MMA News Thread
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Quote of the Day: Bob Meyrowitz
"This was a great night of fights."
On the Yamma cage:
"This is the new way the sport is going to be."
On the Yamma surface:
"It was thrilling that it worked."
On how he will keep going financially on PPV revenue:
"We saw two stars created tonight. Travis Wiuff was Chris Tuscherer were unbelievable."
On holding an event full of 40 year olds:
"I want to build the new stars."
On when he sold the UFC:
"There have been almost no stars created since."
-- Yamma CEO Bob Meyrowitz is inteviewed by Sherdog.com's Greg Savage after Yamma's inaugural event Friday evening.
"This was a great night of fights."
On the Yamma cage:
"This is the new way the sport is going to be."
On the Yamma surface:
"It was thrilling that it worked."
On how he will keep going financially on PPV revenue:
"We saw two stars created tonight. Travis Wiuff was Chris Tuscherer were unbelievable."
On holding an event full of 40 year olds:
"I want to build the new stars."
On when he sold the UFC:
"There have been almost no stars created since."
-- Yamma CEO Bob Meyrowitz is inteviewed by Sherdog.com's Greg Savage after Yamma's inaugural event Friday evening.
MMA may be on way
By TIM WILKIN, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Sunday, April 13, 2008
If the wildly popular Ultimate Fighting Championship, the leading organization of Mixed Martial Arts events, gets the OK to put on shows in New York state, a show will go on at Times Union Center.
The UFC, which combines the skills of boxing, wrestling, karate, judo and jujitsu, has become one of the most sought-after sports tickets in areas throughout the country. Thirty-two states currently put on sold-out shows.
It has yet to become regulated in New York state but that day is coming. That's what Marc Ratner, the vice president of government and regulatory affairs for the UFC, says.
"I am very bullish on the state of New York," Ratner said Friday from his office in Las Vegas. "When it happens, we're looking at shows in New York in late 2008 or early 2009."
Ratner, who was with the Nevada State Athletic Commission from 1984-2006, said both houses of the government would have to approve a bill and then it would go to the governor. Once signed, the organization would come under the New York State Athletic Commission.
So far there has been no action taken on a bill. Mark Hansen, a spokesman for State Sen. Joseph Bruno, said the senator would not comment until a bill was in place.
Part of the mystery and controversy surrounding the UCF is the perception of what it used to be.
In the early 1990s, the UFC was known as "no holds barred fighting" and often had some brutal bouts. There were no weight classes as the goal was to find the toughest man alive. Rules? There were some: no biting and no eye gouging.
Head-butting and hits to the groin area were not illegal but frowned upon.
In other words, the fights back in the day were good, old-fashioned bloody street brawls.
As the fights got more violent, fewer and fewer states would regulate the shows and the organization eventually went underground. The event resurfaced in 2001 when new owners, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White, made an offer to buy the franchise.
Since then, things have changed. Rules are in place, weight divisions are in place and the UFC has become a big athletic endeavor.
Jeff Blatnick of Niskayuna, who won a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Olympics, has been a commentator for UFC events.
"I really enjoy it," Blatnick said. "I have a lot of friends and know other wrestlers who enjoy it. It has rules and the fighters are properly trained. I think it will eventually come to New York."
And then it would find its way to South Pearl Street.
"The UFC is completely different than it used to be," said Bob Belber, the general manager of Times Union Center. "People remember the old days of the ultimate fighting. Back in those days, I would be the first to step up and say you need to do something to make sure everyone was completely safe."
Belber said a show at Times Union Center could bring 16,500 people downtown.
"This would be very good for Albany," Belber said.
By TIM WILKIN, Staff writer
Click byline for more stories by writer.
First published: Sunday, April 13, 2008
If the wildly popular Ultimate Fighting Championship, the leading organization of Mixed Martial Arts events, gets the OK to put on shows in New York state, a show will go on at Times Union Center.
The UFC, which combines the skills of boxing, wrestling, karate, judo and jujitsu, has become one of the most sought-after sports tickets in areas throughout the country. Thirty-two states currently put on sold-out shows.
It has yet to become regulated in New York state but that day is coming. That's what Marc Ratner, the vice president of government and regulatory affairs for the UFC, says.
"I am very bullish on the state of New York," Ratner said Friday from his office in Las Vegas. "When it happens, we're looking at shows in New York in late 2008 or early 2009."
Ratner, who was with the Nevada State Athletic Commission from 1984-2006, said both houses of the government would have to approve a bill and then it would go to the governor. Once signed, the organization would come under the New York State Athletic Commission.
So far there has been no action taken on a bill. Mark Hansen, a spokesman for State Sen. Joseph Bruno, said the senator would not comment until a bill was in place.
Part of the mystery and controversy surrounding the UCF is the perception of what it used to be.
In the early 1990s, the UFC was known as "no holds barred fighting" and often had some brutal bouts. There were no weight classes as the goal was to find the toughest man alive. Rules? There were some: no biting and no eye gouging.
Head-butting and hits to the groin area were not illegal but frowned upon.
In other words, the fights back in the day were good, old-fashioned bloody street brawls.
As the fights got more violent, fewer and fewer states would regulate the shows and the organization eventually went underground. The event resurfaced in 2001 when new owners, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White, made an offer to buy the franchise.
Since then, things have changed. Rules are in place, weight divisions are in place and the UFC has become a big athletic endeavor.
Jeff Blatnick of Niskayuna, who won a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Olympics, has been a commentator for UFC events.
"I really enjoy it," Blatnick said. "I have a lot of friends and know other wrestlers who enjoy it. It has rules and the fighters are properly trained. I think it will eventually come to New York."
And then it would find its way to South Pearl Street.
"The UFC is completely different than it used to be," said Bob Belber, the general manager of Times Union Center. "People remember the old days of the ultimate fighting. Back in those days, I would be the first to step up and say you need to do something to make sure everyone was completely safe."
Belber said a show at Times Union Center could bring 16,500 people downtown.
"This would be very good for Albany," Belber said.
Randy Couture: Fight with Minotauro Nogueira ‘just doesn’t make sense’
Quoteworthy:
“… I’m 44 and looking at the end of my career. I want to fight the best guy in the world and be considered the best guy as well. That fight is the only way that will happen. It doesn’t make sense – the UFC is criticizing me for not fighting (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira, and I have a lot of respect for Nogueira. I think he’s a great fighter, but he’s been beat by Fedor twice. That fight doesn’t make sense for me right now. If I have more fights left in me after Fedor, maybe I’ll fight Nogueira then, but right now, it just doesn’t make sense.”
Embattled UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture — who still holds that designation because of legal reasons — shares his thoughts on a fight with interim UFC heavyweight champion, (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira. “Minotauro” called out “The Natural” after he defeated Tim Sylvia to earn the vacated belt; however, it appears that Couture (for now) is hellbent on fighting one fighter and one fighter only, Fedor Emelianenko
Quoteworthy:
“… I’m 44 and looking at the end of my career. I want to fight the best guy in the world and be considered the best guy as well. That fight is the only way that will happen. It doesn’t make sense – the UFC is criticizing me for not fighting (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira, and I have a lot of respect for Nogueira. I think he’s a great fighter, but he’s been beat by Fedor twice. That fight doesn’t make sense for me right now. If I have more fights left in me after Fedor, maybe I’ll fight Nogueira then, but right now, it just doesn’t make sense.”
Embattled UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture — who still holds that designation because of legal reasons — shares his thoughts on a fight with interim UFC heavyweight champion, (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira. “Minotauro” called out “The Natural” after he defeated Tim Sylvia to earn the vacated belt; however, it appears that Couture (for now) is hellbent on fighting one fighter and one fighter only, Fedor Emelianenko
Anatomy of the Affliction Ban
The UFC's ban of Affliction is one of the most interesting and perhaps under-appreciated stories of recent months in MMA. The brand is one of the most coveted and lucrative sponsors in the industry with a who's who of MMA on its sponsorship roster including Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Quinton Jackson, George St. Pierre, and Sean Sherk to name a few. Through royalties from signature shirt sales its sponsored fighters stand to make several hundred thousand dollars per year.
The root of the ban has been the subject of much speculation inside the industry. Last week Dana White offered his explanation of the ban. "I never had a problem with Affliction clothing until they took a picture of Couture and Fedor with no Affliction shirts on, but it looks like a fight poster," White told The Canadian Press. While the ban was inevitable once Affliction's promotional aspirations were revealed, MMAPayout.com has learned that the ban originally stemmed from Affliction's relationship, or at least perceived relationship, with Couture.
The UFC responded to Couture's resignation last fall by enacting a ban on all things Couture. This meant no mention of Couture on UFC broadcasts, no camera shots of Couture cornering fighters, and no Xtreme Couture apparel in the octagon as of UFC 78. The ban affected not only Couture himself, but also a number of fighters sponsored by his brand. The company went so far as to force Wanderlei Silva to move his training from Xtreme Couture for the filming of his All Access Special.
Eight days before UFC 79 the ban was suddenly and unexpectedly extended to include Affliction. The ban was apparently the result of the UFC's belief that Couture was a part owner of Affliction, a common misconception. While Couture and Affliction are co-owners of the Xtreme Couture mark, Couture has no ownership interest in Affliction.
The immediate victim of the decision was St. Pierre who, after wearing Xtreme Couture in August, was scheduled to wear signature Affliction apparel at the event. However, it was Karo Parsiyan, not St. Pierre, who forcefully raised the issue with Joe Silva, Vice President of Talent Relations at the UFC.
Parisyan placed what has been described to MMAPayout.com as a heated phone call to Silva after hearing about the ban. Silva was unaware of the ban, but understood the actual nature of Couture's relationship with the company. He was ultimately able to get the ban reversed after explaining the situation to White. St. Pierre entered the octagon on December 29th in full Affliction regalia.
However, the reprieve was short lived. On January 18, Affliction staged the now infamous photo shoot featuring Couture and Emelianenko in the shirtless stare down referenced by White. Affliction hasn't been seen on a UFC broadcast since.
The company's control of the fighter's "commercial identification" is addressed by three clauses in the standard Zuffa contract:
Fighter covenants and agrees that no wording, symbols, pictures, designs, names or other advertising or informational material (i) for any beer, alcohol, beverage company, tobacco, casino or gaming company, media company (including, but not limited to, HBO, ABC, SET, FOX, ESPN and any Internet related company); (ii) of any sponsor in conflict or competition with ZUFFA or any of ZUFFA’s sponsors; (iii) of any sponsor causing injury to the reputation of ZUFFA or ZUFFA’s sponsors and/or their respective officers and owners; or (iv) which has not been pre-approved in writing by ZUFFA and iN DEMAND, L.L.C. shall appear on the trunks, robe, shoes, regalia or any other part of the costume or the body (including by use of temporary or henna tattoos) of Fighter or any of Fighter’s Affiliates during or at any Bouts, Pre-Bout Events or Post-Bout Events.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, ZUFFA shall have the right to include any advertising or other informational material of ZUFFA, ZUFFA’s sponsors or other entities designated by ZUFFA on the trunks, robe, shoes, regalia or any other part of the costume of Fighter or any of Fighter’s Affiliates during or at any Bouts, Pre-Bout Events or Post-Bout Events.
For television purposes, Fighter must be clearly distinguishable. Therefore, Fighter shall provide one (1) pair of dark-colored trunks and one (1) pair of light-colored trunks for each Bout. If it is necessary to distinguish Fighter from his opponent, ZUFFA shall have sole discretion to require Fighter to wear either the dark-colored or light-colored trunks.
At first blush this control might seem unjustified, but upon further consideration it makes perfect sense to a degree. It is obvious that for most companies sponsoring a fighter is merely a means to ride the UFC's marketing coattails. As a result, it is more than reasonable for the company to seek to exercise some control over which brands it allows into the octagon and the company has generally been very judicious in its use of the power.
However, their are those in the industry who believe that fighters should be given some financial consideration in the event a sponsorship is blocked, particularly if it was approved when the deal was signed. This is an issue, along with other ancillary rights, worth keeping an eye on as the sport continues to grow, sponsorships become more lucrative, and promotional opportunities more plentiful.
The UFC's ban of Affliction is one of the most interesting and perhaps under-appreciated stories of recent months in MMA. The brand is one of the most coveted and lucrative sponsors in the industry with a who's who of MMA on its sponsorship roster including Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Quinton Jackson, George St. Pierre, and Sean Sherk to name a few. Through royalties from signature shirt sales its sponsored fighters stand to make several hundred thousand dollars per year.
The root of the ban has been the subject of much speculation inside the industry. Last week Dana White offered his explanation of the ban. "I never had a problem with Affliction clothing until they took a picture of Couture and Fedor with no Affliction shirts on, but it looks like a fight poster," White told The Canadian Press. While the ban was inevitable once Affliction's promotional aspirations were revealed, MMAPayout.com has learned that the ban originally stemmed from Affliction's relationship, or at least perceived relationship, with Couture.
The UFC responded to Couture's resignation last fall by enacting a ban on all things Couture. This meant no mention of Couture on UFC broadcasts, no camera shots of Couture cornering fighters, and no Xtreme Couture apparel in the octagon as of UFC 78. The ban affected not only Couture himself, but also a number of fighters sponsored by his brand. The company went so far as to force Wanderlei Silva to move his training from Xtreme Couture for the filming of his All Access Special.
Eight days before UFC 79 the ban was suddenly and unexpectedly extended to include Affliction. The ban was apparently the result of the UFC's belief that Couture was a part owner of Affliction, a common misconception. While Couture and Affliction are co-owners of the Xtreme Couture mark, Couture has no ownership interest in Affliction.
The immediate victim of the decision was St. Pierre who, after wearing Xtreme Couture in August, was scheduled to wear signature Affliction apparel at the event. However, it was Karo Parsiyan, not St. Pierre, who forcefully raised the issue with Joe Silva, Vice President of Talent Relations at the UFC.
Parisyan placed what has been described to MMAPayout.com as a heated phone call to Silva after hearing about the ban. Silva was unaware of the ban, but understood the actual nature of Couture's relationship with the company. He was ultimately able to get the ban reversed after explaining the situation to White. St. Pierre entered the octagon on December 29th in full Affliction regalia.
However, the reprieve was short lived. On January 18, Affliction staged the now infamous photo shoot featuring Couture and Emelianenko in the shirtless stare down referenced by White. Affliction hasn't been seen on a UFC broadcast since.
The company's control of the fighter's "commercial identification" is addressed by three clauses in the standard Zuffa contract:
Fighter covenants and agrees that no wording, symbols, pictures, designs, names or other advertising or informational material (i) for any beer, alcohol, beverage company, tobacco, casino or gaming company, media company (including, but not limited to, HBO, ABC, SET, FOX, ESPN and any Internet related company); (ii) of any sponsor in conflict or competition with ZUFFA or any of ZUFFA’s sponsors; (iii) of any sponsor causing injury to the reputation of ZUFFA or ZUFFA’s sponsors and/or their respective officers and owners; or (iv) which has not been pre-approved in writing by ZUFFA and iN DEMAND, L.L.C. shall appear on the trunks, robe, shoes, regalia or any other part of the costume or the body (including by use of temporary or henna tattoos) of Fighter or any of Fighter’s Affiliates during or at any Bouts, Pre-Bout Events or Post-Bout Events.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, ZUFFA shall have the right to include any advertising or other informational material of ZUFFA, ZUFFA’s sponsors or other entities designated by ZUFFA on the trunks, robe, shoes, regalia or any other part of the costume of Fighter or any of Fighter’s Affiliates during or at any Bouts, Pre-Bout Events or Post-Bout Events.
For television purposes, Fighter must be clearly distinguishable. Therefore, Fighter shall provide one (1) pair of dark-colored trunks and one (1) pair of light-colored trunks for each Bout. If it is necessary to distinguish Fighter from his opponent, ZUFFA shall have sole discretion to require Fighter to wear either the dark-colored or light-colored trunks.
At first blush this control might seem unjustified, but upon further consideration it makes perfect sense to a degree. It is obvious that for most companies sponsoring a fighter is merely a means to ride the UFC's marketing coattails. As a result, it is more than reasonable for the company to seek to exercise some control over which brands it allows into the octagon and the company has generally been very judicious in its use of the power.
However, their are those in the industry who believe that fighters should be given some financial consideration in the event a sponsorship is blocked, particularly if it was approved when the deal was signed. This is an issue, along with other ancillary rights, worth keeping an eye on as the sport continues to grow, sponsorships become more lucrative, and promotional opportunities more plentiful.
Strikeforce on NBC = Bust
April 14, 2008 – 9:00 am by fightlinker
Strikeforce got to be the first company to get it’s broadcast on, network styles. Not that it meant much since the deal they brokered is basically paid programming:
While much has been made about the second of the Big Four networks bringing MMA to the small screen, turns out that the show is closer to an infomercial than it is to a primetime sporting event. Strikeforce purchased the late night/early morning timeslot from NBC, meaning the show is, in TV parlance, “paid programming.” It’s no different than watching Chuck Norris’ half-hour pitch for the Total Gym product he hawks.
Worse still is the fact that the show wasn’t even carried by a bunch of NBC affiliates:
Another potential challenge for the show is lack of clearance in all markets. I was forced to watch the show online after the Houston NBC affiliate, KPRC Ch. 2, chose to air “Without a Trace” in the timeslot instead. I’m not sure how many other NBC affiliates made that call, but Strikeforce needs the show carried in major markets like Houston to make its investment pay off.
No word on if these channels pulled Strikeforce because of objections to the content or perhaps no one bothered to tell them that anything specific was supposed to go on instead of shitty reruns at that hour. I’m not gonna diss the whole thing too much … network TV exposure is what it is, and frankly Strikeforce is lucky to have a TV deal at all. I just don’t see this doing much for them in the long run, is all
April 14, 2008 – 9:00 am by fightlinker
Strikeforce got to be the first company to get it’s broadcast on, network styles. Not that it meant much since the deal they brokered is basically paid programming:
While much has been made about the second of the Big Four networks bringing MMA to the small screen, turns out that the show is closer to an infomercial than it is to a primetime sporting event. Strikeforce purchased the late night/early morning timeslot from NBC, meaning the show is, in TV parlance, “paid programming.” It’s no different than watching Chuck Norris’ half-hour pitch for the Total Gym product he hawks.
Worse still is the fact that the show wasn’t even carried by a bunch of NBC affiliates:
Another potential challenge for the show is lack of clearance in all markets. I was forced to watch the show online after the Houston NBC affiliate, KPRC Ch. 2, chose to air “Without a Trace” in the timeslot instead. I’m not sure how many other NBC affiliates made that call, but Strikeforce needs the show carried in major markets like Houston to make its investment pay off.
No word on if these channels pulled Strikeforce because of objections to the content or perhaps no one bothered to tell them that anything specific was supposed to go on instead of shitty reruns at that hour. I’m not gonna diss the whole thing too much … network TV exposure is what it is, and frankly Strikeforce is lucky to have a TV deal at all. I just don’t see this doing much for them in the long run, is all
WEC/UFC vet Hominick signs with TKO
by Dann Stupp [mmajunkie] on Apr 14, 2008 at 10:36 am in - News -
Canadian fighter Mark Hominick (15-8), a former WEC and UFC fighter, has signed a long-term deal with the Canadian-based TKO organization, and according to TKO officials, he's now one of the organization's highest-paid fighters.
TKO announced the signing over the weekend.
Hominick, who went 2-0 in the UFC (with wins over Yves Edwards and Jorge Gurgel), eventually transitioned into the WEC (where he dropped to the featherweight division) after the UFC bought out the organization.
However, Hominick suffered a first-round submission loss to Rani Yahya this past June, and after two victories in TKO, he returned at WEC 32 and suffered a first-round submission loss to Josh Grispi.
The WEC severed ties with the fighter after the February loss.
Hominick now returns to the organization in which his career really took off. The 25-year-old joined TKO in September 2003 and posted a 6-1 record to earn a UFC contract. Even after his octagon debut, Hominick continued to fight for TKO, and to date, he owns a 9-3 record in the Montreal-based organization.
TKO President Stephane Patry said he looks forward to Hominick challenging for TKO's featherweight title.
"I've always been the world's No. 1 fan of Mark Hominick, and he's always been a top priority for me and the whole TKO organization," Patry stated. "We sat down with his new management group, and we reached a very good deal with Mark that makes him one of the highest-paid [fighters] in the organization, and he deserved it. Mark's focus is back on the TKO championship belt, and that's awesome news for our fans and very bad news for the contenders in the featherweight division."
Hominick will next fight for TKO in October. In the mean time, he's tentatively scheduled to debut with Affliction at the organization's debut July 19 show, which could feature a main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia
by Dann Stupp [mmajunkie] on Apr 14, 2008 at 10:36 am in - News -
Canadian fighter Mark Hominick (15-8), a former WEC and UFC fighter, has signed a long-term deal with the Canadian-based TKO organization, and according to TKO officials, he's now one of the organization's highest-paid fighters.
TKO announced the signing over the weekend.
Hominick, who went 2-0 in the UFC (with wins over Yves Edwards and Jorge Gurgel), eventually transitioned into the WEC (where he dropped to the featherweight division) after the UFC bought out the organization.
However, Hominick suffered a first-round submission loss to Rani Yahya this past June, and after two victories in TKO, he returned at WEC 32 and suffered a first-round submission loss to Josh Grispi.
The WEC severed ties with the fighter after the February loss.
Hominick now returns to the organization in which his career really took off. The 25-year-old joined TKO in September 2003 and posted a 6-1 record to earn a UFC contract. Even after his octagon debut, Hominick continued to fight for TKO, and to date, he owns a 9-3 record in the Montreal-based organization.
TKO President Stephane Patry said he looks forward to Hominick challenging for TKO's featherweight title.
"I've always been the world's No. 1 fan of Mark Hominick, and he's always been a top priority for me and the whole TKO organization," Patry stated. "We sat down with his new management group, and we reached a very good deal with Mark that makes him one of the highest-paid [fighters] in the organization, and he deserved it. Mark's focus is back on the TKO championship belt, and that's awesome news for our fans and very bad news for the contenders in the featherweight division."
Hominick will next fight for TKO in October. In the mean time, he's tentatively scheduled to debut with Affliction at the organization's debut July 19 show, which could feature a main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia
Get to Know 'Em: Sam Stout discusses UFC 83 preparations
by Sean Salmon [sean-salmon] on Apr 14, 2008 at 9:36 am in - News -
When you first look at a kid like Sam Stout, one of the last thoughts to cross your mind may be, "This guy could beat me up if he wanted to."
Sam can't stand more than 5-foot-6, and the UFC lightweight is a fairly unassuming figure. However, beat you up, he could.
I recently spoke to Stout as he prepares his fight this Saturday at UFC 83.
Stout comes from a very extensive kickboxing background, so knocking you out shouldn't be a problem, but if you ask Sam, he has just as good of a shot at submitting you. I would not doubt that either after his recent switch to training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.
"I came out here six weeks ago to get ready for this fight," Stout said of this weekend's UFC 83 match-up with veteran Rich Clementi. "I am training with guys like Gray Maynard, Mac Danzig and Tyson Griffin to get me more comfortable with takedowns, takedown defense, and submissions."
A former kickboxer training with those guys? He's got to be getting tough on the ground.
But, the scary part of his move is not entirely that he is training with those guys but that he is being watched over by All-Star trainer and soon-to-be brother-in-law, Shawn Tompkins.
"Shawn invited me to go see a show in Canada, and I've been hooked ever since then," Stout said.
Sam was also smart enough to make sure he keeps learning from Thompkins.
"I'm in Las Vegas to improve my ground game, but wherever Shawn goes, I'm going," he said.
So, the 23-year-old has the skills to knock you out -- or take you to the ground and submit it. However, if it were his choice, it's a sure bet he'd go for the KO.
"I prefer to stand and trade," he said. "That is where I'm most comfortable, but I am improving a lot on the ground."
Lucky for you, though, Stout isn't the type of guy to go looking for a fight outside of the octagon. In fact, after just a few minutes with the guy, you realize he's easygoing with a sense of humor. He simply enjoys the life of a fighter and the occasional perks.
If you were here in Columbus, Ohio, the weekend of the Arnold Sports Festival and UFC 82, you may have noticed a huge UFC billboard with a picture of Sam being punched by Spencer Fisher. In fact, if you check out www.combatlifestyle.com, you can still find a picture of that billboard with Stout standing underneath it -- smiling.
"You've got to let stuff like that blow off your back, but every picture I've seen from our fights is me getting punched, but I'm pretty sure I landed some myself," Stout said with a laugh.
After rewatching their two fights a couple times, I'm positive Stout landed more than just "some." And after watching the two Fight of the Night performances, I don't think that I'm alone in hoping that the UFC gives them a "rubber match." Stout and Fisher are 1-1 against each other, and both were spectacular fights. If it's up to the fighters, you can count in Stout.
When asked whom he would most like to fight at lightweight, his quick response was "Spencer Fisher. I think I shave a couple years off my life every time we fight, but that's OK. I'm young."
With that attitude, it's easy to imagine the third fight being just as good as the first two.
As a fighter myself, I believe that Stout's attitude has a lot to do with his success in fighting. He wants to be challenged. That was no more evident than when I asked him whom he would most like to fight at any weight class. His answer came very quickly.
"Fedor Emelianenko," Stout said, singling out the 235-pound former PRIDE heavyweight champion. "If weight is not an option, you always want to test yourself against the best, and he's the best."
Of course, Stout quickly followed that up with a disclaimer: that's simply a hypothetical situation and he's not actually calling out Fedor. (Not yet, anyway.)
So, with his UFC 83 fight less than a week away, Stout is finishing up his training camp at Xtreme Couture with some of the best in the business. He will be heading back to his home country of Canada to prepare for his home-field advantage.
"I think it is an advantage for me to fight in Canada," said Stout, who wanted to thank Cage Fighter and MMA Authentics for sponsoring him. "I have fought in Montreal a couple of times, so I know the area and will have a lot of family and friends there to support me."
Being home with his family and friends by his side, having a relaxed confident attitude, and coming off of two straight wins, Stout has everything working in his favor for Saturday's fight
by Sean Salmon [sean-salmon] on Apr 14, 2008 at 9:36 am in - News -
When you first look at a kid like Sam Stout, one of the last thoughts to cross your mind may be, "This guy could beat me up if he wanted to."
Sam can't stand more than 5-foot-6, and the UFC lightweight is a fairly unassuming figure. However, beat you up, he could.
I recently spoke to Stout as he prepares his fight this Saturday at UFC 83.
Stout comes from a very extensive kickboxing background, so knocking you out shouldn't be a problem, but if you ask Sam, he has just as good of a shot at submitting you. I would not doubt that either after his recent switch to training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.
"I came out here six weeks ago to get ready for this fight," Stout said of this weekend's UFC 83 match-up with veteran Rich Clementi. "I am training with guys like Gray Maynard, Mac Danzig and Tyson Griffin to get me more comfortable with takedowns, takedown defense, and submissions."
A former kickboxer training with those guys? He's got to be getting tough on the ground.
But, the scary part of his move is not entirely that he is training with those guys but that he is being watched over by All-Star trainer and soon-to-be brother-in-law, Shawn Tompkins.
"Shawn invited me to go see a show in Canada, and I've been hooked ever since then," Stout said.
Sam was also smart enough to make sure he keeps learning from Thompkins.
"I'm in Las Vegas to improve my ground game, but wherever Shawn goes, I'm going," he said.
So, the 23-year-old has the skills to knock you out -- or take you to the ground and submit it. However, if it were his choice, it's a sure bet he'd go for the KO.
"I prefer to stand and trade," he said. "That is where I'm most comfortable, but I am improving a lot on the ground."
Lucky for you, though, Stout isn't the type of guy to go looking for a fight outside of the octagon. In fact, after just a few minutes with the guy, you realize he's easygoing with a sense of humor. He simply enjoys the life of a fighter and the occasional perks.
If you were here in Columbus, Ohio, the weekend of the Arnold Sports Festival and UFC 82, you may have noticed a huge UFC billboard with a picture of Sam being punched by Spencer Fisher. In fact, if you check out www.combatlifestyle.com, you can still find a picture of that billboard with Stout standing underneath it -- smiling.
"You've got to let stuff like that blow off your back, but every picture I've seen from our fights is me getting punched, but I'm pretty sure I landed some myself," Stout said with a laugh.
After rewatching their two fights a couple times, I'm positive Stout landed more than just "some." And after watching the two Fight of the Night performances, I don't think that I'm alone in hoping that the UFC gives them a "rubber match." Stout and Fisher are 1-1 against each other, and both were spectacular fights. If it's up to the fighters, you can count in Stout.
When asked whom he would most like to fight at lightweight, his quick response was "Spencer Fisher. I think I shave a couple years off my life every time we fight, but that's OK. I'm young."
With that attitude, it's easy to imagine the third fight being just as good as the first two.
As a fighter myself, I believe that Stout's attitude has a lot to do with his success in fighting. He wants to be challenged. That was no more evident than when I asked him whom he would most like to fight at any weight class. His answer came very quickly.
"Fedor Emelianenko," Stout said, singling out the 235-pound former PRIDE heavyweight champion. "If weight is not an option, you always want to test yourself against the best, and he's the best."
Of course, Stout quickly followed that up with a disclaimer: that's simply a hypothetical situation and he's not actually calling out Fedor. (Not yet, anyway.)
So, with his UFC 83 fight less than a week away, Stout is finishing up his training camp at Xtreme Couture with some of the best in the business. He will be heading back to his home country of Canada to prepare for his home-field advantage.
"I think it is an advantage for me to fight in Canada," said Stout, who wanted to thank Cage Fighter and MMA Authentics for sponsoring him. "I have fought in Montreal a couple of times, so I know the area and will have a lot of family and friends there to support me."
Being home with his family and friends by his side, having a relaxed confident attitude, and coming off of two straight wins, Stout has everything working in his favor for Saturday's fight
St. Pierre responds to Sell's "mental midget" comments
In a recent interview, Pete Sell, a training partner and friend of UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra, called Georges St. Pierre a "mental midget."
St. Piere has now issued a response to those and other accusations made by Sell.
Back in April 2007, St. Pierre lost his title to Serra in one of the sport's biggest upsets. After the loss, St. Pierre mentioned a few reasons for the loss, which didn't go over well with Serra and his camp.
"GSP is an awesome athlete," Sell originally told fightticker.com. "He has all the tools to dominate, but he is a mental midget. His mentality is very weak."
Sell specifically mentioned that St. Pierre "flip-flopped" after the fight. St. Pierre first had nothing in the way of an excuse for the loss, but in later interviews, he said he didn't train properly and had been dealing with an injury.
"I don't like how his story changed," Sell said.
In a recent interview with the Winnipeg Sun, St. Pierre was asked about Sell's comments, which included a him saying that St. Pierre was the type of guy who would back down from a bar-room fight.
St. Pierre agreed with the claim.
"Of course I'm not going to fight in a club," St. Pierre said. "It's just not my thing. If it doesn't involve me personally or my family, I will avoid it. I believe if you're a good person and treat people nicely, that incident wouldn't arise. I think those situations happen to people who are uncomfortable with themselves or try to look tough or act like fighters. You attract what you look like. I don't have anything to prove. When I fight, I do it for a living."
St. Pierre, who won the UFC's interim title with a victory over Matt Hughes in December, meets Serra in the main event of Saturday's UFC 83 event, which takes place at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
(Touch of gloves: TKO Xtreme)
In a recent interview, Pete Sell, a training partner and friend of UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra, called Georges St. Pierre a "mental midget."
St. Piere has now issued a response to those and other accusations made by Sell.
Back in April 2007, St. Pierre lost his title to Serra in one of the sport's biggest upsets. After the loss, St. Pierre mentioned a few reasons for the loss, which didn't go over well with Serra and his camp.
"GSP is an awesome athlete," Sell originally told fightticker.com. "He has all the tools to dominate, but he is a mental midget. His mentality is very weak."
Sell specifically mentioned that St. Pierre "flip-flopped" after the fight. St. Pierre first had nothing in the way of an excuse for the loss, but in later interviews, he said he didn't train properly and had been dealing with an injury.
"I don't like how his story changed," Sell said.
In a recent interview with the Winnipeg Sun, St. Pierre was asked about Sell's comments, which included a him saying that St. Pierre was the type of guy who would back down from a bar-room fight.
St. Pierre agreed with the claim.
"Of course I'm not going to fight in a club," St. Pierre said. "It's just not my thing. If it doesn't involve me personally or my family, I will avoid it. I believe if you're a good person and treat people nicely, that incident wouldn't arise. I think those situations happen to people who are uncomfortable with themselves or try to look tough or act like fighters. You attract what you look like. I don't have anything to prove. When I fight, I do it for a living."
St. Pierre, who won the UFC's interim title with a victory over Matt Hughes in December, meets Serra in the main event of Saturday's UFC 83 event, which takes place at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
(Touch of gloves: TKO Xtreme)
"Babalu" and Eric Schafer awarded BJJ black belts
Former UFC fighter Renato "Babalu" Sobral and Eric Schaffer, a UFC light heavyweight currently competing outside the organization, were recently awarded Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts in separate ceremonies.
Sobral (29-7), who's finished 16 of his 29 career victories via submission, earned his belt this past week from Carlos Gracie Jr.
Schafer (8-3-2), who's earned all but one of his career victories via submission, earned his belt from Pedro Sauer and Henry Matamoros on Saturday.
Sobral got his belt during a ceremony at Gracie Barra America in Lake Forest, Calif. Schafer's ceremony took place at Curran Martial Arts in Crystal Lake, Ill.
Sobral has been competing outside the UFC since an incident at UFC 74 with David Heath. Sobral won the fight via submission, but he was fined $25,000 for holding a choke after the referee told him to break it. His UFC contract was terminated, but UFC President Dana White has left the door open for his potential return. He's since signed contracts with a variety of organizations, including Strikeforce.
Schaffer, who defeated Rob MacDonald in his octagon debut, suffered back-to-back losses before receiving permission to fight outside the UFC. The fighter, who's trained in BJJ since 1997, last defeated Ryan Antle at a February Gladiators Fighting Series event.
Former UFC fighter Renato "Babalu" Sobral and Eric Schaffer, a UFC light heavyweight currently competing outside the organization, were recently awarded Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts in separate ceremonies.
Sobral (29-7), who's finished 16 of his 29 career victories via submission, earned his belt this past week from Carlos Gracie Jr.
Schafer (8-3-2), who's earned all but one of his career victories via submission, earned his belt from Pedro Sauer and Henry Matamoros on Saturday.
Sobral got his belt during a ceremony at Gracie Barra America in Lake Forest, Calif. Schafer's ceremony took place at Curran Martial Arts in Crystal Lake, Ill.
Sobral has been competing outside the UFC since an incident at UFC 74 with David Heath. Sobral won the fight via submission, but he was fined $25,000 for holding a choke after the referee told him to break it. His UFC contract was terminated, but UFC President Dana White has left the door open for his potential return. He's since signed contracts with a variety of organizations, including Strikeforce.
Schaffer, who defeated Rob MacDonald in his octagon debut, suffered back-to-back losses before receiving permission to fight outside the UFC. The fighter, who's trained in BJJ since 1997, last defeated Ryan Antle at a February Gladiators Fighting Series event.
Video: Velasquez Ready for UFC Debut
video link: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1525
Sherdog.com's Greg Savage spoke with American Kickboxing Academy heavyweight Cain Velasquez (Pictures), who makes his Octagon debut this weekend at UFC 83 in Montreal.
video link: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1525
Sherdog.com's Greg Savage spoke with American Kickboxing Academy heavyweight Cain Velasquez (Pictures), who makes his Octagon debut this weekend at UFC 83 in Montreal.
DAMACIO PAGE FACES YOSHIRO MAEDA AT WEC 34
He made his World Extreme Cagefighting debut on only three days notice, winning a hard fought decision over former NCAA wrestler Scott Jorgensen at WEC 32. Now, Damacio Page will meet featherweight King of Pancrase Yoshiro Maeda on June 1 at WEC 34. The promotion announced the bout on Monday.
Maeda also made his promotional debut at WEC 32, stopping Charlie Valencia with strikes in the first round of their bantamweight bout.
Page is excited and has already started training, being two weeks into his training camp for the bout. “I feel good about the fight. I’ve been working on my stand-up and explosiveness in preparation for the (Maeda). He is really good on the feet and it will be a good test for me.
“One of the reasons I wanted to fight Maeda was because I fought Miki Shida in Pancrase, I beat him and Maeda has beaten him twice,” said Page, who has had his sights set on the Pancrase champion for some time.
“Maeda is one of the best 145-pounders in Japan and I’ve wanted to measure myself against him to see how good I am.”
Page is taking the fight seriously and is hopeful of a title shot by year’s end. “Hopefully if everything goes well, I can get a title shot in December at the last show of the year.”
If he does earn a title shot in December, he will likely face the winner of the June 1 bout between current champion Miguel Torres and challenger Manny Tapia. Page realizes that neither is an easy task, “They are both really good fighters on the ground. Tapia has good takedown defense and Torres has slick submissions with good takedowns.”
First, he must get past Maeda, who hasn’t lost in his last five bouts, but Page feels he is prepared, having learned from his WEC debut. “I learned a lot from my last fight. I need to be in shape all the time because you never know when you’re going to get an opportunity to fight.”
Unlike the bout against Jorgensen, however, Page has ample time to prepare for Maeda and promises to be ready come June 1 when the WEC makes its own debut in Sacramento, Calif.
He made his World Extreme Cagefighting debut on only three days notice, winning a hard fought decision over former NCAA wrestler Scott Jorgensen at WEC 32. Now, Damacio Page will meet featherweight King of Pancrase Yoshiro Maeda on June 1 at WEC 34. The promotion announced the bout on Monday.
Maeda also made his promotional debut at WEC 32, stopping Charlie Valencia with strikes in the first round of their bantamweight bout.
Page is excited and has already started training, being two weeks into his training camp for the bout. “I feel good about the fight. I’ve been working on my stand-up and explosiveness in preparation for the (Maeda). He is really good on the feet and it will be a good test for me.
“One of the reasons I wanted to fight Maeda was because I fought Miki Shida in Pancrase, I beat him and Maeda has beaten him twice,” said Page, who has had his sights set on the Pancrase champion for some time.
“Maeda is one of the best 145-pounders in Japan and I’ve wanted to measure myself against him to see how good I am.”
Page is taking the fight seriously and is hopeful of a title shot by year’s end. “Hopefully if everything goes well, I can get a title shot in December at the last show of the year.”
If he does earn a title shot in December, he will likely face the winner of the June 1 bout between current champion Miguel Torres and challenger Manny Tapia. Page realizes that neither is an easy task, “They are both really good fighters on the ground. Tapia has good takedown defense and Torres has slick submissions with good takedowns.”
First, he must get past Maeda, who hasn’t lost in his last five bouts, but Page feels he is prepared, having learned from his WEC debut. “I learned a lot from my last fight. I need to be in shape all the time because you never know when you’re going to get an opportunity to fight.”
Unlike the bout against Jorgensen, however, Page has ample time to prepare for Maeda and promises to be ready come June 1 when the WEC makes its own debut in Sacramento, Calif.
LUTTER'S GAME PLAN IS SIMPLE FOR FRANKLIN
Travis "The Serial Killer" Lutter heads into the Ultimate Fighting Championship octagon this weekend against Rich "Ace" Franklin confident and eager to get one step closer to a rematch with UFC middleweight champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva.
Lutter hasn't fought in more than a year, losing to Anderson Silva in Feb. of 2007. He was scheduled to compete in August but a neck injury in training put the middleweight contender on the sidelines.
Healthy and ready to go, Lutter looks forward to fighting Franklin. "Rich is a really, really good fighter," Lutter told MMAWeekly. "A lot of people I don't think are giving him the respect he deserves because of the Anderson Silva fights. I'm excited to be given the opportunity to fight him. The Rich Franklin's of the world are who I want to fight."
Lutter failed to make weight for his match with Anderson Silva and subsequently the advertised five-round title bout was relegated to a three-round confrontation. Asked what he's going to do different this time to ensure he tips the scales at the 186 pound limitation for non-title middleweight contests, Lutter explained, "As far as the weight, I'm going back to the weights that I've cut in the (Ultimate Fighter) house. I'm not going to try to do the monster cut anymore. I'm going to do a cut that's a lot more reasonable and a lot more guys do."
"I'm going to do around 195 pounds instead of 205 and cut from there. Plus, I think I cut from 208 for the Anderson Silva fight. I'm just coming into the fight a lot smaller, or a lot lighter I should say."
Along with his weight cutting technique, Lutter changed up his training camp in preparation for Rich Franklin traveling to Boston for a week to work with Mark DellaGrotte at his Sityodtong training center.
"I went up there and spent a week with Mark," explained Lutter. "It was good to work with Mark, but I feel like I prepare my best when I'm at home. It's just easier for me to train with the guys that I'm training with all the time. I've got a real good group of guys that come in here. Mark kind of gave us the game plan, so I went out there and worked game plan, so then I come back here and work on making that game plan work."
"Mark is a master of putting together a game plan and helping taking away what your opponent's going to do," commented the Texan. "That's why so many guys are using him. That's why I'm using him. I think it's a good compliment to what I do."
The stylistic match up between Travis Lutter and Rich Franklin can be oversimplified into a striker versus a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. "It''s never a secret what I go out there and do, stated Lutter. "I do the same thing for basically every fight. I go out there and try to take the guy down."
"I'm a guy that's going to go out there and I'm going to fight to my strengths. I'm going to go out there and I'm going to try to take Rich down, and I'm going to beat him up. That's what I do. If I can't take him down than it's going to be a long day for me. If he can't stop me from taking him down, it's a long day for him."
Lutter expects to be the one imposing his will at UFC 83. He predicted, "I'm going to circle with him. I'm going to take him down and I'm going to beat him up."
Travis "The Serial Killer" Lutter heads into the Ultimate Fighting Championship octagon this weekend against Rich "Ace" Franklin confident and eager to get one step closer to a rematch with UFC middleweight champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva.
Lutter hasn't fought in more than a year, losing to Anderson Silva in Feb. of 2007. He was scheduled to compete in August but a neck injury in training put the middleweight contender on the sidelines.
Healthy and ready to go, Lutter looks forward to fighting Franklin. "Rich is a really, really good fighter," Lutter told MMAWeekly. "A lot of people I don't think are giving him the respect he deserves because of the Anderson Silva fights. I'm excited to be given the opportunity to fight him. The Rich Franklin's of the world are who I want to fight."
Lutter failed to make weight for his match with Anderson Silva and subsequently the advertised five-round title bout was relegated to a three-round confrontation. Asked what he's going to do different this time to ensure he tips the scales at the 186 pound limitation for non-title middleweight contests, Lutter explained, "As far as the weight, I'm going back to the weights that I've cut in the (Ultimate Fighter) house. I'm not going to try to do the monster cut anymore. I'm going to do a cut that's a lot more reasonable and a lot more guys do."
"I'm going to do around 195 pounds instead of 205 and cut from there. Plus, I think I cut from 208 for the Anderson Silva fight. I'm just coming into the fight a lot smaller, or a lot lighter I should say."
Along with his weight cutting technique, Lutter changed up his training camp in preparation for Rich Franklin traveling to Boston for a week to work with Mark DellaGrotte at his Sityodtong training center.
"I went up there and spent a week with Mark," explained Lutter. "It was good to work with Mark, but I feel like I prepare my best when I'm at home. It's just easier for me to train with the guys that I'm training with all the time. I've got a real good group of guys that come in here. Mark kind of gave us the game plan, so I went out there and worked game plan, so then I come back here and work on making that game plan work."
"Mark is a master of putting together a game plan and helping taking away what your opponent's going to do," commented the Texan. "That's why so many guys are using him. That's why I'm using him. I think it's a good compliment to what I do."
The stylistic match up between Travis Lutter and Rich Franklin can be oversimplified into a striker versus a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. "It''s never a secret what I go out there and do, stated Lutter. "I do the same thing for basically every fight. I go out there and try to take the guy down."
"I'm a guy that's going to go out there and I'm going to fight to my strengths. I'm going to go out there and I'm going to try to take Rich down, and I'm going to beat him up. That's what I do. If I can't take him down than it's going to be a long day for me. If he can't stop me from taking him down, it's a long day for him."
Lutter expects to be the one imposing his will at UFC 83. He predicted, "I'm going to circle with him. I'm going to take him down and I'm going to beat him up."
McCARTHY LOOKING TO SPOIL BISPING'S MW DEBUT
It’s been over a year since Charles McCarthy has had a fight, but he’s ready to return on April 19 at UFC 83 to take on the extremely popular Michael Bisping. McCarthy was last seen in November of 2006 defeating Gideon Ray by armbar. Since that time, he has been inactive due to an injury that has had him sidelined since.
“I'm excited to get back in there and compete against anybody,” exclaimed McCarthy about his return to the Octagon in a recent interview with MMAWeekly Radio. “It's been a long time.”
Since this will be McCarthy’s first fight in over a year, fans want to know where he’s been. “About two days after my last fight, I had ACL replacement surgery,” he explained. “It put me on the shelf for about a year. I've just been waiting my turn.”
The injury to his knee was an ongoing injury that he had while on season four of The Ultimate Fighter. “I tore my knee while I was on The Ultimate Fighter show, but not to the extent where I fully tore it. I fully tore it about four weeks out from my fight with Gideon (Ray), so I knew that I had knee surgery waiting for me.”
Season four of The Ultimate Fighter was labeled “The Comeback” for fighters who had previously competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but had not been very successful. McCarthy competed on that season, but lost his first and only fight to David Loiseau.
“It's not something that I want to do again, but I'm glad I did it. It made me a better person and a better fighter. It's definitely something I'm glad I did. It opened up some opportunities that I didn't have before.”
He’ll definitely have a great opportunity when he takes on Michael Bisping who will be making his middleweight debut. “I told Joe Silva that I wanted the toughest fight I can get. It's up to me to go out there and win the fight.”
Bisping has had much success in the UFC. His only loss was to Rashad Evans by split decision.
Bisping and McCarthy have been exchanging some words prior to their fight. McCarthy cleared the air about his feelings and thoughts on Bisping.
“I don't think he's fought anyone that has any experience in the UFC other than Rashad Evans, which he lost to,” McCarthy stated. “Who has he fought that's been fighting in the UFC longer than him? The answer's nobody, right? How do you gauge a guy like that?
“I hear a lot about how I'm supposed to be served up to Bisping. I'm going to show the world the same thing Jorge Rivera did against Kendall Grove. My season of The Ultimate Fighter was no joke.”
Not only does McCarthy think that Bisping is overrated, but he also doesn’t care much for him on a personal level. “I don't need much motivation. I don't like the guy too much. It's rare that you get to fight someone you don't like.”
Bisping joined MMAWeekly Radio a few days prior and intimated that he wants an exciting fight and hoped that McCarthy didn’t turn it into a “boring jiu-jitsu fight.” When McCarthy learned of those words from Bisping, he had a quick response for the British fighter.
“If he finds jiu-jitsu so boring, it's going to be a quick one,” he replied. “I hope for the fans that the guy has trained a little jiu-jitsu, otherwise this is going to be over really fast. If jiu-jitsu is so boring, then this guy is in the wrong sport. This is the only sport based off of jiu-jitsu. If you find it so boring, then go back to kickboxing.”
Even though McCarthy hasn’t been in the cage to fight recently, he still feels he’ll have a solid edge in jiu-jitsu. He also has, what he believes, is a solid game plan to win the fight.
“I'm going to go in there, take him down and submit him real quick. I'm excited to go out there and do it. I'm not planning on laying down.”
It’s been over a year since Charles McCarthy has had a fight, but he’s ready to return on April 19 at UFC 83 to take on the extremely popular Michael Bisping. McCarthy was last seen in November of 2006 defeating Gideon Ray by armbar. Since that time, he has been inactive due to an injury that has had him sidelined since.
“I'm excited to get back in there and compete against anybody,” exclaimed McCarthy about his return to the Octagon in a recent interview with MMAWeekly Radio. “It's been a long time.”
Since this will be McCarthy’s first fight in over a year, fans want to know where he’s been. “About two days after my last fight, I had ACL replacement surgery,” he explained. “It put me on the shelf for about a year. I've just been waiting my turn.”
The injury to his knee was an ongoing injury that he had while on season four of The Ultimate Fighter. “I tore my knee while I was on The Ultimate Fighter show, but not to the extent where I fully tore it. I fully tore it about four weeks out from my fight with Gideon (Ray), so I knew that I had knee surgery waiting for me.”
Season four of The Ultimate Fighter was labeled “The Comeback” for fighters who had previously competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but had not been very successful. McCarthy competed on that season, but lost his first and only fight to David Loiseau.
“It's not something that I want to do again, but I'm glad I did it. It made me a better person and a better fighter. It's definitely something I'm glad I did. It opened up some opportunities that I didn't have before.”
He’ll definitely have a great opportunity when he takes on Michael Bisping who will be making his middleweight debut. “I told Joe Silva that I wanted the toughest fight I can get. It's up to me to go out there and win the fight.”
Bisping has had much success in the UFC. His only loss was to Rashad Evans by split decision.
Bisping and McCarthy have been exchanging some words prior to their fight. McCarthy cleared the air about his feelings and thoughts on Bisping.
“I don't think he's fought anyone that has any experience in the UFC other than Rashad Evans, which he lost to,” McCarthy stated. “Who has he fought that's been fighting in the UFC longer than him? The answer's nobody, right? How do you gauge a guy like that?
“I hear a lot about how I'm supposed to be served up to Bisping. I'm going to show the world the same thing Jorge Rivera did against Kendall Grove. My season of The Ultimate Fighter was no joke.”
Not only does McCarthy think that Bisping is overrated, but he also doesn’t care much for him on a personal level. “I don't need much motivation. I don't like the guy too much. It's rare that you get to fight someone you don't like.”
Bisping joined MMAWeekly Radio a few days prior and intimated that he wants an exciting fight and hoped that McCarthy didn’t turn it into a “boring jiu-jitsu fight.” When McCarthy learned of those words from Bisping, he had a quick response for the British fighter.
“If he finds jiu-jitsu so boring, it's going to be a quick one,” he replied. “I hope for the fans that the guy has trained a little jiu-jitsu, otherwise this is going to be over really fast. If jiu-jitsu is so boring, then this guy is in the wrong sport. This is the only sport based off of jiu-jitsu. If you find it so boring, then go back to kickboxing.”
Even though McCarthy hasn’t been in the cage to fight recently, he still feels he’ll have a solid edge in jiu-jitsu. He also has, what he believes, is a solid game plan to win the fight.
“I'm going to go in there, take him down and submit him real quick. I'm excited to go out there and do it. I'm not planning on laying down.”
Dana White interested in match between Chuck Liddell and Kimbo Slice
The mother of all sports blogs, Deadspin, recently conducted a phone interview with UFC president Dana White.
One of the topics Deadspin discussed with White was Chuck Liddell’s recent comments that attempted to downplay Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson’s stature in the MMA world.
White, who has been bearish on Slice as an MMA fighter in the past, is actually open to the idea of a match between the Internet street fighting legend and the former UFC light heavyweight champion, Liddell.
“If he [Kimbo] fought anybody that mattered, I would book that tomorrow,” White is quoted as saying by Deadspin.
While White said he might book the fight “tomorrow,” he would eventually temper the statement. White expressed his belief that Kimbo needs to get better before he can step up to fight Liddell.
“The fact is, Kimbo’s not there yet,” White told Deadspin. “He would get destroyed. I heard he just got knocked out by Forrest Griffin last week in a sparring match after a kick to the head,” he said.
The reference to Griffin rocking Slice while sparring is notable because the rumor has been circulating since last week. Guys rock each other all the time in sparring, so it’s usually not really a big deal. However, considering the nature of Slice’s mystique, I’m sure there are people out there who won’t be happy with White’s comments.
While Slice won some people over during his first round knockout of Tank Abbott during “Street Certified” in February, many critics were hardly impressed. I think it’s safe to include White in the latter category.
“Tank Abbott?! I mean, come on,” Deadspin quotes White as saying. “That guy was a bad UFC fighter. A friend of mine said he was out at a bar the week before that fight and he saw Tank there drinking beers. He went up to him and was like ‘Aren’t you supposed to be fighting Kimbo soon?”
Reading White acknowledge Slice in print is always interesting. Slice reportedly signed a four fight contract when he originally joined EliteXC. White sounds like he might be open to the idea of adding him to the UFC’s roster. To date, I have heard nothing concrete about Slice having signed an extension with EliteXC. Based on his value to the promotion, you’ve got to think that’s a pretty high priority. But if I was in Slice’s shoes, I wouldn’t sign anything until hitting the open market. If he is able to defeat James Thompson in impressive fashion on CBS in May, one would think his stock would increase significantly.
The mother of all sports blogs, Deadspin, recently conducted a phone interview with UFC president Dana White.
One of the topics Deadspin discussed with White was Chuck Liddell’s recent comments that attempted to downplay Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson’s stature in the MMA world.
White, who has been bearish on Slice as an MMA fighter in the past, is actually open to the idea of a match between the Internet street fighting legend and the former UFC light heavyweight champion, Liddell.
“If he [Kimbo] fought anybody that mattered, I would book that tomorrow,” White is quoted as saying by Deadspin.
While White said he might book the fight “tomorrow,” he would eventually temper the statement. White expressed his belief that Kimbo needs to get better before he can step up to fight Liddell.
“The fact is, Kimbo’s not there yet,” White told Deadspin. “He would get destroyed. I heard he just got knocked out by Forrest Griffin last week in a sparring match after a kick to the head,” he said.
The reference to Griffin rocking Slice while sparring is notable because the rumor has been circulating since last week. Guys rock each other all the time in sparring, so it’s usually not really a big deal. However, considering the nature of Slice’s mystique, I’m sure there are people out there who won’t be happy with White’s comments.
While Slice won some people over during his first round knockout of Tank Abbott during “Street Certified” in February, many critics were hardly impressed. I think it’s safe to include White in the latter category.
“Tank Abbott?! I mean, come on,” Deadspin quotes White as saying. “That guy was a bad UFC fighter. A friend of mine said he was out at a bar the week before that fight and he saw Tank there drinking beers. He went up to him and was like ‘Aren’t you supposed to be fighting Kimbo soon?”
Reading White acknowledge Slice in print is always interesting. Slice reportedly signed a four fight contract when he originally joined EliteXC. White sounds like he might be open to the idea of adding him to the UFC’s roster. To date, I have heard nothing concrete about Slice having signed an extension with EliteXC. Based on his value to the promotion, you’ve got to think that’s a pretty high priority. But if I was in Slice’s shoes, I wouldn’t sign anything until hitting the open market. If he is able to defeat James Thompson in impressive fashion on CBS in May, one would think his stock would increase significantly.
Shamrock-Cung Le Showtime Rating
Showtime's 3/29 broadcast of the EliteXC-Strikeforce event featuring Frank Shamrock v. Cung Le did a 1.2 rating (287,00 viewers), according to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The number is considered a disappointment, trailing Kimbo-Tank (1.9), Shamrock's first two fighters (1.6, 1.7), and Lawler-Rua (1.5).
Showtime's 3/29 broadcast of the EliteXC-Strikeforce event featuring Frank Shamrock v. Cung Le did a 1.2 rating (287,00 viewers), according to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The number is considered a disappointment, trailing Kimbo-Tank (1.9), Shamrock's first two fighters (1.6, 1.7), and Lawler-Rua (1.5).
Terry Martin wins via KO in professional boxing debut
Former UFC middleweight Terry Martin needed less than 30 seconds to pick up his first professional boxing victory Friday night at "The Odeum Rumble" in Villa Park, Illinois. Martin scored the first-round knockout over the now 0-2 Ricardo Upchurch of Mansfield, Ohio in a cruiserweight bout scheduled for four rounds.
Next up for Martin is a mixed martial arts bout versus David "The Crow" Loiseau on May 17 at a Combat Fighting Championships event in Newcastle, England.
Former UFC middleweight Terry Martin needed less than 30 seconds to pick up his first professional boxing victory Friday night at "The Odeum Rumble" in Villa Park, Illinois. Martin scored the first-round knockout over the now 0-2 Ricardo Upchurch of Mansfield, Ohio in a cruiserweight bout scheduled for four rounds.
Next up for Martin is a mixed martial arts bout versus David "The Crow" Loiseau on May 17 at a Combat Fighting Championships event in Newcastle, England.