Bleacher Report - Articles by Brad

UFC 101: We're on the Line, Just Reel Us In

Brad — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:41:04 -0400

Dana White and the Ultimate Fighting Championship set the bar high at UFC 100. They set it really, really, freakin’ high. In order to celebrate their 100th event, or at least the 100th in the numbered series of UFC pay per view events, they went all out.

They put two of the organization's biggest draws, Brock Lesnar and George St. Pierre, on one card along with their championship belts. They culminated an entire season of slights and smack-talking on The Ultimate Fighter by letting Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping join the party.

Then, as an afterthought, there was a smattering of names familiar to those more-than-casual fans: John Fitch, Yoshihiro Akiyama, and Paulo Thiago. Stephan Bonnar and UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman were there, but they were left out of the televised card due to their insignificance via proxy. This thing was HUGE.

With reported pay per view buys exceeding the 1.5 million mark, Dana White has our attention. The question is: What will he do with it?

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has the opportunity at UFC 101 to take the casual fans, looky-loos, and rubber-neckers and crystallize their interest. A big show here can earn the UFC and MMA a place at the mainstream sporting table. With this in mind, the card features three of the organization's biggest names, two of which are champions, and one up-and-comer on a hot streak.

Anderson Silva versus Forrest Griffin is the kind of stuff you only see in movies. Forrest Griffin is a regular guy who gritted his way to fame on season one of The Ultimate Fighter. Anderson Silva is a striking ace and athletic phenom who actually seems to be getting bored by his dominance.

Griffin is a tough guy, a real mauler who is willing to let you hit him if he can hit you back. Silva is a quick and cunning strategist whose record speaks for itself. If you’d like to draw even more "Rocky" comparisons, feel free. Forrest even sounds a little like Sly. If he whaled on freezing racks of ribs, nobody would be that surprised.

B.J. Penn is offering TUF alumnus Kenny “Kenflo” Florian a chance to take away his belt and put the lightweight champ into a two fight skid. Penn’s super-fight with Georges St. Pierre turned out to be more one-sided than most fans expected and he is looking to come back to his natural stomping grounds and make a big statement.

If he can make an example out of Florian, it’ll put the rest of the division on notice that the big dog is back in the yard. If Florian can take the win, a new star may be born.

With Dana White and company looking to brand themselves as last word in MMA, UFC 100 broke the ice and introduced the world to the octagon and all its potential glory. Now UFC 101 is sitting on the bar stool next to you, smiling coyly and asking what you’re drinking. Will sparks fly or is UFC 101 going to ask you for your friend’s number? Only time will tell.

While Fedor, M-1, and UFC State Cases, Public Courting Peaceful Resolution

Brad — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:29:56 -0400

The emotional roller coaster of the UFC's possible acquisition of heavyweight superstar Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko has left fan sites like Bleacher Report ablaze with frustration and conflicting opinions.

I'll be the first to admit that the stalled negotiations have all but ruined my MMA week and soured my normally cordial attitude.

Finding a way to get Fedor into the UFC would have opened the door for a number of dream matchups that now seem destined to remain in the realm of fantasy, not the least of which would pit him against the reigning titan, Brock Lesnar.

This news has left fans and followers of the sport standing on opposite sides of a proverbial fence desperately shouting at each other, pleading their cases for the assignment of blame. Someone has to be found guilty of causing this tragedy. Let's have a look inside the courtroom.

The prosecution calls Dana White and the UFC to the stand.

The world's largest mixed martial arts organization has much to offer the legendary Fedor. An immediate title shot would play to his sense of competition. A hefty purse would appeal to his monetary desires, if he has any.

Expressed permission to continue participating in his beloved sambo tournaments would flatter his patriotism and sense of tradition. An exemption clause allowing him to wear all the M-1 gear his modest (for a heavyweight) frame can carry would allow him to promote his brand to the largest target audience possible.

But will you, UFC, allow M-1 to co-promote several shows with you?

UFC: Nay, sir. That simply cannot be done.

The prosecution calls M-1. M-1...What's the deal?

M-1: The deal is we want co-promotion. Bodog granted it. Affliction granted it. The market is so big that no one company can possibly cover it all...

(UFC yells from the back, "But we can try!")

Judge: Pipe down UFC, you'll get your chance. Continue M-1.

M-1: We are interested in co-promotion. That is the direction we intend to take our company.

Well, UFC, what do you say?

UFC: It doesn't make sense for us to do anything like that. Why would we help promote a rival brand? We're doing great while other promotions are closing up shop. Why should we share our success? If the tables were turned, would M-1 accommodate us just to get Georges St. Pierre or Anderson Silva?

M-1: No, no we wouldn't.

Judge: Well, it was a good try, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen guys. The fans will be disappointed.

UFC and M-1 (in unison): We know.

Judge: It's likely that you, Fedor, won't be able to find much competition.

Fedor: What? I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I was watching that bird outside the window.

Judge: Never mind. UFC, you'll be stuck with the stigma of never signing the greatest heavyweight ever.

UFC: Yeah, we accept that. People buy the PPV's like they are going out of style regardless. It's not like we live or die based on adding Fedor to our roster. We were really just trying to shut up the crowd over at Bleacher Report. They've been pestering us relentlessly to get this guy.

UFC and M-1 shake hands.

UFC: Your Kung Fu is very strong.

M-1: As is yours. Perhaps we will meet again someday.

As for the rest of us, "Serenity now! Serenity now!"

Vitor Belfort Confirmed As Fedor Emelianenko's Next Victim

Brad — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:52:33 -0400

John Pollock of The Fight Network has reported that Vitor Belfort's trainer at Xtreme Couture, Shawn Tompkins, has confirmed that Belfort will face the Last Emperor at Affliction: Trilogy on Aug. 1.

While this news isn't a shock to the most rabid fans of MMA, it does decrease the drawing power of this event significantly.

Belfort, while a decorated and formidable opponent, lacks the size that Josh Barnett or any other heavyweight would bring to the table. When you're taking on the greatest mixed martial artist ever, every advantage you can get is appreciated, and Belfort will be venturing not one, but two weight classes up.

This spells trouble for Vitor, who has likely volunteered on the basis of the enormous payday he stands to receive. Fedor Emelianenko's past opponents have been paid handsomely for their brief appearances, including $800,000 for Tim Sylvia and a cool $1.5 million for Andrei Arlovski.

Barnett, Fedor's planned opponent, failed a drug test and has asked for a second sample to be tested. Affliction president Tom Atencio has already said that even if Barnett's second sample comes back clean, they have to move forward with the new opponent. If it comes back positive, Barnett will be released from the organization.

With the current situation, it's not unlikely that everyone will be released from the organization. Affliction's financial troubles are not likely to be helped by the last minute card change or the hefty payroll of the event. Potential buyers were already prepared to see both Fedor and Belfort, so this bout actually represents a net loss for the total card.

Forget Hong Man, Shaq Wants a Piece of Lesnar

Brad — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:35:19 -0400

Dana White revealed on "Into the Night with Tony Bruno" (no, not that Bruno) that he constantly receives texts and Twitters from Shaquille O'Neal expressing his desire to fight the UFC heavyweight champ, Brock Lesnar.

Are we all turning Japanese? I really think so. This kind of creature vs. creature matchup is the same sort of side show attraction that made Bob Sapp a star.

White allegedly told Shaq to win another NBA championship and they'd discuss it.

Let's hope that was meant as satire. O'Neal could never make the weight and even if he could, he might find out that Lesnar is a little less WWE and a little more UFC than some people are ready to admit.

Shaq-Fu was only moderately successful on the SNES and Sega Genesis plains of combat, I doubt it would serve him well in the Octagon. While he may "work his tail off" according to his trainer Jonathan Burke of Gracie's Gym, I really, really don't think he wants any parts of the current title holder.

One challenge at a time, Big Shaq-tus. Take out Hong Man, get yourself some MMA street cred and then maybe people won't laugh when you say want a piece of Lesnar.

UFC 100: The Dust Settles and All Is as It Should Be...

Brad — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:33:05 -0400

The televised portion of UFC 100 went exactly as it was supposed to.

For the first bout, between Akiyama and Belcher, ending as it was supposed to means Belcher got robbed.

The highly-touted "Sexy-yama" won by (in my opinion) a very controversial split decision with one judge scoring all three rounds for the Japanese newcomer.

Mixed martial arts legend Dan Henderson did us all a favor by showing a cocky Michael Bisping what a highlight-reel KO should look like.

Henderson is a legend in the sport and if Bisping is very, very lucky and works very hard, then one day he may find himself with half the accolades that Henderson has earned. To quote the idiom, talk is cheap.

GSP did his thing and defeated Alves in every round, just as predicted. Georges is truly a special fighter and Alves, though big and strong, is simply not on his level. Even with an injured St. Pierre fighting the final two rounds, the result was the same.

Joe Rogan did make mention of the rumored super-fight between Georges and Anderson Silva, much to the pleasure of the Las Vegas crowd, which leads one to believe that such a fight may very well be on the horizon. Silva, of course, first must worry about dispatching Forrest Griffin.

Griffin has been training with Frank Mir, which didn't work out so well for Mir. When Frank first revealed that he and Griffin had been training together, many of us out here in MMA-fan-land were scratching our heads and wondering what the hell he was thinking.

Mir went on to describe how Forrest would be able to throw so many more punches in each training round than Lesnar could ever throw.

And still, many of us kept scratching thinking about the obvious question, which is, "Sure, he can throw a lot of punches, but you're preparing for the largest, most powerful heavyweight in UFC history by sparring a 205 pounder?"

A lot of Lesnar-haters chose to ignore the principles of physics and predicted a Mir victory, but the odds-on favorite was always Lesnar.

He proved why with his one and one half round annihilation of the jits wizard. Mir had no answer for Lesnar in any position and was thoroughly taken to task by the 265-pound land monster.

A brutalized Mir admitted afterwards that he still had a lot to work on while Lesnar, quite full of himself in front of the hostile crowd, went on to make more than one asinine comment. Afterwards in the locker room, away from Mir's hometown crowd, Lesnar was more reserved.

"People paid good money to watch us get in there and go at it. I throw a little salt and pepper on at the end, love me, hate me, whatever. It is what it is, I am who I am, and I'm very happy. UFC 100...it's an honor to be a part of this show.

"I know Frank trained his butt off. I trained my butt off. I knew deep down inside that that first fight that we had, you know, you just feel something. I felt like I gave him that fight and I think he knew it.

"I could see it in his eyes at the beginning of the bout. He was way, way more nervous than I was. He hit me with a knee, I ain't lying, I saw Tweety Bird for a second, but that was all."

He went on to say, "People paid a lot of money to get in those seats and I think I put on a hell of a show all the way around, as a fighter and an entertainer.

"He came after me, I turned around and he was in my face, and I said, 'That's what you get for running your mouth.'"

Lesnar ended his post-fight interview with some semblance of graciousness, however, "I tip my hat to Frank, but in the end you're looking at the right champion."

Shaq Attack: O'Neal Wants Some of Choi Hong-Man

Brad — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:49:44 -0400

Already an accomplished basketball player, musician, and actor (well, an accomplished basketball player at least), Shaquille O'Neal is looking to dip his enormous toes into the waters of MMA.

The Big Shaq-tus has been training for years, but he apparently spotted a weakness in the game of Choi Hong-man that made him decide to cast his hat in the ring—or cage.

If you'll remember, Choi was the giant Korean kickboxer who did us all a favor by beating up Jose Canseco for a minute or so.

Choi, while not especially feared by elite MMA heavyweights, is not necessarily someone for a novice to trifle with. At 7'2" and weighing well over 300 pounds, he's no small fry.

His MMA record is less than stellar, and his kickboxing record is no better, with wins over only a couple of vaguely recognizable names. Bob Sapp and Mighty Mo, similar to Choi in their "freak show" status, left their fights with an additional digit in the "L" column.

So, c'mon now, show of hands, who wants to see Shaq get in there and mix it up? Anybody? Anybody at all?

Is Nick Diaz a MMA Boxing Genius?

Brad — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:20:54 -0400

In an MMA world where styles are blending more and more evenly and thoroughly (into something so smooth and predictable it may be spreadable on warm toast), Nick Diaz proved this past Saturday that going against the grain can work just as well.

Scott Smith showed he was ill-prepared for the odd "praying mantis" boxing technique that Diaz does so well. His face had the look of a speed bag as Diaz peppered it again and again, seeming to land shots at will.

What is it that makes Diaz so hard to defend?

First and foremost, there is no substitute for talent and preparation. The Diaz brothers train under Luisito Espinosa, former WBA and WBC world champion. Nick also trains with Andre Ward, an Olympic gold medalist.

The best way to improve at anything is to hang around with people who are world class. They will force you to improve and though you may never be as good as they are, you'll be better than you were.

The fact that Nick trains with traditional pugilists makes it even more intriguing that he and his brother opt to use a nontraditional stance and technique.

Standing with his hands so far in front of him costs Nick some power. He doesn't have as much air and opportunity to build up speed and force before landing the blow. When he strikes, he's coming in from a foot to a foot and half instead of the entire length of his arm.

Even though he sacrifices the power that would have been created over this distance, he also costs his opponent an equal amount of reaction time. His hands were already right there in your face before the punch even began. Nick will use this proximity to his advantage, effectively measuring the distance with one hand, then tagging you with the other.

Scott Smith showed how difficult it can be to get out of the way in such a small amount of time. The proportion of punches landed to punches thrown was obviously frustrating him as his head was bobbed backward over and over. He simply had no answer.

It isn't just the short distance that throws opponents off, however. It's also the timing. Nick isn't in a hurry to finish you. He likes to fight and he's well aware of how much time he has to work with. He wants to lull you to sleep before he makes his move.

His critics would say Nick is the king of pitter patter or patty cake or "quit hitting yourself" or any of a long list of names belittling his power. I assert that Diaz is actually king of the "change up".

If you throw fastball after fastball at a major league hitter, eventually he's going to get your timing down, wait for it and put your stuff in the cheap seats. So many MMA fighters do this exact thing. They throw every punch as hard as they can. Sure, if it connects, it's all good.

But what about when it doesn't? You're burning your arms up while you're giving away your timing.

Guys like Lyoto Machida make a living predicting the timing of fighters like this, slipping the punch and making their own move.

Diaz has figured out a way to stay on the offensive, score points with the judges and keep his opponent guessing. What's coming? Is he going to lazily reach out and try and grab my wrist or is he going to swing for real this time? Is he going to tap me or is he going to put something on it and really stick me? Only Diaz knows.

Love him or hate him, he's on to something and I wouldn't be surprised to see more fighters start following his lead.

Lyoto Machida: A Done Deal?

Brad — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:27:23 -0400

If mixed martial arts were a giant corporation—and many of you would say this analogy is a little too close for comfort—and you had a job opening—let’s say, you were trying to fill the light heavyweight champion position—and the resume of Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida finds its way to your desk, what’s your reaction?

First off, let’s look at the position itself.

Historically, this is the job. You’re the head honcho, the CEO, the “Big Cheese." Two hundred and five pounds of it.

The UFC light heavyweight champ is always going to find himself at the epicenter of all things important in the UFC—with the possible exception of the very first title holder, Frank Shamrock, who vacated the title citing a lack of competition. The list of previous champs looks like this: Frank Shamrock, Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort, Chuck Liddell, Rampage Jackson, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans.

This is not a partial list.

These are not highlights.

Everybody who held this title is on the short list of the most-recognizable names in MMA. Even the guys who are merely competing for it rate very highly on the visibility scale: Wanderlei Silva, Keith Jardine, Matt Hamill, and Rich Franklin, among others.

Knowing the qualifications, you have to ask yourself, is Machida your guy? Can he carry the torch? Is he ready to be a star?

I don’t think there’s any doubt the man can fight. If you look at that same short list of recognizable names, you’d see “The Dragon” has placed his check mark beside several of those names.

Stephan Bonnar, Rich Franklin, B.J. Penn, and Tito Ortiz have all failed to change the zero that has made its home in Machida's loss column.

The real question is this:

Are fans ready to ante up to see him fight?

Many of the previous champs were leaders of their own cults of personality. "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy," "The Natural," "The Iceman," even Forrest Griffin with his blood-and-guts, never-say-die attitude, have all captured imaginations to go with their titles.

What about the soft-spoken Machida?

He’s not flamboyant.

He’s not crazy.

He doesn’t howl when he wins a fight.

In fact, he’s content to win said fight via decision.

With Anderson Silva’s last two performances weighing heavy on his mind, is Dana White losing sleep over the possibility that the Black House training facility might add the light heavyweight title to Silva’s middleweight belt?

Exclusive Interview With Dan "The Beast" Severn!

Brad — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:31:33 -0400

They used to grab our attention, neck crank it and pummel it unmercifully when the landscape of mixed martial arts was primordial and new. They were the lumbering giants, fantastic titans and ancient gods that did battle in the “before times”. Their names were spoken with wide eyes and much gesticulation by those whose parents let them rent UFC videos.

Can you name one man in mixed martial arts today who would be willing to sign on to fight Paul Varelans, Tank Abbott and Oleg Taktarov (all in their prime) in one night? What if the fights are scheduled to last fifteen minutes, eighteen minutes and thirty minutes each with no breaks for rounds? What if there are no weight limits? Relax all the modern rules about knees and elbows and what’s left is a gauntlet no man in his right mind would sign up for.

Almost fifteen years has passed since then. The sport has evolved at breakneck speed into something worlds away from the prehistoric spectacle of Ultimate Ultimate 1995. The fighters, too, are a different breed of athlete. Gone are the days when a combatant had no idea what to prepare for stylistically. The styles themselves have begun to blend into a great amalgamation of the most effective methods to win as permitted under the modern set of rules. Today’s fighter trains wrestling, ju jitsu, boxing and muy thai with equal dedication. The modern mixed martial artist is part athlete, part strategist, and part scientist.

If you’ve lost touch with the originals, I’m here to help. In this series we’ll catch up with some of the legends of MMA, starting with the winner of Ultimate Ultimate 1995, Dan “The Beast” Severn.

Severn burst onto the MMA scene at UFC 4. He was a four-time freestyle wrestling All-American at Arizona State and his entry into the octagon marked the first time such a decorated wrestler would try his hand at the fledgling sport. Though he didn’t win the event (he lost in the finals to Royce Gracie), he would return at UFC 5 and completely dominate, winning three matches in just eight minutes of total fight time.

UFC 6 would see him lose to Ken Shamrock in the events Superfight, just prior to his tournament victory at Ultimate Ultimate 95. He would later avenge the loss to Shamrock at UFC 9, leaving a potential rubber match that hasn’t materialized… yet.

Severn’s legacy to MMA is wrestling. The first time "The Beast" suplexed Anthony Macias, the writing was on the wall. Wrestlers were here to stay.

In his wake, fighters like his protégé Don Frye, Mark Coleman and Randy Couture would continue to dominate by using their wrestling ability to man-handle their opponents, control them and pound them out.

So, what is Dan “the Beast” Severn doing now? With a current record of 86 wins, 16 losses and 7 ties, he’s still battling it out, winning nine of his last eleven fights.

Yesterday, I had to opportunity to catch up with Dan and he had this to say:

BRAD: First of all, I’m a big fan and I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me today. Anybody who has seen your website lately (http://www.the-beast.com/) knows you are a busy guy.

SEVERN: I appreciate that. Maybe I’ve got ADD or something, but I just like doing a lot of different things. People need a reason to get their butts out of bed and do something.

BRAD: While we’re on that subject, are there any ongoing projects you’d like to fill us in on?

SEVERN: I sign up for substitute teaching every fall and I do a number of days (editor’s note: Dan has a minor in education) as my schedule permits. Mondays and Wednesdays are pretty crazy for me here (Dan’s training facility – Michigan Sports Camps) so I try to do it when I can if I’m in town. Maybe at some point later in life I’ll be at a high school or college teaching or maybe coaching wrestling. I really enjoy what I do. My CPA and my attorney tell me they’ve never met anyone quite like me. I took all my hobbies and turned them into businesses, so I put in a lot of hours, but I like what I do.

BRAD: Speaking of turning your hobbies into businesses, the Danger Zone (Dan’s MMA promotion) just held it’s 40th event and I see there are three more scheduled.

SEVERN: Yeah, what we’re trying to do is get a little bit more expansion. Right now it’s just amateur level, but possibly as early as June we may start allowing pro-level events to take place.

BRAD: That’s awesome. Well, coming from a fighter who has been in this sport as long as you have, you know, fifteen years, what are the things that stand out to you as the biggest changes and what effect do these changes have on a fighter’s strategy?

SEVERN: Well, I mean, there had to be changes. Changes had to be made in order for the sport to have survived. To go from “no holds barred” to “mixed martial arts” is a whole different game. It had to make changes, concessions, in order for it to survive in the first place.

I think the one element of time changes the entire training aspect for a lot of these fighters. Because there are rounds and, ok, say, if you were to take someone down, right? And there are thirty seconds or less left and your corner and crew yell out to you, “Only thirty seconds!” then through hook or crook you are going to get in there and buy that time. You can pull your opponent tight and not allow them the space to strike and now that the round ends, now you get the opportunity to get back up off the ground, go to your corner, get watered down, toweled down and you have someone there to give you instruction. Then the match starts again on the feet.

Now, I’m a big believer in the “non-activity clause”, but I think it should be ran with unlimited time and only stand them when there is a true stalemate or non-activity type of thing.

You wouldn’t see the long, drawn-out matches anymore. Back in the “no holds barred” era, the average match was two minutes, twenty two seconds. Now, three five minute rounds is pretty standard.

I just think if you have a person down, you will break them mentally a whole lot quicker if there is the element of unlimited time. Guys would have to train better cardio, I think, if the match had the capability to go indefinitely.

BRAD: A lot of people miss those good old days of the early UFC and PRIDE and think that there is something missing now. It’s obviously more mainstream and more of a sport.

SEVERN: Well, it might have become extinct if it was not sanctioned. You had Senator John McCain and a number of other politicians and legislators and athletic commissioners that were going after it pretty adamantly and it would never have survived, so, it had to make its concessions and, I mean, it’s still a very exciting sport.

The athletes have to be very diversified in their capabilities, but there are certain things that if you change, it would change the complexity of the match itself, it would change how athletes should be training and their preparation for the match.

BRAD: With these changes, is there any fighter that you look at and you say, “This guy has the style of the future” or “this is the future of MMA”?

SEVERN: I mean, from the public’s perspective, they like to see guys that go out there and stand. Now, if you happen to be one of those two athletes that are standing out there and trading with each other, afterwards you would disagree with those people. The spectators are not on the receiving end of all those strikes.

I have young guys who say, “I like to stand and trade.” I say, “Really? Then you are not a very intelligent fighter.”

BRAD: (laughs)

SEVERN: The object of the game is not to get hit. One day, you’ll be an old man and who knows how many mental faculties you’ll have left because you like to stand there and trade.

BRAD: You must be pretty good at avoiding damage. You’ve had over a hundred fights, seen pretty much everything and there haven’t been a whole lot of holes in your MMA schedule over the years. Would you attribute that to good conditioning?

SEVERN: Well, that and I’m a big believer in the theory of ‘duck’. I’m going to stay out of harms way. I’m not going to stand there and trade with anybody. Granted, the biggest weakness in my armor or the weakest link in my chain is my stand up, but it’s the thing I probably train more than anything else, so my stand up has improved immensely.

I think I’ve got some of the most devastating knees in the business. I’m good about getting clinches, getting them jammed up against the cage and working my magic with close quarter strikes. I don’t think anyone does better ground and pound than what I continue to do.

I had a group of young men in here earlier and they were surprised how quickly and how many times I could hit a person in that clinch position.

You know, sometimes I like to watch the Ultimate Fighter. Not for the matches as much as watching what they are doing training-wise. Some of the stuff is right on the money and some of it misses the mark altogether. I’ve even sent in a few emails and left a few phone calls to let them know I’d like to be involved as coach. They’ve had a lot of interesting characters in the past, but have they ever had anyone who had real coaching experience? (Dan has coached wrestling at two division one universities – both programs did well under his tutelage)

BRAD: Speaking of your coaching and the Ultimate Fighter, it’s kind of known that Rashad Evans got his start with you.

SEVERN: Rashad started here in Coldwater. His first match was with the Danger Zone fight company and his first pro matches were with us. I took him out to either King of the Cage or Gladiator Challenge for an eight man tournament. He ended up winning the tournament and the next step was we got his footage together for the Ultimate Fighter show. Even though he went in as a heavyweight, he was not a heavyweight.

BRAD: What are your thoughts on his upcoming match with Machida? Will he have to make any changes stylistically to combat Machida’s weird karate style?

SEVERN: Rashad is an intelligent fighter. He has added so much more to his repertoire from when he was first started with me and he’ll do the smart thing of studying and seeing where his strengths are and where his opponent’s strengths are. He’ll see how they match up with each other and he’ll avoid the strengths and attack the weaknesses.

BRAD: Anything else you’d like to say to the readers and fans?

SEVERN: Well, a lot of people know me from what I’ve done in MMA or pro wrestling or before that in amateur wrestling. Well, three kinds of amateur wrestling, folk, freestyle and Greco-Roman. I tried to transfer some of those things over into mixed martial arts and I continue to do those things as well. I picked up another world title two years ago in amateur wrestling. And, I think, if there was one other element I’d like to change, I believe there is a need for a “Masters” category in MMA.

I think there’s enough fighters for it. To see a forty-something year against another forty-something year old, that’s a competitive match. Forty-something year old against twenty-something, and now you’re getting into different worlds. It’s not as competitive. I’ve given a lot of thought to starting it even here in my own company, Danger Zone.

BRAD: I think it could work. Yourself and some of the other big names, the guys who were there from the beginning, it could be a big draw.

SEVERN: I would love to do another fight with Ken Shamrock. He’s won one, I’ve won one, there’s a need for a rubber match. I’d love to do another match with Mark Coleman or another match with Royce Gracie. I don’t think there have ever been any Hall of Famer matches (Note: Gracie, Shamrock, Severn, Couture and Coleman are UFC Hall of Fame members) that I’m aware of, so there’s the opportunity to do that type of thing.

BRAD: That would great. I hope that does happen. Mr. Severn, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today. I know you’re busy, so I’ll let you get back to it.

SEVERN: Ok, take care.

Anderson Silva Calls Out... Fedor?

Brad — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:17:58 -0400

Anderson Silva obviously isn't concerned about the size of Forrest Griffin. Apparently, a light heavyweight is only a light snack for "The Spider".

Yahoo News reports:

White said that Silva also expressed an interest in fighting heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, who is under contract with Affliction. White has made several attempts to sign Emelianenko, none successful.

Soares (Silva's manager) confirmed that Silva would like a fight with Emelianenko and said that size wouldn’t be an issue. Silva walks around between fights at 215 and Emelianenko fights around 230.

“We’d come in at about 220 if we ever got that fight,” Soares said. “Anderson thinks that would be a great fight for him. He didn’t say he expected to blow him out, but he thinks he can give him a very good fight.”

UFC 100: The Best Thing Going

Brad — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:27:44 -0400

We all heard the rumors that have been surrounding UFC 100 for the last couple of months.

Every title was going to be on the line.

Georges St. Pierre would fight Anderson Silva.

Dana White built a time machine, revisited the set of Way of the Dragon, and convinced Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee to go best two out of three for the undisputed title of best roundhouse kick ever.

Superman vs. Batman was on the under-card.

Well, it's not happening. UFC champs typically fight three times each year. You can't have all of them fight on the same night, it would throw the whole system off. Dana's flux capacitor ran out of plutonium. Superman was willing to sign, but Batman is busy in pre-production for his next blockbuster.

On the bright side, there is still hope for GSP vs. Silva, provided everything works out. It's just not going to happen at UFC 100.

And that's O.K.! Come on, people! Let's give a round of applause for what could be the best card ever. Two champs are putting their titles on the line. Two of the biggest PPV draws at the disposal of the UFC will compete, one right after the other.

Lesnar generates PPV buys in bunches, thanks to his fame and freakish athletic abilities. He's going to fight the only man to ever beat him. And the winner unifies the title! Wake up! That's great!

Just before that, St. Pierre takes on Alves, who has become a monster at 170 lbs. How he ever makes weight is beyond me. By the time the bell rings, it will have been over three years since Alves lost a fight.

He's on a seven-fight streak, most recently putting down Koscheck, Hughes, Parisyan and Lytle. He's no tomato can, not by a long shot, and if Georges wins, then we will (in all likelihood) get to see him take on Anderson Silva! Hot damn!

Back up one more spot and you'll find Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping gearing up to lock horns. Old Lion vs. Young Lion, and Henderson still looks great.

His last two fights, he put away a surprisingly game Rousimar Palhares and perennial contender Rich Franklin, who, by the way, has only lost to two other men: Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida.

That says a lot about what Dan Henderson still has to offer. Not to take anything away from Bisping, either. He's 18-1. That says it all.

On top of all this, Yoshihiro Akiyama makes his UFC debut. This world ranked middleweight hasn't lost since his second fight ever, way back in early 2005.

Since then, he's put away some formidable opponents, including a first round knockout of Canadian Denis Kang, who his opponent, Alan Belcher, defeated in his last outing.

And, as an afterthought, the undercard sports names like Jake O'Brien, Dong Hyun Kim, and C.B. Dollaway.

Lest we forget, the UFC does not always grace us with this kind of "no filler" card. Anybody remember UFC 93? Franklin / Henderson was the headliner. How about UFC 95, Sanchez vs. Stephenson? Granted, I'll take my free pay per views any way I can get them, but if you put a number in the title, it counts. It wasn't just UFC Fight Night.

UFC 96 wasn't exactly star-studded either, and that one wasn't free. UFC 98 has Machida vs. Evans, but what else does it have to offer? Hughes vs. Serra? Maybe if you let St. Pierre fight Hughes and Serra simultaneously, it would hold more appeal.

So, here we are. Godzilla won't be mixing it up with King Kong, but we've got some great fights to look forward to. I know I'll be ponying up to see this one, recession or not, and I won't be the only one.

Why Shane Carwin-Gabriel Gonzaga Is the Best Bet of the Night

Brad — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:22:01 -0500

I don't gamble...at least, I don't go through bookies and place bets. My friends and I may make small wagers before fights begin, sometimes adjusting them slightly if there is an obvious favorite. If I was a gambler, however, there's one fight on this card I couldn't resist.

Shane Carwin is an almost 200 point underdog (depending on the site you check) in this fight. I say that's quite a big number.

Gabriel Gonzaga is no slouch. He's a tough fighter. Credit where credit is due. He's won his last two fights in less time than it takes...well...less time than it takes Shane Carwin to win a fight. It's the two fights before that, the losses to Werdum and Couture that concern me. In particular, it's the loss to Couture.

It's not that Gonzaga lost to Randy, lots of people have lost to Randy. It's the way he was bullied in the clinch that raises my eyebrows. Randy had his way with Gabriel, taking him wherever he wanted, dirty boxing him to pieces. Couture is a Greco-Roman nightmare, we all know this, but Carwin has got wrestling credentials as well, not to mention the fact that he's the size of a small Clydesdale.

Barring a quick submission by the BJJ expert, I don't see Gonzaga winning this one. At least, I don't think it's so likely that he should be a 200 point favorite.

But hey, what do I know? I already told you I don't gamble.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira Pulls a Werdum

Brad — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 05:04:51 -0500

I am not an MMA insider.

I don't pretend to be privy to the training and dietary habits of the UFC elite.

Usually.

They do not consult me when they have personal or emotional issues.

That means that I have nothing upon which to base my conjectures besides my own observations.

And I observed a chubby Big Nog. I observed an uninspired Big Nog. I saw a man who had never been finished by any fighter beaten by a game, yet unspectacular Frank Mir.

Frank Mir looked good. I will give you that. He looked like the best version of Frank Mir to emerge since his accident. His stand-up was sharp and crisp and he had a great game plan.

Why didn't Antonio?

Was he expecting to phone this one in? I think he was.

Verdum pulled this same stunt after being touted as the next big thing in a very thin heavyweight division, only to be exposed by a surprisingly competent Dos Santos. He didn't get the fight he wanted, so he decided to put it on autopilot, have that extra slice of pizza, and maybe get back to training for real when the title was at stake.

No dice. You can't take anyone lightly. This isn't baseball or basketball where you can wait for the hot hand or regroup during a time out or the seventh inning stretch. You've got to have your head on straight from the beginning of training camp.

The fact that it took this long is a testament to Nog's humility. He is only a man, after all, and if you surround a man with people who tell him constantly that he's the greatest, he's the champ, he's never been finished in a fight, nobody can touch him, etc., eventually he will believe on some level.

And when those yes-men are present, the gold around the waist is the worst thing that can happen to a fighter. Time and time again we've seen a hungry competitor lose his fire when he reaches his goal. In most cases, it's just a matter of time. The real test is what a fighter does next.

Let us revisit Rocky III. When Clubber Lang... well, you know the story. Probably.

Better yet, let's look at GSP. Georges now considers the day he lost to Matt Serra to be the same day he started down the path to becoming the best GSP he's ever been. Georges was lucky to have had the experience so young. If he's careful, it may never happen to him again.

I don't mean he'll never lose again. I mean he'll never lose again because he was unprepared. He'll never lose again because he looked past his opponent.

Whatever Nog does next, the sport still owes him a debt of gratitude. He really is a living legend. But the Nog that lost to Mir is a Nog who could take this opportunity to examine where he is and decide if he still has the fire in his belly to continue at this level.

If not, there is certainly no shame in that. He's done his duty and then some. If he does, I look forward to seeing a reinvigorated Minotauro who is hungry once again.

What the UFC Did Right

Brad — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 06:24:20 -0500

It's easy to knock the UFC nowadays.

They're the big bully on the playground, taking lunch money and kicking sand in the face of every other promotion. Say something good about the UFC and you're certain to be rebuffed by this or that purist/old-schooler.

And, with good reason.

The UFC has become the WWF (E) of MMA.

I don't use that metaphor lightly, I realize all the backlash I'm likely to get for even putting up such an offensive acronym. But, if you are familiar with the McMahon family and their Standard Oil-type model of gobbling up or ruining rival organizations, then you may be able to appreciate my point.

Current owner Vince McMahon's own father once warned him that his ambition may land him at the bottom of a river somewhere. "Things in this business just aren't DONE that way," he said.

He and his company had survived for years by allowing other companies to have their own regional pieces of the pie. Little Vince, however, didn't care if he already had the biggest and sweetest piece, he wanted everyone's piece, no matter how small.

Dana White and his partners in crime operate much the same way. Reach for some of their pie and you're likely to draw back a nub.

The question is, can we really fault them for it?

Full disclosure: I do not have a belt in any martial art. I have never had any formal training in a martial art. I've gotten into a few fist fights with various drummers, but that's neither here nor there.

I have a degree in business. What I'm saying is filtered through that prism first and foremost.

I can't help it. I'm just explaining where I'm coming from.

And let me tell you, from that perspective, the UFC is doing a bang-up job.

They were able to do something very difficult in business/marketing: create a need.

There was an existing need, but that isn't what I'm talking about. That need stemmed from those folks who have belts in various martial arts. That need was rooted in people already going to karate tournaments, those intimate with the fight game already. Those people were already interested. But there simply weren't enough of them.

Enter Dana White in 2001.

He and his backers bought a brand that had been tarnished by accusations of brutality, human cockfighting, excessive violence, etc. He stated in an interview with Entrepreneur.com that he bought the UFC (rather than starting his own promotion) just because, good or bad, people had heard of it.

The image of the UFC was tarnished because it had been marketed that way. It was advertised as the "Faces of Death" of the sports world. That was fine for making a quick buck, but eventually the sensationalism wears off and the spectacle ceases to intrigue those viewers who aren't really familiar with martial arts.

Dana White and the new UFC decided to try something different.

They made MMA into a sport instead of a bloodbath. And let's face it, some of those early UFC fights were pretty gory. When teeth are kicked out of someones mouth and fly into the crowd—that's a little bit much.

The stoppages were slow. I remember a fight (I don't know which one, but the attacker was wearing a gi) where the victim was held in the crucifix position and elbowed way too many times after he was already unconscious. I don't know how many, but I do remember thinking, "Is the ref going to let him murder this man on television?"

Now the public is told that it's going to be a sport with great athletes rather than a fight between killers. This is where much of the martial arts crowd got off the bus. No knees to a downed opponents head? No downward striking elbows? No shots to the back of the head? No headbutts? Is this a fight or a tea party?

But, for every martial arts enthusiast who left his seat, there were five casual viewers who were now ready to fill it. The UFC gave them something they could watch without feeling guilty or too nervous.

Oh, there's still blood. There are injuries, too. But there is a much greater chance that the fighter will be able to make a quick return and fight again.

It wasn't just the changes in the rules that brought the UFC into the mainstream, however. The UFC spent themselves into financial oblivion.

They were in a $44 million hole at one point and on the verge of cutting and running.

The highest bid for the company was $6 million, so White and company decided to keep going. By branching out and putting shows on Spike, the UFC was soon beating NBA games in the ratings (and those games were on network television.)

The Ultimate Fighter allowed fans to get on board with a fighter "back in the day" and follow his career as it blossomed. Then, Forrest Griffin fought Stephan Bonnar and the rest, they say, is history.

Sure, we miss the PRIDE days. But if we want to blame someone, blame their parent company, Dream Stage Entertainment, for losing their television deal.

Sure, the UFC was Johnny-on-the-spot to pick the bones, but they didn't make the kill. DSE has risen from the ashes, but if they were willing to make a partnership with EliteXC, one has to question their foresight. Speaking of which...

EliteXC hung themselves, I don't think there is a lot of sympathy for the organization, only the fighters. I'm talking about Gina Carano, not Kimbo Slice.

Affliction is dying on the vine right now, unable to get any sunlight because of the UFC's enormous shadow. They may pull through, but most casual fans don't have the desire to go beyond the UFC when it comes to pay-per-views—they just don't.

So, hey, you know what? If it's the UFC or nothing, then sign me up.

I'll get my fix where I can get it and right now, the UFC is where my bread gets buttered. Georges St. Pierre, Anderson Silva, Randy Couture, Brock Lesnar, and BJ Penn have become big enough superstars that I can easily talk my buddies into going in on pay-per-views. When the price is split eight or nine ways, it becomes pretty reasonable.

Are there flaws? Yup.

Is Dana White a stingy bastard? No doubt.

Do the fighters deserve a better boss and more money? Most assuredly.

Is the UFC the only game in town? Time will tell, but if they are, you'll have a heck of a time getting me to boycott.

Why Brock Lesnar Captures Our Imagination

Brad — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:47:42 -0400

Greek mythology...Comic books...Superhero movies...Tall tales...Shoot 'em up video games...

Superman. The Incredible Hulk. Hercules. John Henry and Paul Bunyan. Duke Nukem. Ah-nold Schwartezenaeyager. Sic.

There is a certain gland or section of the brain in every little boy (and many a' little girl) who wants to grow up to be a force to be reckoned with. They want to lift cars, shoot lasers, turn into werewolves, beat up a hundred ninjas, etc.

One lucky little boy from South Dakota got his wish. And we just can't help ourselves; we are INTERESTED.

Brock Lesnar, through some accident of genetics or incidental contact with Miracle-Gro or some such thing, grew into an enormous gorilla-monster with the strength of three or four men. And that's not an exaggeration.

He has reportedly benched over 650 lbs. (per Kurt Angle, who may be lying, but the number doesn't seem far-fetched). A 200 lb. bench press from a regular guy who isn't particularly interested in fitness seems about right.

Not only is he huge and hulking, he's FAST, which absolutely defies logic. He's coordinated and at times, he's even acrobatic.

His proportions are ridiculous. From his filing-cabinet head to his mailbox-sized fists, he looks fresh from the pages of Marvel or DC. A friend of mine was at one of Brock's first house-shows with WWE. Lesnar, completely unknown, merely walked through the curtain and eyes bulged and jaws dropped. He said that even from the nosebleeds it was obvious that "was one big f@#$ing dude." (Note: Before I bear the brunt of a storm of speculation about our intelligence, we all lost interest in wrestling shortly thereafter.)

There is a certain respect that can only be commanded through physical intimidation and Brock Lesnar owes that respect to nobody. We all have to wonder, what does that feel like? What is it like to walk into a bar and know that the three biggest guys in there couldn't beat half of you if the other half was helping?

Love him or hate him, he's an anomaly. Frank Mir beat him by twisting his leg, but until we see somebody literally stop Lesnar from imposing his will through an equal and opposite reaction, Lesnar will capture our imaginations as we heap expectations on him.

"Gather round, young 'uns...I'll tell you the tale of Brock Lensar...He was eight feet high if he was one..."

And if he can stomp MMA Hall of Famer Randy Couture in just his fourth fight, that's what we'll be telling our grandchildren.

Urijah Faber, B.J. Penn, Anderson Silva, GSP, & Fedor: The Apex Predators

Brad — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:55:28 -0400

There are six major mountains in MMA. A king sits atop each of them, surveying his territory and occasionally casting an envious glance to his northern neighbor, coveting his mountain as well.

Urijah Faber sits comfortably atop the smallest of these mountains (not counting 135, which I don't consider a major division, YET). He rules his land with an iron fist, most recently beating back Jens Pulver, a nobleman recently exiled from 155. Though the fight was fantastic, Faber was never in danger of losing a round.

B.J. Penn is the Napoleanic head of 155, bitterly unafraid of anyone. He has no qualms about attempting an attack on ANYONE'S territory, even fighting Lyoto Machida at 205. He is probably the last MMA fighter you'd want to play against in Risk or Monopoly because he wants simply EVERYTHING. He is one of only two fighters to have reached the summit of two hills in the UFC.

Georges the Good (Saint is in his NAME for goodness sake) is all smiles and diplomacy until the bell rings and commences his relentless attempts to dent the skulls of anyone in his path. He, like his royal kinsman, is not simply a striker or a wrestler or a crafty submission artist. He and his elite contemporaries are the creme de la creme of all three.

Anderson Silva, like Penn, is feeling antsy on his throne and wants to take a stab at elevating his legacy to "Legendary" before his prime has passed. Seeing that the current 205 division is without an apex predator, he is certainly beginning to wonder why he couldn't stand astride the two divisions like a great MMA Colossus.

Fedor... What do you say about "The Last Emperor?" He's the only one on this list to remain virtually undefeated (stopping a fight because of a cut caused by an illegal blow should have resulted in a No Contest).

He coldly dismantles the opposition with the surgical precision that makes all five of these men the envy of their peers. If Rocky had been about MMA instead of boxing, Fedor would have been Ivan Drago. And he would have beaten Rocky silly.

So, is it a good thing that these titans exist, or does it make the rest of the division seem boring and second-rate?

As I watched GSP beat the daylights out of Jon Fitch for 25 minutes, I couldn't help but think, "Who is going to beat this guy?" Fitch was fresh from a 15-fight win streak and he was helpless. He couldn't box with Georges, he couldn't wrestle with Georges: He couldn't do anything.

Silva actually forced Franklin to move UP a weight-class in order to face a challenge he could potentially win.

Barring a Serra-esque upset, Randy Couture can't beat Fedor. Sorry. It ain't happening. He's a day late and a dollar short. So who could? Uh...Hmmm...Well...

Faber...I don't know. I won't pretend to be that familiar with the featherweights. I'd love to see him come to the UFC and fight Tyson Griffin again, though.

205 is the most exciting division right now because there is so much talent, yet there is no clear shark in the pool.

So what do you do? Do you pit them against each other? Do you see who can win the most consecutive fights? How do you keep it fresh when nobody is able to put these guys in danger?

Lyoto Machida: Some Suggestions for the Complainers

Brad — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:22:28 -0400

As I begin writing this article, I know in my heart that I will be burned at the proverbial stake. Still, I must write with the courage of my convictions. Sharpen your pitchforks and light your torches.

First, let me say that the chorus of complaints concerning Lyoto Machida are not without merit. As I watched him easily evade and endlessly tap Tito Ortiz, I wondered why he didn't go ahead and finish the guy already. He obviously had the tools.

Ortiz wasn't able to mount any significant offense and when the fight finally did hit the floor at the end of round one, there seemed to be nothing there for Machida to fear. Tito's ground and pound was like the empty closet of a second grader. Feared, but ultimately harmless.

Why didn't Machida take the fight to Tito? Simple. Machida prefers to play chess rather than pissing-for-distance.

Don't get me wrong, I love watching a good old-fashioned slobber-knocker as much as everybody else. Two guys standing toe to toe scarfing down punches makes me jump around and high five my buddies and swear excitedly the same way you do.

And, if you've got a skull like a billy goat and don't mind losing now and then, it's not a bad path to notoriety in the UFC. Tank Abbott made a living off of it.

Coincidentally, he never had a fight enter the second round. He has a career record of 9-14, yet we all know who he is. He's that guy who loves serving and munching on punches.

Machida doesn't intend to go that route and I don't mind it at all. There isn't another fighter like him, so he entertains me regardless. For the casual MMA fan, however, his style doesn't impress.

In order to strike a compromise, I've created a list of things you can do while Machida fights. When it's over, tune in for the rest of the event. You won't feel cheated and I can watch a cerebral fighter at work.

1. Get online and watch a couple Bum-Fights. These guys don't know anything about avoiding damage or proper technique, so there's sure to be some blood—and fast!

2. Watch a Toughman Contest. See No. 1 for further explanation.

3. Put in your Bloodsport DVD and watch Jean-Claude kick ass! Never a boring moment and not at all like real fighting. If you have a good imagination, you can pretend he's GSP!

4. Turn to NASCAR and hope for a crash.

5. Rollerderby is back!

6. Go to YouTube and search for "owned." That'll keep you busy for as long as it takes Machida to dissect whoever he's fighting. If you do run out, try "pwned."

7. Cops is usually on somewhere, check the menu.

8. Buy one of the WWE DVDs about Ric Flair. Now that guy could entertain! Whoo!

9. Watch the fight, but take a drink every time Machida dodges a punch.

I hope this has been helpful.

P.S. This is all in good fun and I hope everyone gets a laugh. I'm just trying to stick up for Machida as he is a top-notch fighter with wins over some pretty formidable opponents. It's frustrating to see him passed over for a shot at Griffin because he's deemed too "boring" to be marketable.

Machida fans, feel free to suggest other items for the list. Anti-fans, feel free to suggest things as well...I'll get you started: Take a nap, make a sandwich, etc.

UFC: Lesnar Controversy Will Take Care of Itself

Brad — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:04:06 -0400

Brock Lesnar has fought three times in his MMA career, which is just over one year old. He holds a modest 2-1 record and is just 1-1 inside the octagon. He has barely 17 minutes of actual fight time. But on November 15, he will compete for the sport's most coveted honor: the UFC Heavyweight belt.

It's no wonder the Old Schoolers of MMA have mounted their high horses and positioned their noses skyward. Seeing a whipper-snapper like Lesnar bully his way to the front of the line has left their jaws open and their eyes wide.

The thing is, everyone else's jaws are open, too. And that's exactly what Dana White had in mind.

Just a few short weeks ago, the rumor machines were crawling with talk of Couture squaring off with Fedor under the Affliction banner. Knowing the UFC was weak in the Heavyweight division, Affliction gobbled up the available talent and bet the farm on the big boys to carry them. Now Dana White has put Affliction on its heels by reclaiming the second-best fighter in the land in five-time champ Randy Couture and usurped all of the media hype by pitting him against the upstart athletic freak, Brock Lesnar.

Say what you want, Old Schoolers, but this is the right move.

Why? Because you're going to watch. And I'm going to watch. All of our friends are going to watch. ESPN is going to talk about it. The sports pages are going to run stories about it. And a whole new crowd of folks are coming to dinner.

Zuffa and White have fought tooth and nail to thrust the UFC into the light of day and, by hook or by crook, they are going to do it. Gone are the dark days when UFC was considered the pornography of sports. John McCain is no longer trying to ban MMA. The UFC has gone legit, with weight classes and rules and referees who are willing to stop the fight before someone loses a pint of blood.

The UFC is ready for its close-up and this is the chance they've been waiting for.

While the Old School contends that Lesnar doesn't deserve the shot, the UFC certainly does.

Besides, even if he wins, he'll have to fight the winner of the Frank Mir/Big Nog fight in order to unify the title. In the end, there can be only one. If it's Nogueira or Couture, you can all sleep sound knowing that some WWE wrestler wasn't able to beat the best of the best. If the last man standing turns out to be Brock Lesnar, he'll be laughing and pointing all the way to the bank and there won't be a thing you or me or anybody else can say about it.