SB Nation User Blog: Luke Thomas

Kenny Florian Predicts Cheick Kongo Over Frank Mir, BJ Penn Over Diego Sanchez

Luke Thomas — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:13:00 -0000

Let's hope Mir doesn't pull a Josh Barnett and challenge Florian's manhood for making an honest evaluation of talent.

On the Lavar Arrington Show With Chad Dukes on 106.7 The Fan in Washington, DC, UFC lightweight contender was asked to make predictions for this weekend's two main events. Never one to give a prediction out of fealty, Florian believes Mir will have difficulty taking Kongo to the mat:

Chad Dukes: Give us a winner for Cheick Kongo and Frank Mir, which everybody should be excited about. And then the main event two guys that you’ve faced before, Nightmare vs. BJ Penn.

Kenny Florian: Sure. That Cheick Kongo and Frank Mir fight, a very interesting fight. Both guys are pretty well-rounded, but this is kind of your classic striker vs. grappler match-up.

Kongo really offered a lot of problems for Cain Velazquez early on in that first round. He was able to catch Cain Velazquez coming in. Cain is a tough, tough guy with tremendous wrestling skills, so he was able to do that [use his wrestling skill] consistently and with amazing cardio.

I don’t think Mir has the same kind of takedowns as Velazquez, but he definitely has better submissions. I’m actually going to go with the upset. I think Kongo’s going to pull it off and catch Mir early in the first or second round.

I confess this is a worry of mine, but where Velazquez was forced to continually take Kongo down because he could not finish the Frenchman from turtle guard, Mir would ostensibly be able to do more with that position. That's the trade off here: Mir won't be able to get Kongo to the ground as easily, but should be able to come much closer to putting Kongo away with a submission than Velazquez.

As for the main event itself, the essential item of note from Florian is this:

"I think BJ’s better at everything Sanchez does."

Which is really the only analysis one needs for this bout, no? Short of an aberrant occurrence, this is Penn's fight to lose.

Listen to the whole thing here.

Quote of the Day: BJ Penn Unfazed by Diego Sanchez's Antics

Luke Thomas — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:53:08 -0000

via MMAWeekly.com

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"I’m not here to criticize him or anything," he said. "But when I see that kind of thing, I don’t think much of it. He wants to portray himself as the crazy one; I think he’s just portraying himself as the weird one. And we’re gonna know which guy’s more crazy when we get into the Octagon."

...

"I think it’s going to play the part after I start shutting down his takedowns," said Penn. "When he realizes he doesn’t have that to go to, he’s gonna see a lot of punches coming really quick at him. It’s something I don’t think he’s prepared for."

-- UFC Lightweight Champion BJ "The Prodigy" Penn talking the stranger eccentricities of contender Diego Sanchez. The two will fight for Penn's title this weekend at UFC 107.

Kimbo Slice Draws 5.2 Million Viewers for "The Ultimate Fighter" 10 Finale

Luke Thomas — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:34:14 -0000

via Sherdog.com

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According to UFC.com:

Most Watched "The Ultimate Fighter" Finale In Franchise History And Biggest Audience For A Live UFC Fight In 2009

New York, NY, December 8, 2009 – Spike TV’s telecast of "The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights" live finale on Saturday, December 5 was the most watched final episode in the 10 seasons of the TUF franchise, peaking with 5.2 million viewers and a 5.9 rating with Men 18-34 for the Kimbo Slice-Houston Alexander fight. The over 5 million viewers were the most to watch a live UFC fight in 2009.

Overall, the three-hour fight card drew 3.7 million viewers, a 2.4 household rating, a 4.6 in Men 18-34 and was the most-watched show on cable with Men 18-34 and Men 18-49 for the day.

"The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights" live finale was the third most-watched UFC fight card ever.

Kimbo came up just shy of Fedor's 5.46 million viewers, but of course Spike's narrower reach on cable makes these numbers ultra impressive. None of it is particularly shocking, obviously, but impressive nonetheless.

As everyone is rightly suspecting, all bets are on Slice's future fights being part of a PPV card. The UFC is ready to make serious money from his popularity now that he's been partially legitimized and cleaned up. In evaluating what these numbers mean for Slice, we have indisputable proof the masses are still interested in what he can do. If one considers that Slice has been under similar forms of pressure since November 2007, the idea that people are still hanging on to the idea of what he could become speaks volumes about how much more his popularity can be developed...provided he can win. Slice will be spotted the requisite forgiveness after a couple of losses in the UFC, but to have any career momentum he's got to win and win big. Period.

Which is where the real rub is. The win over Alexander is legitimate and no one can say otherwise. But we can't overextend ourselves in evaluating Slice's game. If he enters the heavyweight division, the easiest tasks are arguably Al-Turk or Hardonk, both of whom are more than capable of defeating Slice. For the forseeable future, the UFC has to find talent that is dangerous but also limited and lopsided. Alexander was a credible challenge, but the matchmaking was tailored to maximize Slice's chances of winning. Alexander has no ground game to speak of and less polished striking than Slice. Finding opposition that won't categorically exploit his shortcomings or overshadow his strengths is a delicate balancing act, so expect more potential catchweight fights with carefully screened opponents.

In the meantime, I hope Slice is being nicely compensated for single-handidly delivering a season's worth of ratings from two fights. After all of the insults, dismissals, questions and doubts, that's one hell of an achievement. Kimbo Slice is the real peoples' champion.

Dan Henderson Signs With Strikeforce

Luke Thomas — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:59:24 -0000

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I'm not entirely sure how they can afford him, but they've signed him:

After months of speculation, Dan Henderson has finally agreed to sign with Strikeforce. FanHouse has learned that the 12-year veteran, who was last seen knocking out Michael Bisping at UFC 100 in July, recently came to terms with the San Jose-based organization on a multi-fight agreement.

At this time, it is unknown when and where Henderson will make his debut for Strikeforce.

...

Recently, Henderson had publicly talked about being frustrated with the fact that he didn't receive a middleweight title shot following his victory over Bisping and that he was hoping for a bump in salary.

"I'm just hoping to get out there and fight again and get paid what I would like the get paid. I'm not asking to be the top-paid guy at out there at all," he told FanHouse at the last Strikeforce event.

"It's a little step up from my last pay check, but a lot less than a lot of other guys are getting paid," Henderson added when asked what kind of salary he was seeking.

Henderson is not a hugely popular figure, but has amassed some level of conscious recognition with casual fans. That's good news for Strikeforce as is his ability to fight in two weight classes. Given how thin the 205lbs division is in Strikeforce, Henderson is a helpful addition there while being hugely contributory to their middleweight division.

Several big fights here in both weight classes. At light heavyweight a fight with Mousasi is excellent while at middleweight Nick Diaz or Cung Le make sense as well.

I also wonder if Henderson's purse is tied to any future CBS appearances. Without having spoken to Strikeforce representatives yet, I wonder if they were able to afford Henderson by getting their television partner to chip in on the paycheck by greasing the wheels with guaranteed appearances in the national spotlight. Details coming.

And without having sat in on the negotiations personally, I also can't help but ponder how the fickle behavior of Anderson Silva contributed to Henderson's frustration. Joe Silva is the matchmaker, but Anderson Silva was never very receptive to the notion of a Henderson rematch and made his lack of desire to fight Henderson well known. Strikeforce has surely promised Henderson consistent activity and desired matchmaking.

[UPDATE]: Loretta Hunt adds some details:

Henderson could debut for Strikeforce as early as April on a tentatively planned CBS event, Sherdog.com has learned, and might face the promotion’s middleweight champion, Jake Shields, right out of the gate. Henderson, who also fights at light heavyweight, is being eyed for matchups against Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi and the world’s No. 1 heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, said a source with knowledge of the deal.

“Dan has always been motivated by the challenge of competing above his natural weight class, and he would certainly be honored to square off with Fedor at some point," said Crecy.

...

“Dan likes to be a maverick, and I think part of the attraction to Strikeforce was to be a part of something that broadens the growth of the sport within the U.S. and globally,” said Crecy. “The fact that Strikeforce offers a network television platform in CBS as well as a premium cable partner in Showtime was particularly appealing to him. It delivers an incredible opportunity for Dan to perform live before an audience of millions of present and future MMA fans. Also, (Strikeforce CEO) Scott Coker treated Dan with a great deal of respect and integrity throughout the negotiations, and that certainly affected his decision. Dan is very excited to be a part of the Strikeforce family."

[UPDATE] #2 - Dana White responds:

"Nothing's going to help Strikeforce," Dana said. "They have too many fighters under contract and not enough events. They can't keep some of their obligations to fighters already. Either they're going to start breaching contracts or paying fighters not to fight. It'll take a lot more than one guy to help them. Their whole business model is f****d. They're coming after UFC? Yeah, OK.

"I could care less," he continued. "Here's the reality: If I wanted Henderson, he'd be in the UFC. It's not like, 'F***, Strikeforce beat me out.' He's been a free agent for a long time. If I wanted him, I would have signed him by now."

[UPDATE] #3 - Henderson's business partner and manager, Aaron Crecy responds via Strikeforce press release:

"I’d like to thank Dana (White) and the UFC for the opportunities they provided me and I wish them ongoing success. I’ll continue to watch their events and I hope they’ll tune in to my fights in Strikeforce. After all, I’m a true fan of our fantastic sport and would love only to see MMA continue to grow,"

... "I’m very happy to be a part of Strikeforce and their partnership with CBS and Showtime… Strikeforce and its growing roster of world class talent will offer me many exciting fights and has the ability to bring many new fans from all around the world to mixed martial arts. I am grateful to [Strikeforce CEO] Scott Coker for the opportunity to help make this happen and for treating me with the utmost respect throughout our negotiations."

HT: mma.fanhouse.com

Frank Mir Talks Brock Lesnar, Still Gunning for Rubber Match

Luke Thomas — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:49:26 -0000

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The former two-time UFC Heavyweight champion cannot let go of the rivalry:

Despite their volatile history with one another, Mir seems genuinely concerned for the hulking Minnesotan’s well-being.

"He’s a pretty tough guy," Mir said. "If anybody can get through it, it has to be him. I want him to be able to be there for his kids. Do I still want to go in there and rip his arm off? Absolutely."

With Lesnar on the sidelines indefinitely, talk has inevitably turned to the creation of potential interim title fights. Mir, who was interim champion between December 2008 and July 2009, thinks the UFC would do well to steer clear of such scenarios.

"I hate interim titles," Mir said. "I think it’s stupid. It’s retarded. It’s confusing to fans. Let [Lesnar] keep the belt [until he can fight again], or go ahead and put it away. Either he can defend it, or he can’t. If he can’t defend it in a year, strip him of the title. I’ve lived on both sides of it. If we can avoid it, let’s avoid it."

If Lesnar can return and successfully defend his title, and if Mir defeats Kongo or potentially another challenger, then the rubber match between these two is not an outlandish idea. After Mir's loss at UFC 100, the domination of Lesnar seemed to deflate any idea of a third fight in addition to undercutting the value of Mir's first win.

You also have to hand it to Mir: a fighter who can provoke more than he excites can still create opportunities for himself. He's obviously still a relevant heavyweight, so outside of his self-promotion there's viability to his title shot candidacy. But clearly his obsession with avenging the loss to Lesnar remains Mir's professed raison d'etre. And as long as he has the ability to at least talk as if a rematch is necessary for himself and the heavyweight division, I suspect he'll get it. I also suspect he'll create heat and intrigue.

As for the interim title argument, I don't buy the argument that such titles are confusing for fans. The more relevant question is what value-add does an interim title offer? Other than giving a belt to a top contender when there is a temporarily absent champion, the interim belt offers little.

But all this talk of Lesnar when Mir faces a very tough Kongo seems misplaced. The real question for Mir is: what's the back-up plan? If Lesnar can't return, what then now?

Keith Kizer Explains Jon Jones Disqualification Ruling

Luke Thomas — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:28:26 -0000

MMA Junkie talks to Kizer:

Kizer said despite the numerous legal blows that came in the barrage - as many as 85 depending on who's counting - the fact that the illegal blows were shown to have caused the damage meant disqualification was the only proper call.

"At the end of the day, you have the illegal elbows that cut [Hamill] up, and that's why it was stopped," Kizer told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "The only call you can make in that situation is a disqualification.

"Because there was definitely some damage done by lawful elbows, it was difficult to determine what caused what until he saw the instant replay. Then it was very easy. It would have been a tough call for him without the instant replay just due to the good strikes that preceded the illegal blows. That's why we added it."

Animated gif of the illegal blows in the full entry.

via MMA TKO

Today on MMA Nation on 106.7 The Fan: Clay Guida, Jordan Breen and Scott Christ

Luke Thomas — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:31:16 -0000

There's a lot to talk about and fortunately, I'll be on the air to do it.

Today on "MMA Nation" we'll be joined by UFC lightweight contender Clay "The Carpenter" Guida. We'll ask him about his preparation for his fight with Kenny Florian at UFC 107. We'll also talk Chase Beebe, training with Greg Jackson and more.

Also joining the show is Sherdog.com's Jordan Breen. Breen will help breakdown tonight's "The Ultimate Fighter" finale card and the K-1 World Grand Prix results.

Lastly but certainly not least, BadLeftHook.com's Editor-in-Chief Scott Christ will also be on hand to talk the signing of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, Pacquiao vs. Cotto and the rematch of Malignaggi vs. Diaz.

"MMA Nation" airs every Saturday 7:00pm EST to 9:00pm EST on 106.7 The Fan. To listen live over the Internet, go to The Fan's website and click "Listen Live".

I'm also now on Twitter: @mmanation.

"MMA Nation" is also available by podcast on iTunes.

Number to call: 800-636-1067

Email here.

Talk to you then.

What Chance Does Matt Hamill Have Against Jon Jones?

Luke Thomas — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:37:11 -0000

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This fight has "groom Jon Jones" written all over it. Don't be fooled: a "grooming" fight is not one where the outcome is all but decided before the bout itself. Rather, it's one where a rising prospect is tackling a manageable but clear challenge. In this case, a decorated wrestler unafraid of Jones' wrestling with moderately threatening striking:

But when Hamill knocked out Mark Munoz with a single kick to the head at UFC 96 in March, there was no hiding ‘The Hammer’ anymore, especially since you will probably see the ending of the bout on highlight reels forever. It was the first clean knockout of Hamill’s career, but one that didn’t immediately register when he landed the finisher.

"I didn't know he was out until the referee stopped the fight," said Hamill. "It was my first knockout."

It was also the first real sign that Hamill’s standup had started to catch up with his wrestling, a testament to the work he’s been putting in the gym over the years.

"I’ve been working on standup more than wrestling," he admits. "I'm trying to be a well-rounded fighter."

...

"This is Jon’s biggest test and he's probably working harder than ever to keep his unbeaten record," said Hamill. "I will show him a real fight, and it will be a good fight, I can promise that."

As for the prospect of dealing with the unorthodox moves Jones has made his reputation on thus far, Hamill gets right to the point: "my trainer and I have been working on a few things."

Let's be clear: Hamill's attached to fundamentals. Less so in his wrestling as he is able to improvise, but the rehearsed, almost too textbook striking of Hamill's will be his undoing. His lateral and forward movement is often slow, which allows opposition to create angles or adjust positioning. He also allows his opponents too much reset time, which against a brash, explosive striker like Jones is going to be a death sentence.

The longer this fight stays on the feet or more particularly at range, the quicker it ends. Hamill should not be counted out. He is very capable of winning here. But at 33 and with limited upside at this stage in his career, it's clear the UFC wants to use his existing talents to test the next stage of blue chip prospects.

I don't know if we'll see flying colors, but Jones should pass this test.

Nick Lembo Comments on Judging for Machida vs. Shogun, Couture vs. Vera

Luke Thomas — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:39:49 -0000

Nick Lembo of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board adds some perspective on two controversial decisions recently within MMA. I only bring them up because Lembo's responses naturally appeal to common sense, something lost amidst the discussion about how to judge or change the scoring system.

On Machida vs. Shogun from UFC 104:

Fighters like Lyoto Machida have changed the way we traditionally view "octagon control" with his evasive tactics of defense. His modus operandi can be fairly accurately described as the definition for effective defense (avoiding being struck, taken down or reversed while countering with offensive attacks), but how do you feel his backward movement and counterstriking fits into octagon control? Is a fighter using this strategy generally dictating the pace and location of the fight?

"It depends how it plays out, in the Rua fight, I did not think it was successful."

Can the fighter chasing him down earn points for octagon control if he is having more success offensively despite being "in pursuit"?

"Yes, obviously."

"Machida, to me, in a sense, is reminiscent of certain counterpunchers in boxing. They are not pressing forward and pushing the pace but they are responding to your offense and movements, and waiting for openings. Machida should be credited for his counterstriking and his defense, even if he is not moving forward."

On Couture vs. Vera from UFC 105:

The Couture/Vera fight brought up several questions relating to octagon control in the clinch position. If Fighter A is pressing his opponent against the cage and keeping him there, but Fighter B is defending Fighter A’s attempts at the takedown, which fighter would get the nod for octagon control? (Fighter A for dictating the location, and Fighter B would get effective defense in that situation?)

"In the Couture/Vera fight, Couture would get the nod for dictating the location of the bout and Vera would get credit for effectively defending the takedown attempts. In that fight, and in your example, Couture would get a slight nod because Couture was controlling where most of rounds one and three occurred. Even though the takedowns were defended, Vera clearly did not want to be backed up against the cage for that period of time."

I recommend reading the entire interview to get his thoughts on what constitutes 10-8 rounds, whether or not 10-10 rounds should be used, what changes he'd propose for altering the 10-point must system and more.

What I'm repeatedly force to acknowledge reading the sober judgment of competent, experienced professionals is that it is far better to have competent, fair judges in an imperfect system than incompetent judges in a great system. Let's worry about the judges before we began tinkering with the rules.

Photo courtesy MMA Junkie.

UFC Opens First UFC Gym in Concord, California

Luke Thomas — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:26:53 -0000

via SFGate.com

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The desire to capture the attention of the mainstream, soften it's image through a focus on fitness and imprint their brand in the minds of hoi polloi is what UFC Gyms are all about. The San Francisco Gate has the story on the opening of the very first UFC Gym:

"This was the natural evolution for our brand. UFC revolutionized traditional martial arts. It's a perfect fit to us to expand into the fitness area," said UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta.

The facility's operators think they can make a strong case. UFC Gym reveals exactly what you would expect to find: music blaring in the background, metal dropping on metal clanging from the weight-lifting machines, and eager instructors on the floor. Even promotional banners feature everyday women breaking a sweat and kids training for martial arts in karate uniforms.

"We're not looking to train or create fighters. We're looking to create a fun family environment," Fertitta said.

While the Octagon with the black wire fence is certainly an unusual element, this is not a fighting gym. Jim Rowley, co-founder of New Evolution Fitness Co., which launched the venture with the UFC, said the gym is a place for those who want to be fit like martial arts athletes but aren't interested in the bruises. Instead of finding muscular types beating each other inside the ring, you'll find ordinary members kicking into the arm pads of supportive Thai boxing instructors.

"You probably never want to get into the Octagon and get choked or punched in the face," Rowley said, "but why not get trained like the best-conditioned athletes in the world?"

This vicarious experience cannot be understated. Not only are the selling the visceral, rugged aspects of MMA training, they're dovetailing it with an evolution in how we get fit as a society. If they can really make something of this effort - the UFC plans to open between 300 and 400 UFC Gyms in the next five years - then this could make huge inroads in how MMA is viewed within deeper concentric mainstream circles.