MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

ALAN BELCHER AIN'T NO STEPPIN' STONE

Alan Belcher (14-5) is all about shortcuts.

The middleweight is perfectly positioned to make an early statement against Japanese import Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100, the talented, if flawed, superstar who made headlines by bolting stateside. He’s first on the card – that’s the rumor, he says – and gets the chance to make the first impression on what could be hundreds of thousands of fresh eyeballs.

A win over Akiyama, quite simply, means bigger paydays and an invitation to the realm of contenders.

“We thought that it would give me a shortcut to the top,” Belcher said about taking the fight. “This is one where I can really show myself to a lot of new fans, and show people that think I’m the top contender that I really am.”

The Biloxi, Miss., resident has always been confident of his abilities, but that confidence has sometimes led him to be shortsighted. Like many fighters who enter the UFC with standout skills in one realm of fighting, Belcher has lived through a reality check: you can never underestimate an opponent, or think you’ll be carried by one part of your game.

“I always look at the pros and cons of every situation; I don’t like to make the mistakes I have in the past and try and get confident over one little thing,” he said. “I know my advantages, but I think they’re kind of slim, and I’m going to have to work hard and especially to win the way I want to. I want to make a statement.”

That statement, of course, is a knockout, the pot of gold to every striker’s rainbow. Belcher expects Akiyama to stand and trade. On paper, he thinks he comes out on top.

“I’ll throw straight, crisp, technical strikes, and he’s kind of wide,” said Belcher. “He’s also going to have trouble reaching me. But I’m expecting him to be really tough. I’m also expecting him to be as strong as me or stronger, so I’m not really looking at the size. Also, he doesn’t have to cut weight probably, and I do.”

But that would be getting ahead of himself. Along with champion kickboxer Duke Roufus, he has pinning machine Ben Askren for wrestling and Eric “Red” Schafer for jiu-jitsu, guys who helped engineer his guillotine victory over another Japanese import – by way of Canada and Korea – Denis Kang, at UFC 93.

If the action hits the mat, he won’t just hold for a stand-up.

“I’m getting offensive with my jiu-jitsu,” he said. “The Kang fight was probably the first time that I felt comfortable in attacking and not trying to stand up, so it gave me a lot of confidence to know where I’m at on the ground.”

With most of the division’s top middleweights crossed off by champion Anderson Silva, the time is now. Losing to an import is not an option.

“I still don’t think I’ve hit my full potential, and I think this could be my breakthrough fight,” he said. “Every time I’m getting more aggressive and letting it go, so I’m going to try to finish him and be really mean and aggressive.

“I’m definitely not going down as someone’s stepping stone.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

BROCK LESNAR RESPONDS TO FRANK MIR'S CRITIQUE

In a May interview with MMAWeekly.com, UFC interim heavyweight champion Frank Mir said Brock Lesnar was just doing it for the money.

“I’m a martial artist; he’s a professional fighter,” said Mir. “He fights because he gets paid to fight. If the UFC were to go bankrupt tomorrow, a month later I would still be in some small organization fighting. Not because I need to; my house is paid off, my cars are paid; I don’t need the money as far as desperately.

“I fight because I enjoy fighting. I enjoy the preparation and the training and the mindset, everything that goes behind it. I don’t know if we can say the same about Lesnar. If Lesnar was making $10,000, would he show up to fight?”

On a Wednesday teleconference promoting Mir's title unification rematch with Lesnar at UFC 100, Lesnar told reporters that, yes, it’s about the money. But it’s no less about the love.

“(He has) desires to fight, and I’ve got mine,” said Lesnar. “I truly love what I’m doing, and it just so happens that I get paid a lot more money than he does. So, at the end of the day, whoever’s happy, that’s his prerogative. I’m happy with the way I’m doing it, and hopefully he’s happy the way he’s doing it.

“At the end of the day, you’ve gotta be able to provide for your family. This is a business for me and it just so happens I enjoy getting up every day and going to work. When this is all said and done and everything’s over with, and there’s no money in the bank, I don’t know, to me, it just seems like nowadays, especially with the way the economy is, I want to live comfortably when this is all said and done.

“You put your body and your mind through so much discipline and, no, I can honestly say I wouldn’t fight for peanuts. That’s just who I am. I’ve been there. I’ve wrestled, blood, sweat, and tears for 18 years. I’ve got a lot of time in the gym and got paid zilch. So now, here’s my opportunity. This is prize fighting for me. You look at it any other way, you might as well just go fight in the underground, bare knuckle, or fight in the streets, as far as I’m concerned.”

Lesnar says he’s most certainly not doing it for the fame. Since leaving the WWE, and later the NFL, he’s had his fill of being recognized at gas stations. He rarely does interviews and conducts his training camps in seclusion from the outside world.

“That’s why I live a simple life,” said Lesnar. “I’ve already been through that, I’ve already made a lot of money, and now it’s just a matter of staying grounded, being close to my family, and being happy. If you’re not happy, life can be pretty damn miserable. And I wasn’t very happy as a professional wrestler. Now I’m happy; life is pretty enjoyable.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Marc Ratner: American Airlines Center in Dallas to play host to UFC 103 on Sept. 19

Recent rumors of the UFC's first trip to Dallas were today confirmed, and the company's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Marc Ratner, announced that the American Airlines Center would host UFC 103 on Sept. 19.

Ratner made the announcements on today's edition of GoodSports, which is co-hosted by MMAjunkie.com Radio's George Garcia and today featured MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) lead staff reporter John Morgan.

"We're going to Oklahoma City Sept. 16, and going from Oklahoma City to Dallas Sept. 19," Ratner said. "Because they're so close together, it makes sense from a logistics standpoint. That's a big week for us."

As MMAjunkie.com previously reported, the Sept. 16 date will feature a UFC Fight Night event that will serve as the lead-in for the debut episode of "The Ultimate Fighter 10" on Spike TV.

The event will be the UFC's second-ever trip to Texas and the organization's first event in Dallas.

Ratner said the difficulty in arranging trips to multi-purpose venues such as the American Airlines Center can be difficult, but the importance of visiting new locales is imperative to the continued growth of the UFC.

"You've got the NBA you've got to worry about," Ratner said. "You've got the NHL. You've got all these touring rock groups. To get a Saturday anywhere is tough. And then you have to make sure that Saturday is good with the pay-per-view. So there's all kinds of little balls in the air, but we look at TV ratings. We look at pay-per-view buys. We see what the area has really done, the interest there, and try to target there.

"Going to new venues, new locations, is very important, because once [fans] have been to a show – they've come inside and they've experienced a live UFC show – then they start really getting into it. They're going to buy the pay per view the next time, or go to one of the bars and watch it, so it just keeps growing that fan base."

In addition to the operational challenge of hosting two events in just four days, the UFC will also have to find a way of arranging the UFC 103 weigh-ins without the complete use of the American Airlines Center. The venue is hosting a Britney Spears concert on the evening prior to the pay-per-view card, the time traditionally reserved for the event's official weigh-in ceremonies.

Ratner said the company is prepared to deal with the challenge.

"You find a place where you can have the weigh-ins," Ratner said. "Maybe you still do the arena, but in a different part where you cut it in half.

"The tough part when you have a concert on Friday night is we can't load in. Getting the octagon and all those things, it's a real process. As soon as that concert's over, maybe at 2 in the morning, we start building that octagon and getting everything ready. What we try to do when there's a big concert on a Thursday night is what they call pre-rigging, putting some of the lights and the sound system up in the ceiling. There's a lot of logistics to it."

Many MMA fans in Texas thought the UFC may run into a roadblock with a potential visit to Dallas considering HDNet owner Mark Cuban is a part-owner in the city's premiere arena, the American Airlines Center.

Cuban publicly opened the door to hosting a UFC event in a June interview with AOL FanHouse's Ariel Helwani

"I'll always take (UFC President) Dana (White's) money," Cuban told Helwani. "We've been big fans of the UFC. You can't be an MMA fan and not be a fan of the UFC.

"Dana and I have gone back and forth and talked about a variety of things. You never know what will happen."

 

[Shogun Locc]

As UFC 100 bout with Michael Bisping nears, there's no slowing down Dan Henderson

The third generation of mixed martial artists, if you will, is beginning to put its stamp on the sport.

Men such as UFC light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and rising star Jon Jones are giving fans a glimpse of what the next 10 or 15 years may look like.

But Dan Henderson is still around as proof that the old way of doing things isn't so bad. Henderson, who fights Michael Bisping in a middleweight bout at UFC 100 on July 11 in Las Vegas, is a product of the days when Sen. John McCain was calling the sport "human cockfighting" and political pressure kept UFC broadcasts off cable and satellite television.

Henderson is nearly 38 years old and hasn't learned any of his moves by watching YouTube. He was wrestling in the Olympics when Jones was only days past his fifth birthday.

Yeah, he's old. He's grizzled. But you know what? He's also still plenty good.

And while he's sustained injuries to nearly every part of his body during his athletic career, Henderson still feels good enough that he says it's conceivable he'll fight four or more years.

"My body still feels good," Henderson said. "I can still do this."

That he can. He's coming off a disputed win over Rich Franklin at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland, which landed him a coaching spot on the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter."

Henderson has an understated, wry sense of humor and wasn't over the top like some of the previous coaches on the show. But in his own way, he helped make a compelling television program.

"A lot of people thought Dan would be too laid-back," Spike executive Brian Diamond said. "But his sarcasm and wit and that trademark grin of his spoke volumes. He was a phenomenal coach, if you ask me."

Henderson is extremely popular with the sport's longtime fans, who know of his many conquests in PRIDE.

And they might love him even more if they only knew that once, in the dressing room before a UFC card, he put a body lock on surprised UFC president Dana White and slammed him to a mat.

"Everybody loved it," Henderson said, cackling. "They all wanted me to do it again."

Bisping is one of the UFC's most popular stars and is one of the men most responsible for the growth in popularity of MMA in the U.K.

The winner of the bout may get a shot at UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in Manchester, England, in November, though that's far from a certainty. White said he still wasn't sure what his plan was for November, though the UFC just received permission from the Nevada State Athletic Commission to hold a card in Las Vegas on Nov. 21.

But the fact there is talk of Silva defending his title in Manchester would only make sense if Bisping won, since it's his hometown.

Henderson, who lost to Silva in 2008 in a bout that was perhaps Silva's most difficult in the UFC, isn't particularly concerned. He just issued a warning for all those who think he's somehow no longer the fighter he once was.

As good as Bisping is, he's yet to come anywhere near what Henderson has accomplished. This is the only man who held two championships simultaneously in a major-league promotion. He has wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva, Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Murilo Bustamante, Vitor Belfort and Franklin.

That's a who's who of the best of MMA of the early part of the 21st century, many of whom will wind up in the UFC's Hall of Fame.

Henderson doesn't need to win another fight between now and when he retires to become a Hall of Famer, but he showed in January that he has plenty of high-level fights left in him.

"I wasn't really happy with that fight because I kind of coasted in the third round," Henderson said. "I knew I'd won the first two rounds and I'd tore some cartilage in my rib, way up near my chest, and I sort of coasted in in the third round.

"If people want to look past me, or if they think I'm done, that's their problem. I look at myself as someone who is dangerous. I am on the top of my game still, I believe. Michael's a good opponent and he's dangerous, but so am I. He's done a lot of good things, but he hasn't fought me yet."

What Bisping will find, win or lose, is that the soul of the wrestler he's facing doesn't understand how to lose. He'll never stop trying.

He doesn't get beaten, he only runs out of time.

"Some days it's a job and some days I love it, but when you're still good at something, I don't believe you walk away," Henderson said. "I'm still getting better and still learning. And I still love beating people up and knocking guys out. So there's no reason to give that up.

"I've got a lot of fight in me and I'm going to take advantage of that."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Misaki’s Punishment! August 2nd Fight Still On

Kazuo Misaki’s punishment by the commission was announced today. He will still be able to fight on August 2nd, but his fight money will be confiscated. Furthermore, after the August 2nd fight, he will be suspended indefinitely.

Update: This fight is a number 1 contender fight but if Misaki wins, he won’t be the next challenger because of the suspension. Misaki’s fight money will go to the Japanese AIDS Stop Foundation (which SENGOKU currently has a cooperation with) and other such voluntary activities.

 

[B-Buzz]

Hardonk thwarts attempted LA robbery

Score one for the good guys, finally.

Antoni Hardonk, a heavyweight who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, had just finished a training session last month in Los Angeles near Los Angeles International Airport.

He was talking with his attorney, Nima Safapour, when three young men approached him. They asked if he had money so they could buy cigarettes.

"My feeling is I want to help someone if I can, so I pulled out my wallet," Hardonk said.

But he had no change or small bills, so he told the men, whom he estimated to be between 18 and 20 years old, that he couldn't help them.

That's when one of them pulled out a homemade knife, which he said had about a two-inch blade, and demanded his wallet. Hardonk, who is 6 feet 4 and around 250 pounds, was surprised.

But not only is a he professional figher, he was a security guard and a bouncer in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He didn't frighten or lose his composure.

"I said, 'What? Are you crazy? I'm not giving you my wallet,' " Hardonk said.

At that stage, one of the other men said, "He's serious. We'll hurt you if you don't."

Hardonk continued to remain calm and told the men if they wanted his wallet, they'd have to come and get it. The men had second thoughts and left. At that point, Safapour suggested it would be wise if he were to drive Hardonk home instead of allowing him to walk by himself.

Only a very short distance away, Safapour eyed the same three men surrounding a woman. Safapour decided to call the police, because he knew the men were up to no good and the likelihood of something bad happening was increasing. The woman was saved when the men turned their attention on a man who was walking by himself. They went to him and more aggressively demanded his wallet, eventually wrestling with him and taking it.

Hardonk was watching from the car, about 80 to 100 feet away, when he saw them harassing the man. He jumped out of the car and began to run over to try to help the man, whom he did not know.

He wanted to make sure, though, that the man was being robbed and was shouting, "Is that your wallet?" as he was running toward the incident in progress.

Hardonk knocked over two of the men, but the third, who had the victim's wallet, took off running. Hardonk followed. The man who had the wallet dropped it and the trio managed to jump over a fence and into a thicket of trees and get away.

As Hardonk thought about the incident later, he realized it might have been best just to cooperate.

"In a similar situation in the future, it would probably be better just to give them the money and be done with that," he said. "Obviously, I had much better (fighting) skills, but is it worth the risk? They could have had a gun, other knives, who knows?

"But I'm stubborn. And I fight to earn my money and that's a hard way to make a living. And I'm not just going to give it away to guys like that."

Though he knew he took a large risk by chasing the suspects down after they had taken the other man's wallet, he said he has no regrets about that.

Too many people would do nothing for fear of not wanting to be involved. Hardonk's attitude is dramatically different.

"I believe if you can do something to help someone else, you should," Hardonk said. "We're all here and we should all try to help each other if we can. It's the right thing to do. I just did what I thought was right."

Los Angeles police told Hardonk and Safapour that there were three similar incidents on the same block in the same week. No arrests have been made.

"Really young guys, and I think they were probably on drugs or something," Hardonk said. "It's too bad. But I didn't think it was right just to stand by and do nothing."

 

[SLRider510]

Hardonk thwarts attempted LA robbery

Score one for the good guys, finally.

Antoni Hardonk, a heavyweight who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, had just finished a training session last month in Los Angeles near Los Angeles International Airport.

He was talking with his attorney, Nima Safapour, when three young men approached him. They asked if he had money so they could buy cigarettes.

"My feeling is I want to help someone if I can, so I pulled out my wallet," Hardonk said.

But he had no change or small bills, so he told the men, whom he estimated to be between 18 and 20 years old, that he couldn't help them.

That's when one of them pulled out a homemade knife, which he said had about a two-inch blade, and demanded his wallet. Hardonk, who is 6 feet 4 and around 250 pounds, was surprised.

But not only is a he professional figher, he was a security guard and a bouncer in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He didn't frighten or lose his composure.

"I said, 'What? Are you crazy? I'm not giving you my wallet,' " Hardonk said.

At that stage, one of the other men said, "He's serious. We'll hurt you if you don't."

Hardonk continued to remain calm and told the men if they wanted his wallet, they'd have to come and get it. The men had second thoughts and left. At that point, Safapour suggested it would be wise if he were to drive Hardonk home instead of allowing him to walk by himself.

Only a very short distance away, Safapour eyed the same three men surrounding a woman. Safapour decided to call the police, because he knew the men were up to no good and the likelihood of something bad happening was increasing. The woman was saved when the men turned their attention on a man who was walking by himself. They went to him and more aggressively demanded his wallet, eventually wrestling with him and taking it.

Hardonk was watching from the car, about 80 to 100 feet away, when he saw them harassing the man. He jumped out of the car and began to run over to try to help the man, whom he did not know.

He wanted to make sure, though, that the man was being robbed and was shouting, "Is that your wallet?" as he was running toward the incident in progress.

Hardonk knocked over two of the men, but the third, who had the victim's wallet, took off running. Hardonk followed. The man who had the wallet dropped it and the trio managed to jump over a fence and into a thicket of trees and get away.

As Hardonk thought about the incident later, he realized it might have been best just to cooperate.

"In a similar situation in the future, it would probably be better just to give them the money and be done with that," he said. "Obviously, I had much better (fighting) skills, but is it worth the risk? They could have had a gun, other knives, who knows?

"But I'm stubborn. And I fight to earn my money and that's a hard way to make a living. And I'm not just going to give it away to guys like that."

Though he knew he took a large risk by chasing the suspects down after they had taken the other man's wallet, he said he has no regrets about that.

Too many people would do nothing for fear of not wanting to be involved. Hardonk's attitude is dramatically different.

"I believe if you can do something to help someone else, you should," Hardonk said. "We're all here and we should all try to help each other if we can. It's the right thing to do. I just did what I thought was right."

Los Angeles police told Hardonk and Safapour that there were three similar incidents on the same block in the same week. No arrests have been made.

"Really young guys, and I think they were probably on drugs or something," Hardonk said. "It's too bad. But I didn't think it was right just to stand by and do nothing."

craazy... u kno it seems ufc fighters always end up in some weird hero situation.... houston alexander rescues a baby who was left in a hot ass car.... goran reljic saves some people from drowning... now this.... im sure theres more but thats all i can think of for now...

 

[BROWN GUERRERO]

Those dumb fucks are lucky Hardonk didn't roundhouse them all straight to their graves.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Anderson Talks Wanderlei, Future at 205

videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/Anderson-Talks-Wanderlei-Future-at-205-2026
UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva sat down with Sherdog.com to discuss his feud with former Chute Boxe teammate Wanderlei Silva.

In part one of a lengthy interview, Silva also gives insight into his plans at 205 pounds and the division’s current kingpin, Lyoto Machida.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Philadelphia's UFC 101 ticket sales booming, Pennsylvania gate record already broken

Any doubts about the ability to draw big crowds in the Northeast will be put to rest at UFC 101.

The Aug. 8 event, set for the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, has already resulted in nearly 14,000 tickets sold and more than $3 million in sales.

UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner discussed the success of the show, headlined by UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn vs. top contender Kenny Florian, with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Wednesday.

The state of Pennsylvania only recently began regulating mixed martial arts, but Ratner said UFC 101 has already shattered long-standing boxing records in The Keystone State.

"We put tickets on sale, I believe sometime at the end of April or early May, and we've sold almost 14,000 tickets," Ratner said. "It's the biggest event in Pennsylvania history, as far as a live gate, already."

In addition to Penn vs. Florian, UFC 101 features an intriguing non-title bout between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and former light-heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin at 205 pounds. Additionally, "The Ultimate Fighter 7" winner Amir Sadollah makes his long-awaited return from injuries to face Johny Hendricks.

UFC 101 will top records set by the likes of legendary boxer Jack Dempsey. In 1926 he fought former U.S. Marine Gene Tunney in Philadelphia. The event drew a staggering live attendance of 120,557, which still stands as a combat-sports record.

"We've sold over $3 million worth of tickets," Ratner said of UFC 101. "No boxing match has ever sold that much. When you go back 75 years ago, Jack Dempsey fought there (Philadelphia), and they had 100,000 people watching the fight. But tickets in those days? Maybe if you interpolated those dollars into what it's worth today, it wouldn't be there, but actual dollars – like $3.2 million - [UFC 101] is the largest gate in Pennsylvania history."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fight Path: For Grindhouse fighter Eric Marriott, a 12-1-1 record doesn't tell the whole story

Eric Marriott quickly sneaked one- and two-pound weights into his pockets.

In fact, he grabbed for anything he could find. He held onto water bottles. He kept each stitch of clothing on that he could.

He stepped to that scale nearly four years ago needing a few extra pounds to qualify for one of his first amateur fights. Even though he expected to fight at 155 pounds, his opponent had weighed in at nearly 200.

But Marriott wasn't about to let the opponent back out because of a few extra (dozen) pounds.

"I busted my ass for that fight," Marriott told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "When someone comes in that much overweight, he's either disrespectful or he's trying to get out of it. I was going to make him earn it if he wanted it."

Earning each inch has been a constant in Marriott's mixed-martial arts career. The 23-year-old from Independence, Mo., does much of his own promotion and has grouped with a relatively unknown team from his area to become one of the main under-the-radar talents in MMA.

Now 12-1-1 as a professional, Marriott has beaten WEC veterans, wakes up at 5 a.m. for his day job and is searching for his big break into one of the major MMA organizations. He doesn't expect it to come from connections with friends, but from his skill in the cage.

"I'm being more cautious about the fights I'm taking now," Marriott said. "I feel like I've been able to prove myself a little bit, and I'm not just trying to pad my stats. I'm trying to fight the best fighters I can.

"I guess I feel like 12-1-1 deserves a shot on a bigger stage."

Joining a team

Born and raised in Independence, Marriott took to baseball as a youth, mostly because he was shorter than many of the other kids. He was athletic, quick and strong, but he just wasn't tall.

As he got into high school, Marriott joined some friends in wrestling, another sport in which success isn't determined by size.

"I'm 5-foot-7," Marriott said. "Basketball wasn't really an option."

Marriott left high school before graduation to start work, and his wrestling friends soon found another sport to command their attention in MMA. In nearby Lee's Summit, Mo., there was a gym that formerly focused on taw kwon do and karate that was morphing into an MMA training center.

The gym, Kids to Leaders (K2L), attracted several fighters who are bobbing toward the top MMA organizations. They include Rob Kimmons, who's 2-1 record in the UFC, and James Krause, whose 10-1 record includes a win in his most recent fight in the WEC.

They call themselves Grindhouse, and they enjoy their place as underdogs in the MMA world.

"This is a traditional martial arts school, and everyone is like family," Marriott said. "When WEC or UFC fights are going on, we're having barbeques. We're hanging out together. We really enjoy being around each other outside of the gym. Everybody sticks together."

The support has helped Marriott both train and choose a course in MMA. Along the way, he met perhaps the most important person his development: friend and business owner Joe Wooster.

Wooster, who operates Executive Pressure Cleaning, not only is Marriott's roommate and serves as a sometimes-training partner, he employs Marriott in the power-washing business and allows him a flexible-enough schedule to train at his convenience, a primary concern for any fighter.

So with that support, and with the growing list of talented fighters around him, Marriott turned to finding competition.

Anyone, anywhere, anytime

Proving he will indeed fight anyone, Marriott took one of his earlier fights against the grossly overweight opponent who caused him to manipulate the scale himself – and whom he easily beat.

To even get there, he experienced a sometimes-grueling stretch of fights that often occurred at bars and often were scheduled several to a month. There was no scouting available, and he learned about his opponents only by word of mouth and brief pre-fight observations.

But Marriott was naturally skilled enough to earn an 18-3 record as an amateur. Turning pro in April 2008, Marriott opened his career with a first-round TKO at the World Cage Fighting Championships and gained some steam.

Like with many fighters, though, his loss stands out in his own mind.

"It was my only pro fight out of my weight class," he said. "I figured I would take it. I needed the money, and the guy didn't look overly impressive on video. So, I took it at 170, and it went three rounds, and I lost.

"From then on, I fight in my own weight class."

It has worked well. In 13 other pro fights, no other fighter has beaten Marriott (in fact, he can't even bring himself to speak the name of the one who beat him).

He has also continued his own personal public-relations assault, not to convince people he's a good fighter but to let them notice him and decide for themselves.

"Everybody doesn't get the same opportunity," said Marriott, who won the Midwest Cage Championship's featherweight belt on June 26. "Some people in the UFC have like four fights. I've earned what I have every step of the way. Everything I've done, I've done on my own. The people around me are supporting me. We don't come from some school like an (Xtreme) Couture or a Greg Jackson camp.

"There are a ton of fighters, but the only way to prove it is to go out there and win. That's what I'm trying to do."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC official still bullish on possibility of New York City and Boston events in near future

Despite the legislation process in New York and Massachusetts providing one headache after another, UFC officials are still bullish on the possibility of events happening in New York and Massachusetts in the near future.

Although 39 states now regulate MMA (or have passed legislation that soon goes into effect), New York and Massachusetts are two of seven still in the discussion stages.

But one UFC official is hopeful legislation could still be passed in both states by the end of 2009.

Things were looking good in New York, a state the UFC has aggressively targeted. On June 3 the New York State Assembly's Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports garnered a favorable vote for Bill 2009-B, which would call for the New York State Athletic Commission to regulate MMA. The legislation had never advanced past the committee, and the rest of the process was considered a mere formality.

However, things fell apart in New York before the legislation session recently ended.

"This is really an unfortunate thing that happened there," Ratner told the MMAjunkie.com Radio Network (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) on Wednesday. "This has nothing to do with the sport. They had a political upheaval there. A couple of Republican senators decided to vote with the Democrats, so it's complete chaos. It's dysfunctional as can be, and the Senate has not come back into session."

Despite the problems, Ratner is holding out hope.

"It's not dead yet, but there's so many bills they have to pass that will keep the state of New York running, and ... we were caught up with everything else," he said. "I really believe we would have gotten out of committees this year and on to the Senate floor, on to the Assembly floor, and got to the Governor's desk. But, unfortunately they're not meeting. We're still going forward, and hopefully there will be a special session and they'll listen to it.

"I certainly am not (giving up on 2009). I'm very cautiously optimistic, but we may not be heard."

Like many supporters of MMA in New York, Ratner couldn't understand why some politicians (such as New York State Assemblyman Bob Reilly) were fighting so hard against the sport, especially when it's only going to benefit other states if New York opts not to regulate it.

Ratner also said the politicians were being disingenuous when they said there were simply trying to protect New Yorkers.

"The pay-per-view numbers, percentage-wise, are huge in New York, as are the television numbers," Ratner said. "When they say they're protecting the people of New York, they're not protecting anything. All the people can watch it. We know they're watching it. The economic impact is so big, why would you say, 'Well, take it to New Jersey; take it to Philly.' It makes no sense, and there's no reason that I can fathom that the state of New York should not have the sport regulated there."

The UFC has long wanted to host an event in the potentially lucrative New York City market.

The same goes for Boston.

Ratner said that if everything falls into place perfectly, 2009 is still a possibility for MMA regulation in Massachusetts.

"It's still a possibility that it could happen," he said. "I'm very bullish on Massachussetts. We had a conference call with our lobbyists and our supporters there. One again, it's a process. The legislator is in session now, and I'm hoping by the end of July, maybe August, we can move it along and get it to the Governor. If that would happen, it takes some time for the commission to get up to speed, too. But there's a possibility for a December fight, November fight possibly."

 

[Shogun Locc]

G4'S HERTER ON UFC PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

As UFC 100 rapidly approaches, not only are people in the sports industry paying homage, but in the entertainment industry as well.

Blair Herter, chief correspondent for G4 television’s X-Play and Attack of the Show series, is a life-long MMA fan and couldn’t wait to reminisce about the UFC’s past as well as chime in on its landmark event.

“They’ve definitely changed the rules, but for the most part, I’m most surprised that they just kept doing their thing and the world kind of evolved around them and bent to their will,” Herter told MMAWeekly.com about the rise of the UFC to mainstream success.

“Maybe I could see it going to 100, but nothing like it is now – doing a Wrestlemania type experience in Vegas. I never thought it would get to this point.”

Having been introduced to the UFC via video tape from a neighborhood friend, Herter looks back at the early era of the promotion and its first major superstar for getting him into the sport.

“Royce Gracie comes in wearing a gi, having a lot of respect for the art, and to look at him you would say there’s no way he should ever take any of these guys in a fight,” mused Herter. “He’s got this crazy style where for 15 minutes you may see him take a pounding, and then of a sudden he grabs the guy by the pinkie and submits him.

“I think for me, and for a lot of people, that was a really big era, because that it showed while it could be a brawl, it could be an art form and an actual sport.”

As for what he feels helped push MMA and the UFC from the underground to the mainstream, Herter credits the intervention of reality television for the change.

Thanks to The Ultimate Fighter, Herter feels that fans moved away from cheering for an individual discipline to actually caring about the fighter themselves and the overall skill sets they brought to the cage.

“Back in the day, if you were a jiu-jitsu guy, you pulled for the jiu-jitsu guy, and so it was just fighting style versus fighting style,” he said. “As the sport evolves and these kids are training in MMA and are having more evenly matched fights, you need to have a more personal relationship with these people.

“You need to care for them as people now, because styles are becoming so blurred now, so it’s not really about styles anymore. You need to have some sort of emotional connection, it’s super important.”

Not only is the fans connection to fighters important, but also the fighters' willingness to remain attached to the fan base, unlike athletes in other sports such as football or basketball.

“At UFC 98 up in Montreal, I went to watch the weigh-ins, and Jon Jones was watching them, and one guy saw him walking down the stairs and he asked for a picture, and Jones said of course. He stood at the bottom of the stairs for an hour and a half with people lined up to take pictures with him,” recalled Herter.

“He wasn’t there to fight or promote anything, and he still did it. That doesn’t happen anywhere else. Not one time did he ever look over it or annoyed. Our athletes still do stuff like that, and I hope it never changes.”

Speaking of Jones, Herter feels he’s the one to watch on the undercard of the upcoming huge UFC 100 event on July 11 in Las Vegas.

“He’s one of the most exciting fighters we’ve seen in so long,” exclaimed Herter of Jones. “His takedowns are ridiculous; he takes people down backwards and upside down; and his strikes come from all these awkward angles where you think there’s no way they’re going to land.

“He’s a guy you go there to check out for sure. But, all these guys are all elite fighters in their own right, so the reason to get there early (for the prelims) is because every single fight is awesome.”

As for the main card, it’s the rematch for the UFC heavyweight championship between Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir that Herter most has his eye on.

“I think either way, it’s going to be a turning point,” stated Herter. “If Lesnar loses, you’re going to see somebody who people thought was going to be unstoppable for the next fight years, get stopped; but if he wins you’re going to see a whole new era.

“If Lesnar wins then basically (UFC President Dana White) has got a very polarizing heavyweight champion, and it’s going to be interesting to see where it goes from here. I’m excited to talk about UFC 101, 102 and beyond, because I think things are going to change a lot.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Art of War 13, Rolles Gracie Returns to China

Since 2005, the Art of War Fighting Championship has strived to establish itself as China's premier mixed martial arts organization. Featuring China's best martial arts athletes, the Art of War is recognized by fans and industry experts as the pioneer and leader of China's mixed martial arts revolution. The Art of War Fighting Championship 13 "Rising Force" returns to the National Olympic Sports Center on July 18, 2009 with 12 action-packed mixed martial arts fights for your entertainment pleasure.

Under Card:
84 kg - Xu Chao (China) versus Yoann Gouaida (France)
90 kg - Luo Qiang (China) versus Dorjderem Munkhayasgalan (Mongolia)
78 kg - Kim Dong Hyung (Korea) versus Lubomir Guedjev (Bulgaria)
66 kg - Ning Guang You (China) versus Kang Kyung Ho (Korea)
72 kg - Bernueng Sakhomsin (Thailand) versus Jadambaa Narantungalag (Mongolia)

Main Card:
72 kg - Yu Woo Sung (Korea) versus Egon Racz (Slovakia)
72 kg - Wu Hao Tian (China) versus Shukhrat Minavarov (Uzbekistan)
96+ kg - Katsuhisa Fujii (Japan) versus Rodney Glunder (Holland)
72 kg - Dai Shuang Hai (China) versus Marcin Pionke (Poland)
96+ kg - Rolles Gracie (Brazil) versus Yim Joon Soo (Korea)
78 kg - Wang Sai (China) versus Claes Beverlov (Sweden)

*Fight card subject to change

Let's take a look at the main card...

72 kg match
The main card will feature up-and-coming Korean fighter, Yu Woo Sung "Bronco" (10-3), who was the 2006 Spirit MC Welterweight Tournament Finalist. His opponent is the always tough and durable, Egon Racz (1-2) of Slovakia, who is returning to the Art of War ring after a one year absence. Bronco is a very strong wrestler who will look to bring the fight to the ground where his powerful ground and pound skills give him a big advantage. Racz is an expert striker with over 100 matches to his credit and also the 2006 European open Muay Thai champion, and the 2005 European kickboxing champion. No doubt he will be looking to stop Bronco with a powerful knockout.

72 kg match
After dominating his opponent in AOW12, Chinese fighter, Wu Hao Tian (6-0), will be returning to face his toughest challenge yet in Shukhrat Minavarov of Uzbekistan. Minavarov is a 3x Central Asia kickboxing champion and 2007 World Kickboxing Federation world champion. Wu Hao Tian will have to display perfect grappling skills if he is to get Minavarov to the ground and force the submission. Minavarov is also an expert in combat sambo and claims to be unafraid of Wu Hao Tian's ground skills.

96+ kg match
Katsuhisa Fujii (9-17) of Japan will face the very dangerous Rodney Glunder (25-18) of Holland. Fujii is an expert grappler and is a disciple of famous Pride veteran, Kazuyuki Fujita. His opponent, Rodney Glunder, has wins over Melvin Manhoef, Cheik Congo, Valentijn Overeem, and Cyrille Diabate. Fujii is coming off a tough loss to Korean MMA superstar Choi Mu Bae and wants to get back on the winning side.

72 kg match
Dai Shuang Hai (8-0-3) "The Wolf" of China will face undefeated Polish superstar, Marcin Pionke (6-0), who is a disciple of Olympic Judo Champion, Pawel Nastula. Both are expert grapplers and strikers. Will youth and power prevail over technique and experience?

96+ kg match
Rolles Gracie (2-0) of Brazil will be facing Korean fighter Yim Joon Soo (5-5). Rolles Gracie is coming off a submission victory over Baga Agaev in Art of War 12 while Yim Joon Soo is coming off a KO victory over Yang Cheng in Art of War 11. Will Gracie be able to take the fight to the ground? Yim Joon Soo has devastating power in his hands and has proven it in previous MMA bouts. Will he be able to keep the fight standing and KO Gracie?

78 kg match
In the main event, up and coming Chinese fighter Wang Sai (2-0) will be facing Swedish newcomer, Claes Beverlov (5-2). Wang Sai will be facing a much more experienced opponent, but he has proven that he can remain calm under pressure. Beverlov is a product of the famous Legacy Gym under the leadership of Ole Baguio Larsen. This is a match up of the young guns and will no doubt end in knock out or submission.

The undercard will feature the return of WMC 70 kg world champion Bernueng Sahkomsin verus Jadambaa Narantungalag of Mongolia, who is a K1 veteran having faced such great fighters as Kid Yamamoto and Buakaw Por Pramuk. Also, Ning Guang You "The Tank" will fight Kang Kyung Ho, who is a veteran of Korea's Spirit MC and also the winner of Go! Super Korean Season 3, an MMA reality show.

What: Art of War 13 - Rising Force
When: Saturday, July 18, 2009
Where: National Olympic Sports Center
Time: 2:00 pm (doors open) 4:00 pm (event starts)
Tickets: http://www.piao.com.cn or call 400-810-3721
Information: http://www.mmachina.com or call 010-5129-5028

The Art of War Fighting Championship can be seen on Inner Mongolia Satellite TV (NMTV) from within China every SUNDAY afternoon from 12:40 pm - 1:30 pm.

Visit our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/artofwarfc.
For more information, please visit our website at http://www.mmachina.com.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Demian Maia: I would not go to the judges scorecards against Anderson Silva

"I see myself ready to fight for the belt. I would go at Anderson and it would give him the chance of knocking me out or give me the opportunity to finish the fight. That’s what I expect. I’m not saying I will win, but I will fight to end the fight before the judges decision. I want to do an aggressive fight and expose myself more. The UFC were waiting on the result of Anderson-Thales match to see what to do with me. They told me they were planning to give me the chance in August but because of their performance the UFC decided not put Silva in a main event very soon. Then they matched me and Nate Marquardt to find out the next challenger for the belt."

 

[Shogun Locc]

MMA Quick Quote: Jose Aldo interested in future fight against WEC champion Miguel Torres

“We’re waiting for the belt all the time… I made five fights there and won all of them well, so I think I’ll have the opportunity. If they give me, I’ll train very hard and focused for the fight…. The fans are excited… Every fight that I do there, we’re gaining more and more fans. I like it a lot! The guys love my aggressive style, we get there and try to do the best for the public…. I fought [at 135 pounds] in the past and, if I could, I would fight [Miguel Torres]. But, now, I prefer to take the belt of my category, earn it, and then yes (I’d fight him). If I’m well and with the belt, I’d go fight with him…. He already said he wanted to fight with me… I have nothing against him, but I think it would be a good fight. I would look for the standing fight and, if it goes to the ground, I would show my jiu-jitsu. He has a good jiu-jitsu too, but I guarantee myself in mine.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Flying Under The Radar: Weekend Review

The United States is celebrating the Fourth of July this weekend, meaning there isn’t much in the way of mixed martial arts domestically, but there are some cards and fights worth talking about.

The latest installment of the M-1 Challenge Series will take place Saturday at the Seoul Arena in South Korea. The series pits five-man teams against each other in a format similar to the now-defunct International Fight League with fights coming at 155 pounds, 170, 185, 205 and heavyweight.

The team matchups set for this weekend are Team U.S. West against Russia Imperial, South Korea versus Brazil and Finland takes on Bulgaria, so the fans in Seoul will get to see fighters from all over the world.

Team Brazil appears to be loaded, with Affliction vet Fabio Nascimento (9-4), Pride and Pancrase alum Daniel Acacio (17-8), Givanildo “The Arm Collector” Santana (12-1), Hacran Dias (11-0-1) and Eduardo Pamplona (11-2). Santana is notable not only for his awesome nickname, but for the fact that 11 of his 12 wins have come by armbar as well. Also, Pamplona did beat Acacio at an event in Brazil back in December 2008.

Other fighters to watch on the card include the 11-0 Dave Jansen and 6-0 Shane Del Rosario from Team USA West, Jae Young Kim (12-7) of South Korea, Yanko Yanev (8-1) from Bulgaria and the Finnish trio of Janne Tulirinta (11-3), Mikko Suvanto (7-3-1) and Marcus Vanttinen (9-2).

One card in the U.S. Saturday is Absolute Cage Combat’s “New Revolution” in Lakeview, Ohio. There are only three pro MMA fights on the card, featuring Rodney Carter (2-1), Carson Gainey (0-2) and Brandon Walker (0-1), so the card is pretty low-key.

There are three international cards scheduled for Sunday. The British promotion Strike and Submit is holding a card in Dunston, England, headlined by a lightweight title fight pitting “Ultimate Fighter 9” alumnus Martin Stapleton against Andrew Fisher.

Also, the Japanese promotion ZST – famous for its tag-team MMA matches (yes, they really do have tag-team MMA) and lack of judges (all fights that go the distance are draws) – puts on a pair of cards Sunday in Tokyo. Both cards are part of ZST’s SWAT series, which serves as a feeder system similar to the Strikeforce Challengers series here in the U.S.

 

[Shogun Locc]

With history looming at UFC 100, welterweight Thiago Alves ready to make some of his own

While UFC 100's main event will feature a heavyweight title unification match between dual champions Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir, the evening's co-feauture promises to be every bit as explosive.

And while Georges St. Pierre (18-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC) has proven himself to be both a fan-favorite and dominant champion, the explosive challenger Thiago Alves (16-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) has certainly earned the right to be in the cage.

On July 11 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Alves hopes to fulfill a dream that began when he was just 14 years old – a dream to be the best fighter in the world.

"The first time I saw the UFC was back in Brazil, I was a little kid," Alves said on a recent media call promoting the event. "I think I was like 14 or 13 years old and I think it was one of the first UFC's.

"I just liked the fact that it was two guys in a cage just going at it. ... I thought it was a beautiful thing."

Alves' first efforts in combat sport started in the striking realm, a history evident in "Pitbull's" 10 career knockout or TKO victories in the MMA world, including seven in the UFC. But the 25-year-old knows it will take more than just great striking to unseat St. Pierre from his championship perch.

"[St. Pierre] is dangerous everywhere," Alves said. "You know you've got to be careful with him everywhere and not just with the takedowns. Takedowns are just another weapon that he has. He's a dangerous striker, and he's got great jiu-jitsu, so I'm prepared for everything.

"I've been training with the best wrestlers here in the country and being trained by the best strikers not in the country, but in the world. I've got the best jiu-jitsu guys with me. So I'm prepared. I'm prepared for everything that he's got."

Debuting in the UFC in 2005 with a loss on his 22nd birthday, Alves has since won nine of his past 10 bouts.

And while an April 2008 win was protested greatly by opponent Karo Parisyan, and a June 2008 victory over Matt Hughes was marred by the need for a four-pound allowance at the weigh-ins – not to mention a 2007 suspension for using a banned diuretic – Alves insists he will leave no doubt as to his intentions and abilities at UFC 100.

"I just grew up," Alves said. "After my loss against Jon Fitch (in 2006), I [asked myself], 'What are you doing?' And after my suspension, I was just like, 'Bro, I can't do that – I can't do that to myself, and there's just two ways to take this sport. Either you're in 100 percent or you're not. So if you're going to do this, just take everything you've got and put it in the sport and make that you're life.'

"That's what I did; I lived the sport. I've been living this since I was 14 years old, you know? But right now, the last couple years, it's just – it was even more clear what I want from me, what my goals are."

Alves will bring a seven-fight win streak into the UFC 100 contest, topping even the impressive five-bout run that St. Pierre currently maintains. But Alves does not yet have the experience of the media storm and expectations that will surround him at the event.

The American Top Team product says he's just happy for a shot at the title and that pressure translates to motivation.

"UFC 100, it's a dream come true; it's a big thing," Alves said. "The pressure's always there, especially if you want to do better and better in this sport. You're going to pressure yourself because you want to perform better – I want to do better and better every second, every day.

"That's a lot of pressure, but it comes with the job. It's part of it. I'm comfortable with the pressure. I love it. ... There's just two ways in this life: either you let it go to your head and you're going to mess it up, or your learn how to control it and deal with it and have fun. I just deal with it and have fun with it."

At just 25 years old, Alves has already been through his share of ups and downs in an 11-fight UFC career. And while St. Pierre's well-rounded skills have earned him a spot among the world's top pound-for-pound fighters, Alves' sheer power and explosive striking – not to mention a desire to fulfill a dream formed in his teenage years – leave the Brazilian as a lively underdog and a real threat to the champion's reign.

"What happened in the past doesn't make any difference," Alves said. "You've got to just keep [your goals] in your mind – why I came here, what I came to this country to do and what I'm supposed to do.

"I came here to be the best fighter in the world. I came here to make history. I came to give a better life to my family in Brazil – and I came here to make history. Not just for me, but for my teammates, for everybody."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC president Dana White: Nobody wants this [expletive] job, believe me

By now you'd think UFC president Dana White was over this stuff, but the truth is if he ever was, if critics big or small didn't still agitate and motivate, then he wouldn't be Dana White at all.

And if there's no White, is there a UFC that went from a bumbling $2 million organization to an estimated $1 billion company in eight years, grows its fan base by the day or is about to celebrate its 100th show July 11 in Las Vegas?

Dana White is Dana White. Always has been; probably always will be. He acts unlike any other president of a major sports organization.

He swears like a [expletive] sailor, never wears a tie and when people said he shouldn't be running the UFC back in the day, he told them, "[expletive] you."

When they said he was doing it all wrong, he said, "[expletive] you."

And now, when ESPN on its "E:60" program suggested that his brash style might not be right for continued growth, well, you can imagine the response.

"The whole ESPN thing, ‘Can the UFC go where it needs to go with Dana White?' Shut the [expletive] up. Who's going to do it? I'm the one who's been doing it. Now someone else is going to come in and take things over?"

By White's standards, that's a tame response. He didn't even rant on his video blog about it. Maybe he's mellowing after all.

In the past he's gone crazier. Often it's against "media" targets, rival promoters or fighters who aren't even worth responding in the first place. And that doesn't count anonymous message board posters.

"Instead of being one of these guys that ignores everything that is being said, sometimes you get on my nerves and sometimes you get me to the point where I blow," White said.

Roger Goodell or Bud Selig he's not.

Then again, neither of those guys is White. And it's unlikely either of them would have turned the UFC into what it is today.

There's a theory that White was lucky to be the right man at the right time for mixed martial arts because the sport was set to blow up, no matter who was running it.

More accurately, White remains the only guy at any time to make this sport work on a major level in America. That he did it without a formal education and a style more suited for a street fight than a boardroom is probably the secret to the success.

"It took somebody like Dana who's got street smarts, who doesn't pull punches, who speaks his mind, who never [expletive], to do this," Lorenzo Fertitta, one of UFC's co-owners, told Yahoo! Sports' Kevin Iole. "At the end of the day, if we had taken a Harvard MBA and hired him in 2001 to run this company, we'd probably be bankrupt right now. There are so many things that are unconventional about this business. This isn't something you can read about and learn in a textbook. I truly believe that Dana was put on the Earth to run the UFC."

White, 39, infuriates some fans, although it is probably just a vocal minority. Most appreciate the product he's delivered. That he's a huge star in his own right, though, rankles some. Strangely, his harshest critics are generally hardcore fans you'd think would appreciate his unquestioned dedication to the sport and ability to take it from back alleys to mainstream.

White doesn't deny he's brash, at times cocky and always impatient. He also notes he's far from perfect. He laughs about it though. He's true to himself and that's what it took.

So he battled with more than a few fighters, agents, writers, promoters and politicians?

This is cage fighting, after all. Are you supposed to be polite when you're kicking down doors to open up worlds?

"Smart guys with a lot of money are out there trying to make this work and they aren't," White said, laughing that a lot of rich, learned people have failed where a guy whose formal education consists of dropping out before completing one semester at UMass-Boston and doing a brief stint at a community college.

"This wasn't a conventional business and I didn't go by the business school books on how this should be built."

He looks back on his first days with the UFC. It was just White and a woman who worked for him in the gym business in Vegas. He was fresh off stints as a boxercise instructor, hotel bell hop and small boxing gym owner.

Brothers Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta were two of White's high school friends whose family owned a number of businesses, including Station Casinos. They had taken the gamble on the UFC, which lacked regulation (in most states), publicity or profitability, and on White, who lacked any known qualifications. Lorenzo saw "great instincts" and a deep hunger.

They started with UFC 30 and planned on running five shows a year. It drew a crowd of 3,000 to an Atlantic City casino, and since mixed martial arts was banned by nearly all cable pay-per-view outlets, there was little revenue coming from there.

"We were the red-headed stepchild of the Fertitta's businesses," White said. "Everybody hated that I talked them into buying this thing. It was going to lose all this money. This model would never work. They hated us.

"Now every one of them wishes they had put some money into it."

Who can blame him for laughing? UFC 100 – with three main events, including two title fights – is expected to do an estimated 1.3 million pay-per-view buys, a company record. The 12,000-seat Mandalay Bay Events Center sold out in one day. The online secondary market is asking up to $10,000 for an octagon-side ticket.

From the start White saw the UFC as something others didn't. They saw a more gruesome form of boxing, he saw a fledgling sports league, something that could be run more like the WWE, or even better, the NFL or NBA.

By getting the fighters to work under the company's umbrella and believe in the benefits of cooperation and long-term growth, he's delivered a monthly dose of mega-fights, a top reality show and hours of quality programming for basic cable audiences.

It hasn't been easy and it hasn't been without headaches. It has worked though, even if critics have harped on nearly every decision. Consider the UFC making fighters agree to merchandising deals (which include video games and action figures), something that would never wash in boxing.

The reaction and accusations were intense and, White mocks, completely ignorant.

"We've created a business where 15 years from now Chuck Liddell can still be making money on royalty checks," White said.

"I can tell you this right now; Leon Spinks isn't collecting any checks right now. He's not collecting royalties because he once boxed on a Don King or a Bob Arum card."

Still White can't get the ESPN thing out of his head. The show aired in May. He's still talking about it in July. It was mostly a throw-away line in a positive piece but the theory was that while White got the sport to this level perhaps the UFC needs a more polished suit, one of those Harvard MBA's, to take it to the next level.

A cussing, brawling, fighting CEO can only do so much; even if he's done more than anyone imagined.

"Idiotic," he said. "Nobody wants this [expletive] job, believe me. You better love this job to do it."

He sighs and pauses for a second. He's been beating the critics for nearly a decade, why would one more matter now?

"Here's what I believe," he said. "I'm the guy with the road map. I'm the guy who knows where I want to go with this thing. I know what my end game is. I know where it is.

"When this thing is a sport, all over the entire world, and you can take the UFC to any city in any country, just like soccer, then I did it. I did what I set out to do. That's why I was put on this planet. That's my job, my destiny, whatever the [expletive] you want to call it."

Here comes Dana White with UFC 100 … and counting.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Luiz Cane: I want to fight Rich Franklin

The UFC's light heavyweight class has long been considered a marquee division. Deep on talent, the fighters at 205 pounds have put on classic matchups, and the second half of 2009 looks no different.

Lyoto Machida vs. Maurico "Shogun" Rua. Rashad Evans vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Forrest Griffin vs. Anderson Silva.

But with a number of exciting fights lined up in the coming months, where does that leave Brazilian slugger Luiz Cane (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC)?

"I am here to fight whoever the UFC puts in front of me," Cane recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "However, I would like that my next opponent be someone with a name and could move me closer to a shot at the belt."

Cane has been on the shelf since an April unanimous-decision win over Steve Cantwell at UFC 97. A stand-up affair, the fight was the first time Cane had fought into the third round.

"I thought that it was a great fight, and I felt very comfortable throughout the bout," Cane said. "Even when I got hit a little harder, I felt fine.

"I was ready to go three rounds. That fight, without a doubt, was very important for me and made me evolve as a fighter."

An evolved Cane could prove a fierce challenge for anyone in the light-heavyweight division. With TKO wins over Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou and Jason Lambert already in his past, Cane's lone loss came via disqualification to James Irvin in December 2007.

Having made small steps up the 205-pound ladder, Cane is now preparing to take a big leap forward.

"No one is unbeatable in the light-heavyweight division, which I believe is truly the toughest in the UFC," Cane said. "Even the champion can be beaten.

"Lyoto Machida is an excellent fighter, and his good counter-striking game and his unique style are definitely very different. But 'Shogun,' his next opponent, with the right gameplan and the right preparation can certainly beat him."

Cane was originally believed to be fighting Keith Jardine in April, but those plans changed when "The Dean of Mean" was pulled into a March contest with Jackson. While the 28-year-old Brazilian has no problems catering to the needs of his employer, Cane hopes the UFC will reward him with a big-name fight this fall.

"I work for the UFC, and I will fight whoever they say," Cane said. "I thought they gave me an excellent fight in Cantwell.

"But a fight that would fit perfectly would be against Rich Franklin. Without a doubt, this would be a fight that I would love to fight, and I am sure the fans would like to see it too."

Franklin is one of the few marquee names not currently tied to another fight at this time. And after earning a June win over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 99, Franklin could be available in the fall, Cane's currently targeted return date – provided "Ace" can get a new deal sorted out with the UFC in time to arrange the bout.

"I'm hoping to fight in the early fall," Cane said. "And I think the matchup with Franklin would be a great one if the UFC wants to see that fight.

"Until then, I am training hard as a part of American Top Team. I am very happy with this new phase of my career, and I know I will become an even better fighter training with guys at ATT."