and frequently get calls others might not. I think the Cro Cop stand-up falls in this category. Herb Dean attempted to offer an explanation of the stand-up, but he only made things more muddled.
In the end, I think we can safely say that while the call probably went in Cro Cop's favor, it was not because Dana White ordered the stand-up. If Rampage manages to take Liddell to the mat and gets restarted just before attempting another powerbomb we might have an argument. And Mozz, you're no more of fan boy than I am.
NEWS
Koscheck v. St-Pierre Official, Long Road to Title
According to Josh Koscheck's official website, the AKA fighter has officially received a contract to fight former welterweight titleholder Georges St-Pierre. Koscheck recently dismantled Diego Sanchez's undefeated record, pushing him to the top of the welterweight food chain. A title shot against St-Pierre was rumored, before Matt Serra undid those plans. Now, Serra and UFC legend Matt Hughes will face off following coaching stints on The Ultimate Fighter.
While this sets up two great fights for UFC fans, the timetable surrounding the shake up is slightly off putting. St-Pierre and Koscheck will fight in August, possibly at UFC 74. Hughes and Serra should fight at the conclusion of TUF6, in December. That means a potential title shot for either Koscheck or St-Pierre won't happen till early 2008.
The welterweight division is still one of the most stacked on the planet. This means that fighters like Karo Parisyan, Jon Fitch, and Sanchez are all staring at a long wait before a title shot trickles down to them. While the main events featuring the likes of Hughes and St-Pierre will be great for the UFC, other welterweight fighters might not be too thrilled.
Last week, I mentioned that UFC 72, to be headlined by Rich Franklin v. Yushin Okami, was scheduled to air live on Spike TV. This week, we have official word that that's not the case. Steve Sievert reports that Spike TV has confirmed they will not be airing the event. Instead, the UFC will likely air the show as a PPV, possibly live at 3PM Eastern Time. That means that a $40 event might air at noon on the West Coast.
Sievert quotes an unnamed Spike source as saying
"We were never scheduled to air that (UFC 72), I've heard the rumors (that Spike backed out of televising the show due to lack of a compelling fight lineup), but we never committed to airing UFC 72. It's not as if we turned our backs on the UFC."
That those rumors exist just reinforces the idea that the card is not PPV quality. While I'm usually a big proponent of any UFC event, I can't imagine the common fan dropping their money for UFC 72, not when there are so many other options for MMA that month.
In yet another example of the mainstreaming of MMA, one of the largest internet sources of MMA content will be joining forces with ESPN to cover the sport. Sherdog.com, which features news, opinion, and statistical tracking, will enter a joint-promotion with the Worldwide Leader in advance of the upcoming Chuck Liddell v. Quinton Jackson title fight.
ESPN has been warming to the UFC for a while, and the move with Sherdog just confirms how serious they are about covering the sport. Chuck Liddell graces the cover of the latest edition of ESPN The Magazine, Randy Couture has been interviewed on the network, and UFC highlights have been shown on ESPN News. Now, ESPN.com will integrate Sherdog's "Fight Finder" feature, which compiles the fight records for every MMA participant you can name. This partnership is another great step forward for MMA as a legitimate sport in the US.
Following their epic fight at the finale of TUF1, the future looked bright for the winner, Forrest Griffin, and the runner-up, Stephan Bonnar. By exhibiting tremendous heart, both fighters earned a contract with the UFC and raised awareness of MMA in general. Since that time, each fighter has dealt with adversity. Griffin rode the hype to a fight with Tito Ortiz, a fight Griffin narrowly lost by decision. Since then, an upset loss to Keith Jardine and a staph infection have slowed Griffin's rise to the top.
Bonnar hasn't fared quite as well. Following a controversial victory over Jardine, Bonnar lost by decision to both Rashad Evans and Griffin in the inevitable rematch. Following the loss to Griffin, Bonnar tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and was suspended for 7 months. Having completed the suspension, Bonnar is looking to regain his winning ways.
In an interview with his hometown Chicago Sun-Times, Bonnar took full responsibility for his actions. ''I was desperate,'' Bonnar said. ''My right elbow had been bad for a while, and I hurt it bad getting ready for Rashad Evans." Bonnar went on to say "This wasn't an undercard fight; it was the main event. Pulling out was not an option.''
Bonnar is arguably the biggest UFC name to test positive for steroids since Josh Barnett. Bonnar is an intelligent fighter with a good sense of self-awareness. It's no surprise that he admits his mistake. I was a big fan of Bonnar during TUF1 and have continued to support him. Bonnar makes his UFC return on the undercard of UFC 73. While he won't be the biggest name on the card, and he won't be in a title fight, he might just be the most excited to be back.
With the rapid approach of UFC 71, headlined by the Liddell v. Rampage light heavyweight title fight, I wanted to take a look at the card. This week, we'll focus on the non-televised portion of the show, which features some intriguing match-ups.
UFC 71 Non-Televised Undercard Thiago Silva v. James Irvin: James Irvin will have a place on UFC highlight reels for years to come. His flying knee KO of Terry Martin is one of the best around, and his war with Hector Ramirez saw both men trade heavy punches. Unfortunately, Irvin hasn't been able to sustain any sort of momentum during his UFC run. Losses to both Mike Kyle (KO) and Stephan Bonnar (submission) have left Irvin off the televised portion of the PPV. However, a win over undefeated Chute Boxe fighter Thiago Silva would propel Irvin up the card. Silva has finished 8 of his 9 fights, 7 by strikes. That's a great record to bring into the UFC. While fighting in the octagon can be a tough transition for any fighter, Silva trains with big names (such as Wanderlei Silva) and should be prepared. This fight could end with a big KO, so the two might just work their way onto the televised card in the end. Prediction: Silva by KO.
Sean Salmon v. Alan Belcher: In his second appearance in the UFC, Sean Salmon was originally scheduled to face Eric Schafer but the Wisconsin fighter was scratched from the card with a rib injury. Reports peg Alan Belcher, fresh off a submission loss to Kendall Grove, as Schafer's replacement. Salmon impressed in his debut against Rashad Evans, before a viscous high kick turned out the wrestler's lights. Salmon writes a guest blog for UFCJunkie.com and comes off as generally good-natured. This fight might be in his favor, if the wrestling skills he displayed when keeping Evans in control are legit. Belcher has had very little time to prepare for this fight and will be moving up a weight class. He had trouble getting off the ground against Grove, a far less talented grappler than Salmon. If Salmon can take things down early and keep them there, Belcher will be in for a long night. Prediction: Salmon by Decision.
Jeremy Stephens v. Din Thomas: Thomas is one of the UFC's most experienced lightweights, and has fought the best of the class (Penn, Uno, Pulver). Stephens is a UFC neophyte with a decent record, but no notable wins to speak of. It's easy to forget that Thomas is still relatively young (just 30) and appears to have more gas left in the tank. I was impressed with his win over Clay Guida, another younger, talented fighter with a ton of heart. Stephens has the chance to impress, but I think Thomas' experience will be the difference. Prediction: Thomas by submission.
Carmello Marerro v. Wilson Gouveia: Carmello Marrero is dropping down from heavyweight (where he had a decision victory over Chiek Kongo to his credit) to test the light heavyweight waters. Marrero is good on the ground (though Gabriel Gonzaga put a dent in that notion) and has good conditioning. Meanwhile, Gouveia is extremely well rounded. While that tag comes with a negative connotation (not being an expert in anything), Gouveia has a black belt in jiu jitsu and effective striking. Whether he has the heart to take out a fighter like Marrero is the question. Prediction: Gouveia by decision.
CONCLUSION
Stop back next week for a more in-depth preview of the main card for UFC 71. We'll also cover whatever news pops up along the way, and make any corrections for things I got wrong this week. Have a good one.
