Punch Drunk Hangover 3.31.08: Showdown at the SoCal Corral

Posted by Bren Oliver on 03.31.2008

Read ahead for Bren Oliver's thoughts on EliteXC's talks with Fedor Emelianenko, the return of Egan Inoue to MMA, Tim Sylvia parting ways with the UFC, WEC 33, Kimbo Slice's next opponent, as well as Cung Le's glorious victory over Frank Shamrock at Saturday night's Strikeforce. Those things and more, plus this week's "Monday Morning Moment of Zen" featuring an April Fool's Day-inspired prank call to Dana White plus a profanity-laced tribute from everyone's favorite Lex Luthor lookalike, are all just a click away!



Good morning, afternoon, evening, or whatever in-between time it is that your eyes have found their way to the Punch Drunk Hangover! I'm here with another one-stop shop for catching up on last week's Mixed Martial Arts news. PDH - It's like TMZ, but with 14% less skinny whores who are famous for no particular reason.

Here we are on the cusp of April Fool's Day, as well as a few days away from the much-anticipated debut of "The Ultimate Fighter VII" featuring Forrest Griffin and "Rampage" Jackson and incredible live event leading into the Season Seven hijinks. I'm certain one of my fellow 411Mania MMA keyboard-warriors will outline "Fight Night XIII" in more detail, but at a glance it looks to be the biggest "Fight Night" in the UFC's history - and I'm not just saying that because there are twelve bouts on the card. Contests like Alves vs. Parisyan, Pellegrino vs. Diaz, and Maynard vs. Edgar would be welcome on the televised portion of any UFC PPV. Couple them with the main event of Joe Lauzon vs. Kenny Florian, plus fights featuring Matt Hamill, Houston Alexander, Din Thomas, Clay Guida, Manny Gamburyan, Marcus Aurelio, and Josh Neer, and you're looking at as deep an overall card as there's ever been.

Before getting into the creamy center of this week's PDH, I'd also like to direct readers to last week's "Fact or Fiction"where I had the pleasure of discussing points alongside MMA agent-extraordinaire Ken Pavia. Also look for this week's offering on April 2nd, as "Fact or Fiction" moves to Wednesdays from now on, where we also have at least one special guest offering his perspective. Without giving it away I'll just say it involves at least one fighter from the IFL who is competing Friday, April 4th at the promotion's live event in New Jersey when Miletich Fighting Systems takes on American Top Team. Also, if you couldn't tell, I will be taking over FoF duties until a suitable replacement is found to fill the void left by O.G. Michael Huckaby.

Moving on to the sizzle of the PDH steak, as I always do, I want to start out my focusing on one of the pieces of news I found to be a cut above the others in terms of its impact on the "big picture" in Mixed Martial Arts. This past weekend saw one of the largest events in MMA go down and it did not feature a single fighter signed to a UFC contract. I'm, of course, referring to the epic "Battle for San Jose" between local favorites Frank Shamrock and Cung Le on Saturday night's Strikeforce card.

Le vs. Shamrock was everything a fan could have asked for...maybe even a little more. The crowd was off the charts and had the HP Pavillion rocking from start to finish. Each kick and punch seemed epic, every clinch giving cause to scoot up on your seat cushion an inch or two further, and the men squaring off seemed to feed off the electricity in the building, even off each other. The exchange of glances between Le and Shamrock were almost as entertaining as the bout itself. Cung would land a kick and Frank would smile. Shamrock almost got Le's back, who whirled around in the veteran's grasp to escape, and in the process flashed him a, "You like that?", expression. In the end the San Shou champion's kicks were too much for the broken-down body of Frank Shamrock, causing an anti-climatic finish to an otherwise tremendous fight, but I have a hard time thinking of a fight where the first fifteen minutes were as near-perfect as Saturday night in Southern California. My humble thanks and respect to both Frank Shamrock and Cung Le for delivering career-defining performances that further cemented the notion MMA is bigger than the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

That being said, I would personally love to see Cung Le venture out of EliteXC/Strikeforce and test his worth against a handful of individuals who grace the Octagon on a quarter-annual basis. That does not mean the fights have to take place in the UFC - just simply that I would pay money to see any of them. The first person who comes to mind is current UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. I believe he and Le are two of the most-dynamic strikers in Mixed Martial Arts (with Mauricio "Shogun" Rua filling out the top three). While I understand Silva would likely smash Le into a thousand pieces, then individually submit or knock out each quivering chunk of Cung, I don't see that as a counter-argument to having the men face off. "The Spider" has cut through every Middleweight in the UFC with relative ease. He's likely to continue to mow down every other 185-pound contender in sight. How is any other opponent a better option than Cung Le when it comes to fighting Anderson Silva? At least putting them together would guarantee a memorable fight, perhaps an iconic affair, between a mean who seems unbeatable and another who has never actually been beaten.

As far as Frank Shamrock, given his broken arm at the hands (er...well legs) of Cung Le and his need to be carried out of the cage after defeating Phil Baroni, I think it's safe to say his days as a fighter are clearly numbered. I think the only fight he has left in him is against fellow has-been, and adopted brother, Ken Shamrock. I believe both men will see that as a suitable finish to remarkable careers, plus the battle between brothers is as a big-money bout as either will find elsewhere. I think Frank views Ken as relatively easy to defeat, whereas "The World's Most Dangerous" man is a whack job who has no qualms about fighting anyone no matter how likely he is to taste canvas.

That's my three cents on Saturday night's main event between Frank Shamrock and Cung Le, as well as a few other matters surrounding both fighters. I'd love to hear what you think. Check into the conversation by visiting the comments section below my column or shoot me an email with your opinion. Now on to my humble take on a variety of other subjects rearing their ugly heads over the past seven days...


The following medley of items were reported between March 24th, 2008 and March 31st, 2008:

Representatives from both Anderson Silva's camp and Roy Jones Jr's camp have confirmed that the two sides are engaging in talks that could set up a possible boxing match between the two athletes.


Whether from each individual's camp, or MMA fans like you and I, the discussion on a potential fight between UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva and boxing great Roy Jones Jr. is nothing more than wasted breath. The proverbial balloon we're filling with hot air is far more likely to pop than take flight. Dana White grew up around the sweet science, being both an amateur boxer and fan of the sport, so he's not foolish enough to underestimate the advantage Jones Jr. would have against someone without his expertise in the realm of pugilism. White is also a smart businessman and likely sees how little the UFC has to gain were Silva to defeat a 39-year old boxer who hasn't finished an opponent in more than five years. The only way I ever see White ever allowing a UFC fighter to compete in a straight-up boxing match is against a name-opponent in his prime with the condition a second match is to be held inside the Octagon under Mixed Martial Arts' rules. If the two split the bouts then it shows neither sport is superior to the other. If one man is able to win both then he can claim to truly be the top fighter in the world. That "perfect storm" will almost definitely never come together, yet even then it's still far more likely than Anderson Silva boxing Roy Jones Jr. while he's under Zuffa contract. If "The Spider" runs the table on his remaining fights, meaning he'd likely be a free agent sometime in 2009, then perhaps the issue could be worth revisiting.


Egan Inoue, considered an original MMA star and a huge draw in Hawaii and Japan is coming out of retirement. Inoue will be fighting on a legends show in May, which will take place from Hawaii. At the age of 42, Inoue claims that his goal is to sign with UFC.


It's nice to have goals in life. However, I'd say Paris Hilton has about the same chance of winning an Academy Award in her lifetime as Egan Inoue has of making his way into the Octagon. I'm positive the MMA veteran with wins over Akihiro Gono, John Alessio, and Joe Doerksen can still compete at a moderately-high level. When Skip Hall can win at age 60, and Randy Couture can defeat Tim Sylvia at age 43, I think it's safe to say Inoue isn't too old to at least make a showing in the cage. I'm also quite sure he'll have an opportunity to prove such as there are a ton of MMA promotions out there and Inoue has his reputation in the sport acting as a draw. He's bound to be signed to a few fights before deciding to hang up his gloves for good. However, the UFC is the top dog where Mixed Martial Arts' companies are concerned and their fighters are, generally, the cream of the crop. Dana White isn't into signing freak-show fights where curiousity is the draw, and, sadly enough, that's what Egan Inoue is at this point in his career. I suppose it's possible he could blaze through every opponent he faces for the next few years, thus meriting an opportunity at "UFC 112: Huerta vs. Griffin II", but I think realistically Inoue will never get close to the big show.


During a recent interview with Fightticker.com, Mark Cuban confirmed that HDNet will air the Randy Couture/Kurt Angle submission match when and if it happens. Angle stated during an interview last week that he would be facing Couture in a submission match, which is like MMA just without the striking.


While HDNet Fights certainly shows some less-than impressive events (Kim Couture's "smoker" anyone?!?), I am actually quite interested in seeing Kurt Angle actually step into the ring without a scripted finish in sight. I understand some people enjoy the stand-up aspect to fighting, as do I, but I also have an appreciation for the technical aspects to fighting so I'm not put-off by the lack of elbows, knees, punches, and kicks. I appreciate that this grappling bout against Couture could eventually lead to him puffing-up his steroid-shrunken balls and actually giving Mixed Martial Arts competition a shot. That, or perhaps Kurt will realize he's nowhere near the level he needs to be when it comes to even submission fighting, thus causing him to finally stop talking as if he can compete at a high level. Whether Angle shuts his piehole about MMA or ends up knocked the Filipovic out in a real fight, a dream of mine would become a reality, so again, I'm stoked about an upcoming match between Couture and Angle on any level. Now, if only my dream about Jessica Alba and a kiddie-pool full of chocolate syrup could follow suit...


ProElite Inc (parent company of EliteXC) has confirmed that they have offered Fedor Emelianenko a four-fight contract worth up to seven figures. If Emelianenko signs the contract, EliteXC will feature Fedor on the first two EliteXC CBS specials. Another interesting part of the deal is that Aleksander Emelianenko will be included in the deal and would fight on the same fight cards as Fedor.


Of the American MMA promotions, I believe EliteXC and HDNet Fights have the best chance to sign Emelianenko given his rumored contractual demands. If Dana White is as hard-headed as he appears to be then it's unlikely Fedor will ink a deal with the UFC, especially given some of the disrespectful remarks White has made regarding the soft-spoken Russian. I don't think Emelianenko cares about the exposure the UFC can offer as he's already regarded as the best Heavyweight on the planet by nearly every media outlet and fan, and money-wise I'm quite certain Fedor is doing well given his success in Japan and hero-status in his home country. It sounds like EliteXC is on the right path if they're willing to sign Fedor's brother, Aleks, who is himself one of the top fifteen Heavyweights out there. Certainly putting either Emelianenko, let alone both of them, on the May 31st EliteXC event would be a major score for Gary Shaw's group and further cement them as the UFC's primary rival.


According to The Fight Network, Ricardo Almeida will be facing Patrick Cote at UFC 86 on July 5. Cote has won four straight in the UFC, while Almeida just scored a first round submission over Rob Yundt at UFC 81 after a 4 year absence from MMA. The winner of the fight could end up getting a title shot at the UFC Middleweight title.


This is excellent match-making on the part of Joe Silva. Cote and Almeida are both future-contenders to the UFC Middleweight Championship, so a fight between the two seems a good starting place for sorting out who will be ready first, and I also believe the styles of each man will make for an exciting fight. Almeida's return to action after a four-year layoff was exciting to say the least. While Rob Yundt isn't exactly Kazuo Misaki, Nate Marquardt, or Ryo Chonan (all men Almeida has defeated), the Renzo Gracie Jiujitsu product was still able to showcase his abilities and didn't show a hint of ring-rust in his appearance at UFC 81. Cote is one of the division's hottest fighters at the moment and finished his last three opponents in the first round. It's hard to say who will win in the battle between Canada and Brazil that's taking place at UFC 86. However, two things that seem quite certain about the match-up are it will be very entertaining and we'll get one step closer to determining the next wave of opponents for Anderson Silva to mow down.


Phil Baroni will be facing Murilo "Ninja" Rua at the EliteXC-CBS special on May 31st. Baroni last fought on March 15th and suffered a fifth round TKO loss to Kala Hose. The EliteXC-CBS special will be the first MMA show to air on major U.S. network television. Also on the card are Kimbo Slice, Robbie Lawler, and Gina Carano.


I expect this to start out with a bang that will fizzle as the fight progresses. Rua and Baroni both need the win and neither is known for their conditioning. Each man will come out on fire, but if one doesn't end up face-down in the first ten minutes, then don't be surprised if fans bear witness to a very sluggish third round. I'm impressed Baroni will be ready, physically and mentally, to fight again after the valiant beatdown he suffered at the hands of Kala Kolohe Hose less than three months removed from this bout eventually taking place.


Though lacking the "midnight ride" of Paul Revere, the English are again invading American soil - this time at the King of Kombat World War III show on April 5th in Austin, TX. The card will feature undefeated Brit Kamal Shalorus taking on 12-5 Jeff Davis for the WCCF Welterweight Championship, as well as Heavyweight Chris Guillen and the excellently-named Conan Cano stepping into the cage in separate bouts. Fans may recognize Guillen as the man who defeated Hammerhouse product Wes Simms in back-to-back fights last year.


To be quite honest, the only fighter on this card I've heard of before is Chris Guillen and that's simply due to my presence at "Art of War II" when he defeated Wes Simms for the first time. However, I have been a long-time proponent of supporting local Mixed Martial Arts events and I encourage every reader out there to make your way to a smaller show if one ends up in your neck of the woods. It's rare a larger promotion ventures beyond the borders of California or Nevada so fans outside of those areas are often deprived of how exhilarating it is to be at a live show. For a fraction of the price you'd pay for a UFC ticket you'll still get a genuine MMA experience filled with pretty girls, good fights, alcohol (if you're into that), and possibly even the opportunity to see the glory that is a guy in sweatpants duking it out in the cage. On top of that, keep in mind how close-knit most fight-camps are, meaning there's a good chance you'll see a number of recognizable fighters in attendance supporting training partners who are competing on the card. Also, due to the smaller crowd, it's a semi-intimate atmosphere which is more conducive to getting autographs and taking pictures as opposed to the grandeur of a UFC event.

I will be attending the King of Kombat show next weekend so I plan on bringing back a few pictures and stories from behind the scenes. I strongly encourage any reader in the Central Texas area to make his/her way to the event as well. I doubt you'll regret it.


Josh Koscheck has re-signed with the UFC. Koscheck, who is currently 8-2 in the UFC, is rumored to be fighting Chris Lytle at UFC 86 on July 5. Koscheck last fought at UFC 82 and scored a victory over Dustin Hazelett.


This was a good move for both the UFC and Koscheck. The UFC was wise to hold on to a blue-chipper like Koscheck, and they can always claim him as a member of the original Ultimate Fighter group. "Kos" has clearly shown hints of brilliance in his young career and I will be surprised if the AKA product doesn't fight for UFC Welterweight gold at some point in the next few years. Given his bright future, and that the golden-fro'd one just ended his initial contract (paying $10,000 show and another $10,000 to win), look for Koscheck to have received a nice raise once the UFC 86 payouts are released assuming he does indeed fight Lytle on that card.


According to NBC News affiliate KCBD, WEC featherweight Leonard Garcia was one of 13 people arrested as members of a drug trafficking ring. According to the report, the ring spans from Lubbock to El Paso Texas (about 350 miles). The District Attorney's Office seized about two kilograms of cocaine in the operation as well as drug trafficking paraphernalia and firearms.

According to KCBD's report, three of the 13 people arrested could face 40 years in prison and a two million dollar fine while the others could face life in prison and a four million dollar fine. The report did not say where Garcia stood in that group.


This story felt like a punch in the stomach. Forty years or life...is there really much of a difference? As the great Morgan Freeman says in one of my favorite movies (and Stephen King stories), "The Shawshank Redemption", "They send you here (prison) for life, and that's exactly what they take. The part that counts, anyway."

Whether or not Leonard Garcia receives four decades' worth of prison time, or is told he will never walk a free man again, is irrelevant. What's important, and equally tragic, is the promising future he's apparently thrown away for little more than drug money or pig-headed loyalty. He was on his way to a WEC Featherweight Championship fight against Urijah Faber and will now find himself behind bars for perhaps the rest of his natural life. According to his MySpace, Garcia considers his mother, his family, to be the most important things in his world. He will now never spend another Thanksgiving or Christmas in their warmth. I only hope he can use this sad, sad state of circumstances to warn younger people about why they should avoid making the same mistake.


Adrenaline MMA (formerly M-1 Global) CEO Monte Cox has announced that the organization has signed former IFL fighter Ben Rothwell. Rothwell is currently on a 13 fight win streak. Adrenaline MMA made huge news recently by announcing the signing of Tim Sylvia, who was recently released by the UFC. They are working on a June 14th show to be held in Chicago.


Please excuse me if I'm not fully engorged at the Adrenaline MMA's signing of Tim Sylvia or Ben Rothwell. It's like Drew Rosenhaus creating his own professional football league, then signing two of his own clients to deals that will still let them play in the NFL so should they choose. I see Adrenaline running a one-and-done event, with possibly an option for a second financial disaster to finally seal the deal, because frankly there's no room for a new promotion in MMA unless an endless stream of capital becomes available. Only in that case could I see an impact being made. Adrenaline MMA is bound to go the way of the dodo...or should I say, the way of M-1?


Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Kimbo Slice's next opponent could be Ron Waterman. Waterman is currently 15-5-2 as a pro and is a former UFC veteran. EliteXC could confirm this on tonight's "Shamrock vs. Le" card.


Unless I missed it on Saturday night, which is possible due to the highly distracting nature of Kimbo's cowboy attire coupled with his traditional head-sock, I don't believe any official announcement was made regarding Slice's opponent on May 31st. I'd love to see EliteXC work a deal out with the Emelianenkos, as mentioned as a possibility earlier in this article, and see them pair up Aleks against Kimbo on the heels of Memorial Day weekend. A billing with USA vs. Russia has shades of patriotism, does it not? The younger Emelianenko brother would certainly make for a dangerous opponent, especially when EliteXC is exposing Slice to a national viewing audience, but their styles would likely result in a very entertaining fight. Aleks isn't afraid to stand and exchange leather, though he also has a solid ground game, and he's not the type of opponent to be intimidated by Kimbo's reputation. Slice, on the other hand, will be more than happy to keep it standing but has also expressed his desire to show he's got ability on the ground as well. Ron Waterman is a more realistic opponent for Kimbo, due to him being washed up and quite beatable, but until something is official it can't hurt to speculate on the possibility of a legitimate opponent for one of EliteXC's posterboys.


EliteXC was unable to come to an agreement with Ron Waterman putting an end to the possible Kimbo Slice/Ron Waterman fight that was rumored for CBS. It's now looking like James Thompson could be the guy to fight Kimbo on CBS in May. Thompson is currently 14-8 as a pro.

This news broke a few minutes before submitting PDH for printing so please forgive my poetic waxings on the possibility of Aleks Emeliaenko stepping into the cage against Kimbo Slice. I understand why EliteXC is making this particular match, as Thompson is poor on the ground and apparently has a passion for getting knocked silly. He and Kimbo will exchange stand-up which will likely lead to the large Brit going wobbly-legged before collapsing in a heap of fish, chips, and flesh. It's a smart business decision on EliteXC's part but piss-poor matchmaking for fans wanting to see Slice's skills truly tested.


From WEC 33...

Marcus Hicks def. Ed Ratliff - Submission - RD 1


First off, I want to state my disappointment over WEC not electing to show Brock Larson take on John Alessio. Both men are talented enough, with enough past success, to have merited a live broadcast on the Versus Network.

Ed Ratliff talked a big game but didn't show much in the cage. I like the "O Must Go" billing, where both fighters were undefeated and therefore one would end up losing his first professional fight, and I think it would be a wise move for a promotion to adopt this gimmick as a way to promote bouts between up-and-coming competitors in the sport. The fact one man will end up having his cherry popped adds to the fight's drama. Eww, that just sounded WRONG....


Chael Sonnen def. Brian Barker - Judges' Decision


Sonnen absolutely destroyed Barker who did his best to fend off the overwhelming assault of the Team Quest Middleweight. Chael is definitely on his way to becoming the WEC Middleweight Champion unless Paulo Filho's time in rehab somehow makes him a better fighter than he was the first time he and Sonnen faced off over the oversized WEC beltbuckle. Sonnen seems to be at the top of his game, though I do have some concern relating to his ability to finish off an opponent as opposed to simply smothering him for the decision win. He should have been able to finish Barker and he simply couldn't.


Brian Stann def. Doug Marshall - TKO - RD 1


I'm not sure if any of you are aware of this, but apparentl Brian Stann is a Marine...

But seriously, I was very pleased to see Stann walk away the winner of this bout and his emotion after the fight was a heartwarming moment. I also have an intense dislike for Doug Marshall's tag-line about "knocking dead" his opponents, especially when used at WEC 31 which happened to only be a few weeks after Sammy Vazquez's untimely passing. Some will argue it's merely gamesmanship on Marshall's part but I still find it to be quite tasteless. Mixed Martial Arts would suffer a tremendous blow if a fighter was in fact "knocked dead" in a ring, not to mention the affect it would have on that individual's loved one. There's a proper way to sell yourself in the industry and implying the death of your opponent is not it.


From "Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Le"...

Joey Villasenor def. Ryan Jensen - KO - RD 1


Did you know Ryan Jensen has never made it out of the second round? If you watched Saturday night you could certainly see why. He fought wild and apparently his jaw is made of cotton candy. I respect Jensen for stepping in against someone of Villasenor's ability with only about a week to prepare, but it was clearly not a great career move and "Smokin' Joe" had little trouble in taking care of business. I'm not sure Villasenor will ever reach the upper-echelon of Mixed Martial Arts, but he's the kind of fighter who always turns in an exciting performance and I believe he's well-rounded enough to compete with the top names in the quite-deep EliteXC Middleweight Division.


Wayne Cole def. Mike Kyle - Submission - RD 1


The size difference between Cole and Kyle was impressive, as Cole is a stout little fellow, but Kyle's 6'4" frame did him no favors as Cole tapped him out with ease. Cole's transition to armbar was pretty darn slick. It clearly had Kyle baffled. Hopefully Kyle can put his eighteen-month suspension behind him and shake off any butterflies he experienced in his return to MMA competition. His actions at WEC 20 were inexcusible but he's served his time and deserves a chance to redeem himself. Kyle is only 28 so he's still got a number of good years ahead of him if he keeps his nose clean and keeps improving.


Drew Fickett def. Jae Suk Lim - Submission - RD 1


I'm not quite sure what to make of Fickett's post-fight antics, but I wonder if perhaps he dipped into Nick Diaz's backstage stash of medical marijuana before coming out to compete. Regardless, Fickett looked very sharp against the clearly overmatched Lim and made it clear he's the man to fight Jake Shields for the EliteXC Welterweight Championship. I've said it before, and will continue to say it, but Drew Fickett is one of the most underrated fighters on the MMA landscape. He's 17-3 in his last twenty fights with his only losses coming to the talented trio of Karo Parisyan, Josh Burkman, and Nick Diaz. He's got another sixteen wins on top of those, twelve of those coming consecutively, with only two other defeats to his name. I believe Drew Fickett will be Shields' toughest opponent in over two years, though it's hard to count out the Gracie Fighter who beat Yushin Okami and Carlos Condit in back-to-back fights at a "Rumble on the Rock" event in 2006.


Gilbert Melendez def. Gabe Lemley - TKO - RD 2


Gabe Lemley apparently had no business being in the ring against Gilbert Melendez and "El Nino" blew right through him leaving a battered face, and broken man, in his wake. To Lemley's credit he did once submit Clay Guida a few years back, but since then he hasn't had nearly the same success or faced as high a level of opponent. Melendez is one of the five best Lightweights in the world and absolutely deserves to be the Strikeforce Lightweight Champion. Hopefully his next title defense comes against Josh "Punk" Thomson as, similar to the night's main event, it would pit two talented men beloved by the SoCal crowd against each other with the ultimate prize on the line.


Jibber-Jabber:

The following soundbytes were delivered over the past week...

From Tim Sylvia, on "Inside MMA", regarding his decision to leave the UFC...

"I've pretty much come to a crossroads in my career...there's a lot of big things happening in the MMA world and especially outside of the UFC. Adrenaline is a new promotion, but it allows fighters to fight for other organizations -- that's huge. I've got three to four years left and want to fight as much as possible, so this is the perfect choice for me at this time. Japan's starting to get some big shows going again, and Affliction show is going to be happening, so I'm looking to fight in all of them. Be real active, fight five or six times a year. And there's a guy out there named Fedor who I'd like to fight. And I think the only way that's going to happen is by me leaving the UFC."


I'm certain Dana White was more-than happy to be rid of Sylvia's six-figure contract and this seemed to be an eventuality after Sylvia mentioned concern with Lesnar's salary in the UFC 81 post-event press conference. I'm not sure "The Maine-iac" can make more clams outside of the Octagon but I appreciate his stance regarding the freedom to fight when he wants regardless of the event. I believe the UFC will have to start recognizing the importance of cross-promoting. As the mainstream learns more and more about Mixed Martial Arts they will begin to realize there are alternatives featuring fighters even more-skilled than men who the UFC calls champions.


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Before closing things down, I want to welcome a few of 411Mania's newest MMA writers - Adam Tool, Sergio G. Hernandez , and Wendell Mitchell. If their initial offerings are any indication of their future as Mixed Martial Arts journalists then I think I need to invest in a new pair of sunglasses because things look very bright! Also, keep your eyes out for the "UFC Fight Night XIII" Roundtable Discussion featuring many of your favorite 411Mania MMA columnists to add to an already chock-full Wednesday of content. Hey, if the UFC can stack a "Fight Night" with talent from top to bottom, so can the 411Mania MMA Zone!

That's about all she wrote for this week's Hangover. Till next time, here's your "Monday Morning MMA Moment of Zen" Punch Drunk buckaroos - someone prank calls Dana White and wants to talk about a fighter-friend who is looking to come out of the closet, plus bonus footage featuring a compilation of NSFW-language courtesy of the UFC President.


I know you want to be a f*ckin fighter, but do you want to be a faaaaabulous fighter?




No wonder the person working the beeper at Spike TV has $150,000 salary...




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