Imagine if we saw they exact same fight but Kos KO'd Thiago. Kos was expected to win that fight, and when we get surprised like that we try and find an excuse as to why we were wrong.

If the referee had stepped in and saved Thiago we would be saying he did the right thing by protecting him from the superior fighter.

If the roles were reversed, this would be a non-issue. We all felt that Thiago was going to need to be mercifully saved in that fight. We also, naturally feel that Kos is so much better a fighter that had the ref not stepped in Kos would have recovered an beat Thiago.

MMA Payout has been reporting on the recession's fall out on the casino industry, namely Station Casinos. Station Casinos is owned by the Fertittas who own Zuffa which is the Parent company of the UFC and WEC.

But in similar news, Donald Trump's Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc., has filed for bankruptcy. Trump has recently entered the fray, with ties that no one really fully understands, with Affliction

From AOL:

Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc, Donald Trump's casino group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, court documents show.

The casino operator had assets of about $2.1 billion and total debts of about $1.74 billion on December 31, 2008, it said in its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. Nine affiliates of the casino operator including Trump Plaza Associates, Trump Plaza Associates, Trump Marina Associates and Trump Taj Mahal Associates simultaneously sought protection, according to the filing. The company missed a $53.1 million bond interest payment due on December 1 as a sharp downturn in consumer spending hit casino revenues. Donald Trump said on Friday that he had decided to resign from the board of the company due to disagreements with bondholders who wanted the casino group to file for bankruptcy.

Yahoo! has recently listed Sation Casinos as one of the 15 companies least likely to survive 2009.

Station Casinos. (Privately owned, about 14,000 employees). Las Vegas has already been creamed by a biblical real-estate bust, and now it may face the loss of its home-grown gambling joints, too. Station - which runs 15 casinos off the strip that cater to locals - recently failed to make a key interest payment, which is often one of the last steps before a Chapter 11 filing. For once, the house seems likely to lose.

Just when I thought I all the crap about Junie Browning was over...Enter Robert Browning. This is Junie's little brother. The only thing that remains unclear is whether or not he is a bigger jackass then Junie. We will not be in suspense for long though, as MMA Junkie is now reporting that little Bobby Browning is competeing on TUF 9.

I usually try and refrain from judging people before they have a chance to be complete dipshits on national TV but I think we can all agree that in this particular case, I get a pass.

Also, if everyone can refer to him as 'Bobby Browning' instead of Robert or Rob, it would make my year. Plus it  sounds way better.

So let's all give a big thank you to little Bobby Browning for ensureing that we get at least one druken-glass throwing-anger management absent-throwing people in a pool episode of idiocracy.

Rob Browning MMA Fight AFL

Notice how Matt Hughes (the ref) was not real impressed when raising Bobby's hand.

MMA Payout has the scoop:

WHAT: Fox Sports en Espanol announced today that it will deliver
exclusive Spanish-language coverage of World Extreme Cagefighting(R)
(WEC(R)), marking a significant expansion of its mixed martial arts
content. WEC(R) is one of the world’s leading mixed martial arts
sports properties, and sister organization to the Ultimate
Fighting Championship (UFC). With the launch of this new
programming, Fox Sports en Espanol demonstrates its continued
commitment to providing viewers with coverage of the world’s most
exciting sporting events. The WEC(R) is one of the fastest-growing
properties in sports and home of the best light weight fighters in
the world.

WHEN: Premiering on February 6th, the network will air 24
one-hour programs throughout the year. Scheduled episodes will
feature Carlos Condit vs. John Alessio; Urijah Faber vs. Joe
Pearson; Dave Terrel vs. Tiki Ghosn; Eric Apple vs. Brock Larson;
and Steve Cantwell vs. Brian Stann

The Associated Press reports

LAS VEGAS—The Ultimate Fighting Championship has signed deals with two of its top fighters to give them signature gyms in a chain of fitness clubs planned by the mixed martial arts league.

UFC President Dana White said Thursday that the gyms will be named for B.J. Penn and Georges St-Pierre, scheduled to fight Saturday in Las Vegas for the UFC welterweight title.

White says the fighters will be paid royalties from the gyms whether they are fighting or not.

Mark Mastrov, a former 24 Hour Fitness CEO working to open the new clubs, says the fighters’ gyms will be open by the end of the year in Penn’s native Hawaii and St-Pierre’s hometown of Montreal.

This is a great way to put some serious money in the fighters pocket. It could also help grow a bigger hometown fanbase for fighters. Both these guys have deep roots in their community, and other fighters like that could benefit also. i.e. Rich Franklin in Cinncinati, Brock Lesnar in Minnesota.

While promotions like Affliction have given out larger fight purses then the UFC, they will not be able to keep up with the amount of money a fighter can make if the UFC keeps this up.

 photo via mmajunkie.com

 MMA Payout has the scoop. THQ has launched a website for UFC Undisputed. It appears that the game will be available in June. It sure seems like we have been waiting forever for this thing to come out, and now we have to wait another 4 months. Looks like it might be worth the wait. The entire website is not functuning yet, but I don't think it will be long before it is. According to the press release it looks like the site will have some pretty cool features.

In televised card that was dominated by the judges score cards, this little gem is now available on the UFC's website.

via media.ufc.tv

 Dennis Siver recieved 'Knockout of the Night' honors via spinning back kick.

If the Lytle vs. Davis fight was not so over-hyped and Mark Coleman's pity party about his finanial situation dictated who got "Fight of th Night", both men may have gone home with fatter wallets.

Fighters Only Magazine is quoting Alistair Overeem as saying:

We will have to see what contract they [UFC] offer me and if the money is right then yes, I am definitely interested. 

This would be a huge signing for the UFC as long as they can get him for the Germany card. If not, it is likely that he will not be worth the money as he is pretty much an unknown in the US.

via cdn.cagepotato.com

The New York Times has a good discussion going on at its website. They asked the question as to whether MMA should be legalized in New York. Here is an example of some of the ignorant comments being made.

Due to the ultra-violent Hollywood movies kids are allowed to see and later imitate today, plus the gross and sick video games they watch that even surpass those violent films for deranged cruelty and psychopathic unconcern for others, this "business" of purposeful violence has to stop everywhere now to protect society from further damage from uncaring others, as it is so totally obvious to any sociologist that they serve to further cripple man's attitude toward his fellow man while promoting more social hatred and violence. For absolute proof of this, take a closer look at the sleazy and neo-criminal fringe types who build and promote this "business".

Horrific and purposeful violence for show purposes in caged fights is no different and less forgivable than gladiator fighting in Rome was, only the maimed losers of today live a shortened, pathetic life and then die a lonely and forgotten death somewhat later than those in the Roman arena, with none of that previous glory.

It goes to show you that this world (MMA websites) we live in still has a long way to go to be main stream. It also shows that no matter how big the sport gets, some people will never get it. If you decide to post a comment at The New York Times' site, be respectful. We are trying to legitimize MMA not send it back to 1998.

Click here for the NYT discussion thread.

Tito and Fedor ring the opening bell at NASDAQ in New York. Wall Street gets it, when will the state government?

via mmamania.com

According to mmamania.com Josh Koscheck has signed a 20 month contract extension. This will reportedly keep him with the promotion until 2011.

via mmamania.com

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In what is arguably the deepest division in MMA, the 205lb division has recently become anybody's guess. Let's try and sort it out a little bit.

via media.ufc.tv

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In an interview with Sam Caplan over at FiveOuncesOf Pain, Shawn Tompkins said this:

...When he[Roach] says something it’s generally gold. But I will go against him in a way where he says Fedor’s punching isn’t technical and that it isn’t good because obviously, he’s the greatest. There are some cases with certain people that when everything they do wrong turns out right and that’s what you have in Fedor...I just can’t see Arlovski winning the fight. I think it’s a really bad fight for him but I think it’s a fight that he has to do. Best of luck to him, obviously, and I think Freddie Roach is a great trainer and I have respect for him at the upmost but I just don’t think he understands Fedor like the rest of us in the MMA game do.

I could not agree with Shawn Tompkins more. Most people seem to be really excited for this fight but, this seems to be a very bad match up for AA. I think AA is a more technical boxer but this is MMA not boxing. I also think that compared to Fedor AA is very weak on the ground.

Part II of this interview is also a good read. It has some good insight on this fight.

                  Shawn Tompkins                      Freddie Roach

There is endless deliberation about Fedor Emelianenko. Ranging from whether or not he is number 1, to him being in the UFC. I will attempt to answer these questions...sort of.

Continue reading this post »

 
We don't have exact numbers, but according to Tom Atencio, Afflictions first show did just over 100,000 ppv buys. So as they inch closer to their second show I wonder how many buys would be considered a success. One would think that doing fewer then their first show would be a disaster. Doing the same number of buys or better a success. However as the UFC seems to grow by the minute I would argue that Affliction needs to as well. The UFC seems to have a stranglehold on ppv, so if Affliction can pull off 100,000+ buys then they are still in the fight.

One can't bring this up without discussing money. In 2008 we saw the IFL tap out and EliteXC down for the count. While Affliction: Banned failed to rival the UFC in ppv numbers they certainly did their best to beat them on fighter payroll. According to the CSAC Affliction paid $3,312,100.  UFC 92, in comparison, paid out $1,381,000 in disclosed payrolls. (Not including ‘locker room' bonuses). It is probably safe to say that Affliction will be bleeding money soon if they aren't already. If the fighter salaries remain the same then Affliction will pay 7* out of 10 of their main card fighters $1,515,000. This does not include any win bonuses.

Affliction has a tough road ahead to be a success let alone compete with MMA's pound for pound king of promotions.

* The 7 fighters include Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Josh Barnett, Vitor Belfort, Matt Lindland, Renato "Babalu" Sobral, and Paul Buentello.

 Robert Joyner has a very interesting article up at mmapayout.com. In it he tells us that the UFC is considering signing some fighters to "360 deals". Basically, the UFC will promote the fighter and get the fighter sponsorships in exchange for a portion of the sponsorship dollars. The UFC would essentially act as a management team when it comes to fighters getting money outside the Octagon.

It seems to me that there are two schools of thought on this. Some people feel it is bad and that the UFC is controlling too much. It would also appear that on the surface that the UFC is taking money out of fighter’s pockets.

However, I feel that it could be a very good thing. In Joyner's article he outlines how the UFC uses companies that they have stakes in, and directs them towards the fighters. This isn't going to be great for top fighters such as Chuck Liddell who pulls in massive amounts of sponorship dollars. However, it could be great for lower/mid level fighters. The UFC often is criticized what it pays these fighters.

I believe that the UFC is increasing the distance between its competitors. Although it won't be exactly the same, I think we are going to see MMA turn into more of a NBA/NFL type sport where there will be only one "league". To me that is good. All the top fighters in one league will be great for the fans. What's your opinion?

     I have recently read a couple of posts saying how elbows to the head of a grounded opponent should be banned. The first argument I always hear is "All too often fights are ended because of cuts." That got me to thinking of when the last fight I can remember ended by cut. So I looked it up. In the TUF era only four UFC fights have ended by cut:

1. Rich Franklin vs Evan Tanner at UFC 53.
2. Joe Stevenson vs Yves Edwards at UFC 61.
3. Alan Belcher vs Kalib Starnes at UFC 77.
4. Thiago Alves vs Chris Lytle at UFC 78.

 The second most popular argument I hear is "Elbows negate submissions from the bottom." I don't know about any of you but I see a lot of submissions from the bottom. Also, just because one style/technique makes it difficult for another does not mean you outlaw it.

I know rankings are a difficult thing. Especially in the lightweight division. We all Know BJ Penn is number one. In a lot of polls, such as Sam Caplan's of fiveouncesofpain.com, you will see about 5 or so of Japans fighters. I am not trying to take anything away from them, rather I am makeing an argument for Sherk/Florian to be higher.

Sean Sherk has 3 career losses in 37 fights. That is a .892 winning percentage. Oh and by the way those 3 losses where to the highest calber compition.

1. Matt Hughes at UFC 42 (170lbs)
2. Georges St. Pierre at UFC 56 (170lbs)
3. BJ Penn at UFC 84 (155lbs)

Kenny Florian has a 9-2 record inside the Octogon. There are not too many fighters that have ever amassed 9 wins in the UFC. He is on a 6 fight win streak and finished his opponent in five of those fights. Needles to say very impressive.

Note: Meta Rankings have Sherk at 4, which I believe is very close to where he should be. (I put him at 3)

As I wander the web I just so happen to stumble across WAMMA's official website.  The first thing I see is a big Affliction banner. Right below that is a press release for the 'undisputed' lightweight title. Below that is video of WAMMA at an Affliction press conference. Since WAMMA is refusing to acknowledge their own #1 ranked lightweight as champ, their dubious agenda becomes obvious. They are trying to force the UFC to play by their rules. WAMMA wants to run MMA. Some of you may think that is a good thing, I however think it is very bad. WAMMA does not take fees from promoters of fighters, they rely on advertising money to run. With all the Affliction propaganda on their website, I wonder whose best interest they hold.

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