The MMA News Report 07.04.07
Posted by Morgan Marx on 07.04.2007
Will Quinton Jackson and Dan Henderson swap titles? When will Tim Sylvia fight again? Who did the UFC reward with a new contract? Which prominent fighter tested positive for steroids now? Answers to these questions and thoughts on UFC 73 inside. Also, the Reader’s Question lives to fight another week.
INTRODUCTION
As you've probably read by now, this has been a slow week for MMA news. However, a few stories broke within the last 24 hours, so there are a couple of updates below. You can also check out my thoughts on UFC 73, airing on PPV this Saturday. We've all heard how great the card looks, here's hoping it lives up to its potential.
Also, be sure to check out 411's exclusive interviews with both Tito Ortiz and Din Thomas (links provided below, I don't want you skipping out on my column). My fellow writers did a tremendous job interviewing top-flight MMA competitors. The Din Thomas interview was even featured on the UFC's official homepage. So, with all these stars taking time to talk to 411, whom did I get to interview? Wayne DeMilia, promoter of the fledgling Global FC which will run its first show this August with fighters such as Jeff Monson, Mark Kerr, and Butterbean. DeMilia was very generous with his time, and the interview is a fantastic look at a fledgling organization trying to capitalize on the popularity of MMA. So check it out when it's posted later this week.
MAILBAG
Josh Bruno from Sacramento saw fit to rescue the Reader's Question feature of the column. Here's Josh's thoughts on which TUF 5 cast member has the most potential:
The fighter with the most potential from season 5 is easily Cory Hill. He towers over most lightweights by a good 1/2 foot, has a fun, honest & goofy personality reminiscent of Forest Griffin, and has barely even trained MMA. If he is indeed now training with Jeremy Horn and can learn submission defense (and offense), a sprawl & can use his reach & height to his advantage he has unlimited potential. If the 1st round of his fight with Nate Diaz is any indication, there's a well that has yet to be tapped with this kid.
Great response Josh. I do think it's slightly presumptuous to assume any new fighter can learn "submission defense, offense, how to sprawl, and how to use his reach." But Hill seems like a special case. I think your point about Hill's personality is right on. Fans want to latch onto fighters with distinct, entertaining personalities, and Hill seems to posses that quality. It will be interesting to see whether Hill stays at lightweight, and how he improves training with Horn.
Thanks to Josh, we get another question this week. Who wants to step up and keep things going:
Reader's Question: Would you like to see Nathan Marquardt as UFC middleweight champion? Or is his conservative style too "boring" in comparison to a charismatic striker like Anderson Silva?
NEWS
Jackson v. Henderson Not For Titles
<
Amidst the various news and hype surrounding UFC 73 this Saturday, Dana White also had some illuminating things to say about other issues in his pre PPV conference call. One of the things White clarified was the situation surrounding the upcoming superfight between UFC lightheavyweight champion Quinton Jackson and Pride dual champion Dan Henderson. Asked whether the fight would be a title unification bout, White responded:
No. What we're doing with that thing is we're respecting both (the UFC and PRIDE) titles. The UFC title is the UFC champion and we're respecting Dan as the PRIDE champion. Quinton will walk out with his belt if Dan wins and vice versa.
While some fans might be disappointed that the fight has lost some of the "title versus title" luster, I think this is the best situation for both companies. With the fate of Pride still unknown, the scenarios surrounding a title unification fight were murky at best. Would the winner defend the belts in both companies? Would the losing company's weight class be set adrift? We didn't really have a definitive answer to these questions. Now, thanks to White, we can stop asking.
Some have speculated that the fight will now be a 3 round affair, as opposed to the customary 5 rounds for title fights. Either way, we're still getting an exciting match-up featuring two of the best in the world. It's interesting, Pride was well known for featuring bouts where a champion's title wasn't on the line. Is the UFC drawing a page from Pride's book?
Edit: On today's edition of the Stephen Quadros Show the hosts cited a Zuffa report that suggested Quinton Jackson's UFC light heavyweight title would be on the line. Dan Henderson's Pride titles, however, would not. The above quote certainly appears to refute that, unless it was completely erroneous. Until I hear different from the UFC, I'm assuming no titles will exchange hands. More on this next week.
A Sherdog.com report states that Phi Baroni tested positive for two types of steroids following his loss to Frank Shamrock. Baroni has been fined $2500 and suspended 365 days by the California State Athletic Commission. Baroni's manager, Ken Pavia, semi-refuted the claims:
Phil did not knowingly ingest these drugs, which we are told are veterinary in nature. Phil Baroni feels that worse than any fine or suspension is the disgrace associated with the positive test to himself, his family and fans. As such he asks that judgement be withheld until all facts are in evidence.
Baroni, notorious for his exceptional physique, has repeatedly denied steroid claims in the past. In the buildup to their fight, Shamrock reiterated such claims in the back and forth between the two.
In a brief update on his official website, Tim Sylvia indicated that he's looking at an October return to the octagon. Sylvia is recovering from back surgery he underwent following his surprising loss to current UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture. Sylvia stated he has completed his rehab assignment, and has resumed training in the gym.
The UFC hasn't mentioned Sylvia since his title run came to an end. Though once known for his explosive knockouts, Sylvia plodded through two unanimous decision victories after capturing the title from Andrei Arlovski. His conservative style, seen as a way to not lose the belt rather than a chance to win the fight, didn't endear Sylvia to UFC fans looking for action. A bad choice to reveal his injury troubles in his post loss interview after the Couture fight only made things worse.
It will be interesting to see where Sylvia fits in the UFC what with all the additions the heavyweight division has seen. Regardless of his style, Sylvia is 23-3 and remains a top 10 (possibly even top 5) contender. UFCJunkie is speculating that an October return for Sylvia could see him fighting at UFC 77 in Cincinnati. As for now that is just a rumor, along with any possible opponents.
A lot can change in 2 months. Houston Alexander used to be an unknown fighter plying his trade on amateur shows. After a stunning KO of rising challenger Keith Jardine, Alexander is now known to the MMA world for his heavy hands and ruthless finishing. For their part, the UFC has rewarded Alexander with both a new contract and another high profile fight. Alexander will next appear at the UFC's return to the UK in September. He will take on Italian boxer Alessio Sakara at UFC 75, to be headlined by Quinton Jackson's fight with Dan Henderson.
Sakara should prove to be a good opponent for Alexander. Sakara will look to stand and trade with Alexander, meaning viewers might see another explosive KO. While Sakara has had his struggles in the UFC, he is coming off a decisive victory over Victor Valimaki. At this point, every fight is a must win for Sakara, so he should bring the fight to Alexander. I'm sure Alexander won't mind.
MMAWeekly.com is also reporting that the UFC resigned Alexander to a new 3-fight deal. The UFC doesn't usually renegotiate contracts so early in a UFC career, so obviously the company thinks the world of Alexander's talent.
UFC 73, as you've no doubt heard, lives up to its moniker. The fight card is arguably the strongest in years, featuring not only multiple championship fights, but quality match-ups. However, as we've seen, the way a card looks on paper does not dictate how enjoyable the event is. Several of the UFC's latest offers have failed to impress in the hype department, but have been exceedingly entertaining to watch. The Fight Night Live main event featuring Sam Stout and Spencer Fisher epitomized this, as the two men put on a show for 3 back and forth rounds, though neither was expected to impress. Will UFC 73: Stacked live up to the expectations? Or will we get boring, cautious fights.
UFC 73 Main Card Anderson Silva (c) v. Nathan Marquardt: I'm not particularly good at picking fights, so every fight is a hard fight to call. However, a match-up between two well-rounded fighters who each excel in differing areas is extremely hard to call. I think the pre-fight discussion has somewhat mirrored the Silva v. Lutter match. Everyone is preoccupied by whether Marquardt can take Silva down. Nate Marquardt will not win this fight by simply securing a take down. Anderson Silva does not have a great sprawl. It's not impossible to take him down and even mount him. Finishing him, on the other hand, is very difficult. Silva's reach will make it difficult for Marquardt to shoot from the outside. Marquardt will eat punches, kicks, and knees as he attempts to press forward. The sooner he can take the fight down means the less damage he sustains standing. But ultimately, I think Silva has more ways to finish the fight. I can see Silva catching a flash submission from the bottom. I can't see Marquardt landing a punch while standing. Prediction: Silva by KO.
Alvin Robinson v. Kenny Florian: Kenny Florian is for real. Anyone who survives 25 minutes with Sean Sherk can't be taken lightly. But he has yet to fight someone who matches his jiu jitsu skills. Alvin Robinson brings in an impressive record, having collected 8 wins all by submission. Florian won't be able to overwhelm Robinson on the ground as he did straightforward strikers Kit Cope and Sam Stout. Instead, we might see another instance where a UFC veteran falls prey to hungry newcomer. Robinson hasn't fought anyone as accomplished as Florian, but the time is right for an upset. Prediction: Robinson by Submission.
Rashad Evans v. Tito Ortiz: Rashad Evans has answered almost all the questions about him. We know he's a talented wrestler. He's proven he can win fights by KO, with both his hands and his feet. The only remaining question is how Evans will deal with a high caliber opponent. Tito Ortiz will be that challenge, even if he has lost the invincible aura. While Evans defeated Sean Salmon in highlight reel fashion, he didn't look unstoppable in a first round spent mostly on his back. I don't think Ortiz will exchange with Evans on his feet, and I don't think Evans will prevent the takedown. Since Ortiz is content to sit in another fighter's guard, the pressure will be on Evans to keep the fight standing, or get trapped on his back. It will be interesting to see how Evans will respond to a fighter willing to ground out a decision. Prediction: Ortiz by Decision.
Sean Sherk (c) v. Hermes Franca: It's easy to see how this fight will go. Sherk will get the take down. Franca will look for submissions from his back. That's about it. The good news for Franca is that he consistently works for submissions from the bottom, and Sherk has a tendency to win by decision. The longer the fight goes, the more chances Franca will have to catch something. The bad news is that Sherk, due to sheer physiology, is very difficult to catch in armbars and triangles. It will take a huge amount of fortitude for Franca to withstand the pressure Sherk applies to find a way to win. Prediction: Sherk by TKO.
Heath Herring v. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: Heath Herring has a chance to erase the negativity surrounding his UFC debut by spoiling someone else's. Unfortunately, the man he's facing holds two victories over Herring and won't be surprised by anything Herring has to offer. Still, I think this is a dangerous fight for Nogueira. He must acclimate to fighting in the USA, and in the cage. He's dealing with issues surrounding a reported departure from BTT. And while Herring has failed to impress on US soil, he has lasted a full fight with Minotauro before. Cro Cop and Werdum have had trouble adjusting to the UFC, might Nogueira? I'm going out on a limb on this one. Prediction: Herring by TKO.
CONCLUSION
Enjoy the show on Saturday. Check in next week for my thoughts on the events, my apologies for my picks (something tells me I'm not going 5 for 5 again), and the latest relevant news. Also, remember to check out my interview with Global FC promoter Wayne DeMilia later this week.
