Punch Drunk Hangover 08.11.08: UFC 87 was Absolutely Georges'!

Posted by Bren Oliver on 08.11.2008

Read ahead for Bren Oliver's thoughts on UFC 87, the still-developing "Affliction: Day of Reckoning" card, a trio of additions to UFC 90, DREAM's Middleweight Grand Prix match-ups, and a handful of "f*ck"-free Dana White-isms. Those things and more, plus this week's "Monday Morning Moment of Zen" featuring the Amir Sadollah getting voluntarily electrocuted, are all just a click away!

Good morning, afternoon, evening, or whatever in-between time your eyes have found their way to the Punch Drunk Hangover! As is the case most Mondays, 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 like a good pinch to the nipples, waking you up and making your day that much more exciting! Have no fear...the technique is Georges St. Pierre approved!!!





It was another busy week in the world of Mixed Martial Arts, especially in the land o' Zuffa, as the UFC announced a number of future fights, as well as held two solid live events in the form of WEC 35 and UFC 87. Before diving into those two subjects, I'd like to point everyone in the direction of 411Mania's exclusive interview with Gan McGee, as it may have been lost in the shuffle of last week, and I felt it was definitely worth giving a read. "The Giant" speaks candidly about a number of subjects, including why he feels Tim Sylvia cheated against him in their UFC bout, and offers up some insight on what he's been up to lately. Speaking of "Q&A" sessions, keep your eyes peeled for "A Few Rounds with Tracy Lee" on Tuesday, where I had an opportunity to ask the princess of MMA-media a number of things about both her personal life and her experiences covering Mixed Martial Arts fighters when the arena lights darken and the strobe lights spark to life. And yes, there will be pictures for those of you who appreciate an attractive, well-cupped Asian female who happens to be head-over-heels about Mixed Martial Arts.

I enjoyed WEC 35, as I imagine most of you reading this did. Jamie Varner looked exceptional against the formerly undefeated Marcus Hicks. I was a major critic of the way Varner obtained his WEC Championship, as I felt the timeout Steve Mazagatti allowed for "The Worm" to put in a mouthpiece Rob McCullough had sent flying after a stiff punch was bush league at best and may have cost "Razor Rob" the victory. However, if he continues to shine as he did the weekend before last, it should be hard for anyone to have a problem with the Arizona native being champion. He definitely fights like one.

Brian Stann clearly has a lot to learn in MMA, and I think he may have been unfairly burdened with a lot of undeserved hype due to his life's story. His spirit and overall character cannot be denied. To steal from the book of Dana White, Brian Stann's heart is as big as Tito Ortiz's head. However, he is still a baby in MMA, and I think it was easy to forget he'd only competed six times professionally prior to the loss to Cantwell (who also happens to be 6-1 at the moment).

Carlos Condit's title-defense against Hiromitsu Miura was not necessarily "Fight of the Year", as a good portion of it involved two completely gassed individuals throwing sloppy punches, but it was exciting as it unfolded and showed exactly what Condit is made of. He appeared to be a bit thinner than I recall him in previous fights, and I wonder if perhaps some of the extra-curricular activities he'd been involved with over the months leading up to WEC 35 might have thrown off his regular training. He didn't seem to have the same power or conditioning as he's shown in the past. I think it's time Zuffa thinks about bringing him up to the UFC, possibly advertising a super-fight between Condit and St. Pierre/Penn while Thiago Alves, Diego Sanchez, and a few other Welterweights sort out the rest of the contendership-picture. It would be a good way to introduce Condit as a legitimate threat, with the possibility he might even win the championship, while also avoiding the risk of "The Natural Born Killer" getting bumped off by a lesser name who is still a legitimate opponent (like Koscheck, Alves, Sanchez, Swick, etc.).

With UFC 87, as is so often the case in MMA, it was the lesser stars who shined on Saturday as opposed to the main event players. While Florian/Huerta, Lesnar/Herring, and St. Pierre/Fitch each had their moments of unbridled entertainment, all three fights resulted in unanimous decisions as opposed to the finishes we saw from Cheick Kongo, Rob Emerson, and Demian Maia. Speaking of which...








I don't think there was any question Kongo would handle Dan Evenson, though I definitely felt Manny Gamburyan would beat Rob Emerson and was quite surprised when Manny got put to sleep. I'm not sure how far Emerson can actually go in the UFC's Lightweight division, as I don't see him beating any of the top shelf 155-pounders, but, with a loss-free record over the past three years (including two wins in the UFC), he definitely deserves the opportunity to test his skill against a "name" opponent.


Demian Maia def. Jason MacDonald - Submission - RD 3


Both fighters put on a great display of submission grappling, both offensively and defensively, and I felt their effort deserved "Fight of the Night" moreso than St. Pierre vs. Fitch. The crowd was very into the action, which was pleasing given most audiences' hair-trigger when it comes to booing mat-based antics. It looked as though MacDonald was going to last the full three rounds, but Maia's jiujitsu is too slick for most, apparently including MacDonald, and the Canadian fighter eventually got caught and submitted. I think it's time for the UFC to give Maia a step up in competition and put him against one of the Middleweight division's top competitors. He's clearly an ace on the ground, and an above-average Mixed Martial Artist, but I'd like to see how he'll fare against the likes of Rich Franklin or Michael Bisping before declaring him an actual contender to Anderson Silva's championship.


Ken Florian def. Roger Huerta - Judges' Decision


Gotta love the Bruce Lee-inspired yellow/black tracksuit Florian was sporting! Speaking of "Ken-Flo" emulating others, is it just me, or did his elusive style against Roger Huerta remind anyone else of Lyoto Machida's approach to fighting? Florian brought an excellent gameplan into the fight and executed it to perfection. He was able to frustrate Huerta with movement, then catch him with counter-punches and mix in a few takedowns along the way. "El Matador" never really had the chance to get comfortable or to put Florian in a bad position. I believe the loss to Ken will serve as a learning experience for Huerta, who fans should remember is 7-8 years younger than the former Ultimate Fighter Season 1 finalist. By continuing to improve technique, and using more-cerebral plan of attack, Huerta will be a major player in MMA for some time. I'd say it's safe to wager his best days are still ahead of him. Florian, on the other hand, is in his prime and needs to capitalize on his current success. If he truly hasn't earned another shot at the UFC Lightweight Championship after dominating Huerta, he best be a win away from the honor with either Sean Sherk or Tyson Griffin (more on those two later) standing across the cage from him.


Brock Lesnar def. Heath Herring - Judges' Decision


Consider me sold on Brock Lesnar. While he still has a lot to learn, Lesnar's combination of size, athleticism, power, and wrestling-ability is second to none. I was shocked by how easily he handled Herring. He moves like a Light Heavyweight who probably is close to 280 pounds by the time he actually enters the Octagon. His fists are like sledgehammers and he's able to put himself in dominant positions to unleash them thanks to his collegiate history. Lesnar also shows little fear, opting to attack first and think second. It's something he'll need to improve on, but then again, it's hard to criticize a man who dominated Frank Mir for 99% of their fight and crushed Heath Herring for fifteen straight minutes in only his second and third professional bouts. His jaw hasn't been tested yet, but what UFC Heavyweight is going to be able to land enough solid strikes without absorbing a huge amount of damage along the way? Not too many I can think of. I believe Lesnar only has one more fight left on his contract, but I assume the UFC will re-sign him as long as he doesn't start demanding Affliction-like money. He's the kind of balls-out athlete Dana White covets, plus he brings in the bonuses of significant mainstream coverage and additional public interest due to his stint in professional wrestling. I suspect he'll fight either Gabriel Gonzaga or Cheick Kongo based on the availability of both Heavyweights and the challenge each man represents for Lesnar.





Georges St. Pierre def. Jon Fitch - Judges' Decision


What can be said about St. Pierre that hasn't been said already? His loss to Matt Serra apparently coated GSP in teflon, as he has seemed untouchable since dropping the Welterweight gold to Serra in 2007. And, what's more frightening than his aura of invincibility at the moment, is the fact "Rush" continues to improve as a fighter. When he hangs up his five-ounce gloves ten years from now, I have no doubt Georges St. Pierre will be considered among the top two or three Mixed Martial Artists of all time.

St. Pierre's performance against Jon Fitch was incredible. He out-wrestled him, taking Fitch down with ease, and landed a high number of clean strikes along the way. I give Fitch a ton of credit for the heart he displayed, as most fighters would have submitted to "Da Riddum" instead of endured all twenty-five minutes of intense pressure. I still feel Fitch is the second best Welterweight in the UFC and that the former Purdue Boilermaker will start a new win streak as soon as he re-enters the Octagon. I would have no problem seeing him earn another opportunity to face St. Pierre, even though I don't think the outcome would be any different. Then again, who is going to defeat St. Pierre outside of having a "puncher's chance"? The only person I can think of who I see having an above-average shot of soundly beating GSP is Anderson Silva, and that says something in itself when you consider their respective weight classes and Silva's standing atop most pound-for-pound rankings.





There's my three cents on those particular matters - now time to give my spin on a handful of other subjects gracing the headlines this past week. I'd love to hear your thoughts on things 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 August 4th, 2008 and August 10th, 2008:


Andrei Arlovski's official website has confirmed that it will indeed be Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett at Affliction "Day Of Reckoning" on October 11. Fedor Emelianenko was scheduled to face Arlovski on the PPV but had to pull out of the fight due to an injured hand.


While fans who eat and breathe MMA are likely salivating over this scheduled showdown between Heavyweights, I'm concerned about the drawing power of Josh Barnett when it comes to bringing in the PPV buys Affliction so desperately needs this go-round. While Fedor Emelianenko is not a household name yet in America, and may never be, the stoic Heavyweight remains the consensus top fighter at his weightclass and is coming off a thirty-six second victory over Tim Sylvia. He also brings in a significant fanbase of countrymen every time he competes due to his iconic status in Mother Russia. Barnett, while certainly a worldclass Mixed Martial Artist, has been flying under the mainstream radar for quite some time due to his tenure in Japan. He may have been a UFC Champion, but he made his mark in the organization before the first season of TUF opened the floodgates, turned fighters into superstars, and spawned a near-billion dollar industry. Without Emelianenko's mystique, or any UFC exposure since 2002, "The Babyface Assassin" simply isn't an individual who will excite your run of the mill MMA fan when mentioned as an opponent for Andrei Arlovski (which is ironic since Barnett is a superior fighter).

Fortunately for you, and likely similar to you, I am not a Zuffa Zombie, and I'm quite excited about "The Pitbull" testing his arsenal of powerful strikes against an opponent with better wrestling, superior jiujitsu, and an above-average stand-up game of his own. The fact Arlovski looked extremely good as he battered "Big" Ben Rothwell last month is not lost on me, meaning fans are in for a very entertaining bout so long as Barnett is willing to engage him. Affliction is delivering one of those "PRIDE vs. UFC" dream-fights the MMA community buzzed about when the now-defunct Japanese promotion was acquired by the UFC and we should feel thankful for it. Unfortunately, I don't think our well-wishes will mean much where the company's future is concerned.

On a side note, Josh Barnett has been using Andrei Arlovski's accidentally brilliant line, "How tastes my pee-pee?", ever since the Belarusian dropped it in reference to rumors Tim Sylvia was dating his ex-girlfriend. I can't help but wonder if Barnett will bring it up in during the build for their bout in October. I'm certain I'll feel slighted if he doesn't.


MMAWeekly.com is reporting that UFC lightweights Melvin Guillard and Spencer Fisher will be fighting at UFC 90 on October 25 in Chicago, Illinois. Fisher last fought at The Ultimate Fighter Finale on June 21 where he picked up a decision victory over Jeremy Stephens. Guillard is also coming off a victory against Dennis Siver at UFC 86.


It makes sense for the UFC to put Spencer Fisher on the UFC 90 card, as he's a "Quad Cities" guy and deserves to display his skills in front of friends and family. Pat Miletich would disagree with me on this point, but I feel Guillard is a deserving of the opportunity to fight the veteran Fisher. Both are 2-2 in their last four fights and each needs a win over a recognized fighter to stay semi-relevent in the UFC's Lightweight division. "The Young Assassin" will rely primarily on his power, while Fisher (who hasn't finished an opponent in two years) will no doubt attempt to take Melvin down and grind out a decision-win if not procure a submission in the process. Standing against Guillard would be a mistake likely leading to "The King" being crowned, as it were, and I believe Fisher is smart enough to recognize the safest road to victory starts on the canvas.


Sherdog.com is reporting that UFC lightweights Hermes Franca and Gleison Tibau will be fighting at UFC 90 on October 25 at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. Both fighters are coming off losses and are looking for a win to boost their stock in the UFC. Franca recently lost to Frankie Edgar via decision back at Fight Night 15 on July 19. Tibau is coming off back-to-back losses to Joe Stevenson and Tyson Griffin.


This bout has a bit more appeal to me than the afore-mentioned clash between Melvin Guillard and Spencer Fisher. Gleison Tibau and Hermes Franca are both individuals who possess well-rounded skills and unique, though similarly colorful, personalities. I see Hermes with a slight edge in jiujitsu, though it will be impossible for Franca to match Tibau's brute strength or general power. He will need to use precision to his advantage if the two stand and exchange, as Gleison's suspect-chin is responsible for three of his six career losses and he's never been terribly sharp on his feet. However, Tibau has muscles on top of muscles, and one solid shot could turn Franca's face the sort of purple you'd expect Hermes' hair to be. It should be a good fight with the caveat it could also be a "Loser Leaves Town" sort of affair. Both are coming off back-to-back losses, and a trio of consecutive defeats rarely bodes well when it comes to drawing a future Zuffa salary.


MMAWeekly.com is reporting that former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk will face Tyson Griffin at UFC 90 on October 25 at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. Sherk is coming off a loss to BJ Penn at UFC 84, a fight which saw Sherk lose his chance at the lightweight title. Griffin is currently on a four-fight win streak and recently earned a victory over Marcus Aurelio at UFC 86. Griffin's last loss came at the hands of Frankie Edgar back at UFC 67.


It's as if Goldie Locks and the Three Bears have taken over my column! From Fisher/Guillard to Franca/Tibau to a third match-up of 155-pounders that feels "just right". Sherk vs. Griffin will put the winner extremely close to a shot at the UFC's Lightweight Championship, though I see the winner having to get by Ken Florian to lay full claim to the contendership slot. I'm a bit apprehensive of a rematch between "Ken-Flo" and Sean Sherk, but I'm certain Florian would love the opportunity to avenge his loss and get the bitter taste of iron from Sherk's blood defeat out of his mouth. I recognize the UFC 90 bout between Sherk and XTreme Couture's Tyson Griffin has all the makings of a picnic between two fighters who each specialize in wrestling, wet-blanket included. However, "The Muscle Shark" showed a willingness to strike against BJ Penn at UFC 84, even in a losing effort, and Tyson Griffin is no slouch when it comes to punches, knees, and kicks. Just ask Urijah Faber, whose chin-dimple was made a bit deeper after Griffin knocked him out in 2005. That being said, I'm not so sure Sherk and Griffin won't set out to prove neither is a one-trick pony who relies on the judges' scorecards to win. I see each man wanting to finish the other moreso than smother his way to victory. Regardless, someone call up 411Mania's Dustin James, as it appears the MMA crew will be doing Lightweight Rankings come October 26th. Talk about a huge night for the little guys!


MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Affliction has signed former IFL standout Chris Horodecki to a three-fight deal and he is expected to make his debut at the "Day Of Reckoning" PPV on October 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Horodecki is currently 12-1 as a pro. He went 8-1 in the IFL with his only loss coming to Ryan Schultz in a fight that determined the first ever IFL Lightweight Champion. An opponent has yet to be announced for Horodecki's debut with Affliction.


I rode in an elevator with Chris Horodecki the afternoon of "Affliction: Banned" and it was incredible to me how small he was. I've met other Lightweights, like Gilbert Melendez and Nate Diaz, who seemed to be of average build and height. Horodecki, however, was a tiny guy. Then again, what he lacks in physical stature, he certainly makes up for when he steps into the ring and throws down against an opponent. I think it was a smart signing by Affliction assuming they didn't break the bank for him. The promotion needs to build young athletes alongside its contracted superstars. Horodecki is only 20 years old, and he also happens to have a fan-friendly style of fighting and marketable look. I'm guessing he may end up facing another young Lightweight with ties to Affliction, Mark Hominick. It's certainly the most bankable match-up of 155-pounders the company can put together without bringing in talent from Japan.


MMAWeekly.com is reporting that Thales Leites (13-1) will take on Goran Reljic (8-0) at UFC 90 on October 25. Leites was scheduled to face Dean Lister at UFC Fight Night 15 in September, yet an injury forced Lister to remove his name from the bout. Leites is coming off a win over Nate Marquardt at UFC 85. Reljic is coming off a TKO win over Wilson Gouveia at UFC 84.


Quite a busy week for UFC 90 news, eh? This is a fairly good pairing of two Middleweights who are both attempting to stake their claim in the division. Leites is quite a bit more well-known than Reljic based on the number of times each has entered the Octagon, but the Croat should not be dismissed, as knocking out Wilson Gouveia is a nice feather to put in your cap. Leites did beat Marquardt, who is a far-superior fighter in comparison to Gouveia, but it was a sloppy win based on point-deductions for Marquardt with the only highlight in Leites' favor being a knockdown early in the fight. It's also a fight I have a hard time determining a clear favorite in, which I think makes the clash a bit more appealing. I see the winner of this bout, whoever he may be, being at least 3-4 wins away from contending for the UFC's Middleweight Championship, probably more in the case of Reljic based on the lack of UFC competition thus far in his career. Still, whoever's hand is raised at the end of the fight will definitely put himself in a position to start facing bigger names and earning bigger paychecks. The UFC's 185-pound pool may not be its deepest but the waters are still shark-infested. Michael Bisping, Chris Leben, Rich Franklin, Yushin Okami, Patrick Cote, and the proverbial "Jaws" of the bunch, Anderson Silva, are all forces to be reckoned with when it comes to climbing the Middleweight ranks.


At the UFC press conference at the Mall of America today, Dana White said that after losing to Forrest Griffin, Quinton Jackson spent a week in Las Vegas, fasting and doing nothing but drinking energy drinks. Doctors diagnosed him with delirium from the starvation. White said nothing is wrong with Jackson mentally.


So wait..."Rampage" refused to eat for a few days, consumed a large quantity of energy drinks, and probably didn't get a wink of sleep during that period of time...and, according to Dana White, there's nothing off kilter about his actions? And here I was thinking my brain was whacked out from years of abuse!

Look, I'm glad to hear a switch in Quinton Jackson's brain didn't flip and render him a monster-truck wielding madman or a raving psychotic who howls in public...er, scratch that last part. I've always been more interested in his welfare as a human being in the wake of this than as a UFC Light Heavyweight badass - his ability to redeem himself as a man first, a fighter second. It's wonderful news his longterm mental health is not in jeopardy. However, it is ridiculous for Dana White to pretend as though the self-destructive nature of the actions leading to Jackson's delirium are those of a normal, mentally-sound individual. From my understanding, depression was at the root of his binge due to some personal problems he was experiencing (one of which was a split from trainer/manager Juanito Ibarra). Depression is a very real sickness that can lead to horrible things. Fortunately, it appears as though "Rampage" has gotten the help he needs and is on the road to recovery. It's the perp-walk he now has to watch out for.


DREAM has announced the following fights for the final round of the Middleweight Grand Prix which will take place on September 23 in Saitama, Japan:

-Melvin Manhoef vs. Gegard Mousasi

-Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Zelg Galesic


So...the final is "Jacare" vs Mousasi or Manhoef? Galesic is a good fighter, but he's not on the level of Souza or either of the other two Middleweights remaining in the Grand Prix. I'm a bit disappointed Jason Miller hasn't been announced in an alternate situation, a la Joachim Hansen in DREAM's LWGP, as I personally would have loved to see "Mayhem" face Kazushi Sakuraba for the entrances alone (and it would have made sense in the context of the tournament). The M&M fight, aka Mousasi vs. Manhoef, should certainly be as sweet as the afore-mentioned candy. Both are incredible at what they do, though each approaches MMA in a very different way. Mousasi is the equivalent of a string quartet, his jiujitsu, wrestling, conditioning, and stand-up all complimenting each other and making for a complete fighter. Manhoef is comparitively a jackhammer, his powerful fists, knees, and feet destroying anything in their path without regard for the finer points of Mixed Martial Arts. It is the classic case of the "upstoppable force" meeting the "immovable object". It's difficult to give any real edge to either fighter, though I question whether or not Mousasi will be healthy enough to compete in the final even if he does weather the storm against Manhoef.



MMANews.com is reporting that Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio has confirmed that Ben Rothwell will face Pedro Rizzo at Affliction "Day Of Reckoning" on October 11 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rothwell and Rizzo both fought at Affliction's PPV debut show on July 19. Rothwell lost to Andrei Arlovski while Rizzo lost to Josh Barnett.


I like the match-making on this. Both men have a lot to prove after losing at "Banned", both are strikers who almost guarantee an entertaining fight regardless of opponent, and I enjoy the "new school vs. old school" aspect of the bout. I'll be curious to gauge whether or not the knockout losses each sustained in July affects either's state of mind. I imagine it's one thing to lose via decision, or even submission, and another thing quite entirely when you get flattened in highlight-reel fashion. Will there be a mutual tentativeness to engage each other or will one throw caution to the wind? It will be interesting to see if Rothwell can rise to the occasion against "The Rock", who certainly still has some gas in the tank, or whether the older Rizzo will stand his ground and remind the world why he was a UFC Champion.


FiveOuncesOfPain.com is reporting that Jason Lambert will make his UFC debut at Middleweight when he takes on Jason Day at UFC 88 on September 6 in Atlanta, Georgia. Both fighters are coming off a TKO loss at UFC 85. Lambert lost to Luiz Cane on the show while Day lost to Michael Bisping. UFC 88 will be headlined by Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans.


My apologies to comic book nerds, but "The Punisher" vs. "Doomsday" doesn't particularly do anything for me.

That being said, I'm pleased to see Lambert dropping down to Middleweight and hopefully shedding some of the excess weight he seemed to carry with him into most bouts. If "The Punisher" comes in shredded, and has at least gained in speed/conditioning what he may have lost in power, then he could be a small force in the Middleweight division. Lambert's chin seems to be made out of papier-mache' at times, which means he likely won't do much against the UFC's top 185-pound fighters (as they tend to be quite good in that department), but he can certainly achieve "gatekeeper" status and an active role on the PPV circuit with a few wins at Middleweight. Jason Day is no chump, so this fight will be an excellent indicator of where Lambert is at when it comes to the lower weightclass.


Jibber-Jabber:

The following soundbyte was delivered over the past week...


Dana White on TAGG radio...

"There's no guarantees that Florian and Huerta are going to get a title shot after this fight. It definitely puts them in the mix ... but definitely, if St. Pierre beats Fitch, it's looking like it'll be GSP (vs.) B.J. Penn."


Sorry, but BJ Penn does not deserve the opportunity to face Georges St. Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship. Hell, Anderson Silva has more claim to being the top challenger to Forrest Griffin's Light Heavyweight strap than Penn does to St. Pierre, because "The Spider" has at least been successful competing at 205-pounds. Penn is 0-2 in his last two fights at 170-pounds, one of which came at the hands of GSP. While Penn looks unbeatable at 155-pounds, bear in mind he defeated Jens Pulver (a 33-year old Featherweight), Joe Stevenson (in his first UFC title-fight), and Sean Sherk (coming off a ten-month absence from competition). I'm not saying BJ isn't an incredible fighter, because he most certainly is, and I consider him to be one of the best pound-for-pound Mixed Martial Artists on the planet. Bofu "Worm-Eater" N'Dammyu from Planet X-5 is a beast...literally...but he would challenge Penn, Silva, Emelianenko, and St. Pierre for P4P best any day of the week if Bofu wasn't so opposed to interstellar travel. Regardless, my point is Penn does not deserve to leapfrog Thiago Alves, Diego Sanchez, or any other Welterweight who has put together a few impressive wins and has yet to fight St. Pierre. I'm certain GSP vs. Penn II will be a teriffic fight, but I refuse to believe the motivation for putting it together is anything other than financial (with a bit of Baby Jay's whining thrown into the mix). The fact White has stated it will likely take place in Montreal also plays to the notion of dollar signs being the driving force behind the clash of champions. It's certainly not a matter of what is "best" for the UFC's Lightweight/Welterweight divisions or sport of MMA as a whole.


"Somebody asked me yesterday in an interview, 'Roger Huerta said he's having contract problems.' He's not having contract problems. He's got two more fights left on his contract. If he beats Kenny Florian, it obviously puts him in a real nice position, then he can re-negotiate a new contract. Some of these guys start saying stupid stuff like Roger. I don't get what he's talking about. You signed a contract. You've got two fights left on it. You've got a tough fight with Kenny Florian. You win it? We'll talk."


Oops! So much for that fat, new contract! I guess Huerta will just have to deal with the burden of being popular, making a nice salary doing something he loves, and having the ability to sling the p-word like it's hash at a truckstop diner.


Dana White at it again, this time on MMAConvert.com...

"Fifty times we thought it was over and we were buying PRIDE, then we hear they were talking to these guys and these guys and kept stringing us along. So, when Mirko Cro Cop's deal came up, we went after Mirko aggressively, signed him, and that really started to unravel PRIDE. He was really tight with them, so once we were able to take him away, all the other fighters started talking to us too. And that was basically the last nail in the coffin for those guys. It was really a business move to buy PRIDE. That's why we signed Cro Cop.

It wasn't like we brought Cro Cop in and thought he was going to take over the Heavyweight division or anything. I think that's what the fans thought - the hardcore fans who really knew a lot about PRIDE - but it was a business move to kill PRIDE."


The more Dana White talks, the more I think I understand what he meant by stating Quinton Jackson's actions were the result of a mentally sound individual. For example, if a lunatic like Charles Manson felt Jackson's brain was functioning normally when he stayed up for a few days straight and consumed nothing but energy drinks, it wouldn't seem to be such a far-fetched notion coming from Manson's mouth based on how crazy he happens to be. In the same right, though obviously not on the same level, Dana White is a bit batty himself if he expects intelligent individuals to buy the load he's attempting to sell in the above soundbyte.

It's as if White sometimes is so drunk on his own power he feels the need to justify mistakes he's made (such as signing "Cro Cop" to a huge contract and watching him lose two-of-three fights in your organization). PRIDE went out of business due to mismanagement, not because Filipovic was some sort of human Jenga piece the UFC removed in order to cause the downfall of the company. If signing Mirko killed any aspect of PRIDE, at least at the time, it was related to how his losses against Gonzaga/Kongo reflected on the reverence fans held for the quality of opponents he defeated while competing in Japan.


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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" - Amir Sadollah being tasered during a seminar for the Fairfax County Justice Department!

He really is "TUF"!






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