Punch Drunk Hangover 10.06.08: Kimb-owned!

Posted by Bren Oliver on 10.06.2008

Read ahead for Bren Oliver's thoughts on this past weekend's MMA action, Gegard Mousasi's immediate future, the UFC announcing a few Light Heavyweight bouts featuring some of the sport's top fighters, Eddie Alvarez's opinion on fighting Nick Diaz, and the fallout from Kimbo Slice's shocking loss to Seth Petruzelli. Those things and more, plus this week's "Monday Morning Moment of Zen" featuring Kimbo Slice punching magician David Blaine, 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 grab to the nether regions, waking you up and making your day that much more exciting! Have no fear...the technique is Bas Rutten approved!!!





For the two or three people who read my column on a regular basis and aren't related to me, let me start this week's column off by apologizing for the unannounced two-week hiatus in PDH-related activity. I tend to write "Punch Drunk Hangover" on Sundays in order to maximize the pieces of news I comment on and needed the past two weekends off in order to properly celebrate my birthday, as well as soak in the complete spectacle of the "Austin City Limits" Music Festival. Now that I've gotten my fill of live music and birthday spankings, I'm back and ready to get down to MMA-discussin' business. And, after Saturday's EliteXC/CBS card, it looks like I picked the right Monday to do so.

I'd normally start by recapping the events in order, but I'm fairly certain people are most-interested in reading about Seth Petruzelli's win over Kimbo Slice and would just scroll past the other fights in order to get to the Tootsie Roll Center of this proverbial Tootsie Pop. For that reason, I'll start out with the night's main event before getting into the other bouts, so rest assured I won't be omitting my thoughts on the evening's earlier action all you Benji Radach fans!


Seth Petruzelli def. Kimbo Slice - TKO - RD 1


My reaction when news initially broke Ken Shamrock was being forced out of the event for medical reasons was probabily similar to everyone else's. It was something along the lines of, "Shamrock is an idiot and EliteXC is officially screwed". As the story continued to develop, and it became clear Petruzelli would be throwing himself to a lion on national television, I immediately thought two things. The first was Kimbo deserving a huge amount of credit for taking the fight an hour before showtime against someone he had never seen tape, creating a "lose-lose" situation for Slice in that Petruzelli brought zero name recognition into the bout. Kimbo had everything to lose and nothing to gain, yet took the fight because he knew it was the right thing to do for his company and because he has the heart of a warrior. EliteXC's future was directly linked to the success of the "Saturday Night Fights" card, Kimbo Slice knew his presence on the card was the main selling point to fans, and so he "took one for the team" which ultimately didn't pay off. The second thing that occurred to me upon hearing Petruzelli would be replacing Shamrock was him being a much more dangerous opponent for Slice than the shell of Ken Shamrock that still competes. Petruzelli weighs the same as Shamrock, is younger, and has never been knocked out. Three of his four career losses were via submission, and the other was the result of a judges' decision after facing Matt Hamill (who is a world-class wrestler). It was clear Kimbo wouldn't out-wrestle Petruzelli or unleash a high level of jiujitsu in the fight, meaning it would come down to striking and I didn't feel Slice was necessarily technical enough to exchange with someone other than a pure brawler like James Thompson or Tank Abbott. However, I was still shocked when Petruzelli flattened Slice in fourteen seconds, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't alone in my awe.

For someone who is billed as a tough-as-nails streetfighter, Kimbo sure exhibited a glass jaw against Petruzelli, did he not? Hell, it was more of a "Ming Dynasty Porcelain" jaw than one made of glass. I understand Slice was coming forward when "The Silverback" caught him on the chin, but the strike looked completely innocent compared to what I would have perceived to be necessary to knock Mr. Ferguson out. Sure enough though, Kimbo still went down like a bearded sack of bricks, crushing both Slice's reputation and Jared Shaw's dreams of infamy in the process.





Ooops, that was the unedited Zuffa cut that EliteXC didn't want you to see. Here's the actual televised finish...





I'm not sure how the result will affect EliteXC or Kimbo Slice's future in Mixed Martial Arts. He certainly deserves a chance to redeem himself, as would any fighter with his popularity who loses to a last-second replacement, and I would be interested in seeing how things might unfold were Slice given a chance to prepare physically/mentally for Petruzelli. The rematch's result might not be any different but the bout needs to happen in order to create closure on the issue.

My gut reaction tells me the loss will hurt EliteXC, though not as far as spelling the immediate demise of the company. I think people will still tune in again to see Kimbo fight simply because they'll want to know if the loss was a freak occurrence or a legitimate indictment of his skill. Keep in mind that Kimbo is hardly the first significant fighter to fall to an opponent who people generally view as being inferior. Georges St. Pierre is a good example, as he was knocked out by Matt Serra and has since come back better than before. Clearly Slice is nowhere near GSP in terms of ability, but, like the UFC's Welterweight Champion, Kimbo can now use the loss as motivation and a means of improving himself as a fighter.

The other side of the coin here is the win's impact on Petruzelli's career. Honestly, I think it means very little in the grand scheme of things. He capitalized on a great opportunity but still has to deal with questions about how prepared Kimbo actually was. On top of that, the punch flooring Slice was hardly highlight-worthy, so even the way he finished the fight left a blemish on the actual result. Petruzelli is barely more marketable than he was before Saturday night based on his look and overall ability. He can only claim the distinction of beating a guy whose skills have always been doubted but knowledgeable fans. Yes, Kimbo Slice is a popular fighter, and millions of people watched Seth slay the beast, but Petruzelli is hardly a star in the making no matter what he did on Saturday night. He'll always be the first Mixed Martial Artist to beat Kimbo. He definitely won't be the last.


Benji Radach def. Murilo "Ninja" Rua - TKO - RD 2


The first round of Radach vs. Rua was a great way to start out the night! I was amazed Rua not only avoided going completely limp after the shots he absorbed in the opening moments, but even came back to land a few strikes of his own and put Radach in a bad position towards the end of the frame. "Ninja" came out firing in the second, but his aggression may have gotten the better of him as Radach seemed to get a feel for Rua's approach and took advantage of it by countering a few kicks and attempted takedowns. The eventual knockout was a good example of how much more powerful strikes from above can be when compared to those exchanged between two fighters who are standing. I appreciated the effort from both men and their fight definitely set the tone for an exciting night of action.





Gina Carano def. Kelly Kobald - Judges' Decision


It was nice to see one of EliteXC's centerpieces perform up to expectations, as Gina looked very sharp against Kelly Kobald even though, to male fans' delight, she had a difficult time on the scale the previous day and had to eventually strip down in order to meet the required weight range. Carano never seemed to be in too much danger against Kobald and picked her apart with strikes throughout all three rounds. She repeatedly kneed her in the clinch, threw some nice overhand strikes, and even mixed in a jumping knee along with a spinning backfist. Kobald's only plan of attack seemed to be taking Carano down, yet she consistently failed to drag Gina to the mat or obtain a dominant position. In that regard, I felt Carano's wrestling defense was particularly impressive. It seems that Gina's next opponent will likely be Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos with their fight possibly scheduled to be part of EliteXC's first PPV event. I'm glad to hear that, as I have no plans to pay $45 for anything strictly put together by EliteXC, meaning I'll avoid watching "Cyborg" potentially pay homage to either of fellow Brazlian Anderson Silva's fights against Rich Franklin. Santos is a scary, scary woman, and she will absolutely be Carano's toughest opponent to date.

Oh, and while I don't have any clips from the actual Carano/Kobald bout, I think you readers will enjoy the following GIF more than anything from Saturday night's action...





Andrei Arlovski def. Roy Nelson - TKO - RD 2


I was fairly certain Arlovski would rip Nelson apart so the bout's result came as no surprise to me. "Big Country" was a bit more competitive than I felt he might be, but Arlvoski was never in real trouble other than perhaps being at risk of suffocating under Nelson's rotund belly. Nelson has good conditioning for someone with his build, and he certainly packs some power into his punches, but he had no answer for Arlovski's speed or the diversity of Andrei's strikes. "The Pitbull" put together a few nice combinations where he first threw a kick and then followed it up with punches that found their mark. I have no qualms with the referee stopping the fight when he did regardless of whether or not Roy Nelson felt he could continue. He was clearly finished after the uppercut and right cross that landed flush on Nelson's jaw. Even if the ref hadn't stepped in to stop the action, Arlovski would have pounced on Nelson and made it even more obvious.

This win, coupled with Josh Barnett electing not to fight Fedor in January, should mean Arlovski will be entering the ring against Emelianenko in January. I'm excited about the match-up, though I'm a bit concerned about it taking place on the first show promoted by both Golden Boy and Affliction. Oh, and while on the subject of Fedor, I loved the way Affliction turned his entire fight against Tim Sylvia into a commercial for their brand and its Russian crown jewel. Well done Tom Atencio and crew!





Jake Shields def. Paul Daley - Submission - RD 2


It seemed clear Shields' strategy was to go for an armbar and he attempted it from mount a few times. He looked great against Daley, though I don't think Shields will ever get the mainstream credit he deserves until facing opponents with a higher level of name recognition. Unfortunately, EliteXC can't offer him any top level Welterweight opponents, so it looks like Shields will have to venture up to Middleweight in order to score a bout against someone like Robbie Lawler or Matt Lindland. I know Shields enjoys the freedom he has as someone who isn't under Zuffa contract, but the vegetable-loving Gracie Fighter will have to test out the Octagon if he ever wants to solidify his legacy in the sport and build a more secure financial future for his daughter

There's my three cents on "EliteXC: Heat" - 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 September 28th, 2008 and October 5th, 2008:


The UFC has confirmed that Dan Henderson vs. Rich Franklin and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Mark Coleman have been added to the UFC 93 card on January 17 in Dublin, Ireland at The O2. The Henderson/Franklin fight is expected to be a Light Heavyweight fight.


UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has certainly been earning his paychecks as of late. Both of these pairings make perfect sense, including Henderson and Franklin competing at 205 pounds instead of in the division each man was most-associated with in the past (Middleweight). Mark Coleman may be somewhat of a lackluster opponent for Rua, at least based on his age and not-so-recent activity in the ring, but I think the bout plays to logic for a few reasons. It caters to hardcore fans who are familiar with the first clash between "Shogun" and "The Hammer", a PRIDE affair featuring a gruesome injury to Rua and a near-riot between the fighters' camps based on Coleman's in-ring antics. Additionally, Zuffa Zombies who aren't familiar with either man's accomplishments outside of the Octagon can take pleasure in seeing a Coleman, a UFC Hall of Famer and the originator of using a "ground and pound" style, take on an individual who was long considered the best Light Heavyweight in MMA in the form of "Shogun" Rua. The bout gives Rua an opportunity to showcase his skills against an opponent with deteriorating skills, something he was unable to do against Forrest Griffin based largely on the LHW champion's skill, though Mauricio's performance was also affected by torn knee ligaments he sustained during training. In a worst case scenario, even a Coleman win could create an interesting storyline as was the case when fellow 40+ fighter Randy Couture returned to glory last year.

Regarding the UFC 93 clash between Rich Franklin and Dan Henderson, I view the match-up as one of the true PRIDE vs. UFC superfights the MMA community had been anticipating for quite some time, and I'm pleased to see it finally come to fruition. Both men are decorated champions who have recently felt the sting of defeat at the hands/feet/knees of Anderson Silva. For this reason I think Franklin and Henderson fighting at 205 pounds is probably the best way to go and was a smart decision on the UFC's part. A win for Franklin would solidify him as a contender in the Light Heavyweight division, while it's unlikely he'll ever fight for the UFC's Middleweight Championship as long as Silva remains title-holder. He was absolutely demolished in both of his previous appearances against "The Spider", so there's little appeal in having Franklin risk a third facial reconstruction based on how one-sided the earlier fights were. Facing "Hendo" at Middleweight makes no sense because it would hurt the division based on Franklin's relative inability to be #1 Contender in it. Henderson, on the other hand, was far more competitive against Anderson Silva, even going so far as to handle the Brazilian in the first round with relative ease. He's expressed an interest in fighting Silva again, and I believe the appeal is there for fans to tune into a rematch, so what better way to try and get to that point than having "Hendo" square off against a "Top 5" Middleweight (even if it's at Light Heavyweight)? A win over Franklin, then another victory at 185 pounds against Nate Marquardt or the Bisping/Leben winner, would make the Team Quest forefather an unquestioned top contender to Silva's belt.


Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that the UFC has added a UFC Light Heavyweight title fight between Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans, as well as Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva to the UFC 92 card in December. Evans earned a title shot against Griffin after an impressive KO victory over Chuck Liddell at UFC 88.


Again, a job well done by the UFC brass! I appreciate these two co-headlining bouts because one will determine the Light Heavyweight Champion and the other will feature two men competing for the right to stand at the front of the LHW contendership line. They also each have history on which the UFC can build, such as Jackson and Silva's throwdowns in PRIDE and Evans/Griffin both being winners of their respective Ultimate Fighter seasons. Both fights feature fighters with entertaining styles and marketable personalities. And, truly, either of these bouts could main event a PPV, yet we're getting both on the same card. From those standpoints, what more could fans ask for?

The one concern I have relates to Jackson fighting Wanderlei Silva on the heels of the fallout from his championship loss to Forrest Griffin. For starters, I still think "Rampage" deserves an immediate rematch against Griffin based on how close the decision-loss was. However, I understand he threw the likelihood for that happening out the window of his jacked-up truck one sunny afternoon in Southern California this past July. Along with losing the chance to fight Griffin again for the Light Heavyweight Championship, "Rampage" also lost long-time trainer/friend Juanito Ibarra in the incident's wake, and may very well lose a number of his freedoms as well due to the charges filed against him. I question whether or not "Rampage" will be able to fully focus on preparing for Silva based on his impending legal case, as well as the fact he's training in new surroundings at the Wolf's Lair - hell, because he's training 5,500 miles away from his home in California. Putting Jackson up against a guy who has twice rendered him unconscious in brutal fashion, at least at this point in his life, does not seem like a wise move where Quinton's immediate mental health is concerned. I'm not saying the fight will be a stinker. I'm simply saying UFC 92 may not be the best even for it to take place, at least when it comes to seeing Quinton Jackson at 100%.


Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio recently confirmed that Affliction will not hold their January PPV on January 17 as previously rumored. It had been reported that Affliction was looking to hold a PPV at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on January 17 that would feature both MMA and boxing. However, with the UFC coming out today and announcing that UFC 93 will be held in Dublin, Ireland on January 17 with a main event of Rich Franklin vs. Dan Henderson, Affliction will instead hold their PPV on a different date.


...and the UFC will no doubt have either a live event or free PPV replay on whatever date Affliction chooses. Larger MMA promotions need to understand the UFC is now paying attention to what they do and when their shows are taking place. They need to accept the fact their cards will likely be going head-to-head against some sort of Zuffa-based programming from here on out. Shifting the date the show takes place on is only going to confuse fans and upset advertisers. However, Affliction made the right decision in this case, as there's a good chance UFC 93 will be shown for free on Spike due to its Irish setting, and putting your MMA product up against a sort-of-live PPV is far more risky than facing off against a last minute "Fight Night" or the replay of a month-old event.


During a recent interview with Fighters Only Magazine, DREAM Middleweight Champion Gegard Mousasi mentioned that Affliction has asked him if he would like to face Vitor Belfort at Affliction 2 next year.


I wouldn't say this signing is surprising, at least based on Affliction sponsoring Mousasi at DREAM 6, as well as their relationship with top Heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko and Mousasi's association with Emelianenko's "Red Devil Sport Club". Affliction was smart in snatching up the talented Mousasi, a man who at 23-years old appears the be the most promising young Middleweight in MMA. Not only is the DREAM Middleweight Champion tremendously talented, but Affliction also has at least two ready-made opponents for him - Vitor Belfort and Matt Lindland. Plus, with Affliction now partnering with EliteXC, they have a few other skilled Middleweights to work with such as Robbie Lawler, Benji Radach, Murilo Rua, Joey Villasenor, and even Jake Shields has mentioned his interest in fighting at 185 pounds. Getting back to Belfort, since this piece of news implies he'll be Mousasi's next opponent, I think Vitor may very well be Gegard's toughest competition to date based on both his powerful striking and familiarity with jiujitsu. Then again, considering Mousasi disposed of Denis Kang, Melvin Manhoef, and "Jacare" Souza in a total of approximately six minutes, it's difficult to label anyone as a "tough" draw for Mousasi outside of current pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva.


BloodyElbow.com is reporting that Spike TV officials have confirmed that UFC Fight Night 16 "UFC Fights For The Troops" will not be held at Fort Bragg and has been moved to the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The show will air from 9 PM-Midnight EST on December 10. The card will feature an entire UFC fight card, an all-star lineup of UFC fighters, and special celebrity appearances. A phone bank will also be set up in Los Angeles, California that will allow donors to interact with celebrities and UFC fighters who will be answering the phones.

The move was due to the fact that Fort Bragg did not feature enough space for the UFC's tastes. Instead the troops from Fort Bragg will be bused to the arena to watch the show live.


I applaud the UFC's effort to provide a more-comfortable atmosphere for as many troops as possible. In my experience, fighters appear to be genuinely compassionate when it comes to supporting American troops. A number of top Mixed Martial Artists have visited Iraq/Afghanistan to boost morale, such as Rich Franklin, Urijah Faber, and BJ Penn. Beyond that, many others have lent their name to causes benefitting the brave men and women serving in our nation's military. A good example of this is UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture's "Xtreme Couture GI Foundation".

Likewise, the UFC deserves its fair share of credit for not only backing their fighters' visits to the Middle East, but also putting on events like "Fight Night 16" where the emphasis is on entertaining soldiers instead of selling tickets. I recall them also doing the same thing a few years back at the Miramar Air Base in San Diego, California. In addition to the actual bouts on December 10th, I also appreciate the peripheral activities involving celebrities and fighters trying to raise money for some yet-to-be named troop-related charity. For as much flak as the UFC takes for Dana White's bullish behavior, or that MMA fighters receive from mainstream audiences who don't fully understand the sport, cards like this should be paid special attention to instead of swept under the rug and dismissed as simply being another show on the schedule of events. Again, my sincere kudos to Dana White and the Fertitta brothers for putting together "UFC Fights for the Troops".


From "Strikeforce: Payback"...


I enjoyed Strikeforce's October 3rd offering, and it reminded me once again as to why I'm glad to have HDNet (as well as why Strikeforce is the lone MMA promotion other than UFC that consistently turns a profit). The undercard lacked starpower, featuring six fighters with a combined record of 7-9, but fortunately one of those individuals happened to be the lovely Michelle "Karate Hottie" Watterson. To be honest, Watterson is very cute, but I can't ever see her having the same impact on the sport as Gina Carano. She's less-skilled, has barely won more fights than she's lost, and only weighs around 110 pounds (meaning she's too small to fight against the top female Mixed Martial Artists). She has a lot of heart and no doubt looks incredible in a bikini, but her impact on womens' MMA will be minimal at best both inside and outside the ring, whereas Ms. Carano is already an icon of the sport and will continue to be for quite some time. I also don't think she's as physically attractive at Gina, and I'm someone who generally gets gushy over beautiful Asian women. There's just something about Carano's smile and playful, but tough, attitude that puts her over the edge where "hot" is concerned.

Moving on to in-ring action, as opposed to in-my-head action of a completely different nature, the openings bouts were decent but nothing to write home..or a column...about. However, the four match-ups featuring the card's most-notable fighters all delivered save for a fairly boring contest between Frank Trigg and Falaniko Vitale. Trigg looked out of shape and somewhat disinterested in finishing Vitale. In the end, "Twinkle Toes" was able to procure a judges' decision over the Hawaiin, but it was one of those fights you could have fast-forwarded through 80% of and not missed a thing. Donnie Liles looked good against Pete Spratt, showing some nice striking and submission ability that eventually led to Spratt tapping out in the third round. I'd never seen Liles fight before but will keep my eye out for him at future events. Duane Ludwig sent his fellow Coloradans home happy after a nice body-based assault against Sam Morgan, leading to a submission, thanks to some nice work in the clinch. My favorite bout of the night was the scrap between undefeated Lightweight Billy Evangelista and journeyman Luke Caudillo. Caudillo rocked Evangelista a number of times in the fight's opening minutes but was somehow unable to finish him off. The Californian showed an enormous amount of heart and compsure in enduring the onslaught, then dug down and found a way to nearly finish Caudillo in the first round's closing seconds. From that point forward it was all Evangelista en route to a decision victory. For all the talk about Strikeforce's other talented Lightweights, I think it's time for the organization to consider putting Evangelista up against one of their golden boys like Gilbert Melendez or Mitsuhiro Ishida. I don't believe Billy has quite earned a title-shot yet, but he's won four in a row for Strikeforce and is absolutely deserving of an opportunity at contendership.


Jibber-Jabber:

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


Eddie Alvarez talks to MMAWeekly about fighting Nick Diaz on November 8th for the EliteXC Lightweight Championship...

"I got back from my honeymoon about a week and a half ago and as soon as I got back I was on the horse that Monday. I'll be fighting Nick Diaz, we're about 90-something percent positive I'll be fighting Nick Diaz for the EliteXC title at 160 (pounds). Nick's a great opponent, he poses a lot of threats. Very good striking, as well as good jiu-jitsu, so he's been in the game a while, he's a pure fighter and I like that. He gets a lot of bad rap from a lot of people with his attitude, but deep down he likes to fight, he enjoys to fight and I consider myself the same kind of person. I enjoy to fight, my heart's in this."


I would love to know KJ Noons' reaction to the news Eddie Alvarez and Nick Diaz will be fighting each other in approximately a month for the EliteXC Lightweight Championship he was stripped of. Remember, EliteXC took Noons' title away based on his refusal to compete against Diaz in favor of facing Alvarez instead, a fighter the former champ felt was the company's top contender based on his performance in the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix.

Eddie Alvarez appears to have a great attitude and this comment from him reinforces that notion. First, it shows the Philadelphia product is a real "fighter". When things are said and done, Alvarez will have had a little more than a month to prepare for a very game opponent. He's already fought four times in 2008 and was just married, but Alvarez is ready to hop back into the ring instead of taking time off to rest and enjoy the remainder of the year. Secondly, he acknowledges the controversy that seems to follow Nick Diaz, yet does so in a positive way by pointing out their mutual passion for fighting and also credits Diaz for being a well-rounded Mixed Martial Artist. Other athletes in their sport might take the opportunity to express displeasure in competing for a vacant title or against someone other than the actual champion, but Alvarez seems the kind of high-character person who tends to focus on positives in life as opposed to the negatives. It's truly difficult to dislike him as a fighter....except for his eyebrows, as they creep me out for some reason. I'm embarassed to admit such a thing but it's true.


--------------


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" - David Blaine taking two punches from Kimbo Slice without being phased! And really, who hasn't ever wanted to lay into the ever-annoying celebrity magician at least once?


Apparently Blaine's abs are stronger than Slice's jaw...






Send questions/comments to:

[e-mail]