Promoted to the Front Page by Anton Tabuena

Some questions, in my humble opinion, are better left unasked.  That may not be the case here.  However, I do maintain that there is no clear answer as to which promotion made the best deal - the UFC by signing Jake Shields away from Strikeforce or Strikeforce by grabbing up UFC defector, Dan Henderson. Perhaps, both benefited from the swap of sorts, or it could be that a true winner is yet to be determined.  I can't answer that, but in true blogging fashion, we should probably review some of what has been said on the topic thus far.

The ever-controversial, Jonathan Snowden:

As Shields floundered, Henderson did what he always does in the face of adversity. He came back as good as ever. It was easy to dismiss Dan Henderson before Saturday night's Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title fight in Columbus. He was too old. Too predictable. Like the other warriors of his generation it seemed like it was time for Dan Henderson to call it a career.

...

Strikeforce got what it wanted from Henderson: a fighter who will do his damnedest to deliver exciting fights in the cage. The UFC got exactly what they bargained for as well - Jake Shields, warts and all. After he loses to Georges St. Pierre in Canada at UFC 129, which fighter would you rather have? A guy who will make crowds smile as long as he can and then undoubtedly go out on his shield and help create a new star or two along the way? Or a new Jon Fitch to stand alongside the original, the one man who has been giving White headaches for years?

Snowden's arch nemesis, Subo (aka Derek Suboticki):

What an awful trade for Strikeforce.  They pay above-market value (as determined by Zuffa, who seems to do a pretty good job determining the value of fighters) for a free agent that's pushing 40 and was among the best wrestlers in the country two decades ago.  For his inaugural fight, they put him against their best fighter, whom decisions him in a way that loses viewers and culminates in an embarrassing black eye on national television.  Their best fighter leaves, having cinched a career-best win over their prized new signing, and Strikeforce is left with an overpaid veteran that's never been proven to draw and seems more suited for 205.  Why, I'd argue that the only possible thing that could be worse would be for Hendo to then beat a hot prospect that Strikeforce cultivated.

In all honesty, both the above bloggers make great points.  The Henderson/Shields fight turned out to be a small train wreck for Strikeforce as Shields was able to completely out grapple an aged looking Henderson.  If you'd asked me just after that fight, I would have said that Scott Coker struck out big time.  But, wait.  Though Shields was able to eek out his first UFC bout against Martin Kampmann, he looked about as bad as he could against a fighter who chose to fight him primarily on his terms.

At this point in time, we need some guidance.  Enter Bloody Elbow's elder statesman, Kid Nate:

I don't know how long Henderson can reign as an over-40 champ in a young man's game, but in a way he's the perfect kind of fighter to hold the Strikeforce belt. He's clearly still a UFC caliber fighter, but he's also one we know wouldn't be winning any UFC belts if he were to return to Zuffa. That leaves us free from the annoying questions about where Strikeforce champs Gilbert Melendez and Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza stand in the top ranks of their division.

On balance, Henderson has bolstered Strikeforce's depth at light heavyweight.  It shouldn't be about employing charades to try and convince the viewing public that your stable of fighters are better than they truly are.  Let the top fighters fight.  Even though Dan Henderson isn't a top five light heavyweight, he's still better than the vast majority of his potential opponents in any promotion. 

The problem with Henderson is that he's up in age and really isn't a blockbuster name in terms of drawing power.  He is still a great fighter who generally puts on exciting fights.  I think, as Nate does, that he's a good fit for Strikeforce at this stage in his career. Bring on Fedor.

Turning to Shields, he's a guy that the UFC had to sign.  Period.  I'm far from an enthusiastic fan of Jake Shields, but he's definitely earned his shot to fight the best in the world.  He's beaten the top fighters outside the UFC, so it makes sense that he should challenge the best that the world's pre-eminent MMA promotion has to offer.  Furthermore, the UFC prides itself on being the be all and end all of MMA.  If Dana White wants to credibly tout himself as the purveyor of premium MMA competition, he has to get guys like Shields if at all possible. 

As I said, Shields was almost a necessity for the UFC.  They needed a fresh face to challenge Georges St. Pierre, and they couldn't let a consensus top welterweight/middleweight float around outside their promotion.  Shields does have a shot against GSP.  Personally, I don't think he'll get it done, but his insane skill as a grappler gives him a chance against about anyone.  Unfortunately for the UFC, Shields' less than crowd pleasing fighting style will always be a liability for the promotion even if he's successful.  Honestly, it's a bigger liability if he is successful.

Like all human beings, fighters can be jerks.  Many would likely transcribe Michael Bisping's name on the ever expanding jerk list.  Though some of the behavior exhibited by Bisping before and after his recent match can, at the least, be categorized in the poor taste section, those offenses are very minor compared to the illegal knee he delivered to Jorge Rivera's head at UFC 127.  True, the shot may have not been deliberate.  Only Michael Bisping knows whether it was purely an accident or a malicious action.  Often times we,as MMA fans, witness a knee delivered to the head of a downed opponent when that grounded opponent is transitioning from the ground to the standing position or vice versa.  Usually, only one knee is in contact with the mat. 

Of course, both of Rivera's knees were on the ground when he caught what was a solid knee strike to the head.  It did not appear to me that he had begun the process of standing, either.  Jonathan Snowden's assessment of the situation is at least technically correct:

I couldn't find a record of any fighter in UFC history suspended by the athletic commission for a foul committed during competition. Bisping was punished for the illegal knee. Per the Unified Rules, an important point was taken from him, something that could have been the difference between a win, a draw, and a loss. It was more than sufficient.

I have two concerns in regard to infractions of this nature.  The first is an obvious one; that's fighter safety.  When a fighter goes into a fight he has to trust that his opponent will adhere to the rules.  One obviously can't plan to thwart the plethora of potential illegal activities that his counterpart could undertake.  MMA is a dangerous sport.  Period.  All we can do is minimize the likelihood of bodily catastrophe. 

My second concern has more to do with the how the outcome of a fight can be altered due to an illegal strike.  Bisping probably was going to stand victorious, illegal knee or not.  Probably is the operative word here.  Yes, Rivera was checked out and cleared to go on.  He, himself, made the final decision to continue on.  With no other information, I have to assume he was alright to continue.  However, the pressure on fighters, referees and ringside physicians to allow fighters to fight and not draw the ire of paying fans and sponsors is immense.  A fighter doesn't want to appear to wimp out, anyway, even if the wisest move might be to seek further medical attention.

Face it, although "valuable," a point deduction may be worth tilting the playing field in one's favor.  Certainly, I'm not accusing anyone of doing such a thing, but it could figure into the math for a competitor trying to make it in an ultra-competitive sport.

In conclusion, I can only think of two actions that would alleviate the potential moral hazard involved with illegal strikes while also helping to bolster fighter safety.  The UFC, and other organizations, can do what the NFL has decided to do, make players aware that they are going to penalize the hell out of perpetrators of actions which the sanctioning body deems as detrimental to other players and the league as a hole.  These penalties, assessed at the discretion of the league, have drawn much criticism from fans and players due to their subjective nature.

The other choice - which is much narrower in scope - would be to legalize knees to downed opponents.  At least, everyone would know what to expect and could plan accordingly.  I think this is a tough one to sell politically as the UFC and other proponents of MMA are trying to sell the sport in locations where it's currently not permitted. 

Those are my thoughts.  What do you think?  No action is without significant downside.  The question is whether downside risk associated with a particular action is greater than the downside risk associated with inaction.

Below is a list of champions from the two preeminent MMA organizations at the time, five years ago.  My memory's less than stellar so I utilized Wikipedia to source the information.  If I screwed up, let me know.  I left out lightweight because the UFC title was out of circulation for a good while.  Coincidentally, not long after February of 2006, both Hughes and Franklin yielded their titles to the two top pound-for-pound guys (at least in my mind) in the sport - Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva.

UFC Champions (February 2006): 

Heavyweight - Andrei Arlovski

Light Heavyweight - Chuck Liddell

Middleweight - Rich Franklin

Welterweight - Matt Hughes

Pride Champions (February 2006):

Heavyweight - Fedor Emelianenko

Light Heavyweight - Wanderlei Silva

Welterweight - Dan Henderson

Quite obviously, the goal of this exercise is to illustrate how things change in just a few short years.  I won't break down all the careers of all the fighters on the list.  Sports fans have long witnessed to the athletic deterioration of once elite competitors in various sports.  MMA is no different.  In fact, in some respects the fall is often times much steeper.

Fedor and Arlovski may or may not be finished after last night's Strikeforce heavyweight tournament matches.  These once almost unstoppable fighters looked very much the mortals they truly are.  That's sort of the fascination with high-level athletes.  They accomplish things that seem almost impossible.  Whatever the personal nemesis, whether it's all physical, all mental, or a combination of the two, most world-class athletes don't exit on top.

Clearly, some will argue - especially in the case of Fedor - that the athlete in question can make some changes and return to greatness.  Perhaps, that's the case.  However, the above list, while only a snapshot, starkly depicts the cruel reality that is the constant advancement of time.

For those, like myself, who disproportionately enjoy the honed skills of world class grapplers, last night was a treat.  Though Roger Gracie may be a novice mixed martial artist, he's absolutely incredible at what he does well - submit opponents.  The skill exhibited against Trevor Prangley on the mat was everything one would expect from the current flagbearer of the storied Gracie dynasty.  It's apparent to me that Gracie catches quite a bit of criticism just because of who he is.  Listen, the man's no kickboxer, but thus far he's been able to maximize what rudimentary skills he does possess in the standing position to get the fight where he needs it to be in order to win. 

There aren't many in the MMA game who are elite level in more than one skillset, and most can't be counted as "elite" in any one thing at all.  Well-roundedness has been the holy grail of MMA for a good while now.  Certainly, I won't argue that a Georges St. Pierre or an Anderson Silva would likely be dethroned by a counterpart not possessing a solid grasp of the various facets associated with modern MMA.  What I will say is that quite a few talented, experienced mixed martial artists can't overcome the skill of a Roger Gracie or Ronaldo Souza if that battle takes place on the mat.  Jacare's skillset is much more varied than Gracies; his ability to get through Robbie Lawler after being hurt standing is certainly a noteworthy accomplishment.  However, let's not delude ourselves into believing that either one of these fighters can challenge those at the top of the sport, given the current states of their respective games.  Yes, Jacare is already a champion, but he would be a huge underdog against the likes of say Anderson Silva.

With all that said, is that what Strikeforce is really about?  Undoubtedly, Strikeforce is a competitor to the UFC in that both are MMA promotions vying for largely the same viewers and their dollars.  Both are selling products that are almost the same....almost.  These products are not commodities.  They are not completely homogeneous.  The UFC occupies what I'd call the high ground.  It's not that what they do is inherently better or morally superior to what Strikeforce does or anything like that.  They have positioned themselves in a dominant place from a talent perspective. 

Because Strikeforce can't legitimately say that the promotion houses as talent-rich a pool of fighters as does the UFC, it has to lure fans with a product that's palatable in other ways.  That's why we see guys like Gracie and Jacare.  If I had to choose only one promotion to watch, I'd have to pick the UFC.  I love the hierarchy of it all.  Who's positioning themselves for a title run?  Who are the young fighters making waves, trying to break into the picture?  In all honesty though, I can't say that I don't thoroughly enjoy a lot of what Strikeforce is doing with the talent that's within their reach.  It's fun for me to watch Roger Gracie.  If he never challenges for a title, so be it.  A very small percentage of MMA fights are waged with a title in reach.  That doesn't mean the bulk of the fights can't be appreciated when viewed in the proper perspective.  These fights don't have to be brawls, either.

While I do enjoy the occasional brawl, I like a little more variety on a card than eight fighters who'll "stand and bang" and a title bout.  Top-level grapplers and their counterparts in the standing game (think Pat Barry) and even wrestlers, too have truly important places to occupy in modern MMA.  Most fights don't have a lot of significance vis-a-vis the almighty rankings.  With that in mind, I'll commend Strikeforce for their latest effort.

--Photo via Esther Lin

It appears that if Chuck Liddell's career is in a similar spot as it was just a little more than a year ago.  Dana White, fans and pinheaded bloggers alike are all calling for an end to the Hall of Famer's fighting exploits.  It's difficult to watch a once dominant athlete struggle unless you just can't stand the person in question.  And as Ben Fowlkes explains, it's tough for an accomplished fighter to hang it up - especially after a win.  To wit:

In spite of the relatively mild shot that finished him, Liddell went out the same way that he triumphed for most of his career: flinging punches with ill intent. He tagged Franklin early and often, even breaking his opponent's arm with a kick shortly before the finish.

In some bizarre way, it might even be the perfect ending to a great career.

Sure, I know everyone wants to go out on a win, but in the fight game it rarely works that way. Just try and talk a winning fighter into retiring. See how far that gets you. The truth is that all real fighters need to be beaten into retirement. They need to find out for sure that it's over. One only hopes that they can do it with the same heart and dignity that they showed during their best days.

Liddell has already done the first half. He came forward and made Franklin put him away. He went down swinging, which is the way any proud champion wants to go out.

Yours truly was one of those pinheaded bloggers looking for Liddell to call it quits after his knockout loss to Shogun Rua.  But as I pointed out in that exercise in fan analysis, it's not my call to make.  Apparently and understandably, Liddell was not convinced.  By most accounts, the former champ did everything he could to prepare himself for his UFC 115 bout with Rich Franklin.  What he couldn't do, however, was turn back the hands of time or change his game into one that significantly minimized his chances of receiving a knockout blow.

In MMA, as in life, the storybook ending isn't usually achieved.  The good guy doesn't always get the girl.  Often times symmetry escapes fight sport (and other places as well).  Maybe, Ben Fowlkes' above assessment is correct.  If it's not, it certainly sounds good enough for me to get behind.  Liddell has always been a warrior in the Octagon, a fan favorite and a lock to put on an exciting bout.  Assuming last night was Liddell's last foray as an MMA fighter, his devotion to his all-out fighting style, the one which propelled him to the zenith of the sport, is to be applauded.

Promoted to the Front Page by Anton Tabuena.

Kid Nate recently rewarded Bloody Elbow readers with an informative post laying out MMA's current promotional situation.  A lot of ground was covered, several different voices highlighted.  In the short-term, I believe Nate is right in hypothesizing that the obstacles hindering Strikeforce and DREAM ultimately leave fighters with fewer options and, thus, less leverage in contract negotiations with everyone's favorite 800-pound gorilla, Zuffa.  To illustrate this point further, let's go back in time a bit and channel Mike Fagan.  To wit:

The comparison of MMA to stick-and-ball sports is always a tenuous one, and this topic is no different.  An argument could be made that the talent that makes up the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL benefited from the structure and sustainability of one monolithic organization than the fractured talent pools of an alternative universe.  However, the spectacular rise in player salaries, while correlated with the success of the respective organization, would not have been possible without the emergence of powerful unions, who established a pseudo-market on the basis of a player's right to free agency.

Individual sports like tennis, golf, and bowling offer no better comparison either.  Athletes don't sign contracts to play for the ATP or the PGA; they become members of the tour and compete for predetermined prize pools.  And even that didn't stop tennis players from wrestling control of the world tour from directors in 1988.

When it comes to collective bargaining, to the chagrin of Mr. Amadi, pro wrestling provides the best, if imperfect, comparison.  Vince McMahon has thwarted the unionization of wrestlers since the 80's with a very simple strategy: keep the top names happy.  Hulk Hogan wasn't just the top star in pro wrestling for a decade.  He became McMahon's de facto strikebreaker.

Fagan hits on something at the end of the above excerpt that many MMA fans hate to acknowledge, and that is the obvious structural similarities between this sport and professional wrestling.  In my mind, those similarities are undeniable.  However, the comparison breaks down somewhat due to the obvious fact that one is a true sport and one is scripted sports entertainment.  Yes, Hulk Hogan could be deployed as Vince McMahon's "de facto strikebreaker," but McMahon didn't have to worry about Hogan being jettisoned from the top of the professional wrestling mountain as long as he had complete control over the narrative.  In other words, Hogan's charisma was his own, but his standing was never in doubt.

Dana White can build a fighter up with his vast resources or choose to freeze out another.  What he can't do is insure that a fighter stay on top from a competitive standpoint.  The Zuffa brass has far less power than does Vince McMahon due to the fact that a coveted fighter can be beaten any time he steps in the octagon.  The UFC always must be on the lookout for better, up-and-coming fighters in order to keep their standing as the top MMA organization in the world.  The need to continually bolster the roster with top talent places upward pressure on fighter wages, union or not.  Furthermore, the power can't be concentrated seemingly forever with just a few top stars.  Turnover at the top of the MMA world has proven to be pretty quick.  With that in mind, I just don't buy that the UFC can shell out big money to a few and effectively keep the majority of fighters' pay at a artificially low levels.

Continue reading this post »

Three title fights end in three five-round decisions. Strikeforce: Nashville didn't go off the air until after 11:30 on the east coast. To make matters worse, the card was punctuated by an after-fight scrum between Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Jake Shields' teammates. Shields had just upset Dan Henderson, the former holder of two divisional titles in Pride. However, Strikeforce's big free agent signing looked every bit his age of 39 following his early heavy-handed onslaught of Shields. That proved to be the bulk of Henderson's offense for the night as Shields controlled the action on the ground.

Strikeforce faces a challenging reality. First of all, Shields has made himself even more attractive to the UFC. It seems logical that he would jump ship when his contract expires in the near future. Strikeforce would lose a fighter who, despite his inability to garner much fan support, has been the promotion's most consistent performer - a champion in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions. Certainly, I and many other fans are interested to see how Shields can perform against Georges St. Pierre, Thiago Alves and the slew of other top welterweights housed in the UFC stable. Dana White is quite aware that he can strike a definitive blow against Scott Coker and Strikeforce by stealing Shields away. I would be surprised if White doesn't pull out all the stops to lure Strikeforce's middleweight champion to the UFC dark side.

Secondly, the after-fight brouhaha between Mayhem Miller and Cesar Gracie's team won't do much to strengthen the company's relationship with CBS/Showtime. This coupled with the event lasting far past its 11:00 p.m. ending point and probable lackluster ratings may well spell the end of Strikeforce on prime time network TV. From the beginning, Strikeforce needed Fedor Emelianenko to fight in Nashville. Whether or not that would have significantly improved public interest in the event is impossible to know. Strikeforce has put a lot into Fedor, so much that they need him for high profile events on CBS.

Lastly, the overall quality of the fights was lacking. Some MMA purists might emphasize the "chess game" aspects of the first two fights, but I think that's both an act of sugarcoating and irrelevant in terms of broadening brand appeal. CBS and Strikeforce need to bring in a large contingent of "casual MMA fans" for the network TV venture to work. Bouts akin to the aforementioned fights won't do the trick. There were a number of exciting moments in the main event, but both Lawal vs. Mousasi and Melendez vs. Aoki featured relatively long periods where meaningful offense was notably absent. On top of that, Gegard Mousasi, one of Strikeforce's risings stars and fresh off of signing a new contract with the promotion, met his kryptonite in the form of a strong wrestler.

Strikeforce has shown what a shallow pool of talent does in the large, unforgiving arena of "free TV." So much emphasis is placed with so few names that when they under-perform so does the larger promotion. There are no back-up plans. The name value of Strikeforce's star fighters has always been suspect. When some fail to deliver and some leave, there's not much left to go with. The most recent installment of Saturday Night Fights should lay to rest any illusions that Strikeforce is meaningful competition to the UFC.

(Photo via Dave Mandel of Sherdog)

The event from Abu Dhabi got off to a nice start with some young fighters notching wins. Rafael Dos Anjos and Mark Munoz both did well for themselves.  Dos Anjos staved off a game Terry Etim and prevailed with a beautiful armbar.  Munoz survived a first round scare from Kendall Grove to gain an impressive TKO victory. 

Matt Hughes employed an intelligent, deliberate gameplan to stop Renzo Gracie late in the fight.  Gracie's lead leg suffered a beating at the hands of Hughes.  He was almost immobilized by the end of the fight, and he had nothing left.  For a time, I thought Hughes was content to coast to a decision victory.  However, the former UFC welterweight champ reminded us why he held that title for so long.  When the time was right, Hughes turned it up, rendering the judges' scorecards unnecessary.  Renzo Gracie is one of my favorite fighters, but he looked his age about halfway through the fight.  It's really difficult to lay out of fighting for an extended period of time and then return against one of the better welterweight fighters in the UFC.  Modern MMA evolves at such a rapid rate that one takes a breather at his own risk.  We'll see what Renzo shows us in the future.

Frankie Edgar put on a superb performance.  The big knock on Edgar thus far has been his size, or lack thereof.  Well, he continued what he started against Sean Sherk, utilizing his speed and stamina to make a seemingly dominant lightweight champion in B.J. Penn appear beatable.  I'm sure there will be talk for a long time about whether or not Edgar deserved the decision nod, but no one can legitimately deny that Edgar gave Penn his stiffest challenge as lightweight champion.  Honestly, I didn't know how to score it.  The fight was just that close in my eyes.  A rematch seems inevitable, though with B.J. Penn being part of the equation, it's hard to predict what will ultimately happen.  Penn might rather bulk up to light heavyweight and rematch Lyoto Machida instead.  Who knows?

It's difficult to properly express my dissatisfaction with Anderson Silva through written word.  Demian Maia, an absolute wizard on the ground, was completely outclassed by Silva.  Silva clowned and connected at will.  Maia appeared to be moving in slow motion though that wasn't the case; his counterpart was just that much quicker.  The chance was remote that Maia could get the fight to the mat, and aside from connecting out of nowhere with a miracle punch, Maia's only route to victory was via his jiu-jitsu.

The clowning from Silva got old after a while, but his unwillingness to engage in the last two so-called championship rounds was both mystifying and disappointing.  Showmanship definitely has a place in MMA, but Silva left showmanship behind somewhere in the second round.  He's obviously a superior mixed martial artist to Maia.  Silva served up a gourmet meal but forgot to provide silverware.  For one reason or the other, he didn't finish things off, and that's regrettable.  Maia did what he could against a far better athlete.  Maia worked with only one functional eye throughout the entire final round.  He still a attacked, and Silva still failed to finish a man he tormented with his speed and precision for the better part of three rounds.

I doubt Silva will get a shot at Georges St. Pierre anytime soon, and I think that's appropriate.  Part of being a showman is putting on a show that fight fans want to see.  Silva fell well short in that respect against Maia.  The fans in attendance made their feelings regarding Silva's performance evident by chanting both "Maia" and "GSP" during the course of the middleweight title fight.  Personally, I'd like to see Chael Sonnen get a shot at Silva so we can see if the standout wrestler can get the champ on his back and cut the clowning and evasion to a minimum.

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

FH: Talk about MMA for a little bit -- I know you mentioned it -- how big a fan are you and do you regularly attend events?

Polamalu: No, I've never attended ... actually, I have attended one event, I'm sorry. I don't know, it's almost ... above athleticism. There are some guys that I'm more of a fan of where it's more than MMA, it's really a martial art. You know, a martial art is no different than say, a painter -- true martial arts are. It really is an art. And it's no different from Michaelangelo in a sense in the way that he draws or paints things. So I'm a fan of real martial arts guys -- guys that have something different than just a physical talent. Guys like Rickson Gracie and Fedor Emelianenko, I believe they have that.

-- Pittsburgh Steelers' all-pro safety Troy Polamalu talks about being a fan of MMA with Will Brinson as part of the Nike Global Training Summit.  If you've ever watched Polamalu play, you know that he's an amazingly gifted, tough athlete.  The man knows a little about "physical talent."  Whether or not he's an authority on art, I can't say.

In catching up on some MMA that I missed this weekend, I decided to view the Tate vs. Kaufman bout from the Strikeforce Challenger Series (the match that was originally supposed to be Tate vs. Couture).  What I observed was a great back-and-forth battle between an excellent striker in Kaufman and a more than formidable wrestler in Tate.  Of course, both women have more tools in their respective tool kits, but the contrasting strengths of each woman helped make the fight.

Sarah Kaufman ended up taking the first and third rounds en route to a clear decision victory.  It looked as if she had Tate in trouble in the first, but the Strikeforce veteran was able to hang tough though she was clearly overmatched in the standing game.  Round two saw Tate take Kaufman down and use her superior wrestling to gain positional control and inflict a bit of damage.  Of the two, Sarah Kaufman is the more well-rounded, dangerous mixed martial artist at this point in time.  However, Miesha Tate looks to have a lot of upside.  Kaufman displayed a fantastic sprawl, but Tate was still able to take the Canadian down several times during the nine minute bout. 

One negative aspect of the match that stuck with me has long been a legitimate criticism of the way that some promotions conduct the female matches, and that is the ridiculous use of three-minute rounds instead of five-minute ones.  The entire broadcast team - Mauro Ranallo, Pat Miletich and Stephen Quadros - expressed displeasure with this practice.  One of the three even said that all the female fighters he had polled preferred the longer frames.  Sarah Kaufman put her support behind five-minute rounds for women in her post-fight interview.

I don't believe this particular bout would have turned out any differently as a three five-minute round event, but that's not the point.  From a fan's perspective, watching one of these compressed matches is more like watching a preview or a summary, perhaps, rather than a full MMA match filled with a heavy dose of complexity and strategy that longer rounds afford.  Unless there is a physical reason which is detrimental to the competitors and/or the fight action, Strikeforce and other promotions should bow to MMA tradition and make women's rounds equal to those of the men.  Personally, I don't believe such a physical barrier exists since many exciting female fights have been conducted with five-minute rounds, and many female competitors have fought numerous times at such length without any apparent physical damage.  If the majority of competitors want longer rounds along with many fans, I'm not sure what the rationale is for clinging to the current abbreviated setup.  It would be nice to hear what that rationale might be if it does, in fact, exist.

--Photo via www.mmaweekly.com

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From MMA Weekly:

UFC fighter Rousimar Palhares suffered a fractured tibia in training while wrestling. He underwent surgery on Thursday night at Hospital Miguel Couto in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to a report by Martins Denis on intheguard.tv.

MMAWeekly.com independently confirmed the injury, which will keep the Brazilian Top Team fighter out of a planned bout against American Top Team fighter Alessio Sakara at UFC 101.

Without a doubt, this is a terrible case of bad luck for Palhares who suffered a broken hand in his most recent fight, a decision victory over Jeremy Horn.  The occurrence also sets the UFC back a bit since Palhares is one of the up-and-coming fighters in the chaotic middleweight division.  The Brazilian's jiu-jitsu and physical strength present quite a test for anyone he faces.

For the moment, a replacement to face Sakara has yet to be named.

HT:  weoweoweo

On July 10, as part of the UFC 100 festivities, two new members will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.  They will join Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Randy Couture, and Mark Coleman as the sixth and seventh members.  There are some early favorites, including Chuck Liddell, Charles "Mask" Lewis, and Evan Tanner.  All are certainly deserving of the honor though I'm lukewarm to idea of adding Liddell since he's still a large part of the current UFC landscape.  However, one thing is quite apparent based on list of names already inhabiting the UFC Hall:  hopefuls need not retire.

I have no real problem with how the UFC runs its own Hall of Fame.  Some take exception to the fact that the UFC is unlikely to induct those who aren't currently friendly with the organization.  Seriously?  If Tito Ortiz believes it imperative to blast the UFC and Dana White at every opportunity, he has effectively barred himself from consideration.  The same goes for any other like-minded, would-be inductees; these are the rules of the game.  The purest of sportsmen may deem the situation shameful, but halls of fame aren't always about the "pure sport."  Matter of fact, accomplishments are often somewhat discounted due to outside factors.  Pete Rose is not in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.  I think that fact says a lot.

I'm quite confident that two deserving parties will soon be part of the Hall of Fame.  Of course, some will be satisfied by the outcome, and some won't.  This is all well and good, but the speculative side of me wonders who will join this exclusive group further down the road - five, ten, or more years?  Matt Hughes should definitely get in (maybe sooner than one might imagine).  Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre are a couple of guys who may have already done enough to get in.  What do you think?  Putting the politics and such aside for a moment, who are the fighters or non-fighting contributors who have already accomplished enough to warrant induction into the UFC Hall of Fame?

Ariel Helwani makes the case for Tara LaRosa in Strikeforce:

Strikeforce is universally recognized as the unofficial home of female mixed martial arts. They've helped promote female fighters as much, if not more, than any organization out there. Yet for one reason or another, they have not signed LaRosa. Instead, the San Jose-based promotion has been forced to rebook fighters like Scott Smith and Nick Diaz two months after they last fought to fill up their upcoming June 6 card on Showtime.

Why not sign LaRosa, a free agent, to help build their female stable? Remember, female fighters are the one thing Strikeforce has that the UFC doesn't. If the best 205-pound fighters strive to fight in the UFC, the same can be said about female fighters looking to land a spot in Strikeforce. LaRosa is ready, willing and able. What else does she need to do to get noticed?

As Helwani points out, it's not like Strikeforce couldn't benefit from some added depth in their line-up.  The female side of the sport is one area where Zuffa isn't even attempting to compete.  If Coker believes that there's a profitable market for female fighting, why not load up the roster now?  Should Strikeforce sign LaRosa, it would be a definite signal that the promotion is serious about providing a competitive, talent-rich environment for the women and their fans. 

On a different but very much related front, there's an offer on the table from Sarah Kaufman to fight Miesha Tate as a replacement for Kim Couture.  What Coker and company do in regard to this situation should also shed some light on where they're going with the women's division(s).  One can only hope that Strikeforce will take Kaufman up on her offer, and make that match happen.

Continue reading this post »

Sherdog: Who is the best MMA fighter not under your tutelage?

Jackson: I honestly really think it shifts around, but I really like Anderson Silva’s creativity. I am going to go with him outside of my guys because of his last fight. I loved [his fight with Thales Leites at UFC 97]. Everyone hated it and thought it was boring stuff. I saw him reach down and punch a guy in the thigh. I love that. It’s legit. To me, I was like, ‘Wow, that’s cool.’ The side kicking, the cross kicking, doing all that good stuff … I mean maybe he didn’t commit to this position or that position, but I loved that fight; I thought it was so creative and interesting what he was doing. I really like Anderson, and, hopefully, Nate [Marquardt] will end up fighting him again because I am really looking forward to the challenge of getting after him again.

...

Sherdog: What style fighters do you like to watch?

Jackson: I like the unorthodox fighters, I really do. I like the [Lyoto] Machidas, I like the Andersons. I like watching B.J. Penn fight. When he is fighting at [lightweight], he is great. Outside of my guys, those are the kind of fighters I like -- the guys who are very creative and do all kinds of cool things. I also like, like any other fan, the good heart and fire fights. Guys like Chris Lytle who are going to go in there and give it their all and go for it, I really enjoy that, too.

-- Greg Jackson, discussing a myriad of MMA and non-MMA topics with Greg Savage. 

Not only is Jackson one of the very best trainers in the game, but he's also an interesting interview to say the least.

We're more than a week removed from the much debated Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites title fight.  The ridiculous generalizations spawned from the affair are disconcerting to say the least.  Some feel that those who wanted Silva to work harder for a finish could only be ill-informed, "bloodthirsty" newcomers to the sport of MMA.  Similarly, some on the other side have levelled outlandish claims in an attempt to refute others who saw something appealing in Silva's performance.  I can't say that I'm surprised by ill-conceived and uninspired arguments, but they're irritating, nonetheless.  It doesn't matter the situation.  If you're supporting a sport with your enthusiasm and money, you have a right to air your grievances, whether it's with your voice, your dollars or both.

Although combatants on both sides of the issue have cooled down, there are still some questions surrounding Silva and the less than aggressive strategy he employed against Leites.  Jake Rossen makes several salient points regarding the roles of fighters and fans alike:

Silva -- or any fighter -- isn’t at blame. They do what’s appropriate in the rules. If he had gotten a point deduction for passivity, perhaps the fight would have played out differently. Better: Since Leites was told to stand up after flopping to his back, where’s the fairness in forcing Leites to play Silva’s game? If Silva didn’t want to engage standing, why not bring him to the mat in the same way Leites was brought to his feet?

None of this happened, of course, and Silva was allowed to cherry-pick only the most opportune times to land strikes. The fight is almost MMA’s version of "The Blair Witch Project," hailed as brilliant minimalism by some and an eye-gouging disaster by others.

There’s no accounting for taste. And if Silva ends his next bout with a vicious knockout, this will all be forgotten. But if his stature in the sport now compels him to compete with no momentum and no aggression, seeking only to preserve a sterile legacy, then observers can do worse than simply deduct points -- they can deduct revenue.

An athlete competing to win in a way that's most conducive to the individual's career is hard to fault.  We're talking about the highest level of MMA where even the largest of underdogs is able to inflict significant, possibly long-lasting, damage to the body of his favored opponent.  With this in mind, it's hard to expect any fighter to throw caution to the wind in attempt to score a highlight reel finish.

The most vexing variable in the Silva/Leites equation is Anderson Silva, himself.  He's faced the best that the UFC middleweight division has to offer, and he's dispatched all comers in impressive fashion except for his last two challengers.  In fact, the last two men to face Silva, Patrick Cote and Leites, are at the bottom end of competitors - from a body of work perspective - to challenge middleweight champ.  Coincidence?  I'm not sure, but it's hard to believe that Leites presented such a danger to Silva from his back that the only viable option was to wait for him to stand.

Silva is very much a victim of his own track record.  Significant deviation from the aggressive tendencies of old will be met with a tepid fan response at best.  In short, if Silva wants to earn the big paydays and cement his legacy as the best ever (two career goals that seem to be of great importance to him), he really has to do more that win the fight.  He has to win over the fans, something Silva hasn't excelled at as of late.  Some may contend that this isn't fair; MMA is a sport that shouldn't be perverted by seemingly non-sporting aspects.  This is a respectable postition that somewhat ignores reality.  Sports are only viable if fans exist.  The steep costs associated with the loss of fans are nothing to minimize.  Even someone who holds the purity of sport in high regard like myself understands that the sport must also appeal to as many fans as possible.  I know this fact isn't lost on Dana White and the others charged with piloting the UFC.

First I felt that the speed and explosiveness weren’t as good as they were before but it all came back by now. I feel stronger than ever. Definitely, it took some time but I feel myself very confident at this weight so I don’t think I will have problems in my future fights. I could have gone to Russia to train with Fedor but it turned out otherwise. I’d like to test myself with him now that I weigh more.

-- Gegard Mousasi, talking with M-1 Global about his move up to light heavyweight from middleweight and ultimately to heavyweight.

As a side note, Mousasi stated that he currently weighs approximately 216 pounds. And though the fight has yet to be confirmed, he says that Sokoudjou will likely be his next opponent at DREAM.9.

I have to admit that I didn't naturally view Demian Maia as a "loser" following UFC 97.  Michael David Smith makes the case:

Maia, an undefeated Brazilian jiu jitsu specialist, was expected to get the next shot at Silva's middleweight title, probably at UFC 102. But after the way the Silva-Leites fight went, I just can't see the UFC putting the Silva-Maia fight on now. Silva-Leites turned a lot of fans off, and Maia is a very similar fighter to Leites. The UFC won't want to turn the fans off again, and that means the UFC won't match Silva up with a submission specialist again.

So Maia will probably fight someone like Nate Marquardt (and I think Maia-Marquardt is a great fight), while the UFC will try to find a bigger name to take on Silva next. Maybe that means defending the middleweight title against welterweight champ Georges St Pierre, although St. Pierre has a very tough fight ahead of him against Thiago Alves at UFC 100.

Actually, I don't look at Leites and Maia as being interchangeable in respect to MMA skillsets.  Maia's an extremely offensive grappler, probably moreso than anyone else in the UFC.  However, I can see the fans and the UFC brass wanting someone who will push the action against Anderson Silva, someone who will either attempt to mount a striking offensive or can wrestle Silva to the ground. 

It's a vexing situation that the UFC finds itself in.  They're fortunate enough to have arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.  But, who can you match the man up against?  How much confidence do you have in him as a headliner, given his most recent performances?  Whatever is broken - whether it's bad matchmaking or something else - needs to be fixed.