Bleacher Report - Articles by Derek Bedell

How Strong Is Your Kru? An Inside Look at Choosing an MMA School

Derek Bedell — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:27:20 -0400

With MMA’s popularity at a high right now, there are plenty of "fans" rooting on the fights, fighters, and abilities seen within the cage.

But aside from the sponsors, t-shirts, and “live fast” attitude, there are those who might want to step into an MMA gym for numerous reasons. Not, solely, for the glitz and glamour of what we all see on TV but for other reasons.

Whether one may wish to train their mind and body in competition to possibly fight one day, get in shape, or use martial arts to simply grow and develop, there is always a reason for doing so.

But for whatever the choices someone decides they want to train, they must decide what works best for them and how to decide what they want in a trainer and school.

What are you trying to get out of it all and how does the school fit for you?

Sifu/ Kru John Roderick is the owner/ head trainer at Southern New England Mixed Martial Arts. For over 20 years, JR has been training, teaching, and researching martial arts.

At first, beginning with Boxing and Judo, John's personal evolution eventually brought him to Sifu/Grandmaster Richard Bustillo (an original Bruce Lee student) and Arjarn Kru Phil Nurse.

Having been a devoted student of both legends for over 15 years, John continually strives to improve and research training methods and techniques.

Since 2004, Southern New England MMA, LLC has been continually striving to deliver quality martial arts training and coaching to a variety of people from all walks of life.

Families, professionals, law enforcement personnel and professional athletes have all benefited from the physical conditioning and martial art curriculum at SNE MMA.

I caught up with Kru (teacher in Thai) John Roderick to discuss ways to begin your training and what you should look for..

What do you think are the best ways to begin training in Mixed Martial Arts?

First off, if you think about doing it. Do it. Don't talk about it, mull it over, you have to get off your couch, out from behind the computer and really do it. Then you need to find a place you fit in, where you mesh with the instructor, the school, where everyone's respectful, trains safely and in a clean environment.

Look at the instructor, how they communicate and instruct, and what their background is. Ultimately, you want to fit in and have it feel like home. You should trust everyone you train with, it’s your safety that's involved.

Bottom line, find a place that's credible based on credentials and where you feel comfortable at.

Should choosing a gym or trainer have to do with how many professional fights they have had? Or is there more to it?

There are a lot of awesome coaches out there who have never fought or fought at a very high level.

I don't feel every coach needs to fight or compete but anyone who is going to have an academy and put their name behind it, they need to train, they need to spar, they need to roll, they need to actually be able to execute what they are teaching their students and show how and that it is effective.

You don't have to be a Paul Vunack, who would go out in the streets of L.A. to test out his JKD concepts and his training, nor at the other end of the spectrum, be like a world champion in Muay Thai like Kru Phil Nurse.

There are guys like Greg Jackson who wrestled and practiced a more traditional form of martial arts but he never got in a cage and fought.

Does that make him less reputable? No, he's a great strategist, a great coach; he knows how to get the most out of his guys, he's confident and a great guy.

Kru Mark Della Grotte is another one. He's only got a few Muay Thai fights himself at an amateur level. But he's trained, he's gone to Thailand, he's gone all over. He's put his time in. He's very similar to myself, he's a JKD guy who found Muay Thai, who found Jiu Jitsu, and incorporated that into what he did and he's tested it.

You don't need to think you need to go to some championship gym or have a trainer who's fought. Eddie Bravo is another. He's on the mats all the time with his students. He's competed and done very well, but we are all always learning.

Just because someone hasn't always stepped into a ring or a cage doesn't mean they haven't competed. Bruce Lee was another, he sparred everyone and anyone.

What does Mixed Martial Arts mean to you?

It's all about family. To be honest, I tell all my students and my new ones that I want everyone to feel like we're a family. We have each others' back, there's respect and a family atmosphere.

Beyond that, it's about self improvement everyday. And to paraphrase Bruce Lee, it's not about what I can add on, but what I can take away that's not effective.

Whether it be a bad relationship, a lifestyle change, an old way of doing something I need to throw out, so it's about self improvement and helping my students reach their goals.

That's really what it's about for me.

It's not about accolades or becoming extremely wealthy. It's really about helping the people that come to me.

If you want to lose weight, compete in Jiu Jitsu, say I want to be an MMA fighter, or I want to learn so I know what's going on when I watch the UFC...that's what we do.

So when deciding to compete, train, or learn MMA, keep these things in mind. You should find a trainer that suits you, someone with credibility as a martial artist and as a person.

Most gyms will offer a free class so you can see how you like the environment and curriculum.

Martial arts will help you grow as an individual and as a practitioner. Keep both in mind.

Like in life, the more you put in, the more you will get out of it. Find a family atmosphere, help yourself, and help others. Then it's up to you how far you want to go with it.

But only you can go out and do it.

SNEMMA is the only MMA Academy in the Connecticut/Northeast region affiliated and certified by Kru Phil Nurse and Master Eddie Bravo. The school has the most experienced Muay Thai Trainer in CT, and are home to 10th Planet No-Gi Jiu Jitsu.

For more information about SNEMMA and Kru John Roderick, please refer to the following:

Southern New England MMA, LLC

91 Beverly Heights, Building 2

Middletown, CT, 06457

Phone: 860.685.0093

www.snemma.com

www.10thplanetjjhartford.com

www.sitnarong-ct.com

Also, check for upcoming seminars from Master Eddie Bravo, Kru Phil Nurse, and many more knowledgeable martial artists.

A Prodigy is Born: The Top Ten Moments of B.J. Penn

Derek Bedell — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:18:56 -0400

When discussing the top martial artists in the world today many names come to mind.

GSP, Anderson Silva, and Fedor usually top everyone’s list. But there are other “masters” in their own right.

To be a champion is to be a master, albeit a master of one’s weight class or division. The individual holding the title becomes the measuring stick to which everyone else is compared.

Right now, the 155lb weight class in the UFC is ruled by the never quiet, B.J. “The Prodigy” Penn.

While some have poked fun at “Baby J” for his recent actions when it came to "greasegate," one major fact remains...B.J. Penn is one of the best martial artists in the world today.

With the UFC Lightweight title up for grabs in Philadelphia at UFC 101 against Kenny Florian right around the corner, here’s B.J. Penn’s top ten moments that have helped form his legacy.

10. No UFC, No Problem

Early on in B.J.’s career he met the future Pride lightweight champion in Takanori Gomi at the Rumble on the Rock, an MMA organization promoted by Penn’s brother in Hawaii.

Coming into the fight Gomi was 14-1 only tasting defeat to Joachim Hansen by decision. Penn was 5-1-1 and just left the UFC after fighting Caol Uno to a draw in a tournament style final for the UFC lightweight title.

B.J. wouldn’t need a title or a UFC contract to gain a huge victory by rear naked choke in the third round in front of his hometown crowd in Hawaii. This win would catapult B.J. Penn to the biggest fight of his career, at that point, a welterweight title match against Matt Hughes at UFC 46.

Penn was a natural. A guy who was a born fighter. Not an athlete who can fight but was bred to brawl.

As his record and UFC run made that statement seem more and more true, it was finishing off a very good and experienced fighter outside of the UFC that proved something else.

B.J. Penn would not let the UFC, or any organization dictate what he wanted to do. It was B.J.'s way first.

This would end up being a blessing and a curse for the future of “Baby Jay.”

9. The UFC Wake-Up Call

B.J. Penn would return to the UFC to fight Georges St. Pierre at UFC 58. It was billed as a number one contender bout for a shot at Matt Hughes’ Welterweight title.

The French Canadian was dominated by the Hawaiian in the first round, bloodying and bruising up St. Pierre to the likes that we still haven’t seen to this day. However, GSP would fight back to outwork the “Prodigy” for a split decision victory while demonstrating something B.J. would have to take serious notice of.

This has nothing to do with heart, but rather conditioning and work rate in training.

B.J. got tired, simple as that. And no matter how great of a fighter you are, if you gas out, you will lose to someone who still has fuel in their tank.

Lack of work and reliance on pure talent would become B.J.’s M.O. for the future.

The strategy to beat him was not to take him down or stand up with him, but rather to tire him out.

Mixed martial artists were growing as quickly as the sport was. It was a new day with new breeds of fighters. And now, more effort and work rate will be needed to become or stay a champion at this level.

Here, the “Prodigy” got his first taste of a wake-up call.

8. The Eye Opening Arrival

In May of 2001, the UFC noticed Penn after he was competing in numerous grappling and jiu jitsu tournaments.

It was time for B.J. to try his hands at mixed martial arts.

A natural fit, Penn would stop his first two opponents, Joey Gilbert (UFC 31) and Din Thomas (UFC 32). Next for the newcomer would be Japanese star Caol Uno at UFC 34.

The bell rang to begin the fight and Uno flew across the octagon with a leaping kick that Penn side stepped...then he would unleash.

After a vicious striking combination where Uno ate numerous punches as his body was embedded awkwardly in the cage, the fight was stopped just 11 seconds in.

The image after the fight would stick in everyone’s minds just as clear as the action they just witnessed. A very amped up Penn sprinted out of the cage and into the back.

A new type of fighter had arrived and stamped his unique presence on the world of mixed martial arts. This was what the Hawaiian native was here to do.

He didn’t need to fight.

The Penn family was already wealthy. B.J. was well known in his hometown of Hilo, he didn’t need the fame.

But his natural charisma and ability over the years continue to prove that B.J. Penn is a fighter.

This matchup was the thunder and lightning that made everyone look up and say, “wow, did you see that?”

A “Prodigy” had arrived.

7. Searching for a Bigger Challenge

After defeating Matt Hughes, Penn underwent a contract dispute with the UFC and left the company.

He didn’t waste any time getting back into action as he signed with K-1 and submitted Duane “Bang” Ludwig in the first round of a welterweight contest. He did this only four months after his UFC departure.

Penn was now on a different mission that didn’t revolve around being a champion.

“Jiu jitsu was created where the small man can beat the big man, and I’ve been doing jiu jitsu since I was 17 years old, and that has always stuck in my head throughout all the time and all the way until now,” said Penn.

So now, B.J. would move up to Middleweight and defeat Rodrigo Gracie by decision at Rumble on the Rock 6.

He followed this with an open weight fight against the current light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at K-1’s Hero’s 1.

Although Penn would lose a decision, he would hurt Machida in the fight and force the undefeated fighter the distance. And that is something not many can say, especially anyone who is a natural 155 pounder.

There can never be a question about Penn’s heart or warrior spirit as he let it be known why he felt he could beat anyone, “it’s ingrained in me that I believe I have a chance. I know something’s gonna happen, the guy’s gonna make a mistake and I’m gonna get that armlock or get that choke.”

Penn would go back to Middleweight following his loss to Machida and defeat Renzo Gracie by decision before returning to the UFC at UFC 58: U.S.A. vs. Canada.

B.J. has always seemed to march to the beat of his own drum. Here is just another example.

Regardless of weight, size, or strength, Penn felt in his heart that he could beat any man based on his skill set. This run wouldn’t deter him from that thought process as he won two out of three fights outside his natural weight class.

A mentality like this has helped Penn because of his pure fight attitude, but hurt him by not staying consistent at one weight class.

In staying at 155 or 170, then we could all be able to see him add to his legacy.

B.J. has proven he can and meet any challenge, but needs to be pushed and motivated while not getting complacent.

Penn would need to start challenging himself in order to stay hungry.

6. The Prodigy is Born

Nicknames embody a fighters style, look, or abilities. If someone is dubbed “the Prodigy,” there needs to be a good reason.

How about being awarded a jiu jitsu black belt three years into your practice?

Unbelievable.

It takes regular individuals like you and I around a decade to be awarded such an honor.

B.J. was able to start jiu jitsu in 1997 and in 2000, he was awarded his black belt by Andre Pederneiras of Nova Uniao.

No wonder his fighting shorts have a black belt stitched into the material. The skills and niche to pick all the moves and transitions up while applying the techniques correctly and effectively is remarkable.

Penn’s nickname is perfect for a fighter of limitless stature.

This accomplishment was the beginning statement that let the world know, B.J. Penn is one of a kind and simply, a "Prodigy."

5. The Rebirth of a Champion

Penn was at a crossroads in his career after losing to Georges St. Pierre and his rematch with Matt Hughes. B.J. needed to rededicate himself in focus, training, and conditioning. But what would be next?

B.J. Penn would return for his next fight with some added motivation.

He chose to drop down to Lightweight again, which was a great choice. 155 is B.J.’s natural fighting weight and fits his frame so much better than trying to fight against the higher weight classes, like in the past.

B.J. Penn was going back to his roots.

The "Prodigy" remembered, “I was searching and wondering who I was in the fight game and then I went back and watched my first fight against Joey Gilbert and then I remembered who I was. I was that guy, and then I started doing everything and getting back on top. It was wanting to fight Jens again that got me back on the horse.”

So The Ultimate Fighter 5 came along.

Six weeks of tension between the two escalated and you could see that B.J. wanted to rip Pulver’s head off any time the two were in the same room.

Their rivalry culminated with Penn choking out Pulver at the finale. He gained revenge for a previous loss and revived his career in the process.

While Penn held onto the submission a bit longer then needed, the “Prodigy” buried the hatchet with “Lil’ Evil” and B.J. Penn was back...hungry, dedicated, and ready to make a run at 155lbs.

It was time to live and work like a champion if B.J. was to return to the top. He was ready and the future was now.

4. Rising to the Top

The wrestler from Hillsboro, IL defended his title five times before B.J. Penn made his UFC return at UFC 46. The “Prodigy” moved up 15 lbs, from lightweight to welterweight, to challenge Matt Hughes for his gold.

Hughes was a dominant champion and most thought he would retain his title.

But B.J. Penn shocked the world by dominating the champion and winning his first title with a rear naked choke submission in round one.

Finally, B.J. Penn was a champion in MMA. His tears of joy poured down his face as he celebrated his biggest and most important victory to date.

A blessing and a curse, the new champion proved his skills were dominant and on a different level.

It wouldn’t be until the rematch with Hughes, that work rate would be obviously recognized as Penn’s kryptonite.

3. Making History

"The Prodigy” won his first tournament in Bakersfield, CA in 1997 in both his own and the open weight class. Penn followed that with winning the Joe Moreira tournament as a blue belt and a submission/ grappling tournament in the summer of 1997.

Afterwards, B.J. entered numerous tournaments and in 1999, prior to receiving his black belt, won the Gold Medal in the Copa Pacific Tournament in Los Angeles.

What followed would be historic.

Penn joined the Nova Uniao Competition Team (reserved for four top team competitors) and went to compete in the black belt division of the Mundial World Championships held in Rio De Janiero, Brazil.

Once again, his nickname held true as “the Prodigy” became the first non-Brazilian to win a gold medal in the black belt division.

This feat is truly remarkable.

Penn’s dexterity and flexibility is not to be outdone by anyone in the fight game and has always been noticed.

Accompany that with his knowledge and overall skills, and it’s no wonder he is able to be considered one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world today.

If you haven’t seen B.J. throw his foot over the back of his head from a sitting position, you must! You will be amazed.

2. Back on Top

After Penn’s win over Pulver, the UFC announced he would be staying at lightweight to fight for the title against rival Sean Sherk. The current champ, Sherk, was suspended by the CSAC and the title fight was in limbo. Sean then lost his appeal.

So B.J. Penn Vs. Joe Stevenson was scheduled for the outright lightweight title with Sherk getting the first title shot when he returned from suspension.

It took B.J. six years, but he was able to crush “Joe Daddy” and win the lightweight title by second round submission with a bloody rear naked choke.

With this win, Penn became only the second man to win UFC titles in two different weight classes (Randy Couture the other).

His comments showed his new found desire, “Something just awoke inside of me where I said ‘what are you doing? You can beat every one of these people. You’ve been doing it half-assed all this time and it’s time to finally step up and let’s see it.’ If you can’t, you can’t, but at least you know you tried.

"Words can’t explain how pumped I am about fighting right now. It’s what I am, it’s who I am, and it’s what I want to be.”

The questions about cardio and training are still being uttered. But now with a lot more uncertainty.

B.J. looked to be in the best shape he’s ever been in for this fight and showed the world two things…B.J.Penn was a champion again and seemed to be more focused and ready than ever before.

Now it was time to match skill with work rate. The “Prodigy” is now beginning to realize his potential.

1. The Legacy Now Professionally Equipped

There was a lot of bad blood between Sherk and Penn going into the conveniently titled event, UFC 84- “Ill Will." No one can forget the words uttered by B.J. after his victory over Joe Stevenson...”Sean Sherk, you’re dead!”

He stopped Sean Sherk at the end of the third round to retain his title and left no doubt who the best fighter at 155lbs is.

After the controversy and dominance in the GSP fight, B.J. became sidetracked-caught up even in suffering a huge, devastating loss.

Now that he is slated to defend his title against Kenny Florian, one victory is stopping him from what could develop into one of the most dominant title runs in UFC history.

If “the Prodigy” is able to get by “Ken Flo,” it’s hard to argue there are any immediate threats to B.J.’s gold.

But how will he respond after his loss to GSP?

Diego Sanchez, Clay Guida, Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard, and Nate Diaz may be future opponenets for Penn, but no one could be considered a favorite against the Hilo warrior.

Bottom line, it’s up to B.J. Penn how he wants to leave his legacy from this point on.

He is now acting like a professional fighter with proper training, strength and conditioning, and not only relying on natural skill. The sky is the limit for how long he can dominate the lightweight division.

The facts remain that the abilities, accomplishments, and personality of Jay Dee Penn will never be forgotten.

He truly does possess outstanding skills, a book of knowledge, and should go down in history as, arguably, one of the best mixed martial artists of all time.

Like it’s always been...it’s up to B.J. what’s next.

UFC 101 is the next chapter in the, never dull, life of B.J. “The Prodigy” Penn…”ya know?”

Educating MMA: The Triangle Choke

Derek Bedell — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:16:13 -0400

"Remember...you are expressing the technique, not doing the technique."
—Bruce Lee

There are many techniques in MMA that give a fighter a distinct advantage.

Whether to finish your opponent or gain an edge, each technique is carried out with tactful skill and knowledge of the move.

Many newcomers to the sport are bloodthirsty or anticipating a knockout.

However, if these things don't occur, there are plenty of techniques to appreciate in MMA.

It's time to take a look at other remarkable forms of the sport that may be going a bit unnoticed to our casual MMA fan.

The Triangle Choke

A triangle choke (called Sankaku-Jime in judo) is a type of figure-four chokehold that strangles the opponent by encircling the opponent's neck and one arm with the legs in a configuration similar to the shape of a triangle.

The technique is a type of lateral vascular restraint that constricts the blood flow from the carotid arteries to the brain. (Credit: Wikipedia.com)

Strangely enough, the triangle choke in Brazilian Jujitsu was actually used by Mel Gibson when he performed it in Lethal Weapon I.

I had to go back and watch the movie again because, at the time of the original viewing years ago, none of us would have picked up on that.

I freaked out when I saw it.

Martin Riggs choked out Joshua on Murtaugh's front lawn with a triangle choke!

The entire fight sequence, of which the triangle choke was the final move, had been choreographed by the famous Gracie family, the founders of one of the most effective marital arts, Gracie Jujitsu.

You don't have to be Mel Gibson to appreciate the effectiveness of the triangle choke. Indeed, it is a choke used in countless martial arts and MMA events.

How It's Done

Step One—Utilize the guard when your attacker brings you to the ground. If you are on your back, wrap your legs around your attacker's waist, preventing him from punching you in the face. From here, you can begin to do the triangle choke in Brazilian Jujitsu.

Step Two—Push one of your attacker's arms in, and pin it so he's unable to use it.

Step Three—Bring one of your legs over the attacker's shoulder, bringing your attacker's body closer to your own. This also restricts his freedom of movement. Keep the pinned arm of your attacker close to your chest.

Step Four—Move your leg from your attacker's shoulder and wrap it behind your opponent's neck. You can also grab your opponents head and pull it down to avoid them exploding out of the position and posturing up.

Step Five—Place your other leg over the leg that's wrapped behind your opponent's neck. It will form a T-bone position.

Step Six—Grasp the back of your attacker's head and bring it forward as you squeeze your legs.

Step Seven—Release the triangle choke in Brazilian jiu jitsu when your opponent taps out or when instructed by the referee. (Credit: ehow.com)

You have been educated. Now, tap out!

Derek Bedell writes at 411mania.com. You can read of the article here:

http://www.411mania.com/MMA/columns/103305/The-5-Round-Transition:-04.30.09:-Gonna-Fly-Now!.htm

Who Deserves a Title Shot in The UFC's Heavyweight Division?

Derek Bedell — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:22:48 -0400

At Saturday's post-UFC 97 press conference, Dana White discussed that Cheick Kongo is in the UFC Heavyweight hunt…

"Yeah I think he is a top contender. I think Cheick Kongo's win [over Hardonk], you know, he's in the mix. Getting the next title shot, I can't answer that question right now. But there's no doubt he's in the mix."

Kongo is 14-4-1 overall and 7-2 in the UFC, including winning five of his last six fights. His only loss in those last six fights was to Heath Herring, via split decision.

Credit: mmajunkie.com

Who else is deserves consideration?

The battle between Couture and Noguiera may be for a title shot, based on name value.

Also, the fact that Randy is signed for one more fight after UFC 102 may play a role in the decision. You can't argue if the UFC wants to make it a huge one.

There wouldn't be many heavyweight fights bigger than Randy vs. Brock II or Couture/ Mir, at this present time.

So all business aside, who should get the next shot?

Cheick Kongo

Cheick Kongo has won three straight fights by TKO in impressive fashion.

He dismantled Antoni Hardonk, who is known for his striking. Well here, Kongo made him look like an amateur.

With training partners like Michael Bisping, Rampage, Paul Kelly and more at the Wolfslair, Kongo has championship level people around him to help him prepare to get to the next level.

Due to his performances and recent record, you can't argue someone else is more deserving of a title shot after the Mir/ Lesnar rematch.

But let's see who else is contending, and as Dana put, is "in the mix."

Shane Carwin

This monster is probably the closest person to Kongo for a title shot.

He sports an 11-0 record (4-0 in the UFC) with all his fights in the octagon being stopped in the 1st round.

Experience would be his only blemish to not receiving an immediate title shot right now.

That and the fact that, other than Gabriel Gonzaga, he hasn't fought any top tier talent yet.

Carwin will surely have a crack at the belt by 2010, most likely after another fight or two.

I'm sure the UFC is preparing him for a super showdown with Lesnar, as many within MMA feel that would be Brock's biggest test right now, other than Mir of course.

Junior Dos Santos

The surprising heavyweight could be another title contender in the future.

He is 2-0 in the UFC and pretty much took Fabricio Werdum's "spot" after a shocking 1st round KO.

After that, a "promised" title shot was gone just like Werdum's UFC career.

What followed for Dos Santos was a 1st round TKO over Stefan "Skyscraper" Struve.

The potential is there. A few more fights and he could be in top contention.

I wouldn't be too surprised to see Dos Santos Vs. Herring, Gonzaga, Carwin or Velasquez in the near future.

Junior needs a top name on his win list before climbing the championship ladder.

Cain Velasquez

This young talented heavyweight is another talked about threat to Brock Lesnar's title.

With a 5-0 record in the UFC, Velasquez will be fighting the toughest opponent of his career at UFC 99 in the veteran Heath Herring.

Cain is a beast who has been spoken about, with praise, for a while. He has yet to disappoint as he has not been tested inside the octagon.

The only issue is the same as the previously mentioned fighters, lack of experience. If he gets by a game Herring, he too could be one or two fights away from attempting to become a champion.

So here are some match ideas for the future

Lesnar Vs. Mir II (UFC Heavyweight Championship) UFC 100

Couture Vs. Noguiera (If Randy wins, he gets the next title shot) UFC 102

Kongo gets the winner of Mir/ Lesnar (if Noguiera defeats Couture)

Kongo Vs. Carwin for No. 1 contender (If Randy defeats Nog)

Other possible bouts

Dos Santos Vs. Velasquez (if Cain gets by Herring)

Gonzaga Vs. Noguiera (If Nog loses to Couture) I think that would be a pretty good fight, especially for "Napoa."

Just some ideas on what could come to pass in the future of the UFC's heavyweight division.

Whethere anyone here will actually win the title is another story.

Derek Bedell writes at 411mania.com. You can read the rest of the article here which covers all of MMA's top stories:

http://www.411mania.com/MMA/columns/102610

Educating MMA: The Kimura

Derek Bedell — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:17:53 -0400

There are many techniques in MMA that give a fighter a distinct advantage.

Whether to finish your opponent or gain an edge, each technique is carried out with tactful skill and knowledge of the move. Many newcomers to the sport are blood thirsty or anticipating a knockout.

However, if these things don't occur, there are plenty of techniques to appreciate in MMA.

It's time to take a look at other remarkable forms of the sport that may be going a bit unnoticed to our casual MMA fan.

At UFC 97, we saw a technique used by Krystof Soszinyski to finish off Brian Stann in the first round.

As you saw Sozynski circling around the Octagon, he visually mimicked a limp/ inverted arm after his submission win.

It is the "Polish Experiments" favorite move and known to MMA practitioners and fans alike as the Kimura.

And you may be surprised how long it's been around and who it stopped first.

In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, The Kimura lock (Gyaku ude-garami) is one of the most important submission methods. This move is found in other fighting styles and maybe referred to as a hammerlock, a chicken wing, or ude-garami.

The Kimura lock was named after Masahiko Kimura, who was one of the most well-known and respected Judo athletes of all time.

In 1951, while in Brazil, he fought a famous match against non other than Helio Gracie, the founder of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

The famous match lasted 13 minutes, which surprised Kimura because Helio Gracie was much smaller than him.

His winning move was an arm lock that ended the match abruptly.

Almost 50 years after that notorious match in Brazilian jiu-jitsu's history, the arm lock that defeated Helio Gracie was named the "Kimura Lock" to pay homage to Kimura's outstanding abilities and victories.

The Kimura lock is a very versatile move which can be applied from close guard, open guard, north-south position, and from the mount, but can additionally work from the side mount, half guard, half mount, turtle, standing, and even from the back.

Credit: Stephen Kesting, Grappling Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 1, pp. 1-20 (2002)

The Kimura is a punishing move that twirks the shoulder resulting in a separation if the opponent refuses to tap out. Torn ligaments, muscles, and extreme pain follow if a stubborn fighter is not knowledgeable on the damage it can cause.

The move is applied by grabbing the opponent's wrist with the hand from the same side while the opposite arm is put on the back side of your opponents arm.

You then form a figure-four by grabbing the wrist. Now that you have control, you push your opponents arm behind their back.

Once you have the technique applied and locked in, it is a mere moment before your opponent taps out or goes to the ER with a separated shoulder.

Either way, you gain a victory.

If a move can finish the late legend, Helio Gracie, it is a technique that is historic, powerful, and should be practiced by today's warriors of the cage.

Brian Stann found out first hand that the Kimura is devastating and extremely painful.

Considering it is a technique that can be applied in numerous situations, it is a move that needs to be looked at as top of the line, especially for those in the jiu jitsu/ MMA game.

You have now been educated. Now tap out!

Derek Bedell writes at 411mania.com. You can read the rest of the article here which covers all of MMA's top stories:

http://www.411mania.com/MMA/columns/102610

Patrick Cote: Something Lost, Something Gained

Derek Bedell — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:14:42 -0400

Although UFC 90 ended in unsuspecting faction, Patrick Cote should not hold his head. The "Predator" was able to accomplish what no man has done in the UFC; Take Anderson Silva past the second round.

He ate a few clean shots; A knee, kick, and a straight left, only to smile and continue forward. Unlike James Irvin, Rich Franklin, Nate Marquardt, and Chris Leben, Cote never looked hurt and was not finished by the best pound for pound fighter in the world.

Cote was not winning the fight going into the third round, but he was by no means getting dominated or out of the fight. His heart and will stood tall and Anderson looked a little weary to get in there and really exchange with the former Canadian Army boxer.

We all know Silva is better in every area. Cote's only chance was probably a left or right hand that would rock the champion creating an opening for an upset.

I, personally, am a huge fan of Anderson Silva and Patrick Cote so the end helped me a bit because neither fighter really lost. However, I have yet to see someone not be phased by the "Spider" what-so-ever before and during the fight.

Henderson came close but nowhere near Cote. He truly believed he was going to win and he showed it.

Cote was known to have heavy hands and a great future when he joined the UFC in 2004, filling in for Guy Mezger, against Tito Ortiz. Like Dana White said, "He dropped Tito when Tito was Tito." Cote ended up losing a decision.

It took Patrick a while to reach his destiny after losses to Joe Doerksen, Chirs Leben, and Travis Lutter. A new training regiment and dedication to the sport, similar to Leben's turnaround, has sharpened the skills and success of Cote. The result was five straight victories for the "Predator." He is now living up to his nickname.

Although he lost to Anderson Silva, that does not take away from what he has accomplished and will continue to do so once healed up from his knee injury. He wasn't knocked out, he wasn't submitted, and he wasn't rocked in the fight. It was a simple unfortunate incident. But the fact remains, the man stood in there with the best in the world and held his own.

A fighter's journey is unlike any other sport preparation. Your body is beat up and you're never 100 percent. These things can happen and should never be looked at poorly on the fighter. The person most disappointed in the result was not Dana White, the fans, or Anderson Silva, it was Patrick Cote.

You could see the pain in his eyes that he couldn't finish the fight. It was years of dedication for this one opportunity, only to fade away by a simple step. However, Cote will come back dedicated and hungry for redemption. Patrick is very strong minded and this is his life. He is not done by a long shot, believe me. Those who speak otherwise have never stepped in there or have any clue what it's like.

Imagine working your entire life for something and you get there. You get to the door, you have the key, it's right there in front of you and you put the key in, turn it, anticipate your greatest accomplishment and then...the key breaks and the door remains locked. It's one of life's big letdowns. What measures you is how you respond.

The question will remain, will he get an eventual rematch with Anderson Silva? Maybe not based on the fact that Anderson wants to retire by the time he turns 35. He has five more fights on his UFC contract so Cote may not fit into what's left for the "Spider."

It will most likely take Patrick up to a year before he's back in the Octagon. However, being the man that Anderson Silva is, he may just want to end his career against Cote or decide to finish what they started...a true champion.

Cote has nothing left to do but heal up and get back in the Octagon. He need not hang his head in shame. He put on a show and was competitive unlike anyone else in the UFC. I'm sure Rich Franklin would've loved to do that just once in his two fights against Silva. At least we know Cote doesn't have to leave the division like Franklin had to.

Patrick simply has to take his time and when he's ready come back. Which is something he has done since day one. He showed heart, dedication, and ultimate respect in his fight against Anderson Silva.

Even though he lost, he's gained a lot. Don't count him out just yet, there will be a lot more to come for Patrick Cote. He's prooven he has a champions heart, regardless if he actually has a belt.

Elite XC Is Officially Out of Business?

Derek Bedell — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:24:03 -0400

Sports Illustrated confirms that EliteXC is officially out of business.

Huge story continues.......

The following comes from Josh Gross of SI.com:

ProElite, EliteXC out of business

Less than two years following the formation of ProElite, Inc., the group notified employees and fighters Monday it was shutting its doors effective immediately, multiple sources confirmed to SI.com.

Representatives for ProElite, EliteXC and Showtime did not return calls for comment.

Through its partnership with Showtime and later CBS, which in 2008 agreed to broadcast four live EliteXC events in primetime, EliteXC gained a tremendous amount of visibility. The company, however, hemorrhaged tens of millions of dollars during its 22 months in operation.

In September, Showtime, which owned a 20 percent stake in ProElite, entered into preliminary negotiations to purchase a controlling interest in the company. When those negotiations failed, said a source inside ProElite who asked not to be identified, funding dried up and the company was forced out of business.

Beginning with Rumble on the Rock, ProElite purchased numerous MMA promotional brands around the world, including King of the Cage, Cage Rage, ICON, and Spirit MC. While these companies remained in operation, the focus was EliteXC, which held 17 events starting with its first card Feb. 10, 2007.

EliteXC's third card with CBS on Oct. 4 was also its last as a promoter. Headlined by the controversial Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson, the event made headlines with discussion surrounding the legitimacy of the main event between Ferguson and Seth Petruzelli. The bout is currently under investigation by the Florida State Athletic Commission.

After debuting on May 31 to an audience of 6.5 million viewers, EliteXC's ratings on CBS fell significantly in its second effort drawing just 2.7 million in July. In its last event the numbers appeared to bounce back nicely, with an average audience of 4.5 million.

Kelly Kahl, senior executive vice president of programming operations at CBS, declined to comment on ProElite's demise.

EliteXC was scheduled to promote its final event of the year Nov. 8 on Showtime, however the manager for lightweight Nick Diaz, who was scheduled to fight Eddie Alvarez that night for the organization's 160-pound belt, said he was told the event would not take place absent a last-minute "miracle" investor.

Credit 411mania.com.

So what does this mean for Elite XC fighters?

What's next for Gina Carano, Kimbo, Jake Shields, Robbie Lawler, and Nick Diaz? Dana White doesn't let his feelings hide when discussing Kimbo. "He sucks," said Dana recently. So I guess the hype machine will be searching for work. I figure Japan would be a good option for him to gain exposure, sharpen his skills, and have some tough fights.

Gina Carano is special. The UFC does not have a women's division and I don't think it's something Zuffa would invest in with only a couple of stars to pick from. Somehow I still think we will see Gina and Cyborg at some point, just not in the UFC.

Jake Shields will sign with the UFC. He almost did before signing with Elite XC. Now he can see how good he is (calling out GSP) by testing his skill set against the best 170lb fighters in the world.

Will Dana and company re-sign Nick Diaz? I hope to hell they do, it's time to see the Diaz brothers run wild together. Imagine Nick Diaz vs. Kenny Florian or Joe Stevenson or even B.J. Penn? I would love to see those fights go down, I'm sure I'm not the only one. People forget how young Nick is. He's been a professional since his late teens.

I'm sure they will bring Lawler back. No reason not to. The middleweight division is weak enough as it is. He could bring name recognition and a championship claim to the picture. I'd love to see Silva eat him up in the first round. Lawler wouldn't do too much, but it would be nice to see a little reunion unless he chooses Japan.

Technically, Elite XC going out of business won't be a horrible thing. The UFC will showcase MMA the way it's supposed to be, and how it's been prior to some boxing promoter BS that may have damaged the sport's credibility according to some.

If this holds true, the next few months are going to be crazy! Unless Ted Turner pulls a WCW like purchase immediately, it's back to boxing for the Shaw's. The great fighters will find work and, thank god, no more Kimbo for awhile.

I just better get to see Gina again, and not on American Gladiators.

Tito Ortiz Is About To Be Back in Business

Derek Bedell — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:17:30 -0400

SUNRISE, FL—High-profile free agent light heavyweight Tito Ortiz will be cageside as a guest of EliteXC for tonight's CBS broadcast of "Heat."

And while the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" recently revealed to MMAjunkie that he will be out of commission for the next six months, a deal may be signed this month to bring the former UFC champion to EliteXC.

"Right now, EliteXC and myself are in great discussions for the future and working with each other," Ortiz said.

Ortiz made his first appearance in conjunction with EliteXC at Friday's weigh-ins. Although no formal announcement of his presence was made, a buzz quickly filled the room when the 33-year-old was spotted.

Ortiz said tonight's appearance may be far less under the radar.

"I'm here as a guest of EliteXC," Ortiz said. "I'm possibly going to be commentating a fight [tonight]. It's going to be exciting. I can't wait."

In addition to the upcoming birth of twins with girlfriend Jenna Jameson, I still don't get this one, as Ortiz is also slated to undergo back surgery on Monday to repair a nagging injury.

"I'm getting surgery...for my lower back," Ortiz said. "I've had a problem for the last five years, so I'm finally going to get the surgery done. I'll be out for about six months, but I'll be back to fight for another six years. I'm really excited."

Ortiz explained the surgery was similar to what UFC middleweight Nate Quarry went through in 2006.

"I have a bulging disc between L4 and L5 and S1, so they've got to go in and fuse it," he said. "(It's) the same thing that Nate Quarry got. So I get it done, and I'll be able to wrestle the way I used to wrestle."

You'd be surprised to see who has been in the running for Tito's credentials.

One surprise competitor in the race for Ortiz's services was the Kentucky-based American Fight League. Ortiz said they have been eliminated from the chase.

"That was just a meeting that came about, and it was no more than that at all," Ortiz said. "They're a start-up company, and they thought that they could throw a few dollars together and persuade someone like me, and expect me just as a fighter. I'm not that guy."

In August, Ortiz announced that he was about to sign a deal with Affliction Entertainment, an upstart organization with deep pockets, with what he called a "ground-breaking record contract."

However, Ortiz said Affliction has also recently been ruled out.

"Affliction kind of dampered away just because they just want to pay for a fighter just to fight," Ortiz said. "I'm not that fighter to make a company as the UFC is now and just get paid just for the fights."

A proven draw in the UFC, Ortiz has been involved in some of the most memorable—and profitable—shows in UFC history. And while the UFC has recently come under fire for forcibly requiring their fighters to sign a binding licensing agreement, Ortiz said he simply wants to earn a piece of the pie his name recognition earns.

"I look at the whole brand itself," Ortiz said. "I'm a business man. I've got to look at myself as not just a commodity, but a business itself—Tito Ortiz brand."

Ortiz went on to explain that EliteXC has a solid understanding of what he hopes to accomplish with a new contract.

"I think it's just a percentage of all the way around what my name is going to be in—merchandising, pay-per-view, gate, everything," Ortiz said. "I want a piece of it just because I'm putting the butts in the seats (and getting) the pay-per-view buys.

"The brand of me the last 11 years, the competition I've been doing, I feel like I got my ass kicked the last 11 years. I've set some historical marks, and now I've set some goals for fighters in the future.

"Myself, I defended my world title five consecutive times. I've done a lot in the last 11 years that I think a company needs a name like myself to succeed. And EliteXC may be that company."

And Ortiz believes that once his revenue-sharing-styled contract is in place, it may change the landscape of MMA negotiations.

"Once I make the step across and show that the fighters should get more, then maybe fighters will follow me and they will want to get a piece of their name," Ortiz said.

Ortiz said it was possible that a contract may be finished before the end of the month—a step that would seem to benefit an athlete who will soon succumb to major surgery.

"With EliteXC and CBS and Showtime backing me on this, it's a possibility that we might get something finished before the month's over," Ortiz said. "And the UFC actually has the option to match [any offer]. If they match it, fighters are going to be even more happy because I'll do it with the UFC. But if I don't do it with the UFC, I'll do it with EliteXC and CBS."

While the UFC retains a brief negotiating period when contracts expire, with all former fighters, the type of deal Ortiz is describing would certainly not be considered under current UFC contract standards. Ortiz said that's just fine with him.

"I'm really not open to [returning to the UFC] at all," Ortiz said. "I just don't want to work with (UFC President) Dana (White), ever. I've washed my hands clean.

"I'm not going to talk nothing about Dana. I wish him a world of success. I wish him a world of luck in his business and what he does. But it's time for me to move on, I think. It's time for me to grow out of being under an umbrella for the rest of my life. And I'm going to make some great things happen, for sure."

While a deal has not yet been finalized between Ortiz and EliteXC, the upside to the 11-year veteran seems apparent.

"I just added a bunch of new stuff to Punishment Athletics clothing," Ortiz said of his clothing line. "We've got a bunch of new kids stuff, and we added a bunch of women's clothing also. Our brand is growing. We're not as big dogs as TapouT is just yet, but maybe me coming to CBS that will happen."

And when prompted as to whether we would see any of Ortiz's Punishment Athletics branding on tonight's CBS broadcast, the famed fighter may have finally tipped his hand.

"Not yet," Ortiz said. "The deal that I'm signing with them, once it gets done—it's in blood—it will be starting from then on."

This could be HUGE if Tito eventually battles Kimbo, hopefully grounding and pounding him off of his spoon-fed pedestal.

credit MMAjunkie.com

UFC 92 Rumored Card: Two Title Fights!

Derek Bedell — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:04:55 -0400

Huge fights added to UFC 92!

Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that the UFC has added a UFC light heavyweight title fight between Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans, as well as Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva to the UFC 92 card in December.

Evans earned a title shot against Griffin after an impressive KO victory over Chuck Liddell at UFC 88. The fight will feature the winners of the first two seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter" facing off. Below is the rumored card for UFC 92:

UFC Interim Heavyweight Title Fight
-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir

UFC Light Heavyweight Title Fight
-Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans

-Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

-Dean Lister vs. Yushin Okami

-Cheick Kongo vs. Mustafa Al-Turk

-C.B. Dollaway vs. Jorge Rivera

-Brad Blackburn vs. Ryo Chonan

-Ivan Serati vs. To Be Announced

Credit 411mania.com and yahoo sports

The WEC and UFC Merge at UFC Fight Night 16 "UFC Fights for the Troops"

Derek Bedell — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:21:11 -0400

Brian Stann to Face Steve Cantwell at UFC Fight Night 16 "UFC Fights For The Troops"

WEC guys already headed to the UFC...

MMAWeekly.com recently spoke with former WEC light-heavyweight champion Brian Stann and he has confirmed that he will face Steve Cantwell at UFC Fight Night 16 "UFC Fights for the Troops" on Dec. 10 at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Stann and Cantwell have fought twice in the past, with each securing a win each time.

Cantwell recently captured the WEC light-heavyweight title from Stann back in August. However, with the WEC recently announcing that they will abolish the light-heavyweight and middleweight divisions, the UFC has decided to schedule the third fight between the two for December.

Stann is a veteran of the Marine Corps and had the following to say about fighting in front of the troops:

"They were talking to me about a rematch right after I lost that fight, so I was already excited about that and I thought it was going to be Dec. 3 in Vegas, so I'd be fighting Steve (Cantwell) in his hometown for the third time. It was kind of like a tear in my heart because all of a sudden I was watching Spike TV and watching the Fight Night and they announced this special featuring the Fallen Heroes Fund and it's going to benefit TBI (traumatic brain injury) patients.

"I have so much experience with my guys that suffer from TBI and to get to fight on a military base. I was in Iraq when they fought on the marine base last time so I didn't get a chance to fight or even be there, and I just thought this is a dream come true.

"Most people go to fights to watch their heroes or their role model fight. For me, to fight in Fort Bragg, and Fort Bragg is only an hour and 15 minutes away from my old Marine corps base, so a ton of my marines are going to be up there, plus all the young soldiers. That's like a dream come true to me. Now, I'm fighting in front of my heroes, the people who inspire me.

"I'll fight till I'm dead in front of those guys. It's a lifetime experience right there. I'm really excited. I was already calling a bunch of my Marines.

"One in particular, a guy by the name of Robert Gas, who when we were hit by a suicide vehicle during my first tour and he took some severe shrapnel damage to the head and he had several brain surgeries since then and obviously suffers from severe TBI, and I'm going to be contacting him and getting him cage side seats and flying him up for that."

Credit 411mania.com/ MMA weekly.com

KJ Noons Is Stripped of Championship Belt for Refusing To Fight

Derek Bedell — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:49:34 -0400

Belt Taken Away For Refusing To Fight Nick Diaz

Pro Elite sent out the following press release:

LOS ANGELES (Sept. 19, 2008) – KJ Noons of San Diego has been stripped of his EliteXC lightweight title. The announcement was made late Friday by EliteXC's Head of Fight Operations, Jeremy Lappen.

The foremost reason EliteXC is taking this action, Lappen said, was due to Noons' reluctance to defend against leading 160-pound contender Nick Diaz of Stockton, CA.

"We are stripping KJ of his championship belt for refusing to defend against Diaz,'' Lappen said. "It's a very unfortunate situation but we cannot have belt-holders who refuse to fight the top contenders. We want champions who will fight anyone, anytime, anyplace. That's the mentality all champions should have."

"I feel very bad for KJ because I like him a lot on a personal level and have always thought he could be a big star. He's charismatic, has a very exciting fighting style, and is a top-level fighter. So I'm obviously disappointed that he has chosen to take this stance."

"I don't understand why he would turn down a chance to be a headliner on CBS on Oct. 4. KJ then turned down the fight again when we offered him a headlining spot on our next SHOWTIME date against Nick."

"From my view, it is a fight against a top-named opponent in Diaz (someone who beat the No. 1 fighter in the world in his weight class), a fighter KJ has bad blood with, and most definitely a fight the fans really wanted to see. It seemed like a great opportunity for KJ to me."

"Personally, I do not think it was a smart career move, but I'm sure he sees it differently. KJ has two more fights remaining on his contract, so we are still looking forward to having him fight for us again soon, but not as our world champion.''

EliteXC will announce a fight for the vacant lightweight title in the near future, Lappen said.

credit 411mania.com

I wrote an article about this a few weeks ago. Noons is clearly NO champion by his actions. He's a pouting little boy hiding behind his daddy and management. I am happy to see EliteXC say, "Screw you, that's our belt!"

It's obvious Nick Diaz will be one of the guys fighting for the vacated title. It pisses me off that the fans are the one's screwed out of EliteXC's best possible matchup. There was bad blood, history, and excitement sure to follow. Now, who knows?

Hey KJ, learn how to be a fighter and fight! Here's my original article about Noons from before.

Bottom line, Nick Diaz will be the Lightweight champion soon. Hopefully, Noons decides to fight him and they eventually battle. I know I'm one fan who wants to see it, and I'm sure there's more. If it doesn't happen, the fact remains that a Diaz will be a champion.

That should be controversial and entertaining enough!

EliteXC definitely deserves a golf clap, and KJ Noons should be ashamed of his recent choices that ended up making him a FORMER champion. Nuff said.

Affliction Facing Their Own Day of Reckoning?

Derek Bedell — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:23:23 -0400

The 10/11 Affliction show has been canceled. The fighters on the card were informed today of the news, as were PPV companies.

Fighters were told the show is being postponed and Keith Kizer of the Nevada State Athletic Commission told Sherdog.com that the event is being moved to January at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

The word going around is that Affliction had been trying to find a public reason to cancel the show for the past few days as ticket sales were weak.

Affliction lost $3-$4.5 million on their first show (Yahoo.com/411mania.com).

What does this mean for the future of Affliction?

It seems the fighter paydays were a little steep considering they can't even draw for a second show. A total of 700 tickets sold out of 19,500 seats? That's embarrassing.

It almost makes Dana White and company look intelligent for paying certain fighters what they do. The UFC makes money.

Can you imagine the UFC losing $3-$4.5 million when Chuck Liddell or Anderson Silva headline?

I was looking forward to Affliction staying around to counter UFC as the new "WCW" like promotion. All the fighters MMA fans still would like to see under a different umbrella seemed interesting.

Babalu, Fedor, Barnett, Arlovski, and many more would have been exciting to watch. New and old matchups rekindled would have been one of Affliction's advantages.

Unfortunately, it seems Dana White's harsh comments about the new promotion may not be so far from the truth. Affliction may very well be out of business soon.

I think this is a bad blow for MMA fans. More matches and events are good for MMA.

Be that as it may, Donald Trump's new business venture may be one that fails. He may be hearing his own words soon: "You're fired!"

Former UFC Champion Evan Tanner Found Dead at 37

Derek Bedell — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:00:52 -0400

From UFC.com

Evan Tanner 1971-2008

“I believe there are people out there that just have a warrior spirit, whether it’s fighting or something, they’ve got to do it. It’s hard to identify with me; it’s just something I do.”---Evan Tanner, 2005

On what will unquestionably be remembered as one of mixed martial arts’ saddest days, former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner - beloved by fans for his fighting ability and by friends for his free spirit – has passed away at the age of 37.

Tanner, on a camping trip in the Palo Verde mountain area, was found by an Imperial County Sheriff’s Department Deputy on Monday. The cause of death is not known at this time. He had not answered friends’ text messages since last Wednesday, and was officially reported missing on Friday.

On his personal Spike TV web blog, Tanner discussed the trip and how a failure of equipment could be fatal, but in a subsequent blog, he downplayed such fears, writing, “It seems some MMA websites have reported on the story, posting up that I might die out in the desert, or that it might be my greatest opponent yet, etc. Come on guys. It's really common down in southern California to go out to the off road recreation areas in the desert about an hour away from LA and San Diego. So my plan is to go out to the desert, do some camping, ride the motorcycle, and shoot some guns. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. A lot of people do it. This isn't a version of "Into the Wild". I'm not going out into the desert with a pair of shorts and a bowie knife, to try to live off the land. I'm going fully geared up, and I'm planning on having some fun.”

His agent, John Hayner, says that Tanner was excited about the trip and in a good place physically and mentally before his untimely death.

“He was in a good state of mind the last time we spoke,” said Hayner. “Everyone that was around him, and even at the gym he was training at, also said he was in a great state of mind. Living in Oceanside (California), he really liked being on the beach. His house was across from the water, he was in beautiful surroundings.”

If one thing was ever clear about Tanner, it was that he loved life, the outdoors, and adventure.

“He was always planning on going on some sort of adventure,” said Hayner. “And he never needed the finer things or made a fuss about them. He just needed enough for gas, shelter, and training.”

A native of Amarillo, Texas, Tanner worked various jobs as a bouncer, a cable TV contractor, a framer building beach houses, a dishwasher, a baker, a ditch digger, and a slaughterhouse worker before stumbling on to mixed martial arts in 1997.

Over the next 11 years, fighting would be a major part of his life, to the tune of 42 professional bouts, but as he said earlier this year before what would be his final bout against Kendall Grove, he never considered himself a fighter.

“I always thought of myself as the poet, the writer, or the philosopher – I never thought of myself as a fighter,” he chuckled. “But here I am. I always had an idea of the flow of my life, but not exactly what I would be doing day to day. And fighting definitely wasn’t something I thought I’d be doing.”

But he was good at it – very good in fact. Over the course of his career, Tanner (34-8) scored wins over Paul Buentello, Heath Herring, Ikuhisa Minowa, Justin McCully, Elvis Sinosic, Phil Baroni (twice), and Robbie Lawler. His biggest win, however, came at UFC 51 on February 5, 2005, when he stopped David Terrell in the first round to win the UFC middleweight championship.

Tanner would lose the belt to Rich Franklin in his first defense four months later, but the fans never abandoned him, and he returned that admiration, both in person and through his internet blogs.

“I wanted to give something back to the fans and let them know that I’m just a regular guy,” said Tanner in early 2008. “Some of the guys forget that and get caught up in the lights, and I never want to forget that and that I’m one of the lucky ones that got a chance to get out there and do this. There are a lot of great athletes out there, a lot of great fighters that never got the chance. I’m one of the lucky ones that did, so writing the blog and telling life as it is helps me stay grounded and it gives me a way to connect with the fans and give them something back.”

His blogs were more than just fight talk and product advertisements though. Tanner spoke frankly about life and his struggles in and out of the Octagon. And when he made his return to the UFC in 2008 after almost two years away, it was a triumph of the human spirit and an inspiration, regardless of whose hand was raised at the end of the fight.

“My thought was that I’m in a position where I’ve done some things and some people look up to me a little bit and maybe something in my story can help inspire them or motivate them to get through some things or do something better,” said Tanner before his return against Yushin Okami at UFC 82 in March. “If that’s the case and it helps anybody else out, then it’s worth me facing the embarrassment.”

He fell short in his final two bouts against Okami and Grove, but there was no keeping him down, and his off-time after the Grove bout was filled with more of his adventures, as well as participation in Harley-Davidson’s 105th anniversary celebration.

Sadly, there will be no more adventures, only memories of Evan Tanner.

“Evan was such a unique individual, and he was okay being an individual,” said Hayner. “He was okay with taking the path less traveled, and he often chose that harder path.”

It was simply who he was. Just read the words he spoke to me before I wished him luck for his fight against Grove in June.

“Everything’s been about the journey,” he said. “I never really set out with goals for fighting; it’s been about the adventure along the way. When you’re on your death bed, it’s those stories, those little adventures that are going to be the things that you remember. It’s not so much getting there, but how you got there.”

And he did it his way.

Leave it to me as I find a way to be
Consider me a satellite, forever orbiting
I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me
Guaranteed
---Eddie Vedder, “Guaranteed”. The song playing on Evan Tanner’s myspace page.

Rest in Peace, Evan.

Credit UFC.com/ Thomas Gerbasi for the story. I take no credit for the writing, I just wanted MMA fans to know as soon as they could about this horrible news.

UFC 88: The Iceman Has Melted

Derek Bedell — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:49:00 -0400

After the fight was signed between Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans, I was ecstatic for someone finally to dethrone the self proclaimed "Suga" off of his pedestal. Evans is undefeated, even though he should have one loss, instead of a draw, to Tito Ortiz. Only if it wasn't for a cage grab by Tito in the third round that lost him a point and a victory.

Be that as it may, Chuck Liddell was coming off of an impressive victory over Wanderlai Silva. "The Iceman" looked back to his old form after suffering heartbreaking defeats to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and, even more shocking, Keith Jardine.

So we were all one fight away from Chuck getting another shot at the light-heavyweight title and Rashad Evans getting a shot of reality by suffering his first loss.

Until the unthinkable happened.

I have to admit, I was nervous for Chuck in this fight. I was under the impression Rashad was a better all-around fighter. But with Liddell having two things he jams into those UFC gloves, it would be a true test for Rashad, as he's never met a striker like Chuck before.

By fight time, Liddell was almost a three to one favorite.

The first round seemed to be slightly in favor of Chuck, although it was very bland, as both fighters were feeling each other out and being very tentative in their attacks.

Round two began, and in what would be a jaw-dropping moment, Rashad Evans connected with an "ironic" overhand right that knocked Chuck out cold!

I don't mean rocked him or dropped him. It was one of the most brutal one-punch knockouts in UFC history!

And it came against a man who has been knocking people out for years as one of the top dogs in the sport.

As it saddened me to see the icicles break and melt away, as Chuck fell to the canvas, it shows that Rashad Evans is someone to deal with.

We all know Chuck is older and on his last leg as a fighter, but what does this devastating loss do for his career?

It melts his championship days away.

Not taking anything away from his accomplishments or legacy, but Liddell cannot match up against the top newcomers in the sport anymore. He just doesn't have the speed or overall skill-set to do it. His striking just isn't enough anymore.

So, instead of a money-making main event for the light-heavyweight title between Forrest Griffin and Chuck Liddell, we are forced to look at the future, thanks to Rashad Evans' right hand.

However, the UFC has confirmed that Rashad Evans will take on Forrest Griffin for the title as early as December. It will be The Ultimate Fighter season one winner against season two's champion.

I'm sure Chuck will have a few more fights, but the feared machine he once was is all but a distant memory.

The closest top-level fight we may see is Liddell against Lyota Machida, since no one else wants to fight him. Any other battle will probably see Chuck saving face against someone who won't take a few years off his life like Rashad did.

The UFC may turn Liddell into a "Kimbo" type before his contact ends. You know, protecting him so he doesn't get embarrassed because the guy is arguably the biggest draw the UFC has ever had.

As unsure as the future seems to be for Chuck Liddell right now, the man has a legacy that will never be tarnished, so he need not hang his head. He should just realize it's time to walk away...gracefully, while he still can. I mean, he is one and three in his last four fights, with two of those loses ending by knockout.

No one wants to see Liddell turn into an MMA Mike Tyson, another sad ending.

Bottom line, even though it's highly unfortunate, we have all witnessed the melting of "the Iceman."

With Rashad's ability to break through the ice becoming a painful reality, does the UFC bring back Tito Ortiz, who defeated Forrest Griffin and fought Evans to a draw?

It could be something worth considering, from a money standpoint.

On a funny side note, while watching the fights tonight, a friend of mine asked what nationality Matt Hamill was while they were showing some of his comments leading up to the Rich Franklin fight.

He's not an avid MMA fan and was there casually taking it in. I almost spit my beer out when another friend responded, "He's deaf."

Not to be rude, but because Matt had his interview captioned, my friend thought he was of some descent that didn't speak English well. He was right, just not for the reasoning he suspected.

It definitely earned the TAPOUT funny moment of the night.

Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar: A Natural Rush?

Derek Bedell — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 08:40:40 -0400

With a fight between Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture almost guaranteed at UFC 91, I wonder what Dana White's reason is, other than money, for making these two battle?

Brock Lesnar has just come off his most impressive win to date. It was close to a lock that Cheick Kongo would be his next fight. Boy how things have flipped upside down since then.

Randy Couture, one of the best ever in the sport, seems to be securing a deal that would ultimately bring him back to the octagon. His first return fight in November from Portland will be against the new monster of MMA, Brock Lesnar.

Dana White and crew are smart when it comes to business and making the biggest fights. But, just like the matchup between B.J. Penn and Georges St. Pierre, why do this fight now?

I'm sure this will be the biggest money MMA fight to date. I know the Heavyweight division is weaker these days, but here are some options to consider rather than wasting this fight RIGHT now.

Brock Lesnar vs. Cheick Kongo

Lesnar has one win in the UFC. This fight would probably allow him to slaughter another foe on route to a storyline journey for the title. And people want Lesnar to be the MMA version of Mike Tyson. Kongo will never draw on his own.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir

Mir's resurgence in this division will continue to grow. This guy is an MMA encyclopedia and knows it all. With this fight already set for December it will shake things up tremendously when Mir wins. Nogueira won't be tarnished by the loss. He can fight anyone and have there be interest.

Cain Velasquez vs. Heath Herring

Other than Brock, Velasquez is probably the division's rising star. At 26 with a 4-0 record, a test with the Crazy Horse will either put him more prominently on the map or allow Heath to climb back up the ladder.

Fabricio Werdum vs. Randy Couture

Randy's return fight will draw a ridiculous audience regardless, so why not help out someone possibly deserving of a title shot whom not many people know or like? If Werdum were to win, he would be known to casual fans as "the guy who beat Randy...he's tough." Without Couture, Fabricio couldn't draw flies in a main event.

If Randy wins, Fabricio can go back to the mid-card where many feel he should stay. Then he can be forced to rematch Brandon Vera since that's probably the only fight I'd want to see him in.

I understand the fact that Couture is 45 years old and this new understanding with the UFC will probably be a two or three fight deal. So you have to move quickly on the money matches. I just think both fighters have so much to lose.

We all know Randy wants to fight Fedor, that's it. But if he gets destroyed by Lesnar, does that fight have as much appeal then?

Or let's say Randy humiliates Brock. Where does he go from there? I'd assume back to fight Kongo. Then Dana's "next big thing" would be 2-2 in his MMA career, 1-2 in the UFC.

Believe me, I'm not complaining about the great fights the UFC is trying to put together. Not at all. I'm just concerned when all these fights are done, then what?

I really can't get hyped for a Thiago Alves vs. Josh Koscheck or Sean Sherk vs. Tyson Griffin type bouts. I just can't do it. I fear all these great matches will result in other main event cards shaping on like the ones I just previously mentioned. That would be depressing.

The top draws in the UFC are Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Brock Lesnar, Georges St. Pierre, B.J. Penn, Forrest Griffin, Quinton Jackson, Anderson Silva, and Wanderlei Silva. Maybe in time Shogun will be on this list, but not yet. These are the guys casual and hardcore fans want to see and will pay to do so.

When you have them all battle each other, it doesn't help to build other young stars. People are going to want to see the top guys fight anyway, regardless of their opponent. That's what they pay for and who they pay to see.

So after these blockbuster bouts, the risk doesn't seem to outweigh the reward.

Certain things make sense, Liddell vs. Silva was brilliant. It allowed the Iceman to get back on track and made Wanderlei a fan favorite here in the States. A win-win situation regardless of who won.

The GSP vs. B.J. fight is Penn being bitter over a loss. If he were fighting in the Welterweight division I couldn't say a thing about it, but he's the champion at 155 and should defend his title a few times before something like this goes down. GSP and Penn are still young enough to wait on this one.

St. Pierre has had one title defense. I'm sure a lot of fans would love to see him take on some up and coming challengers to prove his dominance before fighting B.J.

The Lesnar vs. Couture fight will be one of the most anticipated ever. No doubt. I just hate the rush of all the big mega fights. It seems the UFC just wants as much money as possible now and doesn't think down the road.

I'm sure Dana thinks Lesnar is too much for Randy, and he's probably right. Brock is no awkward looking 6'8" guy like Tim Sylvia. He's an f'n monster. You can never count Randy out. He's the Rocky Balboa of MMA.

I wouldn't be surprised if Dana White runs down to the octagon screaming for Herb Dean to ring the bell as Lesnar has Couture in the sharpshooter.

You know Dana loves Lesnar to death. If Brock beats Randy, expect a title shot immediately after.

Randy will probably get Fedor at the end of '09 and Mr. White and Co. can profit from it while throwing Randy naturally into retirement.

Even though I feel some of the upcoming fights are a little rushed, I will be goosebump-ridden and marking out when Couture and Lesnar are face to face before the bell.

KJ Noons Needs To Step Up and Fight!

Derek Bedell — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:09:02 -0400

With all the controversy surrounding KJ Noons and Nick Diaz, one thing should be done. Strip KJ Noons of his title if he refuses the fight.

A champion should face whomever his present company wants him to fight. Being the top guy in your division means you should continue to fight all comers to PROVE you are the best. Isn't that what you strive for?

The name on the belt says Elite XC first, not KJ Noons. Don't forget that.

Nick Diaz is cocky, disrespectful, and immature in a lot of his antics. But the guy is a proven fighter.

Honestly, who has KJ Noons beaten? He's 7-2 as a pro.

Granted, he dominated Nick Diaz in their previous (one round) bout, regardless of the cut that stopped the fight. But how many times have we seen top fighters rebound from a tough round and prove to everyone why they are in there and why we are not?

It could have easily swayed in another direction. The Diaz brothers are tough bastards that know how to fight.

So does Nick Diaz intimidate KJ Noons?

I surely think so. If you're a fighter, why would you not want to shut him up and prove you're the best. I know I wouldn't be able to sit still waiting for the chance to eliminate any questions or doubts about who's better.

Noons' camp has gone on record and stated that KJ has nothing to gain from the fight. Huh? He needs to prove he's a champion!

Diaz is a very accomplished fighter. He holds wins in the UFC over Robbie Lawler, Josh Neer, and Gleison Tibau.

Not to mention, if it wasn't for a positive marijuana test, Diaz beat Takanori Gomi! Gomi is arguably one of the best in the world. The fact that KJ says Diaz isn't the best competitor out there is absurd.

News flash, you fight in the Elite XC, not Japan, and not in the UFC!

Noons should be proving himself as a lightweight champion in MMA. You do that by taking on all challengers, and KJ should start with Nick Diaz.

Melvin Guillard, on the second season of The Ultimate Fighter said, "I'll fight anybody. I'll fight Mike Tyson."

As crazy of a statement that was, this is the demeanor of a fighter!

Can you imagine Forrest Griffin saying he won't fight a certain someone? Impossible.

Noons and his camp have created most of the drama surrounding this fight, albeit Nick and Nate Diaz's actions didn't help, by simply not putting up and performing.

Nick made weight and won another fight.

KJ, just fight the guy and shut him up. If you feel he's undeserving, it shouldn't be hard to win, right?

This fight would be a great treat for the fans and would help KJ Noons' name grow, as well as more recognition for MMA and the company he works for—which desperately needs it.

Randy Couture is a well-accomplished fighter. Casual fans will know him for his trilogy with Chuck Liddell and his recent accomplishments. Those fights were great for helping build careers and money matches.

Hey KJ, YOUR company is an up-and-coming promotion. There are no blockbuster-type matches fans will salivate over. You won't get major money until you prove you can put asses in the seats!

The seeds have been planted for this to be the most anticipated Elite XC fight that doesn't involve Kimbo Slice.

And to be on NATIONAL TV, not Showtime! That will bring you more money and recognition, which you surely need to make the cash you want.

Fact of the matter is, Diaz is 3-0 since his loss to Noons. If this was the UFC, the fight would've been signed after Nick's second win.

Look at Jake Shields; he wants to fight the best in the world, even GSP! That's a champion!

KJ is "ducking" a certain fighter for whatever the reason may be.

It could be a money dispute, BUT if you are a proven name, the money will come as you continue to build your legacy as a top MMA fighter.

KJ, step up and fight! You were KO'd by Charles "Crazy Horse" Bennett! Let's get focused here, you're not that special. Not yet at least.

His refusal to not only fight the company's top available contender, let alone an opponent with a built-in storyline to sell the bout, does more than damage KJ Noons' reputation as a professional mixed martial artist: It hurts a struggling fight promotion in desperate need of fans/ratings.

That being said, the self-proclaimed "King" should either take the fight or Elite XC should take the title away from him!

The more big fights you have, the more money you will make, whether it's in the Elite XC or not. The UFC could even come knocking if you STEP UP!

Anderson Silva wants to fight as much as possible, GSP fought four times last year, Liddell was willing to fight an undefeated fighter with a torn hamstring.

Think about it KJ, be a champion and be a fighter.

Kenny Florian could teach you a lot about a Samurai spirit and what a "real" fighter does. Ken-Flo is not a champion yet, but carries himself as one. He's not complaining about title shots or anything...he's fighting!

And last time I checked, that's what a fighter does...they fight!

If you want to box, go do that. Don't waste MMA fans time with wanting to box and fight MMA here and there. The funny thing is, you can box as much as you want in MMA, just sprawl in between.

This needs to be resolved as quickly as possible before a Couture-like situation evolves.

Will a real champion please step up and fight! The world is full of excuses and people who make them. A champion spirit thrives on getting better and stepping up.

Maybe a visit to Hilo would awaken that spirit? Perhaps B.J. can let KJ know how much work he needs and what it takes to be a champion.

That is, if Noons is even a real champion at all?

His actions say otherwise.

Credit 411mania.com

MMA: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson Diagnosed With Delirium?

Derek Bedell — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:07:38 -0400

At the UFC press conference at the Mall of America today, Dana White said that after losing to Forrest Griffin, Quinton Jackson spent a week in Las Vegas, fasting and doing nothing but drinking energy drinks...damn those things are bad.

Doctors diagnosed him with delirium from the starvation. White said nothing is wrong with Jackson mentally.

I hope the doctor's concurred!

Credit 411mania.com for information.

So, I looked Delirium up on Healthcare.net. Here is what I came up with:

Delirium is a state of mental confusion which develops quickly and usually fluctuates in intensity. Delirium is a sudden state of severe confusion and rapid changes in brain function, sometimes associated with hallucinations and hyperactivity, in which the patient is inaccessible to normal contact.

Delirium is a group of symptoms, caused by a disturbance in the normal functioning of the brain. The delirious patient has a reduced awareness of and responsiveness to the environment, which may be manifested as disorientation, incoherence, and memory disturbance.

Delirium is often marked by hallucinations, delusions, and a dream-like state. Symptoms may include inability to concentrate and disorganized thinking evidenced by rambling, irrelevant, or incoherent speech. There may be a reduced level of consciousness, sensory misperceptions and illusions, disturbances of sleep, drowsiness, disorientation to time, place, or person, and problems with memory.

The delusions and dream-like state may explain the "God" references Jackson apparently hinted at about himself during the crazy events that unfolded recently.

It also states the brain does not function properly and you could be very disoriented and incoherent.

I'm sure most people were like, "what the hell is Rampage doing?"

Simply put, he had NO IDEA what he was doing!

It's sad but probably true.

The unfortunate miscarriage that happened to an unlucky bystander occurred. I think that will be the REAL issue with how long it will be before Rampage gets back into the Octagon.

Let's hope he will get this under control and "fight" his way back to what he does best.

It seems he will be spending some time with attorneys battling the charges and the assumed lawsuit coming from the victim of the miscarriage.

Time will tell how it unfolds.

Hopefully, it won't be Jackson spending time in a cell but rather time training to return.

We'll wait and see, I'm sure a lot of MMA fans are pulling for Rampage. I know I am.

UFC 87 Card Finalized: "Who Will Seek And Destroy?"

Derek Bedell — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:41:05 -0400

Here it is in all it's glory.......

The UFC has announced the final card for UFC 87 "Seek And Destroy" which goes down August 9 from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota:

Main Card:

UFC Welterweight Title
-Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch

This match up worries me being a fan of GSP. Fitch is the most well rounded competitor so far for the current Welterweight Champion.

Fitch has never lost in the UFC and has proved in previous fights that he has heart and a stiff chin.

GSP is slightly better in every aspect of MMA, but he still does not have a successful title defense since becoming champion...either time.

Georges should win this fight because he's a better overall fighter, but Fitch IS going to be his toughest test yet.

It's not about who's better now, but who's better on August 9th.

"To be the man, you've got to beat the man. Wooooo!"

I have to go with GSP with either 3rd round submission or decision.

-Kenny Florian vs. Roger Huerta

In what many believe will be the fight of the night, Huerta and "K-Flo" just may deliver.

Florian has improved tremendously since coming back from Thailand where he focused in on getting that much better.

Even though he has one of the worst nicknames in MMA, along with Joe Lauzon, Florian has been on an unstoppable tear since his loss to Sean Sherk.

He's finished every fight before the final bell.

"El Matador" proved his heart in his fight against Clay Guida.

Guida dominated most of the fight and we saw Huerta as close to being finished as we have yet.

However, he persevered and choked Guida out in the final round.

An inside source has told me that, "Huerta has a surprise for Kenny."

With that being said, and his track record, I see Roger picking up a hard fought victory and future title shot in this one.

Remember he trains with GSP and Florian brought in Kurt Pelligrino to help him out.

I think there's a BIG difference there.

Huerta takes it with either a surprise 1st rd TKO or decision.

-Brock Lesnar vs. Heath Herring

Brock Lesnar...this guy is a beast.

However, we've seen skill sets overcome pure strength and aggression...two words...Frank Mir.

I know Mir's ground ability heavily surpasses Herring, but no one thought he would upset Cheick Kongo...he did.

No one thought he had a chance against Noguiera the third time...he did.

"Minotauro" was KO'd, Herring just needed to jump on him after the kick to the head to secure the victory.

If Pride fighters weren't dropping like flies at the time, there's a good chance the fight would have been stopped.

When Heath came in to fight Kongo, he was in the best shape we've ever seen him.

What shape will he be in this time?

Look at the match up...

Herring has crazy experience and a wide array of skills.

Lesnar is as "green" as they come. He promised to "slow" down in this fight and not to be overly aggressive.

This might be his downfall as he tries to balance his attack.

I still have to go with Lesnar here due to the fact that Herring's "Jits" is nowhere near Frank Mir's.

Expect a takedown with a ground and pound stoppage.

Don't get me wrong, I fear a Herring victory, and wouldn't be surprised, because we don't know much about what Lesnar has standing.

It doesn't seem too effective from what I've seen.

If Herring takes it, he may be next in line for a title shot depending on the outcome of Werdum's next fight.

I have to say Brock by 1st or 2nd round TKO, ground and pound.

-Demian Maia vs. Jason MacDonald

The "Athlete" is in great shape and a well rounded fighter.

Maia is a submission freak and arguably the future of the Middleweight division, that is without Anderson Silva in the picture.

Demian is sick and a guy a lot of people are going to fear real soon, if not already.

MacDonald seems to be a "gatekeeper" at 185.

He's a good fighter with many skills but he can't beat the top guys like Franklin, Hendo, Okami and of course Silva.

Maia is undefeated and this will most likely continue.

I hate to go against a Canadian, but it's going to take more than an "Athlete" to stop Maia.

If your not sure, talk to Ed Herman because he got OWNED! He gets it.

Demian Maia by 2nd round submission

-Manny Gamburyan vs. Rob Emerson

In who many believe would be the Ultimate Fighter instead of Nate Diaz, the "Manvil" is a ball of iron.

He has good judo skills, power, a strong chin, and a lot of heart.

If it wasn't for his shoulder injury at the TUF finale, Gamburyan could be headlining Fight Night cards.

I can't complain though, I'm glad he isn't because his fights don't derive much interest from me.

And Rob Emerson?

He's average at best, decent in most areas but I don't see anything he excels at.

Emerson has one advantage hear...he's taller.

That's it!

Unless he's improved, by at least 60%, he's going to lose.

Manny is a tough fighter who wants a rematch with Nate Diaz.

There's been a lot of talks between the two camps but nothing signed yet.

If Gamburyan comes through here, as he should, and Nate defeats Josh Neer, then that fight could and should happen.

My only question is why the hell does Rob Emerson make the main card?

Pure rubbish, I'd rather see Kongo. But I'm biased because I'm French.

Oh, and Emerson wouldn't be a champion in Ring Of Fire.

Maybe he's getting a lot of hits on his MYSPACE page?

I don't get it at all.

Gamburyan takes the victory with 2nd Round TKO.

Prelim Card:

-Cheick Kongo vs. Dan Evensen

Kongo needs a win to get back into contention after his loss to Heath Herring.

He was coming off of a victory over that Croatian Kick boxer some of you may have heard of.

Kongo went from a possible title shot to not being on the main card.

I love the politics, ha-ha.

Don't worry though, Rob Emerson made the main card.

(Insert sarcasm at an all time high)

Cheick is hungry and somewhat desperate so I see him being very aggressive in this fight to prove to Dana White and the rest of the division...he's someone to deal with.

Kongo takes it, 1st rd KO.

-Andre Gusmao vs. Jon Jones

UFC newcomer and USKBA light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will replace Tomasz Drwal (14-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and face Andre Gusmao (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

Jones is a member of the Northeast-based Team BombSquad.

Although both fighters are undefeated in MMA, Jones is only 20.

He's been talked about as a future phenom. (No Belfort comparison)

Even though the kid is young, I have to go on his potential and see what he's made off.

I'll go out on a limb and say, the replacement, Jon Jones by 1st rd KO, it's a stretch but why not?

-Chris Wilson vs. Steve Bruno

Chris Wilson, who fought a tough decision loss to Jon Fitch at UFC 82, will return to the octagon against ATT product Steve Bruno.

Not much to report hear, I just see Wilson getting it done.

Wilson had Fitch in trouble and fought a good fight.

Just on that I have to choose him.

Wilson 1st rd submission.

-Tamdan McCrory vs. Luke Cummo

We remember Luke Cummo as the crazy guy that had to have his bed facing north so his "Chi" was aligned right.

Weird or not, the guy is a decent fighter.

Looks like Tamdan McCrory returns after taking sometime off for school.

I know a lot of people probably wont care about this fight, and I'm one of them.

Take your pick here, it could go either way.

Tamdan hasn't fought in a while so there could be rust, or he could be pretty damn good.

But for that reason and uncertainty, I go with Cummo by decision.

Ben Saunders vs. Ryan Thomas*

*has replaced Jared Rollins

The reason for Rollins departure from the card wasn't immediately known.

Saunders, a fan favorite from "TUF 6," was knocked out of the reality-series competition by eventual show runner-up Tommy Speer.

However, he returned at the show's live finale for an entertaining and hard-fought unanimous-decision victory over Dan Barrera.

It was his fifth consecutive win.

Thomas, a former Eastern Illinois University wrestler, turned pro in 2006 and has fought primarily for the Courage Fighting Championships and Extreme Fighting organizations.

Of his eight pro victories, none have gone the distance; five were won via submission and four via TKO.

Thomas has to step up to top tier competition now so I can't chose him until he proves himself.

Saunders' "Jeet Kune Do" and length should pull this out.

Out of respect for Thomas, I'll give Saunders a decision, although it could be a 2nd rd KO.

The card shapes up to be great on paper. Let's see what delivers on August 9th.

For me, as long as GSP retains, "everything else is just cream cheese."

I had to quote the basketball coach from Teen Wolf on that one, the end part that is...classic!

Credit: MMA Weekly/ 411mania.com/ MMAJUNKIE.com

Tito Ortiz to Debut at Affliction 2?

Derek Bedell — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:58:38 -0400

Could Tito Ortiz be making his debut for Affliction?

Current UFC light heavyweight Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) will likely leave the organization to sign with Affliction, where he's expected to fight Renato "Babalu" Sobral (30-7) at the rookie organization's October show.

Steve Cofield of Yahoo! Sports, citing sources close to the fight, says the Ortiz vs. Sobral bout will co-headline the Oct. 11 Affliction event, which features a main event of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) previously reported, Sobral expressed interest in fighting Ortiz right after his victory over Mike Whitehead at Affliction's first show earlier this month.

"I'm looking for [a] guy," Sobral said. "Wait for the name. It's coming. I think (Affliction Vice President) Tom (Atencio) is going to bring a name for me. And I'll be here to kick his ass."

Sobral confirmed it was Ortiz when further probed.

"That's my dream fight," a smiling Sobral said.

Ortiz says a non-compete clause with his most recent UFC contract expires Aug. 5, after which time he becomes a free agent. Perhaps not coincidentally, Affliction has a press conference tentatively scheduled for Aug. 6. Details of Affliction's Oct. 11 event, which takes place at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus in Las Vegas, will be revealed during the media gathering.

However, just days after Sobral's comments about wanting to fight Ortiz, Atencio spoke to MMAjunkie.com and played it cool when asked about Ortiz.

"[Signing Ortiz"> is definitely not a priority, but it is something that when he's finished with his contract -- I know [the UFC"> has a negotiation period and some kind of a grace period -- when he's done with that, we can talk to him," Atencio said. "If that's a fight that seems financially viable, then absolutely. It's going to come down to dollars and cents, and it's going to come down to if it works for us."

Ortiz, who suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Lyoto Machida in his most recent fight, has been one of the UFC's biggest pay-per-view draws throughout his career. And though Atencio is well aware of that fact, he stressed that possibility of signing Ortiz would have to make financial sense for the company, which dished out a hefty disclosed payroll of $3.3 million for its first event.

In addition to Affliction, Ortiz has expressed interest in possibly signing with EliteXC or Strikeforce -- or even starting his own fight promotion.

Sources: http://mmajunkie.com/news/4917/tito-ort ... n-show.mma, Yahoo.com/ 411MANIA.COM

Chuck Liddell Submits In Paris

Derek Bedell — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 06:19:11 -0400

Recently there was supposed to be a mega fight between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Chuck Liddell in London. Then Rua got injured and the UFC threw Rashad Evans in to fight Liddell in June.

Then the "Iceman" went down with a hamstring tear and was out of action...fight off.

Because of this, Liddell and about ten of his entourage decided to have a European vacation/ tour, not with the Griswold's, but with Liddell's girlfriend Erin Wilson.

Even though Chuck could not put together a fight plan, there was another plan going on.

This was the time Liddell would propose to his girlfriend at the the Eiffel Tower.

Apparently, there are light shows that go off every thirty minutes and the atmosphere is an incredibly romantic environment for this type of situation, at least a friend told him.

Liddell has never been married and was ready to do it, and do it right. This seemed perfect.

When Liddell and his crew arrived they waited for the light show...

Then they waited some more...

An hour went by and still no lights.

"I was showing everybody everything in the area, just making stuff up," Liddell says.

Chuck continued to stall for another half hour as a friend of his hinted that the light show would begin any second.

Another half hour rolled by and still...no lights.

At this point everyone was ready to leave. Liddell realized waiting for the lights has come and gone.

However, Liddell got down on one knee and proposed. Wilson, his girlfriend, was speechless for a few seconds, then said yes.

They sealed the deal with a kiss.

As everyone was leaving the typical "ooohhs" and "aaahhs" were heard.

"That kind of sucked, those g*& dam* lights," said Liddell.

No wedding date has been set yet.

Now let's see if Liddell can make a smooth move on the Light Heavyweight Title.

With one more win, he could get that shot.

If so, you can guarantee there will be a "light show" that night.

Credit ESPN.com/ Ryan Hockensmith

Brandon Vera to Fight Keith Jardine at UFC 89?

Derek Bedell — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:05:21 -0400

That's what he is saying.

During an interview with an Albuquerque radio show today, Keith Jardine announced that he would be fighting Brandon Vera at UFC 89 on October 18 at The NIA in Birmingham, England.

Jardine last fought against Wanderlei Silva at UFC 84 where he lost via KO in the first round. Vera recently fought at UFC Fight Night 14 where he earned a decision victory over Reese Andy in a very lackluster performance.

The UFC has yet to confirm the bout however. UFC 89 is currently rumored to be shown on Spike TV and will feature a main event of Chris Leben vs. Michael Bisping.

Credit: MMAJunkie.com/ 411mania.com

Sylvia Comments On Fedor; Arlovski And Affliction's Future?

Derek Bedell — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:39:15 -0400

During the post-fight press conference for last night's Affliciton "Banned" PPV, Tim Sylvia had the following to say about his 36 second KO loss to Fedor Emelianenko:

"I know that I'm one of the best in the world, I was amazed at how good Fedor is. He hurt me right away and submitted me. The guy's a stud. I don't even think he's human. That guy hits hard. I've never been hit that hard before."

"I was definitely expecting there to be more of a feeling-out process. My manager says that it's good that [Emelianenko] did that because that means he gives me a lot of respect. He didn't want to go in there and play around. I guess I can kind of take that as a compliment. This guy is unreal. He's incredible, and I don't know if anybody's going to beat him for a while."

Credit: MMAJunkie.com/ 411mania.com

After Fedor's destruction of Sylvia there are many questions about what's next for the two fighters.

Fedor is the first ever WAMMA Heavyweight Champion and Sylvia's credibility and fresh start with Affliction has to be deemed an epic fail.

Of course the whole world wants to see Fedor Vs. Couture but I think Fedor's next opponent will likely be Andrei Arlovski.

Arlovski's stand up against Ben Rothwell looked amazing. It, arguably, could be the best we've ever seen from "The Pitbull."

His hip movement on each punch was outstanding.

Each shot had more of a snap and his locations were great when hunting down "Big" Ben.

Those who study MMA know that the more hip movement on each punch brings more power and further distance when thrown at your opponent.

It no longer becomes just arm power, but your whole body's momentum thrown in with it.

It's a HUGE difference when feeling it and when throwing it, trust me!

Regardless of that, I'm sure most people "marked" out when Arlovski came up with that flying knee at the end of round two.

Crazy!

With a new boxing coach and new start with Affliction, there is a chance, albeit a small one, Arlovski could hold the WAMMA Heavyweight Championship belt.

Although it's highly unlikely considering Fedor has proved he's that damn good, Arlovski's stand up skills may have shown that he may be ready to dethrone "The Last Emperor."

However, if it goes to the ground, everything previously said will probably mean nothing.

Considering Randy Couture's current legal issues with his "retirement" and/or UFC contract, it may be more drama before we see the epic match up between "The Last Emperor" and "the Juggernaut."

I call Randy that because he just seems to embody a metal shell around his whole body in which you can't hurt him. Some may remember the spoof online of, "I'm the Juggernaut bi*&h!" Watch it and picture Couture, pure comedy.

Until all this rubbish is cleared up we may just see an Arlovski/ Fedor war.

I won't be mad to see that.

For Sylvia, his status has been tarnished a bit because of the fact that he got ruined.

Not beat, not caught, but ruined!

Granted his only losses in his career are to Arlovski, Mir, Couture, Noguiera, and Fedor.

All champions at one point, so maybe Tim should be given some slack here.

I doubt Affliction will put him in there with some chum to get a big K.O. win, ala Kimbo Slice, so expect a real match up for Sylvia.

Possible opponents for "The Mainiac" could be Aleksander Emelianenko, Paul Buentello, or Josh Barnett.

All these fights would probably be pretty good match ups but I think with Aleksander they can use the loss Sylvia suffered to Fedor as marketing muscle to bring in more PPV buys.

"The brother of the guy who ran through Tim Sylvia is back to finish the job..."

You get the picture.

It would just be a matter of time to see if Aleksander can fix the issues he had of meeting licensing requirements for the CSAC before the weigh-ins.

Time will tell.

Either way Affliction's card was a success.

With Fedor doing what he did, Arlovski looking better than ever, and familiar faces picking up wins, there are a lot of places to go from here.

Each fighter will have their own Affliction shirt branded after them, the big stars anyway.

This will bring in merchandising sales.

A Donald Trump backbone sure brings in the finances to put on a great card with great fighters.

And I'm sure there will be one more added bonus to make Affliction get even more PPV buys...enter Tito Ortiz.

Love him or hate him, the man knows how to promote his fights.

I can just see him having his first fight outside of the Octagon in Affliction's ring between those ropes.

The only questions would be against who?

Sobral, Belfort, or someone new?

There's so many questions but it's great to see MMA becoming bigger then ever.

The mainstream media must now accept it... because it's here to stay.

Even Michael Buffer thinks so.

Rampage Suffering From A Mental Disorder?

Derek Bedell — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:15:07 -0400

It's been a tough couple of weeks for former Light Heavyweight Champion Quintin "Rampage" Jackson.

After being arrested earlier this week for a felony hit-and-run and subsequent police chase (felony evading). He was able to post the $25,000 bail.

However, Jackson has been stopped by the police again.

Credit TMZ:

Sources say around 4:30 P.M. yesterday, friends who were hanging out with Rampage, waved down an Irvine police car after they were worried about his behavior.

This fearful act is obviously following the unexpected car chase the day before in which the UFC fighter hit several cars in his monster truck and was arrested at gunpoint. I'm hearing that Irvine cops saw Rampage, deemed him a danger to himself and others, and took him to a hospital for observation.

Rampage seemed to be very cooperative with police. Cops won't officially confirm if it's a psychiatric hold.

This begs the question. Is Rampage depressed?

Credit Wikipedia:

Depression is defined as is a mental disorder characterized by a pervasive low mood, loss of interest in usual activities and diminished ability to experience pleasure. The diagnosis is made if a person has suffered one or more major depressive episodes.

You can't help think that after his loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 86 and the continuous defeats for his team on the Ultimate Fighter may have "rocked" the fighters psyche.

People forget that fighters generally come from "dark" places. They use these "places" as motivation to learn the fight discipline in a professional environment. You need the right or maybe wrong mindset, plus that killer instinct.

So let's rewind.

Rampage loses the coaching war on the Ultimate Fighter, loses the belt and stardom (to some extent), and gets arrested for basically refusing to stop after nicking a car.

We won't go into the fact that he allegedly hit three cars. How about if he pulled over and called GEICO after the first one? Would there be a story or issue then?

Police say Jackson was NOT drunk or under the influence of drugs. So why do something to make matters worse? Especially when most believe there would be an immediate rematch between Griffin and Jackson possibly as early as December.

A simple answer could just be that "your mind is not right."

Rampage most likely feels that the world he worked so hard to build is crumbling around him.

When you are depressed. Nothing matters. There's no fun or enjoyment with friends or the normal activities you always liked to do. It's actually pretty sad and a dark place I wish no person to be.

Unfortunately, Rampage needs to talk to someone. A psychiatrist or another doctor might just be what Jackson needs to shed these demons and get back to business. Regardless of the fact that he is a charismatic celebrity and a great fighter, some may forget that he is a human being FIRST.

Everyone has problems, some they create and some are unfortunate circumstances. And at times, your mind can be your own worst enemy.

Now is the time for Rampage to get his mind right. However long it may take.

Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers overcame serious drug addiction to achieve a Home Run Derby record and what seems to be a great professional career, so far. He is doing pretty well for himself right now.

Rampage, can and I think will do the same.

We all hit bumps in the road in our lives and one quote that I always remember is, "As I walk through the valley in the shadow of death..." Understand this.

So whether we're walking through the "forest of fear," or swimming in life's "murky waters," we don't stay stagnant in those bad situations. We move past them and whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Good luck in getting through this Quinton. I wish you the best. As hard as it feels now, I believe you will be vindicated with triumph in the near future.

When you are once again holding YOUR belt and your head up high. Respect!

-Venym

UFC: What's The Future Of The Light Heavyweight Divison?

Derek Bedell — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:43:10 -0400

UFC 86 has come and gone and most assumed Quinton "Rampage" Jackson would still be on the top of the 205lb division. But and it's a huge BUT...Forrest Griffin is the NEW Light Heavyweight Champion. It doesn't sound right, does it? Perhaps "certain" UFC officials had their dream come true. Forrest is their new "poster boy." Their very first Ultimate Fighter, their guy who will fight hard and train harder, a guy who represents what a fighter is supposed to be and Dana White's new man crush.

Forrest squeezed, what many to believe, a tainted victory over Rampage to claim the gold.

For me, I had Rampage winning rounds 1, 3, and 4. It's understandable how they could have given the fight to Forrest due to his overall attack. I spoke with a UFC fighter, who will not be named, earlier today and he said it best, "Forrest stayed busier and Rampage hit some clean hard shots." That's exactly what happened.

Rampage didn't hunt down Forrest the way he needed to. Griffin is a cardio freak who will not get tired, we know this. So Jackson allowing him to come at him and counter might not have been the best strategy to have. The judges saw Forrest dictate the fight with minor punishment other then the repetitive leg kicks.

Griffin got caught a few times but showed an overall MMA game. Rampage looked more like a boxer, with great head movement and hard shots. I could see Dana White giddy like a twelve year old on Christmas Eve when he walked into the Octagon. You knew Forrest won, at least on the cards.

I'll say something not many are saying. The fight was a DRAW. That's right, it was too close to really give it to either fighter. With that being said, to be champion you have to BEAT the champ.

Forrest didn't beat the champ, he battled him...and he battled him hard. Rampage dropped Forrest a couple times, only to crumble once due to leg kicks. There was no decisive difference between the two. The scorecards were a F'N joke. 49-46, you know nothing about MMA. That's a disgrace, enough said. The reality of it is Forrest is the NEW Light Heavyweight Champion, whether we like it or not.

So now what's next for the champ and the division?

There could be a possible Griffin/ Rampage II as early as the New Year's Eve show. Can you smell the PPV buys? This would be huge. UFC could go it's normal route where to get a rematch first you have to win a fight. I heard of a rumored bout with Rampage and Wanderlai Silva.

Hate this idea.

Why?

Save this for a belt or wait until there's going to be a while before they get a title shot again. Silva ate Jardine's soul after losing three fights in a row.

Rampage is, arguably, the most charismatic champion that UFC has ever had. Let Wandy get one more "death" under his belt before a title shot. We need Rampage and Forrest right away! Silva wins convincingly over Thiago Silva or whomever the UFC throws at him then bring on the champ. If it's Rampage, huge draw, buys, and interest with Rampage losing twice to him in Pride. No need to rush into it.

If it's Forrest, Jardine destroyed Forrest and Silva took five years off of Jardine's lifespan. It makes dollars and it makes sense.

The rest of the Light Heavyweight division other than Silva, Rampage, and Forrest are also hungry for a title shot. Evans/ Liddell is set for September, UFC may possibly be saying,"Chuck if you drop Rashad, you get Forrest." The storybook pages of Liddell's brilliant career are getting crumpled up. He probably has one final run in him, he's 38.

He's not F'N Randy Couture so NO he won't be able to do what Randy did and come back in his 40's to win gold, Randy is the Juggernaut b*$tch! But the UFC can capitalize on money/ buys, Liddell's legacy, and all of the fans who would love to see the "Iceman" back on top.

The next few months are going to be very interesting for the Light Heavyweight division. Other than all these questions, there are a few more looming like,"what if Anderson Silva dominates this division, and where does Lyoto Machida fit into all this?" The questions will continue but one thing is for sure, now is a great time to be a MMA fan.

I'll be back to preview UFC's upcoming shows, keep your hands up!

- Venym