SB Nation User Blog: Benjamin.Zeidler

MMA: The New Poker?

Benjamin.Zeidler — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:12:46 -0000

Here's a fantastic new article by Jordan Arnold, over at Five Knuckles:

"How many fake-ass fighters would we see down at the bar with their Tapout shirts saying that their time is coming. Shit, you know they don't train. If it was easy, all of those guys would be in there. I don't know man, I don't want any part of that."

This is a quote from one of my old interviews with Jens Pulver. He said this back in 2007, however it may apply even more today. One can consistently find twenty and thirty-year-old men in the gym working out with their TapouT shirts on, punching each other in the abs while they do sit ups. Everyone knows that they probably do not do any actual mixed-martial-arts training, however they have this false perception that they are some kind of brave warrior that is ready to step in the Octagon at any minute.

All of this raises the question: Is MMA the new Poker?

Everyone remembers when poker got big back in 2003. We all watched as Chris Moneymaker tore through all of the professional poker players, whom we had never heard of, to win the World Series of Poker. After that, the sport exploded. Millions joined online poker leagues, poker hit huge deals with ESPN and NBC, branded poker rooms became a staple in every casino and guys like Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth became household names.

Now fast-forward a bit to April 9th, 2005. In most minds, this date marks the arrival of MMA. On this night, Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar competed against each other to see who would become the first "Ultimate Fighter." Throughout the three rounds, both fighters absolutely annihilated each other in what was a ratings hit. More and more people kept tuning into Spike throughout the fight because their friends had called them and told them that they needed to watch. Dana White refers to Griffin-Bonnar as "the most important fight in UFC history."

When compared, one realizes that the rise of poker and that of MMA are very similar. Poker's rise is generally credited to online poker, the World Series of Poker being televised, the 2004-2005 NHL lockout, television commercials, and Chris Moneymaker. The rise of MMA is often attributed to The Ultimate Fighter, the downfall of boxing, TapouT, the purchase of PRIDE, and Kimbo Slice. See the similarities?

Comparison #1: The Downfall of Another Sport

In order for poker and MMA to get big, another sport had to get out of the way. In poker's case it was hockey. The NHL did not have a 2004-05 regular season. It returned the next year, but it has never had the same popularity. This was perfect for poker because the World Series of Poker Circuit Tournament is the same time as hockey season. With hockey being off of television, this gave more room to show poker on ESPN. Also, it gained a bigger share of a sporting fan's interest. With the extra TV spots, poker was primetime television. Plus, with the hockey lockout, sporting fans may have been more interested in a sport that has no contracts like poker or MMA. People were tired of pay raises going to players who made too much already and did not perform on the field.

In MMA's case it was its weird older cousin, boxing. As Joe Rogan said in 2007, "The famous people that (boxing has) right now are the only famous people that are going to exist in the future." Boxing had been dying for a long time and it needed a new hip replacement. Fans quickly realized that MMA is actually real fighting while boxing is just one aspect of MMA. Fans who got tired of spending money to watching boxing legends gas in the second round moved on to MMA.

Comparison #2: Average Joes Standing Out

Both poker and MMA also had faces that average fans could love and latch onto. Chris Moneymaker was the first online poker player to win a WSOP main event (2.5 million). He was just an average Joe that ended up making a huge amount of money and was the face of a sport for a few years. Kimbo Slice, like it or not, is one of the faces of MMA. Some may not know who Chuck Liddell is, but everyone knows about Kimbo Slice. Kimbo was a goofy-looking homeless man that beat up people on Youtube. He then moved to the cage and was a huge television hit. Again, Kimbo was an average Joe that turned one opportunity into a huge contract, huge fights, big money and lots of fame.

Comparison #3: The Television Tournament

Both sports also had tournaments that were watched by millions of people. The World Series of Poker was a staple in most households for 2003 and 2004. Nobody could get away from it. The Ultimate Fighter was huge in the rise of MMA simply because it is a reality show and people can watch it every week. Additionally, at the end of each season there is a free UFC event televised on Spike. UFC pay-per-views are 50 dollars, so a lot of people do not bother to buy them just because they can not afford them. Accessibility was huge for the UFC because with the rise of The Ultimate Fighter, one could watch MMA on a weekly basis for free.

So is MMA going to be as popular as people say? Or will it peak, much like poker did a few years after its boom? The facts seem to suggest that it will continue its meteoric rise. This is because:

1 Poker is mostly chance and MMA is mostly skill. People love watching the results of the hard work that mixed-martial-artists put into their careers. In poker, it is very possible to dominate without much hard work at all. 2-7 off-suited (the worst hand in Texas Hold'em poker) can technically beat a pair of aces. There is definitely a certain amount of luck in MMA (see St. Pierre-Serra), however the fans love it because they too often see lazy athletes with natural talent that do not put in the work that is needed. MMA represents the blue collar spirit of a hard work ethic.

2 MMA is fighting. From Gladiators to sword duels to boxing in the 1920s, humans love fighting. Fighting seems to be hardwired into our brains just as much as peace or love is. This is why war games and violent movies are so popular. With boxing dropping off of a cliff, MMA is taking its place.

3 The UFC is great at hyping fights. Right now, they are saying that UFC 100 is the biggest card of all-time. In a few weeks they will be saying that UFC 101 is. They somehow got fans hyped up for Ortiz-Shamrock 3. They had already fought twice! Every fight that Georges St. Pierre has from now on is going to be "the toughest test of his career" because that sells pay-per-views. Poker definitely lacks here. They have one big event all year and the other events are usually not even televised. It would be like the WWE having Wrestlemania as their only pay-per-view of the year.

4 There are always intriguing storylines to follow in MMA. Young vs. old, style vs. style, power vs. technique. In poker, there is rarely a storyline to follow. Occasionally we run across a guy like Moneymaker that has a good story, but nothing like "PRIDE vs. UFC" or "Ortiz vs. Liddell."

5 MMA has journalists writing about the sport. Poker did not have a Sherdog or a Five Knuckles. MMA journalists can write about events, training before the events, future fights, rumors, etc...but poker journalists can't. They can write about events and that's it. MMA fans can get their news or opinions on almost any fighter at any time.

MMA's rise is extremely similar to poker's rise, however MMA will not plateau at its peak. So do not worry folks, MMA is here to stay. Ignore the guys in the Xtreme Couture shirts who don't know who Randy Couture is. They will come around.

Poll

Is MMA the new poker?

Winter MMA Schedule Looks Lackluster

Benjamin.Zeidler — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:16:51 -0000

As busy as January 2009 was for ardent and casual MMA fans alike (two UFCs, one WEC, one Affliction, and two Texas-sized title fights), it’s about to get equally quiet. Much of the excitement layoff stems from poor long term scheduling. Every UFC champion with the exception of Anderson Silva has fought in the past two months, rendering the bulk of the UFC’s draw useless until the spring. Anderson Silva will mark the UFC’s return to pay-per-view notoriety at a UFC 97 event, but that’s still two months away.

Until then, it’s nothing but ex-TUFers, debuting fighters, and guys two or three wins away from the title picture. A Fight Night event next weekend bring Joe Lauzon and Jeremy Stephens to the forefront of the card while fan favorites Mac Danzig and Anthony Johnson round out the card. Yes, it will be interesting to watch these prospects further develop their skills, but we won’t be treated to any fights of the year.

The next numbered event comes in the form of UFC 95, a interesting albeit meaningless matchup between Diego Sanchez (at his natural weight) against former contender Joe Stevenson. The winner should move into the top 5 picture within the UFC lightweights, but for now, the impact of this main event is minimal. Personally, I’m more interested in seeing Chael Sonnen make his UFC debut against submission wizard Demian Maia. The winner of this bout should be able to make a case for title contention, but it’s obvious that the card is no UFC 92.

The mediocrity continues at UFC 96, which is scheduled for March 7th. The main event, again, is interesting, but considering the remainder of the card, I wouldn’t pay $20 to see it. After Jackson vs. Jardine, which is likely intended to propel Jackson to a title shot, this card offers nothing. From the way the fights are shaping up, it appears that Mark Munoz, Jim Miller, and Mike Patt will make the televised portion of the evening. That’s not pretty.

Instead of falling directly into what could be a strong UFC 97, the UFC has decided to put on yet another Fight Night, this time pushing Carlos Condit to the top of the batting order. Condit vs. Kampmann should be a fun tune-up for the ex-WEC star and as a longtime fan of the sport, I can say that I’m looking forward to this fight. However, anyone outside the inner circle of MMA knowledge will likely abandon this free event.

Finally, the MMA world will reach UFC 97, scheduled for April 18th, over two months from today. While the card has a title fight (Silva vs. Leites) and a match for the casual fans (Liddell vs. Rua), it’s still no UFC 92 or 94. For that, the fans will have to wait until UFC 98, when the Heavyweight title will be on the line in addition to a grudge match between Matt Hughes and Matt Serra. I expect the UFC to hold its champions until its 100th show, although I wouldn’t be downright shocked to see them pull out another title fight to complement Silva’s all-but-assured middleweight defense.

Unfortunately, with the downfall of EliteXC and the spacing of Affliction shows, the UFC can afford to ration its talent and make the fans wait for the big shows to happen. And from the looks of the remaining winter schedule, it appears that we will have to do just that.

Bloody Elbow Exclusive: Georges St. Pierre Interview

Benjamin.Zeidler — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:38:48 -0000

Promoted to the front page from the FanPosts by Luke Thomas.

Note from Kid Nate. We really appreciate when our readers contribute great content like this to Bloody Elbow, but please remember not to refer to yourself as BloodyElbow and NEVER NEVER pass yourself off as a writer for BloodyElbow to a fighter or their management unless you are on our staff. Thanks

Just a few days before the biggest fight of his career, UFC welterweight champion sat down with me to discuss his upcoming fight, his future in the sport, and everything in between.

Benjamin Zeidler: Tell us a little bit about your training for this fight. I know you went to Brazil to work on your Jiu Jitsu. How has your usual routine changed to match the talent of BJ Penn?

Georges St. Pierre: Well, I’ve been in Brazil for a little while now. I started training a long time ago for this fight and I’m now just picking it up a lot. What is different is not my training, but the overall strategy for the fight.

BZ: How has the strategy changed?

GSP: You know in cards how you don’t want to show your hand? I don’t want to give up my strategy so BJ can make that adjustment to what I’m going to do. I can say that I’m going to be much more prepared from when I fought him the first time.

BZ: Jackson’s submission fighting was the unquestioned camp of the year in 2008. How much has Greg Jackson factored into your training for this fight?

GSP: Greg is amazing and he helped me a lot for this fight. We call him the Maestro because he tells us what to play and then we play the music. That’s all I’m doing out there, playing the music. He is amazing.

BZ: BJ Penn showed much improved striking against Sherk but has always been known as something of a submission artist. Do you have a preference regarding where the fight ends up?

GSP: It’s going to depend on what happens when we are in there but I believe that I can get the best of him both ways.

BZ: What part of BJ’s ability will pose the greatest problem for you?

GSP: He is very well rounded so it is tough to know what he is going to try to do.

BZ: You beat BJ back at UFC 58. How have each of you changed since then?

GSP: We are both two very different fighters from the first one, but I believe that I am the more improved version. There is only one way to find out.

BZ: You usually enter the ring in some sort of samurai attire. What influence does Japanese culture and martial arts have on your life in and out of the octagon?

GSP: As you know, I have a background in Kyoyushin Karate which is based in Japan. It is very important to me that everything I do, I do in their respect. I am very traditional when it comes to martial arts.

BZ: How do you mentally prepare for a fight? Is there any meditation involved?

GSP: I definitely use mental imagery and try to see where the fight could end up and what that would look like.

BZ: Do you have a particular routine or something you eat before every fight?

GSP: It is all a routine for me. I like wheat pasta with some olive oil before fights. Orange juice too.

BZ: I read that Sportsnet named you the Canadian athlete of the year and that you had 88% of the vote. What does it mean to have that continued support of Canada behind you?

GSP: It’s a great honor and a big step for the sport We are finally being known as a major sport in the world.

BZ: This is arguably one of the biggest fights in UFC history. Talk for a second about what it means to be in a champion vs. champion bout.

GSP: I’m glad to fight BJ Penn because the big fights make big champions. He’s truly the best guy that I’ve fought so far. No one wants this more than me. This fight will give me a legacy, it will make me a legend. It will be one of those fights that people talk about for a long time.

BZ: Do you consider yourself to be the greatest welterweight of all time?

GSP: I don’t know about that. (Laughs) You’re putting me on the spot.

BE: Okay, okay, then how about this: what else do you feel you need to accomplish in your career?

GSP: I don’t want to look past BJ Penn. That is my focus right now.

BZ: In your opinion, who are some of the lesser known welterweights that you feel will be champions some day?

GSP: There are so many talented fighters in the division. Thiago Alves, Anthony Johnson, Jake Shields. There are so many good guys that it’s hard to say.

BZ: If you can beat Penn, would you be interested in a fight with Anderson Silva?

GSP: Yeah, absolutely, but it depends on the outcome of my fights.

BZ: If you beat Penn, does Thiago Alves automatically get the next fight with you?

GSP: I am not sure if they made that definite, but I think logically, it would be Alves.

BZ: Randy Couture says that he expects you to win. Do you pay attention to what other fighters have to say about you and your fights?

GSP: It’s great to hear stuff like that coming from Randy who is a very reputable guy. It’s a fight and anything can happen so I’m trying to keep my eyes on the goal.

BZ: Your longtime rival Matt Hughes has been struggling as of late. Do you think that he should retire?

GSP: He needs to sharpen up some little stuff, maybe by changing his routine, but he’ll be back on the horse pretty soon. He’s a very good guy and very tough opponent.

BZ: 2008 saw the fall of numerous MMA promotions. Can anyone truly compete with the UFC?

GSP: I don’t know about that. You know me, I’m a fighter, that’s the job I love to do and I hope the sport will grow. If it helps the sport to grow, it is all good for us. I want the athletes to be able to do this for a living. Back in the day, I was struggling to live with my job. I want guys to have an easier time than I did. If they can start in other organizations that will promote them well and it helps them come to the UFC, then I think it is a good thing.

BZ: What is your opinion of The Ultimate Fighter? Do you think it reflects poorly on the UFC when the fighters act out?

GSP: I don’t really watch much UFC fighting when I’m outside of training. I’d rather do something else to get my mind off of fighting.

BZ: Do you watch the pay per views on television?

GSP: Only when I have a training partner who is fighting. Other than that, I don’t watch them.

BZ: Okay, I think that about wraps it up. Do you have anything to say to your fans?

GSP: Thanks for the support and you’re going to see the best GSP ever.

Bloody Elbow Exclusive: Lyoto Machida Talks Challengers, Title Shot

Benjamin.Zeidler — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:36:01 -0000

Promoted to the front page by Luke Thomas.

Lyoto Machida has become one of the most polarizing figures in MMA today, and somehow, he's done it without opening his mouth. (Take note, Tito.) His incredible fighting ability coupled with a defensive style has stymied opponents and unnerved fans alike. He now takes a moment to address these issues among others in a Bloody Elbow exclusive. Enjoy the interview; he doesn't give many.

BZ: Did you expect to receive the title shot if Liddell had beaten Evans?

LM: As I keep winning, I will get the title shot.

BZ: But you have to be disappointed, considering you beat Tito Ortiz and Rashad didn't...

LM: Rashad Evans is a great fighter, have you checked out his record lately? He hasn't lost either. He has fought more in the UFC than I have, maybe that is why they are letting him have a shot at the title. He had a great knockout over Liddell.

BZ: Has the UFC talked to you about a title shot and what you would need to do in order to receive one?

LM: They will give me the opportunity, my time will come soon. I've been prepared for this all my life to become a champion. When the talent meets the opportunity: BOOM, new champion. I have the desire, I have the talent, I put all my efforts into this, the opportunity will come soon and I will be there READY.

BZ: Is there anyone other than Thiago Silva that you would like to face?

LM: I can face anyone. Rampage is a tough guy and some people feel he beat Forrest in their last fight and should be the champion. How do you think the fans would react if I finished Rampage when Forrest did not? But I will fight against anyone. Give me the job and I will get it done. Rampage, Couture, Liddell, Vanderlei, Shogun, I work hard to win and will keep winning. Who thought they would see Tito with his back on the floor? Tito is a Great fighter but when he faced me, Lyoto, you know the ending.

BZ: Tell us a little bit more about your training regimens.

LM: My training is very versatile. My life is training, I just make some adaptations for each opponent. They need to worry about me. Look at my past, when I finish the fight I go dinner and have some fun and the other fighters go to the hospital.

BZ: What do you say to fans who say your style is boring?

LM: Everyone has their own opinion and I really respect that. I am a martial artist, there is a lot of thought and strategy that goes into the way I fight. Give me time and in the future every one will understand my style. It is like jiu-jitsu in the beginning (UFC 1, 2, 3...), it was boring but now it is necessary. If you don’t like it, sorry. I always try to win. For some that is boring, I know, but I am beating the best in the world. After my fights I do not have nothing on my face, no scratches, no bruises. I am like a ghost they can not find me. If that is boring, that is their opinion. But I will be there for long time WINNING. Let everyone underestimate me. I will always be training ready for the next.

BZ: That's all for now. Thanks so much, Lyoto.

LM: Thanks for the opportunity to speak with you, thanks for all my American fans and my fans in Brazil. I will make you a promise that I will always give 110% in my fights. Keep watching!

* This interview was conducted via a translator.