Bleacher Report - Articles by The Yacman Ron Yacovetti

UFC 104 & The Blind Flu: A Cage-Side Epidemic

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:02:00 -0400

By Ron "The Yacman" Yacovetti

The Scene: UFC 104

At the close of what was a solid night of Mixed Martial Arts action, at the Staple Center in Los Angeles, CA, two co-main events ended with a collective one-two punch that irritated the crowd in attendance.

Both Cain Velasquez’s win over Ben Rothwell and Lyoto Machida’s win over Mauricio
"Shogun" Rua upset the fans that, up until that point in the evening, seemed very pleased with UFC 104.

The diagnosis for what caused so good a night to turn bad is an epidemic of bad vision, that will seemingly stricken ring or cage-side judges and officials in the combat sports community. I call it The Blind Flu. Symptoms include rendering a verdict that clashes so greatly with what actually happened that most would question if the afflicted were even at the event, had they not seen them with their own eyes.

It was in the theme of a jab, straight right hand combination, that this outbreak of Blind Flu went from bad to worse, with co-main event one, then two being ruled in such a way that a vast majority completely disagree with.

Here’s how it went down.

TYPE “A” BLIND FLU: Premature Stoppage of Ben Rothwell vs. Cain Velasquez

This particular lapse in judgment is the kind that is so close to what is a just call, that the reaction by fans and media alike is usually mixed. A majority of people in attendance at UFC 104, however, a group spearheaded by Ben Rothwell, were quite vocal about the fact that they felt the stoppage by referee Steve Mazagatti was premature.

And while the case for that is both reasonable and bothersome, it was not out of the blue. Mr. Mazagatti did walk over to Rothwell’s corner before the second round to caution him about taking unnecessary abuse. So, when he saw more of the same, he halted the action.

Round one, as I blogged that night, looked a lot like Cain and Unable. Take downs by Velasquez, then ground-and-pound work, were all that we saw happen in this fight. These guys would stand, then, as they say on shampoo labels...repeat.

Rothwell needed to stop Cain’s momentum before the man in black officiating did. However, round two was more of the same. No matter what position Ben and Cain were in, Cain was using his one free hand to slug him non-stop.

So, it is my belief that when fans witnessed the stoppage, it was not apparent to them that Steve Mazagatti had seen enough, heading into the second round, poised to save Ben from a gratuitous beating. This scenario is not horrible, as both of the possibilities, stopping the fight or letting it go on, seem fair.

Ben Rothwell is a tough and durable fighter, period. However, the sole reason why the stoppage did not seem too extreme is because there was not even a hint of evidence that the fight would look any different should it have continued. Cain Velasquez was going to continue to shoot in, score take downs, and throw his free hand(s) until Steve Mazagatti did stop the fight.

Now, here is where it became a more severe case.

TYPE “B” BLIND FLU: Inability to see what is before you

The main event between former Pride FC star Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and current UFC Light heavyweight Champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida was as good a matchup as one can hope for in MMA.

Two great strikers who can mix it up standing or on the ground entered the cage for what most also did not expect would go the distance. That was the first unexpected result to come of this bout, but certainly not the last.

Machida was an insanely heavy favorite to win. And why not? His statistics going into it made it seem easier to solve a Rubik’s cube with your feet than to beat him.

Shogun did what Dana White promised he would, he looked like the Shogun of Pride fame, aggressive, relentless and durable. This is what made the difference in the fight. Lyoto Machida did not get beaten up badly, but he did get outworked and moved backwards all but one round.

Machida seemed to be waiting for an ideal moment to open up the lightning speed strikes coupled with ghost-like defense, yet that moment did not come. Lyoto did show flashes of that technique which has made him steamroll over top competitors, but so sparingly that it did not amount to much.

The Rumor: Lyoto Machida had been dealing with an actual flu, going into this fight in a weakened state.

In a journalistic pursuit to not only know the truth, but report it as well, I reached out to Machida’s manager, Ed Soares. He was, as he has always been with me, courteous and responsive, calling me right back. The lingering effect of being at odds with so many about how his fighter should have fared was still apparent in his voice.

This is a man who always makes you feel he is so glad to talk to you. This time, he was just willing to talk.

In our brief chat, Ed Soares not only addressed the possibility that Lyoto had the flu before UFC 104, but also provided an official statement about the widespread disapproval for Lyoto retaining his title.

When asked pointedly, if Lyoto had been stricken by the flu leading up to UFC 104, Ed Soares stated, “No. He did not have the flu.” As I noted this on paper, verbatim, the call fell silent. Then, I asked for his camp’s statement about the reaction to Lyoto winning the fight, to which Ed replied, “Honestly...you’re not going to like this but, no comment. We have no comment.”

Truthfully, I was indifferent towards that answer. I did not seek an inflammatory answer or an apologetic one, laced with humility. I just wanted whatever Ed would share. I thank him for it once again; he is a great man who brings a lot to our sport.

Conclusion

UFC 104 was a stacked event that delivered on its promises. The unfortunate endings to the co-main events, which is obviously out of the UFC’s hands, merely put a damper on things.

Dana White publicly stated that he was also opposed to the Machida vs. Shogun outcome, declaring that an immediate rematch would be set.

Forecasting

If Lyoto Machida is the elite, super-athlete he seemed to be, like Anderson Silva, GSP and even boxing’s Roy Jones Jr., then he will likely take this uproar at his retaining the title seriously. The expectation if he does is what we often see when these gifted fighters lose in an out of the blue like fashion...a total, one-sided annihilation win over the man who beat them, in the rematch.

Let us hope whether that happens or not, that in the rematch we see the Lyoto Machida we know is inside that champion, released all over the octagon. A full on war between Machida and Rua would really be a killer main event. I sure hope we get to actually see that sometime soon!

Silver Linings to MMA's Dark Clouds

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:54:00 -0400

By Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti
Commentator for Call to Arms MMA- www.calltoarmsfights.com

It’s the half-way point in the year 2009.

We’re told this recession thing is in its final throes.

Major corporations, like General Motors, is battered like a mismanaged start-up company. Yet, the Mixed Martial Arts industry continues to grow. Has it slowed in its blooming? Sure.

Nevertheless, it is not a bad idea to look at some of the things that have not only bolstered this sport we love, but also struck almost everyone as a negative at the time it happened.

ELITE XC

This MMA brand, under the parent company of ProElite Inc., received brutal reviews at almost every stage of its existence. It seemed that no matter what adjustment they did or did not make to the fans’ reaction, a ton of MMA fans simply hated it.

It is no mystery that I, The Yacman, was employed with ProElite for its entire run. My main arena was for ProElite.com.

And now that the company is gone, some web bloggers continue to beat the dead horse at any opportunity to take a shot at EliteXC despite its being expired.

However if any of them consider themselves a fan of the sport itself, then they should look at the bigger picture.

SHOWTIME AND CBS

No matter what anyone else claims, says or thinks, EliteXC broke ground with being the first MMA Promotion on premium cable television as well as being first on primetime network TV. It is an undisputed fact.

Now, anyone can suggest why they were able to, in such a way as to discredit this major achievement, but it is desperate at best.

Dana White stated that companies like EliteXC were themselves desperate and willing to give away the farm to be on those media outlets. He continued saying that the UFC would not stoop to that level, or so to speak.

The truth is, the UFC didn’t and didn’t need to accept the same type of deal that EliteXC did. They are the brand that made the sport.

It is also reasonable that different companies at different stages of development will not all be best served by the same type of deal.

No start-up promotion should hold onto as much control in a TV deal, as the UFC would’ve wanted to have with HBO or CBS.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is a fine-tuned machine. But others, such as EliteXC, the IFL and Bodog for example, had enough to worry about without the broadcast intricacies.

That all said, EliteXC and its two television breakthroughs were not the failures many made them out to be, at all.

Plus, let us not forget that the exposure their TV deals reaped is now paying dividends to Strikeforce in its taking of the MMA baton and running with it on SHO and CBS.

EliteXC, still seen by many as a bad brand, sure did benefit MMA, some of its best fighters and Scott Coker’s Strikeforce.

MAINSTREAM = MONEY

Sorry hardcore people, but if the UFC was still like its early days, the sponsors and media attention and every aspect of commercialization would not exist either.

MMA would be like grunge music, in one day, out the next. At best, it would’ve remained a small buzz on and underground level.

Nowadays, it can be like soccer, a global success yet not quite as big a thing in the United States as the NFL or NBA.

So if you consider that, and a thinking person should, then EliteXC’s exposure on Showtime, a solid broadcaster of quality boxing, is a big deal. Additionally, the primetime expansion onto the airwaves of CBS was monumental.

Those two advances of MMA by EliteXC are like a nitrous kick in a tricked out car. It didn’t last very long after it kicked in, but man did it make a difference while it lasted.

Even the now defunct IFL played a role in this building process, along with the initial Strikeforce deal on NBC.

These promotions made steps forward and reached larger audiences, that at one time, were about as reachable for them as other solar systems are to NASA.

THE IFL

Say what you will about this team-driven league but it made some of the fighters currently making waves in MMA, major names and players by exposing thousands to their craftsmanship.

Ben Rothwell, Benji Radach, Chris Horodecki, and Jay Heiron, to name a few, were all IFL fighters who continue to look impressive when they fight in other promotions.

No one would’ve cared to see Radach against Scott Smith on the new Strikeforce shows in Showtime, if they hadn’t had the chances to see how good he is when he fought on the IFL’s televised shows. The TV exposure made a difference.

KIMBO SLICE

Ok, I have addressed this topic before, so I’ll try to be succinct in my points here.
Kimbo Slice, in my opinion, made the best choice of his career when he took the olive branch from the UFC to be a competitor on The Ultimate Fighter TV show.

Would he be the superstar that Strikeforce and Showtime would likely have billed him as again? No chance. Dana and company are making Slice climb the ladder of success, if he can in fact do it.

To me, this is a much more solid direction for Kimbo if he ever wants the respect that a legitimate mixed martial artist should receive.

A place in the Strikeforce roster for him would’ve been like seeing one more season of ER. Why bother, it’s not going to evolve anymore?

Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson is to me, one of MMA’s most extreme (no I won’t spell extreme as xtreme) silver linings, while it appeared to be nothing more than a dark cloud.

After the loss to Seth Petruzelli, a barrage of MMA fans and writers were going on about how much EliteXC and Kimbo’s majesty with them was going to damage the sport.

So far, no one had produced an exhibit A, let alone, B, C or N. It simply did not happen.

For those who do think it did damage MMA, I urge you to watch Dream 9 on HDnet. Then, ask yourself why Dana White hasn’t extended the same offer to be on TUF 10 Heavyweights, to Jose Canseco.

TUF TIMES CALL FOR TUF 10

Slice and his legacy in MMA as the most watched fighter in a single fight event, remains a statistical fact. People who know of the UFC and cage-fighting in mainstream America often cannot tell you who Dan Henderson is, or who Fedor Emelianenko is, but they know Kimbo Slice. Once again, like it or not, it is simply a point of fact.

The disaster that once was the main event wreck on EliteXC’s last primetime event, is now the potential nitrous kick for the biggest promotion in MMA, on the TV show they produced that launched the sport to begin with. That’s one hell of a silver lining.

STRIKEFORCE

This well-oiled fight promotion is undoubtedly on its way to a long and fruitful future. Scott Coker built the company up with a team of wise people and a level of intelligence not seen enough in combat sports.

Strikeforce had already held contracts on some of MMA’s best athletes before ProElite folded. But now, with additions like Robbie Lawler, Jake Shields, and Brett Rogers, their roster is easily that of an A-level promotion.

GINA CARANO: WOMEN’S STATUE OF LIBERTY

Well, Gina is sort of holding the torch, though she did not ask to do it.
Look, this one is a scenario not to different than the much less proven Kimbo Slice.

She is one of the two biggest names and audience draws in all of MMA, like Kimbo. Gina is also at a point where, if she is lucky, she can select either a UFC/WEC deal or a Strikeforce deal.

Which to choose, which to choose?

If Gina wants to make a living, continue being the star she is and fight top level opponents such as Cris Cyborg and Erin Toughill, she should go to Strikeforce. She will be royalty there and deservedly so, too.

But if Gina Carano wants to be the Rosa Parks of women’s MMA and make a difference in its overall acceptance, then a UFC-oriented choice would be best.
Like it or not again, the UFC is the front runner and maker of what sells in MMA.

If they can grab a star like Gina and get her fights that fans won’t view as a festival of worthless cans, then Gina will put women fighting in the cage on the map big-time.

This is a key difference from continuing how she had with EliteXC’s successor, Strikeforce, just doing MMA and gradually drawing in more fans from her other endeavors such as American Gladiators and Maxim Magazine.

One major difference between Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano, despite both being major celebrities in MMA, is that Gina is a highly respected fighter, while Kimbo is chasing the hype that precedes him everywhere.

THE WRAP UP

Mixed Martial Arts is a phenomenon that continues to thrive in the toughest of times. New promotions emerge on the coattails of older one’s collapsing.

There are so many things that happen in this sport on a weekly basis that it often becomes a bit too convenient to drop things into categories that designate them as negative.

We love MMA, and we love seeing it grow. Ask any doctor, growth comes with growing pains and sometimes you just cannot see the benefits of them when they are painfully making themselves known.

But rest assured, even the biggest of blunders can aid in the sport’s continual progress year after year.

YACMAN
www.yacandjshow.com

Kimbo Slice to Compete on Season 10 of the Ultimate Fighter

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:44:00 -0400

The newest and upcoming season of the UFC and Spike TV hit, The Ultimate Fighter, what most consider the catalyst for MMA's success as a widespread phenomena, is every bit the big deal that Dana White said it would be.

Not only are two of the sports premier light-heavyweights coaching, referring to two former champions of the division, Rashad 'Sugar' Evans and Quinton 'Rampage Jackson, but it also includes the most watched fighter (per one solitary event) in all of MMA, Kimbo Slice.

Dana White, the UFC president admits the show should be intriguing to watch, taking into account many of his rants and derogatory remarks about slice, when he sailed under the EliteXC flag.

This season, originally slated to be heavyweights and middle-weights will now be solely heavyweights. Anyone wondering why still? I thought not.

One would hope, and when I say one, I mainly mean the UFC and Spike, that Kimbo fights well and lasts a while. It would be an understatement to say it would simply add fuel to the show's fire. I will be a lot more like nitrous oxide.

Well, it is safe to assume any MMA fan will be tuning in to this season, present company included. The show already has action, suspense and drama. Now it's been amped up to drama comparable to "The Days of our lives."

The UFC continues to make what is potentially old, new again. The show, much like successful dramas such as "Law and Order" uses the same formula every season. The content itself is what needs to remain interesting and top-notch, if you expect to grow your audience or even sustain a sizable one.

This is a brilliant move by the UFC, considering their position prior to signing Slice. Having mocked him so much, Dana is now in a win-win situation with fans and skeptics alike.

If Kimbo wins or goes far, he gave him a shot and helped bring him to the next level in the most dominant MMA promotion, bar none.

If Slice gets whipped like egg-beaters at a diner around breakfast, then the UFC president solidifies himself as Dana Whitestradamus, having predicted the street brawler being devoured in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

So kudos Mr. White. Kudos UFC. The only way to have set the show up for even higher ratings would've been to book Eminem against Bruno the Supermodel (Sascha Baron Cohen).

-Yacman
www.yacandjshow.com

Vladimir 'The Janitor' Matyushenko: MMA's Clean Up Technician

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:21:00 -0400

By Ron 'The Yacman' Yacovetti

www.yacandjshow.com

The story of Vladimir Matyushenko, aka VMAT, is one that harkens back to the 1900’s when an able-bodied man with a bus ticket and only the clothes on his back would venture to America in search of his personal variation of the American dream. And just as in so many success stories, it is the intangibles that make the biggest difference, not the lack of material things, resources or opportunity.

VMAT, as he is most often called nowadays, had left behind his home in Belarus speaking no English, pinning his future’s potential on his wrestling base. Through contacts he had made in wrestling, Vladimir Matyushenko worked his way to Northern California where he became proficient at speaking English and devastating at wrestling.

The fledgling sport of Mixed Martial Arts had no idea that after 1994, a powerhouse whose take downs would become championship quality was being bred for its heavyweight division.

VMAT would go on to fight in the UFO, Vale Tudo in Japan, the WEF and the UFC, to name a few. But it was in the team oriented International Fight League (IFL) that Matyushenko would grab the gold.

In the IFL’s short life as an MMA promotion (1/2006 – 7/2008), VMAT was its first and only heavyweight champion. He had undoubtedly become better, faster and stronger than he had been when mixing it up in the other aforementioned promotions.

The IFL, as most must know, folded and filed bankruptcy by July 31, 2008, pulling the platform out from under one of MMA’s most athletic and powerful heavyweights. While this seems to be a harsh hand to be dealt to Matyushenko’s career, it didn’t size up to the herculean task of having had to pave his own way in America.

VMAT would find a new home to fight as the popular clothing line, Affliction, began to promote shows and booked him on their second show, “Day of Reckoning” in January of 2009. Vladimir would lose that fight by way of KO (Knee) to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, making his record against that Nogueira one win and one loss.

The former resident of Belarus was back in action, post IFL, but would Affliction be able to keep his level of activity up high enough?

It turns out, not so much. In his late 30’s, VMAT is likely at his best and needs top level opponents to showcase it, if he truly wants to cap off his American dream with a cherry.

So where would Matyushenko find a promotion outside of the UFC would could give him an extremely challenging and dangerous fight? It would come to be that in the spring of 2009, a new promotion out of Ontario, California called, “Call To Arms” would snatch up Vladimir for their first show in May, 2009.

VMAT will be taking on “The Punisher”, Jason Lambert, who holds victories over the likes of Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Marvin Eastman and Terry Martin. So for a guy still regarded as one of the best heavyweights in all of MMA, Vladimir Matyushenko, a guy in search of a defining fight had one find him.

This is a true opportunity for VMAT to commence a second tier to his fighting career, cementing his legacy in the sport as well as his worth as a trainer of future stars.

Why is this so crucial at this point in his career? Well, as it often goes in combat sports, Vladimir remains a dangerous contender and an unsung hero within his division.

So while we may never see him back in the renowned octagon, if we continue to see him taking on guys the likes of Jason Lambert and possibly even on a Strikeforce card in the near future, it will be rewarding for all fans of the sport.

Nicknamed “The Janitor” from back in his days as a wrestler for Belarus, he continues his quest to mop up and walk the mixed martial arts hall of fame.

Check out my one on one interview with Vladimir, from The Best of the West Grappling Tournament, 4/27/2009:

THE YACMAN INTERVIEWS: VLADIMIR "THE JANITOR" MATYUSHENKO

-YACMAN

NICK DIAZ CALLS OUT ROY JONES JR.?

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:28:00 -0400

By Ron 'The Yacman' Yacovetti - www.mogulus.com/wmma

When word spread that Nick Diaz, fresh off of beating MMA legend Frank Shamrock, is now calling out a boxing legend, Roy Jones Jr., I first wondered if Diaz would call out Lance Armstrong, considering he has competed in triathlons too.

There's no question Diaz displayed top notch boxing abilities in his one-sided victory over Frank Shamrock.

I too was taken aback by that. And in the same maiden voyage production for Strikeforce on Showtime, Benji Radach, in one writer’s opinion, displayed even better and more slick boxing skills in his instantaneous loss to Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith. But can Nick Diaz hang with the likes of Roy Jones?

Jones has been inconsistent in his last four or so bouts. He’s beaten contenders he was expected to have trouble with or lose to, yet shows almost no killer instinct or offense when he soars up the ranks again, facing an “A” level guy like Joe Calzaghe.

A match with Diaz would be hard to peg on the Jones motivation scale. Let’s be honest, in the back end of Roy’s career, a lack of motivation has him as aggressive and violent as Gandhi.

In the prime of Roy Jones’ career, any mixed martial artist would be so outclassed in a boxing match that the viewing audience would wonder: Why? Why do this? His athletic ability ranks amongst the best all time in boxing. Period. This, by the way, a belief I share with The Fight Professor himself, Stephen Quadros.

That said, Roy Jones Jr. is not in his prime and is tricky to predict when he fights.

The real danger here is Jones still possesses the lightning quick hand speed, he still hits extremely hard (hard enough to have stopped a 235 lb. Ruiz in his tracks) and he can fight ten or twelve rounds without gassing.

We also know, Diaz can likely finish an entire boxing match with plenty of fuel in the tank, but what we don't know is, can Diaz take punches from a guy like Jones? It is safe to assume he has not yet, despite his boxing experiences and cage fighting career.

In a fight like this, I tend to believe that the sport of origin will win. In other words, if Jones vs, Diaz happens in a cage, Diaz wins…if it happens in a boxing ring as a boxing match, Jones wins.

It’s kind of that simple.

Diaz won’t be able to pull out an Oma-plata or dish out leg kicks against Jones. He will be left throwing hands with one of the most precise strikers of all time. Even an aged Jones will stupefy the best MMA fighter in a pugilistic battle.

The one thing I found intriguing about a Roy Jones versus Anderson Silva fight is that Silva, in MMA, displays the type of dominance and athletic superiority that Jones did in boxing. So the best of both world colliding is somewhat of an attention grabbing concept.

While Nick Diaz is amazing, tough and an elite level warrior, I almost feel a match against Jones is like hearing that my father-in-law laid out a championship golf challenge to Tiger Woods. It just seems out of reach.

Let us not forget that despite how amazing Nick looked against Shamrock, he was outboxed big time when he fought a KJ Noons for the EliteXC lightweight title.

So it’s difficult to imagine Noons picking him apart with fluid punch combinations and even an aged Jones being unable to do the same damage or worse to Diaz.

Do I feel this can hurt MMA if Jones destroys Diaz? No.

I think that fear is what kept Dana White and the UFC from allowing Anderson to fight Roy and in that case I do see their point. Silva is synonymous with the best of MMA, so watching the ambassador for the sport get wrecked in another combat sport "could" give artificial leverage to the boxing purists, who feel cage-fighters aren’t skilled like boxers.

One thing is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. Nick Diaz is a true fighter. Anyone that would even consider fighting Roy Jones truly is an ‘any place, anytime’ kind of fighter.

With Strikeforce open to co-promotion and HBO Boxing not as in bed with Jones, as once they had been in his prime, we just may see Nick Diaz take on Roy Jones Jr. in what will hopefully be two talented fighters putting on one hell of a show.

Charles "Mask" Lewis: The Celebration of His Life and Legacy

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:48:00 -0400

By Ron "The Yacman" Yacovetti

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” —Oscar Wilde

The world of Mixed Martial Arts was given its Mask. And even in his absence, his commitment to the sport, TapOut, and any relationship he had was, and continues to be, an undeniable truth.

Charles "Mask" Lewis may have begun his work in the early days of MMA as an overzealous t-shirt salesman, but in the end he had amassed more wealth than many ever have the opportunity to experience. And when I say wealth I do not mean money…I mean wealth.

Charles had amassed an abundance of love, faith, and optimism in so many others that it continues to pay dividends with a ripple effect. Those are the priceless things that often escape the richest of people the world over.

So while TapOut did become a multimillion dollar company, the cash and material things of success were not the primary objective for Charles "Mask" Lewis.

It wasn’t the money that drove or inspired him. It only served to enable him to walk in the circles he was so passionate to be in, to send a box full of shirts to troops who proudly serve our country without giving it a second thought, and to be wherever he wanted to be, encouraging whomever he wanted to encourage.

He gave up what was at one point in his life everything he owned. He parted with things that he had, when what he had only touched his life. He believed he was doing what was right and what was necessary to live his dream. If his life and commitment to it destroyed anything, it was doubt.

His message, “Believe,” was repeatedly summed up throughout the entire ceremony held in his honor at the Crystal Cathedral in Anaheim, California. And in addition to the large number of attendees who knew Charles Lewis well, many who barely knew him or only knew of him also came to pay their respects.

Those people may not have realized it when they arrived at the celebration, but Charles "Mask" Lewis isn’t finished doing his work, and as a result, those same people left the Cathedral having made a new friend. His impact, his reach, and the ability to show others the bigger and selfless picture that life is truly about did not die.

The crowd there was a who's who of MMA and Hollywood elite, all of whom had respect and admiration for The Mask. The tone of the room, while at a time of tremendous loss for so many close to him, was oddly uplifting.

Skyscrape made it clear, as did many others who spoke at the podium, that Charles wouldn’t have wanted anyone pining over him, sobbing their eyes out. He would have wanted what this gathering was entitled: a celebration.

You knew it was not an easy thing to do. You felt the sense of loss from so many in attendance, yet somehow everyone there collectively honored the man in unison, sustaining his message of hope, faith, and belief.

The phrase "paying my respects" is often nothing more than another generic slogan from the handbook for funerals, but for Charles "Mask" Lewis, respects were sincerely paid.

May Charles "Mask" Lewis’ soul rest in peace, because his words, thoughts, and inspiring actions will not be left behind.

—YACMAN

To see the beautiful imagery captured by one of MMA's finest photographers, Tracy Lee, click here.

Is Paul "Semtex" Daley the Bomb that Strikeforce Dropped?

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:31:00 -0400

By Ron "The Yacman" Yacovetti

Writer for TheBleacherReport.com—YacmanSez.Blogspot.com

With the recent launch of MMA 2.0 by Strikeforce, a few things come to mind.

Will MMA 2.0 be able to run smoothly for the long term without needing a boatload of patches along the way like EliteXC (And yeah, I’m also talking to you Windows Vista)?

And, as it is about to present its second event SHO MMA, it is difficult not to notice that Strikeforce on Showtime did not receive the same harsh and mixed reviews EliteXC did when it started out with what I assume we should call MMA 1.0.

Scott Coker and crew had already touted one of the best rosters in MMA, prior to acquiring EliteXC fighters. But now with Shields, Lawler, Diaz, Carano, and more, it appears they’ve not left a stone unturned. Or have they left 12.1 stone unturned entirely?

For those like me who need to look online for weight conversion, 12.1 stone is the equivalent of 170 pounds. And that amount expressed in a British unit of measure like stone, equals a welterweight mixed martial artist who hails from across the pond in England.

But I’m not talking about an up-and-comer or over-the-hill veteran. I’m more specifically talking about a banger from Nottingham, with a record of 20-8-2 who fights as explosive as his nickname…Paul "Semtex" Daley.

Anyone who has seen Paul Daley fight has witnessed the same things; regardless of the individual experience they had watching whatever fights they saw.

Paul Daley does not gas. Conditioning is always superb, so you better beat him to beat him. Don’t expect him to fade in the later rounds.

Paul Daley has KO potential in as many ways as a precision striker should.

In one of his ShoXC bouts, Daley scored a KO over Sammy Morgan. Many cage-side watched the knockout and commented on it saying, “Hey, did you see that punch he dropped Morgan with?” I replied to that saying, “It wasn’t a punch. It was a one-two combination that dropped Morgan with an elbow.”

The shot was so seamless it appeared to be a punch. It was Muay Thai at its finest. Paul can finish anyone in his division in a flash if they stand up with him long enough. Jake Shields, who is a master on the ground, also knew this and made sure not to allow Paul to work on his feet too long.

So if Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley is a well-conditioned, exciting and dynamic striker who is consistently getting better on the ground, why wouldn’t Strikeforce have him in the mix? The reason is not yet clear and remains difficult to say. Scott Coker, CEO of Strikeforce consciously chose not to sign Murillo ‘Ninja’ Rua, brother of Pride and UFC star Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, and many argue Ninja Rua is a very exciting fighter.

It just seems odd that a promotion with roots in kickboxing, would miss a major league talent like Daley who is steeped in stand up skill and has done quite well in the world of MMA.

Regardless of how many top welterweights Strikeforce does possess, Paul Daley would only enhance that pack by being on the roster. And Paul has held world titles, which means garnering another is a high likelihood for him again.

Plus, even as a contender at 170 pounds, no one will rise to a title shot undeservingly as long as Daley is in the way. His presence will ensure that the top of the class IS the top of the class, including him.

Perhaps this note of advice will reach Strikeforce and Mr. Coker and we will see Paul Daley imported to our soil once again, giving everything he has to the promotion who signs him and the fans who sure love watching him.

-YACMAN

www.mogulus.com/wmma (WMMA-TV)

Videos all On Demand and run 24/7 Web TV Channel

How MMA 2.0 on SHO Stacked Up

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:41:00 -0400

yacman1@yacandjshow.com
www.mogulus.com/wmma (W MMA-TV)

And so it happened…

Strikeforce, a Northern California promotion that began promoting kickboxing, inherited and continued the race where EliteXC collapsed and handed over the torch. The primary thing above all in-depth analysis anyone will share is whether or not the maiden voyage on Showtime Sports was a success or the next MMA Titanic.

So, before I delve into thoughts on the card and the action it provided, allow me to say MMA 2.0 did appear to be a success. Production value was solid, typical of Showtime Sports. The broadcast team most certainly benefitted by adding Pat Miletich to the mix.

And, I believe Gus Johnson, who is a great broadcaster, will eventually find his way on the MMA stage, owning the vernacular and sounding less like he is repeating phrases he’s only just heard. Mauro Ranallo is as always, knowledgeable, sharp and occasionally cartoony.

Brett ‘Grim’ Rogers vs. Abongo Humphrey

Brett Rogers would down his time at EliteXC talking a big game. He wanted Kimbo, he wanted top fights with top level fighters and said that he, not Kimbo, had earned such status. So many times in combat sports that kind of talk is left at the altar of commitment, being stood up by any trace of follow-up action.

I found it a refreshing change of pace to see Brett Rogers was not one of those big men who lacked follow through. He was leaner, at least as mean and displayed added skills to his offense. The Muay Thai knees and clinches were most certainly new and sure did pay off, as he pummeled a very tough and game Humphrey.

It did also appear the dreadlock hair pulling was circumstantial and not a tactic Rogers was attempting to utilize. Brett "Grim" Rogers should remain a difficult and perhaps undefeated heavyweight for a while.

This banger is also a solid wrestler so the ground game he appears to avoid he merely likes a lot less. And why not? He packs power in both hands.

Cris "Cyborg" Santos vs. Hitomi Akano

Cris Cyborg did what she does when she fights. She presses forward at a pace that makes any fan wonder how soon she will run out of gas IF the opponent can elude excessive abuse and weather that onslaught early on.

So why do we continue to wonder that each time she fights? Because none of her opponents seem to be able to stop the landslide into a loss that Cyborg afflicts them with.

And while Akano is a skilled fighter, evidenced by her record and Josh Barnett’s presence in her corner, she did not show any killer instinct or application of a strategy at any point in the fight.

Hitomi Akano seemed to just be flailing and falling into clinches with Cyborg, coming forward behind no technical strikes or attack whatsoever. It bore a disappointing similarity to a child on a mission to bust open a piñata.

Am I suggesting Akano "could not" beat Cyborg, ever? No. I am suggesting Akano showed us all that she "would not."

Gina Carano will not let Cris Cyborg march in throwing reckless barrages of punches and kicks without making her pay dearly for each attempt, landed or not.

And if Gina isn’t the next fight we see Cyborg in, Strikeforce would be wise to put someone in front of her who has studied her on tape and is prepared to deal with her aggression instead of being taken out of the fight by it, as if it’s unexpected.

Scott Smith vs. Benji Radach

Smith said these two would steal the spotlight on the fight card. Smith was absolutely right.

Who doesn’t love two heavy-handed strikers who will trade all night long? Smith and Radach both showed heart, toughness and simply took shots and marched through them. It was a resilient "Hands of Steel" Smith who came back from the brink of destruction and then produced the payoff both men could’ve produced, the KO.

Throughout the bout, Smith did not show enough head movement which was maximized by the fluid and diverse boxing skills of Benji Radach. Scott also ate a portion and a half of stiff jabs that Benji happily served up as a result of that still skull factor.

A second reason Smith got beat to the punch until he closed the show was due to his walking Radach down, but without the pressure and consistent attack one should employ when moving forward and backing the other man up.

This could be because Scott Smith is more of a counter puncher than a shoot first kind of guy. He did display poise and smarts when he held onto an otherwise useless single leg in order to clear the cobwebs that Radach had been making for him all night.

I found it odd that the broadcast team made no mention of the cautionary fact that the last thing ANY puncher loses, even when being beaten and broken down all fight, is his own punching power. Smith made that fact abundantly clear when he iced Radach at 3:24 of round three.

Rodrigo Damm vs. Gilbert Melendez

Rodrigo Damm, as we all know, took the fight on a lot less notice than anyone taking on a guy like Melendez would have liked. That is surely commendable. Gilbert Melendez simply outclassed and outworked Damm.

The end came at 2:02 of round two, when Damm found out what happens when you are at the absolute end of a powerful punchers full extension.

Gilbert used a beautiful one-two combination to do two very crucial things…win and stay in title contention with an interim title and make us see why a rematch with Josh "The Punk" Thompson would actually be compelling.

The first fight with Josh was so one-sided that the immediate rematch felt like a movie sequel that a film studio was trying to convince us that we wanted to see. Melendez shined so brightly last night that his saying he would be so much better in a rematch, gained credibility.

Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz

This fight, while the main event, will take a lot less detail to sum up. Nick Diaz was 100% there and ready to fight. His reach and unorthodox boxing style kept Frank Shamrock from ever finding a rhythm to strike, be it with hands or feet.

The range and how Diaz fought tall was simply too much for Shamrock, something that even I was surprised to see. The second round knockout of Shamrock by Diaz was impressive and showed Diaz was still growing as an elite fighter.

The thing about Shamrock that was disturbing was that he once again, did not seem to adapt. If you’re stymied by the man in front of you and already taking abuse, why not take something else…a chance.

Shoot in or try a new approach to getting to the target instead of staying where it has already proven to be unsuccessful. Frank Shamrock is still great and a super-athlete. It just may be that this brilliant man’s mind has found a more intelligent thing to focus on and that’s business out of the cage.

The killer instinct many top fighters have, fades with age, success and other factors of the like. Perhaps Frank Shamrock can be the best but his survival mode no longer kicks in to fuel it. He does, as he says, take on tough fighters and that is usually when a great warrior who no longer goes for blood, starts to mount a string of losses.

Roy Jones Jr. continues to win in boxing, but not when he rises to top level opponents now, like Joe Calzaghe. In those instances, he falls short. Frank will need a stellar showing in a few fights that he is not expected to win. Then, he’ll be at the top of his game and class again.

Why Shamrock Vs. Diaz Is Must See MMA

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 10:14:29 -0400

- MUST
Pronunciation- [muhst] –auxiliary verb

*to be or feel urged to; ought to: I must watch the first Strikeforce MMA event on Showtime.

A few key reasons why any MMA fan would and should watch Strikeforce on Showtime, Apr. 11, 2009.

I. Bravado – There is no way either man, Frank ‘The Legend’ Shamrock or Nick Diaz, will pull punches, lay and pray or attempt to win on the scorecards. Official judges at this bout will be like life insurance...there if you absolutely need it, but you really don’t want to have to use it.

This facet of the match does lend itself to creating some extremely intense stand up exchanges in the cage. And as most are aware, both Shamrock and Diaz can box and they can box well. So, if it does turn into rock’em-sock’em robots in there, who holds the advantage, even if it is only a minor one?

II. Who Throws The Upper Hands – Now, the only way this should be an itemized reason to watch this fight is if it can almost be guaranteed to take place. Well, guess what—It can be. At the very least, Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz would love to watch the other collapse like wicker chair under Jared “before” he found salvation with Subway sandwiches.

The potential to knock each other out is like a perk that comes with the job for these two men. Of course they will look to claim the KO victory if and when they can. And, regardless of who pulls it off, a knock by either man will satisfy the viewers everywhere.

One thing that may tell the tale of how a stand up war ‘could’ shape up between these two is the infamous EliteXC Lightweight title match between Nick Diaz and KJ Noons.

There was no question that Diaz was the heavy favorite going into the fight. And despite Noons having shown excellent take down defense against Edson Berto he surprised many onlookers as he cranked it up a notch for the more challenging Diaz.

The end result was a war of hands, and some kicks, which left Diaz bloodied and seemingly outclassed.

If Frank Shamrock can box Nick Diaz’s ears off, showing the precision striking he displayed against the heavy handed New York Bad Ass, Phil Baroni, then he can win this type of war and win it big.

The head movement, the jab and combination punching with impressive hand speed will enable Shamrock to negate the height and reach advantage that Nick Diaz has going in. However, should Diaz dominate the stand up battle, Frank Shamrock needs to do what he has said he will do...win and not worry about merely putting on a great show.

Frank would need to adapt, use his experience and complete skill set to turn the tables on Diaz, instead of staying in the trenches like he had against Cung Le, just to show he can.

III. Weak Areas – Honestly, I see none. One of the most compelling things about this fight is the fact that you cannot say take so and so to the ground, or make so and so stand and bang, it’s their weak spot. Both Frank and Nick can stand and throw hands; they can both roll on the ground, even if their styles there aren’t quite so similar.

This main event fight truly pits one well-rounded fighter against another. One gets the feeling that this type of matchmaking is what will ultimately build Strikeforce as a respected MMA brand with staying power.

IV. Styles: Submission Wrestling vs. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – Despite the recent fights both Shamrock and Diaz have had in EliteXC, both choosing to box and kickbox their opponents almost entirely, these two MMA bad boys made their names with their ground game.

Oftentimes, when two fighters in combat sports who tout similar strengths clash, it becomes an intangible factor or alternate game plan that leads one of them to victory. In this fight a ground battle would be very exciting to see. Nick Diaz’s BJJ is rock solid.

And like Jake Shields, it is my belief that if you allow a guy like Nick (or Jake) to continue to work on the ground, they will submit you. You just can’t stay there too long. On the other hand, Frank Shamrock, whose career reaches back to 1994, has 33 total fights with only nine losses.

And, of those nine losses Shamrock has only been submitted one time (Apr. 10, 1995 Loss to Masakatsu Funaki at Pancrase-Eyes of Beast 2; by Submission). So as talented as Diaz is on the ground, he may find himself attempting to do what only one man has ever done to Frank, throughout his entire career, win by making him tap out.

V. Support – The sport of MMA is like one of those weeds or small trees that seem to be defying some law of nature by growing straight out of concrete roads and sidewalks all over New York City.

Mixed Martial Arts became the fastest growing sport in the world and now continues to grow in a suppressed economic climate, sprouting new branches, sustaining life on existing ones and replacing others (EliteXC/IFL) that could not endure. And while the UFC remains the premier MMA promotion, it is not a plus for the fighters and the sport’s overall talent pool if they are the ‘only’ MMA promotion.

The athletes in MMA make some money to fight. They make more and often the largest chunk of change from sponsors. Now regardless of the economy, which can only enforce this more, the sponsors only pay decent, if at all, when the fighter they sponsor will be on TV.

So if you take away the outlets that EliteXC carved out that Strikeforce has inherited, with Showtime and CBS, you leave only Spike TV and PPV. Those alone are not enough and the net result will be more and more fighters being forced to train alongside of a day job versus fighting full-time.

This would have a negative effect on the up and coming talent pool, which feeds the UFC as much as any promotion. Of course some other promotions such as King of the Cage and regional one’s do make it onto the airwaves, but the real stardom as a ticket selling fighter and the maximum exposure for income potential is on mainstream TV.

-YACMAN

www.mogulus.com/wmma

RIP Charles "Mask" Lewis

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:31:47 -0400

RIP CHARLES 'MASK' LEWIS

By: Ron ' The Yacman' Yacovetti

Tragic news rocked the MMA world early this morning as a fatal car crash claimed the life of an MMA icon, Charles "Mask" Lewis.

Regardless of what you knew of or felt about the TapOut Crew, their passion for the sport of MMA remains, as always, unquestionable and undeniable.

Charles Lewis, whose look branded him as "Mask" was as committed to Mixed Martial Arts as any athlete in the sport.

Many new fans who came to MMA and were introduced to Charles and the Crew kind of accepted that they were a part of the fabric that made up the MMA culture already.

And, while that is the truth, Charles Lewis and TapOut dedicated love, blood, sweat and tears to it when it was not an 'in' thing to do, before MMA went as mainstream as it has gone thus far. Only those who truly willing to pour themselves into MMA would do so at that point in its history.

As a result, Charles 'Mask' Lewis and TapOut helped bolster the sport of MMA and usher in one of the biggest clothing booms associated with any sport in history.

The loss is being felt by more and more friends, family and fans, as the news which confirmed the deadly accident in the Newport Beach area of Southern California, which too Charles 'Mask' Lewis much too soon, gradually reaches more of us.

Also check out my good friend Tracy Lee's photo tribute to Mask:

http://www.combatlifestyle.com/pics/view_album.php?id=1622

-Yacman

RIP MASTER HELIO GRACIE

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:39:00 -0500

RIP MASTER HELIO GRACIE

By Ron 'The Yacman' Yacovetti

In today's electronic news medium, news travels faster than ever. And these days, the news seems to be favoring the depressing and unfortunate side more than ever. The world of combat sports, namely MMA which continues to thrive in such hard times, was dealt a major loss as well today.

News from Brazil told of the passing of a Jiu-jitsu legend...Master Helio Gracie. (October 1, 1913 – January 29, 2009)

Helio Gracie was the architect of a force MMA now knows as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, or also as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). And in addition to that, Master Helio was the only living 10th degree master of the discipline, considered by most to be one of the first sports icons in Brazilian history.

His list of accolades is as impressive as it it long, including being named Black Belt Magazine's Man of the Year in 1997. He was the father of the world-renowned fighters Rickson Gracie, Royler Gracie, Royce Gracie, Relson Gracie, and one of the men who brought us The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), none other than Rorion Gracie.

In many of my efforts to cover MMA and its roots, I was lucky enough to go cover the opening of the new Gracie Academy right here in Southern California.

During that grand opening event, as if purposely saving the best for last (and it was purely circumstantial but the right way to end the day) I was able to get one on one plus one time (interpreter necessary) with Helio Gracie.

And while this man and his body of work dwarf many of us in terms of significance in MMA or combat sports, he was gracious, open and very welcoming to the idea of talking to me and doing this interview. I thanked him sincerely and repeatedly, understanding how much of an honor it is to have such an opportunity.

I've never forgotten it and his death doesn't make it any more or less important to me. It's simply sad to see him pass away.

Here is our time one on one:

YACMAN

MMA: Spectacle or Sport ?

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 22:35:26 -0500

MMA: SPECTACLE OR SPORT ?

Or is Mixed Martial Arts so "well-rounded" that is qualifies as both?

My best wishes to all for a Happy and healthy holiday season and New Year. I apologize for my absence, should anyone have noticed, but life became quite busy in many ways, so my ability to stop, focus, and write kind of took a vacation. So, that said, let me move on...

Over the past few months I did keep busy doing my comedic news series on-line, MMA WITH YAC & J, on weekly at BrawlersTV. Our year-ending special had us fortunate enough to get Legendary MMA fighter Frank Shamrock in studio to do an interview.

Frank has always been professional and gone out of his way even to participate in anything I've asked him to...see the viral Christmas video THE 12 DAYS OF XMMAS for proof of this.

One of the things we discussed was the categorization of MMA as either a sport or pure entertainment. Oddly, one of the sport's all-time best considers it almost entirely spectacle, not sport.

And while Frank Shamrock is as masterful at marketing and promotion as he is at submission fighting, he must agree that it at least holds water to be dubbed both sport and spectacle, taking into account the level of athleticism these fighters possess and need to possess, alone.

So I will go out on a limb and say IT IS both spectacle and sport. But what then are a couple of factors that sway the perceptions of some to adamantly determine it to be only one of those two things?

Oh and in the interest of fair play, in case you reading this feel strongly about it being one or the other, I'll make up a neutral word, labeling MMA "Sportacle."

I. REVERENCE

MMA is likely the only "sportacle" that does not honor, celebrate, and continue to build upon the pioneers and gladiators who forged through the nations of doubt to build the present, commercial empire when the spoils of their wars weren't very rewarding at all.

I find this particularly odd for the UFC to be a party to this, considering they hold a monopoly on that history. No other promotions really gained significant size other than they did, for the first 10 or so years of MMA.

So say what you will about how big an A-hole or cool guy either Shamrock or Royce or or Bas, or any of the first generation Mixed Martial Artists are, they still fought and bled for what was inevitably the better of the sportacle's future.

So what makes a lack of reverence a knock against considering MMA a sport? Because the NFL, NHL, MLB and even the would-be competition for MMA, Boxing, announce the presence of their sport's forefathers when at an event.

They give them proper respect and credit when talking about "all time" greats and about the past events in their given sports. Yet, the UFC seemingly takes a dump on guys like Frank Shamrock, their first ever Middleweight Champion, as if he was a journeyman fighter who almost made a dent in the league.

II. TRASH TALKING

This aspect of combat sports in general, including boxing, just kind of unavoidably relates itself to WWE-style antics. Bad blood matches are not too common in any combat sport, but when it does happen, even when sincere, it has that run out from backstage and hit the other guy with a folding chair, kind of feel to it.

The true masters of talking smack can beef up sales and public interest in a bout without question. Shamrock vs Baroni in 2007 was one of the best examples of that that I've ever seen.

Frank Shamrock and Phil Baroni built that fight up, starting on the Web boards over a year before the actual fight even happened. Both of them played the game brilliantly while preparing for the fight itself.

The result, to me, was a good fight that had people wanting to see one or the other getting their trap shut. This is something that Baroni and Shamrock could teach to others that think they can pull it off too.

Plus you don't see the same kind of calling one out, type of talk in baseball or other mainstream sports...it's almost looked upon as being totally UNsportsman like.

III. REGULATION

This one is a brief one but worth mentioning, considering there are still hardcore MMA fans who harken back to the times of "no rules." Without athletic commission regulation, there is no ability to commercialize. And without that, there is no Mickey's replay, Bud Light, CBS Primetime, or most other sponsors.

TapOut alone cannot back the entire sport. So, in having the folks to regulate boxing, doing the same for MMA, it aligns itself with an accepted "sport," giving this "sportacle" more of a push to be deemed a sport.

IV. ONLY TRAINED ATHLETES NEED APPLY

This is a huge factor in considering MMA a sport. In fact, to disagree with this is to align yourself with the detractors of MMA who think you stumble off a bar stool and into a cage to get down.

Simply put, you cannot prosper and win regularly in MMA unless you're trained well in the key individual martial arts AND trained physically to be in top condition to fight.

Even some of the sport's big names have shown this to be true in defeat. The heavily hyped, tough as hell Kimbo Slice looked lost on the ground against James Thompson. And this despite training under the likes of all-time great Bas Rutten.

Plus, UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar succumbed to this factor when faced and was submitted by the Jiu-Jitsu skills of one Frank Mir. He wanted Mir on his back, motivated by his inner-wrestler, while Mir was more than willing to hit the ground, too.

V. SPORTSmanship

Hey, I didn't name this trait or behavior, but it does have sport right there in the name. And I'd argue with anyone that MMA displays a level of sportsmanship pretty much unrivaled in ANY other sport around.

The individual disciplines are all rooted on older traditions that preach honor, amongst other things, and that aspect is not lost in translation when those styles are fused in the cage wars of MMA. Any professional sport can take a page from this MMA chapter.

In the end, while many factors I may have not thought of or left out certainly weigh in on this debate, the "sportacle" of MMA is just that, both sport and spectacle. And love them or hate them, the athletes in Mixed Martial Arts, men and women alike, are some of the nicest, most charitable folks you'll ever meet.

PS: Please enjoy, if you've not already, the 12 Days of XMMAS video starring Frank Shamrock, on MMA with Yac & J on BrawlersTV.

click here for more videos like this

- Yacman

Last Week's MMA With Yac and J Pilot Show

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:53:01 -0400

Last week's headlines:

click here for more videos like this

Seth Petruzelli Wins While the World Remains Unshocked

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:18:00 -0400

PETRUZELLI WINS WHILE THE WORLD ACTUALLY REMAINS UN-SHOCKED

By The Yacman, Ron Yacovetti

shock-
Pronunciation[shok]

–verb

To cause to feel wonder, astonishment, or amazement, as at something unanticipated.

At the close of EliteXC's HEAT from Miami, FL, on CBS, one of the commentators (was difficult to discern who) exclaimed something to the effect of Kimbo's being beaten like he was, is the greatest upset in MMA history. The excited remark concluded with an equally dramatic declaration that the Mixed Martial Arts world is shocked.

Now, I don't pretend to BE the MMA world, I'm just one small member of it, but I have an ear to the terrain in that world, and Kimbo Slice losing to a more well-versed MMA fighter likely didn't shock many people beyond Kimbo Slice and EliteXC.

So far in Kimbo's young career, he faced a past-his-prime boxer in Ray Mercer, Bo Cantrell, who seemed beaten before the bell, Tank Abbott, who is from the same brawler school of fighting and also past his best years, in addition to James Thompson, who came very close to beating him.

It isn't shocking to most MMA fans when they see a young, more cage-savvy fighter like Seth Petruzelli dethroning Slice.

Now, Kimbo losing isn't the worst part of Kimbo's first defeat. Again, most hardcore MMA fans expected it sooner rather than later, unless he took on cans for opponents.

What hurt EliteXC and Kimbo's Mike Tyson-esque mystique is that Ken Shamrock had to bail because of that cut he received over his eye while warming up, then a guy off the under-card who was let go by the UFC, not only stepped in and beat him, but he did it in 14 SECONDS!

Is Kimbo Slice and his audience drawing appeal over? Not by far. Each compelling story, in this case, a touching rags to riches story, has subsequent chapters. This saga still has its climax, and before it, the build up to it, which should consist of Kimbo's grandiose comeback.

Of course, IF Kimbo cannot mount an impressive win without lowering the level of opposition to that of his first three fights, then his comeback will deflate gradually, like a tire with a nail in it. All of a sudden, you glance over and it's not going anywhere, anymore.

As someone who has shared time talking to Kimbo, I certainly hope he makes his way to the top of the division by overcoming all critics and opposition. He has the athleticism to do it, and he really is a nice man.

As for the HEAT event EliteXC put on this evening, overall, I thought the card was solid. Gina delivered, I felt. She always seems to be more of a problem to deal with than her opponents seem to realize until they ARE IN THERE with her.

Kelly is very good and helped Gina's cred in victory. I did wonder why she only went to the leg, body, and head kicks in round three and not all night. She completely beat the wind out of Kaitlin Young last time with front kicks, which helped keep her at an advantageous striking distance as well. That I can't explain.

Arlovski versus Nelson was a solid fight that helped the event for sure, I'd say. And Shields' defending his title against Daley was becoming a back and forth of momentum the longer it went on.

Jake was in over his head on his feet, yet on the ground he comes across like a guy who just cannot be denied a submission if left there long enough. Paul Daley is amazing, and he should find no shame in a tap out loss to Jake Shields.

He simply learned that the bar for submission defense that works 98 percent of the time, is not high enough to stop so masterful a jiu-jitstu practitioner as Jake Shields.

Paul's striking did enough to have me afraid to look away, fearing I could miss a title changing hands in a single shot.

So as another groundbreaking MMA on network TV show goes down in the books, and the Kimbo versus Ken morphed into Kimbo versus Petruzelli and a 14-second loss for Slice, one cannot help but wonder what negative fallout the promotion will receive from this scenario, considering it was built around Slice, staged in Slice's backyard, and closed out with a Slice fight that lasted less time than his ring walk.

A terrific fight card with one major blemish that just might leave MMA fans looking at EliteXC's bringing HEAT to Miami like they'd brought sand to the beach.

Yacman

Ken Shamrock Will Miss EliteXC Main Event Due to Injury

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 02:18:03 -0400

According to MMAJunkie.com, the CBA Primetime Main event bout between Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice has been canceled. The report states that Ken Shamrock is suddenly unable to perform:

An undisclosed injury has forced Ken Shamrock out of his "EliteXC: Heat" main event bout with Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson just hours before the heavyweight clash was set to air on network television.

(Read the full article here.)

It's the "undisclosed" part that makes me think, "Hmm."

Usually, in any official capacity, information only remains undisclosed when there is something to keep hidden. Could the injury be so embarrassing that no one wants it publicly released? What type of injury could we be talking about...did he sneeze and throw his back out?

And while most are talking about how Ken hasn't had a win in recent years, the bigger question is how bad of a backlash could follow a show built around and brought into the backyard of one Kimbo Slice, with almost 100 percent certainty that he will not be fighting tonight?

Only time will tell about any negative fallout from this cancellation as well as what this mystery injury that caused it may be.

By The Yacman, Ron Yacovetti

THE MM-AGE OF EQUALITY

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:39:14 -0400

THE MM-AGE OF EQUALITY

By The Yacman, Ron Yacovetti - Correspondent, MMA with Yac and J

This Saturday night EliteXC returns to primetime TV with it's third installment of Saturday Night Fights on CBS, entitled "HEAT". The card is strong and the addition of Andrei Arlovski vs. Roy 'Big Country' Nelson from Affliction, only made this more of an alluring event.

But it's the headline bout, Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock, that creates the most chatter, diverse opinions and expectations.

And, yes—this main event is an effective enough piece of bait to, once again, get the EliteXC fans, MMA fans and EliteXC haters to tune in. Many of these people will enjoy the fights, happy to see it on TV, while others will watch with the careful eye of a field archaeologist, digging for flaw after flaw in the show and the fight quality.

The biggest question I cannot help but ask myself, is, "Why? Why is this a compelling, pick-em, main event fight?"

Two main reasons come to mind:

1) Styles make fights

Kimbo Slice, while working hard with Bas Rutten on his ground game, is still a stand up fighter when instinct kicks in. If he had looked remotely adept at ground defense and offense against James Thompson, then the leap to being more well-balanced just one fight later, would be more believable.

Realistically, a natural athlete like Kimbo, even in his 30's, will be better every single time —win, lose or draw. He just will. But anyone who has taken as few as ONE jiu-jitsu lesson can tell you that it is not a craft you can suddenly master and know instinctually (i.e. controlling breathing, setting up next two moves, etc) too quickly.

This aspect of an MMA fight also just happens to be an area where Ken Shamrock spent years doing impressive amounts of damage. Ken and ground fighting are about as synonymous as it gets.

So in the fight, it would appear one combatant wants to make it a stand up war, while the other will look for a take down and quick submission. It's a classic MMA style match-up.

At this point it starts to become clear that despite the two men likely having polar opposite strategies, Ken Shamrock is very much in the role of the favorite. Here's where it all takes a turn off track. The World's Most Dangerous Man, as Ken is known, 'should' be heavily favored to win this fight. After all, he has a wealth more experience, he is more well rounded and has years in the cage that Kimbo is just starting to rack up.

So why then, is Kimbo Slice the favorite to win? Welcome to what I feel is the main reason—reason No. 2:

2) Age

Ken Shamrock is in his mid-forties. Kimbo Slice is in his mid-thirties. Ken is battle tested in the cage, but he's also damaged goods to a degree because of it. Throughout his career fighting, Ken Shamrock fought tough, tough fights. He was respected and feared because of the trials by fire he'd been through. And in spite of all Kimbo's street cred, he is not as physically old as he could be, should he have been through the cage wars like those Ken has been in.

It's comparable to the way that boxing hall of famer Roy Jones Jr. fights at 39 years old, while not being a physically aged fighter. Roy's only losses were a DQ and two knockouts. Those defeats didn't tax his body like the drawn out wars, exchanging shot for shot, would.

For his age, Kimbo Slice is physically young. Ken Shamock however, for his age is likely older, the result of many wars that are also responsible for his level of respect as a warrior.

The appropriately named EliteXC event is called HEAT. And it will have the pressure on all of the showcased fighters, but at no point higher than it will be cranked for Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock—two men ushering in the theme born of two sequential generations.

A theme where age, youth, wisdom, hunger and motive get so interwoven that the fighters suddenly seem to be equally matched.

Yacman

Randy Couture: Passing the Test or the Torch?

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:13:19 -0400

(Idiom) To pass the torch: to relinquish (a title, for example) to another or others.

When WWE star Brock Lesnar takes on UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture it very well could be an accelerated passing of the torch, from one prominent wrestler as heavyweight champion to another. While Lesnar's record doesn't reek of a man who is title contention ready, he would quell the critics who doubt him with a win over Couture.

However, should Lesnar win it will most likely be little more than that...a passing of the torch. Fans everywhere could view this as a bridge between generations in MMA, not as "the better man wins." To the masses and at least to the hardcore Couture fans, he will always be the better man, just enough past his prime to lose to a beast like Lesnar.

It would be difficult not to see this as merely the older champ officially handing over the high profile throne to the younger, newer champ. Sadly, this is an unfortunate byproduct of the title fight happening before Brock earns his way up the ladder, and even more so because he would be seizing the title from a 45-year-old end-of-his-career warrior in Randy Couture.

Whatever level of belief you have in Couture's ability to defy the odds and beat down the bigger man, even at age 45 (like he did against Sylvia), will be directly proportionate to the level of credibilty and respect that a victorious Brock Lesnar would inherit.

Should Randy win, fans of MMA the world over will clamor for Couture vs. Fedor, with a chance they demand a Lesnar rematch more IF the bout is THAT good.

Should Brock Lesnar win, the bout could likely be capped off as no more than a proud and glorious segment on a highlight reel. Now don't get me wrong, Brock Lesnar can be the dominant UFC Heavyweight Champion who mows down contender after contender. But, he won't be the man atop the mountain with the bulls-eye on his back from beating Randy Couture alone.

He'll need to beat a handful of top level heavyweights for that kind of praise. And that process, should it come to fruition, will be retroactively referenced as having begun with the demolition of Heath Herring at UFC 87.

Dan Henderson's PURSE-SUIT of Happiness

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 06:55:00 -0400

The PURSE-SUIT of Happiness

By The Yacman, Ron Yacovetti - Yac & J's MMA and Boxing Show

...reporting for MMAReallife.com

MMA -

It's been on a journey from no rules to commission regulated, from savagery to sport and yet, it remains a business. This is one thing UFC President Dana White never seems to lose sight of, at all.

And sometimes, be it between friends, relatives, or individuals that share a definitive respect for one another, differences arise.

In most cases, all involved would prefer to resolve things out of court. But sometimes, it goes from zero to litigation before you know it, and the business side of the sport, takes center stage.

Today it was announced on Sherdog.com, that Dan "Hendo" Henderson and his people had filed a lawsuit against MMA Authentics, owned by Michael and Dante DiSabato. The article begins, introducing the lawsuit as follows:

Former Pride Fighting Championships welterweight and middleweight titleholder Dan Henderson this week filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the clothing company MMA Authentics in California Superior Court in Vista, Calif.

The suit, which seeks both monetary and injunctive relief, claims MMA Authentics owes Henderson $50,000 plus undetermined royalties under a contract he signed with the Ohio-based apparel manufacturer on July 27, 2007. The company sells clothing under the Cage Fighter, MMA Authentics and Familia Gladitoria brands.

(Read the full article by Brian Knapp- click here)

Now, I've had the pleasure to work with and interview both Michael DiSabato and Dan Henderson, so the conflict, which Mr. DiSabato feels is being fueled by Dan's council providing misguided advice, was something I felt deserved to at the least, have both sides heard.

So, I called Michael at MMA Authentics to conduct a phone interview intended to get both sides of the story out.

To listen to the audio interview with Michael DiSabato of MMA Authentics, click below:

THE YACMAN PHONE INTERVIEW WITH MMA AUTHENTICS OWNER MICHAEL DISABATO

UFC Icon Evan Tanner Found Dead

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:12:44 -0400

Imperial County, CA—Just east of San Diego, UFC future Hall of Famer and former champion, Evan Tanner, born 2/11/1971, was found dead within the last few hours.

While the exact cause of death is not clear, one thing which is confirmed according to sources close to the scene is that this was not a suicide.

Many Internet rumors and chatter began to swirl around, suggesting Evan predicted and/or planned to end his own life. This is simply not true.

This incredibly tough and respectable fighter recently began a new training and nutrition regimen, prepared a new line of shirts to be sold, and as recently as today received a UPS delivery of a helmet intended to protect him when cycling.

None of these behaviors are even remotely suggestive of someone who had been planning to take his life.

John Hayner, CEO of DFS Sports (Driving Force Sports) and a close friend of Evan's, had been in contact with him very recently and also made it clear that he did not see one red flag that the man was looking to escape his life. According to Mr. Hayner, Evan Tanner was making changes and improvements to his lifestyle and health that were the acts of a true champion.

Evan was apparently in transit in the desert when his vehicle failed him and his cellular signal eventually did the same.

This is a great loss to MMA, sports, and to those who were fortunate enough to know and love this man. Evan Tanner is a former UFC Middleweight and USWF Heavyweight champion with a professional record of 32 wins and eight losses. Evan was also the first American to be victorious at the Pancrase Neo-Blood tournament in Tokyo, Japan.

He won his very first championship by defeating Heath Herring at USWF 7, and subsequently successfully defended that title five times. Tanner then won the UFC Middleweight title at UFC 51, stopping the rugged David Terrell with a barrage of strikes in the very first round.

Evan Tanner will be remembered for his talents, passion, and a level of likability that stood in defiance of anyone who judged the athletes of MMA as brutal men who merely came off of a bar stool to fight.

He will be missed.

YACMAN

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson: A Real Champion

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:46:00 -0400

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson: A Real Champion

By Ron "The Yacman" Yacovetti

cham·pi·on -Pronunciation Key - [cham-pee-uhn]

–noun

1	*a person who fights for or defends any person or cause: a champion of the oppressed.*

2.	*a fighter or warrior.*

Anyone who watches MMA knows who Quinton "Rampage" Jackson is. How could you not? Very often his name comes up, noting his status as a former title holder. And while it is true that he no longer has the UFC Light-Heavyweight belt, Rampage is nothing but a champion in the eyes of so many fight fans the world over.

Recently, I was in Santa Monica, CA, covering a Shriner's Charity MMA Event that was built around a bunch of great fighters stepping into the cage to raise money and awareness for ill children. The evening was very nicely done. I also had the pleasure to spend a little time talking with Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and a protégé of his, from Team Rampage, the very talented Jay Silva.

Inside of a fun, free-flowing interview lasting five minutes, I was reminded of why I enjoy doing what I do so much. Both Rampage and Jay Silva went back and forth, joking around, while I asked a few questions from the safest spot in the house...in-between them!

The other thing I was reminded of is that while some fighters may need the title belt to solidify themselves as an elite athlete and intriguing personality in MMA, Rampage Jackson is not one of them.

I am not suggesting he is better off without the title belt. He should certainly have it again. It suits him to hold it. But let's just say, what he brings to the position of UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion is a lot more than what the belt itself provides should it be held by an athlete who is less charismatic, gifted, intimidating and approachable.

Rampage has taken on some of the divisions best, including his last bout against Forrest Griffin. Some champions in boxing and MMA fail in this category, constantly. The fact that Rampage doesn't dodge tough fights alone, commands respect.

Plus...

He is never boring, never caught laying and praying, or appearing to be out of shape. He is an exceptional athlete and as unique a character as you will find in sports. Likability with that kind of talent goes a long way.

And, in a sport that is blowing up, as MMA has been, branding and marketing oneself is crucial, if you want to have a "put asses in seats" fanbase...and Quinton Jackson does. You can bet that in his next fight, he will be cheered like a champion as he approaches the octagon, despite the absence of a title belt, because the belt never made him the man; he did that all himself.

Last weekend, as I saw it, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson came out to support a charity fundraising event intended to help sick children because, as a parent himself, he really seemed to care about the cause.

As he entered the arena, he was bombarded with camera's, camera phone's, and autograph opportunities. He took photos with fans and especially kids that showed up, clearly not expecting to see "the" Rampage Jackson that night.

So, it is my opinion that in defining a champion, inside or outside of MMA, this guy sure does fit the bill. The recipe for creating a world champion athlete is all right there, with just one ingredient left to make it official: the belt.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE

YACMAN

Mike Guymon Is a Joker with Two Good Hands

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:15:03 -0400

A JOKER WITH TWO GOOD HANDS

By The Yacman, Ron Yacovetti

At the recent King of the Cage event entitled, "Bio Hazard", a strong fight card was headlined by a rematch between Aaron "Slam" Wetherspoon (former Welterweight Champion) and Anthony "The Recipe" Lapsley (The New KOTC Welterweight Champ).

Their first fight, a great battle, ended on a controversial double knockout via headbut. This second chapter would not last as long, with Lapsley capturing the title at 1:34 of Round One.

The quick disposal of an opponent was a great way to end the event, but as impressive as Lapsley's victory was, it was not the first or only bout to end inside the first round.

In a match that lasted just over a minute longer than the main event, Mike "The Joker" Guymon tore through James "The Educator" Fanshier as if no one had told Fanshier he was allowed to try and win.

Having had an opportunity to watch Guymon fight before, I was not surprised about how well he can strike. But in this fight, he displayed a level of control that would satisfy even the most extreme control freak.

"The Joker" was prepared mentally and physically, showing all in attendance what it looks like when a game plan is thought out, played out, and unwavering in its execution.

Coming off of another dominant performance at The Shrine in Los Angeles just a few months prior, Guymon still felt the need to step up his game, stating, "...even though I kicked the crap out of the guy, and he's a tough athlete, I was still gassed when I won."

Still, it is my opinion that it takes a natural fighter's instinct to come off a blowout win and think that major improvements are needed.

So why should you watch and listen for this guy as he fights on with his career?

Entertainment

Not only does he excite crowds when he's in the cage, he also displays antics outside the actual fight, which makes you want to see what he can and will do. In essence, what I am saying is that his nickname suits him. This guy is hilarious, yet I'd recommend laughing with him, not at him.

I had the opportunity to be a panelist on HDNet's "Inside MMA," with Joker Guymon, as well as with ShoXC brawler Jared Hamman.

Click here or the image to watch that episode of Inside MMA.

The one thing you really can benefit from as a fighter, in addition to the obvious improve as a fighter plan, is from marketing and branding oneself.

Mike "The Joker" Guymon has that aspect of achieving stardom down pat. He's likeable, hilarious, and takes care of his business when it comes to fight preparation.

Plus, I can't recall ever meeting a fighter that could humorously trash talk to his opponent just minutes before making his ring walk. That's right...humorous trash talk.

As James Fanshier, a full-time teacher, made his way through the curtain that lead into the arena, "The Joker" shouted, "...oh man, I should've brought you an apple before the fight." All within earshot backstage, including me, laughed.

So when King of the Cage, or whatever promotion is lucky enough to put this guy in their cage next, advertises "The Joker," tune in, show up, and enjoy.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH MIKE 'THE JOKER' GUYMON'S POST FIGHT INTERVIEW IF THE VIDEO PLAYER DOES NOT APPEAR

YACMAN

ELITE XTREME MAKEOVER

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:09:00 -0400

ELITE XTREME MAKEOVER

By Ron 'The Yacman' Yacovetti

make·o·ver (māk'ō'vər) Pronunciation Key
n. An overall treatment to improve the appearance or change the image.

Last night's EliteXC CBS / Showtime event came on air with the expectation and burden to not only produce a better fight card and sustain ratings, but also to streamline the production.

Many MMA fans have been griping since the early EliteXC shows on Showtime, that the dancing girls, rappers and frills defamed the sport. Those at the helm of the promotion promised we would see none of that this time around. They certainly kept their word.

This show had very well-matched fights, three title fights and from start to finish had the polished look of an NFL game on CBS. Two things are clear as a result of this:

EliteXC did the sport a service in its movement to go mainstream by presenting it like it belongs mainstream.
Haters will find something else to bash about it. After all, they are haters. Anyone surprised? I think not.

The production makeover was a nice thing to see. At the least, the blueprint for MMA shows being on network television looks pretty good.

However, the dark lining to this silver EliteXC cloud seems to be the overnight ratings.The following is being reported by tvbythenumbers.com:

That airing back on May 31, 2008 scored 4.3 million viewers and a 1.9/6 among 18-49 year olds and since the Kimbo Slice bout for that airing aired past primetime (11p) the most viewed portion wasn’t included. But lacking any Kimbo anticipation, last night’s fights pulled a mere 2.62 million and a 1.0/3 from 9pm-11pm.

Considering a Saturday night in the summer usually does not garner immense ratings for anyone, this should not be so big a deal. The only break out production for the night (and by breakout, I mean barely) was FOX's tried and true combo of COPS and AMERICA'S MOST WANTED, as they pulled a 1.5/6 Rating/Share with Adults 18-49 and were the only one of the big four networks (CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC) to reach over 4 million total viewers.

Adding another item to the plus column, MMAPayout.com reported that ad sales for this event were strong, mirroring the same scenario the historic first MMA on CBS card did on 5/31/08.

What this all means and adds up to for the promotion remains to be seen. Any fan of MMA had to enjoy what they saw last night on CBS and Showtime, as some of the best in their given weight classes were on TV battling.

The feeling from the first network show up until now, is like an emotional pendulum. At first it swung too far one way, with the glitz and hype being overplayed and the sport itself not being made to stand on the merits that caused it to bloom. Then, the mallet swung back to where the event was all professional, all action and top level fights.

The next show in October should bring the pendulum front and center. It will have the Carano and Kimbo hype and the formatting displayed on this second CBS Saturday Night Fights. That should be the right mixture to dole out enough satisfaction to casual and hardcore fans.

- Yacman

ProElite's Yacman Brought In For Questioning At IMMAE

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:19:25 -0400

For Immediate Release

ProElite’s Yacman brought in for questioning at IMMAE

July, 2008

The International Mixed Martial Arts Expo (IMMAE), taking place in Long Beach California, at the Long Beach Convention Center, has decided to bring in ProElite.com Correspondent Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti to conduct all of the interviews for this year’s event.

The Expo, which will run from Aug. 1 through Aug. 3, promises to be a who’s who of MMA fighters, products and more.

While attending this event, one can expect to see the likes of BJ Penn, Frank Mir, Josh Koscheck, Mark Coleman, Tim Sylvia, Nate Diaz and more! The Yacman, a highly recognizable face amongst the southern California MMA scene, will converse with each of them over the course of the three days.

Yacovetti has gained a lot of recognition in the MMA community by becoming the main face of social networking giant, www.ProElite.com.

Additionally, Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti can be seen weekly while hosting an internet TV series entitled, “YAC & J’S MMA and BOXING SHOW,” Monday’s LIVE at 8 p.m. PST on www.thestream.tv.

This web show has quickly become the No. 1 show on this online network, garnering thousands of eyeballs live, then adding more hits once the archive of each show is posted.

Yacman co-hosts this Daily Show-esque news and comedy program with stand-up comedy colleague and fight analyst Randy J as well as with IMMAE co-founder Miss RaRa.

There is also talk that The Yacman will be included in the Reality Show both IMMAE (http://immae.tv) and one of its partners, Owned Entertainment (http://www.ownedentertainment.com/), are collaborating on this summer.

You can read and subscribe to the Yacman’s Blog’s at http://www.yacman1.proelite.com– syndicated via RSS Feed to www.TheBleacherReport.com as well.

MMA: A Giant, a Spider, and a Dream

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:27:04 -0400

For any mild to hardcore MMA fan, Saturday July 19, 2008 was far more explosive than that same old celebration held on the fourth of the month.

Three nicely assembled cards were available to watch thanks to AFFLICTION, THE UFC and DREAM. It was such an adrenaline rush that I too contemplated seeking a sponsor for the night. The night was simply stacked.

And while not all the fights on all of the cards were incredible, the one's that did stand out made up for the one's that didn't.

A GIANT

The reference to a giant could technically mean the larger 6' 8" Tim Sylvia. But even a man of that stature is dwarfed by the larger than life performance that the seemingly unbeatable 6'0" tall Fedor Emelianenko delivered.

What happened to Sylvia was the flip side of that lottery comment, "you gotta be in it, to win it". The Maine-iac was really never in it.

Fedor did what so many athletes in MMA or Boxing would love to do—explode with a fury, yet at a controlled, precise pace with no sign of reckless abandon. The result of so exacted a fight plan came pretty quick.

It should now silence the questions and skeptics (uh uhm, Dana) who said Fedor wasn't a top heavyweight anymore. And if you still feel that way, find one who can prove it. Maybe warm up with an easier task first—like finding Amelia Earhart.

A SPIDER

Anderson Silva continues to build an aura of invincibility, doing so this time against a large, strong light-heavyweight. Even those who figured on Silva winning, likely did not expect the finish to come as quickly and suddenly as it did.

Anderson generates the same feeling upon entering the arena that Roy Jones Jr. had throughout his boxing career, spending the better part of 11 years unbeaten with that same aura.

Pound for pound titles, though not official, were conceived with guys like Anderson Silva in mind. And for me, a die-hard Roy Jones fan, it sure does make being a fight fan easier, having another guy like that to admire, as he applies a natural, athletic skill set that most sports rarely ever see.

A DREAM

The conclusion of the Dream Lightweight Championship tournament was both exciting and disappointing. While Hell Boy, whose real name is Joachim Hansen, earned himself that title, one could not help but envision it around the waist of Eddie Alvarez.

As most are well aware, Alvarez beat Hansen in a very competitive fight, then advanced further in the tournament. However, the injury Alvarez sustained in his battle with Kawajiri didn't allow him to advance and seize the title most thought he would win.

My best advice for Alvarez is Dream On. His stock did nothing but increase its worth, making Eddie a desirable fighter to watch either in Japan with Dream or in the USA when fighting for EliteXC.

IN CLOSING

The biggest picture created by Affliction, UFC and Dream, soon to be followed up by EliteXC's second CBS Fight Night on July 26 is quite simple to see.

More fights, more top level matches and a thriving environment for so many skilled fighters to grow.

The UFC and it's not-so mild mannered president may not like the other promotions trying to compete but any true fan of MMA sure does. Viva La Otro Promotions and The UFC!

Phil Baroni Beats Two At Wembley

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:45:43 -0400

The "New York Badass" Phil Baroni powered his way back in to the MMA spotlight Saturday night, beating two opponents at Wembley Arena, at Cage Rage 27 Step Up, presented by EliteXC.

First the American banged out plucky Brit Scott Jansen in a blistering battle which lasted just three minutes, 18 seconds, into round one. Then as he checks on Jansen’s condition he fends off an attacker that appeared to head butt the 32-year-old.

Baroni, who was fighting at Welterweight for the very first time, badly needed a victory following three back to back defeats, later brushed off the incident and asked, "who’s next?"

Cage Rage officials have announced an investigation into the incident and a review of cage side security.

The Wembley crowd and viewers on Nuts TV witness a wonderful night of blistering MMA action.

In the battle of the big boys, Neil ‘Goliath’ Grove wore down Ferryhill’s Robert ‘Buzz’ Berry. In the long awaited rematch Berry had the best of an exciting first round but failed to make his advantage count.

Round two saw Grove land a right left combination that took the wind out of Berry’s sails then moved in for the kill landing some hefty shots on his prone opponent with the referee calling it a night after just one minute and 28 seconds.

Mustapha Al-Turk carried off the vacant British Heavyweight Title, overpowering a much fancied James "Machine" McSweeney in the first round.

A-Turk gave the referee no option but to step in when took the fight to the floor and rained blows on his downed opponent.

Robbie "The Flame" Oliver retained his British Featherweight Title, finally getting the upper-hand against Asleigh Grimshaw and executing a rear naked choke in the fifth minute of the second round.

Tom "Kong" Watson cruised to a relatively comfortable win against john Phillips, catching the judges eyes in an encounter that went the distance.

Stave "Crazy Bear" Economou roared to victory in a three-round thriller which brought the crowd to its feet slamming Polish Piotr ‘Doctor’ Kusmierz to all corners of the cage. His extraordinary efforts earned Economou a unanimous decision from the judges.

City Whizz Kid Francis Heagney,faced his own credit crunch in the cage failing to take the vacant lightweight title. Jason "Shotgun" Young let both barrels out punching and out manoeuvring the Northern Irishman in a three round war of attrition earning him a unanimous decision.

The same move saw Jody Cottham overcome Russian Umidjon Mavlyanov, Wesley Johnson overpowered Mark Brown with a first round ground and pound victory.

Dave Van Gasse defeated James Elson with a third round rear naked choke.

Crossing Over From MMA to Boxing

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:34:42 -0400

Phrasal Verb(s): Cross Over

1. To change from one condition or loyalty to another.

OK, for those who started this read expecting to hear from the dead, while you won't be getting messages from beyond conveyed by a shady John Edwards, you may be getting insight into the slow killings of fighters' careers.

Maybe...

Can MMA fighters make the jump into professional boxing and produce successful careers?

Oh and if they do want to try...whoever does...they really need to hurry. Boxing is dying and will be gone any day now. (See how ridiculous that sounds, boxing haters?)

Anyway...

This crossing over between sports is nothing new. During my career working in the boxing world, many professional kickboxer’s tried to step up and make waves in the ranks of boxing's best. I cannot recall one who did it even close to the level of success they enjoyed in their original combat sport.

So the question is: Will that be replicated now between MMA and boxing?

Anderson Silva, an MMA enigma, wanted to take on Roy Jones Jr., a boxing enigma. The only thing that makes this fight kind of compelling, outside of watching them both perform, is that Roy is past his prime and Anderson is not. If Roy was in his peak years, the result wouldn't be very good for Anderson. It just wouldn't.

Now, Andrei Arlovski is training under Freddie Roach to make his debut in boxing. Arlovski is a skilled fighter and athlete that is very durable. But can he make the jump to the ring?

EliteXC's Lightweight champion K.J. Noons boxes, kickboxes, and fights in MMA. He surely proved how well he can throw hands against Nick Diaz and Yves Edwards. But can K.J. capture gold in boxing as well. He plans to.

The result, should combatants from MMA be able to cross over into boxing, could be fantastic. We could end up seeing an in-his-prime Jones vs. an-in-his-prime Silva type of fight between the two sports, if the pioneers of this move from MMA to boxing fare well. That would be amazing.

It would also give boxing the PR boost it needs, while simultaneously helping push MMA a little more mainstream.

But what about the MMA tide going back out—taking with it pro boxers trying their hands at Mixed Martial Arts, after some MMA guys attained recognition in boxing?

Clearly, the step FROM the melting pot of combat, MMA, is easier than the step INTO it from any one, exclusive combat discipline. Even if an MMA fighter is an average boxer at best, he at least knows the one craft he needs to, if and when he boxes. A boxer would be devoid of Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu, judo, wrestling, and more, should he try to fight in a cage.

The worst-case scenario would have MMA stars damaging themselves publicly by losing handily in a sport that is not identical to theirs. How badly they could hurt their reputations, if at all, is hard to determine at this point. I do know that the potential to do so is very real to some people...Ask Dana White.

Dana is two things: a businessman and a practitioner of boxing. He knows what could happen to Anderson Silva by trying to take on a boxer like Roy Jones, who is easily amongst the best the sport of boxing has ever seen. That's why Dana said no to Anderson.

As a fan of both sports, I sure do hope to see it work. And the crossover, in reverse, could also happen, though I'd expect it would take a little longer with so many fighting styles for a boxer to learn before being close to ready to battle in a cage.

That realm is also being explored by guys such as former heavyweight boxer Jeremy 'Half Man, Half Amazing' Williams. This guy has approximately an 88 percent KO ratio in boxing, and he's not even a big heavyweight. He is thus far unbeaten in his campaign in MMA, training at the famous Legend's MMA gym in Hollywood, CA.

The book on this is very unwritten, yet the story already has me hooked.

Phil Baroni: The Weight is Over

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:41:45 -0400

This coming weekend, the UK's premier MMA brand, CAGE RAGE, is putting on another fight card. This one is entitled, "Cage Rage 27: Step Up". And in an unusual turn of events, the last minute bout add on isn't filling a void created by a loss of a better match up...it's the headline bout.

This Saturday July 12, "The New York Bad Ass" Phil Baroni, coming off of three straight losses in California, Hawaii, and New Jersey (where he appeared on the inaugural CBS Primetime Show for EliteXC), is continuing his Go East Tour in the United Kingdom.

Baroni hopes to snap the losing streak by wasting virtually no time in getting back in the cage to throw hands with his next opponent.

The more noteworthy aspect of this fight is Baroni's choice to face Scott Jansen (3-2; 3 KO's) at Welterweight (170 lbs.). As of late, Baroni's been knocked for his cardio not being up to par. At 170 lbs, Phil looks to take that criticism away from those who trumpet it.

The list of factors that could sway this bout, exclusive of Jansen alone, are plentiful. Two 'possible' factors regarding the drop in weight for Baroni are:

Loss of Strength / Energy - a common side effect athletes can succumb to when dropping too low in weight.
Power, Power, Power- If you thought Baroni hit hard as a middleweight (and he did), his KO power at 170 will be insane. This will be a major factor in any Welterweight fight he participates in IF his cardio allows him to fight on long enough for it to break his opponent down or knock him out.

And while Scott Jansen is a good opponent, he's not a major name—which is ideal now. Baroni needs to grab a win to get himself back on track. With that, he can start to make his presence in the Welterweight division felt.

Considering the growth of the sport and the exposure potential via CBS/Showtime Phil can get fighting under EliteXC, he owes it to himself to pour his all into it now.

He brings a love him/hate him character to the sport that makes not hearing about him almost impossible. Nothing can ignite a career more than that same type of guy mowing fighters down while reminding them he is "the best Eva".

Yacman

THE UFC COUNTER STRIKE? [editorial]

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:23:06 -0400

Counter Strike?

The word strike has very different meanings in the world of sports. In some cases, it has completely opposite connotations. In baseball, if you're trying to score, a strike is a bad thing. But in bowling (and no I did not get to vote on this even being considered a sport), a strike is a very positive result.

In a recent post on MMAPayout.com, Yahoo News is referenced as having posted that Dana White has plans to put counterprogramming up against the next EliteXC on CBS card again.The very same counterstrike plan that sure seemed to fall flat last time, when they ran Liddell-a-palooza.

Plus is it me or is this tactic a 20th century technique being applies in the 21st? A lot of people have a DVR (TiVO) and can record the Spike TV UFC card, while prioritizing the Affliction card...same plan works for the next CBS/EliteXC show. So why do it?

One plan, in the case of the Affliction show, is to damage their PPV buys. This may have a moderate impact, but in all honesty, the Affliction card is hard to outshine. And the fact that MMA is coming into homes for free on network TV is also hard to dent the numbers on. Even people who hated the first CBS card and said, "I'll never watch EliteXC again" will watch again. Even haters need to be informed so they can know what to sound off about. You know, what sucked and why.

So what does it really mean and prove when the UFC, MMA's premier promotion, jockey's into position to try and take away from shows such as EliteXC: Primetime, Affliction: Banned and now, EliteXC: Primtetime II??

Two undeniable things are clear:

The UFC, despite being the number one promotion, is seriously threatened by the comptetion being posed by both EliteXC and Affliction. Good thing the IFL didn't rattle their cage like that, they'd be putting events on more often than the WWE and TNA combined. I know they say they're not concerned about EliteXC or Affliction—that those are farm leagues, but their actions belie that big time. You'd think a Las Vegas based company would have a better poker face.
The UFC is a proponent for Ultimate Fighting—not MMA. Their brand, not the sport overall, otherwise they would be glad to see a sport they helped nurture, growing out of the small potter they started out with.

So in the case of the UFC countering the competition, the term strike is a lot more like baseball than bowling. It has thus far proven to amount to little more than a swing and a miss. We shall see what unfolds next, with the UFC holding July 19th's Affliction: Banned Show in its sights, the counter-programming either be their second strike or their first hit.

Boxing, MMA and the Space In-between

The Yacman Ron Yacovetti — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:28:37 -0400

Understanding the differences between two unique sports

Ron Yacovetti – Correspondent/Writer for ProElite.com

UFC President Dana White is doing it.

HBO Boxing commentator Jim Lampley is doing it.

But why? Why are so many people pitting Boxing and MMA against one-another as if there is a competition between the two for survival? It’s like comparing Baseball and Basketball because they both involve a ball, scoring and uniforms. It’s an unfair contrast to do regarding two mutually exclusive sports.

I understand that both MMA and Boxing are both about fighting, but each has a different set of rules and tactics for engagement. It really is easy to be a fan of both sports without choosing one over the other, as a favorite.

I put together a comprehensive breakdown of why people compare them, why it’s unjustified and why they are undeniably two different sports.

FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONFUSION

One of the main reasons I’ve found, that Boxing and MMA get weighed against one-another is because of their shared attributes; punching, ring ropes (when a cage is not in use), and the use of a referee. But that’s where the similarities end. Even similarities such as striking (in MMA) or punching (in boxing) are not necessarily executed with the same technique. Mixed Martial Artists need to be wary of take downs, elbows and kicks where boxers’ only concern is their opponent’s hands.

Yet because both involve punching/striking, different strategies and techniques often go unnoticed by casual observers. And in some cases, even the pros miss this point, Mr. Lampley.

WHO’S DRAWING THE UNFOUNDED COMPARISONS?

Extremists.

In my experience, just like any collective body of people who unite behind a cause, it’s the hardcore fans that look to the other sport as inferior or unworthy. It’s as if they are emotionally defending their turf from a hostile takeover. They react as if the growth of the other means the death of the sport they love. That scenario is simply not realistic or remotely close to taking place. Neither MMA nor Boxing will be going anywhere, so let’s put that myth to rest, shall we?

KEY MISCONCEPTIONS

Boxing is dead…over-with…gone the way of the saber-tooth tiger.

I have come to find that for hardliner MMA fans and those not privy to the world of boxing, the gradual extinction of boxing has already begun. But why? Why do people think a sport that has lasted so long and can still afford to pay fighters like Oscar De La Hoya $25 million per fight, is fading out?

To me, the answer is two-fold.

First of all, so many guys like De La Hoya and Mayweather have been taking on opponents in boxing matches, making boat-loads of money and doing the least amount of work to get the job done. Boxing’s work ethic is dying, not the sport.

It’s also a socio-economic issue, in large part. In the glory days of Boxing men fought to survive, to pave a better path in life and because they loved it. There is no bigger difference in today’s boxer than that. And ironically, the very same level of compensation that MMA fighters want and also deserve is partly to blame for it.

It tests my dedication as a fan to see boxers transform into not much more than highly paid athletes. Did you get that? Athletes. The fighter or brawler characterization is not always the case anymore. So many of us who embraces the sport are continually subjected to higher priced pay-per-views where they witness a series of performances that are less confrontational than ‘Dancing with the Stars’. The boxers seem quite content to make the money and run. That just stinks. I keep hoping that a majority of boxer’s will rediscover their hunger.

Second, for the general public, the ambassador for the sport of boxing has always been the Heavyweights. I cannot stress this point enough. I continually notice that people on all levels of fandom, love the big boys going toe to toe, and in today’s boxing scene that division is all but dried up. The athletes who would likely dominate heavyweight boxing have most often taken up higher paying, less risky sports like baseball, basketball and even football. Just ask heavyweight-boxing legend, Ken Norton whose son made a name for himself playing for the NFL’s 49’ers and Cowboys.

Add the fact that the best boxers are coming from Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa - not from America. These warriors are holding and furiously defending their titles, often in nations outside of the U.S. And quite frankly American’s tend to lose interest when the heavyweight kingpin’s name sounds something like Klitschko.

There is a ton of top notch talent south of 200 lbs. in boxing. Trust me. Just start watching them and join the rest of us as we wait for the next great American heavyweight that can capture our attention like Mike Tyson.

MMA IS BRUTAL AND NOT A SPORT AT ALL

Here we go again. I could not disagree with this statement more. MMA is as much a sport as any other you see on TV. And if bowling qualifies, then this is a moot point. The best thing a top level bowler can do is knock down all 10 pins…I’ve done that. Best thing a top level MMA fighter can do is knock down Chuck Liddell…I’m afraid to even dream it!

I simply do not find MMA to be a street fight or animalistic activity. It involves more art forms and combat techniques than one can often wrap their head around. In today’s MMA arena, you cannot enter the cage or ring armed with only one style or discipline. It’s MIXED Martial Arts people. That means a compilation of fighting styles to account for all potential aspects of hand to hand combat. That sure does seem a lot more evolved and intelligent than primitive, to me. If bowling is a sport, MMA is an uber-sport.

THE NEGATIVE HALO EFFECT

Once something is branded as bad, it sure is difficult to shake off.

The first thing you learn about MMA is where and how it began. The Mixed Martial Arts world began as an underground scene that was no holds barred and far more extreme than its current incarnation. In a mainstream sense, it was almost as if it were the beta version tested on the general populace; a version that stumbled like Windows Vista. And yes, I am speaking from experience.

However, we owe a lot to the Beta MMA. The old school fights caught the attention of the public, which caught the eye of the government. It was way back in the 90’s, but when the public cried “ouch” and out spoken legislators joined the parade, the Beta MMA all but died in a pile of lost fortunes. Rising from the twisted metal is the MMA of today. A sport that is more professional, has a rule book and standards that are enforced by sanctioned athletic commissions

Plus, given the level of camaraderie I have witnessed amongst the fighters in MMA, I find it ironic to say it’s so brutal or cruel. Where are these people when hockey players start throwing hands? And that’s within a sport where fighting goes on just for the entertainment value. It’s not even part of the game’s strategy!

Show the fighters a little respect all of you MMA critics…and at least address that whole hockey issue first.

BUILDING ACTION OR ICONS

Another key difference between Boxing and MMA is the focal point. This is a very unique difference to me, in that it really takes two completely distinctive approaches to developing a fighter’s career.

In professional boxing it seems future champions are sought out early on and then gradually brought along throughout their careers. They take on “C” and “B” level opponents as they amass undefeated records. This usually lasts until they are anywhere from 18-0 to 28-0. Then they go after the elite fighters and title belts within their division, creating a major build up and expectation of star quality, having gone so long without a loss. It sure gets me sucked into a guy’s career when I know he’s unbeaten.

In MMA fighters just fight, period. They pursue title belts in the various organizations but oftentimes you will see a fighter who has less than 15 pro fights with top level opponents already logged into their resume. There’s no waiting too long and being nurtured ad-nauseam. These guys and gals prepare, train hard and then go after anyone, anywhere, anytime. It drives me nuts that this aspect has diminished so much in boxing. Many professional boxers approach their careers like an internship at Smith Barney, where profiteering is the primary goal, not fighting. Back in the day, that was hardly the case.

The ramifications of this difference are unique in that they both enhance and hinder these sports.

In Boxing, you get the invulnerable aura of a Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr. or George Foreman where the expectation to win is almost a given. And when they eventually lose, it’s front page headlines. It took 11 years for Roy Jones Jr. to be defeated and it shocked the entire fight community as much as it shocked me.

As exciting as this sounds, those stand out stars are far and few between and it leaves fans having to watch so many mediocre fighters take their time on the road to nowhere, fighting nobody. Guys like Roy Jones are incredibly gifted athletes that sustain unblemished records because they are that much better than the rest of the field.

Luckily, MMA has yet to get lost in the minutia of time released career development. That’s certainly a good thing as far as I am concerned. But…here’s the dark cloud to that silver lining…

Throughout the entire MMA fight world, there are almost no undefeated, top level warriors who are reigning for extended periods of time, compiling a following that transcends the sport’s hardcore base. To me, that’s not so good. There’s a reason they call Oscar De La Hoya the ‘Golden Boy’. That man gets people who miss most weekly fight cards, to buy costly seats and head to Las Vegas to be a part of an event where he is performing. MMA needs more of those figures. It will help fuel the sport’s growth. And the talent in MMA is nowhere near lacking for talent that can do it. It’s just a different fight game and remaining undefeated for prolonged time periods is very difficult and not commonplace.

THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT SPORTS

In most cases when an athlete from one of these two sports, goes to fight in the other, they do not excel. We’ve seen it for years in boxing when kick boxers migrated over to boxing and in the long run, do not size up.

The bottom line is they are not the same sport. This may change when more fighters study a variety of different disciplines and learn to separate the differences when they fight. But until such a change occurs, there will only be a handful of combatants who seem capable of succeeding in boxing and MMA. Gifted warriors like Jeremy “Half-man, Half-Amazing’ Williams and Erin Toughill are two of a few.

Only by cross-pollinating the sports can we usher can we justify the boxing and MMA fighters and their matches.

WHY COMPLAIN AT ALL?

I am as happy as can be as a fan of all fight sports. Think about it…

If you like combat sports, we are living in the most exciting time. Thanks to cable outlets such as SPIKE TV, HBO, SHOWTIME, ESPN, FOX SPORTS, ION TV, HDNET and others, you can see fights from all over the world, Live or On Demand, 24/7.

And adding even more excitement to it all is the emergence of internet outlets like PROELITE.COM, an online MMA community that actually streams live fight cards from around the globe. Incredibly, this site delivers LIVE MMA fight action directly to fans’ computers.

So, stop your complaining, your comparing, and your debating! Instead of dissing one or the other, shut your mouth and give both sports a fighting chance to reveal themselves as worthy of your attention. If you take the time to learn their differences and similarities, odds are that you will come to love both sports like the brothers that they are.