Bloody Elbow: FanPosts

Rashad Evans Could Upset Chuck Liddell At UFC 88

Tha Realness — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:47:22 -0000

I know I know…Liddell kills wrestlers and the prove is in the pudding. Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz both succumbed to ass whippings twice, as did Kevin Randleman. However, there are several factors that could possibly alter the outcome that we have become all to familiar with in this regard. First let’s take a look at Rashad Evans and what he brings to the table in comparison to the other wrestlers Liddell has faced.

Rashad brings a decent chin, adequate standup game, questionable stamina, but is a much better athlete than Couture or Ortiz. I think the X-factor for Evans will be his stamina. If he comes into this fight in shape, I think his chances of winning go up dramatically. Now let’s take a look some of the factors that could affect the outcome of this fight:

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Rumor: Georges St. Pierre vs BJ Penn December 5th in Montreal?

ghettoiam — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:55:39 -0000

Fronted by Luke Thomas.

From today's Wrestling Observer update Bryan Alvarez reports the following:

We will have more tomorrow as this has not yet been made official, but it appears the December 5th UFC will be taking place at the Bell Center in Montreal with George St. Pierre headlining.

It's quite an interesting development. GSP seemed hesistant to take the fight wanting instead to rest up. B.J. Penn wants nothing more than this fight with GSP to show everyone that he's not only the best lightweight, but also the best welteweight in the world.

Their first match was close decisions and I'm excited to see the fight, but with such a long list of challengers at 170 and Penn's two defeats while at welterweight, I'm hard pressed to see any rationale in making this a title fight.

That said, there are no two people I'd rather see fight for 5 rounds than Penn and GSP.

Update from Michael Rome: December 5 is a Friday, which makes this even more interesting. They were unable to do it on a Saturday because the Canadiens were playing every weekend, and it looked like they gave up on Montreal as a result. It's also worth wondering whether or not this will take the place of the November PPV, which they had no real main event for and were having no luck putting one together.

The Wrestling Observer website has deleted the story from its daily update, as well as from the headline. It's very od d that they did this instead of printing a retraction.

Update II: I contacted Dave, and it turns out there was a report in Montreal about a show that day, but he has not been able to confirm it, so they took it down.

Evan Tanner is heading to the desert to...

asmiley420 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:41:00 -0000

Possibly die. mmamania.com has an article apparently taken from the former UFC Middleweight Champs Web Blog where he talks about an upcoming trip to the desert to, Explore the deep reaches of the untracked desert. Here's the actual blog entry:

“I’m hoping that very soon I’ll be sitting out in the quiet of the desert beneath a deep blue midnight sky, listening to the calm desert breeze. The idea going into the desert came to me soon after I moved to Oceanside. It was motivated by my friend Sara’s talk of treasure hunting and lost gold, and my own insatiable appetite for adventure and exploration. I began to imagine what might be found in the deep reaches of the untracked desert. It became an obsession of sorts…. I’ve been gathering my gear for this adventure for over a month, not a long time by most standards, but far too long for my impatient nature. Being a minimalist by nature, wanting to carry only the essentials, and being extremely particular, it has been a little difficult to find just the right equipment. I plan on going so deep into the desert, that any failure of my equipment, could cost me my life. I’ve been doing a great deal of research and study. I want to know all I can about where I’m going, and I want to make sure I have the best equipment. One more week. I think one more week, and I’ll be ready to go.”

Sounds like he's gonna be taking a while off from fighting. Which is good because he didn't really look too good in his last two fights. I sure hope he makes it back o.k. though. Good Luck Evan.

UFC Co-Promotion: The Reality

mmalogic — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:50:42 -0000

Many Radio Personality's, MMA writers and even some fighters will have you believe that there is a possibility of the UFC co-promoting if not now sometime in the future...

Let me illustrate for you what would have to transpire in order for the UFC to comply - so the reality of the situation can be better understood:

A real competitor to Zuffa must emerge.

An Organization needs to emerge not owned by zuffa that not only can maintain profitability but can match or exceed zuffa's revenue.

Why? Because in order to compete on pay you have to be able to compete in revenues and profitability.

Zuffa has a nasty way of calculating compensation with the understanding of what the competitions revenues can sustain and their bids always keep the competition in the red.

The current reality is not one organization has been able to compete nationally and remain profitable let alone match Zuffa's revenue.

Let's say an organization has TV and gets on PPV. The UFC will counter program and their free counter programming will range from a replay all the way to a star studded ppv quality card.

An organization would need to spend a fortune just to get close to 200k ppv buys.

So some say don't compete with Zuffa initially... build stars first.

Where do you think your stars will end up once their contract is up?

Cung Lee is already in talks with Zuffa... once Kimbo, Lawler, shields, big foot's contracts are up where do you think they will go?

Elite XC can't afford to put on their next show let alone match what ever offers that will come their way.

Bottom line if you compete with Zuffa they have a plethora of tactics to keep you in the red.

The Conclusion is in order to promote on a national level you need to build fighters that Zuffa doesnt want (so far women)...

And a Man vs Woman fight won't force Zuffa to co promote.

MMA Logic mmalogic@yahoo.com

Will ProElite Survive?

Cannon J — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:01:06 -0000

Fronted by Chris Nelson

Speculation regarding ProElite's future has definitely increased following the cancellations of their September 20 EliteXC card and a Cage Rage Contenders event in the UK. Couple these with a sudden ballooning of the company's stock price and some interesting news regarding financing in their latest SEC filing, and you have an atmosphere favorable to conjecture. Sam Caplan attempts to cut through the fog in a recent article:

So for now, EliteXC is not in danger of suddenly going out of business. According to their SEC filings, it appears they have enough capital on hand to get them through the year. Will they be able to go out and land major free agents such as Tito Ortiz? Most certainly not. Can they afford Frank Shamrock’s six-figure guarantee and book him for a show? I have my doubts. No matter how you want to spin it, the promotion is underfunded, as it came well short of its goals for executing a raise. The $3 million it did raise several months ago is believed to be nothing more than a loan from corporate partner SHOWTIME. The fact that the company was not able to attract new major outside investors following the strong numbers that its May 31 show did on CBS is a major cause for concern.

The word is that the $3 million which ProElite is currently seeking is once again coming from CBS/Showtime. That should get them through the October 4 event; what happens after that is unclear. Much of the organization's future is dependent upon the success on the next CBS event. Caplan elaborates:

We already know the Oct. 4 show will have a stronger lineup from a marquee name standpoint than 7/26 but will it be enough? May 31 got a great number because all of the planets were aligned perfectly. There wasn’t much competition for the 18-34 demographic and they had months to promote the show to a targeted demographic during events such as the NCAA tournament. But you know the UFC will counter-program the Oct. 4 show again and EliteXC could be going up against both college football and the Major League Baseball playoffs that night. Also, how much promotional resources can CBS devote to “Saturday Night Fights” in August and September when it has to promote its new fall lineup?

There’s also the curiosity element to factor in. A lot of people tuned in on May 31 just to see what all the buzz about MMA was and exactly who this Kimbo Slice guy was. A lot of new fans were created while a lot of people will never tune in again. The first telecast of mixed martial arts in prime-time network television history was a big marketing hook that can never be used again.

If the Oct. 4 show does not hit it out of the park in all facets then CBS will not be the corporate savior some expect them to be. And without their support, I do not see how ProElite can survive. If EliteXC folds, I don’t think that will be good for fighters or the fans (competition brings the best out of everyone) but this is how I see things breaking down. If something doesn’t change and change soon, we could be living in a UFC-only world by next summer. Having four major national promotions compete for the same nut might not be the best thing for the growth of the sport. However, I am not sure having one major national promotion is good for the sport either.

Caplan shares some of my own concerns about EliteXC's ability to replicate the promotion's ratings success in May. There is going to be more competition this time, namely college football. Football season will be in high gear by October, and college football will, no doubt, be airing during the EliteXC event. When you're talking about appealing to casual fans, you have to assume that many of these same people are also football fans. Everyone knows the kind of hold football has on the American sports scene.

We also don't know how big of a factor curiosity played in the May event's ratings. Those ratings certainly didn't translate into big numbers for the July event. Granted, the July show wasn't executed very well from a marketing standpoint. It would have still been better to have achieved more carryover from May. Then, there is an excellent chance that Dana White and company will continue to play to counter-programming game. The strategy has been successful, thus far. Why stop?

I don't share Caplan's concern about UFC domination, however. I can't predict the future, so I can't very well predict what the MMA landscape will look like if ProElite does go out of business. What I do know is that ProElite's potential demise doesn't necessarily mean the end of competition in the MMA business. ProElite isn't exactly a well oiled machine. A better, more streamlined company may succeed them. A company that starts small and is more concerned with developing young talent would be a more surefire recipe for success, in my estimation, than the ProElite or Affliction models. For the time being, ProElite isn't dead, but their survival is directly related to what happens on October 4, 2008.

Rachelle Leah to Pose Nude

asmiley420 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:53:22 -0000

Promoted by Kid Nate.

Just found a nice piece of information regarding the former UFC ring girl. Apparently Rachelle Leah, host of the UFC All Access show will stepping in front of the camera to bare it all. Here's a piece from MMARated.com:

Remember a few months ago when we discussed the possibility of former UFC Octagon Girl and current "UFC All Access" host (does that show still exist?) Rachelle Leah posing in Playboy magazine? Well, here's a nice little update for ya:

When the news came out that Leah would be featured in the magazine there was some question as to whether she would be, you know, baring it all. After all, she did appear in the October 2006 edition of Playboy as a "Babe of the Month" which meant she was, you know, fully clothed.

Well, fear not, as MMARated.com has learned that Leah's pictorial will be of the naked variety. And you better act now because you only have three more months to line up outside your local magazine shop as her issue hits newsstands in November.

Carry on.

You heard it there Guys. It's not Arianny Celeste, but by no means is Rachelle Leah a step down. Reserve those copies!

The Most Interesting Fights at UFC 88:

mma_dude — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:20:23 -0000

1) Liddell vs. Evans

Chuck Liddell has excellent wrestling. We have all seen glimpses of that in his fights against Wand & Couture, but Rashad is a different style wrestler than Couture. This will be a very interesting fight because in order for Liddell to win, he needs to be able to stuff the excellent shot of Evans. I don't think he will be able to do it. Also, this fight is such an interesting fight because the winner should receive the title shot. Whoever wins, Forrest is in some SERIOUS trouble. I believe that either of these two fighters will beat Griffin. I can't say that about anybody else in the LHW division.

2) Hendo vs. Palhares

So aptly named: UFC 88 "Breakthrough". That is exactly what Palhares is gonna do... He's gonna breakthrough to a title shot with Silva. Maybe not the next fight but soon. After Silva destroys Cote (I love Cote) the fans are gonna get sick of the nonsense and demand he fight someone who can beat him. That someone is Palhares. First he has to get by hendo. This will prove to be a very good fight. It won't be easy for Palhares, but he will get it done.

The Least Exciting Fights at UFC 88:

1) Franklin vs. Hamill

WHO CARES! Here's how this one goes down: They come out and touch gloves. Hamil takes him down, and Franklin survives. This will happen for three rounds and Hamil will win by decision. We can only hope that Hamil chooses to stand with Franklin -- the fight might be over sooner. On a good note: I'm glad to see Franklin at 205. He has a better chance in this division.

2) Parisyan vs. Yoshida

I used to be such a huge fan of Parisyan but this fight shows just how far he has slipped in the rankings (Yoshida has beaten up Koppenhaver, so what). If Yoshida beats Karo, and he definetely can, it's the freezer for The Heat. btw... Yoshida has a good resume and is a veteran of the sport, the problem is, the fans know him as a guy who beat up Koppenhaver. This will be an exciting fight, just not too interesting. Their differing styles will cancel each other out and we'll be able to see another Karo style brawl.

Dana White Admits to Taking Steroids in Playboy

echinsuocha1 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:09:27 -0000

Dana White admitted to taking Steroids in a report that is as shocking as:

- Vince McMahon saying he too took steroids
- Vince McMahon saying WWE / WWF is / was scripted
- Dana White and Vince McMahon enjoying a roid-raged weekend in Vegas together

"Yes. There was a doctor here in Vegas when I was in high school; you went to his office and said you wanted to try his ‘weight gain’ program. … Injections and pills. Pretty soon I felt strong. Superhuman. But I wasn’t comfortable with it."

See full video and photo here:

http://blog.ingamenow.com/2008/08/14/dana-white-admits-to-taking-steroids-in-playboy/

via mrsunshinevegas.files.wordpress.com

Why Fedor vs. Randy Will Never Happen, in the UFC or Elsewhere

Michaelthebox — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:25:38 -0000

Over the past few days, a new rash of Fedor/Randy news has started the blogosphere talking, starting with the couple's canoodling in LA, followed by Vadim's statements to Sherdog reiterating their willingness to work with the UFC. That was followed by Randy's statements on Adam Carolla's show, saying he believed his paycheck for that fight should be $6-10 million.

Pramit Mohapatra over at FightTicker did a fine job of debunking Randy's claims as to reasonable pay:

At $50 a pop, 700,000 PPV buys gives us $35 million in PPV revenue. Give the PPV broadcaster half and the promotion ends up with $17.5 million.

Now, UFC 87 (with an announced attendance in the neighborhood of 15,000) made a reported live gate of $2.2 million. Let's be generous and say that Randy-Fedor garners a live gate of $3 million.

. . .

(Without all costs) factored in, Couture's estimate of a $12-20 million total payout for both him and Fedor seems very unrealistic.

However, that still leaves open a couple of questions: what would be reasonable pay and terms for that fight to take place in the UFC? And will those terms prevent the fight from ever happening?

Working with Pramit's numbers, an expected revenue of $17.5 million for the promotion would have to be divided up by fighter revenue, promotion revenue, and the costs for putting together and promoting the event, as well as the substantial interest costs on Zuffa's debt. If those costs are estimated at approximately 7-10 million (as this fight would clearly require a great deal more advertising than most UFC fights, as Fedor is basically an unknown to the majority of UFC fans,) that leaves maybe 9-10 million to split between Fedor, Randy, and the promotion. With a 50/50 split, that leaves about 5 million for the fighters, with Randy and Fedor each getting a little over 2 million and the rest of the fighters getting about 700k.

However, this breakdown ignores the non-monetary issues, almost all of which currently run against Randy/Fedor. First is the fact that the UFC holds most of the leverage right now. The UFC does not need Randy/Fedor, while Randy needs this fight soon if he ever wants to have it.

Second is the fact that the value of this fight declines by the day. The longer Randy is out of the public eye and the longer other upstart promotions lose money without breaking through, the less likely Randy will be able to get a big payday out of this fight when he finally gets out from under the UFC's thumb. This was the biggest fight of all time a year ago. Right now, its still a big fight, but many people have lost interest in favor of Fedor/Barnett or Fedor/Arlovski. A year and a half from now, the fight may not have that value of being a breakout fight for another promotion, and Randy will never fight again. With the UFC appearing fully capable of drawing out the legal issues until kingdom come, that deadline has to loom in Randy's mind.

Third, Randy's continued abrasiveness in regards to the UFC and his open rejection of their contract and policies makes him less valuable to the organization. The UFC does not want to hype up a fight with a guy who may fight, then promptly turn around and resume devaluing the UFC with his words and actions. He can't be expected to continue bringing in money for the UFC with following fights, since he's already shown his willingness to abandon the company and his contract. In fact, if he does win, does he hold out for a superfight with Arlovski? The UFC may end up trading one superfight headache for another. And what signal does that send to other UFC fighters, that Randy took on the beast and won? The UFC needs to send the message that Randy would have been better off simply fulfilling his original contract, which would require Randy to fight Fedor under terms he almost certainly wouldn't accept. Randy tied up in legal limbo may be the best option right now, from the UFC's perspective.

Fourth is Fedor and his management's unwillingness to sign a long-term contract that isn't riddled with co-promoting nonsense. Even if the UFC can wheedle him into signing a four-fight deal (doubtful) he could easily bolt afterward and cause the UFC more headaches, as he would possibly leave as the UFC HW champion and a superstar in the US. They may not want to take the risk. If need be, the UFC can wait him out for another top HW fighter to reach the top, a fighter who may be more willing to tie his name to the UFC for the rest of his career.

The primary reason to hold the fight in the UFC is the risk of it being held in another promotion and vaulting them to national profitability. But as mentioned earlier, the fight loses value almost on a daily basis. A year from now, there may be no upstart promotion willing to take the certain loss on that fight. Strikeforce doesn't need it, and EliteXC and Affliction may have already either shut their doors, or reached profitability on their own. If Fedor/Randy declines to simply a standard "big fight" it will never happen under the terms Randy wants. And with the UFC keeping Randy in court, they can afford to wait to see if they can keep him busy long enough for the fight to lose its lustre.

In sum, Randy/Fedor is too dangerous for the UFC to hold under anywhere near the terms Randy's pride and Fedor's pride demand, and by the time it could be held anywhere else, it won't matter anymore. Randy will move on in his movie career, and Fedor will continue to be a star in Japan and Russia, and we will have all missed out on a fight we should have already seen.

(My first fanpost, hope you like!)

Should BJ Penn get a shot at GSP?

Cori — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:33:03 -0000

With GSP's win over Fitch and BJ Penn's post-fight appearance and hype for a fight between the two, it seems that everyone thinks that's the next fight for both. But should it be? At least one person doesn't think so.

"Sure, he destroyed Shawn Sherk...on his feet. I would have liked to have seen BJ's cardio on display against Sherk. However, Sherk was out to prove that he's more than a wrestler, and he didn't go for takedown after takedown. Because of this, Penn's cardio was never put to the challenge.

That being said, Penn has defended his title only once and he's been screwing hard workers out of their title shot this year because of his infatuation of fighting Georges St. Pierre.

The same could be said for Georges St. Pierre, but Georges St. Pierre is a two time Welterweight Champ who has beaten every opponent he has ever fought. Sorry Kenny Florian, your five wins in a row only mean you have to keep winning because BJ Penn wants to fight Georges St. Pierre, and what Baby Jay wants, Baby Jay gets."

It does seem unfair to tie up yet another division's title and withhold opportunities for other fighters, especially when neither titleholder has had the chance to defend their titles more than once or clean out their divisions. And what happens after the fight? Where do the titles end up? What happens to the fighters climbing up the ladder that have been patiently waiting for their shot?

Wouldn't everyone involved be better off if both GSP and Penn had some time to further establish their dominance in their respective divisions before having a 'P4P Clash'?

Caution: Overuse of Professional Wrestling Tactics Can Lead to Damage

Cannon J — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:26:07 -0000

Fronted by Luke Thomas.

Matthew Polly has written a thought provoking piece on the use of heels and other sensational tactics in MMA. From Fightlinker:

All of the current mainstream acceptance along with its corollary money and fame can go away very quickly. It’s been ten years since Pro-Wrestling was huge enough that The Rock could cross over. It’s been about three since Texas Hold ‘Em was hot. The public is fickle, and MMA is not the first combat sport to try and break boxing’s stranglehold on the public’s imagination. (Remember the PKA? Not so much.)

The difference between celebrating the joys of victory and mocking the agony of your opponent’s defeat may seem like a fine line. But it certainly wasn’t to Tank Abbott’s crew in UFC 45 when Cabbage taunted their patron, creating the UFC’s first bench-clearing brawl and appalling even Joe Rogen. How many more times can someone like Scott Jansen’s brother head butt Phil Baroni after a fight without the casual CBS-type viewer assuming that MMA fighters are not the highly trained athletes that they are but actually "animals" (an accusation I’ve heard many times since I’ve started covering this sport)?

This is a critical time for MMA. The sport is quite new, and doesn't have decades of history to define it. MMA can define itself as a serious sport, or it can take on the role of spectacle. Many "hardcore fans" exhibit an extreme dislike for professional wrestling. Others are fans, or are former fans of the sports entertainment genre. With this in mind, it's easy to understand why Brock Lesnar and his post-fight antics have been the focal point of much debate within the MMA community. While some showmanship is probably good for the sport, following the path of a scripted sports hybrid too closely could prove detrimental. Polly elaborates:

Lesnar’s victory was sufficiently one-sided that Herring’s demoralized entourage held back. But I doubt this will be the case in the future, especially if he fights a Brazilian. (Think Coleman v Rua.) A skilled heel instinctively knows where that fine line is between provocation and parole. In his younger days Ali certainly did. We’ll see about Lesnar.

In the short term, the UFC would do well to keep a tight lasso on their current crazy horseback mountain rider. Gary Shaw’s EliteXC kept pushing for Tyson-bites-Holyfield moments and look where it got him and his network program.

Athletes pretending to be classy and care about disadvantaged children and the troops overseas when all they really want is more money and more groupies is as boringly hypocritical in MMA as it is in the NFL, the MBA, or the NBA. But it’s how the game is played in America. There is plenty of time to fly the true colors and keep it real when/if MMA secures a permanent rotation on Sports Center.

Did you like EliteXC's first, or second CBS show better? It may be more a question of what more people like - including casual fans. However, I tend to believe that keeping the hardcore base of MMA fans satisfied is extremely important for the sport in the long-term. If you are one who believes in the pro-wrestling model, remember that its popularity is not as steady as that of major sports in America. Is that scenario good for MMA?

A compromise must be met between theatrics and sport. Too much use of theatrics will likely turn off sports fans that prefer a more pure competitive experience. A fight sport completely devoid of all hype and showmanship could become too dull to satisfy casual fans. Casual fans are definitely needed for the sport to grow. What MMA doesn't need is the perception that it is a scripted affair like pro-wrestling. MMA is a sport. It's not just entertainment. MMA is also a competition that must maintain some sort of integrity. Unfortunately, perception is sometimes as important as reality, and the reality is that MMA doesn't want to look too similar to professional wrestling.

Randy Couture on The Adam Carolla Show

INGO B — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:42:46 -0000

Quite possibly one of the greatest MMA fighters of our time makes his way on the greatest radio show of our time.

Part 1 (right click, save as)

Part 2 (right click, save as)

PS - apparently, this post must contain 75 words minimum, so allow me to wax eloquent upon why the Adam Carolla Show is so good. It's intelligent, it's funny, it's irreverent, and it's honest. His sidekicks are his intellectual equal, and the show stays away from the stupid morning zoo crap (contests, repetitive weather reports)

Brock Lesnar's way to the strap.

Heenan — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:39:52 -0000

Earlier this week, I outlashed a little bit because I had all the Brock Lesnar pie that my stomach could handle. I have taken a couple days off (of MMA), and gathered my thoughts about the UFC heavy-weight class.

In a perfect world, Randy Couture would still be defending the heavy-weight crown. After watching Brock defeat Herring without taking any noticeable damage, there is very little doubt in my mind that this would be a similar fight. Couture's game plan would probably be a little deeper than Herrings, but would it make any difference? In the past, Captain America has struggled with guys that have a weight/strength advantage sans Tim Sylvia (ex. Barnett, Rodriguez, and even Chuck Liddell when they both cut to 205). The reason he was able to defeat Tim, is because of the Maine-iacs lack of training on the ground, and too much focus on boxing. He was able to keep Tim guessing. I seriously doubt he would keep Lesnar guessing from his back, or in the turtle position.

The Lesnar/Couture match-up would favor the former pro-wrestler from almost any angle you take it. Randy wouldn't have the choice of dictating the pace of the fight, nor where the fight would take place.

All though I am a former Couture fan, I think this fight would be a solid avenue to let everyone know that Brock is possible championship material. This is a fight he could win today. Hopefully Randy comes back, fights Nog (whom I predict would win), and Randy could have his last contractual bout with Brock Lesnar (which would probably be a lot more interesting than Fedor/Randy, and equally as profitable for Zuffa).

Lesnar's way to the top could happen later this fall starting with his speculated match-up with Kongo. If Randy came back, lost to Nog, and the stars became aligned, that would be Brocks way to get to the top of the ladder.

However, it will never happen due to everyones differing agenda's.

Strikeforce Heading to Denver

BJJDenver — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:07:18 -0000

Fronted by Luke Thomas.

Sam Caplan is reporting that Strikeforce will be putting on a show in Denver October 3rd. The show will be at the Broomfield Event Center, the same location as UFN 13 a while back:

FiveOuncesOfPain.com received a press release this afternoon announcing that Strikeforce will hold its first-ever show in Denver, Colo. on Oct. 3 at the Broomfield Event Center.
A request for comment from Strikeforce Vice President Mike Afromowitz was not immediately returned but the release indicates that one of the featured matches on the show will pit hometown hero Duane “Bang” Ludwig against Sammy Morgan.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com was able to confirm the matchup with Morgan’s trainer, Mike Reilly of Team Bison in Minnesota. Morgan is scheduled to fight Fabricio Camoes for EliteXC this Friday during a ShoXC event.

The release also indicates that both Phil Baroni and Frank Trigg will be involved in a “Superfight.” However, it is unclear from the release whether they will be fighting each other or compete in separate bouts. Five Ounces Of Pain contacted Trigg for comment via e-mail and he indicated that he is not scheduled to fight Baroni adding that the two currently compete in separate weight classes.

I think this is great, as it is in my backyard and I have been awaiting promotions to take advantage of MMA's growing appeal by heading out into new markets. This is key to gaining a certain level of success. I think, for example, the IFL really missed the boat by not spreading out and exposing their product to new audiences. Regardless of the business side, I will be there, cage side, supporting MMA and my school's Muay Thai instructor "Bang" Ludwig.

Babalu vs. Southworth not Ortiz?

asmiley420 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:56:34 -0000

I just read an interesting article up over at Fiveouncesofpain.com about a possible match between Strikeforce LHW Champ Bobby Southworth and Former UFC LHW Contender Renato "Babalu" Sobral.

Renato “Babalu” Sobral may be a very busy man over the next couple of months. Sources have confirmed that Babalu is set to face Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth on Saturday, September 20.

The September 20th date is only three weeks prior to the second Affliction show where Babalu is supposed to be facing Tito Ortiz.

It’ll be very interesting if both organizations are willing to let Sobral fight on two different shows so close together. While Sobral would be a heavy favorite against Southworth, he could be forced to go five rounds with the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion.

Plus, based on all accounts, the Affliction show would pay Sobral substantitally more. Sobral also has publicly stated the the match-up with Ortiz is his “dream fight”. However, for Strikeforce to be willing to announce the fight, I would think they would feel very positive that it will take place. The other possibility is that negotiations between Ortiz and Affliction have fallen off. This could be a very interesting situation over the next few months.

I wasn't all that excited about a Tito vs. Babalu match, but i'd much rather see that happen than a bout between Babalu and Southworth.

Arianny & Roger...No More

asmiley420 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:31:57 -0000

MMARated.com has a piece on an interview with UFC Ring Girl Arianny Celeste. In the interview she says her and Roger Huerta are no longer on speaking terms. Ariel Helwani really tries to get her to open up on the situation but she stays tight lipped. Guys I guess our one in a million shot is still alive! For the interview: http://mmarated.com/blogs/blog/20080812/catching_up_with_arianny_celeste-374.html Something tells me Roger isn't really too bummed out.

MMA Live on ESPN or ESPN2?

filipinomix2oo0 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:14:59 -0000

Fronted by Luke Thomas.

"Florian discussed the show's future while a guest on Monday's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com) the official radio partner MMA Junkie":

So when exactly could the deal be done?

"I don't want to let the cat out of the bag, but soon," Florian said. "The next couple of month, we're hoping to get [MMA Live] on ESPN or ESPN 2, and the sponsors are getting on board as we speak, so we should have a deal very, very soon. We're all very pumped."

The 30-minute studio show, which launched in May, is hosted by Jon Anik with Florian, boxing/MMA writer Franklin McNeil and other guest hosts as analysts. With stellar production values, video footage from all the top organizations (including the UFC) and the backing of the sport's world most powerful news oulet, "MMA Live" has garnered a strong following despite being distributed only on the web.

"It's a fun time," said Florian, who awakes at 4 a.m. to tape the show in Bristol, Conn., each Thursday. "The producers are awesome to work with. Everyone over there is cool."

"MMA Live" airs Thursdays at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.com.

I don't know why any other blog hasn't covered this yet, but this is potentially one of the biggest things to happen to the sport. ESPN is the Mecca of sports television and for MMA to possibly get its own show and stand side-by-side with other shows such as NFL Live, Baseball Tonight, and NBA Live is a huge deal. If this happens, I think its safe to say that MMA will have finally broke into the mainstream. It's never been a better time to be a fan of MMA.

"Crazy Corrie" vs. Dana White

asmiley420 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:25:05 -0000

Fronted by Luke Thomas.

Apparently during a UFC 87 "Fight Club" Q&A a fan dubbed "Crazy Corrie" from Toronto let UFC President Dana White know just how she feels about the way he's treated Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture. The video is a little grainy and the audio isn't the best, but it's still some entertaining stuff:

"Crazy Corrie" sounds like Jenna Jameson. One thing is for sure if things don't work out with Jenna Jameson, Tito's got another crazy one waiting in Toronto.

Couture-Fedor Meeting in LA this week

lovingmma25 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:29:09 -0000

Nearly one year after his resignation from the UFC, the MMA world remains transfixed on Randy Couture and his quest to fight Fedor Emelienanko. In a sport of short attention spans, the bout remains the most anticipated in MMA as evidenced by the reaction generated by the staredown between the two heavyweights at Affliction’s innaugural event. Couture and Emelienanko had hoped to square off later this year, but a recent setback in Couture’s legal battle with the UFC appears to have delayed the fight until at least 2009. However, despite the hurdles in their way, the consensus top five heavyweights remain committed to turning the dream fight into a reality. MMAPayout.com has learned that Couture and Emelianenko, along with their respective management teams, have spent a great deal of time together in Los Angeles this week. The purpose of the informal summit is not entirely clear, but one logical goal of the meetings could be the development of a collective strategy moving forward in order to insure that the fight takes place, sooner rather than later. Adding intrigue to the meetings are recent statements from both parties, as well as the UFC, publicly indicating a willingness to discuss resolving their respective differences in order to have the fight take place in the Octagon, perhaps by the end of the year. Speculation within the industry pegs the pay-per-view expectations for the fight around one million buys if promoted by the UFC, which combined with what has become an expensive and protracted legal battle, give both sides ample motivation to come to an agreement. In addition to the meetings, MMAPayout.com has also confirmed that Couture and Emelianenko are scheduled to participate in a magazine photo shoot. A previous Affliction photo shoot featuring a staredown between the two fighters caused waves in February.

http://www.mmapayout.com/2008/08/couture-fedor-meeting-in-la-this-week/

Sherdog is running a similar story as well: http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/la-confidential-couture-fedor-meet-14017

Jackson vs. Rua in December?

asmiley420 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:48:23 -0000

Just caught an article up over at mmamania.com about a pototential rematch between Former UFC LHW Champion Quention "Rampage" Jackson (28-7) and Former Pride GP winner Mauricio "Shogun" Rua 16-3. Here's a snippet from the Article.

" Rua, winner of the PRIDE 2005 middleweight grand prix, informed a very unsuspecting but grateful crowd that he was indeed anticipating a December return and hopeful that his opponent would be former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (28-7) — not Mark Coleman as previously reported."

If this takes place on the New Year's show we possibly have one the biggest fight cards in history shaping up. Who takes the Rematch?