Punch Drunk Hangover 06.16.08: You Da Man-hoef!

Posted by Bren Oliver on 06.16.2008

Read ahead for Bren Oliver's thoughts on DREAM 4 and "EliteXC: Return of the King" results, the IFL's failings, Kim Couture's MMA future, Paulo Filho's return to action, and the addition of Trigg and Gomi to the next WVR event. Those things and more, plus this week's "Monday Morning Moment of Zen" featuring Renzo Gracie kicking a downed Nate Marquardt in the face 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! As is the case every week, I'm here with another one-stop shop for catching up on Mixed Martial Arts news, hoping as always to help you escape from the doldroms of an average Monday by giving you a good grab in the nether-regions to wake you up and make your day that much more exciting! Have no fear...the technique is Bas Rutten approved!!!





Given the trio of televised events, last weekend was somewhat of a marathon for die-hard fans of Mixed Martial Arts. I assume I was not alone in having strapped on my Adidas and watched close to seven hours of MMA in a nine-hour period, including DREAM 4 live on HDNet at 3:00 AM Central Time. Couple that with an early Sunday morning family gathering in honor of my pop and my eyelids feel like they're coated in lead. Still, like Sakuraba, I've survived (though just barely) to keep on fighting another day! Instead of discussing the debut of Monte Cox's "Adrenaline" promotion, which was a mediocre show from the glimpses I took, I'm going to instead focus on the two events featuring elite fighters and production exceeding that of a high school newscast - DREAM 4 and "EliteXC: Return of the King".

I'll start with EliteXC's latest offering to the MMA-viewing public. I felt the company may have listened to criticism of "Saturday Night Fights" in that the EliteXC Dancers were nowhere to be found outside of acting in a "ring girl" capacity. It was nice for the spotlight to be wholly on the fighters and an assortment of rap-video rejects. I disliked that the event ended forty minutes before it was scheduled to go off the air. Was the Showtime audience not good enough to watch undercard fights?!? As always, it was weird for the televised portion of the event to take place prior to undercard, but that's the way the cookie crumbles when broadcasting a live show from Hawaii. And, as always, Bill Goldberg was atrocious in his role as post-fight interviewer. He was condescending towards certain fighters, such as Rafael Feijao (due to the Brazilian's poor English), and made for uncomfortable moments on more than one occasion.

Speaking of Feijao, he looked incredibly good against veteran Wayne Cole, and I expect him to make a definite impact on EliteXC's Light Heavyweight Division. His jiujitsu and striking are both razor sharp, similar to a certain UFC Middleweight Champion Feijao trains with. Dave "Pee Wee" Herman went all "you stole my bike" on Ron Waterman, leaving a rather disgusting welt under the former art teacher's eye, and improving to 11-0 in the process. Herman appears to be a legitimate threat at Heavyweight and I'll be interested to see how he fares against better competition. The jumping roundhouse kick "Pee Wee" threw at Waterman was a thing of beauty, and had it landed flush and sent "H2O" down for the count, the strike would have gone down as one of MMA's most-memorable highlights. It definitely wasn't a move you generally see from guys who are 6'5" and weigh 240 pounds. Moving on to the other three bouts on the EliteXC broadcast...


Murilo "Ninja" Rua def. Tony Bonello - TKO - RD 1


I was happy to see "Ninja" Rua get back to his old ways and I can't think of a time, at least recently, when he looked as good as he did on Saturday night against Tony Bonello. I'm not ready to hand over my first-born to him just yet, for while his performance was "Shogun"-esque, I've heard Bonello's record may be a bit suspect given some ties he has to MMA organizations in Australia. For a guy who was 16-0-1, Bonello sure got worked over badly by "Ninja", didn't he? Read into that what you will. I think a rematch between Rua and Joey Villasenor would make sense, as both are contenders, and the EliteXC Middleweight Championship is currently wrapped up in a second outing between Scott Smith and champ Robbie Lawler.





Nick Diaz def. Muhsin Corbbrey - TKO - RD 3


I felt bad for Corbbrey from the very start as it was clear Diaz's additional weight was going to work as an advantage for him throughout the fight. My understanding is Corbbrey was at 158 lbs. when he was informed Diaz would be weighing in heavy and actually stepped on the scales after eating, plus carrying his wallet, and still gave up a number of pounds when things were said and done. I understand Nick is overextended between competing at Lightweight for EliteXC and Welterweight for DREAM. However, Diaz's schedule is not Corbbrey's problem, and yet he was still penalized for it by having to choose between either facing someone who weighed 10-15 pounds more than him or backing out of the biggest fight in his career.

Even with the disavantage, Corbbrey still looked good against Diaz and put quite a bit more damage on the Gracie Fighter's face than he received in return. As great as the results from Nick's cosmetic surgery appeared to be after his brawl with Katsuya Inoue, "EliteXC: Return of the King" appeared to be a step backwards as the mean-mugged scrapper had a few cuts at the end of the fight that were cause for concern. I enjoyed Muhsin's strategy to back up, frustrate Diaz in an attempt to lure him in, and then deliver stiff counter-punches when Nick pressed forward. I think Corbbrey has a very bright future, and I imagine he'll get a shot at the EliteXC Lightweight Championship before he's done in the promotion. Diaz's second chance at EliteXC gold appears eminent, especially after the hype his end-of-show fracas will no doubt cause, though like Thiago Alves, I think Diaz needs to prove he can consistently make weight before truly deserving a chance to represent the company as a champion.


KJ Noons def. Yves Edwards - TKO - RD 1


It's a shame KJ Noons' performance against Yves Edwards isn't getting half the attention the Diaz Clan's childish post-fight antics has received since Saturday night. Edwards had looked better than ever since joining up with American Top Team and rallying off three-straight wins. KJ disposed of him in prompt fashion in as dominating a performance as could have been expected. It was one of the biggest fights of his young career; a special sliver of time he should have been able to share with his family and fellow Hawaiins. Instead, it turned into a WWE-inspired mess with Noons' father attempting to get physical with UFC Lightweight Nate Diaz and a near-riot breaking out in the ring. It was truly a sad way to end what was a great moment up until then. On the bright side, at least there's already a perfect name for the eventual showdown between the champ and the ganja-loving Nick Diaz. I can see it now - "EliteXC: High Noons"!

Mark my words on this. KJ Noons is a future superstar in Mixed Martial Arts. He is young, humble, well-spoken, and extremely talented when it comes to stand-up. His knockout power and model looks don't hurt either. If he gets by Nick Diaz a second time it will only cement my belief King Karl is destined for great things in MMA. Edwards, on the other hand, is still a solid fighter with some good performances left in him, but I believe we may have seen the peak of his career resurgence this past weekend. It's not that he's old, as 31 is generally the prime of a fighter's career, but Lightweight is one of MMA's deepest divisions and even EliteXC has a line of contenders Edwards is now at the back of.





From the "Aloha State" to the "Land of the Rising Sun", DREAM 4 was the fourth outing from the former owners of PRIDE and right now I'd say FEG is batting 4-for-4. I've enjoyed every show and they've captured much of the spirit making PRIDE so beloved in fans' hearts. The production was again top notch and an aspect of showbusiness I wish the UFC or EliteXC would adopt. The lights and set design made for a beautiful show with entrances that were lengthy but appealing to watch. The Japanese crowd was great, as they typically are, and I enjoyed the brief appearance by Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto. It will be a pleasure to watch him compete at DREAM 5 and I sincerely hope we see him square off against Urijah Faber at some point over the next year or two. Also, for the first time ever, I noticed Yamamoto has a striking physical resemblance to fellow 145 pound beast Floyd Mayweather Jr. (obvious differences not withstanding). I dare you to take a look at both of them and tell me I'm 100% wrong. Regarding the fights...


Shinya Aoki def. Katsuhiko Nagata - Submission - RD 1


Baka Survivor! Baka Survivor, baby!!! Aoki seems to amaze on a by-performance basis with his creativity and jiujitsu wizardry ,and the final DREAM Lightweight Quarter-Final bout proved such a label to be true once again. He smothered Nagata and submitted him in a submission you would be hard pressed to find duplicated in any event previous to the DREAM 4 broadcast. Whether you want to call it an "Aokiplata" or prefer "Bakaplata", the choke was a thing of beauty and something MMA fans will be talking about for years to come. Aoki has been matched up against Caol Uno in the Semi-Finals of the Lightweight tournament, which I see as a very winnable match for a "Top 3" Lightweight such as the rainbow-tighted warrior, leaving either Eddie Alvarez or Tatsuya Kawajiri standing in his way of claiming a place in history as the first DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix Champion. If he does indeed stand tall at the end of things I will have a hard time not ranking Shinya Aoki as the #1 Lightweight fighter out there. Yes, over BJ Penn.





Alistair Overeem def. Tae Hyun Lee - KO - RD 1


Bip, bap, whip, whap...goodnight Tae Hyun Lee. Overeem looked like a monster against the vastly overmatched Ssierum champion and put him to bed after shaking off a foot injury he sustained delivering a leg kick. I've always found Alistair to be a nearly unbeatable Heavyweight when he's on top of his game, though he's shown periods of inconsistency in his career and has a ways to go before I'll consider him alongside "Minotauro" Nogueira or Fedor Emelianenko. I would definitely be on board with Overeem and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic facing each other in a DREAM ring, perhaps on the New Year's Eve show, and I see no reason it shouldn't take place assuming "Cro Cop" is interested in taking on the well-rounded Dutch Heavyweight.





Ralek Gracie def. Alavutdin Gadzhiyev - Submission - RD 1


Gracie was very impressive against Gadzhiyev and appears to have all the potential of actually living up to the label of "The Next Great Gracie". His stand-up game needs definite work, as his hands seemed locked in place while attempting to strike/defend, but there's no question Ralek's BJJ is world class. He's got a marketable look and is related to the biggest last name in Mixed Martial Arts' history. The sky appears to be the limit if 22-year old Gracie continues to evolve as a fighter and puts a few more tools in his box.


Hideo Tokoro def. Darren Uyenoyama - Judges' Decision


This was easily the fight of the night and shares company with Faber/Pulver and Maeda/Torres as being among the best bouts of 2008. Uyenoyama and Tokoro went back and forth, both on their feet and on the mat, entertaining the fans in attendance and making it easy for me to forget my digital clock's face was approaching 5:00 AM. I thought the knee to Uyenoyama's jaw early in the first round sent one of the Californian's teeth flying but upon replay I believe it may have simply been spittle. Either way, Hideo's near-KO rocked him, and I was very impressed in Darren's ability to recover and nearly take Tokoro out later in the fight. It was a memorable performance from both fighters and a true pleasure to watch.


Gegard Mousasi def. Dong Sik Yoon - Judges' Decision


Mousasi looks incredibly difficult to beat, though Yoon almost delivered a suprising upset after absorbing a great deal of damage as he's been known to do before. He imposed his will for 90% of the fight and showed significant ability when striking and rolling on the canvas. I'm not certain he's the favorite to win the Middleweight Grand Prix, but I will absolutely be surprised if he doesn't end up in the finals (assuming he doesn't fight "Jacare" in the Semi-Finals).


Zelg Galesic def. Teiei Kin - TKO (Injury Stoppage) - RD 1


There isn't much that can be said about this fight other than "OUCH!!!!" Tough break for Kin, no-pun intended. Okay...maybe pun-slightly-intended. It's never enjoyable to see a fighter injured, especially in such a graphic manner. Hopefully he will recover fully and get back into the ring as soon as he's healed up. Galesic has his work cut out for him regardless of who he's paired against in the Semi-Finals. I honestly can't see him beating any of the other three remaining fighters and view him as the easiest draw in the group.


**WARNING: 411Mania cannot be held responsible for keyboards shorted out courtesy of hurl induced by the following video clip**




Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza def. Jason "Mayhem" Miller - Judges' Decision


Perhaps it's the sleep deprivation talking, but I felt "Mayhem" Miller held his own against "Jacare" and was closer to pulling out a win than many people have given him credit for. He was able to escape Souza's submission attempts and reversed his mount more than once. I can't help but think the outcome may have been different in Miller's knee was in better shape. The brace he was wearing tells me "Mayhem" wasn't 100% going into the fight. Still, Souza deserves credit for being the dominant force throughout both rounds, and I expect him to be in the Grand Prix finals when things are said and done. He is quickly moving up the Middleweight ranks as one of the true forces at 185 pounds. His jiujitsu is definitely every bit as impressive as advertised.


Melvin Manhoef def. Kazushi Sakuraba - TKO - RD 1


When Melvin Manhoef and Kazushi Sakuraba are involved in a fight, it is almost a given fans will be in for an entertaining bout though for very different reasons. "Saku" is a crowd pleaser as a result of his light-hearted antics, place in Japanese culture, and the marks he's left on MMA and professional wrestling. Manhoef is a brute who throws every punch with the intention of leaving his opponent's nose filled with snot bubbles. As his ring attire shows, Manhoef exhibits some of the showmanship Sakuraba is known for, but instead people love watching the intimidating Dutchman for his ability to separate body from consciousness in devastating fashion. The core traits of Sakuraba and Manhoef were both on display at DREAM 4 to mixed results. While Manhoef was more-than impressive, it's always a little depressing to see an icon get his ass handed to him in less than two minutes.

Manhoef came out like a monster and quickly smashed Sakuraba like the Japanese legend was an unlucky snail on a busy sidewalk. He will be a handful for either Galesic, Mousasi, or Souza. I'm not fully certain any of those three men has an answer for Manhoef, as none of them can match his striking, but I feel like "Jacare" and Mousasi have the submission skills to pull of a slick armbar or triangle. Still, Melvin is incredibly strong, meaning he'll be difficult to take down, and shooting on him is dangerous due to the power in his kicks, knees, and punches.

How do you solve a problem like Manhoef? Prayer.











There's my three cents on the events - now on to my spin on a handful of other subjects gracing the headlines this past week. I'd love to hear your thoughts so feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment at the bottom of the page.


The following medley of items were reported between June 9th, 2008 and June 15th, 2008:


The IFL's Jay Larkin canceled the company's 8.15.08 show, which was scheduled to be at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ. Larkin has said that the company is not folding, but that they are looking for new investors. It was also stated the company may seek protection from creditors through a court proceeding. Larkin said the company is attempting to stick around as long as possible in hopes that they can either raise new money through investors or sign a television deal. The staff has been downsized as another way to minimize expenses to hold off on folding the company.


From "Tap Out" to "Taps". Someone call the trumpeter and tell him to start brushing up on the traditional funeral march, because the IFL appears to be on life support and fading more and more with every passing day. Even "Old Yeller" has a concerned expression on his foamy-face.

The UFC may have lost tens of millions of dollars upon its inception, but it was also fighting against legislators and the mainstream's uninformed perception of the sport. The Independent Fight League, on the other hand, came into things with excellent resources and a seller's market. They were one of the first companies to come out of the MMA explosion of a few years ago and have still made only a minimal impact on the public. I appreciate their attempt to introduce a team-based format, even retooling it to involve specific training camps as opposed to regional associations. I think they have some excellent fighters - Vladimir Matyushenko, Chris Horodecki, and Wagnney Fabiano to name a few - but they did a poor job marketing them. Even if the focus was on teams instead of individuals, the IFL still could have taken a page from the WEC's book and brought in solid competition for each to test himself against. That would have acted as a means to draw hardcore fans, create memorable fights, and go from creating IFL stars to MMA superstars.

It may not be time to poor out the liquor just yet, but I'd definitely advise you don't wait too many more Monday's before buying a bottle in anticipation of the IFL's demise. I'd suggest you purchase a bottle of wine for its dulling effects, perhaps one a few years old which looks promising but ultimately rates as a corked mess.


UFC's big announcement doesn't have to do with their new action figure deal with Jakks Pacific that Dana White talked about on CNBC today. The announcement has also apparently been delayed, and will now be made Tuesday June 17th.


This "ground-breaking" announcement has been so overly hyped and speculated upon that it will be an epic fail outside of news related to a Playboy spread feature in "Reader's Digest" with Arianny Celeste or Rachelle Leah where the two discuss their favorite literary masterpieces, the stock market, and famine in Africa. I've heard Dana White has backpedaled some, saying things have been blown out of proportion and it was originally news he only intended to share with his employees. Trying to decipher the truth from Dana's lips is akin to translating ancient Mayan heiroglyphs. Indiana Jones might be able to do it but I sure as Hell can't.

The UFC President has said it's unrelated to Floyd Mayweather and I believe him - "Money" Mayweather is smart enough to not risk his reputation and White has enough intelligence to avoid submitting to the boxer's demands. Dana has also stated he's not in cahoots with Vince McMahon and I believe him on that point as well. I can't see White, or the Fertittas, wanting to associate themselves with a company based on make-believe combat for risk of having the public question the legitimacy of the UFC's outcomes...well, anymore than they already do. The UFC is also making money hand-over-fist, and rewriting the PPV books, so they don't need McMahon's resourecs in either area. So what will it be (other than anti-climactic)? I'm guessing White may be introducing medical coverage or other benefits for his employees. I also believe it has to do with global expansion, so while dreams of NYC may still be on hold, I expect Dana to talk about places outside of the continental United States such as Hawaii, the Phillipines, Germany, and Brazil. I'd also love for the UFC to venture into Japan, but I wonder if the company perhaps worried about the backlash from their treatment of PRIDE. Twenty-four hours from now we'll all know, so at least one thing is for sure - we can all finally stop speculating on what it might be and start discussing what it actually is.


Frank Trigg has confirmed to MMAJunkie that he will be fighting at the upcoming World Victory Road "Sengoku 4" card on August 24th. An opponent has yet to be named. WVR recently announced that Takanori Gomi will be headling the August event, yet his opponent has not been named as well.


Great news on both accounts! Trigg is a solid fighter who knows how to sell fights and Takanori Gomi is one of the top Lightweights on Earth. "N'gk the Soul Eater" from Planet X-27 is a bad ass, but I doubt we'll ever see him in action on American or Japanese soil. You know...MMA politics and such. Moving on, while I'm not necessarily a fan of World Victory Road - a promotion I find to be a Japanese version of EliteXC in comparison to DREAM being the nation's UFC - I can't help but appreciate it when world class talent like Frank Trigg and Takanori Gomi step into action. I wouldn't mind seeing "Twinkle Toes" meet up against WVR Middleweights Kazuo Misaki or Jorge Santiago. Gomi, on the other hand, will almost certainly fight against a soy-sauce can (PDH is tomato-free for your safety) as a means to appease Japanese fans. I, like so many MMA fans, would like to see "The Fireball Kid" up against the best the sport has to offer, but he's an icon in Japan and makes a very nice living there based on numerous sponsorships. If that's good enough for Gomi, then I am in no place to fault him for the lack of competitive spirit. If he's not satisfied with complacency, and he truly wants to fight his peers, I'm certain a brand like Affliction, EliteXC, Strikeforce, or the UFC would be happy to put something together. I personally think Strikeforce would make a lot of sense, as it would allow Takanori to tap into the significant Asian fanbase in California while also appeasing hardcore MMA fans by facing the likes of Gilbert Melendez or Josh Thomson.



Tatame.com is reporting that Paulo Filho will face Chael Sonnen for the WEC Middleweight Championship at WEC 36 on September 10th. The two fought last December with Filho picking up a submission win in the second round. After the fight Sonnen claimed to have never verbally tapped, which set up a rematch which was suppose to happen at WEC 33 in March but Filho pulled out of the fight for "personal reasons". It was later revealed that Filho had been suffering from chemical-dependency issues as well as depression.


This is clearly a very difficult fight for Paulo Filho to take after a ten-month layoff and spending some time in a medical clinic to deal with his "chemical-dependency issues as well as depression". Thinking back to the original bout between Chael Sonnen and Filho, I felt the stoppage was justified and the only thing it stopped prematurely was Chael's arm from being ripped off of his body. It sounds weird to say, but if Filho loses I still think he should move up to the UFC where he rightfully belongs. Filho is considered to be one of the best 185-pound fighters in MMA and frankly the WEC is below him given the fact both organizations have a Middleweight division. If the Brazilian wins, as many will predict him to do, it does nothing other than reinforce the need for Paulo to be on the bigger stage.



During a recent interview with MMAWeekly Radio, Kim Couture announced that she could be signing with the American Fight League after she makes her pro debut at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas on June 20th against Kim Rose.


Keep your peepers on Kim Couture...as if that's a hard thing to do. I have a feeling that within two years Kim Couture will be alongside Gina Carano as core representatives of female Mixed Martial Arts. Couture, like Carano, is Kindergarten-easy on the eyes and happens to carry one of the most recognizable last names in MMA. Those two facts alone are marketing gold. She also seems to be taking the sport very seriously, training hard and has thus far showed a willingness to push through damage in order to win a fight. If the AFL books her correctly they should be able to assist in facilitating a flawless record which will further build her up as a major player in womens' MMA.


Jason MacDonald recently confirmed to "sportsnet.ca" that he will be facing the undefeated Demian Maia at UFC 87 on August 9th in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Both fighters are coming off of victories at UFC 83. MacDonald got a TKO victory over Joe Doerksen, while Maia beat Ed Herman via submission.


Jason MacDonald is a very good fighter, but I see him as little more than a gatekeeper to the Middleweight title-picture. He can't compete with elite 185-pounders, as evident in performances against Rich Franklin and Yushin Okami, but he's more than able to knock off the likes of middle-of-the-road guys like Joe Doerksen and Rory Singer. I have a feeling Maia is more "contender" than "pretender". He has adequate striking, good defense, and a sick set of jiujitsu skills. He is one of the top submission experts in the UFC regardless of his inexperience inside a MMA ring. I think he'll at least beat MacDonald via decision if not through executing a beautiful choke or sinew-snapping lock. Whether or not Maia can contend against one of the UFC's preeminent Middleweights may be another story, but it's one that will likely be told sooner than later given his BJJ artistry and undefeated record.


Dave Meltzer is reporting that CBS has requested July and October dates from EliteXC for future prime time specials. Seeing as Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano are currently expected to headline the October show, EliteXC has focused the July show on crowning new champions in the promotion. As of right now Antonio "Junior" Silva is set to take on either Brett Rogers, Roy Nelson, or the winner of the Ron Waterman/Dave Herman match tonight for the EliteXC Heavyweight Championship on the July show.

As for another EliteXC title, Jake Shields is set to take on either Drew Fickett, Jay Hieron or Paul Daley for the EliteXC Welterweight Championship. Shayna Baszler is expected to fight on the July card as well, with the winner of that fight meeting Gina Carano in October for the EliteXC women's championship.


I would not be surprised to see Brett Rogers facing "Junior" Silva for reasons other than him being one of EliteXC's best Heavyweights. While it's something I've only scribbled down in my black book alongside countless other conspiracy theories, I have a strange feeling EliteXC execs Gary and Jared Shaw are happy to put Rogers up against a very dangerous opponent in hopes he may lose and fall a few pegs down the ladder (and out of the "_____ vs. Kimbo Slice" picture). I think it would be a mistake to have Roy Nelson immediately compete for the EliteXC Heavyweight Championship, as he's someone the organization can build as a star of the company instead of instantly feeding him to the lions. "Pee Wee" Herman looked good against Ron Waterman, but he's not someone mainstream or hardcore fans will buy as a title-contender until be beats someone with a bit more current relevance than Waterman.

Putting Jake Shields into the national spotlight is a good move, though the Gracie Fighter has expressed previous interest in testing his skills inside the Octagon so it's something to consider before pushing him too hard. Fickett would be a great opponent, but he's scheduled to face Ryan Ford at "Maximum Fighting Championships 17: Hostile Takeover" on July 25th. That in itself is a bout worthy of a major promoter's attention, as Ford has a marketable look and fan-friendly style of fighting, but it doesn't help find EliteXC find an opponent for Shields who is deserving of a championship opportunity. Jay Hieron and Paul Daley would be decent, though I honestly don't feel either is on Shields' level when it comes to all-around ability.

If Shayna Baszler wins, as she'll probably be favored to do, expect a frightening October for Gina Carano that has nothing to do with Halloween. Baszler has expressed intense dislike for Carano's inability to make weight in addition to a burning desire to fight her. I'd wager Baszler vs. Carano would merit the most hype to date for a womens' MMA fight and deliver on every level when it came to the eventual bout.


Dave Meltzer is reporting that the upcoming Fedor Emelianenko/Tim Sylvia fight on July 19th at "Affliction: Banned" will be for the brand new WAMMA World Heavyweight Championship.


I don't understand why Affliction wouldn't want to brand the championship as being their own. WAMMA, while attempting to be a legitimate world-wide governing board on Mixed Martial Arts, sounds a bit too much like the steaming pile of garbage also known as "YAMMA" for my taste. And, to add a little piss to my vinegar, Bill Goldberg is also the "Vice President of Public Relations". Yes, the same Bill Goldberg who belittles fighters in post-match interviews and fumbles his way through every EliteXC broadcast. And no, he did not punch the limo's window out on the Ultimate Fighter Season 8, nor do I have any information that will prevent you from waiting two days to find out the "shocking" end-result. Back to the Affliction/WAMMA association, I have no problem stating the winner of Sylvia vs. Emelianenko is the world's best Heavyweight...well, if Fedor wins that is...but what sense does it make for a new MMA company to carry the title of another organization? It's a bad move and one I hope the company reconsiders.



Jibber-Jabber:

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


Former IFL Vice President, and current assistant match-maker, Jay Larkin gives his thoughts on certain aspects of Mixed Martial Arts to Portfolio.com...

"Two guys rolling around on the floor is tedious, like watching gay foreplay."


This sentence tells me all I need to know when it comes to the failures of the IFL. The comment is tasteless and insulting to not only fans, but the actual practitioners, of Mixed Martial Arts. Also, am I wrong, or by him saying "watching gay foreplay" is tedious (i.e. boring), isn't Larkin actually stating he'd prefer to see homosexual intercourse rather than two men kissing/cuddling?


EliteXC Lightweight Champion KJ Noons offers post-event thoughts on his earlier confrontation with Nick Diaz...

"Nick has no class, he's a bum, a piece of sh*t and he and his team disrespected my family and I with their gestures and trash talk and tried to upstage our fight. I'm the champion and have the EliteXC belt. I'll fight anybody. I didn't see his fight but if they say Nick deserves a rematch, then we can fight and I'll beat him again – if he can make 160 pounds.''


KJ has an inarguable point, as the Diaz Brothers' behavior after the main event was indeed disrespectful, though obviously the personal comments directed at Nick Diaz are a matter of opinion. However, I felt Noons' father also provoked things through his actions towards Nick and Nate Diaz. He confronted them aggressively when he should have instead allowed the spotlight to shine on his son, to let it be KJ's night. I understand Mr. Noons was a boxer, and I can't fault him for passionately defending his child, but a guy in his mid-50s jawing with professional fighters cannot result in anything other than a negative outcome. It's fortunate neither Diaz physically assaulted him or things would have gotten far worse. As it was, I half-expected fans to jump out of the stands and attack Diaz's crew on the way backstage. I do not buy that the situation was set up ahead of time by EliteXC to draw a few extra viewers to their next event. Noons' father was visibly upset, looking as if he'd spent a little too much time in the Hawaiin sun, and I have a hard time believing he's that good of an actor.


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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 Moment of Zen" - Renzo Gracie kicking a downed Nate Marquardt in the face...in a fight Gracie wasn't even involved in!


Well it can't be argued Renzo doesn't stand up for his fighters...





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