The MMA News Report 07.16.08

Posted by Morgan Marx on 07.16.2008

Quinton Jackson makes news for all the wrong reasons as the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion is taken into custody on hit an run charges. Elsewhere, a brief, rambling look at this Saturday’s Affliction: Banned card.

THE READERS QUESTION

Boy, I thought was going to be a fun, Affliction-y preview kinda article, before news of Rampage Jackson's arrest made the rounds. But before we get to that, I was wondering if any of our fine 411 readers would be attending this Saturday's Affliction event in Anaheim, California. I'll be heading down from the LA area the morning of the event, looking forward to meeting as many MMA fans as possible

The Reader's Question: Any CA-based 411 readers heading to Affliction?


NEWS LEG KICKS

Quinton Jackson In Custody Following Hit and Run Incident



Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson was taken into police custody Tuesday afternoon following a hit-and-run accident and subsequent police chase. Jackson was transported to the Orange County Jail and held on a $25,000 bond, according to a Costa Mesa Police Department spokesperson.

Jackson was booked for felony evading, reckless driving and hit-and-run according to the official police report. UFC President Dana White made his way to Southern California to post bail for Jackson, according to Yahoo Sports.

Highlights from the official police report include:

* Jackson allegedly was involved in two separate motor vehicle incidents on the California 55 freeway, according to California Highway Patrol

* A Costa Mesa Motor Officer observed Jackson's truck weaving through traffic while driving with a flat tire on Newport Blvd. at Broadway.

* After the officer attempted to stop the truck, Jackson continued southbound on 17th, attempting to avoid being stopped.

* Jackson crossed the raised boundary and continued southbound in the northbound lane on Newport Blvd. to avoid police.

* After losing control of his truck, Jackson drove up onto the sidewalk, "causing pedestrians to flee for their lives."

* Jackson continued to run red lights, endangering both pedestrians and drivers, and struck another vehicle at the intersection of 17th and Newport.

* Jackson finally stopped in Newport Beach, CA and was taken into custody without incident.

TMZ.com was the first media outlet to report the incident. In pictures accompanying the story, several police officers can be seen approaching Jackson's vehicle with guns drawn. Jackson can be seen laying face down on the pavement in the roadway before being taken into custody. The TMZ photos show that the truck Jackson was driving was emblazoned with a sponsor's name, camouflage paint, and a life-size picture of Jackson in his MMA attire.

No injuries were reported as a result of the incidents. Bloody Elbow.com reported that no evidence of drugs or alcohol was found in Jackson's system. Stay tuned to 411Mania as more details become known.

When I first saw the report at TMZ, I had a thought that may have crossed many of your minds as well, "Is there any way that this is a stunt, or part of a movie?" Unfortunately, it looks like Jackson was solely responsible for his actions. Thankfully, no one was harmed by Jackson's bizarre behavior. It's difficult to fathom way Jackson responded the way he did to the initial accident, especially if drugs/alcohol wasn't involved.

This is certainly a terrible blow to the UFC. Jackson has been a focal point of recent UFC marketing and many commentators believed that he would become a breakout star, crossing over into other media forms. Major media outlets such as MSN.com, ESPN.com (via Sherdog), and SI.com picked up the story within hours of the first reports.

It's a terrible incident, especially for Rampage fans everywhere (and can I point out, you're not clever for writing witty headlines like "Rampage goes on one." We get it, his nickname fits the crime, good for you…sigh). I hate to say it, but apparently Rampage's loss to Forrest Griffin was a stroke of good luck for the UFC. Imagine if a current champion had to be stripped of his title for actions such as these?

I can't begin to speculate on the jail time/punishment Jackson will receive. California is notoriously easy on celebrity legal offenders, but Jackson's actions go beyond simple cocaine possession. The fact that pedestrians had to flee for their lives, as the police report puts it, isn't good for the former champ.

As a fan, I feel awful for Rampage, while accepting he deserves whatever comes his way. As a journalist, I think it will be fascinating to see how the UFC responds to the incident, and how mainstream media outlets treat MMA. During a week when major inroads could have been made within the industry via Affliction and Anderson Silva's free main event, the attention may be dominated by Rampage's actions.

The UFC can't hope to cover up the story a la Randy Couture by not mentioning Jackson. At some point, they will have to address the situation. Some messageboard posters have already speculated that the UFC will be forced to drop Jackson from the roster. I'm not sure it will get quite that far, but it's certainly not out of the question.

At this point, no official word has been made via UFC.com.

Multiple Sources:

Newport Beach Daily Pilot

Costa Mesa Police Department

Yahoo Sports

TMZ.com


COMMENTARY

Affliction Ramblings




From the moment it was announced, Affliction: Banned has been a lightening rod for commentary. It's not enough for a promotion to put on an intriguing card, arguably one of the best heavyweight-laden cards of all time. No, Affliction must change the shape of MMA, must become a viable foil for the UFC. For some reason, people can't analyze and enjoy the card for what it is. They must speculate over the long-term prospects for the company, over the "meaning" behind the event.

In the end, Affliction is a pay-per-view event, nothing more, nothing less. Fans will be treated to a main event featuring arguably the greatest MMA practitioner of all time. Fedor Emelianenko is facing a credible opponent for the first times in years. While a major title will not be on the line (no offense, WAMMA), Fedor's legacy is at stake. A win for the Russian will cement his standing an all time great, and may recapture the top spot on most pound-for-pound rankings. A victory for Tim Sylvia, the former UFC champ, will dredge up all those questions about Fedor's recent exploits.

Many have complained that the under card matches don't feature the same level of competition as the main event. Andrei Arlovski, himself a former champion, will take on Ben Rothwell in the IFL veteran's biggest match to date. Josh Barnett will face a possibly over the hill Pedro Rizzo, while Matt Lindland takes on Brazilian fighter Fabio Negao, best known for a pair of losses to current UFC talents (Palhares and Maia). To be certain, there is a chance that these fights will fail to live up to the hype.

And that, in the end, is what this card is all about: chances. Affliction has a chance to become the premiere non-UFC promotion in America. The fighters have a chance at proving a non-UFC career is sustainable and profitable in MMA. Fans will take a chance by ordering the PPV. Perhaps they will be privy to a must see event, "the night Fedor was KO'd." Or perhaps they'll end up regretting spending their hard-earned cash when a free UFC event was available. Are you willing to take the chance on greatness? Or are you pessimistic about Affliction's chances?

I'm not sold either way. 411Mania will have two correspondents live at the event, myself and Punch Drunk Hanover scribe Bren Oliver. Would I order the event if I weren't attending it? Maybe not, Anderson Silva is a big draw for me. But I'm certainly excited to be going in person. If nothing else, I can claim that I saw Fedor live.

Just a few bonus thoughts on the event:

Megadeth I can't be the only one surprised at the lack of interest in Megadeth's performance. Are the thrash metal giants that far removed from their heyday? Personally, I've always been more appreciative of Pantera and Dave Mustaine than Metallica (although my love of Tool dwarfs all other metal bands). Yet I've seen far more criticism of the band in online communities than praise.

I'm not saying that Megadeth's performance is what Affliction needed to put it over the top. Hopefully, the group won't be playing out every fighter. But if handled somewhat tastefully (as tasteful as anything Affliction is involved with), it's certainly not a bad thing. There are at least two breaks in action between the online fights, the FSN portion of the card, and the main card itself. I'm all for a few Megadeth songs during intermission.

There's no denying that MMA and metal are linked. Look at the number of current metal artists that practice some form of MMA (including Maynard James Keenan, well versed in BJJ). Affliction knows that tie better than anyone. I'm not saying Megadeth would have caused me to purchase a ticket, but I won't deny I'm slightly thrilled to see them play.

Babalu v. Whitehead Lost amid the heavyweights, two light heavies will face off in a fight that will determine the next stage in both fighters' careers. Controversial grappler Renato "Babalu" Sobral takes on former TUF contestant Mike Whitehead in a main card battle. Though the two haven't received a share of the headlines, I think it's a really interesting fight featuring two well-rounded opponents.

Babalu has been a long favorite of mine. Though he's best known for his losses to Chuck Liddell (and his actions that led to his UFC ousting), there's something about the Brazilian that draws me in. For one, he just looks like a fighter. I might be more susceptible to a fighter's appearance than the next MMA commentator (which might explain my unwavering support for Alessio Sakara). But Sobral's tattooed visage combines with his reputation to form a fighter that's part entertaining, part intimidating. I don't condone Sobral's revenge choke on David Heath, but it certainly gives Sobral a different edge than many fighters that step into the ring. He reminds me that MMA is something more than a sport. There are consequences for the men that take part in the action.

Whitehead stands in stark contrast to Sobral. Nothing about his appearance or demeanor leaps off the page. Quietly he has put together a sterling record, including a current 12 fight win streak. After a disappointing performance on TUF 2 (which was possible related to staph infection), Whitehead made one UFC appearance, losing out to Keith Jardine by decision. Since then, Whitehead has mowed through everyone put in his path, including 10 wins by stoppage.

I'm not saying that Whitehead is on the cusp of stardom. Mixed in among his victories are wins over Mark Kerr and Warpath Villarral, not exactly the cream of the heavyweight crop. But this fight could be a standout. Whitehead trains with Xtreme Couture, a camp that excels at maxing a fighter's potential. Fedor, Barnett, and Arlovski are the main draws, but this showdown could end up stealing fight of the night plaudits.


CONCLUSION

Well, that was an interesting report. Enjoy this weekend's action, whichever event you end up supporting. Check back for 411Mania's exclusive coverage of Affliction: Banned. Can't wait to see some of you guys there if you're in the SoCal area.