Punch Drunk Hangover 11.10.08: West-SIGH'd Connection
Posted by Bren Oliver on 11.10.2008
Read ahead for Bren Oliver's thoughts on Urijah Faber's WEC 36 loss, as well as the night's other action, John McCarthy's return to officiating, World Victory Road's title-plans, Dana White's dislike of TUF 9's format, Denis Kang in the UFC, and Chris Leben's steroid use . Those things and more, plus this week's "Monday Morning Moment of Zen" featuring the correct way to throw an insane, standing reverse-elbow, 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!!!
If it's your first time reading the Punch Drunk Hangover, welcome to my column and I hope you enjoy what you see! If you're your fifteenth time, my heartfelt condolences and continued reassurance I'll do my best to split your therapist's co-pay fee. For those of you looking for my analysis on Couture vs. Lesnar, keep your eyes peeled for this week's "Fact or Fiction" where the topic will be discussed in detail.
I won't spend too much time discussing last week's WEC event by giving a detailed fight-by-fight breakdown, as other journalists have had close to a week to rip it apart from every angle, plus my favorite backstabber fellow 411Mania MMA news reporter already delivered the animated-GIF goodness in his most recent "Fightin' Stance News". However, I will say that in general it was an entertaining card with some solid action, memorable moments, and entertaining finishes. There were some definite upsets and the overall WEC product was once again delivered in a successful manner.
Jake Rosholt showed some real promise, though his current style of taking damage in order to set up takedowns will not get him very far as the talent-level of his opponents continues to increase. His face was on its way to looking like hamburger meat and there was more than one time where it seemed Osterneck was going to knock him out. Leonard Garcia looked as good as possible in a fight that lasts 72 seconds, though I'm not sure how much of it was him compared to Jens Pulver being past his prime. One thing I'll say for sure is that Urijah Faber landed some nice shots on Pulver when the two fought earlier this year, yet "The California Kid" ended up going five-full rounds against "Little Evil" in comparison to Garcia's near-minute of action. On a side note, I'm glad to see Garcia get the win due to him coming off an arrest for allegedly being involved in a drug trafficking ring. The charges were dropped, but it still must have been a frightening experience as I'd expect it any career-threatening situation to be. There's not much I can say about Paulo Filho's strange behavior against Chael Sonnen in what turned out to be the Brazilian's first career loss. It was pathetic, and confusing, and Sonnen deserved better after waiting such a long time for the chance to avenge a previous loss to the "WEC Middleweight Champion". To be honest, I half-expected the flannel-wearing Filho to break down midway into the fight and break down into tears a la boxer Oliver McCall. He needs to focus on getting himself mentally right before worrying about the physical part of his recovery. I would have no problem with Filho retiring from MMA completely if that's what it takes to get himself healthy again.
Moving forward to the other champion whose belt was on the line at WEC 36, it was hard as a fan to see Urijah Faber get laid out for trying to deliver a different sort of highlight. I thought Faber started out well, but as he tends to do at times, he left technique at the wayside in order to entertain the fans. The elbow, reminiscent of one used by Anderson Silva to knock out Tony Fryklund at a Cage Rage event (see: Monday Morning Moment of Zen), cost Faber dearly and provided the opening Mike Brown needed to utilize his powerful striking. Having since heard that Brown injured a rib and will be out of action for awhile, I have to believe Faber would have emerged victorious from their bout if he'd paced himself and let things unfold over another round or two. I'd like to see Faber get an immediate rematch against Brown, as I think the former WEC Featherweight Champion is still the cream of the 145-pound crop, but I can see the WEC putting him up against Leonard Garcia to determine the actual contendership as a means of building Faber's potential return to glory. Then again, maybe it had nothing to do with Urijah's wild elbow attempt....maybe, it had something to do with his haircut! The formerly long-locked Californian doesn't have a girlfriend named Delilah, does he?!?
There's my three cents on WEC 36 - 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 November 3rd, 2008 and November 9th, 2008:
American Top Team officials have confirmed that the UFC has signed highly ranked Middleweight Denis Kang to a four-fight contract. Kang is currently 31-10-1 and is on a two-fight win streak. He earned a TKO victory over UFC veteran Marvin Eastman just last week. His last loss came at the hands of DREAM Middleweight Champion Gegard Mousasi via submission at DREAM 2.
Of all the available talent that the UFC can realistically sign right now, I'm not sure the 800-pound gorilla could have done any better than bringing in Denis Kang. While many fans would have preferred Dana White inked Fedor Emelianenko, Takanori Gomi, Gilbert Melendez, Gegard Mousasi, Jake Shields, or Shinya Aoki, those individuals aren't able to commit to the type of deal required to grace the Octagon (i.e. an exclusive one) due to either a lack of interest or previous commitments to other promotions. Kang, however, was apparently free of other contractual obligations and the UFC swooped in accordingly.
There may be questions surrounding Kang's actual ability, especially after consecutive losses to Yoshishiro Akiyama and eventual DREAM Middleweight Champion Mousasi, but he's since rallied to score back-to-back first-round knockouts, including the previously mentioned 48-second victory over Marvin Eastman. Also, let's not forget Anderson Silva wasn't considered the elite fighter he is today before showing up in the eight-sided cage. Kang's addition creates immediate depth in the UFC's Middleweight Division, and depending on the competition he's fed, Dana White and Joe Silva can turn the American Top Team staple into a new contender for Silva's championship. Even if Denis never makes it to top contendership status, there are still a number of interesting match-ups left for him like Michael Bisping, Dan Henderson, and Nate Marquardt, so he's a benefit to the UFC roster no matter how successful he actually is inside the Octagon.
Another positive of having Kang under Zuffa contract is related to his marketability outside of the United States. For starters, he's Canadian, and the UFC has shown clear interest in returning North of the Border after the success of UFC 83 in Montreal. Beyond that, Denis was born to a French mother and Korean father, making him an appealing choice for any future cards taking place in Europe or Asia. Talented, charismatic, and multi-cultural - it truly is difficult to find any fault in the UFC's decision to add Denis Kang to the team. And, of course, it works well for Kang too, as he'll now have an opportunity to take advantage of a level of exposure in America he's never experienced before and earn some above-average money along the way.
Chris Leben has tested positive for Stanazolol in a test administered by UFC on October 18th in Birmingham, England, the day of his fight with Michael Bisping. Leben has been suspended for nine months by the UFC and fined one-third of his purse. Leben admitted using the drug but said it was months back and thought it would have cleared his system.
"The Crippler" has part of me Stanazo-LOL'ing at his decision to use drugs while promoting the image of being a changed man, while another, more cleanly-shaven are of my being is a bit sad and disappointed in Leben still being unable to escape his personal demons. He's lived a difficult life and I'm compassionate in the sense it may have given him a self-destructive personality that affects his judgment. Still, there is no excuse for using a performance enhancing drug, especially in a sport where another man's safety is at stake, and Leben is lucky to only be suspended for nine months given that the standard "time out" most State athletic commissions issue for steroid use is a full year.
It makes no difference to me whether he stuck a needle in his ass two months or two days before UFC 89. A foul was committed and, fortunately, he was penalized as having done so. It would have been easy for Dana White to overlook the positive result as a means of saving company-face, or to have not tested fighters at all given the UK's lack of policy in that regard, so the UFC President deserves a great deal of credit for handling it with relative responsibility instead of taking the easier, less respectable route (much like Chris Leben did).
On a final note, I'd like to know what was done with the third of Leben's salary. Was it returned to the Zuffa coffers? Did Michael Bisping receive a bonus check for the amount in last week's mail? Were the funds donated to some little-known charity attempting to better the lives of pink-haired, bed-wetting adolescents with anger issues? Inquiring minds want to know!
Sherdog.com is reporting that "Big" John McCarthy has been assigned a referee's position at Strikeforce "Destruction" which goes down November 21 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. McCarthy retired as a referee in December of 2007 and decided to join The Fight Network as an on-air analyst. He resigned from the network last month amidst rumors that the network was hurting financially.
I suspect I wasn't alone in having a smile on my face after reading this piece of news. "Big" John is back...even if its temporary! I haven't heard whether or not his return is strictly limited to the Strikeforce show, and McCarthy didn't elaborate much beyond the fact he'd be there when he appeared on HDNet's most recent "Inside MMA". It's strange to think he'll be officiating an event on November 21st and not the third man inside the Octagon when Lesnar and Couture clash this weekend. The situation creates a few different scenarios in my mind, none of which I know to be accurate or otherwise.
McCarthy's absence at UFC 91could be due to varying policies related to how the different athletic commissions in California and Nevada handle the assignment process. For example, Nevada could schedule referees' service further in advance than California, meaning the NSAC might have already contracted officials to work the event while the CSAC waited a bit longer to do so. It's also possible "Big" John only applied in California and has no plans to work events in Las Vegas for any multitude of reasons (family, travel, environment, etc.). And, let's face it, until it has been explained in more detail, there's also the chance McCarthy has personal reasons to enter the Strikeforce ring and call things down the middle. If that's the case, I'd say it's more likely to involve a positive relationship with Scott Coker, Strikeforce's CEO, than a reflection of hard feelings between himself and the UFC. While the promotion his image is synonymous with may not have shown much fanfare when "Big" John reffed his last bout before leaving for the Fight Network, I've never heard that their association was soured to the point McCarthy would no longer work their shows.
No matter the reason, UFC 91 or not, I'm still excited to see the individual I view as the top referee in MMA back from his brief sabbatical. McCarthy recently said he didn't feel his return was a big deal; that the fans didn't show up to see the guys officiating the fights. In large part I'd agree. However, that being said, I guarantee you'll hear a nice bit of applause the first time the crowd at "Strikeforce: Destruction" gets a dose of McCarthy's trademark phrase. Let's get it on, indeed!
MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Takanori Gomi will face Sengoku Lightweight Grand Prix winner Satoru Kitaoka for the World Victory Road Lightweight Title at Sengoku 7 on January 4 in Saitama, Japan. Gomi recently lost to Sergey Golyaev at Sengoku 6 in a fight that Gomi was heavily favored in. Kitaoka defeated Eiji Mitsuoka and Kazunori Yokota at the same event to win the first WVR Lightweight Grand Prix.
Also on the card, WVR Middleweight Grand Prix winner Jorge Santiago will face Kazuo Misaki to become the first ever WVR Middleweight Champion. Misaki is coming off a win over Joe Riggs at Strikeforce At The Mansion II in September. Santiago defeated Siyar Bahadurzada and Kazuhiro Nakamura at Sengoku 6 to win the first WVR Middleweight Grand Prix.
It's nice to see World Victory Road is carrying on a great Japanese tradition. No, I don't mean their use of the "Grand Prix" format or emphasis on a fighter's "warrior spirit". I'm actually referring to the code of Bulshitto - not Bushido - where an adored Mixed Martial Artist loses and promoters ignore the defeat in favor of a title-fight. The very notion Takanori Gomi is competing against Kitaoka for the WVR Lightweight Championship is an embarassment to the growth of MMA as a mainstream sport.
I understand average fans are probably unaware of the goings-on in World Victory Road and likely couldn't pick "The Fireball Kid" out of a lineup. And, while I normally wouldn't say this, I'm thankful for it at this very moment based on this item of news. However, as Mixed Martial Arts grows in popularity, so will its followers' awareness of how the top-ranked fighters are faring. People will eventually notice when a Lightweight who is generally ranked within the top three on every MMA-related website drops a bout to an unknown competitor. And, my feeling is that their perception will be affected in a negative way if an organization that features some of Mixed Martial Arts' best athletes continues to put their events' promotional materials over the essence of the sport itself.
Speaking of talented fighters, I wanted to make sure I took a minute to talk a little Jorge Santiago. Santiago is currently as hot a Mixed Martial Artist as he is an underappreciated Mixed Martial Artist. Zuffa Zombies may only remember the Brazilian from his knockout losses to Chris Leben and Alan Belcher in late 2006. Since those two bouts, he has finished eight straight fights over names like Sean Salmon, Trevor Prangley, Jeremy Horn, Yuki Saski, and Kazuhiro Nakamura. Kazuo Misaki is the best fighter Jorge will have ever faced, save for perhaps a run-in with Diego Sanchez he had earlier in his career, and a win over "The Grabaka Hitman" would solidify Santiago as one of the best Middleweights in MMA. If he's able to walk away victorious, I think it's safe to say that along with earning the right to be World Victory Road's Middleweight Champion, the American Top Team product absolutely deserves another shot in the UFC.
According to Josh Gross of CNNSI, Paulo Filho has agreed to vacate the WEC Middleweight Title after his unanimous-decision loss to Chael Sonnen at WEC 36. Filho's manager, Ed Soares, has confirmed that Filho plans on shipping the title to Sonnen as soon as possible. The fight was scheduled to be for the title, however Filho failed to make weight so it was changed to a three round non-title fight. Filho had promised Sonnen before the fight that if Sonnen won, Filho would give him the title.
Awww...how nobile of Filho...he's agreed to "vacate" the WEC's currently worthless Middleweight Championship. Of course, the WEC no longer features a 185-pound weightclass, as the participants in the Middleweight Division have since been absorbed by their big brother, the UFC. I don't speak Portuguese, but I'm pretty adept at reading the actions of others, and this move is a way of Paulo Filho saying, "Here's a shiny paperweight to symbolize you won a title that isn't recognized by any athletic commission or fight promotion." The only way the Brazilian can save face after his confusing performance at WEC 36 is by getting himself back in shape physically and mentally, then stepping into the cage at his best against Sonnen for a third and final time. Sending an oversized, now-obselete beltbuckle is hardly the way for Filho to pay the Team Quest fighter back after wasting his time and energy training for last week's doomed title-fight.
Jibber-Jabber:
The following soundbyte was delivered over the past week...
UFC President Dana White gives his opinion on the concept for TUF 9 to UK publication The Sun...
""I said from day one I hate the U.K. vs. U.S.A. idea. It's dumb. I don't like it. It's not USA vs. The U.K. We're looking for the best fighter in the world. When GSP comes down [from Canada] and fights in the U.S, more people cheer for him than the guy who's from America. When Tim Sylvia from the United States fought Antonio Nogueira from Brazil, everybody booed Sylvia on the way in and cheered for Nogueira."
Am I to believe Dana White has no say in the format of each Ultimate Fighter season? I hope not, because I most certainly don't, and I would be shocked if the UFC's brass doesn't have major input on the product Spike puts together. I agree with White to an extent in that I find fighters' appeal to generally be universal. I could care less about Anderson Silva's place of residence or native tongue so long as he continues being a likeable, eye-opening Mixed Martial Artist. However, to ignore fans' natural inclination to root for their countrymen isn't a realistic way of approaching things. Plenty of Americans cheer for Georges St. Pierre when he fights in the United States, but even the loudest crowd in Las Vegas would be nothing compared to the atmosphere in Montreal when GSP won the Welterweight Championship from Matt Serra last April. It's actually quite hypocritical of the UFC President to blast the Ultimate Fighter Season 9's "UK vs. USA" concept because his company has been so quick to capitalize on Michael Bisping's nationality when promoting events in the United Kingdom. If Dana didn't see the benefit of specifically establishing the popularity of British fighters, then why would he be so content to promote Bisping so heavily in England or stack UK cards with European talent? Honestly, I think it's a rather intelligent approach to business, and the Ultimate Fighter seems like a perfect outlet for turning fans on to talented, non-American Mixed Martial Artists. My only critique would be that they should have made it a "USA vs. The World" format as a way of featuring some of the great young Brazilian and Japanese competitors who are ready to blossom into stars of the sport.
If White truly wants to improve TUF, my suggestion would be that he focuses on keeping young men locked up in a mansion with no access to the outside world but free reign of a pantry full of alcohol. The antics brought on by that particular characteristic of the show is far worse for the image of MMA than re-living the Revolutionary War inside the Octagon.
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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" - one of Anderson Silva's many career highlights, though one Urijah Faber might want to study a bit more closely before his next bout...
