The MMA News Report 08.13.08
Posted by Morgan Marx on 08.13.2008
An all news edition of the report: where will the IFL castoffs sign, what fights have been added to upcoming UFC events, which foreign fighters will be making US appearances, and what is the future for MMA Live? All this plus more (I know, I couldn’t believe how much news there was either) inside.
INTRODUCTION
So perhaps SI.com was a little hasty in its Tito Ortiz announcement. How a major news organization like Sports Illustrated could run with an unconfirmed story is beyond me. In any event, I still expect we'll get an official announcement regarding Ortiz's participation in Affliction's next show sooner or later. To make up for the gaffe, we're running an all-confirmed news edition of the Wednesday MMA Report. With a number of new signings, fight announcements, and various other issues, it seemed like a good idea to clear the clutter. So next week we'll return to a regular format. For now, enjoy all the updates on IFL vets!
THE READERS QUESTION
The Reader's Question: Will any IFL veterans make their mark on a larger organization, be it Affliction, the UFC, or in Japan?
NEWS LEG KICKS
Horwich Lands Big Dog in UFC Debut
Former IFL Middleweight Champion Matt Horwich will face Ricardo Almeida in his UFC debut, according to UFC.com. The bout has been added to the UFC 90 lineup, an event headlined by Anderson Silva's middleweight title defense against Patrick Cote.
Horwich put together a 20-9-1 record competing in a variety of promotions, including the WEC, Strikeforce, and the IFL. Recognizable names can be found all over his record. The Team Quest product holds victories over UFC veterans Jason MacDonald, Benji Radach, and Josh Burkman. Horwich amassed a 6-4 record in the IFL, with his losses split between Jamal Patterson and Ryan McGivern.
Almeida, meanwhile, made a much-hyped return to the UFC after a nearly four year absence from the sport. After scoring a quick submission victory over Rob Yundt in his re-debut, Almeida dropped a title run off fight against Cote. Though Almeida looked good early at UFC 86, cardio issues seemed to sap his ability as the fight wore on.
This fight could be an interesting match up. Almeida is a decorated jiu jitsu competitor, though only four of his nine wins have come by way of submission. Horwich is a wrestler, though over 80 percent of his victories have been by sub. Horwich is known for his heart and his durability. Questions about Almeida's commitment to MMA have been raised before, and will surely be raised again should he drop another decision.
Elsewhere at UFC 90, Goran Reljic will make his middleweight debut against Thales Leites in a fight that could affect future title contender statuses. My esteemed colleague Bren Oliver covered that news in Monday's edition of Punch Drunk Hangover. Check the link for Bren's thoughts about Reljic's future at 185. Personally, I'm waiting for Reljic to win at least one more fight before openly declaring my man-crush on the Croatian.
The UFC's lightweight division will get even deeper when former IFL standout Jim Miller and Pride veteran David Baron square off at UFC 89, according to MMAWeekly.com. UFC 89 will take place in Birmingham, England October 18.
Miller was rumored to make the jump to the UFC earlier this year before contract issues scuffed the move. With the IFL's apparent demise, both Miller and his brother are free to make their major league debuts. At 11-1 (with the lone loss coming to UFC fighter Frank Edgar), Miller is a promising talent. The New Jersey product holds wins over Muhsin Corbbrey and Bart Palaszewski (more on him in a minute).
Baron will pose a stern test for Miller. The French fighter has worldwide experience, having fought some of the toughest competitors around. Best known for a submission loss to Takanori Gomi, Baron shocked many by upsetting Hayato Sakurai at a Shooto event in May. Baron also holds two victories over recent UFC signing (and fellow UFC 89 competitor) Dan Hardy at the welterweight weight class.
If both fighters have the talent to impact the lightweight division, you might be wondering why the two are paired off in their first UFC fight. Perhaps the UFC views Baron as a good measuring post to test Miller's potential. While Baron's latest victory is impressive, his overall record has been buoyed by feasting on the relatively weak European MMA market. Recent Euro signings such as Per Eklund (who holds a win over Baron), Samy Schiavo, and Dennis Siver haven't fared well in the octagon.
Should Miller emerge victorious, his standing within the division would be secure and participation on various Fight Night cards would be assured. Win or lose, Baron will probably be popping up on future European UFC cards for the remainder of his contract.
Kenny Florian hinted that the future of ESPN's MMA Live webisode show may be at the Worldwide Leader or ESPN 2, according to MMAJunkie.com. The weekly MMA recap and analysis show airs Thursday evenings on ESPN's website.
Speaking to TAGG Radio, Florian suggested that the move could be made in the near future. Said Florian:
I don't want to let the cat out of the bag, but soon. The next couple of month, we're hoping to get [MMA Live] on ESPN or ESPN 2, and the sponsors are getting on board as we speak, so we should have a deal very, very soon. We're all very pumped.
Crafted in the mold of NFL Live, the show features Florian as a recurring analyst. Frank Mir recently replaced Florian while the Boston native prepared for his lightweight battle against Roger Huerta. If you haven't checked out the show, I highly recommend it. It covers MMA like we all hope ESPN will. Should the show officially switch to cable, it could mark a tipping point in mainstream acceptance and coverage of MMA, similar to ESPN's treatment of NASCAR.
In other Florian news, the fighter told MMAJunkie that while a showdown with Lightweight Champion BJ Penn is the ultimate goal, he'd like to fight again this year should the title shot be unavailable. With Penn likely colliding with Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre, Florian may have to wait until 2009 for a title shot.
Seriously, I should have just titled this the "IFL Evacuee Report."
Former IFL lightweight Bart "Bartimus" Palaszewski (and won't I enjoy typing that name more and more) confirmed his signing with World Extreme Cagefighting with Sherdog.com. According to the report, Palaszewski agreed to a six-fight contract with the highly rated organization.
Like new UFC singing Matt Horwich, Palaszewski carries a mixed record (29-11) but is known as a fierce competitor that consistently entertains audiences. Palaszewski knocked off IFL notables Ryan Schultz, John Gunderson, and Ivan Menjivar, as well as recent UFC debutante Steve Bruno during his time in the organization. However, the Team Curran fighter might be best remembered for exciting decision losses to Chris Horodecki and Jim Miller.
Palaszewski bolsters a lightweight division headlined by Jamie Varner. The new signing should slot in among title contenders such as Rob McCullough and Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. By adding a fighter with the pedigree of Palaszewski, the WEC has opened up a wealth of new match ups. Should a talent swap with the UFC take place (with heavier fighters being absorbed by the UFC), the WEC's lighter divisions should be set for numerous shows to come.
Explosive welterweight Paul Daley will return to the US to fight at September's Elite XC event, according to MMAWeekly.com. The UK striker did not name an opponent at this time.
Daley has been at the center of several controversial events in recent time. After falling out with Pro Elite and Cage Rage over appearances, Semtex announced his retirement from MMA. Thankfully for fans, his absence was only temporary. Daley returned to competition in July, taking out Bojan Kosednar by KO in the first round.
Despite Welterweight Champion Jake Shields' calling out the UFC's standard bearers, Daley is an obvious choice to challenge for the Elite XC strap. Whether Semtex has developed enough as an MMA fighter to defeat an opponent intent on taking him down and subbing him out remains to be seen. But Daley is a challenger the organization can promote for its broadcast shows.
Strikeforce has announced that Pride veteran Kazuo Misaki will make his organizational debut against former UFC competitor Joe Riggs. Strikeforce at the Mansion II will take place Saturday, September 20 from the famed Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, CA.
Misaki currently resides in or near the middleweight top 10 in most MMA rankings (I believe he's "on the bubble" in our own 411Mania list). In his best run, Misaki took out notable competitors Dan Henderson, Phil Baroni, and Dennis Kang. Recently, the Japanese fighter defeated WEC veteran Logan Clark at Sengoku III.
In addition to having one of the best nicknames in MMA, Misaki is known as a durable fighter. He's only been finished twice in nearly 30 professional fights, once due to submission against Paulo Filho, and once due to a broken arm against Nate Marquardt. Like Alistair Overeem, Misaki brings the Pride mystique to Strikeforce.
One has to wonder whether the fight will actually occur. Joe Riggs brings a storied history of injury and absence along with a decent fight record. Riggs suffered a back injury in February that, at the time, was thought to be potentially career threatening. However, the experienced fighter bounced back and scored a submission victory over Matt Dempsey in July.
Is Riggs near the level of Misaki? Diesel has already stated that this will be his last fight at middleweight before a drop to the 170-weight class. Overeem worked over Paul Buentello in his Strikeforce debut; many will expect the same from Misaki in September.
World Championship Fighting has emerged as a solid source of MMA in the Boston area. Featuring primarily New England based fighters such as Dan Lauzon, the organization has gained notoriety for an appearance on the Tapout reality show, and for the participation of UFC stars such as Kenny Florian, Marcus Davis, and Dana White in autograph signings and appearances.
The WCF recently announced its fourth show to take place September 19 in Wilmington, MA. One notable participant is former TUF star Sam "The Alaskan Assassin" Hoger, who will be taking on Branden Bice in the heavyweight division.
Hoger began his career in sterling fashion, winning his first five fights. However, he's gone 1-4 since then, dropping decisions to fighters such as Rashad Evans, Stephan Bonnar, and Lyoto Machida. After taking time off to open a MFS affiliated gym in Texas, Hoger hopes to return to winning ways against the 4-4 Bice.
Elsewhere on the card, undefeated John Benoit will step in against Davin Wesinger, while WCF veteran Dan Bonnell faces Joe Cushman. If you're in the area, it's always great to support local MMA. Plus, you'll likely meet a few UFC stars in a more relaxed environment.
