The Fightin' Stance News 05.17.08: Back and Forth
Posted by on 05.17.2008
In this week's edition of The Fightin' Stance News we'll update the verbal battle between Dana White and Tito Ortiz, see what's next for a former UFC heavyweight champion, preview the Sengoku II event, and look at the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the next season of "The Ultimate Fighter!" We've also got a Spotlight on Brazil's top fighters and the updated MMA Calendar! You've been teased, now get the full story inside!
It's time again for your Saturday MMA news spectacular. This is The Fightin' Stance News and as always I'm your host Adam Tool. We're just one week away from one of the biggest UFC events of the year, but there will be plenty of time to talk about that next week. In the meantime…
A Different Kind Of Presidential Address
With his final fight in the UFC coming up next weekend, Tito Ortiz has resumed his trash-talking about the UFC and its president. By now you've probably read his comments where he states Georges St. Pierre is also unhappy with the company (a claim that GSP has not yet responded to), and in another recent interview Ortiz claimed he would re-sign with the UFC if he got an apology from Dana White. Following this claim, White held a conference call where he issued a public statement and apologized to Ortiz.
Of course I'm kidding. Here's what Dana really said (note-in the original article the interview was cleaned up, but we have restored the full text for your enjoyment):
"Tito is a fucking idiot. He's one of the dumbest human beings I've ever met. Everything that comes out of his mouth makes no sense. I put up with his shit when he was a good fighter, he's not anymore. He's not in anybody's Top 10. I have no interest whatsoever in being in the Tito Ortiz business. I've never wanted to see anyone get their ass kicked worse than I want to see Tito get his kicked next Saturday night.
In somewhat related new, during a recent conference call EliteXC live events president Gary Shaw said that the organization would love to bring Tito in once he becomes a free agent. Shaw even said, "I happen to be a huge fan of his on a personal level." He even speculated on a potential matchup between Ortiz and Kimbo Slice.
By the way, did you know that Gary Shaw is an moron? First off, anybody who's a fan of Ortiz automatically gets one strike in my book. But why in the hell would he want to put Tito in the cage with Kimbo? Does he want see his pet project get exposed by an experienced veteran? Is he in some kind of dream world where he thinks his one-dimensional striker has a chance against the ground-and-pound specialist? Not to mention the fact that Slice is a heavyweight, and outweighs Ortiz by a good 35-40 pounds. I don't imagine Ortiz would be looking to go somewhere where he has to make a dramatic change in weight. I think the chances of Tito going to EliteXC are pretty good, but the possibility of a fight with Slice is slim at best.
Everyone Loves Arlovski
Here's a question, which former UFC heavyweight champion is currently looking to fight in another organization? I know, there's a few of them. But if you already read the headline then you know the one I'm talking about is Andre Arlovski.
After his fight at UFC 82 where he defeated Jake O'Brien, Arlovski's contract with the UFC was up. Reportedly Dana White and the UFC are still trying to re-sign him, but they seem to be having some difficulty. Maybe that's because they forced Arlovski to sit on the sidelines for 11 months while he was still under contract, and then they put his fight on the UFC 82 undercard (which was pretty funny when the payouts were released and you see a fighter on the pre-lims making six figures). Sure the guy had a terrible performance at UFC 70, but by not scheduling him for almost a year they took money out of his hands.
Now it seems all but certain that Arlovski will be signing a non-exclusive deal with Affliction, where he would compete on the July 19th card against former IFL standout Ben Rothwell. The UFC still has the option to match any offer Arlovski gets, but there's no way they'll let him fight unless it's exclusively for them. With the Affliction deal Arlovski is free to compete in practically any other organization in the world. All signs point to the Affliction press conference taking place Tuesday, where Arlovski could be announced as the latest addition to the "Banned" event.
I'm incredibly disappointed that the UFC heavyweight division is taking another major hit like this. Following the departures of Couture, Sylvia, Cro Cop and now Arlovski, the division is left with a few big names and a bunch of guys that could be big names down the line. I really could use something to cheer me up. Maybe something like a picture of Arlovski's girlfriend, Playboy Cybergirl Patrycja Mikula.
Ah yes. I feel better already.
This Road Leads East
Tomorrow is the return of World Victory Road and the company's Sengoku II. While the organization has been overshadowed by DREAM in recent months, there still is a lot of potential on tomorrow's show, as the night will feature several well known MMA combatants in addition to a few promising up-and-comers. Here is the full card:
Josh Barnett vs. Jeff Monson
Roger Gracie vs. Yuki Kondo
Ryo Kawamura vs. Kevin Randleman
Jorge Santiago vs. Yuki Sasaki
Dan Hornbuckle vs. Mike Pyle
Yoshihiro Nakao vs. Jim York
Satoru Kitaoka vs. Ian Schaffa
Kwang Hee Lee vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Barnett will always be looked at as the UFC heavyweight champion that failed multiple drug tests and was stripped of the belt. He still has a solid skillset though, and should have little trouble in this fight. Although he is a world class submissions expert, Monson has failed to translate that talent into any real success in MMA. Roger is the new hope of the Gracie clan, and he'll be competing in his second professional fight. His opponent Kondo is quite the opposite, a veteran of 75 professional bouts. However he has been less than impressive for a while, so look for Roger to take the win here. Kevin Randleman is a veteran of PRIDE and the UFC, although his win/loss record is slowly inching towards the .500 mark. Kawamura is a decent enough fighter, but he's come up short every time he tries to step up in competition. It's likely that Randleman will smother his opponent en route to a decision win.
Santiago comes from American Top Team, and has slowly been gaining momentum as of late. He should have little trouble with Sasaki, another veteran of the game that has been mediocre at best throughout his career. Pyle trains at Xtreme Couture and he'll be favored against Hornbuckle, although the fight could easily go either way. Nakao will forever be remembered as the guy that got too friendly with Heath Herring. If you haven't seen it…
York is a big heavyweight from New Zealand, and he'll be looking to make a good impression here. Kitaoka is coming off of a loss to Katsuya Inoue, and will look to regain his momentum by overwhelming an overmatched Schaffa. Finally Mitsuoka is riding high after his victory over Joachim Hansen, but he draws a potentially tough bout against Lee, who is currently 5-0 and has a ton of hype behind him.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of "TUF" 8
Earlier this week it was announced that UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and former champion Frank Mir will be the coaches for the next season of "The Ultimate Fighter." Following the show the two will meet in the octagon for the title. I've got a few opinions on this news so let's break it down, Sergio Leone-style.
The Good
-Being on the show will give some much needed exposure to Nogueira. The man is a modern-day legend amongst the hardcore fan base, but he's still something of an unknown to U.S. audiences. From all accounts Big Nog has a great personality and this will be the opportunity to show it. He's also got a relatively good grasp of the English language, so no worries there.
-As I mentioned above, the UFC heavyweight division is in ruins at the moment so no real harm can be done by letting the champ take some time off. Also this will hopefully give the UFC's legal team time to sort out the mess with the still-current champion Randy Couture.
-Frank Mir has experience in front of a camera, from his duties as color-commentator for the WEC. The man should be very comfortable with the entire experience.
-Both coaches have a wealth of knowledge about the sport, and Nogueira already has experience training others.
The Bad
-Once again the champion will go nearly a year without defending the title. It's especially frustrating in this circumstance given that fact that the belt was already on ice for awhile as a result of Couture's "resignation." One cannot deny that a championship fight will always be a huge draw. We waited a year for the welterweight belt to be defended, and by the time Rampage and Forrest step in the cage it'll have been 10 months since the light-heavyweight strap was on the line. Why does this organization continue to place one of only five championships on the sidelines?
-Frank Mir does not deserve the mantle of #1 contender. I like the guy, but his last victory over a top ten opponent was four years ago. Let us not forget that he was getting his ass handed to him for 99% of the Lesnar fight, before he was able to get the submission win. It was easier to accept Forrest as #1 contender after he defeated one of the greatest light-heavyweights in the world. Mir (barely) beat a guy in his second professional fight, and has gone 3-2 since returning from his motorcycle injury. I would prefer the winner of Vera/Werdum getting the next opportunity (especially since Vera holds a win over Mir and Werdum was already said to be getting a title shot awhile back).
-While this has nothing to do with the coaches, I do feel the entire format of the show is getting quite stale. Also last season showed that most of the guys making it into the house were not ready for the level of competition present in the UFC. I don't know why they continue to treat the show as a "farm league" for new talent, when they already own the WEC. Bring in new fighters there, let them show their stuff, and move them up to the big time if/when they're ready.
The Ugly
Ready for his close up
The Best Of Brazil
Which country produces the best mixed-martial artists? World class fighters have come from all around the globe and places like the United States, Japan, Canada, and England. However there is one location that seems to consistently produce some of the top athletes in the sport. It shouldn't be surprising, since this country is the birthplace of one of the main foundations of MMA. It started with a family of jiu-jitsu experts known as the Gracies. The tradition lives on through to men we're going to talk about today.
Join me now for a special look at The Best of Brazil.
Anderson "The Spider" Silva UFC Middleweight Champion
Did you know…Silva is still the Cage Rage world middleweight champion, even though he hasn't fought there in over two years.
I admit it. I'm a big time fan of Anderson Silva. Or maybe you hadn't picked up on that yet. The man seems to be unstoppable these days, and after his win over Dan Henderson at UFC 82 we are all still wondering just who in the world can beat him and take the middleweight belt. I don't think there's anybody on the current roster capable of such a feat, and even looking outside the UFC I'm struggling to think of a capable opponent. He's said one of his goals is to retire as champion, and with each fight it's looking more and more likely that he may do just that.
Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion
Did you know…Nogueira was run over by a truck at the age of ten, which put him in a coma for four days and left him with a deep scar on his back.
As I mentioned above "Minotauro" is scheduled to take reality television by storm later this year as a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter." Once the show is done and he beats Mir (believe it), I think that he'll reign as heavyweight champion for a long time. There are few fighters in the world who can absorb the amount of punishment that Big Nog has taken, and still come back to win. Much like Anderson Silva, I'm struggling to think of somebody on the current roster who can take Nogueira down.
Paulo Filho WEC Middleweight Champion
Did you know…his full name is Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Fihlo.
Paulo Filho is not just a champion, he also happens to be one of four fighters on this list that is currently undefeated. After competing in PRIDE for years Fihlo made his WEC debut in August of last year, where he beat Joe Doerkson for the vacant middleweight championship. He then picked up a controversial victory over Chael Sonnen, but the rematch between them was postponed when Filho entered a substance abuse rehab facility. There isn't any information available about when he might return to competition, but when he does the WEC middleweight ranks will have a tough time knocking him off the top.
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
Did you know…Mauricio began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu when he was only six years old.
For three and a half years "Shogun" ruled the PRIDE middleweight (205 lbs.) division alongside his teammate Wanderlei Silva. His only loss in Japan was against heavyweight Mark Coleman, after Rua dislocated his elbow early in the first round. He entered the UFC in September of last year with high expectations. Even though he was a huge favorite against Forrest Griffin, his debut in the octagon resulted in defeat. Later it was revealed that Rua fought with an injured ACL, and he would re-injure himself during training for a bout against Chuck Liddell. Currently he hopes to return to fighting later this year, and get back to the kind of dominating performances he gave every time he stepped in the PRIDE ring.
Gesias "JZ" Calvancante
Did you know…Gesias' last name is actually Souza.
Without question, Calvancante is one of the best fighters in the world to have never stepped inside the cage in the UFC. He's a veteran of Cage Rage, Shooto, K-1, and most recently DREAM. His last two fights were against former PRIDE lightweight Shinya Aoki, but their first match ended in a no contest when JZ landed an elbow strike to the back of Aoki's neck that left him unable to continue. In the rematch Calvancante was unable to defend Aoki's takedowns, and lost by unanimous decision. Just last week he announced he would be out for at least four months with an ACL injury, but look for big things when he returns to competition (wherever it may be) later this year.
Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva
Did you know…Silva's nickname in Brazil is "Cachorro Louco," which means "Mad Dog."
Wanderlei has won championships and beaten some of the biggest names in the sport. Yet one could make the argument that next Saturday's bout with Keith Jardine is one of the most important fights of his life. Currently Silva is 0-3 in his last three fights, although those losses were to world-class fighters like Mirko Cro Cop, Dan Henderson and Chuck Liddell. Jardine is a tough opponent and if "The Axe Murderer" can't find a way to win, he may soon find himself at the bottom of the 205 lbs. food chain. It's an unlikely position for the man who held PRIDE's middleweight belt for over five years, but he's shown time and time again that he's not the type of competitor to simply roll over and quit.
Thiago Silva
Did you know…Silva lists his hero as fellow Brazilian fighter Wanderlei Silva.
Another tough fighter without a loss to his name, Thiago Silva may just be the future of the light heavyweight division. Much like Anderson Silva, Thiago has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a background in Muay Thai. Another similarity to the UFC middleweight champ is that Thiago rarely uses his submission skills, instead preferring to win with his fists and his knees. After stopping Houston Alexander's meteoric rise at UFC 78, Thiago is preparing to face Antonio Mendes next weekend. I predict another quick victory, and a step up in competition should follow soon after.
Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida
Did you know…Lyoto's older brother Kenzo is a journalist for one of Brazil's top TV stations.
It's amazing that a fighter with a perfect record and wins over BJ Penn, Rich Franklin and Stephan Bonnar could still be considered an "unknown," but that's basically what Lyoto Machida was a year ago. He finally got the MMA world's full attention by dominating the much-hyped Rameau Sokoudjou last December. Next weekend he'll step in the octagon against former champion Tito Ortiz. I firmly believe that if he's victorious, Machida's next fight should be for the UFC light-heavyweight championship.
Demian Maia
Did you know…Maia has won six world championships in submission competitions.
His bout with Ed Herman at UFC 83 wasn't shown on the main broadcast, but the finish was. That's because Maia won submission of the night with a triangle choke on Herman. What was interesting was that Herman tried to roll out of it, but ended up on his back with the choke still locked in. After that Maia rained down punches to Herman's unprotected head, and the fight was stopped when the referee saw that Herman was out cold. People are starting to notice that Demian Maia not only has world class jiu-jitsu, but some very heavy hands as well. He has yet to be defeated in seven professional fights, and his future in the middleweight division looks very bright.
Thiago "Pitbull" Alves
Did you know…in addition to being a Muay Thai champion, Alves was a teacher of the sport before he began fighting full-time.
Thiago Alves' UFC career got off to a bad start when he was submitted in his octagon debut by Spencer Fisher. Soon after that he was stopped by current #1 contender Jon Fitch. Since that second loss though Alves has racked up five straight wins, including a surprising victory over Karo Parisyan at Fight Night 13 last month. Now Alves is training for the biggest fight of his life against former welterweight champion Matt Hughes at UFC 85 next month. It'll be the toughest opponent he's ever faced, and if that wasn't enough it'll be his first time headlining the card. If he can rise to the challenge and pull off the win, then his status as a future title contender will be assured.
We've only hit ten of the biggest names to come from Brazil, but there's a bunch of great fighters we haven't discussed, like Gabriel Gonzaga, Thiago Tavares, Hermes Franca, Ricardo Arona, Evangelista Santos, Gleison Tibau and Renato "Babalu" Sobral. Of course we could spend another few pages just talking about the legendary Gracie family, but that's a Spotlight for another day.
-UFC lightweight Kenny Florian is the co-host of a new show on ESPN.com called "MMA Live."
-Speaking of "Ken-Flo," on Thursday during a conference call Dana White confirmed the UFC 87 bout between Florian and Huerta, and also stated that the winner would be next in line for a lightweight title shot.
-Not only is EliteXC featuring a women's MMA match on their network debut in two weeks, the company hopes to have an entire fight card consisting of just female fights. The promotion may also add a women's title to the mix in the near future.
-In an interview earlier this week Sean Sherk said that after his fight next weekend he may move forward with legal action against the California State Athletic Commission, following the complications from his positive drug results last year. He also stated that he plans to never fight in the sunshine state again.
-In news that shows the sport moving into the mainstream, Donruss Trading Card Co. has announced the first line of MMA trading cards. The set will feature new Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le, with an autographed card and one that contains a small segment of Le's shorts that he wore in the title fight.
-UFC light-heavyweight Matt Hammill, who is deaf, will be the subject of a feature film about his early life and wrestling career. The movie, which is slated for release next year, came under controversy because it features a non-deaf actor (Eben Kostbar) in the lead role. Hammill has stated that he stands by the casting decision.
-Ticket sales for EliteXC's network debut on May 31st have reached the 5,000 mark. Currently the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ is setup for 12,000 seats for the event, but promoters expect a boost in sales as we get closer to the show. The last MMA event held in the arena was UFC 78, which drew a live crowd of 11,828.
-Spike and the UFC are working to finalize a date and venue for Fight Night 14, which will take place before the premiere of the eighth season of "The Ultimate Fighter."
-Finally from the "WTF?" department, Kimbo Slice will be a presenter at Sunday's Country Music Awards, which air live on CBS. No doubt Slice will be there to hype EliteXC's CBS debut, but the combination of Kimbo Slice and country music is still a rather odd match-up.
I Keep My Pimp Hand Strong
Sure I'm great, but why not check out some of our other fine writers?
The always entertaining Randy Harrison delivers Five Rounds Of News.
John Curry gets down with the Ground And Pound.
Reuel Mante shines a Spotlight on BJ Penn.
Frederick Peterson has your Weekly MMA CrapSHOOT.
Frederick also contributes the latest 411 Fighter Profile for former lightweight champ Sean Sherk
The only rankings that matter are the 411 Rankings. This week it‘s the Heavyweights.
As usual, Jeremy Lambert has the Cardio Freak News and a recap of the latest episode of The Ultimate Fighter.
5/24 - UFC 84: Ill Will - Penn vs. Sherk
Live on PPV at 10 pm ET
5/31 - EliteXC: Primetime
Live on CBS at 9 pm ET
6/1 - WEC 34: Faber vs. Pulver
Live on VS. at 9 pm ET
6/7 - UFC 85: Bedlam
Live on PPV at 3 pm ET (replay at 10 pm ET)
6/14 - EliteXC: Noons vs. Edwards
Live on Showtime at 10 pm ET
6/15 - DREAM 4 - Middleweight Grand Prix Rd. 2
Live on HDNet at 3 am ET
6/21 - The Ultimate Fighter Finale
Live on Spike (time TBA)
6/21 - YAMMA II
Live on PPV (time TBA)
6/27 - Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson
(time and broadcast TBA)
7/5 - UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin
Live on PPV at 10 pm ET
7/19 - Affliction: Banned
Live on PPV (time TBA)
7/21 - DREAM 5
On HDNet (time TBA)
Bill O'Reilly is an awful human being.
Here is a dance remix of his freakout from "Inside Edition."
(the original footage is here)
By now most people have become aware of Flight Of The Conchords, thanks to their hit show on HBO.
I first fell in love with the group when I saw their "One Night Stand" special a few years ago.
Flight Of The Conchords - "Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros" (live)
That's all for this week. Join me in seven days as I'll deliver your final preview of UFC 84. Between now and then I‘ll be keeping busy with the latest 411 Fighter Profile (here's a hint: it's somebody on next weekend's card), 411 Fact or Fiction (where I'll be going up against former UFC competitor Brad Imes), and the UFC 84 Roundtable. In addition I'll once again be filling in on the Tuesday news report in the music zone.
Oh yeah, and Friday's my birthday. So I may be a little drunk when I write next week's report. Until then though…
Credit: MMAJunkie.com, Sherdog.com, Fiveouncesofpain.com, MMAWeekly.com, TAGG Radio
