The Verbal Submission 12.02.08: WEC 37 Preview, Kimbo in K-1 and Where's Cung Le?

Posted by Chris Robinson on 12.02.2008

December has arrived and it's going to be a ZUFFA Xmas after all. The first offering arrives Wednesday night with a highly touted bantamweight title match. I've got some thoughts on that plus Kimbo in K-1, the MMA unemployment line grows, and what's all this jibber jabber about Cung Le? I've also got some wishes for 2009 pertaining to the UFC. Who wants a chubby BJ...Penn?

December has arrived and with it comes another edition of "The Verbal Submission". I was worried that the last week of holiday festivities would bring a lull in MMA news nuggets, but I was wonderfully wrong. There's plenty for me to write about and you to read about as you cram another scoop full of mash potatoes and turkey down your gullet. Don't have a gullet? Just use your throat! Before we get into the meaty part of the column, I want to take this time to throw out a "I told you so" to some naysayers out there. Late last week, Mr. Fedor's camp announced he wouldn't take part in a planned publicity tour of the US to focus more on his upcoming fight with Andre Arlovski. Now wasn't there a writer out there that said Fedor wasn't taking this fight seriously, and his management should do something? Oh yeah, I believe it was me. Nothing like dishing out a little humble pie for dessert this time of year. It's good to see that King Fedor realizes if he keeps up this Sambo jazz and all these movie shenanigans, he's going to get his face caved in against Arlovski. Remember, it takes just 14 seconds to destroy a myth. So in today's column, I'm going to cover a myriad of topics (myriad? good word) that includes previewing WEC 37, recent UFC firings, more TUF coaching rumors, Kimbo to K-1?, and a little bit more. So get ready to read, close out the porno tabs in your browser (those are distracting), and try to enjoy the written word.

A Hooter's in Iowa. Why do I get the feeling one of these broads has "MFS" tattooed on her ass.


KIMBO TO K-1?: BAD IDEA/GOOD IDEA
According to a fan post from Omasuki at Bloodyelbow.com, there are reports in the Japanese tabloids that everyone's favorite bearded marauder, Kimbo "Remember Me Please" Slice will be fighting for K-1 in March 2009. Slice is also expected to make an appearance at K-1's New Year's Eve show just to say hello to the Japanese people, and remind them he's neither Rampage Jackson, nor Kevin Randleman. They get confused.

K-1, for those who aren't aware, is kickboxing without all that crazy wrestling and BJJ on the ground so it's perfect for Kimbo! They won't even have to pay his opponent to stay standing. It's glorious! When and if Kimbo does end up in K-1, rumor has it he'll face their current heavyweight champion, Badr Hari. Again, these are all rumors at this point, considering Kimbo's EliteXC contract status, but it would make sense. The man does not like the ground game portion of MMA and it's understandable. It can take up to a decade to get really good at wrestling and/or jiu-jitsu. With Kimbo, he already has SOME natural ability at boxing, so K-1 is a logical next step to get that bread and butter money (horrible expression I know).

My concern is the possible opponent, Badr Hari. This guy is no joke (thanks Joe Rogan!). This guy is 67-5-1 in professional kickboxing and has some sick highlight reel knockouts. I highly doubt that Kimbo would get such a high profile opponent in his first dive into the kickboxing pool, but those Japanese love to promote big events. If you're not familiar with Hari, and lord knows I wasn't, here is a video example of his abilities. Good luck Kimbo! Protect ya neck!

Hari vs. Stefan Leko. Good LORD!


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!: YOU'RE FIRED
The UFC said "hit the bricks" to Jorge Gurgel and Sokoudjou last week. Gurgel seemed surprised by the pink slip, but promptly landed with Strikeforce. Speaking of Strikeforce, they aired a Best Knockouts special this past week and it was sWEEEEt. Gurgel should fit in nicely there and will probably get a shot at either Gilbert Melendez or Josh Thomson sooner than later based off his name value alone. This proves though that winning is still very important if you're a UFC fighter and that having a couple of "Fight of the Nights" doesn't amount to squat if you're on the losing end. With a 3-4 record in the UFC, and some sort of masochism preventing from using his world class BJJ, Gurgel probably should've seen this coming. Gurgel not using his ground game is like Anderson Silva saying "You know, I'm tired of muay thai clinching, let's just wrestle!". It's ridiculous!

Team Quest's Sokoudjou also lost his job after an unsuccessful run in the Octagon. He was highly touted after his success during PRIDE's final year. He was 1-2 inside the Octagon with those losses coming to Machida and Luis Cane. Machida actually finished this guy! It's his only finish in the UFC! Sorry, I got excited. Sokoudjou shouldn't have any problem finding work. Japan is an option, Affliction could always use someone to lose to Tito (in theory!), and I'm sure Bobby Lashley would like a punch in the face. Sokoudjou was the last guy to beat Ricardo Arona if that still has any value. Anybody? Ricardo Arona? I heard he's coming back. Anyone? Ok, no cream.

The big shocker at the MMA unemployment office was Affliction turning down former PRIDE and UFC fighter Fabricio "Dos Santos Punching Bag" Werdum. It's as if Affliction is saying "Hey, we don't need every discarded UFC heavyweight in the world. Besides, we already have a couple dozen. It's silly at this point really." Werdum will most likely try to find work in Japan with Sengoku or DREAM or any other company making believe it's PRIDE. I have to say I'm a bit surprised that Werdum didn't land with Affliction considering a match-up with Roy Nelson, Ben Rothwell, or Josh Barnett would make sense. I guess Affliction didn't feel that Werdum's name was big enough. Lord knows he didn't rise to greatness in the IFL like Nelson or Rothwell. Not everyone can become a household name by fighting and wearing a jersey with a cartoon animal on it. That sort of fame is reserved for true legends (Sorry Renzo. Not sorry, Shamrock....both).

The good old days.


NATE MARQUARDT: PUT ME IN (AS) COACH, I'M READY TO PLAY
We can officially add Nate Marquardt to the list of potential coaches for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter that may or may not end up being US vs. UK. While Dan Henderson and Rich Franklin continue to dance politely in and around the topic, Marquardt has said point blank he'd love to coach and he'd love to fight Michael Bisping. Marquardt sees the coaching spot and the Bisping fight as a fast track to another obliteration at the hands of Anderson Silva.

"I don't remember the first fight, so it's like it didn't happen. I think I can take him this time." - Marquardt in an interview with Fictional Interviews Quarterly

I see a Marquardt vs. Bisping fight as being a bit less marketable than Maia vs. Bisping, and definitely not as marketable as a Henderson or Franklin scrap. Actually, the coaches fight shouldn't be the center point of the show, but I digress. The upside to Maia vs. Bisping is that Maia is a rising force at 185 and Bisping is being groomed for a showdown with Anderson Silva. The Count has never been tested on the ground against someone with Maia's level of BJJ. That's obvious. A fight with Henderson or Franklin would be great for Bisping if he wins, but would do nothing for Hendo or Ace. Henderson has stated he would like another crack at Silva, but no one wants that. With a Bisping vs. Marquardt match-up, it would be a step up in competition for Bisping, considering Marquardt was a title contender, but I don't think Marquardt's personality would shine on TUF. Granted, he does train with Greg Jackson so the assistant coaches list is a who's who of top UFC stars. GSP, Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine, and others could turn Team Marquardt into a virtually free championship training camp (provided free means "urine free").

Any thoughts out there from the ever vocal UFC fans?

Tweak and win, baby. Tweak and win.


WEC 37: TORRES VS. TAPIA - ARE YOU SURE THIS ISN'T A BOXING MATCH? IT SOUNDS LIKE A BOXING MATCH?
The WEC returns to the VS network with the WEC bantamweight title on the line between Miguel Torres and Manny Tapia. The televised card will feature two other bouts at 135 and a match-up at 145 featuring former IFL stand-out (not many of those) Wagnney Fabiano. The untelevised portion of the card will hopefully see a few fights sneak onto TV with match-ups featuring Cub Swanson, Bart Palaszewki, and Alex Karalexis. It's amazing to me that just days before the fights, WEC.TV couldn't get a few pictures together on their official website for the MAIN CARD fighters. No record, height, weight, camp name, nothing! Wait, well there's an article on one fighter, but seriously? C'mon ZUFFA! Promote the no name fighters you have on your WEC cards. It can only help right?

JOSEPH BENAVIDEZ VS. DANNY MARTINEZ

He has no picture, but I've got a feeling Joseph Benavidez will stick in your head after this fight. The hype machine at WEC.TV has a great article about Benavidez being undefeated and ready to break out as a star. He's Urijah Faber's training partner and Faber has stated Benavidez gets the better of him during training (Thanks Frank Curreri). Wait, upon further research, I see that Benavidez holds a submission victory in DREAM. Well that proves he's a real boy. Of course, this begs the question, if Benavidez does rise up the ranks at featherweight would he ever consider fighting Urijah? Do we have another Filho vs. Silva debacle on our hands? Well I guess that doesn't matter anymore after Filho's meltdown. As for Danny Martinez, fu** that guy! He doesn't train with Urijah Faber! Kidding. Martinez's record is equally impressive at 12-2, and he is also making his WEC debut here. From the look of things, he loves the guillotine choke, and has a special place in his heart for muffins. Good to know. All jokes aside, with Benavidez as a disciple of Urijah, and Martinez's Sherdog picture gallery, I'm guessing this fight ends up on the ground. I'll go out on a limb and call Benavidez by first round TKO via the ground and pound.

Benavidez in the white trunks impersonating Urijah.


Who doesn't love a good Martinez choke? Anybody? Bueller?


WAGNNEY FABIANO VS. AKITOSHI TAMURA

The pride of the IFL's featherweight division makes his WEC debut as Wagnney "Extra N" Fabiano steps into the cage with Shooto veteran Akitoshi "Ironman" Tamura. If he doesn't come out in an Ironman Halloween mask I'm going to be PISSED! Fabiano is the real story here as message boards, journalists, and fans have been salivating at big match-ups for Fabiano against Faber, Pulver, Garcia, etc. I have a feeling if Fabiano walks through Akitoshi, he'll probably get a rematch against the one man to defeat him, WEC fighter Jeff Curran. When did the featherweight division in the WEC start getting all deep and talent filled. Where have I been? Tamura is no pushover though, and I doubt Fabiano will be overlooking him. Even with a 12-6 record in MMA, five of those losses are by decision so this isn't a guy getting KO'd or submitted too often. Fabiano prefers to rip arms out of sockets, but he does have KO power. Look for this fight to head to the ground, but don't be surprised if by going to the ground, I mean Tamura hitting it face first.

At about 1:07 into this clip, Shad Lierley forgets his name.


Tamura doing his best Maeda impersonation. He's really the Darrell Hammond of MMA.


BRIAN BOWLES VS. WILL RIBEIRO

Coming off a split decision victory over former bantamweight champ Chase Beebe, Will Ribeiro returns to the cage to square off with undefeated Brian Bowles with the winner probably in line for a title shot. Bowles is 3-0 in the WEC with those wins all coming by KO or submission. Bowles loves to throw that leather, but any veteran from Wild Bill's Fight Night can say that. Am I right? Unfortunately, I'm not too familiar with Ribeiro because his fight with Chase Beebe wasn't televised during WEC 34. How can I learn if I cannot see!? How!? The big story here is the title hopes of both men. We all know it doesn't take extremely long to get a title shot in the WEC, so if Bowles rattles off his fourth WEC win here, there's little question he'll get the winner of Tapia and Torres. For Ribeiro, a split decision victory isn't very convincing, but a good showing against Bowles could put him in contention. I think this fight will be exciting because both guys like to bang, so I'll predict Bowles by second round TKO.

MIGUEL ANGEL TORRES VS. MANNY TAPIA

We've confirmed these guys aren't boxers? I'm just saying! Miguel Torres has become one of my favorite fighters. When he choked the sh*t out of Chase Beebe, I suddenly became very interested in the bantamweights. Then came his war with Yoshiro Maeda where he turned Maeda's left eye into the Grimace. Nothing can stop the Grimace. I was hoping for a rematch between the two, but Maeda's loss to Rani Yahya has put those dreams on hold. Torres appeals to me because he's such a well rounded fighter. He can take you down and submit you, which is probably his greatest strength, but he'll stand with you too and his boxing is top notch. Again, just ask Maeda's eye. I question Tapia's stance as the #1 contender despite his record and his wins in the WEC. Both were good fights, but with the division growing he should've had to fight Chase Beebe or Rani Yahya. I think Torres vs. Tapia is going to mirror Maeda vs. Torres. These two guys are going to stand for three rounds or until someone gets hit on the button. Look for Tapia to retain here and continue his dominance at 135. Hispanic marketing dream wins!

Frank Mir? What are your oh so important thoughts on this fight?


STRIKEFORCE: WHERE'S CUNG LE?
Like every Sunday morning, I watch the previous night's episode of Strikeforce on NBC on the ol' DVR. This week was an exceptional offering as Strikeforce presented the ten best knockouts in the company's history. Big names like Frank Shamrock, Tank Abbott, Joe Riggs, and Duane Ludwig were showcased handing out the heavy blows, or in Abbott's case, getting blown up again. I also had a chance to see Cung Le for only the second time in my life. I caught some web highlights of his fight with Frank Shamrock, but didn't know much more about him even though he is consistently hyped as a rising middleweight. The good news is the hype is warranted as his impressive KO's of Mike Altman and Brian Warren were... um...impressive.

The bad news is that after a successful 6-0 start to his MMA career, and capturing the Strikeforce middleweight title, Cung Le ran off to Hollywood where again he is being hyped as the next Jet Li or Jackie Chan. It seems that most of these films are of the "B" variety, but an upcoming part in the Tekken movie could cause Le to explode in the film world. This sucks for Strikeforce! Some rumors I read earlier today have Le returning to the cage in March 2009, but this is a guy Strikeforce should be using non-stop to promote their company. The master of Sanshou (look it up) should be competing against the best in the world, or the best Strikeforce has to offer, but instead he's making video game movies! I guess it's more upsetting to me because I can draw a comparison to the wrestling world when the Rock left. I hate to see the best in the business leave.

Hopefully Cung Le will be able to balance his budding film career with his fighting career and fight 2 or 3 times a year for Strikeforce. Of course, having a film star on the roster will only help land them a prime time fight night on NBC. If this EliteXC mess ever gets sorted out, I'm sure Strikeforce would love to put together a Robbie Lawler vs. Cung Le fight (unofficial title unification bout!). Le is the definition of explosive as a fighter, and Lawler's best chances would probably be to work the fight to the ground. You do not want to stand with Cung Le. Trust me.

Cung Le highlight reel from YouTube. Don't blink.


TOP FIVE HOLIDAY WISHES FOR 2009: UFC STYLE
Number 1: I wish that BJ Penn would actually defend the lightweight title more than once a year. The 155 division is arguably the most stacked division in the UFC, but BJ's looking to pad his legend status instead of defending the strap. I'm a huge BJ fan....wait. After the GSP fight however, he's got to give KenFlo the shot ASAP. After that, he can move up to heavyweight and face Brock Lesnar. Who doesn't want to see an unhealthy, overweight BJ Penn try to capture the heavyweight title? Come on!

He looks a bit husky here.


Number 2: I wish they would cancel Pulver vs. Faber Part 2. Why not go with Faber vs. Leonard Garcia? This is a guy who just destroyed Jens, so why not have him face Urijah to determine a true #1 contender for the 145 pound strap? Does this make too much sense? Mike Brown is out for a few months with a rib injury, and I'm sure Garcia wouldn't mind another check in the win column. I mean, if they're going to do Faber vs. Pulver 2, why not just do Liddell vs. Couture 4 (damn it!), or Tito vs. Shamrock 12, or Hughes vs. GSP 4. No one wants these fights! (except for some of my readers apparently)

He'll do it if the price is right! (Or he'll just watch The Price is Right)


Number 3: I wish they would add a cruiserweight division to the UFC so it becomes more like WCW. Wait, that's not my wish! It is Franklin "Stick to Boxing" McNeil's wish however. In his latest column over at ESPN.com, Franklin wants a split in the heavyweight division because the weight class ranges from 206 to 265. Funny how no one complained about this when Tim Sylvia's near 7 foot fat ass was dominating the division. All of a sudden, Randy Couture gets whooped, and Brock Lesnar is too big to be a heavyweight? Seriously? Can we go with an Anik, Florian, Bonnar announce trio on ESPN's MMA LIVE, or throw in Frank Mir. I guess my real wish is for Franklin McNeil to dis-a-fu**ing-pear in 2009 from my computer screen. Be gone oh lacker of knowledge!

McNeil's idol and mentor. I'm sure of it.


END OF THE THIRD ROUND
That ends another rubber and glue edition of "The Verbal Submission". Thanks to Sherdog.com, MMAJunkie.com, WEC.tv, Strikeforceusa.net and BloodyElbow.com. These sites all provide the nuggets of information that help me write this quaint little column.

One last note, it appears Fedor has a stunt double for his film work.


The Empire Hardcore Podcast is bringing the pain, and you can listen at Podomatic.com and on iTunes. Be sure to check out my camera work on YouTube. Also, my shrine to Kevin Thorne is here. I'll be back next Tuesday to review the WEC show, and preview the onslaught of UFC shows on the horizon. December is stacked!

Kick. Punch. It's all in the mind.

-CPR