MMA News Thread
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Mirko "Cro Cop" Leaving The UFC?
According to 15rounds.com Dana White has given the Croatian Sensation Mirko "Cro Cop" until Monday February 4th to decide on whether or not he will stay with the UFC.
The UFC does not want to wait any longer for Mirko who is being hesitant with his decision. “We’re waiting to hear from him,” said White, “We told him we’d wait for him to make a decision, but he’s not making a decision.The deadline is pretty much up, and I need decision from him by Monday (February 4),”
It will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds. Mirko has taken time off since his last defeat at the hands of Cheick Kongo, apparently to correct a sinus problem that had been hampering his breathing.
Stay tuned for Mirko's decision which should come in the next couple of days.
According to 15rounds.com Dana White has given the Croatian Sensation Mirko "Cro Cop" until Monday February 4th to decide on whether or not he will stay with the UFC.
The UFC does not want to wait any longer for Mirko who is being hesitant with his decision. “We’re waiting to hear from him,” said White, “We told him we’d wait for him to make a decision, but he’s not making a decision.The deadline is pretty much up, and I need decision from him by Monday (February 4),”
It will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds. Mirko has taken time off since his last defeat at the hands of Cheick Kongo, apparently to correct a sinus problem that had been hampering his breathing.
Stay tuned for Mirko's decision which should come in the next couple of days.
Arlovski vs. O’Brien on Preliminary UFC 82 Card
A stacked UFC 82 will not feature Andrei Arlovski in the main card. Arlovski’s fight against Jake O’Brien has been relegated to the preliminary card where it may not be aired on the pay-per-view portion of the broadcast.
Arlovski’s last fight was a win against Fabricio Werdum at UFC 70 in April 2007. The fight against O’Brien will be the last on his UFC contract. Arlovski’s management has hinted at the desire to explore free agency to gauge the market demand for Arlovski. The UFC more than likely placed him on the preliminary card because of the risk that Arlovski may not re-sign with the UFC.
A stacked UFC 82 will not feature Andrei Arlovski in the main card. Arlovski’s fight against Jake O’Brien has been relegated to the preliminary card where it may not be aired on the pay-per-view portion of the broadcast.
Arlovski’s last fight was a win against Fabricio Werdum at UFC 70 in April 2007. The fight against O’Brien will be the last on his UFC contract. Arlovski’s management has hinted at the desire to explore free agency to gauge the market demand for Arlovski. The UFC more than likely placed him on the preliminary card because of the risk that Arlovski may not re-sign with the UFC.
Zuffa Sets Couture Injunction Hearing
Zuffa, LLC filed its Motion for Preliminary Injunction against Randy Couture on February 1, 2008. The hearing has been set for 9:00 a.m. on March 4, 2008 in front of Judge Jennifer Togliatti. MMAFightline is in the process of obtaining a copy of the motion, but based on the allegations in Zuffa’s complaint, the preliminary injunction is more than likely focused on stopping what Zuffa believes to be ongoing breaches of Couture’s non-compete agreement in his employment contract.
If the motion is granted, a preliminary injunction (which is sometimes referred to as a temporary or interlocutory injunction depending on the jurisdiction) will act to temporarily prevent Couture from engaging in certain activities deemed to be in breach of the non-compete until the Court can make a final determination regarding the validity of Zuffa’s allegations.
Although it was thought that the injunctive relief was sought to block the Xtreme Couture team appearance at the IFL event on February 29, 2008, the fact that the hearing was set after that date in March suggests that Zuffa may not view Couture’s indirect participation with the IFL as egregious as originally suggested.
Stay-tuned to MMAFightline.com for more exclusive coverage of the Zuffa-Couture lawsuit.
Zuffa, LLC filed its Motion for Preliminary Injunction against Randy Couture on February 1, 2008. The hearing has been set for 9:00 a.m. on March 4, 2008 in front of Judge Jennifer Togliatti. MMAFightline is in the process of obtaining a copy of the motion, but based on the allegations in Zuffa’s complaint, the preliminary injunction is more than likely focused on stopping what Zuffa believes to be ongoing breaches of Couture’s non-compete agreement in his employment contract.
If the motion is granted, a preliminary injunction (which is sometimes referred to as a temporary or interlocutory injunction depending on the jurisdiction) will act to temporarily prevent Couture from engaging in certain activities deemed to be in breach of the non-compete until the Court can make a final determination regarding the validity of Zuffa’s allegations.
Although it was thought that the injunctive relief was sought to block the Xtreme Couture team appearance at the IFL event on February 29, 2008, the fact that the hearing was set after that date in March suggests that Zuffa may not view Couture’s indirect participation with the IFL as egregious as originally suggested.
Stay-tuned to MMAFightline.com for more exclusive coverage of the Zuffa-Couture lawsuit.
BARNETT VS. YOSHIDA ANNOUNCED FOR MARCH 5
World Victory Road chief executive officer Naoya Kinoshita on Sunday announced that Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride veteran Josh Barnett has signed to face Hidehiko Yoshida at the promotion’s March 5 “Sengoku” event.
Recent speculation had lead to the belief that Yoshida would be facing Roger Gracie at Sengoku. According to a report by Sherdog.com, Gracie is expected to be in attendance on March 5 and will be announced as a participant for the promotion’s second event, expected to take place in May.
Casualties of the Pride buyout, neither Barnett nor Yoshida have fought in a mixed martial arts bout in more than a year. In his most recent bout, Barnett lost to new UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at Pride’s Dec. 31, 2006 event. Yoshida fought on the same event, losing to James Thompson.
The bout joins previously announced fights between Phil Baroni and Sanae Kikuta, Kazuo Misaki and Siyar Bahadurzada, and Makoto Takimoto vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos.
Other announced participants for whom no opponents have been named include Takanori Gomi and Ryo Kawamura.
-Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Josh Barnett
-Phil Baroni vs. Sanae Kikuta
-Kazuo Misaki vs. Siyar Bahadurzada
-Makoto Takimoto vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos
-Takanori Gomi vs. TBA
-Ryo Kawamura vs. TBA
World Victory Road chief executive officer Naoya Kinoshita on Sunday announced that Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride veteran Josh Barnett has signed to face Hidehiko Yoshida at the promotion’s March 5 “Sengoku” event.
Recent speculation had lead to the belief that Yoshida would be facing Roger Gracie at Sengoku. According to a report by Sherdog.com, Gracie is expected to be in attendance on March 5 and will be announced as a participant for the promotion’s second event, expected to take place in May.
Casualties of the Pride buyout, neither Barnett nor Yoshida have fought in a mixed martial arts bout in more than a year. In his most recent bout, Barnett lost to new UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at Pride’s Dec. 31, 2006 event. Yoshida fought on the same event, losing to James Thompson.
The bout joins previously announced fights between Phil Baroni and Sanae Kikuta, Kazuo Misaki and Siyar Bahadurzada, and Makoto Takimoto vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos.
Other announced participants for whom no opponents have been named include Takanori Gomi and Ryo Kawamura.
-Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Josh Barnett
-Phil Baroni vs. Sanae Kikuta
-Kazuo Misaki vs. Siyar Bahadurzada
-Makoto Takimoto vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos
-Takanori Gomi vs. TBA
-Ryo Kawamura vs. TBA
Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic not retired yet
An article at European sports service www.sportal.hr has come in contact with Mirko Cro Cop's camp. Apparently the Croatian striker was "surprised" and not aware of Dana White's deadline of Monday Feb. 4th; the latest Mirko could notify UFC president Dana White of whether or not he planned to retire. He also stated that he is ready to face anyone, including current interim champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic is currently coming off of two disappointing losses. A vicious knockout to Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 70 and a decision loss to Cheick Kongo at UFC 75. He is regarded by many as one of the top strikers in all of Mixed Martial Arts.
An article at European sports service www.sportal.hr has come in contact with Mirko Cro Cop's camp. Apparently the Croatian striker was "surprised" and not aware of Dana White's deadline of Monday Feb. 4th; the latest Mirko could notify UFC president Dana White of whether or not he planned to retire. He also stated that he is ready to face anyone, including current interim champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic is currently coming off of two disappointing losses. A vicious knockout to Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 70 and a decision loss to Cheick Kongo at UFC 75. He is regarded by many as one of the top strikers in all of Mixed Martial Arts.
UFC 81: Breaking Point Official Payout Information
MMAFightline.com has obtained the UFC 81 fighter payouts via the Navada State Athletic Commission. As expected, Brock Lesnar set the pace with a $250,000 payday.
Below is the official UFC 81 fighter payouts according to the NSAC:
The total fighter payroll - $892,000.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira ($200,000) def. Tim Sylvia ($100,000)
Frank Mir ($80,000) def. Brock Lesnar ($250,000)
Nate Marquardt ($52,000) def. Jeremy Horn ($25,000)
Ricardo Almeida ($40,000) def. Rob Yundt ($5,000)
Tyson Griffin ($36,000) def. Gleison Tibau ($11,000)
Chris Lytle ($24,000) def. Kyle Bradley ($4,O00)
Tim Boetsch ($12,000) def. David Heath ($6,000)
Marvin Eastman ($14,000) def. Terry Martin ($12,000)
Rob Emerson ($16,000) def. Keita Nakamura ($5,000)
MMAFightline.com has obtained the UFC 81 fighter payouts via the Navada State Athletic Commission. As expected, Brock Lesnar set the pace with a $250,000 payday.
Below is the official UFC 81 fighter payouts according to the NSAC:
The total fighter payroll - $892,000.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira ($200,000) def. Tim Sylvia ($100,000)
Frank Mir ($80,000) def. Brock Lesnar ($250,000)
Nate Marquardt ($52,000) def. Jeremy Horn ($25,000)
Ricardo Almeida ($40,000) def. Rob Yundt ($5,000)
Tyson Griffin ($36,000) def. Gleison Tibau ($11,000)
Chris Lytle ($24,000) def. Kyle Bradley ($4,O00)
Tim Boetsch ($12,000) def. David Heath ($6,000)
Marvin Eastman ($14,000) def. Terry Martin ($12,000)
Rob Emerson ($16,000) def. Keita Nakamura ($5,000)
WEC TO REMATCH FILHO & SONNEN IN LAS VEGAS
Contrary to previous reports indicating that World Extreme Cagefighting would head to Sacramento, Calif. in March, MMAWeekly has learned that the promotion will return to Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on March 26.
Initial reports indicated that WEC would head to Sacramento to hold its March event, due to a headline bout featuring hometown fighter Urijah Faber defending his featherweight championship against former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver.
For whatever reason, the bout did not materialize – although indications are that the bout will likely take place this summer – and the event was relocated back to the WEC’s home base of Las Vegas.
Paulo Filho defending his middleweight championship against Chael Sonnen for the second time in three months will now headline the event. These two met at the last WEC with Filho winning by armbar, but not without controversy. The fight was stopped soon after Filho locked on the armbar, but without any indication of Sonnen giving up.
In the co-main event, light heavyweight champion Doug Marshall will defend his title against U.S. Marine Brian Stann. Marshall comes off a submission victory over Cuban Ariel Gandulla at WEC 31, while Stann enters the fight undefeated at 5-0.
In a No. 1 contenders match, Xtreme Couture welterweight John Alessio takes on powerful wrestler Brock Larson with the winner likely getting another crack at the welterweight championship.
Carlos Condit is the current 170-pound titleholder and will be defending his belt against Carlo Prater on Feb. 13 in Albuquerque, N.M.
Shooto standout Kenji Osawa will make his WEC debut as he takes on American Top Team fighter Chris Manuel in a bantamweight bout.
In an intriguing lightweight bout, Texan submission fighter Marcus Hicks takes on eccentric striker Ed Ratcliff. Hicks comes off a submission victory over Scott McAfee at WEC 30, while Ratcliff stopped Ultimate Fighter alumnus Alex Karalexis at WEC 31.
In a middleweight bout, Team Wildman fighter Bryan Baker takes on the debuting Nissen Osterneck.
WEC 33
The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nev.
March 26, 2008
WEC Middleweight Championship: Paulo Filho vs. Chael Sonnen
WEC Light Heavyweight Championship: Doug Marshall vs. Brian Stann
Welterweight Bout: John Alessio vs. Brock Larson
Bantamweight Bout: Kenji Osawa vs. Chris Manuel
Lightweight Bout: Marcus Hicks vs. Ed Ratcliff
Middleweight Bout: Bryan Baker vs. Nissen Osterneck
Contrary to previous reports indicating that World Extreme Cagefighting would head to Sacramento, Calif. in March, MMAWeekly has learned that the promotion will return to Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on March 26.
Initial reports indicated that WEC would head to Sacramento to hold its March event, due to a headline bout featuring hometown fighter Urijah Faber defending his featherweight championship against former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver.
For whatever reason, the bout did not materialize – although indications are that the bout will likely take place this summer – and the event was relocated back to the WEC’s home base of Las Vegas.
Paulo Filho defending his middleweight championship against Chael Sonnen for the second time in three months will now headline the event. These two met at the last WEC with Filho winning by armbar, but not without controversy. The fight was stopped soon after Filho locked on the armbar, but without any indication of Sonnen giving up.
In the co-main event, light heavyweight champion Doug Marshall will defend his title against U.S. Marine Brian Stann. Marshall comes off a submission victory over Cuban Ariel Gandulla at WEC 31, while Stann enters the fight undefeated at 5-0.
In a No. 1 contenders match, Xtreme Couture welterweight John Alessio takes on powerful wrestler Brock Larson with the winner likely getting another crack at the welterweight championship.
Carlos Condit is the current 170-pound titleholder and will be defending his belt against Carlo Prater on Feb. 13 in Albuquerque, N.M.
Shooto standout Kenji Osawa will make his WEC debut as he takes on American Top Team fighter Chris Manuel in a bantamweight bout.
In an intriguing lightweight bout, Texan submission fighter Marcus Hicks takes on eccentric striker Ed Ratcliff. Hicks comes off a submission victory over Scott McAfee at WEC 30, while Ratcliff stopped Ultimate Fighter alumnus Alex Karalexis at WEC 31.
In a middleweight bout, Team Wildman fighter Bryan Baker takes on the debuting Nissen Osterneck.
WEC 33
The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nev.
March 26, 2008
WEC Middleweight Championship: Paulo Filho vs. Chael Sonnen
WEC Light Heavyweight Championship: Doug Marshall vs. Brian Stann
Welterweight Bout: John Alessio vs. Brock Larson
Bantamweight Bout: Kenji Osawa vs. Chris Manuel
Lightweight Bout: Marcus Hicks vs. Ed Ratcliff
Middleweight Bout: Bryan Baker vs. Nissen Osterneck
LEONARD GARCIA SET FOR 145-POUND WEC DEBUT
For World Extreme Cagefighting 145-pound fighter Leonard Garcia the path he is about to tread couldn’t be clearer… rebound after a tough year and prove that he belongs on the big stage of mixed martial arts in a new weight class and become a contender.
Starting out 2007, Garcia was building on an impressive 9-1 record when he got the call to join the Ultimate Fighting Championship in April. It was a dream fulfilled that quickly turned unpleasant.
After a rough loss to rising superstar Roger Huerta, Garcia rebounded two months later to get his first UFC win against Allen Berube, but then lost for the second time in the promotion, this time to Cole Miller in September.
In need of a change, he decided to make the move down to a more natural 145 pounds, followed by a move to the WEC, and now he looks to build upon his early promise and make 2008 his year.
“I was excited about being able to fight a guy as tough as Roger (Huerta), but this year I hope to do more,” said Garcia. “Last year I got my name out there, and I feel l should accomplish more than I did.
“Now that I’m going to be at 145, I think it is going to allow me to get to where and do the things I was supposed to do at 155. Last year it was good to get my name out there, but this year is the year I’m going to work towards achieving my goals and get a title somewhere.”
According to Garcia, the move down in weight has gone extremely well and has proven to be very beneficial.
“It’s always been my natural weight class to fight at 145,” he explained. “I used to weigh maybe 152, 153 the day before the fights anyway, so it’s just losing seven more pounds water weight anyway, so I think this will be good for me.
“I’m a little bit faster and I look leaner. Strength-wise everybody thinks I feel stronger now than what I did. I’m doing more push-ups, pull-ups, and cleans, so I’m getting a lot stronger now at 145 than I was at 155.”
Now in a new weight class and promotion, Garcia faces a similar task to that which he had when he made his UFC debut last year; he has to take on an explosive, high energy, top caliber opponent in Hiroyuki Takaya.
“Hiroyuki is a tough guy, so I think that this is going to be one huge step in my career,” he commented. “I don’t think it’s going to be the only step, but I think it’s a pretty big jump coming into the weight class and fighting a guy as high-profile as him.”
As Garcia explains, he feels the fans will get their money’s worth when it comes to this match-up of similarly styled fighters.
“I think he’s a smaller, Japanese version of me – he goes for it and so do I – I think this is going to be a perfect fight for both of us,” said Garcia. “I think the fans shouldn’t blink during this fight, (because) they’re going to see a high-paced impact fight.
“We’re kind of like the old school 1940’s boxers, we’re just going to stand in front of each other and go. I think that’s what the fans are going to see, a good old fashioned slugfest.”
With a new weight class and promotion and an impact fight to prove his skills, Leonard Garcia looks to make Feb. 13 a night to remember in front of his new adopted hometown crowd of Albuquerque, N.M.
“I want to thank all the fans back home in Lubbock, Texas; all the fans here in Albuquerque; Pittman’s Jiu-Jitsu; Greg Jackson’s academy; Tapout and all my other sponsors,” closed out Garcia. “To the fans, just letting you know that on paper this looks like Fight of the Night. Don’t blink; don’t take your eyes off the fight for one second, because you’ll miss something.”
“I’m going to give you all everything I’ve got. I don’t know what he’s bringing to the table, but he better bring everything he’s got, because I’m bringing mine.”
For World Extreme Cagefighting 145-pound fighter Leonard Garcia the path he is about to tread couldn’t be clearer… rebound after a tough year and prove that he belongs on the big stage of mixed martial arts in a new weight class and become a contender.
Starting out 2007, Garcia was building on an impressive 9-1 record when he got the call to join the Ultimate Fighting Championship in April. It was a dream fulfilled that quickly turned unpleasant.
After a rough loss to rising superstar Roger Huerta, Garcia rebounded two months later to get his first UFC win against Allen Berube, but then lost for the second time in the promotion, this time to Cole Miller in September.
In need of a change, he decided to make the move down to a more natural 145 pounds, followed by a move to the WEC, and now he looks to build upon his early promise and make 2008 his year.
“I was excited about being able to fight a guy as tough as Roger (Huerta), but this year I hope to do more,” said Garcia. “Last year I got my name out there, and I feel l should accomplish more than I did.
“Now that I’m going to be at 145, I think it is going to allow me to get to where and do the things I was supposed to do at 155. Last year it was good to get my name out there, but this year is the year I’m going to work towards achieving my goals and get a title somewhere.”
According to Garcia, the move down in weight has gone extremely well and has proven to be very beneficial.
“It’s always been my natural weight class to fight at 145,” he explained. “I used to weigh maybe 152, 153 the day before the fights anyway, so it’s just losing seven more pounds water weight anyway, so I think this will be good for me.
“I’m a little bit faster and I look leaner. Strength-wise everybody thinks I feel stronger now than what I did. I’m doing more push-ups, pull-ups, and cleans, so I’m getting a lot stronger now at 145 than I was at 155.”
Now in a new weight class and promotion, Garcia faces a similar task to that which he had when he made his UFC debut last year; he has to take on an explosive, high energy, top caliber opponent in Hiroyuki Takaya.
“Hiroyuki is a tough guy, so I think that this is going to be one huge step in my career,” he commented. “I don’t think it’s going to be the only step, but I think it’s a pretty big jump coming into the weight class and fighting a guy as high-profile as him.”
As Garcia explains, he feels the fans will get their money’s worth when it comes to this match-up of similarly styled fighters.
“I think he’s a smaller, Japanese version of me – he goes for it and so do I – I think this is going to be a perfect fight for both of us,” said Garcia. “I think the fans shouldn’t blink during this fight, (because) they’re going to see a high-paced impact fight.
“We’re kind of like the old school 1940’s boxers, we’re just going to stand in front of each other and go. I think that’s what the fans are going to see, a good old fashioned slugfest.”
With a new weight class and promotion and an impact fight to prove his skills, Leonard Garcia looks to make Feb. 13 a night to remember in front of his new adopted hometown crowd of Albuquerque, N.M.
“I want to thank all the fans back home in Lubbock, Texas; all the fans here in Albuquerque; Pittman’s Jiu-Jitsu; Greg Jackson’s academy; Tapout and all my other sponsors,” closed out Garcia. “To the fans, just letting you know that on paper this looks like Fight of the Night. Don’t blink; don’t take your eyes off the fight for one second, because you’ll miss something.”
“I’m going to give you all everything I’ve got. I don’t know what he’s bringing to the table, but he better bring everything he’s got, because I’m bringing mine.”
McGIVERN REPLACES KENNEDY IN IFL TITLE FIGHT
The International Fight League on Monday announced that Miletich Fighting Academy middleweight Ryan McGivern has replaced Tim Kennedy and will challenge Matt Horwich for the IFL middleweight championship on Feb. 29 in Las Vegas. Kennedy is an active member of the U.S. military and has been called into duty.
McGivern already has one victory over Horwich in the IFL, battling to a unanimous decision in December of 2006.
“While it is disappointing to us and to Tim that he will be unable to compete due to his military obligations, we are excited and fortunate that a fighter of Ryan McGivern’s caliber is available to step in,” said Bas Rutten, vice president of fighter operations for the IFL.
Four other bouts have also now been finalized on the eight-bout card, including three featuring Xtreme Couture vs. Mario Sperry’s World Class Fight Center camps. Benji Radach will compete for Xtreme Couture in a middleweight bout against Leopoldo Serao, Lew Polley will battle Alexandre Ferreira at 205 pounds, and Santino Defranco will take on Rafael Dias in a featherweight contest. The Lion’s Den’s Pat Healy will take on Team Quest’s Jake Ellenberger in a matchup that may determine a future title bout at 170 pounds.
As previously announced, two other IFL titleholders will place their belts on the line as Roy Nelson will put his heavyweight crown on the line against IFL newcomer Fabiano Scherner, who trains with Matt Lindland at Team Quest. Ryan Schultz makes the first defense of his lightweight belt against John Gunderson, who competes for Ken Shamrock’s Lion’s Den.
Matt Lindland’s Team Quest will take on Lion’s Den in three bouts in the other camp matchup.
The International Fight League on Monday announced that Miletich Fighting Academy middleweight Ryan McGivern has replaced Tim Kennedy and will challenge Matt Horwich for the IFL middleweight championship on Feb. 29 in Las Vegas. Kennedy is an active member of the U.S. military and has been called into duty.
McGivern already has one victory over Horwich in the IFL, battling to a unanimous decision in December of 2006.
“While it is disappointing to us and to Tim that he will be unable to compete due to his military obligations, we are excited and fortunate that a fighter of Ryan McGivern’s caliber is available to step in,” said Bas Rutten, vice president of fighter operations for the IFL.
Four other bouts have also now been finalized on the eight-bout card, including three featuring Xtreme Couture vs. Mario Sperry’s World Class Fight Center camps. Benji Radach will compete for Xtreme Couture in a middleweight bout against Leopoldo Serao, Lew Polley will battle Alexandre Ferreira at 205 pounds, and Santino Defranco will take on Rafael Dias in a featherweight contest. The Lion’s Den’s Pat Healy will take on Team Quest’s Jake Ellenberger in a matchup that may determine a future title bout at 170 pounds.
As previously announced, two other IFL titleholders will place their belts on the line as Roy Nelson will put his heavyweight crown on the line against IFL newcomer Fabiano Scherner, who trains with Matt Lindland at Team Quest. Ryan Schultz makes the first defense of his lightweight belt against John Gunderson, who competes for Ken Shamrock’s Lion’s Den.
Matt Lindland’s Team Quest will take on Lion’s Den in three bouts in the other camp matchup.
Golden Boy extending reach
Oscar De La Hoya's company, Golden Boy Promotions, in less than a decade has become one of the two most powerful boxing promoters.
But its chief executive officer said Friday he is evaluating the feasibility of the company expanding its reach into other sports.
Richard Schaefer, the one-time Swiss bank executive who has built Golden Boy into a dominant player in boxing, said he is exploring the acquisition of a Major League Soccer franchise as well as considering the viability of promoting mixed martial arts fights.
Schaefer said Golden Boy always is looking to expand its sports and entertainment segment but said no MMA deal is imminent. He said Golden Boy first must decide whether it wants to enter the MMA business. If it decides it does, Schaefer said the next step would be whether to acquire an existing platform or start a new business from scratch.
Schaefer said there appears to be "turmoil" in MMA with all the new promotional companies being formed and some athletes "in revolt" against the current business model.
"That turmoil makes a businessman pause and ask, 'Does that create an opportunity?' " he said.
One prominent MMA star, Tito Ortiz, had a representative from the William Morris Agency reach out to Golden Boy to see if there was a possibility of the two sides working together, De La Hoya said.
Schaefer, though, noted that Ortiz is under contract to the UFC and said there have been no negotiations between anyone at Golden Boy and Ortiz.
Schaefer said there were so many deals he was working on that even if he decides the sport is viable in the long run, it doesn't mean that Golden Boy is going to jump in quickly, if at all. He said he is working "day and night" on Golden Boy business and said he can only do so much.
Schaefer said he receives business proposals every day – "some of which require careful evaluation but a lot of which end up right in the garbage can" – but said he was unable to find time for many of them.
He conceded he is looking at the feasibility of Golden Boy acquiring an MLS franchise. He said he was trying to determine if the company opts to enter soccer whether it would be best to pursue the purchase of an existing MLS franchise or apply for an expansion franchise.
He said Golden Boy's interests extend beyond sports and said he was working on a $500 million real estate project in Los Angeles. He also said he's working on a deal to bring a Golden Boy Sports Lounge to Las Vegas and said he hopes to have an announcement on that in the next 30 to 45 days.
Boxing, though, always will be a core business for Golden Boy, Schaefer said.
"Oscar knows boxing inside and out and can relate to the athletes in a unique way," Schaefer said. "He's done a tremendous amount for this sport in the ring as a boxer, and now he's doing a lot for it outside the ring as a promoter.
"If Oscar decides to get into MMA, it doesn't mean he loves boxing less. Oscar has a passion for boxing, and he is committed to building the sport back to where it was when it was recognized everywhere as one of the top sports."
Oscar De La Hoya's company, Golden Boy Promotions, in less than a decade has become one of the two most powerful boxing promoters.
But its chief executive officer said Friday he is evaluating the feasibility of the company expanding its reach into other sports.
Richard Schaefer, the one-time Swiss bank executive who has built Golden Boy into a dominant player in boxing, said he is exploring the acquisition of a Major League Soccer franchise as well as considering the viability of promoting mixed martial arts fights.
Schaefer said Golden Boy always is looking to expand its sports and entertainment segment but said no MMA deal is imminent. He said Golden Boy first must decide whether it wants to enter the MMA business. If it decides it does, Schaefer said the next step would be whether to acquire an existing platform or start a new business from scratch.
Schaefer said there appears to be "turmoil" in MMA with all the new promotional companies being formed and some athletes "in revolt" against the current business model.
"That turmoil makes a businessman pause and ask, 'Does that create an opportunity?' " he said.
One prominent MMA star, Tito Ortiz, had a representative from the William Morris Agency reach out to Golden Boy to see if there was a possibility of the two sides working together, De La Hoya said.
Schaefer, though, noted that Ortiz is under contract to the UFC and said there have been no negotiations between anyone at Golden Boy and Ortiz.
Schaefer said there were so many deals he was working on that even if he decides the sport is viable in the long run, it doesn't mean that Golden Boy is going to jump in quickly, if at all. He said he is working "day and night" on Golden Boy business and said he can only do so much.
Schaefer said he receives business proposals every day – "some of which require careful evaluation but a lot of which end up right in the garbage can" – but said he was unable to find time for many of them.
He conceded he is looking at the feasibility of Golden Boy acquiring an MLS franchise. He said he was trying to determine if the company opts to enter soccer whether it would be best to pursue the purchase of an existing MLS franchise or apply for an expansion franchise.
He said Golden Boy's interests extend beyond sports and said he was working on a $500 million real estate project in Los Angeles. He also said he's working on a deal to bring a Golden Boy Sports Lounge to Las Vegas and said he hopes to have an announcement on that in the next 30 to 45 days.
Boxing, though, always will be a core business for Golden Boy, Schaefer said.
"Oscar knows boxing inside and out and can relate to the athletes in a unique way," Schaefer said. "He's done a tremendous amount for this sport in the ring as a boxer, and now he's doing a lot for it outside the ring as a promoter.
"If Oscar decides to get into MMA, it doesn't mean he loves boxing less. Oscar has a passion for boxing, and he is committed to building the sport back to where it was when it was recognized everywhere as one of the top sports."
IFL Partnership with HDNet Continues
The International Fight League and HDNet Fights announced Tuesday that the first three IFL events of 2008 would be televised live on the high-definition network.
Starting with a Feb. 29 card at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, HDNet will also broadcast the IFL's April 4 event from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., and a May 16 card at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
A minimum of five bouts, including at least two championship contests, will be shown during the two-hour broadcasts.
"The first event we did with the IFL was a great success, and we are very pleased to be able to expand that relationship into the first quarter of 2008," said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights.
The Feb. 29 event will air live on HDNet at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
IFL Las Vegas Lineup:
Preliminary Bout
145: Ian Loveland (Pictures) vs. Dennis Davis (Pictures)
Team Xtreme Couture vs. World Class Fight Center (Mario Sperry (Pictures))
145: Santino Defranco (Pictures) vs. Rafael Dias (Pictures)
185: Benji Radach (Pictures) vs. Leopoldo Serao (Pictures)
205: Lew Polley vs. Alexandre Ferreira
Team Quest (Matt Lindland (Pictures)) vs. Lions Den (Ken Shamrock (Pictures))
170: Jake Ellenberger (Pictures) vs. Pat Healy (Pictures)
155: Ryan Schultz (Pictures) vs. John Gunderson (Pictures) *
265: Fabiano Scherner (Pictures) vs. Roy Nelson (Pictures) *
Middleweight Championship Bout
185: Ryan McGivern (Pictures) vs. Matt Horwich (Pictures)
The International Fight League and HDNet Fights announced Tuesday that the first three IFL events of 2008 would be televised live on the high-definition network.
Starting with a Feb. 29 card at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, HDNet will also broadcast the IFL's April 4 event from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., and a May 16 card at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
A minimum of five bouts, including at least two championship contests, will be shown during the two-hour broadcasts.
"The first event we did with the IFL was a great success, and we are very pleased to be able to expand that relationship into the first quarter of 2008," said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights.
The Feb. 29 event will air live on HDNet at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
IFL Las Vegas Lineup:
Preliminary Bout
145: Ian Loveland (Pictures) vs. Dennis Davis (Pictures)
Team Xtreme Couture vs. World Class Fight Center (Mario Sperry (Pictures))
145: Santino Defranco (Pictures) vs. Rafael Dias (Pictures)
185: Benji Radach (Pictures) vs. Leopoldo Serao (Pictures)
205: Lew Polley vs. Alexandre Ferreira
Team Quest (Matt Lindland (Pictures)) vs. Lions Den (Ken Shamrock (Pictures))
170: Jake Ellenberger (Pictures) vs. Pat Healy (Pictures)
155: Ryan Schultz (Pictures) vs. John Gunderson (Pictures) *
265: Fabiano Scherner (Pictures) vs. Roy Nelson (Pictures) *
Middleweight Championship Bout
185: Ryan McGivern (Pictures) vs. Matt Horwich (Pictures)
Matt Lindland Update: Will Not Be Returning To The UFC
Both Matt Lindland and Dana White have recently confirmed that the two had tossed around the idea of a Lindland return to the UFC. However after UFC 81 Lindland made it clear that the UFC would not be making him an offer.
“Dana has made it clear they are not going to make me an offer to return to the UFC,” said Lindland. I feel there are a lot of good fighters in the UFC, and I feel like I could beat most of them.”
Both Matt Lindland and Dana White have recently confirmed that the two had tossed around the idea of a Lindland return to the UFC. However after UFC 81 Lindland made it clear that the UFC would not be making him an offer.
“Dana has made it clear they are not going to make me an offer to return to the UFC,” said Lindland. I feel there are a lot of good fighters in the UFC, and I feel like I could beat most of them.”
UFC Middleweight Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann looking to return in April
Tim Ngo of 5thRound.com had the pleasure of speaking to Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann late last week prior to UFC 81: Breaking Point about his rehab on his injured knee. Kampmann was open and honest about a possible return sometime in the near future, “I’m still working on my knee, but I’m aiming at maybe April.” If you don’t know, Kampmann suffered a knee injury while training for a fight against Rich Franklin at UFC 72: Victory. He was ultimately replaced by Yushin Okami and he’s been working hard to get back ever since.
When Tim Ngo asked Kampmann if he thinks that he'll come back without the fear of injuring his knee again his response was, "I certainly hope so, it’s hard to tell because I’m still having some complications with my knee. But hopefully it’ll be good for fighting, I’m hoping it’ll be as good as before. I just wish it’d be good enough for fighting you know? That’s my main thing."
Tim Ngo of 5thRound.com had the pleasure of speaking to Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann late last week prior to UFC 81: Breaking Point about his rehab on his injured knee. Kampmann was open and honest about a possible return sometime in the near future, “I’m still working on my knee, but I’m aiming at maybe April.” If you don’t know, Kampmann suffered a knee injury while training for a fight against Rich Franklin at UFC 72: Victory. He was ultimately replaced by Yushin Okami and he’s been working hard to get back ever since.
When Tim Ngo asked Kampmann if he thinks that he'll come back without the fear of injuring his knee again his response was, "I certainly hope so, it’s hard to tell because I’m still having some complications with my knee. But hopefully it’ll be good for fighting, I’m hoping it’ll be as good as before. I just wish it’d be good enough for fighting you know? That’s my main thing."
Referee Steve Mazzagatti Discusses Lesnar-Mir Fight — An MMAjunkie.com Interview
Three days after Frank Mir defeated Brock Lesnar with a first-round submission at UFC 81, the world of MMA is still abuzz about the controversial foul and one-point deduction that aided the victory.
After scoring an early takedown and unleashing a ground-and-pound barrage, Lesnar was deducted a point for striking his opponent in the back of the head. Lesnar again took the fight to the ground after the restart, but Mir survived the onslaught to force a tap-out via knee bar at 1:30 of the first round.
Did Lesnar, in fact, strike Mir in the back of the head? Why wasn’t he first issued a warning — or was he? Was the fight almost stopped at any point to award Lesnar a TKO victory?
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today spoke to the man in charge of the fight, referee Steve Mazzagatti, to get his take on the situation.
While the veteran official and longtime fight junkie admits that he had difficulty hearing his own voice over the thunderous roars at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, he doesn’t a regret a single decision he made that night. He made the right call, he’s sure, and if he had the opportunity do it all over again, he wouldn’t change a thing.
Mazzagatti now explains why.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Before we jump into UFC 81, can you explain your background in the sport and how you became a referee for the Nevada State Athletic Commission?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: I’ve actually been into the sport since it was regulated by the state athletic commissions. I’ve been with the Nevada State Athletic Commission for 14 years first doing kickboxing and K-1 competitions and Muay Thai. I’ve always been an MMA fan, and when they came stateside, they told me to talk to Big John (McCarthy). He mentored me. Back then, he was the only teacher around… Like any martial artist, I’ve been watching the UFC since the first inception. I was totally amazed. As the skill level has improved, it’s even more exciting. And today, it’s more exciting than it’s ever been. I’m really into the technical aspect of the sport and the science of it.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: You’re now a veteran official, especially with the UFC. With a fight like Lesnar vs. Mir, can you tell me how and when you end up learning that you’re reffing the fight?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: We don’t usually find out until we actually show up at the event. Every once in a while, I’ll catch which fights I’m doing on the Internet because you guys go to the commission meetings, but usually, I don’t find out until I get to the show.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So you’re aware of sites like MMAjunkie.com?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI. Absolutely. I read it often. It’s our job to do homework, and it’s how I get the latest news and know what’s going on.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: What were your initial thoughts when you realized you got the Lesnar-Mir fight? Do the big-magnitude fights bring a little extra pressure?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Absolutely. When Big John left, he had been doing all the big fights, and I usually got a co-main event and the undercard fights. We’d divvy them up. When you’re reffing those big fights, the ones that headline the events that people came to see, (the fans) are going to watch every little thing and analyze everything, just like the SuperBowl. A high-profile fight is going to have a lot more scrutiny and be more analyzed. That’s for sure.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Going into the fight, were there any special considerations you had or anything you knew you were going to have pay special attention to? In other words, were there things about each fighter that might make a referee’s job difficult?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Not really. I don’t really analyze the fighters. I have a job. I look for fouls. That’s pretty much it. That’s my primary duty, whether it’s a huge bout or a weekend-warrior card. The only thing that might change is the level of fighters and how much punishment they can take. The guys who are early in their careers and weekend warriors aren’t training as professionals and aren’t used to taking the punishment and the punches to the face. You have A class, and B class, and C class. The UFC is A class. The C-class guys might work eight hours a day, do a little training, and then take a fight. They’re not used to it all, so you have to be aware of that, and I’m not going to let them take the punishment an A-class guy might. Otherwise, I look at all fighters equally. I don’t look at strikers or grapplers or anyone differently.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So, you’re willing to give established guys — someone like Mir or even Lesnar — more leeway?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: I wouldn’t say leeway. I would just say punishment. You just can’t let the lower guys get beat up like you would an A-class guy. Look, these guys do this to make a living. My decisions affect their ability to make an income and get sponsorships and everything. I have as much responsibility in a fight as the fighters toward them winning.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: OK, onto the fight. When we spoke earlier, you mentioned that the decision to deduct Lesnar one point for strikes to the back of Mir’s head was pretty clear. Can you explain?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: These fighters are extremely skilled fighters, and a grappler like Frank, that’s what they’re trained to do: when you have a guy in half guard on top of you, you don’t want to give the guy room to punch. So that was Mir’s defense. You suck up close to (your opponent’s) chest, tuck yourself up under them, and that covers you from getting hit. At first, Brock started to do the right thing by winding up with the hook from behind and pushing Mir’s head away from his stomach. Then you can blast him in the face… but to have to worry about getting struck in the back in the head in a situation like that isn’t something Frank should have had to worry about. But that was a target that presented itself to Brock.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Just to be clear, did you think the strikes were intentional?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: I don’t think it was through any fault of his own. It was just there for him, so he started coming down with that hammerfist. But the back of the head is not a target you can take. And honestly, we see it all the time. A lot of people are comparing it to that the Tibau Gleison-Tyson Griffin fight earlier in the night. They were doing the exact same thing. Gleison took down Tyson, Tyson scooted up toward Gleison, and he had the opportunity to hit him (in the back of the head) but didn’t take it. Instead, he moved his head out so he could get in some punches, which is what you’re supposed to do.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Did you issue Lesnar a warning? That’s a big part of this whole thing, you know? Some fans think you didn’t issue a warning.
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Yeah, I did. Brock’s excited. It’s a big, big opportunity for him, and — in my opinion — he looked down and saw the head there, and he took three shots at him and caught him. I jump in and say, “Don’t hit at the back of the head.” A few more seconds go by, Mir tucks up under there again, and Brock comes down with the second couple hits to the back of the head. That’s when I jumped in and had to do my job. That’s what I saw.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So, just to be perfectly clear, you did issue Lesner a warning before you stopped the fight and deducted a point?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Oh yeah, I did. But can you imagine the decibels in there? That was one of the fights everyone came to see. Of course, I came home and did my homework, watched the tape, and I can’t hear myself give the warning. I couldn’t hear myself say, “Bring it on!” on that beginning (either). [laughs] That’s my thing. I always shout that. If you watch the tape, you can barely even hear that.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Do you think Lesnar heard you?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: I don’t know. I can’t say that he heard it. I yelled it loud enough for them to hear. It was awfully loud. I yelled it, though. I’ve got kids, so I know how to yell. [laughs] I used to be in a rock band, so I’ve got some lungs.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: I think that’s where the controversy is — if there is, indeed, any controversy — that some people think you never issued a warning. But you’re saying it’s just a matter of people not hearing it, correct?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Absolutely, yeah. Let me also say that striking to the back of the head is one of my pet peeves — that and grabbing the cage. The back of the head is a very dangerous spot of the body in this sport. If you were to put a RAZR cellphone right above your C-spine where it connects to your skull, that’s the most dangerous part of the skull. A good, strong hit there can really hurt a fighter. That’s the part of the head that is considered illegal. Right behind the ears is not illegal. Sometimes we caution people not to hit there. That’s not necessarily a warning… we just know the possibility is there. Like I said, I’m just there to look for illegal techniques. And if you go back through my history, you’ll see that I’ve deducted a lot of points for strikes to the back of the head.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Obviously, it can be easy to accidentally hit someone in the back of the head unintentionally if an opponent if flailing around. Where do you draw the line?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Accidental strikes happen. But when you look at the back of the guy’s head and connect, it’s, “OK, that might be cool. He didn’t mean it.” Then you hit twice, and it’s time to start considering if you’re doing it intentionally. Then the third one comes down, and that’s when I jump in and say, “No strikes to the back of the head!” as loudly as I possibly can. Brock knows what he did. He has nothing to say about it being controversial. I don’t think his corner protested at all about it. It’s all left to interpretation. But was a foul committed? Yes, it was… If you look at the fight several times, unfortunately, the majority of the powerful shots were to the back of the head.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Previously, you told me that Mir did what he was supposed to do and that it’s your job to make sure he’s not penalized for that. Can you explain?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: He did what he was supposed to do under the rules he’s training under — that’s to jump up under there. He was using a lot of skill in doing what he does. He shouldn’t have had to worry about his head being hammerfisted. Unfortunately, that’s what happened to him, and that forced Mir to do something he shouldn’t have to, which is come out of the pocket. When he comes back out of the pocket, that allows Brock to use legal techniques… but he got there by illegal means.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So, he loses his position? That’s why you restarted them standing?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Whenever a foul is committed — whether it’s considered intentional or unintentional — we take the position away, especially if it’s a dominant position. That’s just the way it is and the way it’s always been.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: At any point in the initial exchange, did you consider stopping the fight to award Lesnar the TKO victory? Mir was taking a lot of punishment even without the shots to the back of the head.
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: No, not all. To me, Frank was doing everything right. He was doing what he needed to. He was doing what he needed to for that position. If you watch a thousand Jiu-Jitsu guys in that position, a thousand guys would do what Frank did in that position. He could have kept the position if it weren’t for the strikes to the back of the head. He knew what he was doing.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So, it was a matter of Mir intelligently defending himself?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Absolutely.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: After a tough call or controversial fight like that, do you immediately meet with the commission and Keith Kizer (the NSAC’s executive director)?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Absolutely. Keith is really good. We go over the scores and everything we saw and heard. I spoke about that whole fight. I explained to the judges and the commission and everyone else around there the whole fight. We’re constantly learning. We have a little discussion after the fight, and I’m telling them everything I saw and heard.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Is this right after the fight — or after the event?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: After the event. Well, we have a quick meeting before the event too. Look, we’re constantly learning and evolving and discussing different ways to make sure that the fighters get a fair shake. After that event, no matter how minor a point might be, we talk about it. That’s how how we’re going to improve.
Three days after Frank Mir defeated Brock Lesnar with a first-round submission at UFC 81, the world of MMA is still abuzz about the controversial foul and one-point deduction that aided the victory.
After scoring an early takedown and unleashing a ground-and-pound barrage, Lesnar was deducted a point for striking his opponent in the back of the head. Lesnar again took the fight to the ground after the restart, but Mir survived the onslaught to force a tap-out via knee bar at 1:30 of the first round.
Did Lesnar, in fact, strike Mir in the back of the head? Why wasn’t he first issued a warning — or was he? Was the fight almost stopped at any point to award Lesnar a TKO victory?
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today spoke to the man in charge of the fight, referee Steve Mazzagatti, to get his take on the situation.
While the veteran official and longtime fight junkie admits that he had difficulty hearing his own voice over the thunderous roars at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, he doesn’t a regret a single decision he made that night. He made the right call, he’s sure, and if he had the opportunity do it all over again, he wouldn’t change a thing.
Mazzagatti now explains why.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Before we jump into UFC 81, can you explain your background in the sport and how you became a referee for the Nevada State Athletic Commission?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: I’ve actually been into the sport since it was regulated by the state athletic commissions. I’ve been with the Nevada State Athletic Commission for 14 years first doing kickboxing and K-1 competitions and Muay Thai. I’ve always been an MMA fan, and when they came stateside, they told me to talk to Big John (McCarthy). He mentored me. Back then, he was the only teacher around… Like any martial artist, I’ve been watching the UFC since the first inception. I was totally amazed. As the skill level has improved, it’s even more exciting. And today, it’s more exciting than it’s ever been. I’m really into the technical aspect of the sport and the science of it.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: You’re now a veteran official, especially with the UFC. With a fight like Lesnar vs. Mir, can you tell me how and when you end up learning that you’re reffing the fight?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: We don’t usually find out until we actually show up at the event. Every once in a while, I’ll catch which fights I’m doing on the Internet because you guys go to the commission meetings, but usually, I don’t find out until I get to the show.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So you’re aware of sites like MMAjunkie.com?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI. Absolutely. I read it often. It’s our job to do homework, and it’s how I get the latest news and know what’s going on.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: What were your initial thoughts when you realized you got the Lesnar-Mir fight? Do the big-magnitude fights bring a little extra pressure?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Absolutely. When Big John left, he had been doing all the big fights, and I usually got a co-main event and the undercard fights. We’d divvy them up. When you’re reffing those big fights, the ones that headline the events that people came to see, (the fans) are going to watch every little thing and analyze everything, just like the SuperBowl. A high-profile fight is going to have a lot more scrutiny and be more analyzed. That’s for sure.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Going into the fight, were there any special considerations you had or anything you knew you were going to have pay special attention to? In other words, were there things about each fighter that might make a referee’s job difficult?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Not really. I don’t really analyze the fighters. I have a job. I look for fouls. That’s pretty much it. That’s my primary duty, whether it’s a huge bout or a weekend-warrior card. The only thing that might change is the level of fighters and how much punishment they can take. The guys who are early in their careers and weekend warriors aren’t training as professionals and aren’t used to taking the punishment and the punches to the face. You have A class, and B class, and C class. The UFC is A class. The C-class guys might work eight hours a day, do a little training, and then take a fight. They’re not used to it all, so you have to be aware of that, and I’m not going to let them take the punishment an A-class guy might. Otherwise, I look at all fighters equally. I don’t look at strikers or grapplers or anyone differently.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So, you’re willing to give established guys — someone like Mir or even Lesnar — more leeway?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: I wouldn’t say leeway. I would just say punishment. You just can’t let the lower guys get beat up like you would an A-class guy. Look, these guys do this to make a living. My decisions affect their ability to make an income and get sponsorships and everything. I have as much responsibility in a fight as the fighters toward them winning.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: OK, onto the fight. When we spoke earlier, you mentioned that the decision to deduct Lesnar one point for strikes to the back of Mir’s head was pretty clear. Can you explain?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: These fighters are extremely skilled fighters, and a grappler like Frank, that’s what they’re trained to do: when you have a guy in half guard on top of you, you don’t want to give the guy room to punch. So that was Mir’s defense. You suck up close to (your opponent’s) chest, tuck yourself up under them, and that covers you from getting hit. At first, Brock started to do the right thing by winding up with the hook from behind and pushing Mir’s head away from his stomach. Then you can blast him in the face… but to have to worry about getting struck in the back in the head in a situation like that isn’t something Frank should have had to worry about. But that was a target that presented itself to Brock.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Just to be clear, did you think the strikes were intentional?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: I don’t think it was through any fault of his own. It was just there for him, so he started coming down with that hammerfist. But the back of the head is not a target you can take. And honestly, we see it all the time. A lot of people are comparing it to that the Tibau Gleison-Tyson Griffin fight earlier in the night. They were doing the exact same thing. Gleison took down Tyson, Tyson scooted up toward Gleison, and he had the opportunity to hit him (in the back of the head) but didn’t take it. Instead, he moved his head out so he could get in some punches, which is what you’re supposed to do.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Did you issue Lesnar a warning? That’s a big part of this whole thing, you know? Some fans think you didn’t issue a warning.
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Yeah, I did. Brock’s excited. It’s a big, big opportunity for him, and — in my opinion — he looked down and saw the head there, and he took three shots at him and caught him. I jump in and say, “Don’t hit at the back of the head.” A few more seconds go by, Mir tucks up under there again, and Brock comes down with the second couple hits to the back of the head. That’s when I jumped in and had to do my job. That’s what I saw.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So, just to be perfectly clear, you did issue Lesner a warning before you stopped the fight and deducted a point?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Oh yeah, I did. But can you imagine the decibels in there? That was one of the fights everyone came to see. Of course, I came home and did my homework, watched the tape, and I can’t hear myself give the warning. I couldn’t hear myself say, “Bring it on!” on that beginning (either). [laughs] That’s my thing. I always shout that. If you watch the tape, you can barely even hear that.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Do you think Lesnar heard you?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: I don’t know. I can’t say that he heard it. I yelled it loud enough for them to hear. It was awfully loud. I yelled it, though. I’ve got kids, so I know how to yell. [laughs] I used to be in a rock band, so I’ve got some lungs.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: I think that’s where the controversy is — if there is, indeed, any controversy — that some people think you never issued a warning. But you’re saying it’s just a matter of people not hearing it, correct?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Absolutely, yeah. Let me also say that striking to the back of the head is one of my pet peeves — that and grabbing the cage. The back of the head is a very dangerous spot of the body in this sport. If you were to put a RAZR cellphone right above your C-spine where it connects to your skull, that’s the most dangerous part of the skull. A good, strong hit there can really hurt a fighter. That’s the part of the head that is considered illegal. Right behind the ears is not illegal. Sometimes we caution people not to hit there. That’s not necessarily a warning… we just know the possibility is there. Like I said, I’m just there to look for illegal techniques. And if you go back through my history, you’ll see that I’ve deducted a lot of points for strikes to the back of the head.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Obviously, it can be easy to accidentally hit someone in the back of the head unintentionally if an opponent if flailing around. Where do you draw the line?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Accidental strikes happen. But when you look at the back of the guy’s head and connect, it’s, “OK, that might be cool. He didn’t mean it.” Then you hit twice, and it’s time to start considering if you’re doing it intentionally. Then the third one comes down, and that’s when I jump in and say, “No strikes to the back of the head!” as loudly as I possibly can. Brock knows what he did. He has nothing to say about it being controversial. I don’t think his corner protested at all about it. It’s all left to interpretation. But was a foul committed? Yes, it was… If you look at the fight several times, unfortunately, the majority of the powerful shots were to the back of the head.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Previously, you told me that Mir did what he was supposed to do and that it’s your job to make sure he’s not penalized for that. Can you explain?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: He did what he was supposed to do under the rules he’s training under — that’s to jump up under there. He was using a lot of skill in doing what he does. He shouldn’t have had to worry about his head being hammerfisted. Unfortunately, that’s what happened to him, and that forced Mir to do something he shouldn’t have to, which is come out of the pocket. When he comes back out of the pocket, that allows Brock to use legal techniques… but he got there by illegal means.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So, he loses his position? That’s why you restarted them standing?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Whenever a foul is committed — whether it’s considered intentional or unintentional — we take the position away, especially if it’s a dominant position. That’s just the way it is and the way it’s always been.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: At any point in the initial exchange, did you consider stopping the fight to award Lesnar the TKO victory? Mir was taking a lot of punishment even without the shots to the back of the head.
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: No, not all. To me, Frank was doing everything right. He was doing what he needed to. He was doing what he needed to for that position. If you watch a thousand Jiu-Jitsu guys in that position, a thousand guys would do what Frank did in that position. He could have kept the position if it weren’t for the strikes to the back of the head. He knew what he was doing.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: So, it was a matter of Mir intelligently defending himself?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Absolutely.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: After a tough call or controversial fight like that, do you immediately meet with the commission and Keith Kizer (the NSAC’s executive director)?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: Absolutely. Keith is really good. We go over the scores and everything we saw and heard. I spoke about that whole fight. I explained to the judges and the commission and everyone else around there the whole fight. We’re constantly learning. We have a little discussion after the fight, and I’m telling them everything I saw and heard.
MMAJUNKIE.COM: Is this right after the fight — or after the event?
STEVE MAZZAGATTI: After the event. Well, we have a quick meeting before the event too. Look, we’re constantly learning and evolving and discussing different ways to make sure that the fighters get a fair shake. After that event, no matter how minor a point might be, we talk about it. That’s how how we’re going to improve.
UFC 81 Medical Suspensions Issued to Six Fighters
Six fighters were issued medical suspensions in the wake of UFC 81, according to Nevada State Athletic Commission paperwork today acquired by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
The event took place this past Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and aired live on pay-per-view.
The only fighter sustaining a serious injury and extended suspension was David Heath, who suffered a first-round TKO to UFC newcomer Tim Boetsch in a televised bout. Heath was tagged with a number of leg and body kicks before being tossed to the canvas and punched repeatedly in the head before the stoppage. Heath suffered a nasal fracture in the fight and must have the injury cleared by a doctor; otherwise, his suspension runs until Aug. 1.
Additionally, Frank Mir, Kyle Bradley and Marvin Eastman were issued minimal short-term suspensions due to lacerations, and Tim Sylvia and Keita Nakamura were suspended for precautionary reasons.
The full list includes:
Tim Sylvia — suspended until March 3 with no contact until Feb. 24 for precautionary reasons (third-round submission loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira)
Frank Mir — suspended until March 3 with no contact until Feb. 24 due to a scalp laceration (first-round submission win over Brock Lesnar)
Kyle Bradley — suspended until March 19 with no contact until March 2 due to a facial laceration (first-round KO loss to Chris Lytle)
David Heath — must have nasal fracture cleared by a doctor or suspended until Aug. 1; minimum suspension until April 3 with no contact until March 19 (first-round TKO loss to Tim Boetsch)
Marvin Eastman — suspended until March 2 with no contact until Feb. 24 due to right upper-eyelid laceration (unanimous-decision victory over Terry Martin)
Keita Nakamura — suspended until March 19 with no contact until March 2 for precautionary reason (split-decision loss to Rob Emerson)
Six fighters were issued medical suspensions in the wake of UFC 81, according to Nevada State Athletic Commission paperwork today acquired by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
The event took place this past Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and aired live on pay-per-view.
The only fighter sustaining a serious injury and extended suspension was David Heath, who suffered a first-round TKO to UFC newcomer Tim Boetsch in a televised bout. Heath was tagged with a number of leg and body kicks before being tossed to the canvas and punched repeatedly in the head before the stoppage. Heath suffered a nasal fracture in the fight and must have the injury cleared by a doctor; otherwise, his suspension runs until Aug. 1.
Additionally, Frank Mir, Kyle Bradley and Marvin Eastman were issued minimal short-term suspensions due to lacerations, and Tim Sylvia and Keita Nakamura were suspended for precautionary reasons.
The full list includes:
Tim Sylvia — suspended until March 3 with no contact until Feb. 24 for precautionary reasons (third-round submission loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira)
Frank Mir — suspended until March 3 with no contact until Feb. 24 due to a scalp laceration (first-round submission win over Brock Lesnar)
Kyle Bradley — suspended until March 19 with no contact until March 2 due to a facial laceration (first-round KO loss to Chris Lytle)
David Heath — must have nasal fracture cleared by a doctor or suspended until Aug. 1; minimum suspension until April 3 with no contact until March 19 (first-round TKO loss to Tim Boetsch)
Marvin Eastman — suspended until March 2 with no contact until Feb. 24 due to right upper-eyelid laceration (unanimous-decision victory over Terry Martin)
Keita Nakamura — suspended until March 19 with no contact until March 2 for precautionary reason (split-decision loss to Rob Emerson)
UFC Relegates Andrei Arlovski to UFC 82 Preliminary Card
A heavyweight fight between Andrei Arlovski (11-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) and Jake O’Brien (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) will not be aired live as part of the UFC 82’s pay-per-view broadcast, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) learned over the weekend.
UFC 82 takes place March 1 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva meets Dan Henderson in the night’s main event.
Arlovski, the UFC’s former heavyweight champion and arguably its biggest star during his reign as a title-holder, is currently on the last fight of his UFC contract, which expires April 15. Rather than sign an extension, he will finish out his contract and then shop the free agent market. Although they haven’t ruled out a return to the UFC, Arlovski and his management team could likely command big money from other organizations such as EliteXC, M-1 Global and HDNet Fights.
So, is his spot on the preliminary card punishment for Arlovski’s decision not to re-sign with the organization? Only the UFC knows for sure. However, keep in mind that Arlovski hasn’t been in an un-televised fight since UFC 40 — which was five years and nine fights ago.
UFC 82 contains a number of main-card-worthy fighters. In addition to Arlovski, “The Ultimate Fighter 1” stand-out Josh Koscheck will also be stuck on UFC 82’s un-televised preliminary card. Koscheck meets Ohio fighter Dustin Hazelett at the event. (With Arlovski and Koscheck relegated to the preliminary card, a fight between Diego Sanchez and David Bielkheden has been placed on the televised main card.)
A heavyweight fight between Andrei Arlovski (11-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) and Jake O’Brien (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) will not be aired live as part of the UFC 82’s pay-per-view broadcast, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) learned over the weekend.
UFC 82 takes place March 1 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva meets Dan Henderson in the night’s main event.
Arlovski, the UFC’s former heavyweight champion and arguably its biggest star during his reign as a title-holder, is currently on the last fight of his UFC contract, which expires April 15. Rather than sign an extension, he will finish out his contract and then shop the free agent market. Although they haven’t ruled out a return to the UFC, Arlovski and his management team could likely command big money from other organizations such as EliteXC, M-1 Global and HDNet Fights.
So, is his spot on the preliminary card punishment for Arlovski’s decision not to re-sign with the organization? Only the UFC knows for sure. However, keep in mind that Arlovski hasn’t been in an un-televised fight since UFC 40 — which was five years and nine fights ago.
UFC 82 contains a number of main-card-worthy fighters. In addition to Arlovski, “The Ultimate Fighter 1” stand-out Josh Koscheck will also be stuck on UFC 82’s un-televised preliminary card. Koscheck meets Ohio fighter Dustin Hazelett at the event. (With Arlovski and Koscheck relegated to the preliminary card, a fight between Diego Sanchez and David Bielkheden has been placed on the televised main card.)
Rich Franklin vs. Travis Lutter Official for UFC 83
Rumors of the bout have popped up for weeks, but we can now confirm that former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and “The Ultimate Fighter 4” winner Travis Lutter (9-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) will meet at UFC 83, which takes place April 19 at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed the fight with Franklin’s camp over the weekend, and the UFC made it official in today’s UFC 83 press conference and on UFC.com.
The Franklin-Lutter fight will complement UFC 83’s main event, which is a title unification bout between UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra and interim champ (and French Canadian) Georges St. Pierre.
As MMAjunkie.com was the first to report, the Franklin-Lutter was originally targeted for next month’s UFC 82 event in Columbus, Ohio. However, Franklin, who fights out of Cincinnati as part of Team Jorge Gurgel, recently underwent surgery for a torn meniscus he suffered in his right knee. He was originally expected to be sidelined until June.
The 33-year-old Franklin hasn’t fought since a second-round TKO to Anderson Silva at Cincinnati’s UFC 77 event in October. Franklin initially lost his belt to Silva at UFC 64 in October 2006 but rebounded for victories over Jason MacDonald and Yushin Okami to earn the rematch. Prior to that fight at UFC 77, Franklin signed a new six-fight deal with the UFC that goes into effect for his fight with Lutter.
Lutter hasn’t fought since a UFC 67 main-event loss to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Lutter, who earned the title shot by winning the middleweight division of “The Ultimate Fighter 4’s” comeback season, stunned fans — and UFC officials — when he was unable to get under the 185-pound threshold during weigh-ins. He later admitted that his body simply quit sweating in the final hours of weight cutting. The fight was changed to a three-round non-title bout, and despite a competitive first round, Lutter suffered a submission loss via triangle choke in the second.
Lutter was then supposed to fight Ryan Jensen at UFC 74 in August, but he had to pull out of the bout with a neck injury.
Rumors of the bout have popped up for weeks, but we can now confirm that former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and “The Ultimate Fighter 4” winner Travis Lutter (9-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) will meet at UFC 83, which takes place April 19 at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed the fight with Franklin’s camp over the weekend, and the UFC made it official in today’s UFC 83 press conference and on UFC.com.
The Franklin-Lutter fight will complement UFC 83’s main event, which is a title unification bout between UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra and interim champ (and French Canadian) Georges St. Pierre.
As MMAjunkie.com was the first to report, the Franklin-Lutter was originally targeted for next month’s UFC 82 event in Columbus, Ohio. However, Franklin, who fights out of Cincinnati as part of Team Jorge Gurgel, recently underwent surgery for a torn meniscus he suffered in his right knee. He was originally expected to be sidelined until June.
The 33-year-old Franklin hasn’t fought since a second-round TKO to Anderson Silva at Cincinnati’s UFC 77 event in October. Franklin initially lost his belt to Silva at UFC 64 in October 2006 but rebounded for victories over Jason MacDonald and Yushin Okami to earn the rematch. Prior to that fight at UFC 77, Franklin signed a new six-fight deal with the UFC that goes into effect for his fight with Lutter.
Lutter hasn’t fought since a UFC 67 main-event loss to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Lutter, who earned the title shot by winning the middleweight division of “The Ultimate Fighter 4’s” comeback season, stunned fans — and UFC officials — when he was unable to get under the 185-pound threshold during weigh-ins. He later admitted that his body simply quit sweating in the final hours of weight cutting. The fight was changed to a three-round non-title bout, and despite a competitive first round, Lutter suffered a submission loss via triangle choke in the second.
Lutter was then supposed to fight Ryan Jensen at UFC 74 in August, but he had to pull out of the bout with a neck injury.