The Fightin’ Stance News 10.10.08: 10 Under 20

Posted by  on 10.10.2008

Almost a week later and there’s still plenty of smoke from all this Heat. The troops have a rough job, so let’s give them some fights. Tonight is another ShoXC, do you know who’s fighting? All this, and a special look at ten fights that lasted less than 20 seconds in today’s Fightin’ Stance News!



Welcome back to your end of the week smorgasbord of MMA news and opinions. This is the Fightin' Stance News and my name is Adam Tool. I may not need to tell you that it's been a slow news week, and there seems to be only one topic everyone wants to talk about…



The Heat Is Off, But The Fires Still Burn



Here we are, six days removed from EliteXC's third CBS show, and it's still being widely discussed for a number of reasons. We'll hit all the news in $kala-ville one piece at a time, starting with the most ridiculous.

Did EliteXC offer Seth Petruzelli a bonus to keep his fight with Kimbo Slice on the feet? In a word: no. But the situation does get a little more complicated than that.

It started on Monday when Petruzelli made some comments that hinted he may have been offered bonus money to keep the fight standing. Then, in an interview on Tuesday Petruzelli said that EliteXC offered him a "Knockout of the Night" bonus, but there was also a submission and "Fight of the Night" bonuses as well. This statement was contradicted by EliteXC Head of Fight Operations Jeremy Lappen, who gave an interview on Thursday where he said that they don't give out submission bonuses.

Why does that matter? Because if the company is offering incentive for fighters to stay standing, it could influence someone's strategy when they get in the cage. Hypothetically a fighter with good ground skills could almost feel discriminated against, since there's not an equal playing field. This is particularly questionable since the sport is mixed-martial arts.

However if anybody out there is going to try and say that the fix was in, you really need to stop reading this and click on button up top that says ‘Wrestling.' I've said this before (ironically, in regards to Kimbo's last fight), but there's no reason for the promoters or the fighters to try and pre-arrange the outcome. Especially in this case, as EliteXC's golden goose was the one on the losing end.

Did Frank Shamrock really offer to step in for his brother and fight Kimbo? Yes, he did. In a press release Lappen had this to say,

"Reports that Frank Shamrock volunteered that evening to fight Kimbo Slice are true. Frank is a competitive fighter and he was willing to step up for his organization and the MMA fans. His offer was very greatly appreciated, but everyone in the room knew when he made the offer that it wasn't a realistic possibility on such short notice."

What can we learn from this? Frank Shamrock has balls. Giant swinging balls. The man is still recovering from the broken arm he suffered earlier this year against Cung Le, and he was willing to step into the cage after having no serious training to prepare. Sure Petruzelli wasn't preparing for Slice, but he did have a fight to get ready for on Saturday. Frank was in no condition to compete but was willing to do it anyways. Of course, he did make the offer knowing full well that it wasn't going to happen.

In the press release we also learned that Seth Petruzelli wasn't the only option to slide up to the main event. His opponent, Aaron Rosa was also offered the fight. He agreed, but the decision still fell upon EliteXC and Kimbo's camp as to who would be fighting. According to Rosa, Kimbo's and his corner picked Seth. I can't help but wonder what would've happened had Rosa gotten the spot.

What does Dana White have to say about all this? I'll give you a hint, it involves the f-word.

"(Slice is) a joke. It was bound to happen. These guys have lost $60 million trying to get this thing off the ground. They're building their promotion around a guy who can't fight. It's kind of (expletive) stupid, isn't it? You're in the fight business and you're building your business around a guy who can't fight."

The UFC President made his comments during an interview with the Boston Herald, and he was asked about the controversy surrounding Petruzelli's possible incentives.

It disgusts me. I've been busting my (expletive) for 10 years flying all over the planet to show everybody what a great sport this is and what amazing people are involved in it. Then CBS throws this guy who fights at people's barbecues on the main event because they're trying to compete with us, and he gets knocked out in (14) seconds by a guy who didn't win ‘The Ultimate Fighter' and couldn't fight in the UFC. Then the guy turns around the next day and says, ‘The promoters actually paid me to not go to the ground with this guy. They paid me to stand up,' which I'm pretty sure is illegal."

This is all nothing new. White has long been a verbal opponent of EliteXC and Kimbo Slice in particular. At this point we know Dana is handy with a soundbite whenever the sun doesn't shine brightest on company's besides his own.

As for my thoughts on Saturday night's card, I'll keep them brief. Let's do one sentence per fight. Ready?

The main event would be the second on the list of funniest fights I've seen all year, but you can catch my number one choice a little further down.

Jake Shields is taking a lot of flack for his lack of striking, but when you're as good as he is in all other areas you can still get the job done pretty well.

Somebody needs to tell Roy Nelson that GUTS DON'T MAKE FIGHTERS.

As good as Gina Carano looked I can't help but wish I could've seen Cyborg's fight on Saturday as well (for compare and contrast).

Face-smash-fu could just be the way of the future.

December May Just Be The Best Month EVAH



The UFC confirmed the full card for their next Fight Night Special, entitled "UFC Fights For The Troops," on December 10th from the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC. The show was originally planned to emanate from Ft. Bragg, but the UFC wanted a bigger arena to put the show on and accommodate more spectators so they moved the event and plan to bus in all the servicemen & women from the base. The show is scheduled for three hours and will air live on SpikeTV. Throughout the broadcast the UFC will be raising donations for The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. Here's the card:

Josh Koscheck vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Mike Swick vs. Jonathan Goulet
Frank Edgar vs. Matt Wiman
Luigi Fioravanti vs. Brodie Farber
Corey Hill vs. Dale Hartt
Tim Credeur vs. Nate Loughran
Eddie Sanchez vs. Justin McCully
Ben Saunders vs. Brandon Wolff
Steve Bruno vs. Johnny Rees

As with most Fight Nights, the show is littered up and down with "Ultimate Fighter" alums. I've been reviewing the first season and so I'm constantly reminded of what a huge dick Josh Koscheck is. There's no denying his skills though, as he's one of the organization's best wrestlers and his striking looks better every time we see him. He'll have a mountain to climb in this contest though, as "Kos" will be facing a top-level judokan in Yoshida. Not only that but "Zenko" is a dynamic striker with great jiu-jitsu as well (as he showed against Jon "Bore Machine" Koppenhaver earlier this year).

Also from season one of "TUF," we have Mike "Quick" Swick, who has been on a tear since dropping down to the welterweight ranks. He's fresh off a big win over Marcus Davis, and he'll need all his speed and power to knock down Goulet. If you watched UFC 83 then you saw Goulet take "Fight of the Night" honors for his back-and-forth war with Kuniyoshi Hironaka. I expect fireworks for our troops right here.

Frank Edgar has all kinds of reasons to fear his opponent, "Handsome" Matt Wiman. While Wiman never really impressed during the fifth season of "TUF," he's won four straight since the show. That includes his dramatic KO win over Thiago Tavares at UFC . Of course it's also worth mentioning that Wiman is a former teammate of Gray Maynard, the man that handed Edgar his first (and so far only) loss earlier this year.

Fioravanti will look to bounce back in the lightweight ranks after his submission loss to Nate Diaz at Fight Night 13. He's no stranger to fighting in front of our troops, as he was a part of the UFC's last military event at Miramar in California (where he defeated former UFC middleweight champion Dave Menne). Farber's biggest claim to fame so far is being on the receiving end of a devastating head kick from Rory Markham at Fight Night 14. This head kick:



The biggest damn dude in the lightweight ranks, Corey Hill will also be in action. The 6'4" Hill looked good against Justin Bucholz at UFC 86, until he got submitted late in the second. Still, the guy's only had 3 pro fights and is only going to get better. He'll have the chance to improve against Hartt, who suffered his first career loss in his octagon debut at Fight Night 14.

Rounding out the main card is Tim Credeur, who you may remember from the last (completed) season of "The Ultimate Fighter." Credeur made his official octagon debut with a first round TKO of his former housemate Cale Yarbrough at Fight Night 14. He'll face the 9-0 Loughran, who also made his UFC debut at UFN 14 where he scored a submission win over Johnny Rees.

Former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann was also scheduled to be a part of the show, but he has had to pull out due to a foot injury. Stann would have had his rubber match with Steve Cantwell (who will end up being the last WEC light heavyweight champion) as each man has given the other their only loss. Cantwell isn't on the card either, so I'd look for this fight to be re-scheduled during one of the 300 shows the UFC is currently planning.

So Glad You Could Come, Enjoy The Sho



Less than a week after their last show, EliteXC is back in action tonight on Showtime. The company has had some good success with their ShoXC series, and here's what you can expect on tonight's edition:

Dave "Pee Wee" Herman vs. Kerry "Meat Truck" Schall
Mamed "Cannibal" Khalidov vs. Jason Guida
Anthony Lapsley vs. Mike Stumpf
Alexander Shlemenko vs. Robert McDaniel

Herman has yet to be beaten, and he's coming off a first round TKO win over Ron Waterman at EliteXC: Return Of The King. Schall is on a two fight losing streak and I look for that to be extended here. Guida is probably the most well known of the fighters on the show, having made a brief appearance on this season of "The Ultimate Fighter." Khalidov was on an eleven fight win streak that ended when he went to a draw against Daniel Tabera last month. Lapsley has thirteen wins on his record, ten of which came by submission. Stumpf is on a four fight win streak and was last seen at the debut of Adrenaline MMA (speaking of which, whatever happened to them?). Shlemenko has won his last six while his opponent McDaniel had his profile increase considerably after a 41 second submission win over Kala Kolohe Hose in June.

You can catch the show live on Showtime starting at 11 pm ET, assuming you've ponied up the dough for that privilege. If you haven't, then swing on back by 411mania tonight as our own Larry Csonka will have the live coverage you crave.


10 Under 20

After Seth Petruzelli's blink-and-you-miss-it finish of Kimbo Slice this past Saturday, I've decided to go back and look at some other fights that ended before they even really had a chance to get started. Here are ten fights from all over the world (but mostly the UFC) that have ended less than 20 seconds before they began.

10. Colin Robinson vs. Antoni Hardonk (UFC 80)

Hardonk has run hot and cold in his UFC career, but here he makes short work of Mr. Robinson.



9. Murilo Rua vs. Dennis Kang (PRIDE Bushido 11)

Before "Ninja" got his clocked clean by Benji Radach, there was this quick finish from KANG~!



8. Houston Alexander vs. James Irvin (Fight Night 13)

Most of us "experts" predicted a quick finish for Alexander, little did we know he'd be on the receiving end.

7. Jens Pulver vs. John Lewis (UFC 28)

The career of "Lil Evil" is littered with great fights, but this is one that always makes the highlight reel.



6. Andrei Arlovski vs. Paul Buentello (UFC 55)

Just another reminder that Arlovski can be as vicious as he wants to be.



5. Rob Emerson vs. Manny Gamburyan (UFC 87)

This result pleased a lot of fans (myself included). I don't think anyone was more pleased than the guy that made this video.



4. BJ Penn vs. Caol Uno (UFC 34)

The legend of BJ Penn was truly born when he basically murdered the respected Uno in no time flat.



3. Phil Baroni vs. Dave Menne (UFC 39)

Menne may be a former UFC champion, but you wouldn't know it by watching his face get pounded by "The New York Bad Ass."



2. Heath Herring vs. Yoshihiro Nakao (K-1 Dynamite 2005)

The shortest fight on this list, because it was over before it began.



1. Tyler Bryan vs. Shaun Parker (Legends Of Fighting 25)

Who versus who? So what if the most famous guy in this clip is referee Shonie Carter? This is the coolest finish I've ever seen.





-Strikeforce has announced that their next show on November 21 will feature the light heavyweight championship bout between champion Bobby Southworth and Renato "Babalu" Sobral. That fight was originally scheduled for last month's show at the Playboy Mansion, but injuries to both competitors forced a postponement. The November event will also feature Josh Thomson defending his lightweight belt, but his opponent has not yet been named.

-After their big deal with Golden Boy Promotions was announced last month, Affliction VP Tom Atencio is now saying that the company's next show will not include boxing after all. Atencio said they will be announcing the card, date, and details next week, but at this point the show will be all MMA.

-The WEC has confirmed the company debut of former IFL featherweight champion Wagnney Fabiano will take place at the December 3rd show at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Fabiano will face SHOOTO veteran Akitoshi Tamura, and the winner could find themselves on the fast track to a shot at Urijah Faber (assuming Faber is able to get past Mike Brown next month).

-Former EliteXC lightweight champion KJ Noons is now telling anyone willing to listen that he's a free agent. After being stripped of the lightweight strap Noons now considers the two remaining fights on his contract to be null and void, since they were intended to be championship fights. Seriously, can this guy just go away?

-World-renowned MMA referee John McCarthy has announced he is leaving The Fight Network and could make his return to officiating. I hope so, because I don't want to change my opening graphic anytime soon.

I Keep My Pimp Hand Strong

Sure I'm great, but why not check out some of our other fine writers?

The Dr. Dre to my Snoop Dogg, Jeremy Lambert has your Cardio Freak News. Jeremy also did you the favor of recapping the latest episode of The Ultimate Fighter.
As always, Dustin James has the latest 411 Fighter Rankings. This week it's the pound-for-pound list. I've also got to throw out a special bonus plug for Dustin's new column The Ultimate Writer, which isn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.
Jonathan Solomon looks ahead to the future of EliteXC after last Saturday's shocker, in this week's MMA Juggernaut.
Lambert and I go toe-to-toe in this week's Fact Or Fiction.
Scott Kuczkowski has The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of EliteXC's latest primetime venture.
EliteXC has a new highlight show running on Fox Sports Net, and BOSS Csonka has the first two episodes reviewed here and here.



Tonight - ShoXC
Live on Showtime at 11 pm ET

10/18 - UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben
On Spike at 9 pm ET

10/25 - UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote
Live on PPV at 10 pm ET

11/5 - WEC: Faber vs. Brown
Live on Versus at 11 pm ET

11/8 - EliteXC
Live on Showtime at 11 pm ET

11/15 - UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar
Live on PPV at 10 pm ET

11/21 - Strikeforce
Time and broadcast TBA

12/3 - WEC: Torres vs. Tapia
Live on Versus at 11 pm ET

12/10 - UFC Fights For The Troops
On Spike (time TBA)

12/13 - The Ultimate Fighter Finale
Live on Spike (time TBA)

12/27 - UFC 92
Live on PPV at 10 pm ET


That will have to do it this week as once again I find myself staring straight at my deadline. Next week I'll look ahead to UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben. Until then…


Sources: MMAJunkie.com, Sherdog.com, Fiveouncesofpain.com, MMAWeekly.com