Bleacher Report - Articles by Karl Maple

Last of the Champion Brawlers: Wanderlei Silva

Karl Maple — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:48:05 -0400

The shaded contours of bruising were already forming around the right eye. The fight had gone to a decision and the obligatory rematch request was issued, but it would not be granted. He had come close enough, against an opponent good enough to delay enforced retirement for the moment.

The desire to fight maintained, but as Rich Franklin clinically exposed at UFC 99, past wars have irretrievably taken their toll on Wanderlei Silva.

Physically, Silva still looks impressive. The compact, muscular shoulders still hunch in the manner of years gone by. There remains the menacing trudge toward opponents with abandon for his own wellbeing. He still swings with complete intent, but whilst a short right from the "Axe Murderer" would once have killed, it now only wounds.

Franklin employed perfect strategy against the ageing brawler. Acting as the matador to the bull, he utilized his superior reach and footwork to maintain a safe distance from Silva, drawing the Pride legend in, scoring points, and then escaping.

Where in years passed, Silva's ferocity, strength and chin could be relied upon to neutralise such tactics, the 2009 model was reduced to little more than a puncher's chance, wobbling Franklin on a couple of occasions without toppling him.

Silva suffers from a Chuck Liddell-like, stubbornness of strategy, continually neglecting any semblance of a ground game to compensate for his diminishing striking abilities.

The fighter himself attributes this attitude to an admirable desire to entertain, but if he is to ever again reach the levels of success to which he was accustomed, diversity and evolution are essential.

''The Axe Murderer'' established his formidable legacy during eight highly successful years in Japan. Silva monopolised the Pride Fighting Organisation's 205lb division, through a combination of intimidation, ruthless aggression and devastating power.

Present UFC luminaries Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Dan Henderson counted amongst the numerous opponents unable to withstand the uniquely aggressive onslaught of the Curitiba native.

The Japanese regulations favoured Silva's style of fighting.Following a loss to Tito Ortiz at UFC 25 in 2000, Silva would go nearly five years before tasting defeat between the ropes of Pride. Slowly however, the strain of years of violent wars in both the ring and gym, began to wear on the champion.

His punch resistance began to fade and the shroud of mythical intimidation his opponents faced began to slip. Silva would be knocked out in his final two fights in Japan, becoming the latest addition in Mirko Cro Cop's head kick montage, before losing his long held middleweight title to Dan Henderson.

The problems Silva would face in the octagon were all evident in his next defeat to Chuck Liddell at UFC 79. The ''Iceman'' proved technically superior with his striking, delivering the straighter, crisper punches and hinting at a diversity with his takedown attempts lacking in the Brazilian, handing Liddell the unanimous decision.

A first round demolition of Keith Jardine then followed, before a third devastating knockout loss in five fights to Quinton Jackson.

Silva began the fight implementing an intelligent and tested game plan, focusing on the front leg of Jackson, but it would not be long before he reverted back to the wild, swinging punches of old, which left him open to a counter thudding left from Jackson, and he consequently found himself splayed as if across a crucifix: unconscious.

The fight with Franklin, at a catch weight of 195lbs, was made with the dual intentions of easing Silva into the middleweight division and establishing him as an immediate challenger for the title. It is questionable whether either was achieved.

Silva reportedly had trouble adjusting to the drop in weight, which was still a full 10lb off middleweight, whilst the loss places him firmly behind a throng of contenders, such as Damian Maia, Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping, eager for a title shot.

Despite all of this Silva, remains as popular as he ever has been. In the four fights since his return to the UFC, he has lost to a Knockout of the Night, won by a Knockout of the night and won two fight of the night honours.

He is a unique fighter, who appears more concerned with entertainment than result, which may make a refreshing change given the recent title fights at the weight he seeks to enter. The danger however, is that the entertainment may soon be provided at the expense of his health.

Wanderlei Silva’s legacy is secure; an unsuccessful foray at 185lb will do nothing to diminish that, his health however, may not endure quite so well.

What Bob Sapp Can Teach the UFC

Karl Maple — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:12:07 -0400

When it comes to Mixed Martial Arts, the Japanese seem to possess an admirable indifference towards the trivialities of the west. Menial matters such as determining the finest 155 lb fighter in the world are allayed in favour of pitting a 6’4" former American footballer against the fictional 59th Prince of "Planet Muscle" in a battle to the metaphorical end.

It is the spectacle. It is the cartoon. It is the reason that Bob Sapp and not Chuck Liddell adorn the advertisement boards of Tokyo City.

On December 31, 2008, American Bob Sapp, a fighter of size and little else, defeated Kinniku Mantaro, the aforementioned animated royalty, via strikes after five minutes and twenty-two seconds in front of a capacity crowd of 25,634 in the Saitama Super Arena.

Understandably, dimensional limitations prohibited Sapp from actually fighting Mantaro and so in his stead stood Japanese wrestling standout, Akihito Tanaka pretending to be the cartoon hero, in a mask.

It was an unusual fight. Introduced by what appeared to be an Asian Leo Sayer complete with resplendent blonde afro and pink suit, it was immediately clear that Tanaka was taking his role very seriously.

Despite heavily outweighing his opponent, Sapp was taken down within the opening ten seconds. Tanaka could do little more than land futile punches against the comparative bulk of the American’s head, however and when they eventually stood up, several wild blows from Sapp forced the referee to mercifully intervene. The victor celebrated with an impromptu and surprisingly nimble performance of the robot.

Sapp’s career in combat sport began in fittingly auspicious circumstances. In 2000, the Oakland Raiders became the fourth NFL team in successive seasons to deem him surplus to requirements. Low in both confidence and funds he took a job within a funeral parlour, moving coffins. The 380-pound former offensive lineman found himself at a crossroads.

Struggling to find a suitable outlet for his enormous frame and charisma, Sapp approached the now-defunct professional wrestling organisation WCW, with a character that would serve him well from that day forth: "The Beast." Known for his primitive fighting style and haunting laugh, it became the prototype for his characterisation in Japan.

Alas, Sapp’s stay in the WCW would prove to be as fruitful as his tenure in the NFL and it wasn’t long before he once again found himself directionless. Through despondency as much as anything else Sapp agreed to the fight that would shape his eastern odyssey.

The FX network in America were putting together a curious card of "Toughman" fights, in which largely untrained celebrities and former athletes partook in a series of boxing bouts. Sapp was matched against former NFL superstar William "The Refrigerator" Perry and duly dispatched of his woeful opponent in the second of three scheduled rounds.

Largely dismissed by nearly all who watched as little more than a further example of trash TV, the fight did however attract the attention of one discerning viewer, K-1 founder Master Kazuyoshi Ishii.

Ishii saw in Sapp a potential marketing phenomena unlike any previous in Japan. Cartoonish in both appearance and personality, he looked like no other fighter, spoke like no other fighter and acted like no other fighter. In the build-up to his third fight against Cyril Abidi, Sapp stared intently into the camera and promptly continued to devour a picture of his opponent, before unleashing his trademark ghoulish laugh and Japan was hooked.

To date Sapp is believed to have accrued more than $10 million dollars from his stint in Japan. He is the face of over four hundred products ranging from the mundane ("Bob Sapp caramel corn") to the disturbing (Bob Sapp sex toys). He hosts his own hidden camera show and saw his debut rap album, the inventively titled, "Sapp Time" reach a respectable number fourteen in the Japanese popular charts.

What makes Sapp’s success all the more spectacular is that it has been achieved with a highly questionable fighting ability. Sapp has always lost against the faintest hint of a high calibre opponent.

Nogueria quickly solved the puzzle his giant mass poses and subsequently caught him with an armbar, Filipovic delivered an orbital bone shattering knockout within 86 seconds and Jan "The Giant" Nordte took under a minute to end their fight in February, 2008.

He holds a record padded out with questionable wins over undersized fighters, and yet Sapp remains one of the most influential figures in world MMA. The UFC would do well to take notice of the route Sapp has taken to success in the Asian market. He highlights that in Japan, popularity is a by-product of entertainment rather than success.

Speaking after UFC 94, Dana White, in typically brash form, expressed his desire to return the enterprise to the east, some nine years after their last excursion.

"The Japanese market has always been important to me. It's a very, very, very tough place to navigate and do business. But, fuck 'em. We're going to do it anyway. They will not stop me from going into Japan"

One way in which the UFC will attempt to do this, is by introducing a greater number of Japanese fighters. The high profile courting and signing of Olympic gold medallist, Satoshi Ishii may go some way to achieving this ambition, but the vast differences between the MMA promotions currently operating in the east and west suggest that a more encompassing approach may be required.

Japanese MMA can at times resemble the hammed theatrics of professional wrestling. Fighters are often attributed gimmicks, whether wanted or not, and the use of Titan-trons and colourful managers could have been lifted directly from the WWE. Ultimately the UFC may have to slightly adjust their, ‘‘As Real as It Gets’’ mantra when it comes to the promotion of their organisation in Japan.

The incredible success of Sapp, points to cultural differences which revolve around the promotion and marketing of MMA, rather than variants in rules or quality of roster. The UFC may have to incorporate some of the more theatrical aspects of these Japanese promotions if they are to prove successful over there.

It is the spectacle. It is the cartoon. It is the difference between Anderson Silva descending a metallic ramp impersonating Michael Jackson in Pride and his altogether more menacing entrance to DMX in the UFC.

On December 30, 2008 during a pre-fight speech worthy of the veteran showman, Sapp, postured menacingly upright, chest fully inflated, staring intently at his masked opponent, delivered the poignant line: "Tomorrow, my opponent will face his worst nightmare: reality!" Ironically given the wonderfully eccentric nature of Japanese MMA, reality may always play a secondary role.

The Brock Upon Which a Division Can Be Built

Karl Maple — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:28:43 -0400

I begin in apology for the semi-blasphemous and extremely corny pun of the title, but I found it the more appropriate of many Brock/Rock based headings considered, such as the awful 'Brock and Roll' or 'Brock the boat'...Truly awful!

Over the past few months, reams of mega-pixled conjecture have surrounded Brock Lesnar's hastened ascent to the pinnacle of the UFC Heavyweight division. Arguments are made against his worth as champion, his merits as a legitimate MMA fighter, and the capitalist motives leading to his opportunity.

All of these are valid concerns and each worthy of much debate, but I intend to argue that Brock Lesnar is as good for the Heavyweight division as he is for Dana White's pocket.

The UFC heavyweight division died July 8, 2006 when Tim Sylvia defeated Andrei Arlovski in the conclusive fight of their trilogy. The fight signalled the eventual defection of the charismatic and thoroughly entertaining Belarusian and left the UFC seeking challengers amongst a pool of Jeff Monson and Anthony Peresh. (I wasn't sure either!)

This article is in no way an attempt to criticise Tim Sylvia as a fighter or man. He holds an impressive 24-5 record, is a two-time champion and has fought the best of his generation throughout his career. Unfortunately though, he lacks the personability, marketability, or style to lead a division.

It's a flaw the UFC was well aware of, and after just one defence, legendary, dual weight, hall of fame, fan-favourite, retiree Randy Couture was called upon to save the day in a manner befitting his 'Captain American' moniker.

Now, I possess an almost sycophantic affection for Randy Couture, but his position as champion weakened rather than strengthen the validity of the UFC Heavyweight title. He retired a year previously, after two devastating knockouts by Chuck Liddell, had ended his quest to reign at Light-Heavyweight.

That a forty-three year old man (albeit Randy Couture) could return after a year of inactivity, and claim the title at a weight higher than the one he failed to win in his previous fight, spoke volumes. Couture's position as champion exposed the weakness of the division.

Couture was inevitably a popular champion, and his return to action revived interest in a division dangerously devoid of both talent and glamour. The UFC was aware, however, that due to age, size and a burgeoning film career, Couture was a temporary solution and set about bolstering the calibre of Heavyweight competitors by signing the much vaunted and much marketed pair of Mirko Filipovic and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

Filipovic was all set to be Couture's first challenger until he decided that an octagon was far too odd a shape in which to fight, suffering an ironic head kick and an immediate demystifying in the eyes of the casual UFC fan, whilst the octagon version of Nogueira has never convinced.

He was seriously troubled by both Heath Herring and Tim Sylvia, and the signs of his decline were evident long before his demolition at the hands of Frank Mir. The situation was further exasperated by the second year-long hiatus Couture decided upon following the Gonzaga fight. In his absence, the division continued to flounder.

The UFC Heavyweight division was reborn February 2, 2008 as Brock Lesnar made his unsuccessful debut against Frank Mir at the Mandalay Bay Events Centre. In less than a year, both combatants would simultaneously hold the title.

The fight itself was as spectacular as it was short. Lesnar's inexperience was clear for all to see as he attempted to escape from a leg lock in the frenzied way a panicked schoolchild might adopt if their shoe became stuck in mud, but a precedent had been set and the potential dominating power of the man was unveiled.

Mir received enough exposure and popularity from his victory to propel him to a shot at the Interim champion, a scenerio that seemed highly unlikely following his first round knockout by Brandon Vera, and this led to cries of derision among the UFC fan base similar to those Lesnar would face. The fight was set for December and the Heavyweight title was put on hold until then.

Confusion began when Couture decided that he would return in the intervening months and a problem arose for the matchmakers of the UFC. Without Lesnar, what other viable opponent was available to mark the third coming of a legend?

Mir and Nogueira were locked into the increasingly tiresome Ultimate Fighter series. A rematch with Gonzaga, a year after the original, made little sense. Novice fighters such as Shaun Carwin and Cain Velasquez, whilst extremely impressive, had yet to come close to headlining an event, and would prove insufficient to the grandiose event planned to welcome back the champion. Aside from turning the Liddell-Couture trilogy into a quadrology, the answer was simple.

With Lesnar at the pinnacle, the heavyweight title has again become relevant. The UFC has created a polarising focal point, capable of headlining an event on his own, around which a whole career of explosive fights can be built. A career which will ease the loss of the old guard of Couture and Lesnar, whilst allowing time for the impressive newcomers to develop into superstars.

Even if, as I suspect, Mir is to repeat his victory of the first fight, it is Lesnar that will prove the defining factor in the rebirth of the Heavyweight division. Both he and Mir endorsed the validity of their title shots through victory, and thankfully, for the first time in a long time, the UFC shall have a definitive champion in a competitive heavyweight division come July 12, 2009.