Gals Guide To MMA: FanPosts

Strikeforce or Strikefarce?

2010-07-28T15:06:17Z

Warning- I found this draft from before Werdum v. Fedor. I decided to post it now... cuz this is the first time I've had internet at home since! (blast you S. Florida Comcast!!!!) New comments from right now after the jump thingie. Everything before the jump was written when we all thought crazy horse v, noons II was happening

I just want to state that I enjoy watching Strikeforce. But I think it is super clear that Showtime/CBS runs the show and have no interest in furthering the sport like Zuffa does, but are 100% about spectacle and getting viewers by promoting a choice few guys as being GREATs, even when they may not be. A few notes...

Article A: Cyborg Santos. They want her to be seen as the biggest beast of an unstoppable woman ever created, so they can tout having the #1 woman fighter in the world. The only real fight (besides Carano, which was given for marketing purposes) they have given Cyborg was Marloes Coenen. However, putting Coenen's 2 minute raping of Roxi Modafferi on the dark prelims of that card, when they had time to show it, proves that they aren't interested in building up anyone in the division but Cyborg.

Furthermore, they put JAN FUCKING FINNEY in with Santos!!! WTF! Jan Finney? Really? Do they give her a fight in Strikeforce before to build her up/test her skills? no. They are just throwing her in there to get raped. Cuz thats what they want- For their stars to shine, even if it's not realistically competitive, and even when they have more competitive options out there.

Article B: Cung Le v. Scott Smith II. Le molested Smith in their first match before ending it in spectacular fashion. smith is famous for this and has done it many times. dude has power and throws it like crazy late in the fight when his opponents have their guard down after whoopin him for 2 rounds. It happened in the Benji Radach fight. Did Radach get a rematch? Nah, he's not Strikeforce's star. See, Cung Le gets the rematch so that they can tout his "only one loss, which was avenged" record- a record filled with weak competition thanks to Strikeforce (the toughest fight probably Scott smith, or possible a very old no longer relevant Frank Shamrock). This is a fight we all know Cung Le can win. He proved that last time around. It's not a sport, it's a marketing ploy.

Article C: Why the fuck isn't Fedor fighting Ubereem?

Article D: Another promotion (Dream) wants their LW champ (Aoki) to fight Melendez, and are willing to concede to Strikeforce and have it in america on a Strikeforce show. It so happens that Aoki's style gives Melendez a wonderful chance at victory. They take it in a heartbeat. Now, another promotion (Bellator) wants their LW champ (alvarez) to fight Melendez, and are willing to concede to Strikeforce and have it on their show. Bjorn Rebney has even gone on the air during Bellator events saying that they can't even get Coker to return their calls (they are calling multiple times a day). Melendez has said alvarez is the most intrigueing fight outside the UFC and that he wants it. Alvarez has called out Melendez... soooo..... Coker just doesn't return Bellator's calls. why not up for it this time? Alvarez's style does not bode well for Melendez. gilbert would NOT be able to do his standard GnP on Alvarez. this would be a toss up of a fight, and that's too much to risk for their top LW star. Would it be good for the sport? Yes. But they don't give a shit about sport.

Article E: Betting lines for the last main Strikeforce show are below...

Fedor Emelianenko -1000 vs. Fabricio Werdum +500
- Cristiane Santos -2500 vs. Jan Finney +1000
- Cung Le -400 vs. Scott Smith +275
- KJ Noons -500 vs. Charles Bennett +360

This is the main card- 3 stars for the organization (and 1 they are trying to make into one) vs. 4 opponents they can beat instead of better competition. Let's face the facts, if it was about sport Fedor would be fighting Overeem, Santos would be fighting anyone but Jan Finney, Cung Le would be fighting Robbie Lawlor or Jacare or someone (instead of throwing Lawlor into a catchweight over his weight class cuz they "cant find an opponent") and KJ Noons wouldn't be fighting a Piece of Shit like Bennett so that he can scratch that loss off his record. Disgusting.

It is so bad, that a parlay on these four fights lands at an astronomical +18900 payout. Yah, you read that right. If all four of the underdogs win, you could bet 1 buck on it and win 1,890 dollars. That's gotta be an MMA record, and proof that strikeforce is not about sport.

On a side note- I'm betting the house (aka 5 bucks) on Werdum! Wooo!

7/26- I wrote all the above a month or so ago, and the recent challengers card brings me to two more articles of interest

Article F- Shane Del Rosario was on the shelf since Nov of 2009. Why? Injury? contract dispute? Alien abduction? Nope. They simply didn't give him a fight. Other talented prospects who can't seem to get a fight for the life of them that are under contract with Strikeforce include Billy Evangelista, Luke Rockhold, and Erin Toughill (yah she screwed the pooch on the last fight, but was held up multiple times before the fight and in all reality only got the fight offered to her 5 weeks out). Lyle Beerbolm couldn't even get on the broadcast when he fought bad ass Shaolin Robero (sp?) AND the card went off the air over 30 minutes early! What do all these fighters have in common, besides being extremely talented, successful prospects? They aren't big draws (proper promotion would help that)

Article G- Sarah fucking Kaufman. Do I even need to explain? Their 135 lbs women's CHAMPION was not just put on the mini challengers card. She was not just put on one that aired very late, as opposed to a good timeslot like Challengers 8. Oh no. She didn't even headline!

Article H- Batista. Lashley. Walker.

Don't get me wrong. I'm well aware of the stunts the UFC pulls to get ratings- they certainly have some spectacle. The main two examples- Brock Lesnar (which in hindsight was a very good sports decision to sign) and James Toney v. Randy Couture. Spectacle happens and it needs to happen to gain eyes, and for this sport to grow to a point of not needing spectacle to survive. However there is an EXTREME difference when looking at Strikeforce (and EliteXC for that matter) and other promotions. Sho/CBS is in the business of immediate ratings. Television doesn't need to be nurtured and built up like a fight organization does. You write the big bang episode to get ratings, and then you worry about the next episode later. If the next episode bombs, you dump the show and pick up another. This is the model Sho/CBS has taken with MMA. Fuck building, and promoting. We need immediate ratings RIGHT NOW.

209 Attack!!!! UPDATES!!!

2010-07-27T01:22:23Z

Fanpost promoted to front page by Donna.

I must say- Mayhem Miller and Nick Diaz will undoubtedly do more in the effort to promote their upcoming fight in the matter of hours than Strikeforce will do as a whole. Is that an extremely biased exaggerated over-generalization? Oh yah.

Mayhem threw the first stone on last week's The Voice Vs, on HDNet.

Nobody talks about the 209 like that! Diaz responds-

Just hours later Mayhem rebuttled- with 25 characters to spare

I love me some shenanigans!

To be continued...

And continuing...

Looks like it may have started a long time ago. An interview a few years ago with Mayhem not respecting the stoner ramble. RESPECT THE STONER RAMBLE! 209!!!!

Interview with Bellator's Jessica Pene

2010-07-22T16:20:16Z

Promoted to front page by Donna.

With a perfect 7-0 record, Jessica Pene is one of the hottest USA prospects in women's MMA. Since she began fighting in 2006, she has displayed a very well rounded mixed martial arts game that includes some diverse striking as well as some slick submissions on the ground. Of her 7 career victories, 4 have come via submission, 2 by decision and she holds one knockout. Jessica was invited to Bellators flyweight women's tournament and she will take on the very dangerous Zoila Frausto in the first round at Bellator 25 in Chicago on August 19th.

Brian Hemminger: You were the first woman to fight for Bellator and now you've been given an opportunity to fight for their title in the flyweight tournament. How did it feel to get that phone call with the tournament invite?

Jessica Pene: I thought it was a great opportunity and I feel very excited and glad that I'd been considered.

BH: I've read that you got into MMA because you saw some K-1 kickboxing on TV and really liked it. When was that, and did you have any formal training in any form of fighting before that?

JP: It was not just the K-1 match that got me interested. I had wanted to wrestle but my school did not allow females to wrestle at that time. I wanted to find a sport to channel my competitiveness. I had no real training before that, that was about 5 years ago and I've been training ever since. I always wanted to compete I just wasn't sure where. Through Muay Thai I discovered Brazilian jiu jitsu and then MMA, so that's how I got here.

BH: You've joked that the women in your weight class don't hit hard, but your upcoming opponent Zoila Frausto just had one of the most devastating knockouts in women's history. Are you concerned about her power?

JP: No, not really.

BH: Have you been training anything specifically to prepare for Frausto and her diverse striking?

JP: No, just working on improving myself. Sharpening things up to be the best I can be. That's the only thing I can control.

BH: Most of the women in this tournament are dropping down a weight class (or two!) to make 115 lbs. You've said in the past that you'd be more comfortable fighting at 110 pounds, how are you preparing for a potential size disadvantage?

JP: I don't know, unlike them, I don't have to worry about my weight or diet. I just have to focus on my training so I think that actually gives me an advantage. I'm always training as the smallest in my gym so I'm used to it.

BH: Your last fight was a big win over fellow tournament participant Angela Magana, has that given you confidence that you'll do well in this tournament?

JP: I think all my fights have given me confidence, not just that fight. I've taken something from all my fights and grown from it. Every one of them has helped me in some way in my career.

BH: That last fight also took place about 10 months ago, are you worried at all that ring rust will be a factor?

JP: I'm not worried about ring rust, I sure would have liked to compete, but I've been unable to. I've been focusing on everything I can, trying to prepare myself to become a better athlete. Sometimes you need to take time off to get better.

BH: You did a little bit of modeling last year , what are your thoughts on female fighters being sex symbols?

JP: Well my thing wasn't really modelling, it was something for a sponsor. I think it's sad that women have to be categorized like that. They should respect us for our fighting abilities.

BH: Has your life gotten a little less hectic since you finished your degree at Cal State Fullerton?

JP: It was just a time management thing, trying to balance things out. Now that I don't have to go to school I can focus on myself and training and work, not having to worry about homework.

BH: Ok, prediction time, how do you see your fight ending on August 19th?

JP: Honestly I have no idea, I just know I'm gonna go in there and put on a great show.

BH: Thank you very much for your time, do you have any shoutouts or anyone you'd like to thank?

JP: I want to thank to my team mates and coaches at Subfighter MMA as well as LA Boxing, Lake Forest and Joker's MMA. I'd also like to thank my sponsors All Pro Science and Sinful

Making a Case for Nick Diaz vs. GSP

2010-07-21T11:09:15Z

Nick Diaz vs Georges St-Pierre (GSP)

I can’t imagine there would be anyone who doesn’t want to see this fight; the fighters themselves, Dana White, Scott Coker (personal differences aside), all of their sponsors and of course, most importantly, the fans. This dream matchup is intriguing on a number of levels. First off, both of these fighters have essentially wiped out all of the competition in the Welterweight division in their respective leagues. They have fought and beaten all the top guys in their weight class and have done so soundly. They can either continue to fight and beat the fighters who are lower on the food chain or keep re-matching the guys they have already beaten. That is not to say it is such a bad thing to give a previous beaten opponent another shot assuming they have beaten some worthy opponents and earned again a right to fight these two champs as is the case of GSP’s upcoming bout with Josh Koschek.

You are talking about two fighters who...Read More here http://www.fightswewant.com/blog.cfm?feature=1491310&postid=320229

Poll

Nick Diaz Vs. GSP

Taking on the UFC...

2010-07-21T11:05:15Z

It seems every week without fail there is at least one article or piece on the subject of what other MMA promotional organization can challenge or take on the UFC. The whole topic is somewhat nonsensical to some extent.

In virtually every other major sport there is one premier league or organization to which all others are measured or aspire to emulate. Five of the largest and most established in North America being The National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Hockey League (NHL) and The Canadian Football League (CFL).

With respect to....Read more here: http://www.fightswewant.com/blog.cfm?feature=1491310&postid=361125

Interview with Bellator's Angela Magana

2010-07-21T01:44:58Z

Angela Magana has faced a plethora of top opposition in her mixed martial arts career. Before getting the invite into Bellator's flyweight tournament, she squared off with fellow tournament participants Lynn Alvarez, Jessica Pene and Jessica Aguilar (3 times!) Despite such tough opposition, she holds an 8-4 professional MMA record. She was in the midst of a coaching session during our interview, but she still set aside enough time to really open up about a difficult past and the current state of women's MMA. Angela will square off against the consensus #1 ranked flyweight Megumi Fujii on August 12th in the first round of Bellator's tournament.

Brian Hemminger: You've overcome quite a lot to get to where you are today, do you mind sharing with our readers a little about your past?

Angela Magana: Yeah, I was born in Los Angeles, addicted to heroin, at least that's what I've been told. I was with my mom and dad for 6-7 years while they abused drugs. I was on the streets of LA as a child, eating out of trash cans and stuff, and I didn't know any better. How could I know? My mom nodding off occasionally, she actually died of a heroin overdose about 10 years ago. My grandparents gained custody of me and I moved to New Mexico, and they were very supportive. My dad eventually moved out here too. I started wrestling with the boys, and my grandpa didn't want me to. One day in the kitchen he was trying to stop me from doing something and I got away from him and showed my strength. He was impressed and after that I was allowed to compete. I made varsity at 119 lbs which is crazy because I fight at lower than that now. I graduated high school at 16, got pregnent at 18, and my daughter has been the light of my life. I always wanted to be a fighter growing up, it just seemed like the natural progression.

I'm still having to overcome things even today, 1 1/2 months ago, my boyfriend passed away the day after he asked me to marry him. Fighting keeps me sane though, it keeps me anchored. I'd probably be off partying somewhere trying to forget it all if I didn't have the training and MMA in my life. I started a non-profit organization to get kids off the street and harness their energy in a good direction. It takes about 8 months to get it all set up so it's not official yet, it's gonna be called Salvaging Sisterhood. I do motivational talks with the local youth, I try to be a roll model for them.

BH: How important has your trainer Floyd Sword been in your life?

AM: He's everything to me, I owe everything to him. I met him when I was about 13, he would compete in those barroom brawl Tufman contests, and I was doing some amateur boxing at the time. I started training with him when I was 15, and my boxing coach kicked me out for doing it. He's my hero, he's everything. If I ever need advice, I go to him. He's like my dad, more like my uncle actually, he was at my graduation.

BH: You had over 40 fights in amateur boxing, yet most of your MMA victories are submissions. Do you have a soft spot for Brazilian jiu jitsu?

AM: Yeah, you know, I'm just really good on the ground, I guess I'm a natural. I hope to show my standup more in this Bellator tournament, though. I haven't fought in nearly a year so these fighters don't know me as well as they think they do.

BH: Bellator's flyweight tournament is one of the best collections of women fighters in history, how much of an impact do you think it will have on women's MMA?

AM: I think it'll be a milestone. It's gonna be one of the best tournaments ever in the sport. I'm so happy because it's in the lower weight class, all the higher weight classes get the exposure. It's gonna be monumental, there's gonna be a lot of surprises. I'm very anxious.

BH: What is it like balancing being a professional MMA fighter with being a single mom?

AM: It's very fulfilling. Sometimes I feel bad that my daughter has to be here at the gym so much, but I make it work. She's doing homework with the guys while I'm teaching a class, and I'm putting her to bed at 8pm while I work. I'm pretty strict. There's always cute stories though, for Christmas, each kid wrote a compliment about their fellow students and someone told her that "I like you because your mom's a cage fighter". She actually trained a little jiu-jitsu a little bit while I was hurt with my back injury a couple years ago, she's pretty tough.

BH: You've got more experience against the rest of this tournament field than anyone else, do you feel that will give you an advantage?

AM: I hadn't actually thought about it like that, I suppose it would help if anyone makes it to the finals that I've faced. I'm more concerned about facing Megumi though.

BH: What were your thoughts when you found out you were facing consensus #1 fighter Megumi Fujii?

AM: I've been training my whole life to fight Megumi. She's one of my favorite female fighters, her, Rosie Sexton and Lisa Ward I've been a fan of since I started fighting. I'm very honored, she's number one. The only way to be number one is to beat number one. I've always wanted to fight her. It's the perfect time in my career to do this.

BH: Have you been doing anything specifically in training to prepare for Megumi?

AM: Just, checking my hips. Not letting my opponent get their hips in. I've been sparring some southpaws too since she's left handed. I've also been working on not throwing kicks since I don't want to get taken down. Pretty much just the judo stuff.

BH: Would it be asking too much to get a fight prediction out of you? You've said in the past that they're not your thing.

AM: I don't really like to do that. I lost my clairvoyent abilities a while ago haha, I think I'll be the winner. It's gonna a great fight, even when I've lost it's been a great fight. My only prediction is that it's gonna be fight of the night.

BH: You've had quite a history with fellow tournament participant Jessica Aguilar. How did it feel to get that win in your third fight with her, and do you mind explaining some of the controversy of the first two fights?

AM: Well the first fight she tried to go for the takedown I got the mount and we're in the ropes. They reset us in the middle and the ref asked if I was ready and I shook my head no during the reset and he started it anyways and she put me in an armbar right away. The second fight she put me in an armbar and the ref stopped the fight, even though I was beating on her and she was bleeding on me. She got booed by her home crowd, it was such a bad decision by the ref. Oh and it was so great to get that win in the third fight. I actually had this documentary crew following me around for that one and I said I didn't care about anything else in that tournament, I just wanted to face her and get that win.

BH: You've said that the Jean-Claude Van Damme film Bloodsport inspired you to get into MMA. How many times do you think you've watched it total?

AM: Oh when I was a kid I'd watch it 3 times a day. I watched it last week and I fell asleep to it the week before last. That's pretty sad isn't it? It brings those memories of of being a kid and dreaming of getting in the big show. I bet I've watched it 700-800, maybe 1000 times. I would practice moves on my friends and my sister and they would get sooo pissed at me.

BH: Thank you very much for the interview, do you have any shoutouts or anyone you'd like to thank?

AM: I'd like to thank my coach, my family my friends, everyone that supports me. Wanderlei's fight team. Four Corner's Orthodontics, my gym Team Four Corners, and in loving memory of my boyfriend Seth Englehart.

Calling All Writers: Cageside Seats is looking for new posters

2010-07-20T18:32:04Z

I don't wanna do a wholesale lift of Kelvin's similar post with regards to MMA4Real, but most of the general ideas apply. Cageside Seats is SBN's pro wrestling/MMA for wrestling fans/pro wrestling for MMA fans blog. We need more writers to cover pro wrestling and MMA. It's fine if you'd rather write about one or the other, but if you wanna write about both, that's even better. If you wanna write more about MMA, it's preferable if you've been a wrestling fan at some point, as we'd like to have the "wrestling perspective" of the news when possible, but it's not a must. Wrestling-wise, we definitely need recappers for the main TV shows (WWE Raw, Smackdown, and NXT, plus TNA Impact. ROH on HDNet and WWE Superstars, as well as the indy shows on regional sports networks and America One would be great, too, but aren't as high a priority.), so a sample recap would be a good start, though it doesn't have to be the only thing you write about. It's a bonus if you write like the opposite of Todd Martin. Anything about Brock Lesnar, whether it's about UFC or old WWE stuff, is always good. Keeping on top of the more obscure but interesting news items would be great. Basically, keep an eye on what we've been doing and help us do more of it. Being part of SBN, this is a potentially great opportunity if you want to write about this stuff. Just look at the growth of Bloody Elbow et al.

Now, back to lifting Kelvin's post (sorry Kelvin, it's easier this way):

1. Register as a member of Cageside Seats.

2. Begin posting FanShots and most importantly, FanPosts. There is a 75 word minimum to FanPosts, but don't go crazy with a 5 page essay or anything. If your post is good and relevant, we'll promote it to the front page.

3. Email me (davidbix+cagesideseats@gmail.com) with your screen name to tell me you are interested so I'll know who's interested in joining us. Also, so I can recognize the fanpost/fanshots you are putting up.

4. I'll need you to post consistently for about 2 weeks or so. This'll give me an idea of what you bring to the table.

Show us what you've got!

Interview with Bellator's Jessica Aguilar

2010-07-16T22:31:03Z

Today I had the opportunity to talk with Jessica Aguilar, a product of American Top Team and currently ranked as the number 7 flyweight in the world. In the past few years, she has become a very accomplished Brazillian jiu jitsu practitioner. She was recentlyannounced as the 8th and final participant in Bellator's season 3 women's 115 lb tournament.

Brian Hemminger: How does it feel to be given an opportunity to compete with some of the best women in the world for the Bellator 115 lb title?

Jessica Aguilar: It's an honor to have this opportunity to be part of this tournament with the best in the world, I'm happy. I'm glad to have a chance to show my skills. Outside of the Cyborg vs Gina Carano fight, I think this is gonna be the biggest thing for female MMA. It's one of the best tournaments for women that has ever been put together, all top 10 contenders from all around the world. Bjorn and Bellator have done a great job.

Can you tell us a little bit about training at American Top Team?

Yeah, well it's one of the best camps in the world. They treat me very well, I have the best trainers. I'm blessed to be where I'm at, I couldn't ask for more. As a female involved in this tournament, it's very important to have such a great team. My main coaches are Marcos "Parrumphina" De Motta, a Carlson Gracie 3rd degree blackbelt, Ricardo Liborio, a national champion in jiu jitsu and Rafael Rebello, a WEC fighter. I'm in the best place, to be a part of a team like this. Jorge Santiago, Gesias Cavalcante, "Pitbull" Thiago Alves, the level of training partners and trainers, it's just a blessing.

You kind of accidentally discovered MMA, can you tell us about that?

Sure, it started in 2006, I moved to Florida in the end of 2005, I was doing some acting in Miami and I was also working in mortgages and real estate. I'd always been an athlete, and I was looking for a gym. I found this little boxing gym that was close to my apartment, and I'd go there after work, the cardio conditioning classes and stuff. One day I got off work late and the only class being given was what I thought was a wrestling class, but it was Brazilian jiu jitsu. I really liked it, and my instructor asked me if I wanted to compete and I kept training, trained for a month and I won my first competition, gi and no-gi. Now I'm like, I was training, I feel good and I'm really enjoying it. So I continued training, I went on to my second competition, it was an American Top Team competition and I went but there were no females or males in my weight class to compete against, but I stayed to watch the matches.

At that time, there was this big fight event. Erica Montoya was supposed to fight Lisa Ward and they couldn't find her anywhere. They pulled me aside and and asked me about my MMA background. I didn't know what it was yet, I had no combat training, so I told them the only real training I'd had was fighting with my brothers. I was raised with all these brothers, being the only girl in my family. I'd only been trained for a month and a half, but he asked me if I wanted to fight. I thought it was like the tournaments from earlier so asked him when I had to pay him, and he laughed and said "no, I pay you." I was confused, and he explained it to me. I didn't know what I was getting into yet, all I knew was that I was fighting another girl in my weight class. I didn't know too much about Lisa (Ward) or that she was a top fighter in the world at the time. So I took the fight with 5 days preparation. That was a joke, now, knowing what it takes to prepare, those 5 days are supposed to be your rest days. So anyways, I went to fight her and it became the fight of the night. I went all the rounds with her and she had me in this rear naked choke. She had me in it for like 2 minutes and with like 3 seconds left in the clock, I got submitted. All the ATT guys saw me and that's how I met them.

The guys from AFC (Absolute Fighting Championships) were calling me at the gym where I was training at the time and wanted me to be on their show. I sat down and thought about what I wanted to do with the sport, and my friend told me that if I really wanted to do this I had to train at the top place. She took me over to ATT, which was like 3o minutes from where I lived, like March of 2006, introduced me to my trainer and I've been with them ever since. So here I am today, still learning a lot, I'm still growing and evolving, and now I've got this great opportunity in front of me. This sport has taken me around the world, and I've met a lot of great people on this journey. I can't wait to see what happens next, especially with this incredible tournament.

On average, how much time each day do you usually spend working on your jiu-jitsu?

Well, you know with ATT, what they're known for is their ground game. I train in the morning and I train in the evening and I also teach the kid's class at ATT. I spend about 3 hours a day training the ground I'd say.

Bellator tournaments are a pretty intense experience, do you feel you're prepared to fight every 4 weeks?

Absolutely I'm prepared, yes sir. They're putting my schedule together, I'm preparing my body for that. It's a science really, you have to be ready, how you're gonna rest, how you're gonna push yourself. I've got the best coaches in the world and I'm just putting it in their hands.

You won the 2010 World Grappling Championships in the gi and no-gi divisions, do you feel you have the advantage over everyone else in this tournament if the fight goes to the ground?

No, no way. We've got some great competitors. I actually feel like I'm one of the least experienced. Megumi is a black belt in jiu jitsu, Angela Magana has great skills on the ground, same goes for Jessica Pene. I'm comfortable there, that's my home, but I know that I have good competition there. It's gonna be a challenge and I'm ready.

In this tournament, there's a possibility to avenge your first career loss to Lisa Ward, is there anyone in the field that you are specifically excited about facing?

I'd love to have that revenge with Ward, I'd love that fight, get my win, give her the loss back. I'm also excited about Megumi, I'm a big fan of hers since I started and found out who she was. Obviously that's my goal, but I'm really excited about whoever they put me against.

Bellator has been showcasing some of the female fighters who are invited to the tournament in recent weeks. Have you had a chance to watch them?

Actually, no, but I have them all recorded. I haven't been able to watch the fights but that's something I will definitely do this week. I heard a lot about Zoila Frausto and Rosie Sexton last week. Anything can happen in MMA, and you have to be prepared. If Sexton won't be able to participate in the tournament, I'll be very disappointed, she is one of the best in the world.

We've all at one time or another kept things from our parents, have you finally broken the news to your mother that you're a cage fighter?

No, no, no I can't do that yet. I'll do it when the right time comes. I don't know how big my family thinks it is. My brother knows that I train with a gym, I don't know what they think but they don't know the real story.

Thank you very much for the interview, do you have any shoutouts or anyone you'd like to thank?

I'd like to thank all my fans, all my teammates at American Top Team for molding me to be the fighter I am today, all the sponsors that have helped me along the way. I'd also like to thank my supporters and lastly Bjorn Rebney for giving me this tremendous opportunity.

Interview with Bellator's Zoila Frausto

2010-07-16T22:29:15Z

Zoila "The Warrior Princess" Frausto's career has really skyrocketed in 2010. After losing a spirited battle against Strikeforce's Meisha Tate, she's rebounded with devastating victories over Michelle Ouild as well as a knockout of the year candidate against Rosie Sexton, who was ranked #1 in the world in the women's 125 lb division at the time. Sexton had actually been invited to the Bellator 115 lb women's tournament, but due to a suspension from her injuries, Frausto was given an invite in her place. She will be taking on undefeated Jessica Pene at Bellator 25 on August 19th, and she set aside a little time to talk to me about it.

Brian Hemminger: For those that are just discovering you, how exactly did you get involved with women's MMA?

Zoila Frausto: I've been in martial arts since I was younger, I kind of got away from it for a while. After playing soccer at college, I was looking for another challenge. I started boxing and met some guys from Fresno and it all really started rolling from there.

BH: How did it feel to get that invite into Bellator's 115lb women's tournament?

ZF: Oh my goodness, it was fantastic. All the hard work that I've put into it, to get to this point, it's just a culmination of all that I've done. Yes, I'm very happy.

BH: You've fought at 135 and 125 lbs pretty much your whole career thus far, are you concerned at all with the weight cut to 115 for the Bellator tournament?

ZF: No, not at all. I was actually more concerned about the 120 catchweight for Bellator 23, but I made that pretty easy. I've got this new nutrition plan, and after that I knew I could cut the weight easy, 115 isn't gonna be a problem.

BH: Do you feel your size will give you an advantage over you opponents in Bellator?

ZF: Definitely, that's one of the big things that I know I'll have over my opponents. Even at 125 and 135 I had the strength advantage over my opponents. Sexton was one of the strongest women at 135 in the world and I was so much bigger than her, it's given me a lot of confidence that I'll be bigger and stronger than everyone else in the field.

BH: You're been known for your exciting and diverse striking, what was it like getting that first career knockout at Bellator 23?

ZF: It was like my time had come. I always knew I had more power behind my strikes, I was flashy but not accurate enough. I was getting too excited, not enough accuracy. It was like everything came together, it was the biggest fight of my life.

BH: Some are saying it was the best knockout in women's MMA history, how has your life changed since June 24th?

ZF: I'm blessed, all the hard work that I've put into it it's finally coming out. People are finally seeing the real me and what I've been capable of. It's kind of hard doing all the interviews and everything but I feel blessed to be able to do what I'm able to do and give people a nice show. I'm very happy right now.

BH: Your opponent in the first round of the tournament is scheduled to be the undefeated striker and submission specialist Jessica Pene, what are your thoughts on her?

ZF: She looks to be a good striker, she has some decent ground. Going into this fight I'm going to be a lot stronger, I think my striking is a little better than hers. I'm looking to overpower her. I've been training even harder than before and I haven't really fought another striker other than the boxer Rokoczy, so I'm looking forward to actually facing another striker for once. I have a feeling though that once she feels my power she's gonna become a ground fighter really fast.

BH: Do you have any predictions for the fight?

ZF: I'd like to get another knockout, everyone loved that. After that last win, I don't want anything less. I'm going to train even harder to get that win. I know I'm gonna be a lot stronger, whatever it takes to get the win, you know?

BH: One of the tournament participants, Lisa Ward, choked out your sister in the first round a week before your knockout of Rosie Sexton. Are you looking forward to the possibility of avenging your sister?

ZF: That was one of the main reasons why I wanted in on the tournament. It is what it is, if anybody does anything to hurt someone's family, you've gotta defend them. I didn't like it and I wanted to get that back. The best way to do that is through me, my sister is a little less experienced and I feel I can definitely get the win in her honor. I really want that fight, the sooner I can get this win the faster I can get to her. That actually motivates me a lot.

BH: What aspect of your game do you feel you've improved the most since you began mixed martial arts?

ZF: Everything actually, my striking is getting more accurate. I'm a lot smarter than what I was before, I used to just kick, kick, kick but now I'm looking to set things up. My jiu-jitsu is getting so much better, that armbar was the only thing I'd learned and I got that against Rakoczy which was pretty awesome. I've improved a lot, I'm excited to be able to use everything. These women are the tops in the world, so I can't wait to be tested.

BH: Were you a big fan of Xena: Warrior Princess growing up?

ZF: (laughs) Yes I was

BH: Is there any significance to the Roman soldier style pink skirt for your fights?

ZF: Yes it is, it's exactly what it is. It's been with me for a while, (the name). She was a strong powerful woman. Back then people couldn't say my name (Zoila) so they just said Xena and it just fit perfect especially once I started fighting.

BH: Thank you very much for the interview, any final words?

ZF: Thanks to everyone that's supported me, my fans, my family, Premier Training, Fight Chicks, there's so many people that I'm forgetting. My nutritionist Mike's power training, Vanquish Sports, they've helped with my banner and shirts. Again, thanks to everyone that has supported me.

On Homophobia in MMA

2010-07-14T02:38:58Z

Promoted from the FanPosts by Kid Nate:

I wrote this up on my blog and thought I'd share the heart of it here.

It may shock you to learn this, but I am not the only bisexual fan of mixed martial arts. I’m not even the only female bisexual fan of mixed martial arts. In fact, many of the women who report on or participate in mixed martial arts are queer. Lucky for me, I don’t hear fighters, promoters or fans going around calling each other dykes. Instead, their homophobic statements reflect a disdain for male homosexuality.

Logic leads me to believe that perhaps these fighters wish to distance themselves from the obvious initial observation of the casual sports fan of nearly naked men entangled on the mat in positions that remind them of sex acts. Judging by the homophobic comments I’ve heard from fighters, they would surely be disgusted by the thought of a gay man becoming turned on by watching their sweaty muscled body rub up against another man.

Assuming this is true, isn’t it amusing that they might prefer a straight man become turned on by the thought of them getting knocked unconscious?

I admire fighter’s bodies as much as any fan; male, female, gay or straight. I might even like a fighter more because I think they’re sexy and have little celebrity crushes. But do you know what keeps me hot for this sport despite the fact that I get the feeling by some that I am invading macho sacred grounds?

It’s heart. The heart we witness when fighters stand up after a knockdown, wobbly, knowing full well they could get leveled again in seconds. Fighters who are dominated, bleed like faucets, tear muscles and break bones but answer the bell for the next round because they have the heart to fight until their bodies won’t go anymore.

It saddens me that so many people who love this sport don’t appreciate the heart and courage required to live a life as an out gay man. Sexism is still deeply entrenched in our society and many people cannot accept gay men who behave on the streets and between the sheets in a way that they qualify as female. I guess they don’t consider the balls of steel required to be openly gay in a world where you are continually ostracized, a frequent target of violence, not protected by your government and told you are a gross, hellbound abomination.

Source

Follow me on Twitter

A beautiful piece of Bas Commentation.

2010-07-05T01:13:32Z

Promoted to front page by Donna.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIumAIollgc

I kept hearing from the twitter community that Akiyama had a great enterance song. Unfortunately its not up on youtube yet. But I think I found something even better. This very well might the coolest thing I see this 4th of July. Bas has such a lovely singing voice. I need at least 75 words in this blog post but in reallity this video does all the talking on its own.

Rosi Sexton Interview

2010-07-02T17:19:51Z

Fanpost promoted to the front page by Donna.

· On The Spot ~ Rosi Sexton

Back at home, in England, Bellator’s recently defeated Rosi Sexton sits down with MMA Spot’s Andrew Yount to discuss the loss that came at the hands of Zoila Frausto at Bellator 23. Although she has been replaced in next season’s women’s tournament by Frausto, the widely talented Sexton keeps her focus on the future. In addition to her loss, Sexton offered her take on Chris Cyborg, Bellator's commitment to women's MMA, and her studies outside of the cage.

Spot: What is your contract status with Bellator now?

Sexton: I'm still under contract. I've spoken to Sam Caplan and Bjorn [Rebney] and I understand they still have plans for me. They're committed to building the 115 pound division, and hopefully I'll be back in there before the end of the year.

Spot: There were several interesting story lines at play for you in the tournament—between your long running issues with putting together fights with Jessica Aguilar, the recent breakdown of the Angela Magana fight, and then the recent dust up with Aisling Daily, not to mention the long awaited bout against Fuji. If things change and you are back in the tournament, what would be the one fight you would most look forward to?

Sexton: There are a lot of good fights there, and I very much hope some of them can still happen at some stage. I don't want to dwell on that at the moment, I'm just taking one thing at a time. I need to focus on what is, not what might have been.

Spot: You are still one of the highest rated women fighters in the world, with many of the other top ranked women in the division in the tournament, where does this leave you in looking for your next opponent?

Sexton: I think that's down to Bellator. I'm sure there will be a few fighters out there now who have seen blood in the water, and fancy their chances against me. We'll see.

Spot: Not to make excuses, but as I understand it, the timing of this bout was not the best for you. What did you have going on?

Sexton: I had my final exams for my osteopathy degree the week before the fight, so I was definitely not as focused as I needed to be on the fight preparation.

It was a tough situation, I'm not sure how I'd handle it differently if I could do it again. I knew I was taking a gamble with the timing and ended up paying for it, but at the same time I didn't want to turn down an opportunity with (in my opinion) the top organization in the world for women's MMA.

That's not to take anything away from Zoila. She came in better prepared and was the better fighter on the night, end of story.

Read entire interview...

Fedor Defends Russia's Honor

2010-06-24T04:00:00Z

· Fedor Emelianenko ~ Ready To Fight With Anyone
Saturday’s bout with Werdum, which is certain to be one of the most watched fights across the world, as are most of Emelianenko’s bouts, will especially be important to his native Russia. Emelianenko’s only emotional display comes when the topic of who he’s fighting for is approached. While many fighters nobly fight for their families, their gyms, or for their art in general, Fedor fights for his country and the millions of people that look up him as not only a competitor, or a citizen, but as a man. And when so many athletes and public figures go to great lengths to avoid the trappings of people who look up to them or follow their examples, Emelianenko embraces the challenge, much like he does any opponent. "I consider myself a role model, and could never separate myself from my motherland. I represent my country and defend the honor of Russia and encourage my teammates and fellow fighters to follow the path I have forged."

The soft spoken and deeply religious superstar is passionate about his role as a leader and how his religion is a factor in his fighting career. "It’s just a feeling whether you should do something or not. And to keep the faith and be with your God. I do mixed martial arts to represent my country and defend the honor of Russia in this sport, in the arenas all over the globe, with my teammates. Our Russian Orthodox Church supports me, and the blessing for the upcoming fight given to me by Patriarch Kirill inspires me." Throughout his career Emelianenko has certainly had a litany of great fights. Whether it were the recent knockout victories over Sylvia, Arlovski, the now famous Brett Rogers knockout, or past fights with champions Ricardo Arona, "Babalu" Sobral, Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman, or Matt Lindand, Emelianenko has stood well above his competition. However, Fedor points to two opponents as his favorites, "There are two: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mirko Crocop." While one would think that one of his more destructive victories, or lightning fast submissions would be a favorite, Emelianenko, like his personality would indicate, is impressed by the competition and resolve shown in two of his more difficult opponents. "Although Mirko is a great fighter, that fight was easier in comparison; during the fight I could see in his eyes that he was giving in. Whereas Nogueira tried to win till the last minute."

Read entire interview...

Fedor Emelianenko Takes On Fabricio Werdum in a Joint Strikeforce/M1 Spectacular

2010-06-22T18:55:38Z

Promoted to the front page by Donna.

The Strikeforce event on June 26th is bound to be one for the books as Strikeforce mixed martial arts joins up with M-1 Global to bring some of the toughest fighters in the world together within one caged ring. This is an extra special event because it combines Strikeforce MMA with M-1 Global, which allows it to be a complete world showcase of some of the world's best fighters. Just days after this post, Fedor Emelianenko (who is actually a co-owner of M-1 Global) and Fabricio Werdum will don their MMA gloves and enter the cage for a heavyweight bout that promises to entertain.

Fedor Emelianenko- also known as "The Last Emperor"- holds a record of 31-1. His only recorded loss comes from the fact that his fight with Tsuyoshi Kohsaka was stopped when Emelianenko suffered a gash in the opening seconds of the fight. Even though he has a loss to tarnish his undefeated streak, "The Last Emperor" understands that numbers don't mean anything when you're inside the cage.

Fedor has been at the top as the best heavyweight in the world for the better part of the last decade. He has taken down Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović, Mark Coleman, and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira on his way there. On June 26th, he goes up against Fabricio Werdum (the number 9 heavyweight in the world) for a showdown that's bound to define the two fighters and the event.

Even though Emelianenko is among the top heavyweights in the world, he will have a lot on his hands going up against the jiu-jitsu technician, Fabricio Werdum. Werdum is known as "Vai Cavalo" or "Leading Horse" which speaks to his wild and free nature in the ring. It looks like Emelianenko will be tasked with taming Werdum if he wants that victory.

Despite this exciting main card, the June 26th Strikeforce will feature much more heated action. In fact, many more people are looking forward to the top woman in the world, Cris "Cyborg" Santos taking on Jan Finney. Most feel that Cyborg will take out Finney pretty easily and glide on to an effortless victory (even more so considering that Finney's nickname is "Cuddles"), but Finney has been known to be scrappy making the fight a good one to watch.

Plus, seeing Cris Cyborg in action is always an event in itself:

With some of the best male heavyweight and female featherweight fighters clashing on the same night, the June 26th Strikeforce event is destined to be an exciting evening for MMA fans.

Alexia is a lifelong fan of sports and fitness. Recently, she's been obsessed with MMA. As a result, she has joined forces with MMA Industries- purveyors of widely popular MMA shirts and clothing. Alexia has been writing about the latest developments in MMA training equipment for the past few years, and continues to bring you the latest news in the mixed martial arts world.

Another cheap shot against Strikeforce by the UFC

2010-06-17T23:42:32Z

So we all know that UFC touts itself as the be all, end all of mixed martial arts and that other promotions, namely Strikeforce, are no competition. Yet they take cheap shots against Strikeforce when the UFC is potentially threatened by their success.

Case in point - yesterday. I was in attendance at the Strikeforce event at the Nokia Theater in LA. As soon as I stepped out of my cab at LA Live and began walking over to the theater box office, I was nearly assaulted by a barrage of people wearing UFC licensed gloves and UFC Undisputed t-shirts shoving UFC Undisputed fliers at me and any other person within 100 feet of the box office. I was later informed they also had a huge promotional truck parked outside the venue, which was repeatedly forced to move by officials, due to lack of proper permits.

My first reaction was to start laughing at them. Really? C'mon, really?? Is the UFC so threatened by Strikeforce and EA's MMA game (that hasn't even hit the market yet) that they are resorting to gate-crashing an event? This is just pathetic. You know that if Dana White ever saw a team of Strikeforce and EA outfitted people hawking fliers outside of a UFC event, he'd be going off on twitter tirade and then make some expletive-filled monologue on his video blog.

It seems to me that the UFC is coming out as the foot-stomping jealous girlfriend in this UFC/Strikeforce/Video Game love triangle. I wonder what's got their panties in a bunch ...

The Naked Truth About Interim Belts

2010-06-12T20:30:36Z

Editor’s Note: Bear with me on this one, no doubt I’ll catch heat for it!

To my mind one of the greatest tragedies in the infancy of MMA and more pertinently the reign of the Zuffa Empire, of which I’m most familiar, is the unwillingness to embrace the concept of an interim belt completely. Since the dawn of the dinosaur the concept of an interim belt has been so simple its borderline tantamount to insulting the integrity of one’s intelligence. If the reigning, defending champion and conqueror of a weight division is unable to defend his belt for an extended period of time then the no. 1 contender is allotted (earns) an interim belt in his stead, by default making him the stand in “King” while the King is on hiatus. The most classical example of said scenario is Shane Carwin stepping up at UFC 116 in the State of Nevada as interim champion, where he looks to dethrone Viking descendant and reigning UFC HW Champion of the World, Brock Lesnar. The prelude to all of this was the unfortunate and serious illness that not only threatened to champion the indomitable Lesnar but also retire him, diverticulitis. Due to his extended time away in medical care to ensure his health it was a requisite of the UFC HW division to have kingpins Frank Mir and Shane Carwin square off for interim championship bragging rights. Carwin was to triumph with thunderous shots that still echo in Frank’s skull when he lays his head to sleep. The majesty of this unfortunate scenario however is that we are now propositioned with a titanic tussle for the undisputed UFC HW gold strap involving a legitimate no. 1 contender.

That however is where my disbelief and disenchantment step on the Interim party bus and my delight steps off. Clearly, using reasonable rational that should not be made out to be the exclusive and sole occasion a champion may be unable defend his belt and in turn the sole occasion the awarding of an interim belt is justified. It’s risible that this has never been brought up before (at least not that I’m aware of any way, at time of going to press), what if the champion is to move between weight classes due to a lack of contenders and/or a wish to be an all weight division conquering bad ass mother**ker. I mean, come on people?! What’s wrong with you? Check this out, if I want to see José Aldo move down to Bantam Weight and swipe that belt too then I don’t believe I’m being unreasonable in asking for an interim champion in his stead (because we know, you know we do, that there ain’t nobody taking that strap from him). What I propose is that José moves down and wrecks some fool for 135lb gold and the right to hold two belts at the one time because he’s that good. In tandem Gamburyan faces off against say Faber for the interim belt, allowing the cultivation of a future title bout while he’s on a division conquering hiatus.

Is there anything wrong with what I have proposed? Absolutely not, you’re just jealous that you didn’t have this ingenious plan yourself (and I can’t fault you there, being honest). In short we need to utilize interim straps for exactly what they were intended for. Let’s stop f**king around ~~people~~ ~~Dana~~ Joe Silva and start giving the people what they want. I want Aldo, St. Pierre and Silva jumping weight class for meaningful fights and divisional gold, quite simply. That’s not too much to ask, it’s really just a means to an end; where the end involves awesomeness not seen since Royce Gracie was strangling fools for cash in the original blood sport. Let’s get it on

My bets for UFC 115

2010-06-12T03:37:44Z

I usually use Bodog, but it's pissin me off and not letting me put money down. So after some investigation, I found out that betus.com has bets on what round a fight ends every event! (Yah, I was lied to. They dont) and sadly, there is a 5 dollar minimum (yah im the guy that bets a few bucks per pop)

So with no further adue, my UFC 115 bets.

"The Crow" David Louiseau +175 - $5 to win $8.75

Carlos "Why am I the underdog when my opponents best win is against Guymon" Condit +115 - $5 to win $5.75

Martin "The Hitman" Kampann +200 - $5 to win $10

The round robin (3 team round robin with $5 bets)

Pat Barry -175

Rich Franklin -125

Carlos condit +115

Tyson Griffin -240

They break it down and show what you win on each 3 man combo which is pretty cool. If all four win I get 82 bucks I think...

All in all, I bet $35 to win well over $100

I miss the option to make a 1 dollar super parlay to win me 100 bucks though *snaps fingers* for those lucky times you pick EVERY fight right.

Anyone else make any bets?

2010 World Jiu Jitsu Championship (Mundials) Results (And Video/Photo Links)

2010-06-08T15:45:47Z

(Cut and pasted from my post on Bloody Elbow, thought ya'll might enjoy it as well.)

Here are the results for this years Mundials tournament (in the Black Belt divisions, full results can be found at: IBJJF ), the tournament was streamed live over the weekend by Budovideos.com and had some absolutely amazing matches, comebacks, and continued dominance streaks. Some absolutely amazing matches went on, Marcelo Garcia returned to gi competition, quite a few upsets in the brackets, and definitely some great submissions.

Some Photo and Video Links:

Roger Gracie Open Weight Semi:

Roger Gracie Semi-Final Open Weight

Flying Triangle:

Amazing

Awesome Photos done by John Cooper (CooperFoto):

CooperFoto Mundials 2010

Results:

Academy results:

Adult:

1st - Alliance
2nd - Gracie Barra
3rd - Checkmat BJJ

Female:

1st - Alliance
2nd - Gracie Humaitá
3rd - American Top Team

Novice:

1st - Gracie Barra
2nd - Alliance
3rd - Gracie Humaita

Juvenile:

1st - Lloyd Irvin
2nd - Gracie Humaitá
3rd - Alliance

______________________________________________________________

BLACK BELT ADULT

ROOSTER

FIRST

Bruno Malfacine

Alliance

SECOND

Caio Terra

Gracie Elite Team

THIRD

Felipe Costa

Brasa

THIRD

Rafael Freitas

Gracie Barra

LIGHT FEATHER

FIRST

Pablo Silva

Gracie Barra

SECOND

Samuel Braga

Gracie Barra

THIRD

Daniel Beleza

SAS (Sa Team)

THIRD

Laercio Fernandes

Lotus Club

FEATHER

FIRST

Rafael Mendes

Atos JJ

SECOND

Rubens Charles Maciel

Alliance

THIRD

Mario Reis

Gracie Barra

THIRD

Denilson Pimenta

GF Team

LIGHT

FIRST

Michael Langhi

Alliance

SECOND

Celso Venicius Alves

Gracie Elite Team

THIRD

Lucas Lepri

Alliance

THIRD

Gilbert Alexander Burns

Atos JJ

MIDDLE

FIRST

Marcelo Garcia

Alliance

SECOND

Claudio Calasans

Atos

THIRD

Kayron Gracie

Gracie Barra

THIRD

Sergio Moraes

Alliance

MEDIUM HEAVY

FIRST

Tarsis Humphreys

Alliance

SECOND

Romulo Barral

Gracie Barra

THIRD

Eduardo Telles

Brasa

THIRD

Gustavo Campos

Atos JJ

HEAVY

FIRST

Bernardo Faria

Alliance

SECOND

Alexandre Ribeiro

Gracie Humaita

THIRD

Rafael Lovato Jr.

Gracie Humaita

THIRD

Alexandre de Souza

Gracie Florianópolis

SUPER HEAVY

FIRST

Roger Gracie

Gracie Barra

SECOND

Ricardo Abreu Pinto

Nova União

THIRD

Roberto Alencar

Gracie Barra

THIRD

Bruno Bastos

Nova União

ULTRA HEAVY

FIRST

Rodrigo Cavaca

Check Mat Bjj

SECOND

Roberto Abreu

Carlson Gracie Team

THIRD

Antonio Peinado

Alliance

THIRD

Antonio Braga Neto

Evolve Gordo Jiu-Jitsu

OPEN CLASS

FIRST

Roger Gracie

Gracie Barra

SECOND

Romulo Barral

Gracie Barra

THIRD

Rodrigo Cavaca

Check Mat Bjj

THIRD

Alexandre Ribeiro

Gracie Humaita

BROWN/BLACK FEMALE

LIGHT FEATHER

FIRST

Leticia Ribeiro

Gracie Humaita

SECOND

Sofia Amarante

South Florida Fight Club

THIRD

Kanako Inaba

Champion JJ

THIRD

Angelica Ferreira

Atos JJ

FEATHER

FIRST

Bianca Barreto

Gracie Barra

SECOND

Fabiana Borges

Gracie Barra

THIRD

Ana Michelle Dantas

Gracie Humaita

THIRD

Bruna Ribeiro

Atos JJ

LIGHT

FIRST

Kyra Gracie

Gracie Elite Team

SECOND

Luanna Alzuguir

Alliance

THIRD

Beatriz Mesquita

Gracie Humaita

THIRD

Angelica Oliveira

Gracie Humaita

MIDDLE

FIRST

Hillary Williams

Westside MMA

SECOND

Caroline de Lazzer

Emirates Team

THIRD

Devi Ahuja

Frontline

THIRD

Emily Kwok-Hurtado

Alliance

MEDIUM HEAVY

FIRST

Michelle Nicolini

Check Mat Bjj

SECOND

Penny Thomas

Gracie Humaita

THIRD

Luiza Monteiro

Check Mat Bjj

THIRD

Fernanda Mazzelli

Striker JJ/Goes

HEAVY

FIRST

Gabrielle Garcia

Alliance

SECOND

Katrina Weilbacher

Alliance

THIRD

Tammy Griego

Gracie Barra

THIRD

Luciana Dias

Gracie Humaita

OPEN CLASS

FIRST

Luanna Alzuguir

Alliance

SECOND

Gabrielle Garcia

Alliance

THIRD

Beatriz Mesquita

Gracie Humaita

THIRD

Kyra Gracie

Gracie Elite Team

Underestimating the Underdog

2010-06-05T12:55:57Z

Promoted to the front page by Donna.

The beauty of mixed martial arts for me as a spectator sport, apart from the raw, aggressive athleticism and skill is the unpredictable nature of the combative contests. Fighting in martial arts ranges from striking on the feet with perhaps lethal Muay Thai Boxing before muscling your opponent to the mat with brute wrestling and transitioning between sick Brazilian Jiu Jitsu positions to secure a limb or choke for a well earned W. There are infinite combinations of the Arts that may lead to victory, as well as martial clinics in individual Arts that may alone decide a bout. Out of all this uncertainty on how a bout may end up playing out, there is one factor that remains constant. The unknowingness of who will win, there are so many times when I personally as a fan forget that every fight starts off even. There is a blank canvas for fighters to fight upon and express themselves. Whatever majesty they paint on the canvas with blood, sweat, tears and sheer determination of will, fuelled by a burning hunger, is their own doing. I have learnt one too many times to write any given man off at my peril.

So often in the young history of this fantastic sport have men, equals, being spoke down and begrudged their right to be given due consideration, and then some. It’s never enough to just look at a fight and its combatants on paper and construe what should play out using an MMA calculator. The essence of the sport, on which it thrives and breathes, is made up of so many intangibles. Heart, courage, will, belief, honesty and spirit are amongst the intangibles that are not always conventional buttons on one’s calculator. Sure every man is human and as such has his limits, but, when pushed to his limits man sometimes can overcome the most insurmountable obstacles with merit as easily as he can be crushed by said challenges. There are a fabled plethora of outcomes within the sport where great men fell to men who found their own greatness in the adversity that stood before them and that weighed upon them and against them before they ever set foot in an octagonal cage or squared ring.

Perhaps one of my most interesting bouts, especially when acknowledging MMA maths, is the recent tussle of Chael Sonnen v Nate Marquardt at UFC 109. Marquardt arrived on the scene after torching Demian Maia within a minute of the first round of their respective bout, who interestingly was a conqueror of his opponent Sonnen. If anything one could be forgiven almost, but not quite, for writing Sonnen off such was the class that Maia dispatched him with but yet could not replicate against Marquardt. Anyway, the odds were stacked in Marquardts favour and people decried that Sonnen had no business in the octagon with arguably the MW no. 1 contender. How true it was that he who laughs last, laughs hardest. Sonnen disproved all his doubters on route to a thoroughly dominating unanimous decision against a man he wasn’t supposed to beat.

The Todd Duffee hype machine rolled into Las Vegas last week at UFC 114 where his juggernaut was destined to face the articulated lorry of Mike Russow in a clash of monster proportions. Monstrous also were the expectations of the Duffman after he laid out Canadian primary school teacher Tim Hague in a historic UFC finish of 7 seconds at UFC. Even more monstrous though were the odds being levelled in Duffees favour, essentially Russow was been given no chance. How could he have a chance? This was one of the UFC’s breed of new hungry lions at HW where they go about killing fools within the first round for shits and giggles. And so the fight began to play out, despite progressing beyond the first round Duffee was owning him but just couldn’t find a finish. Boom! Russow sends him to earth with a thunderous shot found roaring in angst against all the naysayers, myself included.

The former fight stuffed more than a Team Jackson game plan, it discounted what the general MMA enthusiast thought they knew would happen and gave a fairytale ending to the unlikeliest of men who himself believed. In contrast the latter played to many an MMA fans fantasy vision of proceedings before battering them into a miserable misprediction. What both share though is that a fight is there to be fought, it is never won before one enters the ring if you have the intangibles to compete. Trust not in the wisdom of others but in the work you put in, the fire in your belly and the fact that no man can bring more than his own body and mind to the cage. You match that and its game on, it is all to play for when you step inside these modern coliseums and if you realise this then you realise that everyone has a chance. However small. Never underestimate the underdog, broken, beat and scarred they may dog it out and prove you wrong. Once again.

Strikefaorce: Sport or Spectacle

2010-06-02T18:45:36Z

I just want to state that I enjoy watching Strikeforce. But I think it is super clear that Showtime/CBS runs the show and have no interest in furthering the sport like Zuffa does, but are 100% about spectacle and getting viewers by promoting a choice few guys as being GREATs, even when they may not be. A few notes...

Article A: Cyborg Santos. They want her to be seen as the biggest beast of an unstoppable woman ever created, so they can tout having the #1 woman fighter in the world. The only real fight (besides Carano, which was given for marketing purposes) they have given Cyborg was Marloes Coenen. However, putting Coenen's 2 minute raping of Roxi Modafferi on the dark prelims of that card, when they had time to show it, proves that they aren't interested in building up anyone in the division but Cyborg.

Furthermore, they have had one amazing fighter in Erin Toughill wanting to fight Cyborg. This is the woman who KTFO Marloes Coenen when they fought (unlike Cyborg who had a ref stoppage). Oh, she also beat Jan Finney too. This is a woman with the power to stop Cyborg. and at this weight class, probably the most intriguing match out there- one that could definitely end with a loss for Santos. So, instead of giving her the fight, they put JAN FUCKING FINNEY in with Santos!!! WTF! Jan Finney? Really? The 8-7 Jan Finney. The Jan Finney who has only beaten ONE fighter with a winning record (and that was by a controversial split decision) They are just throwing her in there to get raped. Cuz thats what they want- For their stars to shine, even if it's not realistically competitive, and even when they have more competitive options out there.

Article B: Cung Le v. Scott Smith II. Le molested Smith in their first match before ending it in spectacular fashion. smith is famous for this and has done it many times. dude has power and throws it like crazy late in the fight when his opponents have their guard down after whoopin him for 2 rounds. It happened in the Benji Radach fight. Did Radach get a rematch? Nah, he's not Strikeforce's star. See, Cung Le gets the rematch so that they can tout his "only one loss, which was avenged" record- a record filled with weak competition thanks to Strikeforce (the toughest fight probably Scott smith, or possible a very old no longer relevant Frank Shamrock). This is a fight we all know Cung Le can win. He proved that last time around. It's not a sport, it's a marketing ploy.

Article C: Why the fuck isn't Fedor fighting Ubereem?

Article D: Another promotion (Dream) wants their LW champ (Aoki) to fight Melendez, and are willing to concede to Strikeforce and have it in america on a Strikeforce show. It so happens that Aoki's style gives Melendez a wonderful chance at victory. They take it in a heartbeat. Now, another promotion (Bellator) wants their LW champ (alvarez) to fight Melendez, and are willing to concede to Strikeforce and have it on their show. Bjorn Rebney has even gone on the air during Bellator events saying that they can't even get Coker to return their calls (they are calling multiple times a day). Melendez has said alvarez is the most intrigueing fight outside the UFC and that he wants it. Alvarez has called out Melendez... soooo..... Coker just doesn't return Bellator's calls. why not up for it this time? Alvarez's style does not bode well for Melendez. gilbert would NOT be able to do his standard GnP on Alvarez. this would be a toss up of a fight, and that's too much to risk for their top LW star. Would it be good for the sport? Yes. But they don't give a shit about sport.

Article E: Betting lines for the next Strikeforce show are below...

Fedor Emelianenko -1000 vs. Fabricio Werdum +500
- Cristiane Santos -2500 vs. Jan Finney +1000
- Cung Le -400 vs. Scott Smith +275
- KJ Noons -500 vs. Charles Bennett +360

This is the main card- 3 stars for the organization (and 1 they are trying to make into one) vs. 4 opponents they can beat instead of better competition. Let's face the facts, if it was about sport Fedor would be fighting Overeem, Santos would be fighting anyone but Jan Finney, Cung Le would be fighting Robbie Lawlor or Jacare or someone (instead of throwing Lawlor into a catchweight over his weight class cuz they "cant find an opponent") and KJ Noons wouldn't be fighting a Piece of Shit like Bennett so that he can scratch that loss off his record. Disgusting.

It is so bad, that a parlay on these four fights lands at an astronomical +18900 payout. Yah, you read that right. If all four of the underdogs win, you could bet 1 buck on it and win 1,890 dollars. That's gotta be an MMA record, and proof that strikeforce is not about sport.

On a side note- I'm SO doing a round robin on Werdum, Bennett, Smith, and NOT finney. fuck that. I'll find another fight to throw in as the 4th bet. i'll be betting 2 dollar to win one thousand