MMA LIVE [9/3/09]

MMA Live takes a look back at the big winners from UFC 102, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s impressive win over Randy Couture. Also, an update on a possible date and time for Fedor vs Rogers.

Todd Dufee - More to Prove

Just seven seconds and a few well-guided punches is all it took for UFC newcomer Todd Duffee to make history in the Octagon. A prior record of 5-0 with all of his victories coming from strikes, there were many that had high hopes for the just twenty-three year old knockout artist, but few that expected for his UFC debut to end as suddenly, and as violently as it did.

Duffee is a part of the new generation of heavyweights that seem to be taking the division by storm. Much like heavyweights such as Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar, Todd was just genetically put together differently than the average man. Imagine “the really big guy” at your local high school; That was Todd.

“When I left high school I was about 260 pounds, but I went into high school at 6′1″ and over 200 pounds,” said Duffee in an exclusive conversation with FiveOuncesOfPain.com. “I was always the big kid in school. I started growing really fast at like ten or eleven years old.”

With just five fights under his belt at the time, the still developing pupil of mixed martial arts didn’t want anyone to think he got a free ride to the UFC, or that he was granted a favor from someone. Duffee knew he could swim with the sharks, he just wanted to prove that he belonged in the ocean with them.

“I wasn’t so much hesitant to sign with the UFC, but what I didn’t want was to be one of those young guys coming in without a lot of experience, and then get that backlash of hate because nobody respects you,” explained the Indiana born heavyweight. “I wanted to come in already a proven fighter. Also, for myself, I just wanted to make sure that I deserved it. I knew in the gym that I earned it, I had put my time in, but I really wanted people to know that I earned that spot. That I wasn’t a TUF guy, or that kind of deal. Or that I didn’t get there because of the way I looked, or any of that.”

Even though Duffee had faced off with, and toppled top opposition before in Assuerio Siva, the match-up between the two took place in Brazil, and nothing can prepare you for the bright lights of the UFC. In what should surely be viewed as a good omen, Todd experienced non of the infamous “pre-UFC jitters” that have overcome more than a few talented fighters in the past, as he would reveal,”I think I get more nerves in the weeks I spend training leading into the fight as compared to the week of the fight. The week of this fight was one of the more relaxing weeks I’ve had in a year. The whole theme of the week before the fight was “Let’s see if all of this hard work pays off”. I didn’t have anything to worry about outside of making sure that I’m mentally prepared to do what I’ve been doing. I knew that I put the work in so I was just very comfortable. The closer the fight got, the more comfortable I got. The only time I got any kind of rush out of it, or got any type of adrenaline was when I was first introduced to the crowd at the weigh-ins. I was like,’Wow’, I’ve never had that type of reception before.

“Other than that I was just getting calmer and calmer, even when I got into the cage, which usually isn’t very typical. Usually I’m nervous until I get in the cage, but I wasn’t really nervous the entire time leading into this one. I was even calmer. I was like,’Alright, let’s do this’. Actually I even had to hit myself in the face a few times once I got in the cage just to make sure that I was jacked up. It’s not that I wasn’t motivated, I just didn’t have a lot of that nervous energy that I’m used to, but I can’t complain with the results.”

And while the breakout performance would be enough to satisfy most men looking to stand out amongst the increasingly stacked UFC heavyweight division, Duffee would be lying if he didn’t admit that it left a certain empty feeling in his stomach following the bout. He was hoping for a war.

“It wasn’t even thirty seconds prior to the knockout that we were sitting there, ready to go, and I looked in his eyes and I could see that he came to fight three good rounds,” said the 6′3″, 250 pound up and comer. “It was very apparent in his demeanor as well. He even said to me before the fight,”Man, let’s put on a good show”, and I said ,’Don’t worry, I plan on it’. Not in an arrogant way, but to let him know that I had the same thought in my mind. I think we were both going for fight of the night. I just expected it because of the way we matched up. It could have gone either way, but I obviously wanted to come out on top.”

Joe Rogan made a point during the broadcast of UFC 102 to explain that Duffee shook his head “no” when Hague reached out to him just before the opening bell to see if a “pre-touch of gloves” formality would be necessary. According to Todd, it’s nothing personal, touching gloves is just silly, explaining,”I don’t ever touch gloves. Ever. I don’t believe in it. I think it’s the silliest thing in the world. I’ve touched gloves one time in my career, when I accidentally hit someone in the groin, but that’s about it. Although maybe during the staredown I would, if they wanted to, just to not be rude, but I don’t think you should touch gloves. I think it’s silly. I’ve seen guys get cold cocked from touching gloves more than once.”

In retrospect, if there had been a touch of gloves a new fastest knockout record in the UFC would have been extremely unlikely. So off they went, without a touch of gloves, and just seconds into the bout Hague was levelled with a stiff left jab directly to the chin. In the heat of the moment, Todd fully admits he had no clue that Hague was in any type of trouble.

“I thought he fell to be honest,” revealed Duffee. “Because the way he through that hook, it just looked to me like he was off balance and fell. When I came down on him and starting throwing punches it seemed like I landed the second one and I saw him turn away. I saw that he was like,”Oh s***”, and it made me realize that he was rocked from the get-go. That’s when I started winding up with my punches and looking for the finish.”

Perhaps the scariest aspect of the highlight reel finish was the fact that Duffee is right handed. Has been for as long as he can remember. If you watch closely, the two punches that do the most damage in the bout with Hague came from the left hand.

“I have power in both hands,” said the lead fisted athlete. “Not to say that I’m going to be knocking people out with my left every time, but I definitely have power in both hands. I would say that I have more power in my right hand though, because I’m a right handed fighter most of the time. It was just the angle I was trying to land the rights with, and both of those lefts landed square on his chin. I watched the jab follow all the way through to his chin, and I felt the last one go straight through. I could feel it land right on the corner of his chin.

“Where the punch lands matters more than the power anyway. You can hit a guy in the forehead a hundred times as hard as you want, but you hit him with the right shot and it doesn’t matter.”

As Duffee made a point of earlier; he just wanted for people to feel like he belonged in the UFC. After last Saturday evening’s performance I feel like there are few that would argue against it. However, does Todd feel like he is deserving of his current position in the spotlight? The answer may surprise you, as the ever-humble gladiator would explain,”Do I agree that I belong in the UFC? Yeah. But with the amount of hype I’m receiving, no. The amount of hype I’ve been getting is almost too much. Nobody can really judge a seven second performance no matter what happens either way. No one can judge Tim Hague for that, and no one can judge me for that. All they could say is that he’s fast, and he has a stiff jab. So have I earned to be in the UFC? Yeah. I felt like I earned that a while ago. But have I earned this hype? No, not at all. Am I mad about it? No, because it helps me get a fan base. I’m going to accept it with a smile, don’t get me wrong. I’m definitely not complaining. I just think that realistically it’s being blown out of proportion a little bit. Just because it’s a record of some kind, but it’s just a statistic. I don’t know, if I would have went out there and had a war and received the same hype it would have been alright.

“All I did is I went out there and did what I do, and I’m not saying I got lucky, but I think maybe my karma finally payed off for me.”

Perhaps the most important aspect taken from the discussion with Todd is that regardless of the expectations that may be put over his head in the future, at such a young age, he’s still just blossoming in this fight game, and he knows it. With a level head, explosive knockout power, and the type of athletic ability rarely seen with the big boys, Todd Duffee is without a doubt a benefit to the already talent filled UFC heavyweight division.

There will be no celebration for Todd this time around. There will come a time to celebrate in the future, but for now, it’s back to the drawing board.

“I’m headed to the gym right now as we speak,” admitted Duffee. “I took my few days off, and now I’m going to slowly get back in a groove and get straight. I have to develop. I’m only twenty-three right now. How good I am right now is not how good I plan on being in three months, or a year.

“I have a lot left to prove. I know I have a lot more to show, but I feel like I have a lot left to prove, and a lot to live up to now.”
fiveouncesofpain.com

Alistair Overeem - Whats up with him?

As we rapidly approach the two year anniversary of the Strikeforce heavyweight championship having not been defended, current title-holder Alistair Overeem has recently been announced to compete in a K-1 (kickboxing) event in September, with the possibility of a second in December.

K-1 recently announced Overeem as on of the contestants in the K-1 2009 World Grand Prix Final 16. He will face off with fellow Dutchman Peter “The Lumberjack” Aerts on September 26 for an opportunity to enter the final round which will be hosted in December.

Shockingly, Overeem is also expected to face off with a formidable opponent in Mighty Mo, Siala-Mou Siligia, during a separate kickboxing event celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Golden Glory Fight Team set for Amsterdam on October 17.

Meanwhile, the Strikeforce heavyweight crown which Alistair holds claim to has gone undefended since the “Demolition Man” obtained it back in November of 2007, finishing Paul Buentello with a series of vicious knee strikes to the body. Since that time the bulk of the mixed martial arts Overeem has took part in has been for the DREAM promotion, where he has fought three times before meeting up with Gary Goodridge just before the end of 2008 at an MMA event in Holland.

Of course, Overeem has been scheduled to defend the title in the past. In June he was set to face off with Brett Rogers, and then again in August against Fabricio Werdum. Both times the fight had to be scratched at the last moment due to a hand injury suffered during a night club brawl in Holland. Yet apparently the hand must have made an astonishing recovery in the last couple of weeks since he was set to defend the Strikeforce title on August 15, as he has a full line-up of bouts scheduled in kickboxing throughout the duration of the year.

So what’s really going on with Mr. Overeem? Will we have the privilege of seeing the Strikeforce heavyweight strap being defended sometime before 2010? I would direct the question at Strikeforce, but at this point it’s painfully obvious that the ball lies firmly in Overeem’s court as to when we will see his championship obligations honored.

My suggestion would be to schedule Overeem to defend his title against Werdum on the same card that Fedor Emelianenko will be facing off with Brett Rogers. If, for whatever reason, Alistair can’t take part in the bout, strip him and make Fedor vs. Rogers a title fight. None of these interim shenanigans. Strikeforce needs their champions. Absentee belt-holders do nothing to help their cause, and their championships deserve better than that.
fiveouncesofpain.com

Demian Maia Knocked Out at Ufc 102

While nothing is set in stone, it appears as though a clear cut number one contender to Anderson Silva’s middleweight throne may have been established tonight in the wake of UFC 102.

Nate Marquardt put a punctuation mark on an extremely impressive comeback since his previous loss to Silva for the UFC 185 pound crown as he blasted Demian Maia with a devastating right hand that left the previously undefeated submission specialist in an unconscious heap just seconds into their highly anticipated showdown.

The fight started out normal enough, with Maia working his kicks, but it wasn’t until after the third leg attack from the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt that Marquardt dropped the anvil, and dropped Maia in the process.

Marquardt has looked nothing short of impressive ever since his previously failed bid at championship glory during UFC 73. Now, nearly thirty events later Marquardt has notched stoppage victories over the likes of Jeremy Horn, Martin Kampmann, Wilson Gouveia, and now Maia. His sole defeat was to Thales Leites; a controversial bout that could have gone Marquardt’s way had the deduction of several points not had a major impact in the bout’s outcome.

Other contender’s for the middleweight championship that deserve mentioning include Dan Henderson, who recently embarrassed Michael Bisping via devastating knockout, and of course, Yushin Okami.
fiveouncesofpain.com

MTV's BULLY BEATDOWN season [2]/episode [1]

Ever wanted help getting a bully to back off? When it's time to even the odds, it's time for Bully Beatdown.

We're bringing together bullies and their victims for the ultimate showdown. Bullies can pick on the small and the weak, but can they handle a trained, professional fighter? When they enter the ring -- fighting for pride and for cash -- will these bullies have what it takes? Or will they get a taste of their own medicine?

In each episode of executive producer Mark Burnett's Bully Beatdown, victims reach out to our host, professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Jason "Mayhem" Miller, to enlist his help. After learning why this guy needs a beatdown, Mayhem will "ambush" the bully. Calling him out in front of others, Mayhem will give him a choice: accept the challenge of fighting a MMA fighter or look like a coward.

With the fight set, Mayhem makes sure the victims and the bullies get what they deserve. The bull gets the real experience of what it's like to fight someone who is more than capable of fighting back, along with the nervous fear that comes from waiting for the big fight. For the victims, it's the satisfaction of seeing their bully face someone who can make him suffer for his past actions.

Fight rules are simple: There are two rounds of fighting with up to $10,000 at stake for each three-minute round. Round 1 involves grappling and submissions; The Bully starts the round with $5,000, but will lose $1,000 every time he "taps out." If at any time the bully manages to submit the MMA fighter, the bully wins an additional $5,000 bonus. Round 2 is all about kickboxing; the bully will win another $5,000 if he can survive three minutes of kickboxing with the MMA fighter without getting knocked out. If the bully gets knocked out, quits or the referee stops the fight before the end of the round, he gets nothing. If the bully manages to knock out the MMA fighter, he gets a $5,000 bonus. Any money deducted from the bully in either Round 1 or Round 2 will go to the victims.

At the end of show, Mayhem calculates the winnings and tells the bully how much he has lost and how much is going to his victims. After the fight is over, one would hope that the bully will have learned a valuable lesson and will stop picking on people smaller and weaker than him. Will he change his ways? Or, someday in the future, will he need another Bully Beatdown?
MTV.com

Coture Moves Down to Light-Heavyweight

Randy Couture is looking to lighten his load.

The UFC Hall of Famer said he’s leaning toward dropping from heavyweight back down to the UFC’s light heavyweight division, where Couture clinched the title (and its interim version) on three separate occasions.

“Maybe this year, or maybe the first of next year,” said Couture of his next bout. “I haven’t really looked at the cards and the shows that they have. What’s on the schedule, I don’t know, but I’m especially leaning towards dropping down. I’m pushing in weight. It would be easy for me to make 205 and there’s more interesting fights there right now.”

The choice appears to be Couture’s to make. UFC President Dana White told reporters Saturday following UFC 102 that he’d welcome bouts for the 46-year-old legend in both divisions, though White made his preference clear.

“I’d love to see him at light heavyweight, but he proved he can hang with heavyweights,” said White. “He’s had probably the best fight against Brock Lesnar, other than Heath Herring, since Lesnar’s been in here. I think he’s a monster at light heavyweight. It’s up to him, to be honest with you. Whatever he wants to do, I’m in.”

Couture announced on Saturday that he’d renewed his contract with the UFC for seven bouts over 28 months. The new contract was drafted and signed hours before Couture’s 20th Octagon appearance, and included the Nogueira bout. Sources have indicated to Sherdog.com that Couture’s new deal pays him six times more per fight guaranteed up front, along with a percentage of the pay-per-view sales profit.

Couture would not comment on the figures.

“They’re taking care of me very well, and they have since I came back,” said Couture, who left the promotion for 11 months in 2007 over a contract dispute. “The pay-per-view deal that I had, with this last contract, was good and took care of me as well. I don’t have any complaints there.”

Stephen Martinez/Sherdog.com

A host of interesting fights await
Couture at light heavyweight.
Couture weighed in at a relatively svelte 220 pounds for his bout with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira last Saturday at UFC 102 in Portland, Ore. Nogueira knocked Couture down in the first and third rounds and tied the veteran wrestler up with an array of submission attempts en route to a unanimous decision.

The move would be Couture’s third between the heavyweight division, where he began his career in 1997, and the 205-pound ranks. Couture, a three-time All-American for the famed Oklahoma State University, wrestled at 190 pounds and competed internationally at 198 pounds for 16 years.

A plethora of potential matchups await Couture in the division, from Keith Jardine to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua to champion Lyoto Machida.

The decision might also ensure the four-time Olympic alternate never rematches Lesnar, who finished Couture with second-round ground strikes at UFC 91 last November to earn the heavyweight title in only his fourth career bout.

“I kind of got moved off that track losing the decision Saturday anyways,” said Couture. “I don’t know how realistic it is to think I’m going to be the guy in line to fight Lesnar after dropping the decision Saturday night.”

The only obstacle for Couture now might be his flourishing acting career.

Couture said he’s under consideration for two action film projects, either of which could materialize with an offer in the next couple for weeks.

“That would put me in work very quickly this month or next month,” said Couture.

In that scenario, Couture said he would aim to fight again in the beginning of 2010.

Couture also has a supporting role alongside action stars Jason Statham and Jet Li in Sylvester Stallone’s “The Expendables,” due out in April.

“It’s a constant juggling act with all the stuff that I’m doing, so I’ll have to get plenty of notice for fights and when I get a fight that comes on the radar that’s interesting, I shut everything else down for that nine or 10-week period,” said Couture. “Right now, none of the movie deals are inked, so I don’t know what’s going to be real and happen and what’s not.

“I realize at this stage in my career that I can’t fight forever, so it’s not logical for me to put the movie stuff on hold,” added Couture. “I have too many opportunities and options right now.”
sherdog.com

Matt Hughes Signs New UFC Deal

Matt Hughes has signed a new multi-fight deal with the UFC, officially ending rumors and speculation that the former UFC welterweight champ had fought his last fight at UFC 98 in May.

"Last week I went out to Vegas and I signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC, which is much like my last contract," Hughes wrote Thursday on his blog. "I also brought up the fact that I wanted to do a hunting show and they thought that would be a good thing."

Hughes (43-7) was victorious in his last fight against Matt Serra, but had entered UFC 98 with three losses out of his previous four fights.

Hughes added that no opponent or date is official and to ignore all matchup rumors going around, but mentioned that one name the UFC has presented to him is someone he has never fought before.

That doesn't exactly narrow down the field of possible opponents, as the current crop of top UFC welterweights (that Hughes has not fought against) are Jon Fitch, Paulo Thiago, Josh Koscheck, Martin Kampmann, Karo Parisyan, Carlos Condit and Mike Swick. However, that does shoot down rematches with recent UFC signees and rivals Dennis Hallman and Frank Trigg. Also, Kampmann and Swick are fighting each other at UFC 103 for a shot at Georges St-Pierre's title, so the winner of that fight can also be crossed out as a potential opponent.

Coming into Hughes' grudge match against Serra at UFC 98 -- then the final fight under Hughes' contract, Stephan Bonnar fueled retirement rumors by saying that he "heard it from Matt Hughes' mouth that this will be his last fight -- I think win or lose," but Hughes was quick to state after his win his intentions to continue his career inside the Octagon.

"I definitely still want to compete," Hughes said. "I still think I'm competitive in the weight division, so we'll keep going."
mmafighting.com

Brett Rogers - "Fedor will go to sleep"

Outside of his massive 6′5″, 265 pound frame and explosive knockout power, the single aspect that separates Brett Rogers from most of Fedor Emelianenko’s past opponents is the fact that “The Grim” is not the least bit star struck by the dominant Russian. While so many of Fedor’s previous rivals have spoken of Emelianenko in the highest regards, Rogers will be the first to admit, he’s far from a fan.

As a matter of fact, as Rogers prepares himself for the man many consider to be the best pound for pound fighter in the business, studying tape on his future opponent is extremely low on his things to do list at this point.

“The first time I watched Fedor fight? Hmmm… you know what. I have to think about that. You know what I can’t honestly say I’ve seen one of Fedor’s fights,” revealed Rogers in an exclusive conversation with FiveOuncesOfPain.com. “I’ve seen all of his highlights and some clips, but I’ve never watched a full length fight with him. Well maybe the Arlovski fight, so I take that back. But if you’re asking me if I’m a fan, the answer to that question is no. I know who he is, and I know his background, but I was never a true Fedor fan because obviously most of his work was done out east. So I’m kind of curious to see how he’s going to do in the west.”

The biggest varying factor Emelianenko will have to deal with while competing in the west will undeniably be his having to adjust to fighting inside of a cage. In thirty-one professional contests up until this point in Fedor’s illustrious fighting career, not one has come inside of a chain link fence. Of course the former PRIDE champion has recently admitted that he has began to train inside of a cage in preparations for this bout, but one must wonder how fast Emelianenko can make the necessary adjustments to face off with a man that has spent the bulk of his career fighting in closed quarters.

“In the cage it’s a different environment,” said Rogers. “The angles in a cage are a lot different than in a boxing ring and there’s no give against that fence, so I’m definitely going to use the cage as an advantage. That’s my buddy [laughs]. A buddy that always has my back. I did some boxing in a ring early on in my career, and I had one fight in a ring at an Icon show, but outside of that all of my fighting has come in the cage. It’s a little bit of a different feel. That’s how I know that fighting is different in the ring as opposed to the cage. So hopefully it frustrates him a little bit.”

As Brett will openly admit that he is not the type of guy to pour over countless hours of his opponents tapes in search of a possible weakness, when asked as to whether he had the opportunity to see moments in bouts against opponents such as Kazuki Fujita, Mirko “Cro Cop” Flipovic and Andrei Arlovski where Emelianenko had cases of the spaghetti-leg syndrome, Rogers admitted,”Yeah, yeah I have, and I feel like the people that rocked him just didn’t stay on him enough. I mean, he’s really good at recovering. He knows to duck his head and clinch on to the body, and just kind of wait it out until he can really wake up. That’s good for him, but I’m not the type of person to give him an inch. As soon as I see him hurt, I’m on him. I’m on him. I’m gonna finish the fight. I don’t like to play around too much in the cage because anything can happen at any time, so I take them out as soon as possible.”

It’s no mystery as to where Rogers prefers to make his money; upright, busting his opponents up. And while the Team Bison trained heavyweight makes it clear that there is no area he will fear going to with Fedor, he knows where his major strengths lie.

“I definitely have a huge advantage when it comes down to exchanging punches,” said the undefeated knockout artist that has finished every one of his fights through strikes. “That’s my strong point, and that’s definitely going to be his weak point. I want to keep moving, keep him back pedaling, and just keep him off balance. That’s my main goal in this fight. I really don’t see him wanting to stand and bang with me. He’s gonna taste my power, and then he’s going to try to take me down to hopefully get me with some ground and pound or just whatever. Hopefully he’s not sleeping on the fact that I do have wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu training too. I guarantee you I’m going to be prepared for whatever.”

As previously noted, the best thing that Rogers has going for him in this bout is the fact that he’s absolutely not awestruck by Fedor in the very least. While speaking with Brett you get a sense that he may be on to something. Regardless, the type of confidence the Minnesota native brings into the bout can be viewed as nothing but a positive seeing what being fearful of “The Last Emperor” has done for rivals in the past.

“Fedor’s just another man to me,” explained Rogers. “It’s nice to say that I’m fighting the guy most people consider to be the #1 fighter in the world but on the other side of that coin he’s just a man. He’s just a man that’s in my way.

“A lot of people see Fedor as this unbeatable, mythical creature, but if I put one on his chin, Fedor is going to sleep. Right now I’m in training and I’m just visualizing knocking him out every day. I can see that he’s been rocked several times before, so I’m going in there for the kill. I can’t not picture me knocking him out. So he better do some chin-ups or whatever he needs to do to make him strong, because I’m coming for him. He’s not going to be able to handle my power standing and banging. He stands in the pocket with me, he’s gonna get knocked out. He better keep on his toes and move around.”

One fact that can’t be denied in the highly anticipated heavyweight showdown planned for Strikeforce in Fall is that Fedor has never faced a man quite like Rogers. Not to say he hasn’t faced dangerous position in the past, obviously he has, but Emelianenko has never faced a fighter with the amount of threatening variables that Rogers brings to the table, such as size, strength, one punch knockout power, killer instinct, and a big one that many are neglecting to take into account; the unknown factor. Rogers has made such short work of his prior opponents that he is undeniably one of the toughest heavyweights to prepare for in the business.

While Fedor may feel like he has nothing to show in this most recent challenge, Rogers would beg to differ, stating,”He recently said he had nothing to prove by beating me, but I feel like he does. He’s never faced anyone with the type of heart, determination and desire that it takes to succeed. I’m a totally different person than he’s ever faced before. The way I see it, I am the new generation. Even after beating Fedor I’m still going to have that hunger and desire to win. That’s just a little word of warning for everyone else after this fight. I’m hungry and determined. I’ve got a lot of things on my to do list, and those things take money. Every head is money to me.”

As confident as Rogers may seem, and rightfully so at this level of the game, he will be the first to admit that he’s got something to prove at this early point in his career. After three success filled years in the business that have led to Rogers’ rise to stardom in the fight game, many seem to lose track of the fact that at just twenty-eight years old, “The Grim” is just getting started.

“I feel like I still have a lot of things to prove,” admitted Rogers. “There’s a lot of people that say,”What if…”, this or that, but I never want to be that guy. I look at Fedor and he’s 30-1; I’m trying to be that guy. I’m determined to have a clean record and be known at the same time as one of the best heavyweights in the world. I’m not done. I’m just getting started the way I see it. It just so happens that Fedor is in my way right now.”
fiveouncesofpain.com

King Mo Lawal

One of the hottest topics of debate among MMA fans has always been the "what if" scenarios regarding free agents. Free agency in the sport of MMA works a bit differently than that of the free agency within MLB, the NBA, or the NFL. Fighters aren't being courted by various teams under one large organization, but rather multiple organizations in which their marketing abilities and depth of talent within the organization become much more relevant attributes in a contract talk.

One of the better free agent fighters in the market right now is Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal. He is currently 5-0 in his career with his most recent win coming at M-1 Breakthrough on Friday night in Kansas City in which he demolished the aged Mark Kerr inside :25 seconds. Most fans cringe at the fact that he even accepted a fight with Kerr, but Lawal mentioned in a recent sitdown with John Morgan at MMAJunkie.com that it was a warm-up fight for his ailing knee:

While Lawal admitted Kerr didn't quite measure up to the standards of previous opponents, he also felt it was fair to accept a "warm-up fight" while recovering from an ACL reconstruction.

"M-1 was just a one-fight deal," Lawal said. "I wasn't even going to fight in M-1. I was going to do rehab. But they offered me the opponent, and I thought it was a good way to test me knee to see where my knee is it. I decided to take it."

At 5-0, there are plenty of critics to Lawal's reign as potentially being one of the next best light heavyweights, but the fact of the matter is that Lawal hasn't taken on the easiest competition for such a green fighter. After all, he did take on seasoned MMA veteran Travis Wiuff in his first professional MMA bout, a man who holds 53 wins over a course of 66 matches. He also battled Fabio Silva (11-5), Ryo Kawamura (10-4-2), and Yukiya Naito (15-6-2). It isn't a terrible list of talent for a fighter's first five battles in his career, and even more impressive -- the toughest opponent of the five bouts was his first professional fight.

Why should promotions be high on grabbing Lawal? Right now, he's one of the best credentialed wrestlers in the market and possibly in the sport. While he holds D-I All American credentials and a #1 ranking for over three years at the 84kg weight class, he's managed to transition his wrestling abilities to MMA in devastating fashion. He sports some of the meaniest ground and pound skills we've seen in a long time.

Lawal also has an interesting personality that could sell much like Quinton "Rampage" Jacksonhas been able to do with the UFC. He can be abrasive, and he'll fuel angry feuds with opponents that could produce must-see battles in the cage or ring. As we saw with the entire Jackson-Lawal videos on Youtube, it managed to get people interested in the possibility even though it may have all been for show. His flamboyant entrances featuring his own theme song coupled with scantily-clad dancers has also struck a cord with fans.

Where can Lawal display these personality traits? While the UFC is a solid opportunity for Lawal, Lawal has stated that he wants to fight frequently while also garnering a decent salary. The UFC probably doesn't see a 5-0 record against average competition has a selling point to them for giving Lawal somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 - $100k, so I'd be willing to bet they'll wait and see what happens. If the UFC came knocking with a reality show tryout, Lawal should probably take the bait as the exposure would be amazing for his career.

Strikeforce is the most suitable of the suitors as they have a depth of talent that both DREAM and Sengoku lack right now, and they have the ability to expose Lawal to the American fanbase. Their light heavyweight division consists of Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Gegard Mousasi, Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante, Kevin Randleman, Mike Whitehead, Ralek Gracie, Bobby Southworth, Mike Kyle, Paoi Suganuma, Aaron Rosa, Jaime Fletcher, and Wayne Cole. Not a bad list of mid-level competition for Lawal to battle on his way into match-ups with Cavalcante, Sobral, Whitehead, Kyle, and a climactic shot at Mousasi if he still remains with the promotion. He'll also have the potential to do co-promoted events with DREAM on Japanese soil to continue his exposure to the Japanese fanbase.

With a solid base in wrestling, ability to finish, and a personality that can both entertain and stir the pot, Lawal should be a prime candidate for MMA promotions out there looking for a guy they can build as a potential star. The UFC may hang back on Lawal and lure him to the big show later, but for now -- I think Lawal's best opportunity should come from Strikeforce.
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EA Sports MMA Video Game

Fedor Emelianenko, the world's top ranked* MMA heavyweight, will headline the EA SPORTS MMA fighter roster. Emelianenko will be joined by Gegard Mousasi and Renato Sobral, both of whom will be featured in a title bout at the STRIKEFORCE fight on August 15, as the first of a long list of fighters who will appear in EA SPORTS MMA, the all-new mixed martial arts title coming in 2010.

"I have fought all over the world and I am excited to be in EA SPORTS MMA because this game is going to show the global appeal of mixed martial arts," said Emelianenko. "I know MMA fans have been wanting to play as me and pitting me against any opponent. Now they will have their opportunity."

Fedor Emelianenko, a 6'0", 231 pound Russian heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter, who excels in Sambo and Judo, holds a 30-1 record and is the current WAMMA Heavyweight champion. Emelianenko recently defended his WAMMA championship by knocking out former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski.

Gegard Mousasi, a former Dream Middleweight champion, has a current record of 25-2-1 and won his last match in Dream 9 against Mark Hunt this past May. The 6'1", 185 pound Dutch-Armenian fighter will be taking on Renato Sobral to determine STRIKEFORCE's Light Heavyweight champion and has a fight style that is a unique blend of Dutch kickboxing and judo.

Sobral, hailing from Brazil, is known for his aggressive style, grappling prowess, and high-caliber submissions. He is the current STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight champion and has a record of 35-8 with his last victory coming against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at Affliction: Day of Reckoning fight earlier this year.

"I am very excited to have Fedor, the number one heavyweight in the world, as one of the top fighters in EA SPORTS MMA," said Executive Producer Dale Jackson. "He is one of the elite fighters in the sport today and will provide the ultimate competition for our gamers. The EA SPORTS MMA team at Tiburon has been working on the game for over a year already and we will have a lot more great fighters and other exciting news to talk about soon."

In addition to appearing in the EA SPORTS MMA video game, Mousasi and Sobral will be sponsored by EA SPORTS for the STRIKEFORCE fight.

EA SPORTS MMA will feature the most authentic, intense and broad mixed martial arts experience to date - complete with a vast array of top fighters and fighting styles from around the world. EA SPORTS MMA will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.



Randy Couture, one of the most popular fighters in MMA history, will co-headline EA SPORTS MMA alongside Fedor Emelianenko.

"I have been a part of MMA for over 10 years and I am excited about the global visibility that a game like EA SPORTS MMA will bring to the sport," said Randy Couture. "Like my fighting career, I look forward to taking on all comers in EA SPORTS MMA."

Randy Couture, a 6'1", 220 pound heavyweight, who currently holds a 16-9 record and is a five-time MMA champion. Couture, a living legend in the MMA world, utilizes his wrestling expertise to take down and control opponents before finishing them off with ground and pound strikes. Couture is scheduled to fight at the end of this month against former Pride World Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. In addition, this is not Couture's first foray into the world of video games, as he was featured in EA's Command & ConquerTM: Red AlertTM 3 as Commander Warren Fuller.

Jay "The Thoroughbred" Hieron, a high-profile fighter, joins the EA SPORTS MMA roster as well.

Hieron currently holds a 18-4 record and the Long Island native utilizes his wrestling prowess as his primary fighting style but has become a formidable striker as well. He fights out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas and was the last Welterweight Champion of the International Fight League.

EA SPORTS is sponsoring three fighters in the STRIKEFORCE event, including Jay Hieron, Gegard Mousasi, and Renato Sobral.

Dead MMA Promotions

Their marquees will forever shine down upon the Boulevard of Broken Dreams, testaments to the collective financial folly and hubris of those who dared stake for themselves a claim in the unmapped wilds of mixed martial arts and failed miserably. They are the promotions who crashed and burned–the Pride Fighting Championships, the IFLs and the Afflictions, the EliteXCs and WFAs–the promotions who rose up, reached for some market share and were swatted away by the lone diner at the table, a diner unwilling to let even a scrap fall from its plate. Now these alternatives to Octagon-brand combat are gone. But lest history repeat itself, as it invariably does whenever a would-be Dana White thinks he can do better than the real thing, those failed promotions should not be forgotten. So here, in order of appearance… the dead.

World Combat Championship: When the UFC debuted on pay-per-view in 1993 and began raking in the dough as a pay-per-view cash cow, the world took notice. So too did entertainment executives angling for the “next big thing”, who in October of 1995 hatched up a wacky kind of tournament that would have one half focused on striking and the other focused on grappling, all of which would culminate in a finale that pitted a striker against a grappler. The event’s only bright spot was Renzo Gracie, who crushed a world-class judoka, demolished a wrestler and then pounced on a pro boxer to win top honors. Otherwise, this one-shot deal was a bust.

Extreme Fighting: There was still money to be made in this whole “no-holds-barred fighting thing”. Thus came Extreme Fighting, which, backed by Penthouse magazine dollars and orchestrated by John Peretti, sprang up in November of 1995 to provide fans with a “sport-like” alternative to the spectacle of the UFC. Thanks to EF, Olympic Gold Medal wrestlers were lured into the cage, as well as champion kickboxers and judo toughs like Maurice Smith and Igor Zinoviev, and by the third event five-minute rounds were employed (a concept that was years ahead of when the Unified Rules would require them). Sadly, the highly-politicized movement to ban “human cockfighting” in 1997 saw MMA banished from New York State (EF had a show scheduled for Brooklyn) and booted from pay-per-view providers, which spelled financial doom for the organization. After four installments, EF was no more.

Martial Arts Reality Superfights: Also inspired by the UFC’s early success was a one-shot promotion called Martial Arts Reality Superfights (a.k.a. MARS), which in November, 1996, put gigantic wrestler Tom Erikson on one side of a tournament and jiu-jitsu master Murilo Bustamante on the other. The result? A draw after 40 maddening minutes of the Brazilian butt-scooting and the American terrified of engaging. In the main event, Renzo Gracie needed about a minute to knock UFC star Oleg Taktarov out with a kick to the grill. There was only one MARS event. The world didn’t need another.

Pride Fighting Championships: The UFC has always dominated the US market, but when it came to the world outside those borders, Japan’s Pride Fighting Championship was king. Packing tens of thousands of fans into such huge venues as the Tokyo Dome and the Saitama Super Arena, Pride FC was MMA on a grand scale, and its tournaments–which crowned the likes of Mark Coleman, Wanderlei Silva and Fedor Emelianenko as champions–were the stuff of legend. The organization debuted in October, 1997, but allegations of yakuza involvement eventually killed its television broadcast deal in the Land of the Rising Sun, which in turn spelled doom for the one true competitor of the UFC. In March, 2007, after ten years of operation, Dream Stage Entertainment sold Pride FC to Zuffa… and that was all she wrote.

World Fighting Alliance Version 1.0: When Zuffa bought the UFC from Bob Meyrowitz and Semaphore Entertainment Group in January, 2001, a wave of optimism washed over the industry (which had for years been mired in the “dark ages” of pay-per-view exile and relative obscurity). Riding the crest of that wave on a surfboard of Las Vegas glitz and glamour was John Lewis’ World Fighting Alliance, which, in November of 2001, began putting together cards stacked with up-and-coming talent in Sin City’s Hard Rock Hotel and the Aladdin. “Where the fight club meets the nightclub” was the promotion’s motto, and the WFA saw Rich Franklin, Josh Thomson and Frank Trigg rise to prominence. But by November, 2002, Lewis’ financial backers had a change of heart, and the WFA Version 1.0 ended after three shows.

Ultimate Athlete: Also inspired by Zuffa’s infusion of cash into the industry and the changing currents of public opinion was Ultimate Athlete, which came to life in January, 2002, and showcased such fighters as Steve Berger, Pete Spratt, Stephan Bonnar, Dennis Hallman and Nick Diaz. Things fizzled out by September of that same year, but of the four UA events, the highlight (or low point, if you will) was the biker gang riot that broke out during their March event, abbreviating the night and forcing fighters and fans alike to flee into the night.

World Fighting Alliance Version 2.0: Things grew quiet once again as the industry ebbed and flowed, but when “The Ultimate Fighter” hit the airwaves and proved to be a runaway success, there was a renewed interest in throwing money down the MMA well. The first to step up was the WFA Version 2.0, which was no longer helmed by John Lewis but talked a big game–so big, in fact, that they promised to dethrone the UFC. But after months of securing top fighters, their lone outing in July of 2006 proved to be too costly, and though fans were treated to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson squeaking by Matt Lindland, Bas Rutten destroying late replacement Ruben Villareal and Lyoto Machida besting Vernon “Tiger” White, WFA Version 2.0 ended up being the punch line of many an MMA insider’s joke.

International Fight League: In April, 2006, real estate developer Kurt Otto and comic book mogul Gareb Shamus realized their interest in MMA with the inaugural IFL event. The concept was simple: contrived teams of B-level fighters would compete in five-bout face-offs, with the two top teams going head-to-head at the end of the “season”. Unfortunately for Otto and Shamus, the concept never took off, and the endeavor was a cash-eating carcass by July, 2008. Seriously, did anyone honestly think a league with such team names as the Seattle Tiger Sharks, Tokyo Sabers and San Jose Razorclaws would work?

BodogFIGHT: Billionaire Calvin Ayre had some money to throw away, so he picked MMA as his method of getting rid of it. In August, 2008, BodogFIGHT shipped a slew of B- and C-level fighters off to a compound in the jungles of Costa Rica to fight, with the bouts recorded and aired on an the rarely-watched TV network “ION”. The process was repeated again for a St. Petersburg, Russia show and a Vancouver, British Columbia show, with a pay-per-view featuring Fedor Emelianenko taking out Matt Lindland added to the mix. In what came as a shock to no one, by February, 2008, the magic money sack was empty.

EliteXC: Boxing promoter Gary Shaw breathed life into EliteXC in December, 2006, and its first event was in February of 2007. What followed included some of the most memorable milestones in the sport, including the star turns of backyard brawler and YouTube hero Kimbo Slice and female warrior Gina Carano, and the first-ever live primetime broadcast of an MMA event on major network television. However, mismanagement saw EliteXC falter, and the knockout blow came when Kimbo was felled by last-minute replacement Seth Petruzelli–a turn of events that prompted the promotion’s financial savior to flee with their wallets. The joyride was over by October of 2008.

YAMMA Pit Fighting: Former UFC owner Bob Meyrowitz wanted to give MMA another go, so in April, 2008, he put together YAMMA Pit Fighting. What’s a “yamma”? A concave pit inside a cage, which made for a perverse challenge that fighters like Travis Wiuff, Ricco Rodriguez, Pat Smith and Eric “Butterbean” Esch had to overcome if they wanted to emerge from within its confines victorious. Wiuff won the one and only YAMMA Pit Fighting tournament while Oleg Taktarov submitted Mark Kerr in a superfight. But the real winners here were the fans, who were never subjected to the yamma again after this one-shot deal was done.

Affliction: What does a clothing company know about running an MMA promotion? Not much, apparently. Affliction entered into the fight show fray with their “Banned” event in July, 2008, overpaying every fighter on their card but giving fans a healthy dose of Fedor Emelianenko. Their second installment, “Day of Reckoning”, was in January of 2009, but Affliction’s third–dubbed “Trilogy” – was not to be, and was cancelled a little more than a week before its scheduled August 1st date when half of its main event tested positive for steroids. The organization is officially done with the promoting business, and has returned to what it knows best: tacky clothing.
mmamemories.com

FEDOR

The one, the only, fight sport living legend, “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko took time out to speak with MMAMemories.com about his next opponent Josh Barnett at Affliction Trilogy set for August 1 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. In this interview, the supreme wrecking machine reveals some very interesting insights about his “true” friend Barnett, what inspires him, and more…

MMAMemories.com: Do you feel unbeatable right now?

Fedor Emelianenko: I never think about the fact that I’m unbeatable in any way. I understand that at any moment I can lose a fight.

MMAMemories.com: Do you expect this fight against your friend to be the toughest, most difficult fight of your career?

Fedor Emelianenko: It’s hard to say, it’s hard to predict. I mean I’ve already had a lot of very tough fights. So I can only tell you after the fight how particularly tough this fight was.

MMAMemories.com: What most concerns you from the arsenal of Josh Barnett?

Fedor Emelianenko: There’s really nothing that worries me about him. I look at this very level-headedly, and look at his strengths and look at his weaknesses. And just look at things very even keel, without getting too nervous or too emotional about it.

MMAMemories.com: Is there anything you don’t like about Josh?

Fedor Emelianenko: [Smiles] not really. He’s a good friend. I consider him to be a true friend.

MMAMemories.com: What is the key to victory for you on August 1?

Fedor Emelianenko: The training. The preparation for the fight. That’s the key.

MMAMemories.com: How do you see the fight ending? Could it possibly be you being the first to get Josh in an armbar?

Fedor Emelianenko: I don’t know how the fight is going to turn out, how it’s going to play out. And whether or not I’ll have the opportunity to end the fight in a particular way.

MMAMemories.com: After all you have achieved, after all your triumphs at the highest level of this sport, what inspires you at age 32 to fight now?

Fedor Emelianenko: The biggest inspiration is that I represent my country and the sport. I help people see that I fight for my country and that’s what drives me. The sport has given a lot to me and I fight not only for my country but for me people, for my orthodox heritage and background in religion. And I am very proud of that. And when I go into the ring I have the entire country and my people behind me.

Stay tuned for our one-one-one interview with Josh Barnett and full New York press conference coverage.
mmamemories.com