Bleacher Report - Articles by Jad Semaan

Methods to Improve MMA Judging: Part Two

Jad Semaan — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:43:05 -0400

After a slew of razor-thin decisions at the past few UFC events (read: Franklin-Silva, Fisher-Uno, Davis-Hardy, Sanchez-Guida, Hughes-Serra, Blackburn-Garcia, Guillard-Tibau), I feel that now is an appropriate time to release the second article in my series which focuses on different ways that the judging system in MMA can be rectified.

Like its predecessor, which can be found here or under my profile if one missed it, this article highlights two unique proposals.

The first aims to facilitate the quality of the scoring format, while the second contains a provision for improving the excellence of refereeing, which is arguably just as important since the number of stoppages usually outweighs the quantity of decisions on each card.

I have chosen the ideas represented in this series based on perceived efficiency, applicability, ease of employment, and originality.

There are a lot of changes that could be made to the judging system, but in these articles I have tried to provide adequate justification for a select handful of what I think are the most practical and enduring solutions to the problem at hand.

What we need now, most of all, is to brainstorm on how the judging can be improved. Then we need to work towards achieving this goal so that in the future, MMA can have a fair and equitable scoring system for the benefit of everyone involved.

Lastly, as I stated in part one, these proposals are mainly geared towards the North American theatre and the state athletic commissions which control MMA here. The Japanese organizations employ their own distinct rules, sets, and customs.

I have already talked too much, so here are the designs that I had in mind.

Proposition: Implement Five Rounds of Four Minutes Each

The International Fight League may no longer exist, but it taught us a valuable lesson: an MMA fight can be contested using four-minute rounds without any hitches.

There are numerous advantages towards using four-minute rounds, instead of the customary five-minute format, which I believe certainly outweigh any potential drawbacks.

While some fans may prefer to see only three rounds in total like in the IFL, I think that five rounds of four minutes each would be more suitable and would make scoring much simpler. For title fights, seven rounds of four minutes apiece would suffice.

Dana White himself has spoken of a desire to see seven rounds in championship matches. And fifteen minutes is often not satisfactory enough for standard main events or No. 1 contender bouts.

With four-minute rounds, one can have a 45-second rest period which should be adequate enough for fighters to recover.

Combatants would not tire as easily since each round is 20 percent shorter. Longer rounds are naturally more grueling and with extra breaks involved, a fighter would be less worn out. This would be true, even after twenty minutes of action compared with fifteen as it is right now.

Therefore, under this format we would not see competitors fatigue as fast and thus peak performance levels could be maintained for the duration of the entire match.

Ground fighters would not suffer because we saw an adequate proportion of submissions in the IFL, even though each round was a minute shorter than the usual regulations.

However, referees should not be afraid to restart the fighters if they intentionally stall for a prolonged period of time no matter what rule-set is used, so four-minute rounds should not affect the technical aspects of single combat.

An odd number of total rounds are obviously necessary for judging purposes, especially since there are a lower number of total rounds compared to boxing.

Using five rounds instead of three would not limit the number of matches shown on the broadcast, since just as many fights would end via stoppage as is happening now. The UFC usually finishes with 15-30 minutes left in the pay-per-view broadcast anyway, so time should not be an issue. A couple of undercard fights that ended early could still be shown.

Decisions would result in five more minutes of action, which means that judges are then better able to see the full range of abilities on display and come-from-behind victories are even more possible.

The chances of a stoppage would also increase and with a longer match one man can start to slowly pull away thus rendering scoring the later rounds a touch simpler.

Sometimes a fifteen minute fight is still inconclusive, and fans have proposed that 10-10 rounds be scored more often, though of course this will lead to problematic draws if there are only three rounds.

With five rounds, 10-10 scores become more feasible since there is less of a probability of there being a draw, based on how the rounds are split (i.e. three rounds to one fighter and a draw round or four rounds to one man with a draw round, etc.).

Thus I think this solution offers the best of both worlds as we can still have 10-10 rounds without shoveling every close match into the draw column.

Then again, the ideal situation would see the use of a single twenty minute round, but that idea would not currently fly with the athletic commissions, as the instigation of rounds was historically necessary for the legitimization of the sport.

For a seven round title fight of four minutes each, only three more minutes of fighting would be added compared to the current five-by-five system, so fatigue should not be an issue here either.

And that proposition is certainly much more viable than using seven rounds of five minutes each, since thirty-five minutes is far too long for an individual bout.

Plus, in the interests of aesthetic symmetry, five rounds coincides well with using five judges for regular fights, while seven judges could be reserved for all-important title fights.

The UFC is trimming down its roster and nobody wants to see a fighter cut because of a poor decision and yet we still have plenty of instances of poor scoring and something certainly has to be done to resolve the situation.

Like I insinuated above, a single round would be ideal since it's easier to score a fight in its entirety, which is how combat engagements were meant to be evaluated.

Thus here I would like to mention a secondary proposition, controversial though it may be, whereby the judges score an overall winner for the match independently of who they have winning on a round-by-round basis.

If this overall winner differs from the winner as determined by the current round format, then the overall winner ought to be the official pick of the judge for who won the fight.

However, in the interest of equality, all the judges would have to pick the same overall winner in order for that man to win the decision, otherwise there is no need for round-by-round scoring.

As an example I will use the contest between Rich Franklin and Yushin Okami at UFC 72. Franklin “won” the first two uneventful rounds with a slightly superior display of striking; Okami dominated the third round on the ground and was very close to submitting Franklin.

While some fans clamored for the third round to be scored 10-8 for Okami, this merely would have ended up in a draw: not good for a No.1 contender fight.

Under the round system, Franklin won, but under my proposition above, if the judges re-evaluate the fight as a whole and come up with a different winner, then Okami would have been handed the decision.

Of course, the idea of scoring a match in its entirety is nothing new and has been utilized in Japan for years.

But what I am proposing is a dual-format where the current system is still used, but can be overridden if each judge determines an overall winner that differs from who they have originally listed as the victor in the more traditional format.

At the very least, it's reasonable to think that the 10-point must system goes hand-in-hand with the number of rounds used and what portions of the fight are scored. My idea here is an attempt to derive the best from both worlds by using overall scoring, while maintaining a round format where each round is the same length.

Hopefully in the future we can find and implement a solution to this judging dilemma.

Back to the main point here, the IFL certainly did not fail because of the rule-set that it employed, and it delivered some awesome matches within its four-minute format.

With the addition of two extra rounds and four more in title fights, I think we can arrive at an ideal way to judge fights. A system that can appeal to combatants of every stylistic background, as well as fans who are either casual or more hardcore in their following of the sport.

I don't think my main proposition here is too far-fetched. Hopefully we witness something of the sort in the near future, but of course the main problem here, as with all my other propositions, is convincing the state athletic commissions and the bigger promotions that it is a workable idea or at least worth trying.

Proposition: Put Two Referees Inside the Cage/Ring

The NHL started using two referees and two linesmen several years ago and the organization has benefitted tremendously. Obviously with more eyes watching, the chances of missing something subtle are reduced and better calls are made on the ice.

Quite frankly I think that soccer should be using two main referees also, since it's difficult for one man to catch everything that happens.

In regard to MMA, I think putting a second referee in the ring or cage could have several benefits that outweigh the negatives.

For one, size would not be an issue, as there is plenty of room within a standard cage or ring for four humans. One man could be designated as the head referee, while the second works as his assistant.

The assistant referee would work in much the same way as his counterpart in soccer or hockey, though of course he does not have to worry about calling offsides.

He would provide another viewpoint to the match, help the main referee call a stoppage to the contest, determine if a fighter has submitted, observe any fouls that take place, and help enforce the rules.

One reason why poor stoppages occur is because the referee is unable to see how injured a certain fighter really is; and thus either stops the bout either too late or too prematurely. This is owed to an error in judgment based on his viewpoint and how fast the action is happening.

A second referee would provide especially useful in cases where a fighter gets rocked or dropped as he can then either stop the fight himself, if he is in a good position to do so, or motion to the head referee to intervene. Thus the frequency of bad stoppages could be reduced if this method is applied.

The head referee has the final call however. The point here is that the assistant referee has the power to call an ending to the fight if the head referee misses something important (like an eye poke), but if they both see the end of the fight clearly then it is up to the head referee to pass final judgment.

In this manner, the services of a second referee are employed to the fullest extent, without having the sort of disputes that would interrupt a match.

Thus the overall role of the assistant referee is to help the head referee make the right call. The assistant referee's added perspective allows every dimension of the fight to be taken into account, without the bias or prejudice that can occur when a single referee runs the show.

The quality of refereeing in MMA will continue to get better in the future, naturally enough, as licensing criteria becomes more stringent and greater knowledge and experience about the sport amasses.

With two referees cooperating together, the odds of making a dreadful mistake which costs a fighter dearly is greatly reduced, and perhaps is a concept at least worth pondering.

Of course, if this proposal is implemented there would probably be an initial trial and error period to work out the details, as is the case when many new rules in professional sports are adopted.

Conversely, such a configuration could be attempted on a provisional basis and if it's deemed more effective than a one-referee system, it could then be employed permanently.

After all, it's the thought that counts.

Epilogue

I think it's safe to say that the quality of judging and refereeing can only go up. MMA is in its infancy stage and it's still in the process of becoming sanctioned throughout North America and indeed many other parts around the world.

It's also prudent to recognize that the issues addressed here in part arose due to the fact that the UFC adopted the 10-point must system in an attempt to get sanctions. Remember, the state athletic commissions are the ones who hold the real ability to change the system, and of course they employ boxing judges to score MMA which lies at the root of the problem.

Perhaps in the future we will see former fighters become judges and referees. Maybe one day, we will witness those experienced in the grappling department tally bouts, in order to balance the background of the scorekeepers, such as Matt Hume when he was a judge in PRIDE Fighting Championships.

Every sport has its own issues with referees/judges (gymnastics, anyone?). As humans, we are naturally prone to error, but there is clearly room for improvement here and the first step is to engineer ideas which can then be perfected and realized so that the best possible outcome can be attained.

New Rules, Part One: Methods To Improve The Judging System In MMA

Jad Semaan — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:05:59 -0400

The scoring system in North American MMA is a highly contentious topic that has been discussed numerous times by various writers across the board.

There are a host of issues to be considered, but I'm sure most fans can agree that the current format has several flaws and is not as satisfactory as it could be.

Over the course of two-part series I will be offering four simple propositions on how matters can be improved, while accommodating the fact that no judging system will ever be perfect or agreed upon by everybody.

Of course, MMA in the North-West hemisphere is regulated by state and province athletic commissions and a promotion must abide by their regulations if it wishes to hold an event in a state-sanctioned venue.

Most states have now adopted the Unified Rules for Mixed Martial Arts in order to create a sense of equity. In Japan the situation is different since the sport is not regulated by any governing bodies and each promotion lays down its own rules and scoring system which usually differ from those employed stateside.

Though these ideas here could also be implemented in Japan, the current judging criteria and rules that I will be examining come primarily from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the most prominent combat-sport regulatory body in North America.

Thus I will be using the UFC as my main example and will leave an analysis of the judging in Japan to a later date.

My goal here is to stimulate realistic discussion about the topic at hand and to search for practical solutions to the problems that currently plague the scoring of MMA fights.

Thus instead of merely highlighting certain flaws I have tried to come up with various ways to rectify the situation. While judging is my primary concern, I have also made provisions for improving the quality of refereeing to be featured in part two of this series.

Proposition: Use Five or Seven Judges to Score a Fight

The problem of split decisions in extremely close fights has prompted various pundits to criticize the specific way that fights are scored in terms of the criteria that are involved.

While the topic of pertinent criteria for the judging of a match will be discussed later, one idea that I have not run across during my research is the instigation of extra judges during each contest.

MMA has adopted the ten-point must system of boxing with several modifications, but one element that has remained is the use of three judges ringside to score each bout.

These judges are not employed by any specific promotion but rather by the aforementioned athletic commissions, and to add more of them would be a bit expensive from a financial viewpoint.

There is already a shortage of well-qualified MMA judges on hand, but I think the advantages of using five or seven judges to score a match instead of three well outweighs the costs.

Dispersing several judges around the ring or cage provides them with a better viewpoint of the proceedings which can result in higher-quality scoring since a subtle technique is less likely to be missed with multiple judges watching.

The most obvious advantage of using more than three judges is when decisions are scored, especially split decisions which are the bane of every fighter's existence.

With five judges, one needs the favorable opinion of at least three to take a decision victory, and this number increases to four if seven judges are used.

This measure may very well reduce the incidence of split decisions, because the more perspectives there are the lesser the chance there is of one or two judges swaying the decision of a fight with a lousy score to the detriment of somebody’s career.

With five or seven judges we would see overall scores of 4-1, 5-2, and even 6-1 and thus be closer at arriving at a unanimous winner since the opinion of one judge will not be the difference-maker such as in a 3-judge split decision.

Though matches may still be scored on a round-by-round basis, it will be more difficult for somebody to complain that they got screwed by one or two particularly incompetent scorekeepers.

In addition to the further education of judges on the intricacies of MMA, a phenomenon which is taking place at the behest of referee "Big" John McCarthy through his course on judging and refereeing termed COMMAND (Certification of Officials for Mixed Martial Arts Development), adding judges to ringside from a technical point of view can only have a positive effect since skewered outcomes will be harder to come by with more judges needed to create an unsatisfactory decision.

Split decision scores such as three judges to two or four to three will still occur, but some pressure will be taken off of individual judges since they won't have as big a weight on them to pick the "correct" winner, though of course mistakes will always be made and controversial decisions will still occur, due to the subjective nature of the matter.

Then again, when one looks at polls which ask who fans think won a particular fight, results are often close to 50-50 and in this case the addition of judges will not fully eliminate the problem of scoring evenly-matched contests.

But the reason why we have three judges is to decrease incidences of bias and favoritism that would occur if only one judge was employed, and ideally I would like to see as many judges utilized as can be feasible both economically and logistically.

Such an emphasis is placed not only on winning but also on entertaining the crowd such that a single loss can have a huge detriment to one's career as every fighter strives not to lose their place within the organization and while trying to earn a decent living.

Nobody likes to see a fighter screwed over by an unjust decision and though this will always be inevitable to some extent, theoretically there are certain ways to minimize such instances and I believe adding extra judges can be an effective method that perhaps ought to be at least tried.

It is difficult enough to climb the ladder towards a title shot let alone compete professionally on a full-time basis and when a combatant is "robbed" unjustly then the credibility of the sport and the judges are put into question, and we certainly do not want to see any sort of corruption within the system either.

Thus the addition of judges can create the equitable atmosphere that is necessary to provide a just scoring system and though it may amount to only being a minor improvement, it can make all the difference in the world for a select few fighters who had that one extra judge on their side in a fight that they desperately needed to win and perhaps would have lost in a three-judge format.

Proposition: Weigh the Judging Criteria According to a Standardized Quantitative System

The criteria used to score a match obviously have great importance when it comes to creating a judging system which can be both universal and just. The goal here is to make the criteria as objective and transparent as possible so that fans and competitors alike will know why a fight was scored in a particular manner.

Of course, MMA employs mostly boxing judges who traditionally tend to favor the striking aspect and are not as well-versed in the ground game as the judges that you would find at a jiu-jitsu tournament, naturally enough.

While this deficiency has certainly improved within the last few years as the ground game is getting scored better, the sport of MMA is an entirely different animal than boxing and I think most fans would agree that the ten-point must system is needs some sort of overhaul in order to satisfactorily represent the nuances of an MMA battle.

Here I wish to discuss the qualitative and quantitative aspects of scoring a fight which every judge will need to take into account when scoring a winner. But I want to make it clear that I do not wish to argue here in favor of one specific criterion over another; I will save that for another time since it is an extremely subjective topic that is difficult to reach a consensus on.

My proposition is intended to work within the existing framework used for scoring fights and thus I will assume that the criteria used in North American promotions are at least adequate though perhaps not entirely perfect in their arrangement, mostly due to the fact that fights are not scored as a whole which of course would be ideal for a combat engagement.

I will say this though: I believe that the attempt to finish the fight is the most important criterion and it is not sufficiently represented under the current stipulations.

After all, rendering your opponent incapable of continuing the match, whether by knocking him out or making him submit, is basically the main goal of a fight and it should probably be a criterion that is scored separately from the others, if not as the most crucial one. But I digress.

The official criteria that the Nevada State Athletic Commission uses to rate each fighter's performance round-by-round are clean striking, effective grappling, octagon control, and effective aggressiveness.

For reference, the full scoring guidelines can be found here.

The criteria used for striking and grappling are pretty straightforward, such as landing clean, efficient strikes (accuracy) and heavy, effective strikes (power and damage).

For grappling, clean takedowns and reversals are scored evenly, and threatening with submission attempts is suppose to score points, contrary to the evidence that we have seen in some decisions.

Octagon control is basically self-explanatory, while aggressiveness is rated as the least significant factor.

Aggressiveness is defined as moving forward and scoring but is clearly not synonymous with the attempt to finish the match since one can be aggressive, reckless and relatively inefficient while fighting for a decision victory (think Clay Guida) whereas another man can get several near-submissions and is clearly trying to end the bout with every move (think Matt Wiman).

The problem here is evaluating the criteria. The NSAC rules stipulate that a sliding scale will be used to rate the criteria, and striking is weighed more heavily if 90% of a fight takes place on the feet (naturally enough) while grappling is weighed as greater if the majority of the fight takes place on the mat, though effective ground and pound is still counted when applicable.

I'm not quite sure how the judges make use of this "sliding scale," but my idea here is to give the winner of each criterion a score of 10 in every round. So whoever has the most effective striking gets ten points, whoever has better octagon control gets ten points, and so on for the four main criteria used in the evaluation.

Now, the most important criteria are striking and grappling, followed by octagon control, and then finally aggressiveness, according to the state athletic commissions. To weigh these criteria properly it is best to multiply point totals: x3 for the no.1 criterion, x2 for the no. 2 criterion and x1 for the no.3 criterion.

So whoever gets the better of grappling and striking gets thirty points for each, then twenty points for better octagon control and keep only ten points for aggressiveness, the least important criteria under current rules.

That way, by stating which fighter did better in each criterion during a round, one can come to a weighted point total which takes into to account the most important factors necessary to score an MMA match properly.

For a sample round, let’s say fighter A has superior striking and octagon control, so he gets fifty points: thirty from striking, the no.1 criterion, and twenty from octagon control, the second most important criterion.

His opponent, fighter B, would get forty points: thirty for better grappling, also the no.1 criterion, and ten for his effective aggressiveness, the third most significant factor.

So the competitor A would win the round, fifty points to forty. Of course, there is still an element of subjectivity and arbitration as one is still using the same qualitative criteria to determine who has superior striking and grappling, but at least quantifying point totals in this manner leads to greater clarification as to why a particular fighter took a certain round.

Two caveats are necessary though: if a negligent amount of grappling or striking occurs, for example, little to no takedown attempts or clinches, then octagon control and grappling should not be used to score a round and only striking and aggressiveness should count on the feet.

If the same thing occurs on the ground, like if there is little to no striking from the top or bottom position, then striking should not count as a criterion in that round and only the other three should be taken into account.

This is in fact similar to the current rules, where I mentioned above that if 90% of a fight takes place on the feet then striking is weighed more heavily than grappling (the reverse is also true), and I don’t see anything wrong with this procedure.

Of course, striking on the ground can be just as effective as grappling and should rightly be scored if it is effective and efficient enough to make a sizable difference in the outcome of the round.

My proposition attempts to eliminate theoretical cases where fighters would try to abuse the system, such as by stuffing a weak takedown attempt, getting fifty points from effective grappling and octagon control, and thus winning the round, despite getting out-struck by a more aggressive fighter (this is a hypothetical example, because in the above situation the striker would win all of the criteria, but I’m just trying to make a point).

This system also attempts to eradicate lay and pray, whereby rabbit punches do not equal superior striking on the ground and the bottom fighter can still win via threatening submission attempts and near-finishes for superior grappling; by reversals and sweeps for octagon control; and through scoring points for aggressiveness in trying to improve position and attacking the opponent.

There is one last point that I would like to make about the situation. The fighter on bottom should be able to win a match, as several contests in PRIDE FC showed. Indeed, in the NSAC rules the guard is counted as a neutral position, though one could not tell this through simple observation since the man on top is so often favored.

The problem under the current judging rules (if they were flawlessly adhered to) is that if a fighter scores a takedown and lands in the top guard position, but little else happens, then the top man takes the round.

Interestingly enough, the reverse is also true so if a fighter pulls guard, which counts as a takedown, and nothing significant happens in the round, then the bottom man takes it on the scorecard.

So this is a note to all you Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors and other grapplers: make sure you are the one who scores the takedown if you want the judges to be on your side!

What I have outlined above is just a basic sketch of a scoring system that is probably in need of some refinement, but my point is that using an objective scheme whereby fans can determine precisely how a judge scored a round in favor of a certain fighter would go a long way towards removing ambiguity and prejudice when it comes down to defining the winner of a fight.

Stay tuned for part two next time where I reveal further ways to rectify the judging situation in MMA.

The 10 Most Underutilized Techniques in MMA

Jad Semaan — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:35:59 -0400

Undoubtedly one of the best aspects of MMA is the sheer variety of techniques that fighters can use during a match and this sets it apart from other combat sports which are more limiting. There are dozens of submissions and strikes that can end a fight and some of them have been proven to be effective time and again. However, there are several good moves that aren’t as widely used by fighters yet are still significant in their ability to cause damage or make the situation more favorable for one of the combatants. My criterion of inclusion for each maneuver listed here was the move’s efficiency, ability to end a fight or improve position, relative effectiveness, degree of difficulty, and general practicality in a given situation. For the more unorthodox tactics I tried to give a bit of background on the move’s history and specifications. I also made sure to provide concrete examples of each techniques previous application in MMA so as to justify my argument for including it. Of course, I am in no position to be telling professional fighters what they should or shouldn’t be doing in a match. I just feel that some moves are unnecessarily overlooked in favor of flashier or battle-tested techniques and hope that perhaps a few of these abilities will be used more often in the future. But I have already said too much. Let us proceed to the list.

Begin Slideshow

Which Martial Art Is Best Suited for MMA?

Jad Semaan — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:42:37 -0400

Martial arts have been practiced for thousands of years. The word “martial” comes from the Latin Mars, referring to the Roman god of war (Ares in Greek mythology). The question “which style is the best?” has undoubtedly been asked since the beginning of time.

From Greek pankratiasts to Roman gladiators, from Chinese wuxia to Japanese samurai, and from chivalric knights to Shaolin monks, individual armed and unarmed combat has formed the backbone for the survival of countless cultures and societies, in addition to providing entertainment for townspeople and healthy competition for otherwise restless warriors.

It is no wonder that the early UFC events were marketed as style vs. style competitions. Back then, mixed martial arts may have been more of a spectacle than a sport, but curious spectators eagerly tuned in to see which combat art would reign supreme.

What better way to entice fans to buy a pay-per-view than to guarantee an answer to this age-old question?

MMA has evolved since the time of Royce Gracie, yet the original query remains, and the controversy has heated up over the last few years. So I asked for the opinion of my colleagues here on Bleacher Report, and this is what they had to say.

Bryan Trafford

I would love to be creative here and say Shotokan Karate is the best base for MMA, but I’d be lying. The best base for MMA that has been proven over and over again is good ol’ fashioned wrestling. Granted, one-dimensional wrestlers are no longer having the success they once had without adding to their game, but wrestlers still make the easiest transition.

A great example would be Brock Lesnar. He will have shown the world that even in 2008, where guys have evolved their games so much; a high-level amateur wrestler can still compete in MMA against the best.

It seems that wrestlers end up having the least amount left to learn as well, as they usually learn just enough jiu-jitsu to not get submitted and work primarily on their striking.

Kevin Curran

Which discipline is the best? This may be one of the questions that is most open to interpretation. However, when one examines the facts he may only come to one conclusion: Judo. Judo is a relatively new sport in the world of martial arts, but is gaining popularity quickly. The reason for this is most likely its overall usefulness, especially in MMA.

When examined closely, Judo ties in elements of jiu-jitsu and wrestling (in particular Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling). These are the two most important ground skills in MMA.

This lets a good judo practitioner control his opponent and throw him around as he pleases. The slams of a judo throw are often known to dishearten an opponent, and this can be vital to victory. Not only this, but a slam could knock out an opponent!

As a wrestler who advocates judo, many people may question me as to why I do not stick with what I know. To be honest, I believe wrestling is hugely important in MMA, both mentally and physically (weight cutting, strength, and determination are hallmarks of wrestlers).

However, I believe that judo includes this and goes beyond it. That is why judo above all is the greatest martial art in MMA competition.

Robert Desroche

Choosing only one discipline rather than a combination is difficult, but I also think it's much more to the point and provides a more interesting discussion. There's wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, boxing, Muay Thai, and on and on.

High-level judo fighters propose unique problems for fighters that aren't prepared for it. Look at the Condit vs. Miura fight, for example. Lots of fighters whose main striking style is boxing are very successful, including Rampage, Rashad, Marcus Davis, just to name a few, plus a plethora of others.

Truly, you can find top fighters that use each discipline as their main threat in a fight. So what discipline separates itself from the rest of the pack?

Let's consider Randy Couture's greatest strength. No, not wrestling, but imposing his will. Imposing your will is something very important, and that is ultimately what wrestlers do best. B.J. Penn can keep a fight standing up against almost anyone if he desires to, because of his amazing takedown defense.

Georges St. Pierre has the ability to take a fight to the ground against any fighter if he doesn't want to try his hand at the stand-up game. Wrestling is the best combat discipline for MMA because it has the ability to decide where a fight takes place.

Liddell likes to fight on the feet, Tito likes to ground and pound. Randy likes to control from the clinch, and Frankie Edgar likes to hit the switch.

Any fighter can avoid their weakest spot in a fight if they are better wrestlers than their opponent. Jiu-jitsu fighters may be forced to have striking matches against fighters they can't take down. Boxers and Muay Thai fighters may be forced to fight off their back if they lack necessary wrestling, neutralizing their entire gameplan.

Derek Bedell

A wrestling background seems to be the best art to transition into MMA. If you have stand-up skills, you can be taken down and held there, resulting in a boring decision loss. Facing a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, you will be taken down and submitted, almost all of the time.

If your wrestling ability is top notch, you can defend a takedown and avoid being in a precarious position. Some of the top men in the sport are former wrestlers: Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Matt Lindland, Rashad Evans, Dan Henderson, Josh Koscheck, Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman, and Brock Lesnar, just to name a few.

In martial arts, one of the first things you learn is balance. With a background in wrestling, the balance or base is already there. Afterwards, you can fine-tune your game with stand-up and Jiu-Jitsu, then put it all together.

Based on the previous fighters I mentioned, wrestling seems to be a great tool to start in MMA. With the success of former wrestlers in MMA, it may just prove to be the art that allows the easiest transition.

Yours Truly

I will have to argue that Combat Sambo provides the most effective base for a transition to MMA. There are five distinct styles of Sambo: Sport, Combat, Self-defense, Special, and Freestyle. They all have differing rules, rituals, emphases, and skill-sets, yet retain a similar essence. Sport Sambo is the most popular variety and is akin to amateur wrestling and judo.

For our purposes, Combat Sambo is the subgroup that resembles MMA the closest, which is why I’ve given it special consideration. All types of Sambo focus on throwing your opponent and then using techniques to quickly submit him, while leg locks are especially favored.

Samboists have excellent clinch-work and like to use hip tosses, sweeps, and trips to take the fight to the mat.

Combat Sambo was developed for use by the Soviet military. It includes striking (only while standing) along with grappling, and competitors wear shin guards, head protection, and gloves. Points are not scored for striking (there are still plenty of knockouts); yet Combat Sambo rules more closely resemble MMA than any other style.

Every type of submission is allowed (chokes are banned in Sport Sambo), while kicks are not neglected. An elite Combat Sambo practitioner is ready to start a career in MMA; the only new kind of technique he will need to learn is ground and pound.

Combat Sambo is the primary style practiced by the greatest fighter in the world, Fedor Emelianenko. How can anybody argue against that!

Conclusion

There you have it folks: five writers, five opinions, and five well-supported arguments. So, I open the perennial question to the Bleacher Report MMA community: Which combat style is best suited for MMA?

And remember: Martial arts styles rise and fall, but true warriors are remembered forever.

Is it Finally Time for an MMA World Cup?

Jad Semaan — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 04:34:13 -0400

This summer’s historical Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup must have raised a number of questions in the mind of MMA fans worldwide, such as: will we ever see a mixed martial arts equivalent of futbol’s most prestigious tournament?

Will MMA ever become an Olympic event? Will there ever be some sort of international MMA competition where fighters compete on behalf of their nations, regardless of what organization they belong to?

For the Olympic question, the list of events for the 2012 summer games has already been decided (at least nominally). If MMA does make it to the Olympics (I’d predict 2024 at the earliest), it will probably be with modified rules, similar to modern Pankration. The subject of MMA at the Olympics can form an article on its own though, and here I’d like to focus on the second possibility mentioned above.

The grand prix tournaments that were held by PRIDE FC represented the pinnacle of what MMA competition could be. So why hasn’t there been an international tournament featuring professional fighters from multiple organizations yet?

Notwithstanding the logistical difficulties of holding such a spectacle, the reluctance of the UFC (which has the largest roster in the sport) to cross-promote with other organizations is one of the main obstacles in realizing this possibility.

With the UFC favoring exclusive contracts and being very protective of their talent, the chances of them sending top fighters to compete in a global competition seems remote, especially given the probability of certain combatants getting injured and costing the company future revenues.

The UFC’s refusal to cooperate with WAMMA (World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts), the sport’s first and only independent sanctioning body, is another reason that could impede such a tournament from happening.

WAMMA, acting in a manner similar to that of FIFA or the FIA, could work with smaller promotions to hold this competition; but without the UFC’s support, the overall quality of the talent pool would be limited. It would be a truly international event only if all the top fighters and organizations participated.

Another factor to consider is that many nations, states, and provinces haven't sanctioned MMA yet. State athletic commissions need legal permission to hold MMA events, and some countries wouldn't be able to host any fights right now. Hopefully this problem will be remedied sometime in the future, so that all the participants can have home matches.

Still, if the idea of an MMA World Cup attracts enough popular attention, and if the higher-ups of MMA organizations find a way to make such a project profitable, we may see such a phenomenon sometime in the future. I’m sure that a lot of professional fighters would be eager to represent their country and prove that they are the best by competing in this tournament.

As far as the format goes, there are a number of different ways that the MMA World Cup could be held. Firstly though, the matter of participating countries has to be decided. There are many European countries that have recently started producing top MMA talent, which is why I have included them in the list.

The nations which could conceivably send high-quality fighters to the MMA World Cup are: Canada, America, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, China, Korea, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, Armenia, Italy, Croatia, Russia, Australia, Ireland, Greece, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, and Belgium, among others.

Some of those countries listed may only have two top-flight competitors right now, but in the future more will likely emerge. And the prestige of winning a medal for one’s country in the MMA World Cup may entice many promising candidates to turn pro.

Perhaps amateur fighters could be allowed to compete, which would help each nation fill out a five-man roster. There would most likely be five weight classes (equal to the UFC’s weight divisions).

The structure of the tournament would be the most difficult aspect to decide upon, but I feel that a system similar to that of the Davis Cup in men’s tennis would be most appropriate. It would be too hard to hold the entire tournament in one month and have fighters compete several times in four weeks, for various reasons.

The Davis Cup uses what are called ties, whereby two nations play five matches and whoever wins the majority moves on to the next round. In an MMA tie, two countries would have five fights, one in each weight class, and the winner moves on to the next round.

The top eight MMA nations would be ranked and play a three-round elimination tournament. Every four months, a tie is held with the higher-ranked nation hosting. The host nation chooses a venue and the fighter’s battle it out.

The next eight nations compete in a similar tournament, and the finalists are promoted to the first group (known in the Davis Cup as the World Group). The bottom two finishers in the MMA World Group get relegated. Then, the eight nations ranked below the second group proceed in a similar manner, with a fourth group if that many nations are eligible.

Countries could get points based on the number of fights they've won and finishing percentage, which helps decide the rankings. The ties could be pay-per-view events. (The promoters have to make a profit somehow, right?)

This is just a rough outline of my proposed format. Of course, countries can use different fighters for each round, so the same fighter does not have to compete four times in one year to win the MMA World Cup. The alternative is setting aside one month in the MMA calendar each year and having an elimination or round-robin tournament, where each country enrolls a certain number of fighters to participate.

The problem with that format though is that it is extremely difficult for fighters to compete three or four times in one month while staying completely healthy and at the top of their game (though Jeremy Horn may have something to say about that). And organizations such as the UFC may not want their fighters competing that often in such a short time span, against world-class competition no less.

Then again, if MMA did make it to the Olympics, a format similar to the one listed above would be used. So perhaps a Davis Cup style tournament would be more rewarding and beneficial to the health of the fighters.

There would be alternates if somebody gets injured. Also, there could be certain stipulations, such as current champions are not allowed to compete, and the nation that wins the World Cup gets a title shot for each of its athletes in their respective organizations.

The two semi-final nations could compete for third place and bronze medals. The date of the ties would have to be coordinated so as to not interfere with any major MMA events, but this shouldn’t be too much of a problem. The rule set would have to be agreed upon by every nation, but I believe that current UFC rules (perhaps without elbows) should suffice.

I haven’t touched on all the logistical difficulties that such an enterprise would entail, but hopefully I have shown that holding an MMA World Cup (whether annually or bi-annually) is feasible and even profitable. I’m sure that many MMA fans are in favor of such an idea and perhaps a lot of fighters also.

Now all we have to do is convince Dana White and the Fertitta brothers’ wallet.

Is Rousimar Palhares the Man to Beat Anderson Silva?

Jad Semaan — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:10:52 -0400

If you keep an eye on just one fighter in the near future, make sure it’s the man known as “Toquinho,” a.k.a. Rousimar Palhares. The Brazilian native is poised to carve out a name for himself in the UFC middleweight division, as he prepares to take on Dan Henderson at UFC 88.

At a stout 5'8" inches and 185 pounds, Palhares is no doubt every bit as strong as he looks. Though he may be 28, with only nine professional fights, the future looks very bright for this Jiu-jitsu standout.

Palhares has eight wins, with six coming by way of submission, and one decision loss. All of his matches were contested in Brazil, save the most current one. Though Palhares lacks any world-class championships in Jiu-jitsu (as far as I know), on the ground, he brings an impressive array of maneuvers designed for one purpose: to make his opponent quit.

After three consecutive wins by leg locks, “Toquinho” made his UFC debut against grizzled veteran Ivan Salaverry at UFC 84. The man from Dores do Indaia finished the fight within three minutes, via a very slick armbar after taking Salaverry’s back.

It may have been one of the craftiest displays of submission skills ever displayed inside the cage. If there’s one thing “Toquinho” knows how to do, it is finish MMA fights with flair.

Making a seasoned fighter like Salaverry tap out in such a dominating fashion raised a lot of eyebrows in the MMA community. With the seemingly invincible champion Anderson Silva destroying everybody put in front of him, it seems like a tall order for anybody to enter the cage with him and stay competitive, let alone win.

Yet the popular opinion amongst many MMA fans is that it will take a Jiu-jitsu expert with good wrestling to finally defeat the middleweight champion inside the octagon. Travis Lutter and Nate Marquardt failed already, but there are many more fighters who fit the bill.

Besides Palhares, other potential middleweight contenders with an extensive background in Jiu-jitsu include Demian Maia, Thales Leites, and Ronaldo “Jacare” de Souza (though the latter currently fights for DREAM in Japan). These men all pose a legitimate threat to Silva on the ground.

But Palhares has a ferociousness that you just can’t teach, and he may very well prove to be Silva’s sternest test yet, if they ever face each other. Middleweights will be hard-pressed to knock out or ride out a decision victory against the champ, but it is entirely possible to submit him, and if anyone can do it, it would be Palhares.

First he has to get past Dan Henderson though, which is no small task in and of itself.

“Toquinho” is an absolute master of the ground game, with excellent takedowns and slams to get the fight to the mat. He favors using leg locks, with his patented heel hook and kneebar serving literally as bone-crushing finishing moves.

All it takes is a few glimpses of his previous fights to see that Palhares truly is something special when it comes to the application of Jiu-jitsu in a match. This black belt always finds a creative way to end the match early, with only two of his nine fights making it past the first round.

Aggressive and tenacious, the weakest part of Palhares’ game is his stand-up, which is something that Henderson will try to exploit when they fight. “Dangerous Dan” will try to keep the fight on the feet and look for the knockout victory, while “Toquinho” will be wasting no time in trying to get the match to the ground.

Henderson has world-class Greco-Roman wrestling and an excellent clinch, but he may be susceptible to a double-leg takedown. Referred to as “Decision Dan” by his detractors, Henderson will be looking for redemption after losing his first two fights in the UFC, both for a championship belt.

Henderson traditionally hasn't fared too well against Jiu-jitsu black belts, having lost to the Noguiera brothers, Ricardo Arona, and Anderson Silva. Also, he has questionable split-decision victories over Murilo Rua and Murilo Bustamante. If the fight hits the ground, "Toquinho" should be able to pull off a submission without too much difficulty.

As for Palhares, he may be getting fast-tracked to a title shot with such a high-profile fight in only his second UFC bout. Patrick Cote is scheduled to take on Anderson Silva next, and then Yushin Okami. But after that, the title picture in the middleweight division is wide open, and a win over Henderson will propel “Toquinho” into contendership for the crown.

Right now, our protagonist is training with Brazilian Top Team, a camped that has produced such notable alumni as Ricardo Arona, Murilo Bustamante, Vitor Belfort, Paulo Filho, the Nogueira brothers, Antonio Silva, Mario Sperry, and Anderson Silva.

If one counts Brazilian Top Team Canada, which includes Georges St. Pierre and Patrick Cote, then fighters who currently train or have trained with that gym hold a majority of belts in the UFC. This is not to mention the staggering list of accolades in combat sports that all the previously mentioned athletes can boast about.

Needless to say, Palhares is practicing within the confines of a rich and storied MMA tradition, with a team that does not neglect the striking aspect of the martial arts. If Palhares improves his stand-up, there’s no telling how far his talent can take him.

The quality of his intangibles, such as “Toquinho’s” chin, conditioning, heart, and the like, will have to wait upon further examination, but he has all the tools necessary to become a contender at 185 lbs., and win the belt.

After all, there has to be somebody in the middleweight division who will beat Anderson Silva, right?

In MMA, Is Refusing To Submit Disrespectful?

Jad Semaan — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:31:47 -0400

In the realm of professional sporting competition, the concept of sportsmanship entertains a wide range of concrete expressions. From trash-talking athletes that harp on colleagues and officials to highly-respected individuals that are distinguished for their game-time etiquette, the idea (or perhaps ideal) of good sportsmanship occupies its own niche in every particular sport.

One activity common to all sporting endeavors is that of conceding defeat to your opponent. In a combat sport, such as mixed martial arts, this can take many forms. Graciously accepting defeat in a postfight interview, acknowledging the better man on that day, and not making excuses, are but a few of the verbal forms that conceding defeat might take.

However, there is a more conclusive method of admitting defeat, and it is a feat that has come to symbolize the definitive way of losing a match: tapping out. The act of submitting to an opponent, either verbally or using one’s hand (or foot) has been practiced for centuries.

Whether it is a scuffle between siblings (where the term “uncle” is often employed to signify giving up) or a contest between two highly-skilled warriors, there is no more satisfying feeling than knowing that you made your opponent give up willingly (or unwillingly, as the case may be).

MMA is advertised as a sport where two world-class athletes enter the cage and proceed to punch, kick, elbow, and knee each other in the face for 15 minutes, before embracing at the end of a hard-fought battle.

There is no doubt that MMA has showcased some of the greatest sportsman-like gestures in all of sports throughout the past decade and a half. Many top fighters and champions are exceedingly humble and gracious to their opponents, more so than can be expected.

But I raise the question: Is refusing to concede defeat to your opponent, when they have rightly deserved it, a form of unsportsmanlike conduct itself? In other words, is it disrespectful or unethical to not tap out from a submission that you cannot escape? Better yet: Do fighters have an obligation to surrender when they have been placed into a compromised position?

Some fighters may refuse to tap because they see it as dishonorable, and some don’t do it because they don’t want to give their opponent the satisfaction of beating them definitively. Many also think that they can escape the submission, or try to wait until time runs out (more on this point later).

Yet, isn’t there a set of unwritten rules hidden in the martial ethos that is adhered to by millions of practitioners worldwide that places an emphasis on honor and virtue? After all, it is difficult to disagree with the outcome of a basketball game when you have lost by 20 points.

So why is it hard for some fighters to admit losing in a legitimate manner by tapping out, when they are clearly in no position to dispute the fact? I would say that refusing to tap out is more dishonorable than trying to reject the fact that one has lost.

It is obviously more difficult to accept losing than winning, but still, it is a test of the character and integrity of an athlete to lose in a gracious and praiseworthy manner. And MMA offers an outlet (tapping out), which makes this much easier than other sports. But some fighters refuse to play by the unwritten rules of single combat, which has proven costly in numerous cases.

There are many instances of fighters refusing to submit to their opponent, for whatever reason. Perhaps the most graphic example is when Frank Mir trapped Tim Sylvia in an armbar at UFC 48 and broke his arm in three places when Sylvia didn’t tap. Fortunately, referee Herb Dean was quick to recognize what happened and stopped the fight before further damage was done.

Sylvia later remarked that Dean had saved his career. But what would have happened to his arm if the match had continued? It was a title fight, and Sylvia really wanted to win back the belt after it was stripped from him for steroid use. But that doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t have played it safe and tapped.

You can hardly blame Mir for what he did, because when you get somebody in that position, you expect them to submit. And if they don’t, then naturally enough you are going to increase the pressure, because your goal is to win the fight and the opponent ought to know when to quit after getting caught in a submission like that. It’s not jiu-jitsu practice; it’s a fight, and the proverb “tap or snap” applies in this context.

Jorge Gurgel is still feeling the effects of his match against Masakazu Imanari in 2003. Imanari, a leglock specialist, caught Gurgel in a heel hook, and cranked it when the tap didn’t come. This caused Gurgel to cry out in pain, holding his newly-shattered knee. To this day, Gurgel’s busted knee affects his movement inside the cage and his training regime. If he had tapped sooner, all of that wouldn’t have happened.

Heels hooks are banned in many jiu-jitsu and Sambo competitions for a reason, but fighters need to be educated about the effects of all kinds of submissions and learn to tap accordingly.

Many fighters have been injured due to various kinds of leg locks. Some didn’t have a chance to tap because the submission came really quickly (and the damage is done before you feel anything), but others refused to submit because they were stubborn and paid the price for it.

Some competitors want to exude an aura of invincibility or toughness, and refuse to tap after getting caught in a rear naked choke. Others simply want to go down fighting, simply not tapping and consequently falling into unconsciousness.

Many fans consider this an authentic display of heart or grit, and a choke is definitely much safer than an armbar. There are many such examples of this phenomenon in MMA. Such finishes include Phil Baroni vs. Frank Shamrock, Takanori Gomi vs. Marcus Aurelio, and Josh Koscheck vs. Drew Fickett.

Still, the fact remains that these fighters refused to acknowledge defeat after getting caught in a position from which they weren't able to escape. “Going to sleep,” as it is colloquially known, might make you look tough, but is not a sportsmanlike gesture by any means, and robs the winner of his due.

The whole point of mixed martial arts is to determine who the best fighter is, so if somebody gets you in a submission that you can’t escape, shouldn’t you acknowledge that you lost in an honorable manner? The goal is to incapacitate your opponent and make them unable to continue fighting, so fighters should grant their opponents the victory when they have earned it by locking in a submission.

And the image of fighters getting choked unconscious has done nothing to make the sport more attractive to mainstream audiences or quell the assumption that MMA is a blood sport (a misconception that is still held by many detractors).

What about the time Joe Riggs caught Jason Von Flue in a triangle choke, and the latter flipped the bird before tapping out? It wasn’t the most appropriate message to send to younger audiences, but at least Von Flue conceded defeat in the end.

It may not be MMA, but an example from jiu-jitsu competition will help illustrate my point. At the 2004 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Mundials, in the Absolute Division final, Ronalda "Jacare" de Souza fought Roger Gracie. Gracie caught "Jacare" in an armbar and broke his limb when the latter didn't tap. However, "Jacare" was able to "evade" Gracie for the rest of the fight, and consequently won the match via points.

There are many fans in the jiu-jitsu community who believe that the match should have been stopped and Gracie awarded the winner, because he got "Jacare" in a submission which ended up breaking his arm.

Putting your opponent in a submission is the purpose of jiu-jitsu competition, and when the fighter can't escape, shouldn't he tap and concede victory? But there are also those who believe that "Jacare" won the fight, so it really depends on one's own interpretation of the rules and what criteria constitute the winner of a match.

Frank Edgar was on his way to a decision victory over Tyson Griffin before getting caught in a kneebar with one minute left in the third round. Edgar held on and won the fight. But did he prove that he was a better fighter than Griffin? After all, Edgar was saved by the bell after being put in an inescapable situation. If there was no time limit (like in the early UFC days) Edgar would have had to tap and lose the fight.

A similar incident occurred between Josh Barnett and Antonio “Minotauro” Noguiera, when the latter was put into a kneebar but was also saved by the bell. Barnett received the decision victory, but he was also the one who got Nogueira into a position where only the clock could rescue him, and for all intents and purposes, Barnett won that fight (it can be argued that Griffin “beat” Edgar as well, not officially, but technically speaking).

So did Edgar, Noguiera, and "Jacare" show themselves to be better competitors, even though they were “submitted?” I am not suggesting that fighters should tap out every time they get caught in a submission, but I am trying to analyze fights from a purely combat-oriented perspective with an eye on what defines who the true winner of a match is, despite what the scorecards might say.

And if you get saved by the bell, from a certain point of view, you “lost” the fight.

Of course, fighters should do everything they can to escape a submission, but I am talking about a refusal to tap (when they aren't able to escape) which seems futile, unnecessary, dangerous, and which is at odds with the martial spirit within which MMA is supposed to be practiced (at least ideally).

There is no need for heroism and broken limbs in the cage, and safety needs to be paramount. Most fighters cannot afford to get injured and sidelined, and they are allowed to submit at any moment during a fight, for their own good. And MMA is still in its infancy, so we surely don’t need a serious incident inside the cage from somebody playing the role of the tough guy.

On the other hand, mixed martial artists really shouldn’t be holding submissions after the other fighter taps out, but that goes without saying, and could serve as the subject matter for an article on its own. But here I just wanted to raise awareness about an issue that plagues modern MMA and remains a sticking point in the discussion about ethics and sportsmanship in contemporary athletic culture.

Antonio "Big Nog" Nogueira: UFC's Unsung Champion

Jad Semaan — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:02:52 -0400

Though he holds the interim heavyweight belt, for all intents and purposes, Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira may soon be known as the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion.

With the outcome of the Randy Couture, HDNet and Zuffa litigation battle to be arbitrated by a Nevada court, and the possibility that Couture’s resignation from the UFC is finalized, it is reasonable to predict that the matchup between “Big Nog” and Frank Mir later this year will be for the official UFC Heavyweight Championship. That is if Couture is finally stripped of his title.

Nogueira has been proverbially flying under the radar since his debut in the UFC in July 2007, when he beat Heath Herring for the third time. He has fought only once since then, against Tim Sylvia last February for the interim title. However, compared to all the other UFC belt-holders, it seems that he has been receiving the least publicity.

It seems that most of the media’s attention has been focused on fighters like BJ Penn, Georges St. Pierre, Anderson Silva, and the stacked light-heavyweight division. One heavyweight who has gotten a lot of press time lately is Brock Lesnar. However, this is mostly because Nogueira is not as well-acquainted with casual American fight fans, having spent most of his career fighting in Japan.

This should change with the debut of the Ultimate Fighter 8 on September 17, when Nogueira and Mir will be the head coaches to be featured on national television. The weight classes for this season will be light-heavyweight and lightweight. It was confirmed that Nogueira brought in fellow Black House training fighters Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida to train his stable of fighters.

There exists a simple fact known by hardcore MMA fans around the world that is worth repeating here for those who aren’t as well informed. It goes like this: if it wasn’t for a certain Fedor Emelianenko, then Nogueira would be regarded as the greatest fighter in the world and of all time.

Of course, throughout history, if it wasn’t for a few select individuals, a lot of things would have worked out differently. Still, it must be very difficult to accept being second-best at anything, especially a full contact sport such as mixed martial arts.

Nogueira had to learn this lesson the hard way when he lost to Emelianenko twice in PRIDE FC: once where he lost his heavyweight title and a second time which was for the title and the heavyweight Grand Prix Championship.

Other than these two defeats, Nogueira has losses to Dan Henderson and Josh Barnett. But he has since avenged those losses, and the only remaining blemishes on his record are the fights with Emelianenko. If the Russian phenom wasn’t in the mix, Nogueira would be rated as the No. 1 fighter on the planet right now.

Nogueira became PRIDE’s first heavyweight champion in 2001, and for the next two years was the most feared fighter in all of MMA. He has arguably the most impressive resume of any heavyweight fighter, even more so than Emelianenko.

The Brazilian fighter has wins over Fabricio Werdum, Josh Barnett, Bob Sapp, Heath Herring (x3), Sergei Kharitonov, Dan Henderson, Mirko Filipovic, Ricco Rodriguez, Mark Coleman, Gary Goodridge, Pawel Nastula, and Jeremy Horn. Few other fighters, if any, can match the quality of competition that Nogueira has faced.

“Minotauro” is known for his legendary chin and inhuman durability, having never been knocked out or even finished in 37 fights. In fact, not even a truck could put him away, because as a child he was literally run over by a truck.

He spent four days in a coma and eleven months in the hospital before being released. The accident left a huge scar visible on Nogueira’s back, which is the easiest way to distinguish him from his twin brother Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Rogerio is commonly referred to as "Little Nog," and competes in MMA's light-heavyweight division.

Nogueira has exceptional jiu-jitsu, with 19 of his 31 wins coming by way of submission. He may not have the best pure jiu-jitsu in the world, but he has adapted it to MMA like nobody else. “Big Nog” also has underrated technical striking and good wrestling ability, with a solid clinch.

The amount of punishment that Nogueira has absorbed throughout his career is simply inhuman, yet he keeps coming back and winning. He had a cataract in one of his eyes, and after having it removed, is reported as only having 20 percent vision in that eye.

Minotauro is known to take a beating early on in his fights, eventually wearing out his opponent and then submitting them or winning by decision. His epic battle with Bob “The Beast” Sapp is a perfect example of this tendency, where Sapp performed a pile driver on Nogueira that would have paralyzed most fighters. Nogueira eventually arm-barred the 6' 5", 375 lb. man after a brutal four minutes of being punched in the face.

It remains to be seen how much longer Nogueira’s body can hold out, he is 32 right now and has been fighting for nearly a decade. After the wars that he has been through, “Minotauro” has probably taken the equivalent amount of punishment that 30 years in the ring would entail.

Nogueira’s illustrious career was made in Japan but his tenure in America is just beginning. His appearance on the Ultimate Fighter 8 will be his coming-out party, so to speak. Sure, he gained popular acclaim stateside after beating Tim Sylvia, but his career in the UFC will really take off after this season airs and if he beats Frank Mir to regain his title.

Currently listed as the No. 2 heavyweight in the world by most rankings, it is a wonder why Noguiera is hardly included in any pound-for-pound debates. Among fighters who aren’t ranked No. 1 in their division, he is the best of the rest, and deserving of a place in the top 10 P4P ranking.

Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira may not be a household name, but just like how he finishes his opponents, it is only a matter of time before he gets the acclaim in North America that he deserves.

Art of War: The Rise of MMA in China

Jad Semaan — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:45:52 -0400

Among the world’s preeminent nations, China retains perhaps the oldest and richest martial-arts legacy and warrior culture.

From ancient combat in the Warring States period and Three Kingdoms era, to influential military manuals such as the Art of War, and to styles such as Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Ji Quan, hardly any other civilization can trace such an outstanding historical resume in regards to the development and perpetuation of battle techniques, strategies, and expertise in every kind of armed and unarmed conflict.

Thus, it should be no surprise that the world’s fastest-growing sport has finally come to the world’s most populous country. The first promotion to hold a professional MMA event in the People’s Republic of China was the aptly-named Art of War Fighting Championship (not to be confused with America’s Art of War Undisputed Arena Fighting Championship).

Their inaugural event took place on Nov. 6, 2005 at the Beijing Sports University. They have held 10 events in total, all in mainland China.

Of course, a promotion is nothing without a stable of upper-tier fighters to support it. Art of War FC has played host to some of China’s best MMA fighters, including multiple world judo champions, karate champions, wrestling champions, and several Olympians.

Foreign talent has also competed in China, notably European Muay Thai champion Filippo Cinti of Italy, DEEP superstar Jeong Ho Lee of Korea, and Japan’s own Setsuka Tayeda, a practitioner of Karate and Jiu-jitsu.

Many Chinese MMA fighters are proficient in Sanshou (or Sanda) and have competed professionally in that discipline. Sanshou is the style of current Strikeforce Middleweight champion Cung Le.

It emphasizes striking and wrestling, with an abundance of throws and trips. Fighting on the ground is not permitted, however. Still, Sanshou has served as an adequate base from which Chinese fighters have developed a better-rounded repertoire of skills.

A large audience for the fighters results in unprecedented exposure. Art of War became the first MMA promotion to be aired on CCTV-5, which is China’s largest sports broadcasting platform.

It reaches a worldwide audience of one billion people. Art of War IV, held on Dec. 29, 2006, set the record for the single largest MMA event broadcasted to the world.

Success brings with it renewed anticipation and vigor.

In March 2008, Art of War FC signed a broadcasting agreement that will bring the tournament into the homes of 200 million viewers around the country on a weekly basis, including such regions as Macau, New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong. This move is expected to bring a whole new level of popularity to the rising phenomenon of MMA in China.

Matchups in the Art of War Fighting Championship regularly feature foreigners fighting against Chinese combatants. These are the types of fights that really please the audience, and they add a sort of tournament atmosphere to the proceedings.

PRIDE FC, in Japan, did something similar; as the fans there loved to watch their heroes compete against fighters from other countries.

Weight classes start at 60 kg (132 lbs) and go up by 6 kg all the way to heavyweight, which is 96 kg and above (211.5 lbs). The cards usually feature 12 bouts. The largest live crowd so far has been 4,000 persons, and this was at Art of War III, held at the Xi’an Communications University on Mar. 25, 2006.

There are no belt holders for each division yet.

Though all eyes will be on China for the upcoming summer Olympics, it is unfortunate that MMA, or its older brother, Pankration, is not an Olympic event yet. Jim Arvanitis, the “Father of Modern Pankration,” tried to get his sport sanctioned for the Olympics in Athens 2004. However, the bid was rejected. There has been much talk recently about introducing MMA in its current form to the Games sometime in the future.

However, if this happens, I think it will follow the rules of current Pankration or amateur MMA, instead of the rules that we would traditionally see inside the cage. I also think that only amateurs would be allowed to compete, similar to boxing in the Olympics.

Yet, there is still hope that we may see an international MMA event someday, with professional fighters representing their countries in a tournament-style competition, similar to the Davis Cup in tennis. Or the format could resemble soccer’s World Cup. But such speculation is perhaps best reserved for a future article.

It seemed like only a matter of time before MMA came to the homeland of such revered combat-oriented historical figures as Sun Tzu, Zhuge Liang, and Bruce Lee. China’s legacy in warfare and the martial arts is far-reaching and distinguished. Thus, the Art of War Fighting Championship is the perfect way to introduce MMA to China’s vast audience.

And who knows? Maybe the next great mixed-martial-arts champion will come from the land known to the natives as Zhongguo, the “middle kingdom.”

MMA: Fedor to Fight Arlovski

Jad Semaan — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:36:17 -0400

The French website Fightsport.fr revealed that Fedor Emelianenko's next opponent will be Belarusian fighter Andrei Arlovski.

The source: Fedor himself.

Emelianenko said that he wants to get back in the ring as soon as possible against the best heavyweights in the world and make up the lost time that he spent this year.

Fedor confirmed that he would be fighting in Japan on New Year's Eve, possibly against Mirko Cro Cop.

The next Affliction event is slated to be held in November, but Fedor is pushing for an October date against Arlovski, so that he can better prepare for his December match in the land of the rising sun.

The Russian legend also stated his wish of fighting Josh Barnett in March in America.

Source: http://www.fightsport.fr/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=784

MMA: Will the "True" Andrei Arlovski Appear at Affliction: Banned?

Jad Semaan — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:01:17 -0400

There was a time when the adjectives violent, fearless, dangerous, aggressive, and lightning-quick were but a few of the words that accurately described the Belarusian phenom known as Andrei Arlovski. Epitomizing the phrase, “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” the “Pitbull” proverbially struck fear into the hearts and minds of those who opposed his reign as the UFC heavyweight champion.

After an impressive six-fight winning streak that stretched three and a half years, with none of those matches reaching the seven-minute mark, Arlovski ran into an obstacle that he hasn’t yet been able to overcome mentally: his first defeat to Tim Sylvia at UFC 59 in April 2006.

Arlovski felt victory within his grasp after scoring a knockdown, but got reckless and ran right into an uppercut that felled him. The resulting barrage of strikes led to a technical knockout for the challenger Sylvia. This fight occurred a year after Arlovski beat Sylvia in 47 seconds with a straight ankle lock.

What came next was a relatively unexciting rubber match where neither fight did enough to prove that they deserved to win, but the decision would end up going to the champion Sylvia. Their third bout serves as the premier example for those who prescribe to the theory that you have to decisively take the belt away from the holder, which Arlovski clearly did not do.

It was later revealed that Arlovski suffered a leg injury in the second round after one of his kicks was blocked, and Sylvia received a concussion during the bout. Nevertheless, it was far from the best performance of their careers, and it seemed that the memory of the second fight was still in Arlovski’s head.

Running through a division with several knockout victories in a row, only to suffer the same fate yourself, can severely hamper a fighter’s confidence and create seeds of everlasting doubt. This seems to be what happened to the former heavyweight champ. It was unknown if Arlovski could or would recover to his championship form after his fall from grace.

The “Pitbull” would return to the Octagon five months later against jiu-jitsu wizard Marcio Cruz. Arlovski looked focused and prepared, and landed a huge right hand off of his back after being taken down. The referee stopped the fight shortly after Arlovski pounced on the dazed Cruz. It was a good start on his road back to the title.

However, in April 2007, Arlovski would fight against another jiu-jitsu specialist, Fabricio Werdum. The “Pitbull” did not want to go to the ground in this fight, and was very cautious on the feet. The result was a lackluster striking contest which resulted in repeated booing by the crowd. Arlovski apologized for his performance after winning by decision.

After the Werdum fiasco, Arlovski got into a contract dispute with the UFC. He had one fight left on his contract, and wanted to renegotiate for more money. However, the UFC did not want to pay up, citing his performance against Werdum as “boring.” The UFC wanted him to sign a new contract before he fought again for less money, implying that Arlovski had nowhere else to fight and that they had the upper hand in negotiations.

So Arlovski sat on the bench for nearly a year, and waited to have his last match just before his contract expired. He fought the undefeated Jake O’ Brien on the first day of March at UFC 82, on the undercard. Arlovski won by TKO in the second round, but was losing the fight before then. He looked passive standing up, and got taken down a couple of times before tripping O’ Brien and finishing him from the mount position.

Arlovski has left the UFC for the moment, signing a three-fight deal with the Affliction promotion. He is slated to fight IFL superstar Ben Rothwell on July 19 for Affliction’s first card, the aptly named Affliction: Banned. Rothwell is on a 13-fight winning streak, and is prepared for his strictest test yet as he aims for a spot in the upper-echelon of MMA’s heavyweight division.

Rothwell’s strength lies in his striking capabilities, so this fight will most likely take place on the feet. But will Arlovski show the tenacity and aggression that led him to the UFC championship? Or will he remain gun shy like in his last four fights? The Arlovski that beat Paul Buentello and Tim Sylvia in a minute combined would dispatch of Rothwell with relative ease.

The Arlovski who scraped by Werdum and Jake O’ Brien will struggle against Rothwell. Sometimes, the “Pitbull” can seem predictable as he looks to land that huge straight right hand of his. “Big Ben,” as Rothwell is also called, packs quite a punch himself, with most of his victories coming by way of knockout also. And just because he may have not fought top competition yet, does not mean he cannot beat a ranked fighter.

The “Pitbull” came back strong after starting his UFC career with one win and two losses. In order to wear the gold around his waist again, he will need to find the intensity and fire that he had in his fight with Ian Freeman at UFC 40. That victory inaugurated a dominant winning streak that has been matched by only a handful of fighters.

Arlovski wants to finish Rothwell by knockout, but will need to be confident and aggressive; otherwise it will be a long night for him. In many instances, an athlete may reach a mental hurdle that he can’t overcome, which prevents him from reaching the next level of excellence. A mere two years ago, fans were pandering for a fight between Arlovski and Fedor Emelianenko to determine the No. 1 heavyweight in the world.

Now, fans just want to see Arlovski return to his exciting ways, because he has all the physical tools and combat potential that one could ask for. If he recoups mentally and regains the confidence in his abilities that he once had, he can threaten and beat any heavyweight. Arlovski is currently training with legendary boxing coach Freddie Roach, and might be making his pro boxing debut this September, though nothing has been confirmed yet.

MMA fans joke that Arlovski needs to grow back his beard, locks, and body hair in order to return to his previously frightening and intimidating self. Perhaps “Wolfman” or “Wolverine” is a more appropriate nickname for Arlovski than “Pitbull,” given the fangs that he wears for a mouth guard.

No matter what his nickname may be, if the Arlovski who won the UFC belt makes an appearance on July 19, it could be the start of another reign of terror in MMA’s heavyweight division.

And that is a proposition other fighters are hoping does not come to fruition.

Rebirth of Modern Pankration: The Origins of MMA, Part Three

Jad Semaan — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:56:48 -0400

Picking up where my last article on the history of MMA left off (part two can be found here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/30004-roman-gladiator-games-the-origins-of-mma-part-two), this piece and the one after it chronicle the resurgence of modern pankration by a select few pioneering individuals. Their achievements were instrumental to the creation and popularity of mixed martial arts as we know it.

Three pivotal figures involved in this process: Jim Arvanitis (pictured), Aris Makris, and Bruce Lee. This article discusses what the first two brought to the table as they sought to develop the most complete and effective fighting system possible; in tandem with their goal of reviving the lost Greek art of pankration.

The fourth part in my series (I changed it from four to five articles) analyzes the contributions of Bruce Lee and his quest to create an efficient and practical form of combat. His martial arts philosophy and unique Jeet Kune Do “style” will be examined in relation to current MMA and its core principles. Lee’s merit as a martial artist, actor, and advocate of cross-training methods is also a focus of my research.

The fifth and final article examines the innovations of the Gracie family, including their adaptation of judo into a more refined and ground-based style, and the role of vale tudo matches in Brazil as a precursor to modern MMA competition. The birth of promotions that preceded the UFC (such as Shooto and Pancrase) will also be profiled.

The Father of Modern Pankration: Jim Arvanitis

Current MMA is a modified form of the pankration that the ancient Greeks practiced (the first article of this series explores this point more fully). Thus it is fitting that the man responsible for the resurgence of modern pankration would be Greek in every sense of the word (he also claims a Spartan heritage).

Jim Arvanitis may not be a household name, but his work in the field of martial arts is legendary. A Greek-American from New England who began his training in the martial arts at the tender age of 8 (in the 1950’s), Arvanitis proclaimed that his mission in life was to revive the style of no-holds-barred combat practiced by his ancestors, while adding to it any new techniques that he found to be of value.

Arvanitis commenced his training with Greco-Roman wrestling, Western-style boxing and French Savate. He also trained in Eastern martial arts, including Muay Thai and Judo. Yet he found traditional martial arts such as Karate to be lacking in practical value, and hindered with numerous forms and rituals that were not helpful in single combat against a real-life proponent.

Arvanitis was extremely dedicated to his quest to resuscitate pankration, and researched all that he could about ancient Greek history and warfare. He realized that to become a truly feared combatant, one had to be versed both in striking and grappling techniques, and this meant being able to finish a fight both on the feet as well as on the ground.

Taking what he perceived as useful from every style that he knew, and utilizing techniques from the ancient sources as a blue-print, Arvanitis created in 1968 a style that he labeled Mu Tau pankration (a Greek acronym for “Martial Truth”).

In 1973, while in his twenties, Arvanitis was featured on the cover of Black Belt magazine. He had impressed the editors so much with his skills that they immediately decided to write an article about him, and that piece became the first exposure point of pankration to modern audiences.

Arvanitis would go on to showcase his abilities and martial arts philosophy through many other outlets, including television appearances, books, and instructional videos. His efforts led to an increase in world-wide awareness of the pankration style of combat, and all of this was still two decades before the UFC had gotten underway.

He faced much hardship, criticism, and ridicule for his efforts, as other fighters and the media still favoured traditional Eastern martial arts, but persevered as one of the earliest martial artists to start cross-training in various styles. Arvanitis eventually opened his own school, known as the Spartan Academy of Modern Pankration.

Arvanitis went on to give public seminars and private lessons as he traveled across the country promoting his art. He has trained body guards, actors, SWAT members, film makers, and prepared ground troops for hand-to-hand combat in the Persian Gulf War.

He has also competed in various official tournaments and non-sanctioned events with outstanding results, proving the efficacy of pankration and his holistic approach to combat. He trains rigorously every day to improve his skills and perfect his style.

Arvanitis highly emphasized conditioning and diet, and employed a variety of methods to increase functional strength and power. He incorporated combat elements from various arts into his all-encompassing style (such as using Thai elbows instead of traditional pankration elbows for attacking).

He went on to receive numerous accolades and has been inducted into several Halls of Fame, proving that he is worthy of the moniker, “The Father of Modern Pankration.” Today, Arvanitis works on promoting the art of pankration all over the world, and even tried to get it sanctioned for the 2004 Olympics in Greece (though his bid failed).

Arvanitis is very proud of his Greek heritage, and is a firm believer of the theory that Eastern martial arts developed as a result of the dissemination of pankration throughout the Asian subcontinent by the conquests of Alexander the Great (though historians fiercely argue about this theory and the true origins of Asian martial arts). Yet Arvanitis set the benchmark for others to follow, which takes us to another Greek innovator, Aris Makris.

Aris Makris: The Popularizer

Following on the heels of Arvanitis’ success, Aris Makris would take the exposure of pankration to a truly global level. An advocate of practicality and tradition, Makris emphasized the purpose behind the invention of pankration in ancient Greece: battlefield combat. In other words, pankration is an art of war.

Makris’ goal was to return pankration to its combat-specific roots, and eliminate the bucket-load of theatricality and impracticality that was filling up contemporary pankration schools. He opened the Spartan Pankration Academy of Canada in 1985 in Laval, Quebec.

Citing Bruce Lee as one of his idols, and having a working-relationship with Jim Arvanitis, Makris would turn his academy into one of the few authentic pankration dojos in the world. At his school, there is a very keen emphasis on being adept in all facets of combat, and the lives of ancient Greek masters are closely studied in order to understand the finer aspects of being a warrior.

Makris contends that pankration is a way of life, a philosophy, an ethical code of conduct, and not just a style that simply borrows the best techniques from others. He believes in nurturing the harmony between striking and grappling, and that one must understand the human body and its capabilities in order to become a complete fighter.

Makris, now in his forties, works with pankration organizations to set up global tournaments that promote the sport. He is a member of the International Federation of Pankration Athlima, which is a worldwide governing body of the sport (similar to FIFA for soccer).

Pankration competitions today have slightly different rules than MMA, but are increasing in popularity due to the efforts of individuals such as Makris and organizations like the IFPA. The sport is popular among amateur enthusiasts from Greece and other European countries, while Makris’ school in Canada is still the top place to study this ancient art in all its authenticity.

Arvanitis would stake his claim to fame by using a holistic approach and integrating a variety of combat-oriented training methods to improve the fighting abilities of his students. Makris is highly-sought after by law enforcement agencies and Special Forces units for these reasons.

He spent 30 years researching and perfecting the art of pankration, and the fruit of his labour is chronicled in the History Channel’s Human Weapon series, “Pankration: The Original Martial Art.” Makris’ emphasis on the combat elements of his style rapidly gained him worldwide recognition as the foremost popularizer of pankration, and as a worthy counterpart to Jim Arvanitis.

Through the efforts of both these men, pankration has enjoyed a global renaissance, and awareness of this millennia-old sport is reaching new heights every day. With organizations such as the IFPA setting up competitions for aspiring athletes, it is possible that the next great MMA fighter may come from a pankration background.

Arvanitis and Makris also have positive comments regarding the UFC and MMA. They believe that our sport can indeed be a proving ground for effective techniques and tactics, though they concede that the limitations of the rules make an MMA fight much different than a street fight.

However, Makris and Arvanitis give credit to MMA as an emerging sport, and note that it’s really just a modified form of the pankration practiced by the ancient Greeks, which they worked their entire lives to revive. And both of them commend the athletic prowess and combat capabilities of current MMA fighters. Perhaps their children will one day step into the cage to show us what they’ve learned?

Look out for part four of this series which details another modern pioneer of the “all powers” approach: Bruce Lee.

MMA: Affliction Reveals First Card, Includes Arlovski-Rothwell and Barnett-Rizzo

Jad Semaan — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:56:25 -0400

According to several reliable sources, Affliction has confirmed many rumoured match-ups while adding several new ones to its inaugural event set for July 19 in Anaheim, Calif.

The card features several of the world’s top heavyweights and established fighters from other divisions and promotions.

Affliction, a clothing-based company, sponsors many pro fighters but was recently banned from appearing at UFC and Elite XC events.

These organizations do not want to promote a rival organization by having their fighters wear Affliction clothing.

In an ironic twist, Affliction has decided to name their first event Affliction: Banned. The main card will be shown on pay-per-view, while the undercard may be shown on the premium broadcast channel HDNet.

Negotiations between the two companies over broadcasting rights continue. The event was originally scheduled to take place in Dallas. The venue was then moved to The Pond in Anaheim.

A fight between top 10 heavyweight and former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski and IFL superstar Ben Rothwell is expected to happen.

Rothwell is also currently signed with another promotion, Adrenaline MMA. He will miss Adrenaline’s first card on June 14 but is slated to fight for them in September.

Arlovski is on a three-fight win streak, while Rothwell has won 13 in a row and remains undefeated in the IFL. Arlovski will be a huge test for Rothwell, as he looks to establish himself as one of the premier heavyweights in MMA.

Also on the card, top heavyweights Josh Barnett and Pedro Rizzo will be having their second fight against each other. The latter won their first meeting by knockout back in 2001. Middleweight contender Matt Lindland will be on the card as well.

Aleksander Emelianenko is scheduled to fight Paul Buentello in a bout that promises to be a slugfest, while light-heavyweights Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Mike Whitehead prepare to combat each other.

Affliction: Banned features as a main event the highly-anticipated match-up between Top Five heavyweights Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia.

Fedor wants to reassert his position as the No. 1 ranked heavyweight in the world, while Sylvia is looking to become the first man to legitimately defeat Fedor in MMA competition.

Affliction will be looking to make a splash with their first card as they enter the ever-competitive world of mixed martial arts. Here is the full card (subject to change):

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia
Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo
Ben Rothwell vs. Andre Arlovski
Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Paul Buentello
Matt Lindland vs. Fabio Negao
Renato Sobral vs. Mike Whitehead
Savant Young vs. Mark Hominick
Brett Cooper vs. Mike Pyle
Ray Lamaza vs. Justin Levens
JJ Ambrose vs. Patrick Speight

Sources for this article include: mmahq.com, cagepotato.com, siteground190.com

MMA: Affliction's First Card with Sylvia-Fedor No Longer in Dallas or on HDNet

Jad Semaan — Sun, 04 May 2008 15:05:00 -0400

The scheduled location for Affliction’s inaugural MMA event on July 19 no longer appears to be Dallas. Sources close to the negotiations between Affliction and HDNet have reported that the proposed deal for the venue and broadcasting rights has fallen through.

The event was supposed to take place at the American Airlines Centre. The arena and HDNet, an HDTV cable network, is owned by billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban who also owns the basketball team the Dallas Mavericks.

Cuban was in talks with Affliction, a company that makes shirts currently worn by many pro fighters and who had planned on starting its own MMA promotion.

The deal was that the preliminary fights would be broadcast on HDNet in order to boost sales for the pay-per-view to be shown directly after.

The main event is slated to be a contest between former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia and former PRIDE FC heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko, who is considered to be one of the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the world, if not the absolute best.

Sylvia is rumored to earn $800,000 for the fight with a win bonus of $200,000. Fedor will earn between $1.5 and $2 million dollars. Middleweight fighter Matt Lindland is also scheduled to be on the card.

The rumored bankroll for the card is around $5-6 million. These details raise questions as to how long Affliction can survive as a promotion with a limited roster and huge payouts, which will almost certainly net them an early financial loss.

This is not the first time that Affliction has faltered when negotiating with other companies over broadcasting rights.

According to earlier reports, Affliction was in talks with Oscar De Le Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions as a potential partner. The goal was later to secure a deal with HBO, a premium cable provider, but that deal was abandoned also.

Famed UFC personality and champion Randy Couture, who has been sponsored by Affliction, stated on a radio program Saturday night that the event might be held at The Pond in Anaheim, Calif. He broke the news while on “Rear Naked Radio” on 105.3 FM in Dallas.

In related news, rival promotion EliteXC has banned its fighters from wearing Affliction clothing at its events, following in the footsteps of the UFC, which did the exact same thing a short while ago.

These two organizations understandably do not want to promote a competing organization on their own turf. Some fighters have complained, saying that Affliction constituted 50 percent of their sponsorship money.

If Affliction cannot get a broadcasting deal in the next two months then their card may be solely on pay-per-view. They have not had an official press release regarding the unveiling of their new promotion.

The Path to Redemption: Rich Franklin vs Travis Lutter at UFC 83

Jad Semaan — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:01:20 -0400

It’s always a little clichéd to call a fighter’s next match the most important of his life. But in the cases of Rich Franklin and Travis Lutter, nothing could be closer to the truth.

Both are coming off a loss to the UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. While losing to Silva is not shameful in itself, they have been put into a compromised position due to their circumstances.

Lutter had won the Ultimate Fighter 4 tournament and was guaranteed a title shot against Silva last year. However, he embarrassingly did not make the required weight, and the bout was turned into a three-round non-title match-up. He was submitted in the second round.

This blunder did not leave a good impression on fans, who booed him on his way to the cage. Lutter feels that he disrespected the MMA community and especially Dana White by not making weight, and thinks that some people still hold a grudge against him.

Referring to the upcoming Franklin fight, he said, “I guess I’m gonna get booed pretty good again.” Yet Lutter arguably fared better than anyone else against Silva in the UFC, taking the fight into the second round and even mounting him at one point.

Now Lutter has a chance to make up for his mistakes, and a win over the former champion would catapult him closer to another shot at Silva.

It’s a rematch that he wants badly, and with a relative lack of clear-cut contenders in the middleweight division, it’s a fight Lutter may get if he strings a couple of high-profile wins together. He also says that he matches up well against both Silva and Rich.

Franklin has his own reasons to be worried about this fight. He has lost to Silva by tko twice, with Silva taking his title and breaking his nose the first time. It is improbab;e that they will meet up for a third time. But Franklin doesn’t plan on going anywhere yet.

“Anderson’s not the only great fighter out there,” he replied. “There are other fighters out there for me to fight, so I do see other challenges out there for me.”

An ex-high school math teacher, Franklin occupies a tricky position in the division. He is the former champ and can hang with anybody at 185 pounds, but until somebody dethrones Silva, the odds of him wearing the gold again seem slim.

A loss to Lutter would be devastating, for it would push Franklin farther down the ladder and make him reevaluate what he wants to accomplish in his career. His future as a middleweight will also be called into question.

There’s always the option of moving back to 205 pounds, because there are lots of intriguing match-ups for Rich in that division with a host of contenders for the title. Yet Franklin would not have the size advantage over his opponents that he enjoys at middleweight.

Regardless of the outcome of the Lutter fight, there is enough talent at 185 to keep Rich occupied and on his toes.

If Dan Henderson stays at middleweight, a fight between the two remains a possibility, and the UFC could market it as an All-American contest between two former champions seeking lost glory.

Middleweights such as Demian Maia, Ricardo Almeida, Ed Herman, and Patrick Cote are battling for a shot at Silva and a fight with Franklin would make an excellent test for them.

Yushin Okami may get the next title shot, as he has unfinished business with Silva. His only loss in the UFC has been to Rich.

Meanwhile, Anderson Silva has been running through his UFC competition, winning six fights decisively and is now considered to be one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world.

The Franklin/Lutter will help establish a hierarchy throughout the division, and possibly cement Lutter as one of the top dogs. Conversely, Franklin wants to bounce back and assert himself as the no. 2 fighter at middleweight.

Regarding their styles, Franklin has greater striking skills while Lutter has better jiu-jitsu and wrestling. Lutter will most likely get the takedown; what he does with it will determine how the fight goes.

If Lutter is unable to pull off a submission or tko victory on the ground, he may grind out a decision unless Franklin is able to knock him out. If Franklin can sprawl and brawl, then he should walk away the victor.

Franklin’s ground skills should not be underestimated, and he may be able to fend off Lutter long enough to warrant a stand-up. Lutter can strike, but Franklin has a definite edge in that department and will be looking for the k.o.

This will be the first UFC event to take place in Canada, and it was the fastest-selling card in history. As the co-main event, Franklin and Lutter will be feeling the heat in Montreal and looking to deliver.

With stakes this high, both men might be a little reluctant to come out aggressive, fearing to commit a fatal mistake. Yet a boring or disappointing fight is the last thing that either fighter needs, which is why I think they will be looking to impress.

It has been joked that Rich Franklin can always go back to teaching math after losing to Silva again. For his teaching credentials, Lutter runs a jiu-jitsu academy in Texas.

Yet they both want to prove that they belong at the top of the division as professional fighters, and as such, this fight will be critical in determining the rest of their respective careers. This is also Lutter’s first fight in over a year, and it remains to be seen how the layoff will affect him.

Not only does the outcome matter, but also the performance of both fighters as this will be essential to judging how well they have recovered from their setbacks. Whoever can handle the pressure better and execute their game plan will be victorious.

The path to redemption is long and arduous, the obstacles uncompromising and relentless. But the final goal, the summit at the top, is ultimately worth it. Don’t believe me? Just ask Rich Franklin and Travis Lutter.

Battle of Cheesy Nicknames: Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon at UFC Fight Night 13

Jad Semaan — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:29:39 -0400

The nicknames "Ken-Flo" and "J-Lau" probably don't strike fear into the hearts of opponents. Some fans have jokingly responded by saying that the winner of this match-up should be able to change their nickname. But the skills and potential of Kenny Florian (8-3) and Joe Lauzon (16-3) are hard to deny, regardless of whatever alias they choose to take. Their main event fight on April 2nd at UFC Fight Night 13 in Colorado promises to be an affair that will have serious repercussions on the stacked lightweight division of the UFC.

As alumni from the popular television show The Ultimate Fighter, both Florian and Lauzon enjoy a growing fan base that has been eagerly awaiting this all-important match-up. Florian was a finalist on the first season of TUF, and has fought the former lightweight champion Sean Sherk. Lauzon gained notoriety after knocking out the original lightweight champ, Jens Pulver, in 48 seconds in a fight where he was a 7 to1 underdog. Both combatants have six wins in their last seven fights and are looking to become the top contender in the division with a victory on Wednesday.

Florian fights out of Boston and has been practicing with Nexus Martial Arts. His training partners for this fight included Murilo Rua, Patrick Cote, Marcus Davis, and Jorge Rivera, amongst others.

Lauzon was also born in Massachusetts, and has a degree in computer science from a Boston college. He has been training with BJ Penn in Hawaii. Penn is slated to fight for the lightweight title against Sean Sherk on May 24 at UFC 84. Penn suggested that Lauzon take the nickname "Creepy," but fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view) he ended up going with "J-Lau."

Recent controversy brewed when Lauzon criticized Florian’s reaction after the latter’s victory over Din Thomas. Thomas had blown out his knee during the fight, and Florian was not aware of that when he gave his post-fight victory speech, emphasizing that he “finishes fights.” Lauzon said he would not celebrate in that manner if his opponent had injured himself during the fight.

Florian responded by saying that he was unaware of what happened until after the fight, and that “Joe is being pretty stupid” (about the whole ordeal). He also referred to Lauzon as “little BJ Penn,” since they have been training together and Penn is known for his sharp tongue.

A little bit of animosity can give fighters the edge they need to secure a win.

Both men are well-rounded athletes with good conditioning, so cardio should not be an issue here. Florian has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is trained in Muay Thai. He possesses sharp elbows that can cut up any opponent and leg kicks that sting. Lauzon has showed some power in his hands but his specialty is on the ground, where he uses his speed and submission skills to tap out his opponents.

Lauzon will most likely overwhelm Florian on the mat, possibly stopping him in the first or second round. Florian can never be counted out though, due to his heart and elbows that can end a fight at any moment.

Yet, I think Lauzon will be very aggressive and force a submission or tko, and if not, look for him to earn the decision victory. Lauzon will be looking to pass guard and then do some damage to set up a finishing submission.

On the feet, I give Florian the edge, but I think most of this fight will take place on the ground. Lauzon has more experience, yet Florian has had more fights in the Octagon.

Lauzon returns after a very impressive submission victory where he choked out Jason Reinhardt in one minute. Florian will be looking to impress and move back into title contention. The winner of this fight will climb the lightweight rankings, possibly towards a shot at the belt later this year.

Lauzon is focused and should be sharp after training with Penn for this fight. Florian is motivated and will be prepared for a war. UFC Fight Night 13 is loaded with superb lightweight action, and the main event will be the proverbial icing on the cake. Let the battle of cheesy nicknames commence.