Punch Drunk Hangover 4.21.08: Da Riddum, Da Rebel, and Da UFC Welterweight Championship

Posted by Bren Oliver on 04.21.2008

Bring your French rap and read ahead for Bren Oliver's thoughts on George St. Pierre's performance on Saturday night, UFC 83 in general, a few Ultimate Fighter VII finale bouts, confirmation of Emelianenko vs. Sylvia, the possibility of Frank Mir on TUF VIII, and Rich Franklin's thoughts on fighting at LHW. Those things and more, plus this week's "Monday Morning Moment of Zen" featuring Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in one of his first professional fights, 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. As always, it's a pleasure bringing you Monday's reaction to a UFC Pay Per View event and I don't think I'm alone in my feeling UFC 83 delivered everything a fan could have hoped for and maybe even a little more. The crowd was perhaps the best in promotional history, though I also give a ton of credit to the Ohioans at UFC 68 who showed up in full force to support Randy Couture and Rich Franklin. The Montreal fans were loud from start to finish, whether raining down their adulation, disproval, or chants of "G-S-P", "Gou-let", "OLE! OLE OLE OLE!", or any of the other en masse, sometimes R-Rated, choruses of raucous cheering. Their enthusiasm, whether positive or negative, added to my enjoyment of an event featuring great action, incredible technique, highlight-reel moments, and a few laughs to boot.

I thought "Ken-Flo" did a solid job acting as Joe Rogan's replacement, though I will admit, I found myself wishing Randy Couture was still in the good graces of the UFC, and vice-versa, as he would have almost certainly been acting in Florian's role were we in that alternate dimension. Ken did a nice job on color commentary and it was hard not to smile at his post-fight exchange with Rich Franklin regarding the Middleweight's resemblance to Jim Carrey. If the Canadian comedian decided to smash his nose into a wall a few times I might tend to agree with Florian's assessment (which was also made by 411's Adam Tool in his latest column). Personally, I think Matt Lindland looks like he and the LotR's Gollum were separated at birth but that's a subject for a future PDH. And, again, sorry for any delay in load times but UFC 83 had too many memorable moments to not share with the world via animated GIF file.

Okay fine...I can't help it...real fast and then I'll move on to UFC 83...





From UFC 83...


Jonathan Goulet def. Kuniyoshi Hironaka - TKO - RD 2


Before talking about the actual fight, something needs to be said about Goulet's hair. It was perhaps the worst I've ever seen in MMA. I'm no style maven myself, but the advertisement written into his "do" was ridiculous. Then again, judging from the hairstyle of one of his corner guys, I wonder if perhaps they have a mutual blind-barber friend who they enjoy humoring.

As far as the fight, either man could have taken home the win and Hironaka was close to doing so in the first round. Goulet was able to recover and eventually finished his Japanese opponent off. It was a good way to begin the event, from an in-person perspective, as it started UFC 83 out with a Canadian winning in an exciting fashion. I don't think he-of-the-horrible-hair will ever amount to much inside the Octagon but I believe he's an adequate gatekeeper and deserves a spot on the lower-card in that role.





Mac Danzig def. Mark Bocek - Submission - RD 3


Speaking of excellent bouts to open things up with, Danzig vs. Bocek was a genuine battle with Danzig getting the better of nearly every exchange. Mac's technique on the ground was superb whether he found himself on his back or otherwise. His striking clearly made the difference as was evident in the damage he did to Bocek's face. I think Danzig's progression in the UFC's Lightweight Division will be fun to watch. He's a seasoned and very well-rounded fighter. After his performance against a very game mark Bocek, I would love to see him get in the cage against the likes of Nate Diaz, Tyson Griffin, Roger Huerta, or Kenny Florian.





Michael Bisping def. Charles McCarthy - TKO - RD 1


When Bisping announced his intentions to drop to 185-pounds, I did not expect a dramatic difference in the Brit's physical appearance and I was caught off-guard when he entered the cage looking so svelte. It was almost as if he decied to cut weight doing chemotherapy, especially with his shaved head, instead of time in a sauna or on a treadmill. His striking looked crisp and his talk about feeling faster seemed accurate given his showing against the blade-less, motor-free "Chainsaw" Charles McCarthy. I'd commented to one of my friends during the bout that I felt McCarthy could be risking a broken arm simply because Frank Shamrock's injury was fresh on my mind and came under similar circumstances. I actually felt the referee should have stopped the Bisping/McCarthy fight with a few seconds remaining in the round and "The Count" may have agreed given his puzzled expression at the sound of the bell. I'm not sure how Bisping will fare against the Middleweight Division's top fighters, but I was definitely impressed by the job he did at UFC 83. As far as McCarthy goes, consider him the first of three UFC 83 fighters I never want to see on my television screen again (at least as far as the UFC goes).





Nate Quarry def. Kalib Starnes - Judges ' Decision


Second up as far as Mixed Martial Artists who fought at UFC 83 and showed they have no place in the organization is Kalib Starnes. His strategy to back up was as confusing as it was boring and frustrating for both Quarry and the fans watching. It says a lot about a guy when he can turn his own countrymen against him. The Canadian fans were ready to direct blind approval towards any fighter attached to the proverbial Maple Leaf and Starnes literally had 21,000+ fellow Canucks hating him by the end of the fight. Quarry, on the other hand, won over everyone in attendance and more than a few viewers at home as well. I can certainly say my appreciation for what he brings as a fighter went up tenfold after Saturday night. His striking looked good, even if Starnes back-pedaled the entire time, and your sense of humor would have to be as frigid as the frozen tundra if you didn't at least snicker when Quarry mocked Starnes' retreat at the end of the third round. Beyond his lack of aggression in the cage, Kalib's post-fight show of disrespect where he threw some profanity at Quarry for making fun at him was further reason he does not deserve to be a UFC fighter, and in fact I seem to recall him doing something similar after his loss to Alan Belcher.








Rich Franklin def. Travis Lutter - TKO - RD 2


And now we come to our final contestant on "This May Be My Final Octagon Appearance" - Travis Lutter. He needed to show fans, and Dana White, a reason to believe his weight-related debacle against Anderson Silva was a fluke. He needed to prove his worth more than anyone else stepping into the cage at UFC 83. And, instead, he showed up poorly conditioned and unable to do much beyond the first few minutes of the fight. I wonder if he decided to cut a ton of weight again, but made sure it would be within a range he could definitely make 185 since anything other would certainly be his end in the UFC. Regardless, his performance at UFC 83 was less than stellar, and showed that he is a liability when it comes to televised portions of a PPV. Franklin, on the other hand, looked very good and will be hard for any Middleweight not named Anderson Silva to beat. His show of class after the fight is another example of why Franklin is considered one of the UFC's biggest stars. He's smart, respectful, and his skillset is chock full of MMA goodness. His escape from Lutter's armbar was so beautiful it could have been painted by Michelangelo.

As far as where Rich Franklin goes from here, I think even he knows a third shot at Anderson Silva is unlikely. I believe it's a matter of weighing his current money-making potential at 34 years old against his potential to compete in 2009 and beyond. They could put him up against some younger, more-beatable opponents like Patrick Cote, Damian Maia (red alert on that option by the way), or Chris Leben in order to let Franklin potentially pad his record before retirement. The more sensible direction to go as far as I'm concerned would be striking while the iron is hot. The UFC can easily deliver above-average PPV numbers using the likes of Dan Henderson, Michael Bisping, or Nate Marquardt as draws to main event a show or at least act as a rock-solid co-headliner.





Georges St. Pierre def. Matt Serra - TKO - RD 2


Ahhhh....the MMA world breathes a collective sigh of relief and all is right with the world once again...

This was the fight most people expected to see at UFC 69 in April 2007 when Serra shocked the world and left St. Pierre sprawled out in a dazed mess. GSP dominated from the opening seconds of the first round and never gave up on his relentless attack. The difference in pound-for-pound ability between "Rush", Anderson Silva, and Fedor Emelianenko is razor thin and it would be hard to prove St. Pierre isn't the best of the bunch. His wrestling, jiujitsu, and striking are all amongst the best in the sport. He is also a creative fighter and I think many Mixed Martial Artists wouldn't have thought to use the knees eventually tenderizing Serra's ribcage and setting up the win. Matt Serra, meanwhile, would be best served by dropping down to 155-pounds and competing against people closer to his natural weight. He has a "money" fight left at Welterweight in the form of Matt Hughes, but beyond that I think moving to Lightweight is the right move if he wants to sniff another title before hanging up his gloves. I also could see Serra contemplating retirement since he has a new wife and a great business training people in jiujitsu.

I cannot think of a better opponent for GSP to fight right now than Jon Fitch and their bout later this year should be one for the ages. If St. Pierre crushes Fitch, as the young French-Canadian has done in the past against other wrestlers (Hughes, Koscheck, Trigg), I have a hard time seeing anyone on the UFC's roster beating him at Welterweight.









Before moving on to the news from last week, I would be remiss to not include the sweet, bonus-winning choke applied by jiujitsu savant Damian Maia on Ed Herman:





That's my three cents on the matter. I'd love to hear what you think, so share your opinions in the comment section or via email. Now on to my humble take on a variety of subjects rearing their ugly heads over the past seven days...


The following medley of items were reported between April 14th, 2008 and April 20th, 2008:


Bobby Lashley has been training in both San Jose and Colorado Springs lately for MMA. From all reports he appears to be MMA bound when his WWE non-complete clause ends in early May.


I question the actual impact Bobby Lashley can have in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts. There are some very important factors to consider when discussing his entry into the sport. First and foremost, while his amateur credentials seem impressive on the surface, I think it's important to remember his early success came under the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) banner, not NCAA, and he competed at 177 pounds. He clearly weighed quite a bit more than that when last seen in the WWE so Lashley is either going to have to shed a lot of muscle or find a way to be as effective an athlete with less speed and mobility. He is also a few months away from turning 32 years old which is fairly late in the game to start learning MMA. And, furthermore, Lashley never achieved the level of popularity Lesnar experienced in the WWE, or the attention Brock received from the mainstream media, while also lacking the look and personality of the huge Minnesotan.

I think Lashley will be able to grind out a few wins at smaller shows against inferior competition, but he and his fans are in for a rude awakening if they believe he'll find a home, and prolonged success, inside the Octagon. I suppose it's possible EliteXC could try to get their hands on him as a foil to the UFC having Lesnar, and they're clearly not afraid to build a fighter up as evident in their treatment of Kimbo Slice, but I don't see Lashley as being half as marketable as either Brock or Kimbo. It would ultimately be money poorly spent if any company is counting on Lashley to be a major draw or future MMA superstar.


UFC Lightweights Jeremy Stephens and Spencer Fisher will be squaring off at the Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale set for June 21st. Fisher last fought at UFC 78 where he lost by decision to Frankie Edgar. Stephens last fought at UFC Fight Night 12 where he beat Cole Miller via TKO.

It has also been announced TUF III winner Kendall Grove will face Evan Tanner at the Season VII Finale, while TUF I winner Diego Sanchez will step into the cage against Luigi Fioravanti at the same event.


I like all three of these match-ups and the trio make for a nice Season VII Finale card, especially when considering there will also be an Ultimate Fighter Championship bout added to the mix. By the way, as I've maintained since he was announced as a participant on the show, I still see CB Dollway as the eventual winner of TUF's seventh season.

Stephens has won eleven of his last twelve fights while Fisher has lost two of his previous three. This is a very important fight for "The King", as he's at a stage in his career where he needs to prove he deserves to still draw a Zuffa paycheck. What I find especially intriguing about this bout is the fact Fisher and Stephens are both Iowa guys and have trained together before at Miletich Fighting Systems.

It will also be a crucial night for both Kendall Grove and Evan Tanner. Both are in "must win" situations though each for a different reason. Tanner is 37 years old and ended up on the wrong end of Yushin Okami's knee after almost a two-year layoff riddled with depression and alcoholism. Grove looked like a future star after winning the TUF III Championship and rallying off consecutive victories against Alan Belcher and Chris Price. He has since lost two in a row, most recently getting manhandled by journeyman Jorge Rivera at UFC 80. If "Da Spyder" loses on June 21st he will be 8-6 as a professional and that doesn't bode well where his UFC future is concerned.

Sanchez vs. Fioravanti does not involve career-threatening stakes, but it should still turn out to be an entertaining contest between two talented young fighters. Diego will definitely be the favorite going into the bout and rightfully so. It will be nice to see "The Nightmare" back on television since Dana White didn't decide to treat fans to his first-round strike-based submission of David Bielkheden at UFC 82 (even though there was ample time left before the PPV broadcast signed off).


The CSAC announced on Monday that they have reinstated UFC Lightweight Sean Sherk. Sherk was released from suspension after meeting all the requirements outlined by the CSAC. Sherk was suspended for 12 months following his July 7, 2007 fight with Hermes Franca for testing positive for Nandrolone. Sherk later appealed the suspension and got it reduced to six months, he was then stripped of the UFC Lightweight title.


This was simply a formality and not necessarily deserving of much mention. Sherk had to pay a fine attached to the suspension and did so last week, thereby meeting all the CSAC's conditions and ending the commission's disciplinary response to his positive test for steroids. I heard through the grapevine there was a huge party thrown after the CSAC's announcement was made official. There was allegedly live music and scores of beautiful women. And, as far as refreshments go, rumor has it Nick Diaz brought the brownies and Sean Sherk brought the juice.


The WEC has confirmed that Manny Tapia has had to pull out of his June title fight against current WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres. However, the WEC has announced that Yoshiro Maeda will be stepping in for the injured Tapia. Maeda made his WEC debut with a first round KO over Charlie Valencia in February. He is also the reigning featherweight King of Pancrase.


The WEC knows how to do it right when it comes to the lighter weightclasses of MMA. Bantamweight and Featherweight bouts are more popular overseas, as it seems we Americans tend to see the bigger guys in action per their propensity to knock each other out, but "UFC Jr." has found a way to put together exciting matches featuring smaller fighters on a consistent basis. Urijah Faber is the truth - a genuine superstar in look, attitude, and ability. His upcoming fight against Jens Pulver is the biggest things to happen to the 145-pound division, at least pertaining to U.S. soil, in a long time...maybe ever. And, likewise, Maeda vs. Torres is going to be a war where genuine fans of Mixed Martial Arts should see some intense grappling and exchanging of well-executed strikes. Tapia would have also been a solid opponent for Torres, and I look forward to an eventual fight between the undefeated Tapia and the winner of Maeda/Torres.


The 7-foot-2, 350 pound Hong Man Choi will be taking time off from MMA to fulfill his required service time in the Korean military service. Choi will begin his military training on April 21st. In South Korea there is a mandatory commitment to military service of up to 2-3 years.


Now seriously, what in the world is Hong Man Choi going to do in the military?!? I understand he has no choice in the matter, and it's a standard process for South Koreans, but is the "Techno Goliath" really going to go through the rigors of being a recruit? Will he one day drive a tank? Can he even fit in a tank? I think the Korean military would be much better off using Choi as a P.R. goldmine. He is very personable, and obviously someone who stands out in a crowd, so it seems logical to use those traits for the benefit of South Korea. Why not have Choi fight under the military's banner, building him up as a dominant force in combat as a metaphor for their government?


Crowd-pleasing Joey Villasenor of Albuquerque, N.M., will replace Murilo "Ninja'' Rua on the EliteXC/CBS Saturday, May 31 fight card at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Villasenor, who has won two straight, including a sensational first-round knockout over Ryan Jensen on March 29, will face Phil Baroni in one of five fights on the inaugural primetime broadcast.


It's always fun to see one of the Ruas compete, but Joey Villasenor is most definitely an adequate replacement for "Ninja". Villasenor's style is comparable to Murilo Rua's and shouldn't cause much need for Baroni to adjust his gameplan. It's a great pairing of fighters in the sense both will throw heavy hands and it's very likely there will be a highlight-worthy finish to the bout. The fans are almost guaranteed an entertaining fight simply because of the two men involved and that bodes well for the first EliteXC/CBS broadcast.


CagePotato.com is reporting that season 8 of the Ultimate Fighter will feature current UFC Heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and former UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir as coaches. The two would then square off in a fight on PPV at the end of the season.


There was talk this announcement would be made official over the weekend and, as of mid-Sunday, I'm happy to say that such a thing hasn't taken place. Frank Mir does not at all deserve to compete for the UFC Heavyweight Championship and I would be very disappointed were he to be named #1 Contender as a means to hype a reality show. Forrest Griffin is a different case. He may have gotten a nudge up the ladder due to his personality, but his submission of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua previous to his title-fight announcement cannot be denied. Mir's only wins since returning from injury in early 2006 have come over three fighters who are a combined 19-11. He also lost two fights in that timespan. And, let us also not forget Lesnar destroyed Mir for 95% of their fight until making a rookie mistake and getting caught in a submission. Lesnar was a split-second away from pounding out a win prior to Mazagatti making a questionable call and stopping the fight to penalize him a point for inadvertent strikes to the back of Mir's head.

So again, Frank Mir does not deserve a shot at "Minotauro" Nogueira's UFC Championship, and giving him one would be a major mistake in terms of defining the credibility of a division that's sorely lacking in the talent department with the recent departures of Jake O'Brien, Tim Sylvia, Randy Couture, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filopovic, and Andrei Arlovski. The smart thing to do would be a mini-tournament over a few events involving the foursome of Mir, Fabricio Werdum, Heath Herring, and either Brandon Vera or Cheick Kongo to let the contendership sort itself out.


ProElite.com has announced that Nick Diaz will be facing Muhsin Corbbrey at the upcoming June 14th EliteXC event in Hawaii. The event was originally scheduled for April, but EliteXC decided to push the event back to June. Diaz last fought in November where he lost via KO to KJ Noons. That fight was for the vacant EliteXC Lightweight title.


This is a good fight for Nick Diaz to get himself back on track with. Corbbrey is a very good young fighter on a three-fight win streak, but the bulk of his wins have come via submission and Diaz's jiujitsu is as polished as his favorite glass bong. I think the only fighters Nick needs to be wary of are strikers simply because being cut is always a risk when he fights. I know he had some sort of surgery to fix scar tissue on his face, but I'm skeptical on the procedure's effectiveness and will remain so until I see it tested in the ring. The event being in Hawaii doesn't hurt Diaz either considering the island paradise's lax attitude towards marijuana use.


Fedor Emelianenko's personal website has confirmed that he will be fighting former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia on July 19th. Tim Sylvia made huge news a few weeks back by announcing that he was leaving the UFC. Fedor last fought on New Year's Eve where he earned a first round submission victory over Hong Man Choi. Sylvia last fought at UFC 81 where he lost to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via submission.


Must you tease me, Fedor? If this fight has been made official then I want to see a company announce it as such instead of it being posted on Emelianenko's website, which I believe also mentioned the bout between Fedor and Tim Sylvia as taking place before Tim-meh had signed any paperwork. However, I will say Matt Lindland talking about his next fight being on July 19th in Dallas, and under the new Affliction promotional banner, is very encouraging since the same date/location are attached to Sylvia vs. Emelianenko. And, take it for what it's worth, but I contacted HDNet Fights to see if they would be granting media access to an event on July 19th at the American Airlines Center and was told they were waiting to confirm some things before opening up the application process. Though I admit this is in part wishful thinking, it's looking like an Affliction/HDNet Fights card featuring the previously mentioned fighters could become reality in the next month or two. It will be interesting to see how things play out and if other Mixed Martial Artists rumored to be associated with the show, such as Ben Rothwell, Andrei Arlovski, and Renato Sobral, actually end up providing some belated "Fourth of July" fireworks in the Lone Star State.








Jibber-Jabber:

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

Rich Franklin, to the Dayton Daily News, on the possibility of him moving up to Light Heavyweight...

"I really don't see it happening, I've been at 185 (pounds) for several years. I think that over the past couple years, I've really changed my body composition. It used to kill me to make weight, but now it's much easier than it was three years ago, and I think it's because my body's changed a lot. I just don't think I'm big enough to compete effectively as a light heavyweight anymore. It's not something I'm really considering."


I think this is smart on the part of Rich Franklin. The only reason there is talk of him moving up to 205-pounds is because it's clear the UFC's Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva, has his number. That doesn't mean "Ace" can't be happy fighting, and beating, other 185-pound fighters while either finishing out his career on a win streak or perhaps sliding into championship contention with Silva contemplating a UFC-free life in 2009 (in order to box against Roy Jones Jr.). I'm sure Rich wouldn't mind one final run with the big golden beltbuckle. Franklin has made a good amount of money already, so he's likely not strapped for cash, and he's got the looks, insight, and general intelligence to have a career in MMA broadcasting whenever he decides to step away from competition. I truly believe Franklin is one of the rare fighters who will retire from the sport while still maintaining the ability to find success in the cage. He's definitely not going to end up on YAMMA Pit Fighting 22.

Then again, YAMMA isn't going to make it to twenty-two shows before folding, but that's a different story...


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That's about all she wrote for this week's Hangover. Till next time Punch Drunk buckaroos, here's your "Monday Morning MMA Moment of Zen" - Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Dave Taylor in February 2001 at a Gladiator Challenge event. On a side note, a nineteen-year old Joe Stevenson and Jake Shields were both on the same card. Keep your eyes open for an awesome reversal about a minute into the bout...as well as for a flying towel at the end of it.


I can't imagine why "Rampage" doesn't still fight in this outfit...

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