Promoted from the FanPosts by Kid Nate

Shamrock gave his take on the Nick Diaz/Strikeforce situation.  From AOL's MMA Fanhouse:

Sadly, it's a big problem because somebody's out a lot of money -- Strikeforce/Showtime -- and you know, that wasn't fair from a professional standpoint. But you know, I'm not matching the fights, and unfortunately, Diaz has a strong name right now, and he has a lot of value to somebody. I mean, UFC has expressed value. We all like Nick, he's just a knucklehead. And hopefully, he'll come into his own because he's coming into his own as a fighter, but his maturity, I think, is 10 years behind that.

Never short on opinions, Shamrock also talked about his contentious relationship with UFC president Dana White:

I have nothing against Dana. I never really have. I just don't believe in the master plan of what they are trying to do, and I said that and they didn't like that and that's OK. That's a disagreement, you know? But Dana took it a step further and erased me from all the history, and have been, you know, very mean about it. And I could care less. I'm not going to fight for them because I don't believe in their business model. I'm going to do something else. That's business; that's my right.

It's hard to argue with Shamrock's assessment of Diaz.  Furthermore, his criticisms of Dana White and the UFC are certainly above the belt, and there's honestly some merit to his assertion that White conveniently left the notable accomplishments of Frank Shamrock out of the build-up for UFC 100.  Certainly, the UFC isn't obligated to include a competitor of sorts in its marketing.  However, because I don't see Shamrock and Strikeforce as major threats to the UFC at this time, completely freezing out Shamrock was unnecessary.  It only gives Shamrock something to gripe about, a legitimate gripe at that.

Maybe my perception is a bit distorted, but it seems as if some of MMA 's sworn enemies have taken a more civil approach towards one another.  Tito Ortiz and Dana White are buddies again.  Don't forget about Affliction's second coming as a UFC sponsor.  White's taking a softer approach toward Frank Shamrock; Shamrock is acting in kind.  I seem to remember Matt Lindland positioning (maybe hoping) for a UFC return.  Of course, Scott Coker and Fedor Emelianenko are definitely out of the running for a Dana White Christmas card... for now, anyway.

The UFC is once again wielding its opponent-crushing power.  Apparently, their minions within the realm of media have been deployed to smear Fedor Emelianenko and M-1.  If these blogging sycophants do exceedingly well, King Dana might soften his stance against credentialing blogs, effectively allowing these hungry UFC followers a small crumb from the empire's growing pie.

It's quite an interesting theory that's deserving of a super-sized tinfoil hat.  Straight newsmen and women have become increasingly rare within the context of mainstream media.  I'm not sure if that's good, bad, or neither, but I just see it as reality.  The cynics among us certainly aren't surprised that everything in the media isn't called straight down the middle.  Why on earth should we as MMA fans expect bloggers and the like to maintain an unbiased posture in every instance, especially when a blog and others within its network claim to be "of, by and for the fans?"  Personally, I'd rather an individual explicitly tell me which way they're leaning as opposed to unearthing that bias and then loading it into an equation which estimates how much credence to assign to what this person reports.

Now, there's an argument to be made that certain media shouldn't be elevated to the level of the mainstream (i.e. credentialing) due to their roles as commentators and gatherers of information.  As I've alluded to, the mainstream media is stocked full of awful reporting, bias, and sycophants, or that's my view at least.  I'm not sure there's such a lofty standard to be achieved.  With that said, decent arguments exist against taking certain outlets as seriously as they may wish to be taken.  Ultimately, it's a decision for the promotion in question as to who should be credentialed, and, more importantly, it's a question for each and every fan/consumer as to who they trust in terms of MMA coverage.  MMA fans are more intelligent than many give them credit for being.  Even when one outlet asserts to being unbiased by not taking a specific side in a specific instance, most should be able to see through the smoke screen.  Not siding with your enemy's foe does not equate to impartiality.  Expressing a preference for an outcome doesn't necessarily equate to rampant "activism."  It's imperative to look at an outlet's pattern of behavior.  The entire body of work may very well depict a different story than one told based on a snapshot in time.

While it's noteworthy that a publication as well known as Time is giving the UFC and the larger sport of MMA some play, it's regrettable that they would introduce the general public to the contentious UFC/Fedor situation by overstating the Russian fighter's value within the confines of North America.  To wit:

Imagine a pro quarterback with Peyton Manning's talent playing up in the Canadian Football League instead of the NFL. Or picture Tiger Woods shunning the PGA and all the major championships to star in the second-string Nationwide Tour. It may sound ridiculous, but the fast-growing, wildly popular sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) is grappling with such an unthinkable, uncomfortable scenario.

That's how the article starts out, and this is how it ends:

So despite growing pressure from ultimate-fighting fans who want White to sign Fedor, it doesn't look like the pair will be doing celebratory vodka shots anytime soon. "Fedor doesn't make or break my business one way or the other, you know what I mean?" says White. "The reality is, I don't need Fedor." Still, over the long term, the Fedor-White standoff could leave mixed martial arts much like pro boxing, decimated by warring promoters and fighters, with talent spread across too many divisions for followers to keep count. After all, no sport can keep rolling in the dough if fans keep feeling shortchanged.

There is some good information in between these two excerpts, and I'm glad Dana White's perspective was at least given some attention.  Although, in my mind, the conclusions which the article draws are over-the-top.  The USAT/SBN Consensus Rankings accurately ranks Fedor (in my mind, anyway) as the top heavyweight fighter in the world.  Though some may contend that Fedor hasn't regularly fought the top contenders since the dismantling of Pride, his body of work over the years is impeccable.  He probably deserves the to be slotted at #1 until he's defeated or he completely falls off the MMA map.  However, skill and accomplishments don't necessarily equal name value, and that's really what we're talking about here.  The undeniable difference between Fedor and Tiger Woods or Fedor and Peyton Manning is that Fedor's name doesn't register with many of the fans who consume UFC-branded products.  The other two well-known athletes were held in high standing among U.S. sports fans even before either made their professional debuts.  While the UFC has done much to bolster their brand outside of North America and continues to build a global product, most of their business is still done within the boundaries of the aforementioned continent in front of U.S. and Canadian fans.

With all this mind, it seems a stretch to hypothesize that a UFC without Fedor leads to the promotional fragmentation that's synonymous with boxing.  Even if Peyton Manning were to leave the NFL for the CFL, there's little doubt that the NFL could absorb the hit quite well.  It would take a lot of defections, leading to the erosion of overall starpower and talent, to really hurt the NFL or the UFC.  I'm certainly not equating the UFC to the NFL in terms of total dollar value or overall popularity, but both are in similarly dominant positions vis a vis their respective sports.  In fact, the UFC has done more to mobilize top talent under one promotional roof than any other MMA promotion in the world.  The attention UFC events garner in comparison to what we've seen and will see in regard to media attention directed at Fedor and Affliction somewhat debunks the contention that signing Fedor is a must for the UFC and/or the sport of MMA.

If the most talented football player made his mark in Japan with most North American fans unaware of his supposed greatness, would the NFL ever feel a significant impact due to not signing the player in question?

HT:  MMA Fanhouse

For something as simple as a hopeful MMA fighter appearing on The Ultimate Fighter  with the intention of winning a UFC contract, the Kimbo Slice/UFC( or Dana White) story is one filled with angles of all kinds.  The situation can be analyzed and re-analyzed to death.  Some wonder why Kimbo would risk embarrassment against fighters with virtually no profile instead of taking large sums of money to fight in Japan or boxing under the guidance of Gary Shaw.  He would likely receive some level of protection against dangerous opponents were Kimbo to go with any of the "likely" scenarios.  Others question Dana White and his intentions since he's been Kimbo's most vocal detractor.  Many see the arrangement as an act on pure genius by Kimbo, or maybe it's another beautifully orchestrated business move by the Dana, himself.  Hell, maybe everyone is just smarter today than they were a few days ago.  Of course, everybody could be much dumber; it depends on your perspective.

For this piece, I'll stick with the simple, because simple is what I do.  The last time we saw Kimbo Slice in the cage, he was unceremoniously embarrassed by a light-heavyweight with pink hair, a UFC washout if you will.  Seth Petruzelli was a man who took the fight with EliteXC's biggest star on extremely short notice and proceeded to take the $500,000 man out in just seconds in front of millions of onlookers on CBS.  The dilemma which followed helped fuel the disintegration of the terribly run promotion that had been the first MMA concern to score a primetime network TV deal.  As quickly as Kimbo hit the canvas, so too did ProElite.

The never timid Dana White was there through it all to point out the holes in ProElite's and Kimbo's respective games.  As most know, he even offered Kimbo a shot at the UFC via The Ultimate Fighter.  All the smart money said that Kimbo would never take such a raw deal when his still huge name could score substantial paydays elsewhere.  What most of us may have discounted was Kimbo Slice's pride.  It never occurred to many that he may, in fact, want to redeem himself.  Maybe, he wasn't comfortable taking a paycheck with the cloud of Seth Petruzelli and the ProElite debacle hanging over his head.  Boxing cans handpicked by Gary Shaw would be the proverbial path of least resistance.

However, if Kimbo was seeking the medicine that is redemption, how could he best do so?  I think we know the answer.  Kimbo has decided to take the UFC president up on his offer and fight his way into the world's most successful MMA promotion.  Yes, he'll make big money if he succeeds.  Matter of fact, White admitted that, if Kimbo wins, he'll receive a contract much sweeter than the standard fare for TUF champions.  Kimbo is a fighter with a huge name.  He's certainly not one of the top mixed martial artists, but he offers much as a result of his high public profile.  But, don't let Kimbo's potentially big payoff become a distraction.  He's engaging in a competition where the odds of him running the table and winning are extremely slim.  All the talk of what he could make is nothing more than talk if he is unable to prove himself inside the cage.  Kimbo Slice has abandoned the safety net of carefully chosen opponents for a shot at MMA legitimacy.  For all the criticisms I and others have heaped on Kimbo in the past, he deserves a lot of respect for not just cashing a paycheck but playing to win.

Tim Sylvia recently talked to Fighters Only about his boxing aspirations.  To wit:

"Its something I've always wanted to pursue and if it works out like I'd like for it too, I can switch over. I don't want to be done with MMA, but the money is a lot better in boxing. Plus its a lot easier on your body and its a lot easier to train for a boxing match than it is an MMA match."

Asked if a run at a title belt in the boxing world is on his mind, Sylvia is unequivocal. "Yeah absolutely, I would love to fight some of the heavyweight champs, you know? I mean the paydays are ridiculous!" he says, adding with a laugh "$10 million paydays, that is just stupid money."

Yahoo's Steve Cofield puts Sylvia's enthusiasm in perspective:

The money is better? At the highest level, of course. With the downturn in the economy, boxers in the top 20-to-50 range are making 400-800k at best. Chad Dawson and Antonio Tarver just made a combined $1.8 million. So the money's not that big in boxing unless Sylvia thinks he's fighting a Klitschko brother. Which won't and shouldn't happen.

...

We have no idea if Sylvia can be a high level boxer. The guess is no chance. His hand speed is below average and his footwork is shaky and slow. Don't even worry about him against a top 10 fighter. Could Sylvia even be competitve with fellow giant Tye Fields, who is 6-foot-8, 270 pounds? I doubt it. Boxing is different animal. It was the same as saying Fields could win an MMA fight against Sylvia.

It's one thing to take on Ray Mercer, a near 50-year-old boxer whose best days passed him by many years ago.  It's quite another to talk about challenging some of the better pro boxers, currently fighting in the prime of their careers.  I'm not convinced Sylvia can get by Mercer, anyway. 

While a loss to Mercer, or some other boxer, probably isn't a significant blow to the MMA juggernaut, a win for Sylvia against an irrelevant boxer has no real upside for Sylvia, himself, and there's certainly no overwhelming benefit to be derived for the sport of MMA.  Tim Sylvia, like him or not, is one of highest ranked heavyweight mixed martial artists in the world (#8 according to the USAT/SBN Consensus Rankings).  However, this assertion by Sylvia that he can make waves at the top of the professional boxing ranks, and thus score the serious cash, seems premature at best.  Actually, the more cynical among us might label it sheer craziness.

Update by Brent Brookhouse:  I just wanted to point out that I'm not really sure where Cofield's numbers are coming from.  One of the hottest American prospects on the heavyweight boxing scene in years is Chris Arreola.  Arreola is currently ranked #7 in the world by Ring Magazine.  If there is anyone who would be pulling the higher end cash that Cofield claims these #20-50 guys make it would be Arreola.  Hell, it should be even higher considering that he is such a hot prospect and well above the top 20 level.  However, in his last fight Chris' purse was $400,000.  The insane payscale of boxing is a myth beyond the absolute top guys in the sport.  Tim Sylvia is not cracking the top 20 of boxing anytime soon, I'd say the safer money for him is in MMA where he is already considered top 10 and can get his regular purse in addition to sponsorship bonuses.

Frankie Edgar's upset victory over Sean Sherk at this past weekend's UFC 98 event leaves the lightweight picture a bit muddled.  Sherk's name has long been mentioned at the top of the list of potential challengers for the belt.  Though the loss to Edgar isn't a death blow to his aspiration of reclaiming the title, it very likely pushes him behind several other fighters. 

The next five UFC lightweight fighters behind #1 B.J. Penn and #3 Kenny Florian (the two will fight for the title at UFC 101) in the most recent edition of the USA Today/ SB Nation MMA Consensus Rankings are listed as follows (with most recent outings noted):

• Sean Sherk (4) - lost unanimous decision against Frankie Edgar at UFC 98.
• Diego Sanchez (10) - won unanimous decision against Joe Stevenson at UFC 95.
  
• Gray Maynard (12) - won unanimous decision against Jim Miller at UFC 96.
• Tyson Griffin (15) - won unanimous decision against Rafael Dos Anjos at UFN 18.
• Frankie Edgar (18) - won unanimous decision against Sean Sherk at UFC 98.

I'll caution that what lies ahead in this post could be construed as "MMA math," but I don't see any way around it.  Furthermore, I don't think it will ultimately be the death of us to engage in such tomfoolery, and it's kind of fun.  First of all, Sherk can't be the next guy in line for a title shot.  The former champion will likely need to get a couple of solid wins under his belt before he can enjoy consideration once again.  It would simply be illogical to put him above Edgar after their most recent fight.

Sanchez has enjoyed a decent amount of success at welterweight, but he only has one fight at lightweight.  Luckily, he'll be facing #21 Clay Guida - gatekeeper extraordinaire - at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale on June 20.  That should give us more information about the lightweight version of Diego Sanchez.

If you go back a couple of years, Edgar scored a close, and somewhat controversial victory, over Griffin.  I don't think this should figure much into the calculus as it was (a) a long-time ago and (b) basically a fight which could have legitimately been decided either way.  Griffin's more recent boxing-inspired loss to Sherk hurts him more here.

Edgar's name has come up a lot.  Although many view him as too small for the lightweight division, he's been able to notch some impressive victories (Sherk, Hermes Franca, Spencer Fisher, Griffin).  He may be the closest thing to a key in this whole mess.  With that said, I don't see him as being at the top of the list.

That honor goes to Gray Maynard who decisively won a unanimous decision victory over the aforementioned Edgar.  Maynard has earned five wins with no losses and one no contest while competing in the UFC.  He's soundly beaten Edgar, Rich Clementi, and Jim Miller in his most recent outing.  Maynard looked particularly good against Miller as he was able to utilize a very formidable striking game to complement his already dominant wrestling skills.

I think that Maynard only needs one more win at the most to warrant a title shot.  Sanchez will be right in there alongside Maynard with a convincing win over Clay Guida, and Sherk probably needs a couple of victories against some of the other talented UFC lightweights.  I'd love to see a rematch between Griffin and Edgar.  Their first match was frenetically paced and displayed just how good both are.  A rematch would likely be close and would further solidify a pecking order.  Of course, the title bout between Penn and Florian on August 8 will ultimately set all the lightweight division's many parts in motion.  I'm eager to see who wins out at UFC 101, and who will emerge as the next challenger.

It's been a long, long time in the making, but the much anticipated match between former UFC welterweight champions, Matt Hughes and Matt Serra, will finally take place at UFC 98.  Some have opined that too much time has passed, and both fighters lack relevance in the welterweight division at this point in time.  A small bit of truth exists in this argument.  However, our expectations have grown far too lofty if we expect every fight to have significant ramifications for a division or multiple divisions - as in the case of B.J. Penn fighting Georges St. Pierre.  Don't get me wrong.  Coming to MMA as mainly a fan of team sports, I love trying to put together the pieces in hopes of figuring out where every team or individual fits into a title picture.  But much like an old collegiate rivalry (see:  Texas A&M/Texas or Michigan/Ohio St.), Hughes vs. Serra has something to offer even if it's not a glimpse at the next welterweight title challenger.

There's little doubt that these two guys skip sending the other a card at Christmas time.  Hughes relishes the role of instigator and doesn't seem to mind being a bit of a villain.  Conversely, Serra is comfortable expressing his opinions regarding Hughes in quite colorful fashion.  It's really unnecessary to go on and on about how a Hughes and Serra bout is almost perfect from a marketing perspective.  Legitimate heat generally trumps the manufactured variety.

One other, often overlooked, aspect would be how wonderfully matched these two are in regards to experience, age and size.  Granted, Hughes has 39 more professional MMA fights than Serra.  Serra, however, has spent much of his time training other martial artists, and his performance in winning TUF, then upsetting GSP for the title, exhibits that his grasp of the fight game is more than solid.  Obviously, both are roughly the same age though Serra's far fewer fights likely equals less physical wear and tear than his counterpart. 

No question, Matt Hughes has looked a shell of his former self in his most recent fights.  He's dropped three of his last four.  However, keep in mind that two losses were to GSP; the same GSP who makes every other top welterweight appear pedestrian.  Then, there's his last loss to the enormous Thiago Alves - a fight Hughes took on short notice.  So, Hughes suffered three defeats at the hands of the #1 and #2 ranked welterweights in the world.  Serra, a former lightweight competitor, earned a huge win over GSP before St. Pierre exacted revenge in the form of a dominating stoppage victory.  Guys like Alves and GSP cut a ton of weight and possess significant reach advantages over competitors with frames like Hughes and Serra.  As we've seen before in many divisions, being physically larger makes for a noteworthy advantage in the world of MMA.  In modern MMA, with fighters so evenly matched from the perspective of skill, bouts pitting two similarly sized opponents generally leads to a more competitive showdown than a match where one fighter is significantly outsized.

To make a long story short (like that proverbial ship hasn't already sailed), I'm stoked for this fight.  Time is only a number or state of mind or something.  Two skilled fighters who are evenly matched from a physical perspective and who, on a personal note, can't stand each other sounds like the ingredients for a potentially awesome bout.  Whether it's 2007 or 2009, it matters little to me.

-- photo via www.combatlifestyle.com