The MMA News Report 06.25.08
Posted by Morgan Marx on 06.25.2008
An all-news edition of the report: which MMA head honcho may be on the way out, where might the UFC be planning an outdoor megashow, and which fights made the UFC 86 final card. Plus, it’s a fight rumor blowout featuring Dan Henderson, Jake Shields, Nick Diaz, and more. How many more? You’ll have to click through to find out!
INTRODUCTION
We're chock full of news this week. It's nice when developments actually occur over the weekend and toward the beginning of the week. Wednesday is tough on MMA columnists. We're too late to recap events that took place Saturday night (boy, Evan Tanner sure didn't look good. It might be time for him to hang up the gloves…) and we're too early to do a full PPV breakdown without stealing all the good info from our fellow columnists. If only I lacked scruples and felt comfortable covering all the same material as my colleagues.
But that's not what you, the reader, is here for. So if you're looking for thoughts on Amir's big victory, or whether Forrest can choke Rampage, look elsewhere. On second though, don't look elsewhere. We have plenty to talk about right here…
NEWS LEG KICKS
Changes Ahead for Elite XC?
Gary Shaw, the former boxing promoter and current president of Elite XC, may be in jeopardy of losing his position within the company. Reports suggest that Shaw could be removed following Elite XC's July 26 CBS broadcast, according to MMAPayout.com.
Typically, I'm reluctant to post unconfirmed rumors in this column. However, Adam Swift has a sterling reputation within the online MMA community, and his post references multiple sources. Shaw, a controversial figure in many lights, has been oft criticized both by industry insiders (re: Dana White) and fans. However, Elite XC has made major inroads within the MMA world.
Shaw's ouster may be related to CBS' increased participation within Elite XC. According to Swift:
Under terms of its deal with ProElite, CBS is entitled to purchase 500,000 shares of stock in the company each time it broadcasts a show on CBS. Based on those options and warrants already exercised in conjunction with the CBS and Showtime deals, CBS Corporation is believed to be the second largest shareholder in the company.
Loss of production control was one of the reasons cited by UFC representatives when discussing why the company failed to reach deals with major broadcast networks.
How Shaw's removal would affect the company is unknown at this time. As a neutral observer, I suppose CBS' heightened interest in MMA can be construed as a good thing. However, one has to be concerned whether network TV executives understand the landscape of MMA well enough to maintain the success Elite XC has had.
While I don't have many positive things to say about Gary Shaw, I can't help but feel that Shaw was right in his desire to postpone Elite XC's next major CBS event until later this fall. Will CBS' first big gamble (rushing out a July show lacking Elite XC's big guns (and I'm not just talking about Gina Carano)) succeed? Stay tuned for future developments.
Though the UFC's expansion within countries like England and Ireland has been costly, additional events continue to be made public. Upcoming events and developments for the UFC's abroad division include more UK based shows, potential outdoor events, and a better distribution deal with British networks. The news comes from UFC UK President Marshall Zelaznik, according to Yahoo! UK.
The first plan is the least surprising. According to the interview, the UFC will continue to plan roughly four UK-based events per year. Currently, a fall show emanating from Birmingham is in the works. It will be interesting to see how that plan meshes with other international UFC dates. Can the company promote that many foreign dates without shorting American UFC audiences?
The second point may seem a little ambitious. Fightlinker, for one, savaged the idea that a UK audience could support such a show. I don't think it's quite such a ludicrous plan. Football (err…soccer) stadiums aren't quite as big as American college football or NFL stadiums. While Arsenal's gorgeous Emirates Stadium holds over 60,000 fans, Fulham's quaint Craven Cottage (also in London) only holds about 30,000. Similarly, Birmingham, Manchester City, and Newcastle all hold less than (or right around) 50,000 fans. Those are big numbers that the UFC might find hard to fill, but it's not exactly the Superdome. Several of the UK shows have sold out with less-than-stellar main events. A Michael Bisping v. Anderson Silva fight could probably fill 50,000 seats.
The third development might be the most important for UK based UFC fans. Setanta Sports, a satellite network, has agreed to air all UFC events, including Fight Nights, live in the UK. Says Zelaznik:
If anything, the UK and Irish fans now have it even better than American fans, because they get every single UFC program all on the same channel
I know I'm jealous. As I plunk down $55 for each and every UFC HD broadcast, an Irish fan only has to pay ₤12.99 to subscribe. With the current currency exchange rate, that's only $1208.64 American…lucky them.
While most of the focus has centered on Forrest Griffin's upcoming attempt to wrest the light heavyweight title from Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, UFC 86 should present a solid evening of even match-ups. The UFC, via their official website, has confirmed nine of a rumored ten fights planned for the show.
The main card consists of several intriguing pairs. Patrick Cote and Ricardo Almeida will fight to determine a possible challenger for the middleweight crown. I'm not sure how many contenders Cote will have to KO before I believe he's championship material, but defeating Almeida would be a big start. Hopefully, Cote's submission defense has vastly improved since his TUF finale loss to Travis Lutter, or the Canadian may be in for a quick, guillotine-related loss.
Elsewhere, the lightweight title picture will become a bit clearer (or murkier depending on your definition) as Joe Stevenson, Tyson Griffin, and Marcus Aurelio all look to put their names back in the mix. Stevenson's opponent, Gleison Tibau, will be looking for his biggest win to date when he takes on the former TUF champ. Griffin and Aurelio will lock horns in a match that will hopefully live up to the highly rated throwdowns Griffin had with Frankie Edgar and Thiago Tavares. Finally, Josh Koscheck takes on Chris Lytle as each man attempts to break into the welterweight top five.
The undercard is filled with some recognizable names. Gabriel Gonzaga finds himself needing a win to make it back on the main portion of a pay-per-view. Jorge Gurgle and Melvin Guillard are both looking for arguably a UFC career saving victory, while Corey Hill hopes to keep his momentum moving.
The only rumored fight not mentioned on UFC.com is a battle between former TUF competitors Jared Rollins and Ben Saunders. There's still time for the UFC to add the fight (granted, there's still time for the fight to be added and then canceled for a variety of reasons as well) so keep checking 411 for info.
UFC 86: Rampage v. Griffin will take place July 5 from Las Vegas.
Veteran MMA announcer Mauro Ranallo will team with veteran MMA referee John McCarthy to call the action at Affliction: Banned. Like their roster of fighters, Affliction has gone for big, recognizable names in the broadcast booth, according to Five Ounces of Pain.
Whether you're a fan of Ranallo's work or you detest his frequent comparisons and puns, you can't deny that Ranallo is one of the most respected announcers currently plying his trade. Ranallo has called play-by-play for numerous organizations (including PRIDE) and recently stepped into a color commentary role on Elite XC's debut CBS broadcast.
McCarthy is the most recognizable name in MMA refereeing. His post-UFC career already includes ownership of a training center in CA. It will be interesting to see what kind of chemistry Ranallo and McCarthy can put together, and how critical McCarthy will be about the fighters, refs, and judges.
Affliction: Banned takes place July 19 in Anaheim, CA.
Numerous fights in several organizations have come to light in recent days. Here's a quick rundown of the biggest names. Not all of these fights have been confirmed (it should take the UFC several months to get around to that) so don't shoot the messenger if you're favorite fighter ends up not making a rumored appearance.
Dan Henderson v. Rousimar Palhares Dan Henderson is coming off consecutive losses to pound-for-pound top five titleholders. He needs a bounce back fight that will get him his first W in the UFC since 1998. Rousimar Palhares is not that opponent. Palhares is a highly regarded BTT member that won his UFC debut by dominating the recently retired Ivan Salaverry . Palhares owns an 8-1 record, with six wins coming by way of submission. Now, Henderson's wrestling is slightly (cough) better than Salaverry's. And Toquinho's striking isn't quite up to snuff with his countryman Anderson Silva. But it will be interesting to see whether Henderson can avoid another submission defeat to a Brazilian fighter on the rise. This fight is rumored to take place at UFC 88 in Atlanta. Sources:MMAWeekly.com
Nick Diaz v. Thomas Denny No offense to Thomas "Wildman" Denny, but it has to be considered a step down to go from potentially fighting for a title to fighting a career 26-16 fighter. At first, Nick Diaz was going to fight for the DREAM welterweight strap against Mach Sakurai. Then, a potential Elite XC grudge match/title fight against KJ Noons took precedence. Diaz dropped the Sakurai fight as speculation suggested Diaz and Noons would face off in July. When word broke that the fight might happen in Diaz's notoriously tough hometown of Stockton, CA, expectations ran high. While the date and the location are correct, the opponent was not. Instead of the Elite XC lightweight champion, Diaz will next face off against Denny.
I'm not quite sure what Diaz/Elite XC are thinking with this fight. The Noons showdown reached a fever pitch as soon as Nick and Nate entered the cage to confront the entire Noons clan. Perhaps CBS felt that Diaz needed a fight on broadcast TV to increase his Q rating. Perhaps Noons wasn't going to be ready in time for the July 26 date (though after a 30 second fight, I doubt that). Perhaps Diaz took the fight due to his recent comments that he doesn't feel like he has a lot of time left in the sport.
Whatever the reason, this could turn into a disaster. Diaz hasn't exactly set the world on fire with his recent performances. A loss to Denny could foul up the Noons fight before it even gets off the ground. Even in victory, Diaz could see the fight slip through his grasp should he suffer an injury or a bad cut. CBS is playing with fire. Hopefully, they don't get burned. Sources:Sherdog.com
Jake Shields v. Nick Thompson When Shields' title defense against Drew Fickett fell through…a few times…many worried whether Shields would face a credible challenger in his next outing. Thankfully, Shields will step into the cage July 26 for Elite XC against a very credible opponent, Nick "The Goat" Thompson. At 36-9 (and –1 to be accurate), Thompson holds wins over Josh Neer, Chris Wilson, and Keith Wisniewski. Thompson is currently riding an impressive 12-fight win streak that includes a TKO victory over Eddie Alvarez.
Shields will still be favored to retain his title, but Thompson should provide an even challenge. Personally, I'd rather see Shields testing his mettle against the top welterweights in the world within the UFC. However, if he keeps fighting opponents like Thompson (and I can dream about Alvarez down the road) on free TV, that more than makes up the difference.Sources:Yahoo Sports
Paulo Filho v. Chael Sonnen With all the starts and stops, I won't believe that Filho and Sonnen will really step into the cage until the two fighters actually step into the cage. Reports suggest that the two top WEC middleweights will do battle September 10 in a rematch of one of the more controversial WEC finishes. As we all remember, Sonnen controlled all but a few seconds of the first two rounds of his initial title challenge against Filho. However, the undefeated Filho succeeded in catching Sonnen in a tight armbar, securing the victory. Sonnen protested the tap, in a slightly more lucid manner than CB Dollaway, but still took the L.
The match was competitive enough to warrant a rematch. However, personal problems have plagued Filho since that fight, requiring several postponements. It remains a big question whether Filho can actually make the 185 limit and still perform at his best. As previously reported, WEC 36 is also expected to feature the lightweight battle between Rob McCullough and Donald Cerrone. Sources:Wrestling Observer
Karo Parisyan v. Yoshiyuki Yoshida After an at-the-time upset loss to Thiago Alves, Karo Parisyan must once against begin his slow climb toward the UFC welterweight strap. Unfortunately, it's a position Parisyan is becoming familiar with. Parisyan has yet to lose two fights in a row within the UFC, bouncing back from losses with wins over Shonie Carter and Drew Fickett. Parisyan will hope to add to that list by knocking off rising challenger Yoshida at UFC 88 in Atlanta.
Yoshida debuted at UFC 84 and made quick work of Jon Koppenhaver. Yoshida has won nine fights in a row over talented fighters such as recent UFC signing Dan Hardy, Akira Kikuchi, and Katsuya Inoue. The Japanese fighter has only lost twice in his career, both by decision.
If Karo is good at one thing (besides judo, obviously) it's squeaking out decisions against talented fighters. Whichever fighter emerges victorious, the UFC will have one more welterweight to throw into the title mix. Sources:MMAJunkie
CONCLUSION
That's it, I hope you enjoyed the overdose of news. Next week, I'll take my usual look at the upcoming UFC event, Jackson v. Griffin. Take care, and keep reading.
I've always said that Bisping vs Silva in the UK would be huge, but 50,000 huge I'm not so sure.
The last London show did around 15,000 with the last tickets being sold at the door. I realise that the card wasn't great (the estimate I heard was that about two thirds of those tickets were sold before Liddell was taken off the show) but I don't see how you turn 15,000 into 50,000 without managing to achieve some massive mainstream footing first.
Within the mainstream media the sport is almost non-existant. I've never once seen mention of a show, even a UK one, in the sports pages of major newspapers and it's only gotten a little more attention on TV. I've seen a feature on it once on a sports show, with a boxing journalist discussing after 75 that it might have the potential to take over boxing's position (Which isn't really saying much and I don't even feel they've made progress towards that since then). In addition I've seen two features on the news about it, the first which treated MMA as something that goes on in tiny arenas in backwater US towns (which amazingly had zero mention of the UFC) and another report where a psychologist was taken to a Cage Rage show to decide whether he thought the fans reactions were normal or if we'd slipped back into the mentality of those attending gladiator battles.
Suddenly 50,000 doesn't seem that likely.
Posted By: Kiltman67 (Guest) on June 25, 2008 at 06:04 AM
Great points. I didn't mean to imply that the UFC would sell out a 50,000 seat stadium within the year.
If the sport grows in the UK as it has done in the US (and with more events, better distribution, and continued effort, it might) I just wanted to point out it's not impossible.
Posted By: Morgan Marx (Registered) on June 25, 2008 at 01:29 PM
Kiltman,
While I understand what you're saying UFC gets more UK coverage than you are suggesting. Articles regularly appear in The Sun(especially when Bisping is involved or a British based event is upcoming) and Setanta Sport news now have a regular 'Fight Club' section which is set up to discuss MMA - specifically UFC. They have studio guests and it lasts a good 20 mins - half an hour and they have had the UFC Europe president in. Of course this is no surprise given Setanta's new commitment to screen UFC shows, but then, that is how growth is achieved.
I have to agree with you though, 50 000 would be a very tall order particularly within the next year but it is def growing and I believe it could be achieved in the not too distant future.
As for British fans being better off - I have a Virgin Media package with Sky Sports subscription and get Setanta as a free add on I'll therefore get all the UFC events (effectively free) so apart from the ridiculous screening times with time difference, we are def better off!!
Posted By: East Belfast (Guest) on June 26, 2008 at 10:09 AM
Consistantly the best news/opinion piece on the website. My personal favourite from this week : "He needs a bounce back fight that will get him his first W in the UFC since 1998. Rousimar Palhares is not that opponent."
Posted By: homegrowncone (Guest) on June 26, 2008 at 05:55 PM
you kind of lost me with the shaw rumor...i don't care how reliable you think the source is, the rumor sounds stupid and i wouldn't believe it 'till i see it
Posted By: romano (Guest) on June 27, 2008 at 12:34 AM
