Bleacher Report - Articles by Kevin Curran

Dream FW GP: Why Joe Warren Is Unstoppable

Kevin Curran — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:57:39 -0400

Joe Warren is a world champion Greco Roman wrestler. He was at the pinnacle of his sport, and there was nothing really left to accomplish, except maybe earning an Olympic medal.

However, Warren is not the type of guy to just sit back and call it a day. Instead, he set his eyes on Japan.

Warren is not your typical wrestler, though. His aggression is renowned, and his relentless pace makes him a handful for anyone. This is why it was so shocking when no one gave Warren the respect he desrved when he bust onto the scene against Chase Beebe.

Baptised by fire he was given the much experiened Beebe, who had just fought for the WEC crown only a little less than a year prior, Warren beat him to a pulp until the doctor had to step in to save him after the first round.

It seemed he was getting some recognition then, but he unfortunately had to face tournament favorite Kid Yamamoto. Yamamoto had been on a rampage, tearing up the competition. Warren was unphased. He stepped into the fight, showed great chin, and took down Yamamoto at will. He pounded him out to a decision victory and looked extremely impressive.

Now, Warren has had months to train at Xtreme Couture and has learned the ins and out of the game. The FW division better be aware, because a bigger and badder Warren is coming to the table next time.

With an amped up sub defense and better striking, Warren can control the fight in any facet.

His next opponent is Biiano Fernandes. A BJJ wizard, Bibiano may seem like a stylistic disadvantage for Joe, but not to be. Since Joe is the most highly-decorated wrestler in MMA today, and the most so since Rulon Gardner, he is basically impossible to take down.

Not to mention, Yamamoto had already smashed Bibiano. This bodes well for Warren, as he will most likely have the striking edge after his time at Xtreme Couture.

The final will pit him against either Tokoro or Takaya. Takaya is known for his striking, while Tokoro is known for his unorthodox submissions. Tokoro is a heavy favorite in that battle and is expected to win.

If he takes on Warren in the final, his only hope is his crazy submissions, but Warren's quick reactions and strength should prevent any fluke win. Therefore, Warren is the easy winner.

With more credentials than any wrestler that has come to MMA in years--more than Couture, Coleman, Henderson, Fitch, Hughes, etc.--Warren will be a tall order for anyone to handle.

Simply put, he's unstoppable.

Middleweight Mayhem: 185 is Heating Up

Kevin Curran — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:56:26 -0400

The first step is to get past Anderson Silva. I mean he's unbeatable! There is no one the middleweight class that can touch him...or at least no one in the UFC. Outside the UFC is a wildwest of MMA talent, some of which may be coming to an octagon near you very soon...unless it already has!

The first and most obvious threat would be the "dreamcatcher" and red devil sports club product Gegard Mousasi. He is the most dangerous fighter in Japan since Fedor, maybe because he trains with Fedor.

This top prospect has a record 25-2-1 and has impressed just about everybody that has seen him fight. He holds wins over such top fighters as Cyborg Santos, Jacare Souza, Melvin Manhoef, Dong Sik Yoon, Denis Kang, and heavyweight iron head Mark Hunt.

All of these wins have come over the past year and all but one of them were finished in the first round, putting mousasi on a seven fight win streak not including his k-1 demolition of like named Musashi. This man is revered as the next big thing in MMA and rightfully so! Watch out Anderson.

Next is Yoshiro Akiyama, more aptly known as Sexyama by many adoring fans. Conveniently, Anderson will be greeting this olympic judoka to the UFC very soon.

Akiyama will be one of the more dangerous opponents Anderson could possibly see as he possesses innovative submissions as the Ezekiel Choke which he has won with twice and creative KO victories like a spinning back kick KO over Nagata in K-1. Anderson may have trouble with his unpredictability.

After that, Anderson has a Brazilian triumvirate from the Wand fight team gunning for him in Wanderlei Silva, Demian Maia and Dream stalwart Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza. Bad blood has been brewing for some time now between former teammates and friends Anderson and Wanderlei.

This bodes well for setting up a tram vs team battle as Wand has three of the best in the world on his squad and Anderson trains with the legendary Noguiera Fight Team.

Former Chute Boxe stars fighting one another would be an explosive war and with Wanderlei's fists, Maia's submissions, and Jacare's well rounded game any of those fights make for a war and a great fight. anderson may be a bit more weary of his own division now and less concerned with fighting 205's.

Another threat in the UFC is newly signed Vitor Belfort. This former superstar and UFC posterboy lost himslef for a while, but is back now better than ever and lighter.

This weight class change may be the biggest signing for the UFC since its dubious phone call signing of Cro Cop. Not to mention that Belfort is coming off of a destruction of Matt Lindland in 37 seconds in Affliction, Vitor looks hungrier than ever. Spider beware.

Furthermore, Anderson has to very careful about the winner of Bisping vs. Henderson. Henderson would be a much bigger threat to the Spider due to athleticism, wrestling ability, and a more crisp standup game.

This fight seems to be overlooked but if you recall round one of Henderson Silva, Henderson may have very well won. A second fight may give Henderson just the chance he needs to right his wrongs.

Henderson is still one of the most dangerous fighters in the netire division and him flying under the radar like this doesn't bode well for his next opponent after Bisping (can you tell I'm betting on Hendo?).

Lastly, and least likely, strikeforce middleweights like Cung Le may come to the UFC and disrupt the balance of things. Cung is one of the most explosive fighters in the game on his feet and has the power to end a fight with any one of his limbs.

However, its been over a year since his last fight and even then it is unlikely that anybody challenges his belt, including the so called "rejuvenated" Villasenor. Although it is unlikely that any of them would pose a serious challenge to Silva, it is a possibility. I mean the guy broke Shamrock's arm with a kick! Give him some props for that!

Whether or not any of these fighters seriously challenge Anderson or even succeed in defeating him, remember Anderson isn't unbeatable. I know I'm not the only one who remembers Ryo Chonan's flying heel hook and Ryo Chonan isn't half as talented as some of the fighter's I've named.

Not only that but Silva has seriously lacked inspiration in his last few fights not finishing Cote in three rounds and partaking in a snorefest against Leites. Now may be the prime time to dethrone the longtime monarch middleweight. The question is...who is the man for the job?

What the ?: Top Five Freak Injuries in MMA

Kevin Curran — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:45:00 -0400

In light of the strange collapse of Patrick Cote at UFC 90, I have scoured the sources of MMA knowledge to find some comparable material. Here are the grotesque and sometimes career-ending injuries that make you cringe or make you angry, which one is up to point of view.

5. Cote blows...out a knee (just kidding I actually like him)

As most of us saw on Oct. 25, or on YouTube the following day (what?, I'm cheap), Cote pushed Silva further into a fight that any of his predecessors. However, unlike his predecessors, he was not actually beaten by Silva, rather by a knee that blew out. Tough luck, Pat.

4.Shogun's arm-or isn't so shining.

Shogun Rua came out looking ready to take on Mark Coleman and his ever-dulling hammer style of fighting; this was not to be. "The Hammer" came out and went for a suplex style takedown, and when Shogun foolishly put his arm out to break his fall, it snapped under his weight. Ouch!

3.Tomomi Breaks a leg, literally

Oh yes, I'm bringing a woman's fight to the mix. I was always a skeptic of women's MMA, being the purist that I am; however, now I am a believer because of the toughness of this woman. Women's kickboxing and muay thai star Windy Tomomi was at a BoDog fight in Costa Rica, and when she tried to escape a takedown, she landed awkwardly and snapped her ankle and rotated it halfway around. Gruesome stuff.

2. Mirko Can't find his ball

My favorite fighter, and legendary high-kick man, Mirko Cro Cop recently had one of the worst injuries a man can think about. Groin and testicle injuries. His testicle actually went inside of him after an Overeem knee. Oh my God. Need I say any more?

1. Landi Jons cracks opponent...and his shin

Pele Landi Jons was a legend in K-1 with his vicious kicks. Somehow this became a disadvantage in this gruesome injury. His shin hit directly on his opponents knee shattering and destroying is leg. Let's just say he was out for a while.

Fedor Emelianenko: Reality TV Star?

Kevin Curran — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:18:24 -0400

As I boringly wrote an essay for history, I drifted, much as every student does, to sites that have nothing to do with the objective that actually needs to be accomplished. Suddenly, as I scrolled down, I saw a headline reading "Fighting Fedor Reality Show in Works". Trump sure isn't a slouch for marketing!

The concept of this show would be to have an ultimate fighter style tourney of some of the top prospects who would be going for the prize of all prizes, a title shot on an Affliction PPV against the legend himself, Fedor Emelianenko.

Who is going to be on the show remains unconfirmed, but M-1 Global and Affliction are looking for worthy suitors, so the kid who wins doesn't fall an under a minute victim to Fedor's overwhelming skills. Although, after seeing Sylvia get destroyed, who could blame him, (whoever that may be)?

The strange thing for me is that with all of the talent at heavyweight in Affliction, including top notch talent Josh Barnett, along with a partnership with EliteXC and the possibility of dipping into their "talent" pool, if that's what you want to call it, they can't seem to find a worthy opponent? I realize that Fedor is fighting Arlovski in January and I honestly believe that Fedor is going to...smash Arlovski unrelentingly. What did you think I was going to say?

After that, however, they are left dumbfounded with nobody? Please. Anybody whose been around knows that there are plenty of candidates including stars in Dream and Sengoku who have non-exclusive contracts.

It's even been rumored that a possible match between the winner of Overeem vs. Cro-Cop II and Fedor may happen. This premise is, of course, banking on the marketability of Mirko Cro-Cop's high kick. Then again, who wouldn't market that beauty?

Another point though is that when a different company steals your shtick and adds a whoppingly interesting twist, you must counter. The UFC is the king of MMA right now and they know it. Challengers aren't exactly welcomed either.

The UFC is either going to up the ante of the next TUF season or find some extravagant way to attract attention away from their rival. As far as Dana is concerned, Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture are both better than Fedor. That may be subject to MASSIVE amounts of bias though. I believe the consensus is that Fedor would beat either one of them.

So, if Fedor can beat those two and pretty much everyone in the top 10 picture, why isn't he tested against them? Why revert to a "grand prix to Fedor?" I'll tell you why. It's been a recurring theme in this article and the idea is; marketability.

Dana boasts about how much better his fighters are than anyone elses, but the truth is, HE'S AFRAID! Yes, I said it, Dana F***in White is afraid. My proof? Please recall when Chuck Liddell went over to fight in the middleweight Grand Prix in Pride and Dana talked Chuck up so much, only to see him manhandled by Rampage Jackson.

At this point in time, where the UFC has only a few marketable heavyweights against Fedor's reign (i.e. Lesnar, Couture, and yes Fabricio Werdum) and losing one or two of them to him would destroy the integrity of the UFC heavyweight division.

How is this related to the TV show? Simple. Fedor doesn't have any competition because of the exclusive contracts of the UFC and the unwillingness of Dana to lose his breadwinners to the insurmountable obstacle known as Fedor Emelianenko. Although it may seem frivolous amongst the slew of options that Affliction has at its disposal, I believe any true fan will be watching the show. M-A-R-K-E-T-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y!

Top Five Over-the-Hill Fighters, Walker and All!

Kevin Curran — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:43:05 -0400

Since Ken Shamrock can't seem to win and even when he is given a gimme fight he hurts himself, I made a top five list that even he might be able to make. Here we have the best of the senior tour—the old guys who still go out and fight for the love of the sport. God love 'em!

5. Ken Shamrock

Déjà vu! Huh, it seems like I was just talking about him. Ken may have fallen on rough times lately, but with a possible resurgence coming with possible EliteXC cards being offered, I give Ken the No. 5 spot for potential. Hmmm, 45 and I'm talking potential. Does that sound weird to you?

4. Dan Severn

Believe it or not, this guy (who is now receiving AARP checks) still climbs into the cage to duke it out with fighters who could be his grandkids. With over 100 fights on his pro resume, he has lost only two fights in the last five years, with one ironically coming to Seth Petruzelli. This guy is redefining over-the-hill in MMA, considering he is now approaching 55. 55!

3. Gary Goodridge

Sure, he lost to Buentello at Affliction: Banned, but in all seriousness, if a guy that is over 40 is good enough to get on that card, he's pretty good. He has been a mainstay in the K-1 stable for some time now, and has appeared on many PRIDE and UFC cards over the years. He's still chugging along and may still have more career to go on his amazing journey.

2. Oleg Taktarov

Since his resurgence in Bodog Fight in 2007 he has had a great streak. His submissions have looked crisp and smooth, most recently submitting Mark Kerr by kneebar, and his overall game looks like it has not lost too many of the vitals. His career from here on out will be something to watch for as a wiley veteran tries to hold his own in the constantly changing MMA world we know today.

1. Randy Couture

Need I even explain? The only thing I may add is that his legacy may be altered by UFC 91, whatever the outcome. I can't wait to see that fight. It's going to be a war!

EliteXC Recap: Kimbo's Poor Skills Finally Surface

Kevin Curran — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:15:20 -0400

I myself have never been a fan of Kimbo Slice. I may be classified as a "purist" or "old fashioned" (if that term even applies to MMA).

However, that is not why I dislike Kimbo—it's because I realized his poor skills. Sure he can punch, but so can Kalib Starnes, who is probably three times as talented as Kimbo. Here's the breakdown of Kimbo's flash KO bout and the rest of the card.

First, we'll start with the fight everyone tuned in to see, or should I say expected to see. The night had an inauspicious start as Ken Shamrock was discovered to have cut himself above his eye and needed stitches, which disqualified him from competition.

This left me with an empty and disappointed feeling in my stomach. Not to mention a relieved feeling in Kimbo's leg. This is added on top of the fact that Frank has more ammunition to crap on Ken, which he took full advantage of, calling Ken's cut "a disgrace to the Shamrock family legacy."

The man who stepped in was Seth "The Silverback" Petruzelli. Petruzelli fought on TUF 2, which apparently made him a veteran of the UFC according to Mauro Ranallo, and saw some action on different KOTC cards including a fight against Dan Severn (who was 50 at the time of the fight).

Kimbo's wrestling and submission skills had been challenged hard and often by many of his critics and in a deft move by Pro Elite management they chose a karate practitioner.

Safe bet, right? Wrong.

Sure, many believed Kimbo would get submitted by Ken, but Ken is stubborn, has a deteriorated chin, and has lost his quick reflexes. Speaking of reflexes, that is what did Kimbo in.

Kimbo came out looking like he was ready to go and backed Seth up against the cage without even throwing a punch, before he cocked back ready to throw some bombs.

With his unorthodox style, Petruzelli threw a front kick and Kimbo, being inexperienced, dropped his hands to protect himself and caught a straight to the chin, stunning him. Then as Kimbo fell to the canvas he was caught by a few power punches, the rolling to his back got beat down with a few more right hands.

Completely out of it, Kimbo tried to double leg the ref after the fight ended. 11 seconds of mayhem for sure, but an eyeopening 11 for sure.

The biggest things I realized were: Kimbo can't handle unorthodox strikers and that he can't handle fighters with good reflexes. Karate style threw Kimbo off and Petruzelli's quick reflexes landed a punch that older opponents like Mercer, Tank, and Shamrock could not or would not have landed.

This will certainly change the landscape of both EliteXC and Kimbo's career.

One other notable fight on the card was Radach vs. Ninja, where Radach knocked out Ninja in the second after an exciting first round where both fighters used effective striking and ground technique to generate an extremely exciting fight.

Another good fight was Arlovski vs. Nelson. Arlovski was dominated on the ground in the first round where a surprisingly athletic Nelson used his wrestling and jui jitsu to work for armlocks and use some ground and pound to soften Arlovski. Thse second round was an entirely different story an Arlovski used his knees and hands to smash Nelson and finally landed a huge hook to put Nelson face down on the mat. Some complaint from Nelson was heard, but in my book, was completely irrational.

Lastly, there was EliteXC champ Jake Shields vs. Cage Rage Champ, Paul Daley. In this bout, Daley looked strong on his feet and seemed like he could bludgeon Shields if the fight remained standing.

However, this was not to be, as Shields took the fight to the ground where Daley looked completely overmatched and gave up a mount over and over again where he was peppered with shots until he was finally armbarred and tapped. Some thought that his technique was to expend as little energy as possible and then beat a tired Shields on the feet.

However, this plan completely backfired as the BJJ expert Shields took advantage of Daley's shortcomings on the ground.

There were a few womens fights on the card, but I found Gina Carano's fight a snorefest, save maybe the last 15 seconds where Gina landed a few powerful kicks that shocked the crowd out of slumber to see the decision.

Takahashi vs. Cyborg was much different. Cyborg and Takahashi went back and forth, but Cyborg definitely cemented herself as the top contender to Carano. Cyborg was most certainly convincing in that aspect.

In the end of it I found it to be a moderately entertaining card, but the calls from the crowd that pleaded for strictly stand up wars disappointed me as I was looking forward to seeing all aspects of MMA, not one.

That type of MMA defeats the purpose of mixing disciplines. The fights were good though—lots of heart and varying styles, including "facesmashing fu". EliteXC may be alright after all, especially since they are partnered with Affliction.

Out Cold: MMA's Top-10 KO's of All Time

Kevin Curran — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:38:57 -0400

In the history of MMA, there have been many amazing moments, whether it be submissions, crazy five-round wars, or even a fluke injury that changes a man's career forever.

However, none of these seem as appealing as that one special moment when a punch lands perfectly and sends a fighter to the canvas. This is the discernment between those moments that are perfect and those that are close. This article only takes the best of the best. Here they are.

10. Frank Shamrock vs. Igor Zinoviev

Frank Shamrock was the middleweight champion at the time and was one of the more dominating forces in MMA at the time. His wrestling was on display for sure in this match against the overmatched Zinoviev.

This match was the first instance of a slam knockout in the UFC, and it was an amazing one. Shamrock cinched up a bodylock on Zinoviev and thrust Zinoviev into the air. He then twisted him in the air and put him down on his back, leaving him limp. Frank, realizing this left him on the ground to celebrate as the crowd went wild.

9. Phil Baroni vs. Dave Menne

Dave Menne is no stiff; he was a former UFC champ and had dispatched some serious opponents in his day. Phil Baroni was not one of these men. Phil landed some of his famous power punches and backed Menne against the cage, putting about five or six punches against his skull.

This put Menne down in one of the more fantastic finishes in history. This left Baroni enough energy to jump up on the cage and yell, "I'm the f****in' greatest evah...evah, I'm the f****in' man!"

While he's still the egotistical Phil, he is pretty damn good.

8. Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Ricardo Morais

Aleksander was one of the more feared strikers and big men in PRIDE at the time and had big hands to go along with his tattoos. Ricardo Morals was somewhat unheralded, but Bas Rutten touted him as "one scary dude." This wasn't enough, as early in the first round, Emelianenko hit him with punch after punch in the center of the ring, which stunned and then knocked out Morals in stunning fashion.

7. Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz

As Chuck Liddell gains more and more mainstream fame, I begin to devalue his wins. This is also because Dana inflates his record a lot. However, this one can be called nothing less than one of the better knockouts of all time.

As Chuck backed Tito against the cage, he unleashed one of the more scintillating combos of all time. With lefts and rights coming from all angles, Tito dropped and Big John stepped in. The crowd erupted into chaos. Absolutely insane.

6. Rampage Jackson vs. Ricardo Arona

Rampage was one of the more exciting fighters in PRIDE, with his unpredictable style. Whether it be knockouts with his hands or his world famous knockout slams, he had it all for the people buying the tickets.

In this match, he faced off with one of the best of all time in Ricardo Arona. A jiu-jitsu specialist, Rampage did not want to go to the ground. Unfortunateley, this is what happened.

As Arona cinched up a triangle choke, Rampage lifted Arona up over his head and slammed him down to the canvas. Arona's head bounced off of the canvas like a basketball, and he was instantly knocked out. Greatest KO slam of all time, period.

5. Mirko Cro Cop vs. Aleksander Emelianenko

Mirko came out shaky, as Emelianenko rushed him and put a lot of pressure on him. Many a Cro Cop fan thought Mirko may be in trouble, but this was not to be. Mirko was backed into a corner quickly, but he fired a strong left hand and connected.

As Emelianenko backed on his feet in a semi-daze, he was caught with a perfect signature high kick and fell with a thud to the canvas. Then he was pounded with hammerfists across the throat until the ref finally stepped in. One for the history books for sure.

4. Wanderlei Silva vs. Rampage Jackson 2

This one will be remembered by PRIDE fans forever. As Wanderlei started to hurt Rampage with knees, he unloaded with a right that really hurt Rampage. He pulled down Rampage's head with little resistance and pumped a hard knee on Rampage's nose which left his body limp between the ropes bleeding from the mouth. Brutal.

3. Igor Vovchanchyn vs. Francisco Bueno

In this one, kickboxer Vovchanchyn was supposed to have an advantage, but due to his small stature, some doubted him. Those naysayers were set to be proven wrong in astounding fashion. Vovchanchyn landed a powerful right, this probably put Bueno out already, but he reset his stance and unloaded three more power punches as Bueno fell face first to the canvas, out cold. Hands of lightning for sure.

2. Vitor Belfort vs. Wanderlei Silva

At ultimate Brazil in the early days of the UFC, the fans all clamored around the cage to see two top Brazilian stars go at it. Vitor being the elder statesman, was already a star in the U.S. and was one of the more explosive strikers seen at that time.

Wanderlei, was the young up and comer and the most promising of the new crop of Brazilian MMA stars. This bout was to determine both fighters' worth and how explosive these two combustible elements were together.

They didn't disappoint. In 43 seconds, Vitor demolished Wanderlei with too many unanswered strikes to count. If you have not seen this KO, it is a must see on YouTube for any MMA fan.

1. Mirko Cro Cop vs. Igor Vovchanchyn

This one was an obvious choice. Have you ever heard a crack of a leg that hard? Igor's entire face rippled and he was completely out cold even before he hit the ground. This was by far the most famous knockout in PRIDE history.

In MMA history there have been many unforgettable moments, but few were as memorable as these amazing feats of fists and feet.

Reflections From Small Time MMA: WCF

Kevin Curran — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:38:35 -0400

As I drag myself through the door of my house a little after one in the morning, back from a rousing night of fights in western Massachusetts, I realize one thing that is monumentally important to the sport of MMA: Small time MMA is the backbone of the entire MMA world.

As many of you reading now, I had once thought that Pride and the UFC and the big names in the business were the major part of the structure. As I watch and understand the intricacies of MMA more and more, I realize this presumption was erroneous.

Watching big time fighters like Kenny Florian, Danny and Joe Lauzon, Sean Gannon, and Sam Hoger come back to the roots of MMA inspired me.

This small auditorium which held maybe a little over 5,000 people, held the entire Sityodtong crew including Mark DellaGrotte, Renzo Gracie Jui Jitsu team Northeast, and Team Agression. Along with Hoger's Miletich team.

These are the biggest names in MMA today and all were in attendance. If that isn't an homage to the roots of the sport, I don't know what is.

This night of fights was billed as a night to signify Hoger's comeback, his re-establishment in the MMA world. This was definitely true. Hoger came out swinging and after 19 seconds his opponent could no longer continue. His kicks and punches were crisp and accurate.

Sure, Hoger weighed in at 250 a far cry from his days at 205 on the Ultimate Fighter, but he actually looked quicker and more conditioned than before, though his figure did not show it. He may be making some big ripples real soon.

Local legends also filled the auditorium, like owner of Smitty's Wrestling Barn Matt Smith, who won by guillotine choke, dominating his opponent with impeccable ground work.

Also, Bobby Diaz beat his opponent in an all out war by guillotine in the second round. The guillotine seemed to be the theme of the night. That and knockouts less than 30 seconds into a fight.

These few fighters are onlly a few examples of the millions of fighters that come up in very different environments that benefit from small time MMA. Small time MMA is often seen as lowly and nonsensical.

However, for real fans (the ones who aren't fans of Kimbo Slice and Chuck Liddell exclusively) and real fighters who know their roots, it is a mecca of MMA. A way to get back to the days when MMA asn't so trendy and when it was more of a sport that one had to love, not just be a casual fan.

With more and more people taking notice to the small time organizations such as WCF, more and more people realize its importance. Anytime a fighter needs to make a comeback confidence builder or a new up and comer needs to make a start, these organizations are there. It is the step which all, at one point or another, have to take.

So as an avid fan of MMA I have realized one of the more important truths one may know. Small time MMA will always have a place.

Strikeforce Derailed By...A Door?

Kevin Curran — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:44:49 -0400

In the world of MMA there are many oddities and as a true fan is hardened by the strange accidents and mishaps he has seen, some of them still amaze. In fact, one of those cases recently happened at a Strikeforce event.

In a recent Strikeforce event, five fights were postponed because of a broken cage door. This is ridiculous on so many levels, but it should probably be broken down into baby steps of hilariously bad planning.

First, how can the door not be checked before fight time? It is a known rule that when fighting apparatus is faulty, commissions will disallow competition. It cannot be disputed. If a hazard such as this arises, it must be addressed. The CSAC did this swiftly and rightfully. Stupidity is the only excuse on Strikeforce's part.

Next, this type of thing has happened before! Strikeforce has had problems in the past with their cages, and as a top line MMA organization they cannot have repeat errors like this. In fact I can remember one fight wwhere James Irvin was driven through a cage in Strikeforce competition! Utterly inexcusable.

Lastly, nobody can fix a door? I mean, come on now. I've heard of "Is there a doctor in the house?" How about asking for a repair man? Strikeforce should have had crew on the scene in the first place and even when a crew did show up, they could not even fix it in an alotted 15-minute intermission. This left the CSAC with no choice but to postpone the event.

The only reconciliation that a strikeforce fan has now is free tickets to the next show. That didn't even seem to console them as boos rained down from the bleachers incessantly. It's tough to stay on your game every night, but a solid effort would be appreciated. At least for the fans' sake.

Affliction and Golden Boy Reach Deal: Boxing + MMA=?

Kevin Curran — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 09:34:44 -0400

Oh no, here we go again. First it was ABC sticking their nose into MMA business with the help of Big John McCarthy, now Donald Trump has to go and muddy MMA up with more boxing nonsense.

It was announced today that Golden Boy Promotions and upstart MMA-promotion Affliction had reached a deal. This is good news for some and bad news for many more.

The good news is that boxing may have a chance at surviving the MMA era after all, if they can ally themselves with MMA companies. This may bring MMA fans to boxing and vice versa. Everything's hunky dory, right?

Wrong.

As a sport that tried to make itself unique and has appealed to many for its brash disregard of society's values and rebellion even against congress, (which included presidential candidate John McCain, who will lose this election!) that made them stand out.

They innovated and innovated. Pushing boundaries and limits of obscenity when it comes to Dana White. Now, some old-school boxing guy that still loves Mike Tyson wants to forget all of that. Tisk tisk.

Not only this, but now Fedor Emelianenko may be on an undercard! What!? The greatest MMA fighter maybe of all time will be reduced to a runner up to Antonio Margarito or Manny Pacquiao or even Golden Boy prez Oscar De La Hoya. I have nothing against boxing, in fact I think boxing was a great sport. Emphasis on was.

It's MMA's time now.

Affliction was one of the more promising upstarts in recent memory. The days of a two-man race are over now that PRIDE is gone, but some saw a shining horse on the horizon in the form of a pudgy Russian and a guy with a comb over.

They could restore order to the MMA landscape! Maybe this is not to be, as Trump's agenda was not to restore MMA, but to restore boxing.

Many believe competition runs America and helps it succeed, but with Affliction maybe killing itself to MMA hardcore fans with this move, MMA in the U.S may be a monopoly. If it isn't already considered one, half of the people in the states call MMA "UFC fighting."

Donald Trump is the false savior of MMA in the U.S.

One can only look to the land of the rising sun for help now. WVR and DREAM need to step it up. Surprisingly, they are quietly eating away at the chunk of MMA controlled by the UFC.

With WVR recently buying up Pancrase and Dream bought M-1 Global (which was supposed to entail rights to Fedor Emelianenko and Aleks also), they may have a fighting chance. If one looks at rankings now a days, you see a lot of fighters from Japan there. Not only that, but fighters prefer the less bloodthirsty fans over there.

Frank Trigg was once quoted as saying, "Dana White controls about 90 percent of the MMA market globally." From an insider of MMA, that's a scary number. Non-exclusive contracts are also a thing of the past in the UFC and WEC.

They mean business, and if a fighter doesn't like it, too bad. If they can get rid of veteran fighters like Arlovski and gip Randy Couture, they're not afraid of anybody.

Sure it would have been fun to see Trump give Dana a run for his money, but with so many companies and only so much of a market, it's dog eat dog.

You muddy up MMA, you lose fans. You add boxing to a card, you gain fans from boxing. Risk = Reward. These are all true statements. However, one can manipulate math any way they want; the important truth is that the public isn't dumb.

MMA knowledge is growing faster than crabs on Jenna Jameson (poor Tito), and Donald Trump can only pull the wool over the eyes of MMA fans so long until they're fed up. I know I'm getting tired of it.

So as much as I love Fedor, Barnett, Arlovski, Babalu, Lauzon, and the other more-talented fighters on their roster, when an MMA promoter thinks putting boxing and MMA together is OK, I smell garbage...or maybe that's hair spray for that ridiculous hairdo.

Affliction Two Postponed! Is the UFC Involved?

Kevin Curran — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:34:13 -0400

Affliction Two: Day of Reckoning is the follow-up to the greatest card of the year and, arguably, MMA history. Right? Maybe not...at least not for now.

This card was scheduled to be headlined by Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett, and it also featured young up-and-coming prospects like Chris Horodecki and Dan Lauzon. They may have to wait a while.

This event was scheduled to take place in the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. The ideal location to upstage the UFC. This brings me to my next conspiracy theory: UFC involvement.

Now, this may sound crazy, but I don't put anything past the company that runs virtually everything in terms of MMA. Zuffa is a Las Vegas hard hitter, and if the Thomas and Mack Center were threatened with losing UFC business, they may have pulled out in fear of losing big bucks. This is logical enough.

Next, as Zuffa works on monopolizing every market in the country, such as Illinois, where UFC fight night will be held next week and also where UFC 91 will be held. The UFC needs to hit all the major cities. They can't let anybody flourish in the states; especially one with big names and Donald Trump on their side! It's inexcusable!

If a company that was once almost outlawed by congress comes up and knocks Donald Trump off of the Vegas scene, that means they're doing something right. My message to the T and M center...Be a rebel. Tell Zuffa to screw off. The up-and-comer always has a shot in this business.

MMA's Top Five Dirtiest in the Game

Kevin Curran — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:56:54 -0400

This is dedicated to the self-made heels of MMA. Yes, I hate to use a pro wrestling term, but these guys are real life bad guys. They actually do stuff you'd expect to find in the drama hour of WWE. To them I say, I HATE YOU!

5. Mark Coleman

Mark Coleman is one of my least favorite fighters of all time. He has used headbutts his whole career and even beat up on a guy with a broken arm in Shogun. Mark Coleman's signature headbutt should be good enough, but he is an all around dirtbag to opponents while hanging around with 'roid boy Baroni.

Hate Scale: 8

4. Bob Schrejber

This guy is an all-time dirt bag for that one move he pulled in Pride—the axe kick to a downed opponent. Seriously? Right in the back of the head too! So don't be confused as to his dirty intentions. D Bag!

Hate Scale: 8

3. Branko Cickatic

This guy has to be a D Bag. As you know I love Mirko Cro Cop, so going easy on a Croatian would be easy. Not this punk! While fighting Ralph White in a standup kickboxing match, he kicked him in the forehead while he was down. Oh my God! How awful can you be?

Hate Scale: 9

2. Bob Sapp

From powerbombing poor undersized guys, to beating down a knocked out opponent, Bob may be one of the more despicable human beings to enter MMA. Also, he once piledrived Minotauro Nogueira while that maneuver is clearly illegal. He also played to the crowd with ridiculous intros claiming how great he is. What a jerk! I'm glad Mirko made him cry!

Hate Scale: 10

1. Gilbert Yvel

Gilbert is the end all be all of dirty fighters. The model of excellence for the evolving scumbag. He carries these titles proudly. From gouging Don Frye's eyeballs to KO'ing a referee he has done it all. Not to mention beating down unconscious opponents and of course groin shots galore. Lastly, he bit a person in PRIDE. OUCH! Gilbert definitely takes the cake.

Gilbert is the winner and that isn't very arguable. Feel free to comment on your favorites or some snubs. Honorable mention goes to Crazy Horse Bennet—have you seen that guy?

Karo Parisyan Scratched from UFC 88

Kevin Curran — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:06:08 -0400

The Heat will not be in attendance at UFC 88 due to a back injury. According to training partner Randy Couture it was a "put out back." This apparently happened during training, and since the fight is so close he could not recover in time.

This will be a big blow to the UFC 88 card, but as the cards keep raking in money this one shouldn't be any different.

Good luck to Karo. Speaking for all of us in the Bleacherreport.com community, we wish you a speedy recovery.

Who's That Goofball? Top 5 Most-Unlikely Fighters

Kevin Curran — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 07:26:11 -0400

5. Kenny Florian

Being from the Boston area, there is no one I love more than Kenny Florian. That being said, if he and Roger Huerta were to get into a street fight, and I had never seen Kenny fight, I would have placed bets on Huerta. Kenny defies the odds every night, as he steps out as a 155-pound tough guy, albeit a goofy one.

4. Joe Lauzon

I am tired of the "computer geek that can kick your ass" nonsense that Dana White has planted into everyone's brain, but it's true. Joe had a job as a computer technician for quite some time before hitting it big and knocking out lil' evil. He might be a goofy kid, but he's still the man.

3. Mark Hunt

Now be honest, if you saw this tubby guy come up to fight a top-notch guy like Mirko Cro Cop, you would probably expect him to get pulverized. Wrong. In fact, he is the only guy I have ever seen take a flush, left, high kick and get up. He's a beast, but you'd have never guessed it.

2. FEDOR EMELIANENKO

Yes, Fedor. He is, in my opinion, the greatest fighter of all time and has dispatched everyone he has come into contact with, both in MMA and Sambo, but if you saw a pudgy guy that cold probably easily cut to 205, step into the ring against Minotauro, you'd think it would be a laugher.

Not in this case. Fedor may be the greatest of all time, and he's doing it all on a full stomach.

1. Forrest Griffin

Who did you expect? He is just a goofball in general, both in appearance and personality. Look at Forrest and tell me he is not one of the funnier looking guys you have ever seen. He has cauliflower ear up the wazoo, and he was actually named Forrest due to his resemblance to the trees in Lord of the Rings.

I have a feeling he wasn't voted, "most likely to become a mixed martial artist in high school." However, look at him now, standing atop maybe the most competitive division in MMA. Who's laughing now?

Karo Parisyan's Curtain Call: UFC 88

Kevin Curran — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:19:33 -0400

Karo Parisyan was one of the first fighters that I saw fight in the UFC. I was immediately hooked by his dominating judo and his strength.

I saw him throw opponents with ease, dropping them on their heads and dropping their chances of winning the fight. He just broke the spirits of his opponents.

Now with a loss to Thiago Alves behind him, Karo may be in trouble with his next opponent, Yushyhuki Yoshida.

Yoshida is a fourth degree black belt in judo and almost has even more credentials than Karo Parisyan. That is scary. Karo's game plan has always been clinch, clinch, and clinch, but now HE may be thrown if he clinches.

That must be a brainwracking thought for Karo. His whole life he has been the best, winning junior championships all the way up through Olympic judo. Now he faces a fellow Olympian who is hungry to prove himself.

Yoshiyuki holds wins over Akira Kiuchi, who holds a win over Jake Shields, and an overwhelming victory over Jon Koppenhaver at UFC 84 by Anaconda Choke. In the first minute!

Karo has also shown an inability to finish fights in his career, holding only one TKO victory. This could not be farther from the truth with "Zenko" Yoshida. He holds six TKO victories and the sick submissions of a judo black belt in his two submission victories.

Karo is a wily veteran and I do not discount that, but when a guy has all of your skills and a little bit more, it's hard to ignore him. Look out for Zenko, he's going places. First stop, standing over an unconscious Karo Parisyan.

Randy Couture Plays Brett Favre: Set to Fight Brock Lesnar

Kevin Curran — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:42:08 -0400

Oh, I know the headline and teaser may irk many a Randy fan, but I'll start off by saying I'm a fan too. I just don't want to see a great fighter get destroyed. It seems in sports people just don't know when to quit. I'll start off with a breakdown.

Brock Lesnar has shown that he is a bull in a china shop when it comes to the lighter fighters in the division, so now he is going to take on one of the lightest fighters in the UFC heavyweight division, Randy Couture.

This fighter also happens to be a surefire UFC hall of famer, resilient beyond belief, oh yeah and a former champ. Randy also has the skills in wrestling to keep Lesnar in check. If Randy can win the war on foot he has a good shot.

Now comes the behemoth that is known as Brock Lesnar. He manhandled a heavier veteran, Heath Herring, and looked to steamroll Mir before being caught in a submission. Randy is not known for a submission game at all, what's stopping Lesnar from stomping him out too?

At this point in time nothing is stopping him. Randy has been busy starring in crappy movies for a little over a year now and has not been near a cage in a little bit longer than that. Lesnar is young, strong, big, fast, athletic, big, strong, and did I mention big? Randy has it in for him alright.

So since he's signed this contract he has three fights, let's just hope he can survive this one, because as much as I have had doubted Randy in the recent past and he has shown me up...I'm almost positive he won't this time.

Prepare for a Clubber Lang v. Rocky 1 style matchup. Not only that, but Lesnar may end up with a title shot after this fight. Noguiera is praying that Lesnar's ground game didn't get any better.

So whats the moral of the story? If you're 45 and haven't fought in almost two years, don't take on the biggest, baddest dude in your division.

Cro Cop vs. Overeem Set for Dream 6: The Breakdown

Kevin Curran — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:37:29 -0400

“The fight is definitely happening, and I’m really glad. I am already training very hard, and I’m 100 percent certain that it will not go the distance. I don’t care if it is going to be by knockout or by submission, I don’t want the fight to go to a judges’ decision. I want to finish Mirko Cro Cop.”

-Alistair Overeem

This fight has been on the minds of Japanese MMA fanatics for some time now and finally there is word that it will happen.

This is an epic bout between two former PRIDE stars. Cro Cop is looking to jump back in the mix after he appeared to be on his way out. Overeem, a former Strikeforce belt holder, just now seems to be fulfilling his potential, and is riding an impressive three fight win streak.

Both fighters are likely to keep it standing and expect an all out war!

Here is how I envision the fight going:

Round 1

Cro Cop comes out hungry and throws a vicious body kick. Overeem downplays it and puts his arm up in disdain. Cro Cop throws a strong right jab, but misses and gets caught with a right from the Dutchman. Cro Cop backs off, seeming stung by the right.

This pacing goes on for a time. Overeem becomes frustrated and charges Cro Cop. Cro Cop uses the ring to his advantage and bounces off throwing a left hook landing flush on Overeems cheek. Overeem quickly clinches and throws a few knees before the bell.

Round 2

Overeem looks like he is fully recovered and throws a swift kick to the head, but it is blocked by the hand of Cro Cop and held on to. Overeem desperately punches to try to free himself, but Cro Cop throws a leg kick and topples Overeem. Next comes a soccer kick to the head, then another.

Overeem upkicks and scrambles to his feet, but is obviously staggered. Cro Cop unloads with a flurry and lands a HUGE uppercut, forcing Overeem to the corner. Cro Cop throws a right hook and a straight left through the guard of Overeem, sending him to the canvas. Cro Cop lands a headkick before the ref jumps in.

Winner by KO at 4:13 of the second round, MIRRRKOOOOO CROOO COP!

He's back.

Ken Shamrock Talks Kimbo Slice: Them's Fightin' Words

Kevin Curran — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:58:24 -0400

"Honestly, I think I can test him anywhere. He’s got big, heavy hands. Everyone says he punches hard and he probably does. But again, he doesn’t punch properly, in my opinion. He swings his hands, he moves his body back and forth trying to get as much power as he can, but there’s really no snap behind it. You can usually see the punches coming. I’m going to do what I need to do. If it goes to the ground, I’ll probably break his leg. I mean, no question. I will break his leg. If he gives it to me, I’m going to break it.”

—Ken Shamrock on upcoming opponent Kimbo Slice, courtesy of Sherdog.com

Ken Shamrock has always been known for his cocky streak, but this time his legacy is on the line. Shamrock is a proud man, and he is not willing to risk it. He will get a hold of something and pull a Babalu. He's not going to let go.

“I’m sure (referees) are concerned,” he told Sherdog.com.

He said this noting that they're concerned about his age, but I think they should be concerned about Kimbo's limbs. If even Kimbo Slice's trainer couldn't avoid getting caught in one of Shamrock's vast array of submissions, how can we expect a much lesser fighter training under him to avoid it?

Slice's best out is his hands. However, this again comes back to Bas Rutten, his trainer. In my opinion, and in the opinion of many experts, Rutten may be the best striker of all time. If even Bas with his liver-popping strikes can't catch Shamrock, how can Slice? I realize this is not the Shamrock of old, but he is training harder than he has since 2000. And again, Slice is no Bas Rutten.

Also, we go back to the original quote that Shamrock said Kimbo telegraphs his punches and throws loopers. These are not technically sound, and then Shamrock can duck them and get takedowns. This is all it would take for Slice to get submitted.

“The way he looks, he’s very impressive looking. He moves well for a big guy, before he gets tired," Shamrock said in a backhanded compliment.

Shamrock feels that this persona of poster boy and intimidating unbeatable fighter will be destroyed also.

"So he’s got that charisma. He’s got what it takes to be marketable," he said. "Now we’ll figure out whether he’s got what it takes to be a fighter.”

Shamrock's got what it takes to get himself in the news; let's see if he's got what it takes to beat Kimbo Slice. God, I hope so. I know EliteXC is praying he doesn't.

Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice: Explaining the Inexplicable

Kevin Curran — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:25:00 -0400

Ken Shamrock has one of the more impressive resumes in MMA. He was one of the original greats of the sport. But is he one of the greats of the new millennium? Not so much. Inexplicably, he gets the next shot at Kimbo Slice.

Ken Shamrock is the legendary creator of the Lions Den gym and has trained other greats, such as Guy Mexger. He has beaten some of the best including Bas Rutten (2), Dan Severn, and Maurice Smith. He is one of the more revered legends in the game and is a UFC Hall of Famer.

With all of the accolades comes the muddying of his name since 2000. He has won only twice in the new millennium, losing all eight of his fights by KO or TKO. It really has been disappointing.

So in the executive room of EliteXC they had three options, including Shamrock.

There was Brett Rogers, who happens to be coming off of a few impressive wins and looks like a deserving candidate after calling Slice out in a press conference. Also under consideration was Sean Gannon, who has beaten Slice before and would be a pay-per-view draw considering people want to see Kimbo avenge his losses. Finally, however, they settled on the washed up 44-year-old guy.

This is a cop out by EliteXC after a close call for their poster boy. They realize that either Gannon or Rogers would tear Kimbo apart and they can't have that. They need another Tank Abbot to smash.

He's another old legend that can no longer function the way he used to. That way they can point to quality wins for the casual fans that were only won by age and Kimbo's size.

When EliteXC thinks they'll get buys on PPV for this BS they underestimate the intelligence of today's MMA fan. They think that when someone hears the name Ken Shamrock, he'll be instantly enthralled.

They're dead wrong. This is just another futile ploy by EliteXC to build up the most overrated fighter in the world.

The funniest part is that I still believe Shamrock will win. This former King of Pancrase has submitted the best in the game with his ground work. I take Shamrock by kneebar in round one.

Take that, EliteXC! You'll never fool a real MMA fan.

Sengoku Plays Rodney Dangerfield: No Respect!

Kevin Curran — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:03:07 -0400

Sengoku is up and coming in the world of MMA and still no one seems to take notice. With a staff like Takanori Gomi, Frank Trigg, and Schultz, one would think somebody would. You'll soon find you're missing quite a bit.

Just drawing from Sengoku Four, we had blockbuster talent and big performances. The headliner featured highly underrated DEEP champion Seung Hwan Bang squaring off against PRIDE FC legend Takanori Gomi. Gomi was given all he could handle, but eventually wore Bang down and won by decision.

Next, we saw a PRIDE style grand prix. In this favorite, IFL KO artist Ryan Schultz lost to Shooto champ Mizuto Hirota. This further cements the status of Shooto fighters in MMA, following in the footsteps of Aoki. This should make the rest of the tournament a toss up, leading to exciting bouts all the way through.

Frank Trigg employed his bully strategy against Takimoto, grinding him out with takedowns and ground and pound. His vicious assault finally stopped at the end of round three when he took Takimoto to a decision, which he won unanimously. This may put Trigg up there as one of the top welterweights in the world once again.

Sengoku also has boasted top name heavyweights including Kevin Randleman, Kazyuki Fujita, and Josh Barnett. Unfortunately it looks like Barnett may be property of Affliction for the rest of his career.

However, it is somewhat odd that Sengoku rakes in talent post PRIDE while Dream is struggling. Dream has the same management from DSE that ran PRIDE. This leads one to wonder about the conditions and morale fighters were kept under as PRIDE tanked it. Interesting...

Not only this, but on the slate for Sengoku Five is a middleweight grand prix that includes fighters like Cyborg Santos, Jorge Santiago, and Kazuhiro Nakamura. This should shape up to be another exciting night of fights.

With all the debate about whether or not Affliction can overtake the UFC, one should really wonder if Sengoku can overtake original heir to the PRIDE throne Dream. Again I say, interesting...

The Re-Emergence of Twinkle Toes Trigg

Kevin Curran — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:56:10 -0400

Frank Trigg is one of the recognizable figures in MMA. Whether it be his clothing line, Triggonomics, his wrestling career(note: if Ken Shamrock was a role model for anything it was how to prostitute MMA, pro wrestling is a no-no.), or his numerous TV appearances like when he and Jay Glazer hosted the PRIDE show (tear).

Now he's ready to return to the form of old to fight at Sengoku 4. Trigg is one of the great welterweights in history, stepping into the cage or ring with fighters like Hughes, GSP, Condit, Sakurai, and Mayhem. He not only has the MMA brain to equal any fighter but he has the work ethic to put it to...well, work.

Working out at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas gives him top level opponents with which to spar and grapple. This helps him a great deal to go along with his expertise in analyzing fights and fighters.

Trigg's opponent is no pushover either, Makoto Takimoto is a rising star in Japan. holding wins over king of the Dongbar, Dong Sik Yoon and "little Mirko" Zelg Galesic. Those two are two of the most prominent names in Japanese MMA today and with those victories under his belt, Takimoto won't be jittery or unprepared.

Coming off a loss to Cyborg Santos, he should be hungry for a victory to redeem himself. In front of his home crowd and ready for battle, Trigg may have his hands full with this one.

In the words of Trigg, "There aren't a lot of bullies left in this business, but I'm one of them." We'll see if he can bully Takimoto around the ring or if he is beaten down like the other big names Takimoto has already dispatched in his career.

Dan Lauzon and Chris Horodecki Give Affliction II an Interesting Boost

Kevin Curran — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:42:06 -0400

Yes, I brought out the creepy Horodecki picture again for his next fight, which will come against still unproven, but much anticipated, Dan Lauzon.

Being from the Boston area, and being a big fan of MMA, I know a lot about Lauzon. The skinny on him is that, much like his brother, he does not care much to exchange on the feet. Danny is content to take it to the ground and try any submission in the book. This was displayed in his triangle-choke win over Frank Latina, which many saw on the Tapout reality show.

Danny is not just a ground fighter, though. He seems to be a bit more complete than his brother in his standup. Anything else, Joe has the edge, but Danny has shown a good chin and some good pop in his hands, having five of his last six fights end by way of KO or TKO.

The one thing that irks me a bit is his lack of big-time experience. Having fought in the Western Massachusetts Fight League, known as WCF, he is undefeated, but against all unknown talent. His only big-time competition was against Spencer Fisher, two years ago in the UFC.

Also, his training is quite weak. Unless he finally went to sityodtong where he belongs, he might not be prepared for this big-time event. We'll have to see if he can transition back up to the big stage and seize his big chance.

Horodecki has a slightly different style. Either he will knock you out or grind out for a decision. He is not particularly interested in going to the ground with Lauzon, and this fight should be a true test of his skills in preventing takedowns and his BJJ.

Horodecki will have the edge in experience, as he is a vet of the IFL and was a big-time standout. He was snatched up by Affliction just before the UFC could offer him a contract. He'll have to prove his worth on this big-time card.

It will certainly be interesting to see these contrasting styles in one ring. It won't be easy for either of them, but whoever can impose their game on the other will come out on top. Who that will be, we'll have to wait and see.

Note: Also added to this card was IFL vet Jay Hieron. The former champ will face off against Drew Fickett in what should shape up to be a slugfest.

Roger Huerta Will Never Truly Be Accepted as a Mexican Hero

Kevin Curran — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:03:07 -0400

Julio Caesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, and Carlos Zarate. If these names ring a bell it's probably because they are all boxers hailed as heroes in Mexico. Roger Huerta may try to replicate their status in his career in the UFC, but he definitely will be facing an uphill battle.

Huerta is a very exciting, risk taking, powerful lightweight that will definitely make a splash in the lightweight division. Sure he lost to Kenflo, but Kenflo is one of the best in the world right next to BJ Penn, Gomi, and Aoki.

Huerta hopes to join them at the top of the rankings, but he has an even harder task ahead of him: being accepted in the country he so readily attaches himself to.

Huerta is not actually Mexican. This is a big setback in his quest, mainly because he may be perceived as a poser. This may be a tough word to use, but Huerta is not even a full-blooded Mexican. He is in fact half Salvadoran.

So, as an American citizen who is half Salvadoran, he is alienating both his country of origin and half of his heritage. This makes him a somewhat unlikable character.

For example, I have never been a fan of Tito Ortiz, but his entrance with a half-Mexican, half-American flag showed off his heritage and origin. This was more readily accepted.

Huerta would rather hide himself behind his Mexican flag shorts. One commentator offered this opinion, "If we asked a group of Mexican born people whether Huerta was white or Mexican they would say white."

Not only this, but as many people know, boxing is the sport of Mexico. The sweet science along with soccer has dominated Mexican culture. When another combat sport moves in on boxing there is a tad bit of backlash.

Not to mention that the man of the moment is Antonio Margarito after his win over Miguel Cotto for the WBA welterweight title. Huerta just lost also and this puts him on the backburner for any consideration at the time being.

Huerta is young though and has quite a bit of time to make up for his last fight, being only 25 years old. Holding a 20-2-1 record professionally and a 6-1 record inside the UFC, he has a bright future. The real question is whether he will reach that sky high potential that he possesses.

Lastly, he will never be a Mexican hero because Miguel Torres will be the true Mexican pioneer of MMA if there ever is to be one.

Miguel is a more pure blooded Mexican and is a lighter fighter. Why does this matter? Because Mexicans are historically more successful in lighter weight classes and love the quickness of the light weight classes.

Also, he embraces the culture. His entrance music is Mexican mariachi music which displays his love and care for his heritage. He is not seen as a poser.

Tough luck for Huerta, but I don't see any way for him to be fully accepted by the Mexican boxing culture.

Dana White Slams Affliction and Tito Ortiz in Scathing Interview

Kevin Curran — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:42:09 -0400

Dana White was recently interviewed and asked about his thoughts in response to the signing of Tito Ortiz by Affliction. Dana began by shrugging it off and calling it "f***ing hilarious." It all went downhill from there.

Dana began by commenting that Tito hasn't won a fight in two years and that his last major win was over a "60-year-old man." (Obviously a poke at Ken Shamrock.) It seems like the hate between the two hasn't cooled off.

He also lashed out at Renato "Babalu" Sobral when he said, "Ortiz vs. Babalu, oh yeah I can watch two guys who got knocked out by Chuck Liddell twice!"

Dana may be upset, but it seems he always falls back on the Chuck Liddell card. What if it were Rampage Jackson who had signed? I wonder what his response may have been then?

He also slammed Affliction when he commented on how MMA is a vicious business and that it is not something you can just jump into. While I agree, Affliction's timing is perfect. With now defunct PRIDE and also the IFL gone, it's looking more and more like a two-man race.

Some contend Dream, but without Sakurai and Cro Cop it fails. Not to mention it has big money behind it, like Donald Trump. With Fedor, Arlovski, Babalu, Barnett, and now Ortiz, Affliction isn't "just jumping in." They've made sure they have a foundation to challenge the UFC.

This is welcome to PRIDE fans everywhere as Dream has disappointed overall. For this, Affliction may have grounds to contend with the UFC for some time to come.

Dana went on to berate top non-UFC names like Frank Shamrock, saying that he was "beat to death" by Cung Le.

I have not been Frank's biggest fan, but Cung Le is tough as nails and a loss to him is not anything to be ashamed of. Losing to him is like losing to Cro Cop in his prime. What can you do? You just got caught with a kick.

However, back to Dana's original comments about Tito being big news being "f***ing hilarious."

Why wouldn't a former UFC champ and world class grappler be big news? A famous UFC vet coming out of retirement for a big name fight isn't news? It seemed like news when Randy did it. Why not Tito? I know Dana will be biased, but come on, don't be that hypocritical.

As much as I love Dana, at times I can hate him just as much. I guess that's what makes me tune in to see what he does next. Hook, line, and sinker.

Open Mic: If You Could Build a Fantasy IFL Team

Kevin Curran — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:14:12 -0400

When faced with the objective of giving an all-time lineup of your favorite sports team, I originally thought of the baseball teams and football teams (European football and American football). Then I began to think of how I could bring my true love, MMA, into the fold. Then, eureka, a fantasy IFL team.

Heavyweight: Fedor Emelianenko

Fedor may go down in history as the greatest heavyweight in history, if not as the greatest pound for pound fighter in history. There is no way that you can keep him off the list.

He is what baseball people like to call a five-tool player. He has submissions, takedowns, striking, ground and pound, and cardio. He is an almost assured win.

Alternate: Mirko Cro Cop

Yes, Mirko over Couture. I know I'll catch flak for this, but his striking and takedown defense make him a very formidable opponent. Not to mention he is arguably the greatest striker in history.

Light Heavyweight: Wanderlei Silva

Wanderlei Silva may have been one of the most intimidating and reckless fighters in history. His attack, attack, attack mentality made him downright scary to go against. His cardio is some of the best in history and with his sharp knees and wild powerful punches, his rapid pace is hard for anyone to handle.

Alternate: Rampage Jackson

I know the Chuck fans are going to go nuts here, but this man has beaten Chuck twice and has some of the most vicious slams in the business. Pair that with his solid striking and effective knees, and he is a force to be reckoned with.

Middleweight: Anderson Silva

As the No. 1 fighter pound for pound right now, holding wins over Rich Franklin, Nate Marquardt, and Travis Lutter. Anderson may go down as the best middleweight of all-time and possibly the greatest UFC champion of all-time.

Alternate: Kazushi Sakuraba

Sakuraba single-handedly revolutionized MMA in Japan. His defeats of the Gracies brought worldwide attention to the new MMA promotion and may have just brought enough of the spotlight to attract top competitors from the UFC to battle in Japan.

Welterweight: Georges St. Pierre

I am in fact going to be bold here and go with GSP as a better fighter than both Hughes and Royce Gracie. I believe that GSP is more well-rounded and his athleticism is unparalleled in this sport. For this he gets the start.

Alternate: Royce Gracie

Royce is the man who brought the UFC to life in its very beginnings. For this the true legend of MMA gets the alternate spot.

Lightweight: BJ Penn

BJ may be the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC. He can finish fights standing with lightning quick blows and knees. However, he is most famous for limb crushing submissions. This world class Jui Jitsu practitioner is no joke and may hold the UFC lightweight title until he retires.

Alternate: Takanori Gomi

Gomi may be the greatest lightweight striker of all-time and his crisp, quick shots make anyone who steps to bang with him timid. His bricks have one-shot knockout power. For his explosive striking he gets the alternate.

Although the IFL does not actually include featherweights on its rosters, I believe the man sitting atop the featherweight ranks deserves mention.

Featherweight: Urijah Faber

Faber's slick wrestling skills and insane cardio make him a very undesirable opponent for anybody at 145. His improvisational style makes him not only a ticket seller, but a loose cannon that is unpredictable to his opponents. Talk about a deadly combination!

Alternate: Jens Pulver

Jens may have lost to Faber, but when Jens fought in his prime at 155 he was good enough to earn the UFC lightweight title. If that Jens fought at 155, watch out Urijah!

If there was an Olympic event for MMA this dream team would take the cake easily. (Yes I do realize that they are from different countries). However, if there were ever a dream team, this is it.

Affliction and the IFL: An Ongoing Romance

Kevin Curran — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:21:36 -0400

The migration of IFL fighters to Affliction continues today with the acquisition of 20-year-old standout Chris Horodecki.

Horodecki has but one blemish on his record and has a huge future in this business. He owns a 12-1 record and is a big time acquisition who will build toward the future.

Horodecki is a very good striker and half of his wins come by way of KO or TKO. His exciting style and quick hands and legs make for a big attraction. He should have an exciting career with Affliction. However Horodecki, is not the only standout to work his way into a big contract there.

Vladimir Matyushenko is another IFL star that has signed for top dollar in Affliction. Matyushenko may have been a breakout star in the IFL, but he is also a journeyman holding a 3-2 record in the UFC, beating greats like Yuki Kondo and Pedro Rizzo while losing to fellow Belarussian Andrei Arlovski and Tito Ortiz in his prime.

"The Janitor" took the IFL by storm going on a six-fight win streak. He should be an interesting dark horse seeing as his 21-3 record holds wins over Lil Nog, Kondo, and Rizzo. I am definitely looking for him to surprise people.

Savant Young was another big time IFL prospect. With lightning quick strikes and a stout powerful frame, Young is a knockout waiting to happen.

Although he lost to Mark Hominick at Affliction: Banned, he has some amazing potential. He is quick and powerful. While not on the level of maybe a Guillard in the explosiveness category, he is a definite combustible element.

One of the more famous acquisitions from the IFL was heavyweight standout Ben Rothwell. Rothwell was one of the more feared heavies in the IFL, winning all nine of his fights, most notably against former UFC champ Ricco Rodriguez (Deja Vu).

He was also a loser at Banned, but managed to last until the third round with big time striker Andrei Arlovski. That is certainly something to take into account.

Lastly, IFL heavyweight champ Roy Nelson is rumored to be featured on the next Affliction card. This may make things interesting as Nelson is deceptively athletic for his build. His hands are definitely heavy, as is everything about Big Country. He is coming off of two first round TKO victories of Brad Imes and UFC vet, Fabiano Scherner. (Scherner is best remembered for being knocked out by Brandon Vera.) Either way, he is making his presence known to doubters of his skill. Bas Rutten is also a big believer in Nelson and is pushing for a bigger fight for him in the future.

So in the stream of IFL fighters fleeing their promotion for money and fame, there looms a question. Will the IFL go under? The answer: Probably not. But there sure will be fewer viewers.

On a side note, Affliction has reportedly talked with Denis Kang and Takanori Gomi about contracts. Boy would I love to see that.

Overall though, I wish the best to the IFL fighters, because although they may not have the big names, they have the big hearts.

Carlos Condit-Karo Parisyan: A Dream Matchup

Kevin Curran — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:01:25 -0400

After watching the WEC tonight I thought to myself, "Wow Miura put on a good show. Not to mention a judo clinic!" The next thought was, "Who's next?"

Well, as I racked my brain I thought up a fantastic match. This one would definitely be Condit's toughest test: Karo Parisyan. Yes, the heat would be a fantastic follow up match.

Condit looked futile in the clinch as he was thrown like a rag doll to the mat multiple times by Hiromitsu Miura. Also, Miura seemed to sweep Condit from mounts and guards.

What better way to prove Condit is for real than to put him up against a bigger, stronger, more talented welterweight than he has faced? This would be an ideal transition from WEC to UFC if Condit so chooses to make that change. It would also be a fantastic opponent for a comeback for Karo, coming off his loss to Alves.

Not only that, but Karo has fought in the WEC before. He fought in WEC 10 in the main event against fellow legend Shonie Carter. This shows that he is not just a UFC planted guy and it may be possible to have him take a few fights in the WEC—especially since it is Zuffa owned.

Condit may want this fight, one because he may want to prove he belongs in the top of the rankings and, two because he wants to beat a UFC vet to bring credibility to his promotion. Let's not forget that Karo may have been a title contender had he beaten Alves.

From a matchmaker's standpoint this fight is a win-win. For people who love technical stuff, Karo has nine submission victories while Condit has 12. This would prove or shake the assumption that Condit has some of the best Jui Jitsu at 170 anywhere. However, we do know it is unrivaled in the WEC.

The real question is, could he use it, or would he just be tossed so hard he'd be dumbfounded?

Not only that, but Karo is known for vicious ground and pound, especially with his hard, sharp elbows. Just ask Nick Thompson, who quickly found himself drowning in his own blood.

Condit also has some sick striking, though, that could catch Karo. He is know for his knees, which can be devastating. The main thing is getting them off before he gets dumped.

It seems like if you keep it standing Condit would be favored. If it stays on the ground, Karo may be favored.

Many would disagree because of Condit's Jui Jitsu, but Karo has never been submitted and has some of the most powerful limbs in the business. When I saw Miura power out of locks I knew that Condit couldn't handle his stout powerful limbs. This leads me to believe that Parisyan who is stronger would have no problem doing just that.

It can go either way. All I know is I want to see it!

Mauricio Rua May Face Mark Coleman in Rematch

Kevin Curran — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:41:39 -0400

It has been reported that Mauricio "Shogun" Rua has been offered a fight with former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman in December. This fight, however, would be at 205—Rua's preferred weight class.

When interviewed by Sherdog.com Rua said that he will rehabilitate his aggravated knee to the best of his abilities. It has been worked on by a team of doctors Rua trusts.

Also, Shogun seemed willing to train harder and work on improving his cardio so he does not gas like he did in the fight against Forrest Griffin.

Coleman will be no pushover as he is a former Olympic wrestler and almost has more MMA experience than both the Rua brothers put together. He is aging, but with quick shots and pretty good stand-up, a leaner Mark Coleman may be poised to make a strike.

Also, he might have some confidence as the last time they met he came out on top. This was of course at PRIDE 31 when Shogun unfortunately broke his arm.

As most people remember, Coleman kept punching Rua after he was down and verbally submitting. This made training partner Wanderlei Silva very upset, and he and Coleman exchanged words.

Then Wanderlei got an earfull from Coleman's steroid buddy Phil Baroni. This was enough for Wandy as he rushed Baroni and all heck broke loose. There was chaos as Shogun tried to crawl out.

With this leading to bad blood between the two, it seems come December Dana will have the promoting done for him.

Ricardo Arona: MMA's Missing Legend

Kevin Curran — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:18:10 -0400

Ricardo Arona was a legend in the PRIDE industry and was respected all around the world as one of the best at 205 pounds. Strangely enough however, he has not stepped foot in a ring or cage since PRIDE 34: Kamikaze, PRIDE's last PPV. Why?

Ricardo was recently interviewed by Sherdog.com, where he cited needing to find himself and wanting to spend time with his family. These are reasonable enough, but why would somebody in the prime of their career give up a chance to go for the belt in either DREAM or the UFC?

Instead of reiterating the Sherdog interview, where they went into his personal life, I would rather highlight his career and then maybe point out some flaws in his options.

First, we'll meet Ricardo.

Ricardo Arona is a PRIDE vet with a 13-5 record in MMA competition. Don't let that fool you though; he is a force! He has beaten greats like Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Jeremy Horn (2), Gustavo Machado, Kazushi Sakuraba, and Ninja Rua.

His losses aren't against stiffs either. He went the distance with Fedor, going a weight class up, and again in a rematch with Wandy. Also, Shogun and Rampage have claimed highlight-reel knockouts over him. Four of his five losses came at the hands of fighters who have been No. 1 in the world at their weight class.

The African Assassin being an exception, but he is in the top 10.

Ricardo was thrown to the wolves early and this may be a reason for his lack of interest. Why should he go fight rampage or Shogun again when he could take comparable money from DREAM and win consistently?

The only problem with this is that Ricardo is a proud man. His legacy would be tarnished, as many would say that he was taking cupcake fights for big money. He would be mocked. Nobody wants that.

Ricardo also may be wearing down. With the wear and tear on an MMA body, it can become difficult to carry on. Also, Ricardo has been doing BJJ for quite some time. Joints begin to ache after putting so many people in holds.

Maybe Ricardo is stunned or shaken by his quick KO by the African assassin. Ricardo had never been KO'd so quickly and by such a relatively unheralded fighter at the time. This may have shaken his confidence, and confidence is key in MMA,

No matter what the cause was, Ricardo plans to return to competition by year's end, but is not sure when or where. My best wishes go to Ricardo, and I hope for a triumphant return.

MMA's Greatest Hair: A Part Two of Sorts

Kevin Curran — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:39:49 -0400

I'm assuming here that most of the people have read my greatest facial hair article. If not I just made an ass out of you and me. If you have read it, this is a part two of sorts, however this will be judged on all body hair, not just facial.

10. Chuck Liddell

Chuck's Mohawk has become a major trademark of the UFC and its most recognizable image. For this reason, I put Chuck on the list. Also, his facial hair is somewhat creative.

9. Charles Bennet

Bennet should win an award for the nappiest hair in the world. His unkept beard which brings out his gleaming grill and his dirty looking hair that poofs out like an afro waiting to happen. Masterful.

8. Dan Severn

This one is really based on his facial hair alone, but it looks so ridiculous I couldn't resist putting it in here. Come on.

7. Hermes Franca

Whoever thought purple and green hair was a good idea is an idiot. That's all I got.

6. Kurt "Batman" Pellegrino

With a nickname like Batman, you don't expect a normal fighter. Pellegrino is famous for dying his hair different colors and growing it out in different styles. Also, he has an affinity for shaving patterns in his head. He edges out Hermes Franca for the six spot.

5. Evan Tanner

I would have put him and his white fro higher on the list, but I have seen him fight with normal hair. Also, I did enjoy his cornrows. I just can't bring myself to put him any higher.

4. Tank Abbot

You may think Tank belonged in the first article, but he fits much better in this one. This is because Tank not only possessed a hot wing stained beard, but also a furry man of hair on his beer belly. Perfection!

3. Gabriel Gonzaga

I can honestly say I have never seen a hairier human being. Gabriel has gorilla genes in his gene pool somewhere or else this wouln't be possible. Big thanks to beastiality in Brazil for this one.

2. Clay Guida

Clay cannot even see his opponents at times and it seems as if he's always in a daze. I'm confused by his choice in hair mainly because it is impractical for his line of work. A for increased difficulty.

1. Heath Herring

Heath is a repeat offender on my lists, but his famously ridiculous and ever-changing hair tops the list. My favorite part is that it looks like something your friend would do to you after you fall asleep. Also, he dyes it different color.

With a head of hair like that, it must take some major maintenance. We appreciate laughing at your effort Heath.

Honorable mention: Justin McCully, Terry Martin, Andrei Arlovski, Cabbage Correira