MMA Super Saturday: 10 Things We Learned Last Night

1. The Embodiment of "Puncher's Chance" and "Anything Can Happen"

Scott Smith may want to add "Head of Stone" to his "Hands of Steel" nickname, as once again last night, the veteran slugger survived two-plus rounds of beating to emerge victorious after landing a monster power shot.

Just as he did against Benji Radach earlier in the year, Smith came from way behind on the cards to drop Cung Le, handing the San Shou star his first professional fighting loss ever and simultaneously throwing a big ol' monkey wrench into the Strikeforce star system. More on that one later.

This is the awesomeness and awkwardness of Smith all in one; he can literally knock just about anyone out and change a fight with one punch, but he can also look very much like the journeyman who has bounced around from the UFC to EliteXC and now to Strikeforce as well.

He'll always give you an exciting fight, but he might also knockout one of your biggest stars in the process, only to follow it up by getting his dominated the next time around.

2. Falling Strikeforce Stars

While Strikeforce has made great strides this year and has a number of emerging stars on their roster, three of their top of the marquee fighters have fallen this year and that can't sit all that well with Scott Coker.

Frank Shamrock returned from his broken arm to get decimated by Nick Diaz. Though Diaz is a popular fighter in his own right, his reluctance to fight in the State of California due to his enjoyment of marijuana limits his possibilities.

Gina Carano got clobbered by Cris "Cyborg" Santos, who left the "Face of Women's MMA" bloodied and battered. With a reported starring role in Steven Soderbergh's Knockout in her future, when the beautiful Body Issue cover girl will reappear in the cage is anyone's guess.

Now Cung Le falls to Scott Smith.

While Strikeforce has done a great job to spin Santos as the dominant fighter she is and worked to make new stars out of Gegard Mousasi and Jake Shields, and bring in established stars like Dan Henderson, losing three main event fighters in the span of nine months is challenging.

3. "Cowboy" Needs to Clean It Up

There is no question in my mind that the knees landed by Donald Cerrone to the manhood of Ed "9mm" Ratcliff last night were unintentional.

But drilling an opponent in the pills enough times to merit two point deductions combined with Cerrone's illegal knee against Jamie Varner make me think this isn't just a series of freak occurrences.

It's not that I think Cerrone is dirty; we're not looking at the MMA version of Andrew Golota or anything like that, but rather a fighter who is sloppy and fights too fast at times.

Cleaning things up can come from taking a deep breath every now and again, and properly measuring opponents. Cerrone seems to fight a fraction of a second ahead of his mind at times, rattling off a string of moves that end up getting messy simply because he's trying to do too much.

The skill and technique is there - it just needs to be cleaned up.

4. Time for a Rematch

Two and a half years ago in Colorado's Ring of Fire promotion, Donald Cerrone and Anthony Njokuani locked horns, with Cerrone securing a triangle submission late in the first round.

Now, both men reside near the top of the WEC lightweight food chain and after Njokuani's third consecutive win last night (and third consecutive Knockout of the Night award I might add), the two need to get in the cage together again to determine the #1 contender for the soon-to-be-unified lightweight title.

An interesting wrinkle to the bout is that both men have lost to Ben Henderson, so the possible promotional angles moving forward have already written themselves. Not only would the fans be treated to another great fight and the victorious fighter come away with a title shot, but the WEC would have an easily marketed Main Event no matter which way things turned out.

All we need is for Reed Harris to make it happen.

5. Speaking of Rematches...

Expect there to be a Melendez - Thomson 3 in the future.

And by "expect," I mean that I would bet one of my kidneys on the fact that the two best lightweights competing under the Strikeforce banner will face-off in an rubber match somewhere down the line.

Each holds a Unanimous Decision win and a trilogy fight would be an easy sell. The only question is timing; do you put them right back in the cage together immediately to ensure the title is still up for grabs or do you give it time, letting each fighter earn a win or two in the interim?

Strikeforce is hopeful to get DREAM star Shinya Aoki into the promotion for a future event, so chances are that the Japanese grappling sensation would need to be in a title fight to make the trip worthwhile, so chances are the 17-2 Melendez will be dangled as his potential opponent.

Personally, I'd like to see Thomson get another fight under his belt before taking on "El Nino" for a third time. As admirably as "The Punk" performed last night, there is always a certain amount of ring rust that needs to be shaken off after spending 15 months on the shelf.

Make Melendez - Aoki happen, give Thomson another tough fight and then put them together 8-12 months from now to resolve this thing.

6. Is "Jacare" That Good?

Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza looked superb in submitting Matt "The Law" Lindland in the first round last night, but the question for me is whether "Jacare" is as tremendous as he looked or did he dominate an aging fighter on the downside of his career?

The correct answer is probably somewhere in the middle.

Souza showed why he is considered one of the best BJJ players in the sport in executing his gameplan perfectly once the fight hit the floor, but Lindland's failed takedown attempt early on also showed that the best days of Matt Lindland are definitely behind him.

"The Law" has now dropped two fights in a row and hasn't made it out of the first round in either. While he used to be one of the best in the sport, those days are passed. He's still competitive when given the right matchup and certainly is a credible name to have on the Strikeforce roster, but a title contender he is not.

On the other hand, "Jacare" most certainly is and should be in the conversation about who gets a crack at the middleweight title after the rumored Shields - Henderson bout in April.

Between now and then, Souza certainly has some unfinished business with Jason "Mayhem" Miller that could be promoted as a solid second or third fight on a future Showtime card.

7. Miguel Torres' Next Opponent is...

Either Joseph Benavidez or Scott "Young Guns" Jorgensen, both of whom emerged victorious from tough bantamweight challenges last night.

Benavidez stopped submission specialist Rani Yahya early, while Jorgensen rode a dominant first round to a Unanimous Decision (29-28 across the board) win over Takeya Mizugaka, putting both fighters into the title picture and as possible challengers for the returning former champ.

Jorgensen is riding a two-fight winning streak and has been working his way up the ladder, meaning he is certainly the more deserving of the two, but look for Benavidez to get the spot opposite Torres thanks to his finish of Yahya and allegiances with Team Alpha Male and Urijah Faber.

8. "King Mo" Is Like Oxy...

He takes care of whiteheads... fast!

Yes, I went there, and just as he had said he would when he tweet'ed the fight announcement, Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal popped Mike Whitehead, knocking the tough veteran out three minutes into the first round.

With his entertaining entrances, over-the-top bravado and seven consecutive victories, it's going to be hard to slow the "King Mo" hype train, but Strikeforce would be wise to preserve one of their emerging prospects for a while, rather than throw him to the wolves right away.

There are tougher fights and then there are tough-as-nails fights. For now, Lawal needs the former, not the latter.

Putting him in with Mousasi this quick would squander a prospect and potential star, while Renato "Babalu" Sobral presents a potential loss and nowhere else to go should Lawal emerge victorious.

Instead, why not get the charismatic and cocky Lawal some more national exposure? The challenge will be finding fights that are credible.

9. Two Cards in One Night is Too Much

I understand counter-programming and that things like this are going to happen from time-to-time, but it doesn't really help anyone, least of all the overall sport itself.

Coverage has to be split between two events, fans get split between two events and while both did very good numbers at the gate (and I expect them to have done the same on television), a lot of fans and community members were left watching one show on their DVR instead of getting to catch both live.

Additionally, I like the WEC on Sunday nights as they have done numerous times in the past. It is a nice little niche, can work in piggy-backing a UFC event, scoring viewers off promotion during the UFC broadcast, and keeps Saturday nights like yesterday from happening.

10. As Great a Night as Last Night Was in the Cage...

It doesn't compare to having a great night with my wife.

Terrific day out and about Victoria, tremendous birthday dinner at a local seafood joint, gourmet cupcakes (including candles) instead of cake and laughing hysterically throughout The Hangover...

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl and thanks for a great night!

(photo courtesy of the outstanding Esther Lin)











Continue reading...

MMA Super Saturday: Previews and Punch Drunk Predictions

If you're a fight fan - and aren't taking your wife out for her birthday dinner - tonight offers a difficult, albeit awesome, dilemma: which of the two exciting events taking place tonight do you watch?

As discussed earlier in the week, WEC 45 hits the mats at The Pearl at The Palms and airs on Versus, while Strikeforce: Evolution invades the HP Pavilion in the company's San Jose backyard.

Since there isn't much time before the preliminary bouts get underway (sorry, only so many days of Christmas shopping left...) and the main card for the WEC show was covered in the aforementioned piece, we'll tackle the Strikeforce main card and then make with the Punch Drunk Predictions.

Sound good?

Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (6-0) vs. "Iron" Mike Whitehead (24-7-0)

Mo Lawal is easily one of the Top 5 Most Entertaining Fighters in the sport today; his interviews are always loaded with awesome soundbytes, his entrances are priceless and he just might be the most self-confident man on the face of the Earth.

The former three-time Senior National Wrestling champion takes a big step up in facing the veteran Whitehead, but he's been extremely impressive and downright dominant at times through his first six fights.

Whitehead is a former TUF contestant who is extremely difficult to finish. The former Miletich Fighting Systems fighter is 18-2 through his last 20 fights, but those numbers are a little deceiving.

Much like Paul Buentello last weekend at UFC 107, Whitehead feels like he's been around forever and while many know his name, he hasn't really beaten anyone of great consequence for quite some time.

Each time he enters the cage with someone of considerable skill and name recognition (Renato Sobral, Keith Jardine, Brandon Vera), he comes out on the wrong side of things. While he has racked up wins over the likes of Zak Jensen, Ruben Villareal and Kevin Randleman during that streak, none are as talented as Lawal.

Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza (10-2-0, 1 NC) vs. Matt "The Law" Lindland (21-6-0)

While Mike Whitehead feels like he's been around forever, Matt Lindland has literally been around forever.

The 39-year-old is one of the founding members of the legendary Team Quest, was a UFC regular all through the company's dark ages, and has fought everyone from Pat Miletich and Murilo Bustamante, to Fedor and Vitor Belfort.

An Olympic silver medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling (Sydney, 2000), Lindland normally prefers to bring a fight to the floor and go from there, either grinding out a decision, sinking in a submission or getting a stoppage.

Unfortunately, bringing the fight to the floor is the best course of action for "Jacare" as well. The Black House member is one of the top jiu jitsu players in the sport today, winning this year's Abu Dhabi Combat Club Superfight over Robert Drysdale.

Souza hasn't faced nearly the same level of competition as Lindland, nor does he have the experience of the 39-year-old, but he also doesn't have the wear-and-tear of close to 30 fights and 13 years of punishment to contend with. Additionally, while Lindland has numerous outside interests that take up portions of his time, Souza is a fighter and a fighter only.

Josh "The Punk" Thomson (16-2-0) vs. "El Nino" Gilbert Melendez (16-2-0)

Boasting identical records and each holding a portion of the Strikeforce Lightweight title, Thomson and Melendez meet in their long-awaited rematch that should be the main event of the evening.

The first time they met, Thomson dominated Melendez, winning away the lightweight title via Unanimous Decision in June 2008. Since that time, Thomson has suffered twice as many serious injuries as he's had fights. That said, you don't go 16-2 by being the kind of guy who can't overcome an extended layoff.

While "The Punk" has been on the shelf, Melendez has taken up the mantle of being the most dominant lightweight on the Strikeforce roster. He earned the Interim title by knocking out Rodrigo Damm, then defended the belt and avenged his first career loss by beating Mitsuhiro Ishida back in August.

Now, the Scrap Pack member will be looking to avenge another loss and unify the lightweight title.

Cung Le (6-0-0) vs. Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith (17-6-0)

Earlier this week, Cung Le told all of us Keyboard Warriors to "keep clicking" when talking with Heavy.com about this bout against the heavy-handed Smith.

Well, here goes, Cung:

There are a whole lot of more compelling and competitive matchups for you in your return, but Strikeforce wants to give you fights where you won't be forced to go to the mat, unless it's to follow your opponent there after one of your fancy San Shou throws.

Scott Smith is a journeyman with heavy hands, that's about it. If he's such a challenging fight, how come the biggest wins of his career to date are his last win over Benji Radich - in a fight he was getting clobbered in - and his memorable knockout of Pete Sell from The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale?

The dumbass fans that boo whenever a fight goes to the ground may not have any interest in seeing "Jacare" and Jake Shields in what you called "a grappling match," but some of us certainly do. In fact, we want to see it more than we want to see you get hand-feed another guy who will be willing to stand-and-trade with you.

And by the way - when you win a title and then take nearly two years off to make mediocre movies, maybe you shouldn't wax all philosophical about the fans and how you deliver fights they really want to see?

Punch Drunk Predictions
Record: 128-93-1

Strikeforce: Evolution

AJ Fonseca over Alex Crispim via Split Decision
Bobby Stack over Alex Trevino via Unanimous Decision
Luis Mendoza over Juan Nunez via TKO, Round 1
Bryan Travers over Daisuke Nakamura via Unanimous Decision
Scott Lighty over Antwain Britt via TKO, Round 2

Muhammed Lawal over Mike Whitehead via Unanimous Decision
Ronaldo Souza over Matt Lindland via Submission, Round 2
Gilbert Melendez over Josh Thomson via TKO, Round 3
Cung Le over Scott Smith via TKO, Round 1

WEC 45

Jameel Massouh over Erik Koch via Submission, Round 2
Kyle Dietz over Brad Pickett via Submission, Round 1
Brandon Visher over Courtney Buck via TKO, Round 1
Muhsin Corbbrey over Zack Micklewright via Submission, Round 2
Anthony Pettis over Bart Palaszewski via TKO, Round 2

Takeya Mizugaki over Scott Jorgensen via Unanimous Decision
Rani Yayha over Joseph Benavidez via Submission, Round 2
Anthony Njokuani over Chris Horodecki via TKO, Round 3
Donald Cerrone over Ed Ratcliff via Submission, Round 1

Now touch gloves and come out swinging!















Continue reading...

Strikeforce Signing Bonanza: Manhoef, Noons, Prangley and Canadian TV Deal

The phones must have been ringing off the hook these last couple of days at the Strikeforce offices, as the San Jose-based Mixed Martial Arts promotion announced a slew of signings and a television deal that will see the December 19th Evolution card broadcast in Canada.

Melvin Manhoef, K.J. Noons and Trevor Prangley have all been added to the Strikeforce stable, and we'll cover each momentarily.

But the biggest news of the day is the deal with Canada's only national pay television network, SuperChannel. Yes, that's how we spell it.

Beginning with the December 19 card, SuperChannel will show all Strikeforce cards that are featured on Showtime in the United States. This means that instead of having to read the results on websites or stream the show to your computer, Canadian fight fans will be able to watch the event live, provided SuperChannel is part of their cable package.

I know one thing I'll definitely be asking for for Christmas now...

Somewhat overshadowed by the television deal were the acquisitions of the three aforementioned veterans, all of whom carry impressive resumes and an array of skills into the Strikeforce cage.

Though Melvin Manhoef might be unknown to new or casual MMA fans, hardcore fans know that the Dutchmen is the definition of the world striker; a fierce fighter with an attacking style straight out of K-1.

In addition to having competed in a number of K-1 kickboxing events, "No Mercy" has also knocked out Mark Hunt, the legendary Kazushi Sakuraba and the male "Cyborg" Santos, while coming out on the losing end against the likes of Paulo Filho, Gegard Mousasi and Yoshihiro Akiyama.

Those who watched EliteXC on CBS for more than just Kimbo or Carano might recall K.J. Noons, the first and only lightweight champion in the company's brief history.

The 7-2 Noons won the belt by defeating Nick Diaz before he and his father got into a bit of an in-ring scrum with both members of The Fighting Diaz Brothers back in June 2008. For months, a rematch between Noons and the elder Diaz was rumored and offered, but instead of re-upping with Nick, Noons returned to boxing.

Now, "King Karl" returns to the cage and the talk of a rematch with Diaz will undoubtedly surface again, though there are two very good reasons why it won't likely happen:

Diaz is fighting at welterweight and middleweight these days, so making the cut to 155 or finding an amicable catch weight is probably out
Diaz would rather smoke weed than fight, no matter who the opponent

Getting the least attention of the trio of signing is Trevor Prangley, a UFC veteran who was recently stripped of the MFC Light Heavyweight title.

For what it's worth, Prangley replaced the Canadian company's gold with the Shark Fights version of the same belt this past weekend, stopping Marcus Sursa via rear naked choke.

Though the South African veteran and American Kickboxing Academy member is getting the least amount of press, he could be the first to take to the cage, as rumor has him stepping in for Benji Radach against "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler in two week's time.

All in all, a very exciting and interesting day for the steadily-improving Strikeforce organization.





Continue reading...

Couture vs. Vera II Goes Down Tonight

Lost in the shuffle of last weekend's UFC 105 and the impending UFC 106 tomorrow night, the next installment of the Strikeforce Challengers series hits Kansas City, Kansas tonight with a familiar fight on the card: Couture vs. Vera.

Last weekend was the men, tonight it's the ladies, as Kerry Vera and Kim Couture meet in the co-main event.

Vera is the wife of UFC light heavyweight Brandon Vera, while many will recognize "Sugar Free" as the now ex-wife of Hall of Famer Randy Couture. Both still new to competition, they will each be looking further establish themselves individually and escape the fighting shadows cast by their current and former significant others respectively.

While Vera and Couture are the most recognizable names on the fight card, the main event offers another chance to catch one of the top welterweight prospects in the business, as undefeated American Top Team member Tyron Woodley takes to the cage against Rudy Bears.

The main also features a light heavyweight showdown between Aaron Rosa and Black House member Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante, and the return of Kevin Casey, a fighter most notable for his association with Reality TV uber-douche Spencer Pratt.

Much like the WEC card of a few nights ago and WEC cards in general, the Challenger Series has routinely delivered high-quality MMA despite being drastically under the radar, and tonight will be no different.

Watch the events unfold live on Showtime or if you're in the Kansas City area, tickets are still available at the Memorial Hall box office.

Photo courtesy of Esther Lin / Strikeforce.

Continue reading...

Strikeforce: 10 Things I Learned Last Night

1. This Picture Might Be Accurate

Anyone else would have been finished.

Broken nose on the very first punch, from a jab no less, before taking some serious ground and pound from a guy known explicitly for his big hands? We've seen talented fighters succumb to less.

But Fedor? The increasingly mythical entity that is "The Last Emperor" stood tall and remained calm, weathered the storm, landed some shots of his own and put an exclamation point on the evening with a precision knockout of Brett Rogers less than two minutes into Round 2.

More and more, Fedor is looking like an unbeatable fighting machine.

2. Brett Rogers is a Top 5 Heavyweight

After defeating Andrei Arlovski back in the June, Rogers' trainer Mike Reilly proclaimed his fighter to be a Top 5 Heavyweight, prompting a certain someone (read: we're talking about me here) to counter on Watch Kalib Run. Now, five months and a fight with Fedor later, let me assure you that Brett Rogers is a Top 5 heavyweight.

Results aside, Rogers busted up Fedor and showed the hands to put just about anyone into some serious trouble. What impresses me most about "The Grim" is where he can go from here.

Right now, he's still a brawler, but there is potential there to harness those hands and build a serious striker. Add in some semblance of a ground game - because there isn't one yet - and Brett Rogers could be deadly, and that's saying something, because he's already pretty damn dangerous.

3. 30 More Seconds and Mayhem is Champ

For all the talk about Jake Shields' phenomenal submission game, he was the one in the most danger last night.

While the Cesar Gracie student earned a Unanimous Decision and the Strikeforce Middleweight title, Jason "Mayhem" Miller came closest to finishing the fight with a very deep Rear Naked Choke at the close of the third round.

Had there been any more time in the round, we're talking about an upset and Mayhem is rolling with some new gold around his waist. Instead, we're talking about something we already knew: Jake Shields has zero - REPEAT ZERO - stand-up, no matter what he tries to tell everyone.

4. The Fans Booed a Grappling Match? Didn't Someone Say That Would Happen?

I remember, it was me, yesterday, when I was talking about The Jorge Gurgel Theory.

As if on cue, the action in the Shields - Mayhem match went to the ground and the chorus of complaints started ringing through the Sears Center. Admittedly, there were points in the action where it certainly was boring, but there were also some terrific scrambles and reversals and still the boos came crashing down.

If this is the way casual fans are going to react when a fight goes to the floor (and it is), pushing Jake Shields is going to be a tough task, 13-fight winning streak and shiny, gold belt or not.

5. Sokoudjou Added to the Dictionary

Sokoudjou (verb): the act where a person routinely looks good in their chosen profession before pulling a complete 180 and getting their ass handed to them.

Example: Mark Sanchez was on a roll in New York before he sokoudjoued against the Bills.

What makes it even harder to stomach is that Soko won the first round and looked good doing it; great balance, a couple nice throws, kept Mousasi from doing much damage, but then it was done.

My new question is whether it is a cardio issue or a "Sokoudjou simply quits" issue?

6. Mousasi is the Next Fedor

You can see it in his demeanor; both just look so calm and almost disinterested before the fight begins and once it's underway, nothing seems to phase them.

There are going to be those who jump all over this idea, citing Mousasi's lack of Top 10 opponents and that's fine. Renato Sobral is better than a lot of people give him credit for and the kid can only beat up whoever they put in front of him.

As stated earlier in the week: Gegard Mousasi will be considered the best MMA fighter on the planet inside the next three years.

7. Nothing Like Talking About the UFC

Here's an idea for the next Strikeforce card: have the announcers try even harder to advertise for the competition, and by "the announcers" I mean "the two guys who aren't Mauro Ranallo."

When you add up the GSP reference and talking about Sokoudjou losing to Machida with Johnson calling him something like "the emerging UFC superstar," the only thing missing was Brock Lesnar and some reference to Fedor avoiding the UFC like the plague.

Strikeforce presents: the prime-time UFC info-mercial with your host, Gus Johnson.

8. While We're on the Topic of Announcers...

Frank Shamrock has got to go.

Repeatedly saying he couldn't score rounds whenever Ranallo gave him the lead in was bad enough, but not quite as bad as calling Sokoudjou "Sujoku" all night.

Frank, he's a fighter, not a tricky little numbers game in the Sunday morning paper. That's called Sudoku. You'll have time to attempt one next time Strikeforce is on CBS because you shouldn't be at the announce table.

9. Fights Good, Production Bad

You can't control the outcome of fights (sorry DMX...), but you can control the timing of the event and Strikeforce failed in my books last night.

Everything felt really slowed down and while I understand that being on network TV and needing to mix in commercial breaks and such plays a part, things just looked amateurish.

On a night where Strikeforce could have entrenched themselves as a legitimate opponent to the UFC, the fighters came through in spades, but the production crew seriously dropped the ball.

Did I mention an entire fight was just scrapped for no real reason? To quote Ron Burgundy, "that's just Bush. It's Bush League! Audrey!"

10. EA Sports MMA Looks Gooooooooood!

Two words: Me Likey





Continue reading...

Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers Punch Drunk Predictions

Tonight's the night!

If it hasn't been said enough throughout the MMA community this week, let me remind you one more time:

Anyone who has even a passing interest in Mixed Martial Arts needs to be watching this card on CBS tonight. Not just because it's Fedor and a great card and it's free (but those are three pretty solid reasons, you have to admit...) but because if you're a real fight fan, you want to see a second Strikeforce CBS card and perhaps that mythical unicorn Dana White always mentions - the UFC on network TV.

Don't get me wrong: I'm always going to watch fights, whether I have to pay for them or not, but if this sport is every going to hit that level of mainstream acceptance that so many are itching for, it's not going to come at $50 a pop on PPV. It's going to come through network TV... starting tonight.

Punch Drunk Predictions
Record: 91-70

Preliminary Card
Christian Uflacker over Jonathan Novaes (Submission, Round 1)
Louis Taylor over Nate Moore (TKO, Round 2)
Shamar Bailey over John Kolosci (TKO, Round 1)
Jeff Curran over Sam Thao (Submission, Round 2)
Mark Miller over Deray Davis (TKO, Round 2)
Roxanne Modafferi over Marloes Coenen (Unanimous Decision)

Main Card
Fabricio Werdum over Antonio Silva (Submission, Round 3)
Gegard Mousasi over Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Submission, Round 1)
Jason "Mayhem" Miller over Jake Shields (Split Decision)

And in the Main Event of the Evening...

"The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko over Brett "The Grim" Rogers via first round submission to retain the WAMMA Heavyweight title.

Now touch gloves and come out swinging!


Continue reading...

Strikeforce Fight Week Previews: Fedor vs. Rogers

Now it's time for the big dance. Before breaking down the fight, here is my one shout out to the rest of the MMA community:

We're getting a chance to see one of the greatest fighters to ever grace our sport for free tomorrow night. This is like Ali fighting on ABC's Wide World of Sports back in the day.

Tell your friends, tell your enemies and tell all the people you talk to today, because I don't want to spend Monday writing about the sad state of affairs this sport really is when Fedor Emelianenko can't draw as many fans to a fight on FREE TV as Kimbo Slice.

There... onto the breakdown.

"The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (30-1-0, 1 NC) vs. Brett "The Grim" Rogers (10-0-0)

Chances are you're going to see a trend develop throughout this preview. It's going to involve Fedor and some variant of the word "win" and be used to for every category, starting with where these two train.

Fedor trains with his brother Aleks, Amar Suloev and Gegard Mousasi at Red Devil Sport Club. The second most prominent member of Ambition MMA where Rogers trains? Kelly Kobald.

Here it is: Fedor wins.

Experience doesn't even really need to be dissected, as even the biggest Fedor bashers can admit that the Russian superstar has three-times as many wins as his opponent with wins over Minotauro Nogueira, Cro Cop and Mark Coleman in their primes to his credit.

Again, Fedor wins.

The one area some will argue in favor of Rogers is their shared opponent, Andrei Arlovski.

For three minutes, Arlovski had Fedor backed into a corner and on the defensive, pushing the pace and bringing the fight to the WAMMA Heavyweight champ. Though that is very much the case, the end result for both fighters against Arlovski are the same: big punch, down goes Arlovski.

Rogers was quicker, but you could even argue that Fedor was more lethal as he needed just one well-placed punch to drop the former UFC champ. Then again, some might call me the always charming "nuthugger" for backing Fedor so strongly.

Call it a push and let's move on.

There is no question that Brett Rogers has the power to change the course of a fight with one punch and sometimes, one punch is all you need.

Without question, the youngster who will be fighting in his own backyard is going to be a force to be reckoned with moving forward in the heavyweight division, especially if he adds some ground skills to the lethal leather he already throws.

But therein lies the rub: while Rogers brings big punching and not much else, Emelianenko has shown over the last eight years that he's got more tools to work with than Bob Villa.

He can knock you out, submit you or go the distance and perhaps more incredibly, you can't beat him.

Kaz Fujita had him wobbled with a well-placed power shot to the head. Kaz Fujita tapped out at 4:17 of the first round.

For everyone who is impressed - and rightfully so - with Lyoto Machida's undefeated run prior to the controversial finish of UFC 104, Fedor has doubled that in the eyes of some, myself included, as his one "loss" should rightfully be a DQ or No Contest.

Imagine, the guy has gone almost ten years without a loss in a sport where everyone loses.

Perhaps now you know why the theme of this preview has been Fedor wins.




Continue reading...

Strikeforce Fight Week Preview: Jake Shields vs. Jason Miller

I've already gone on record in a couple different places saying this will be the Fight of the Night. That's what happens when you get a guy who likes to submit people fighting a guy who just doesn't tap.

While my prediction for this fight has been known to readers of my work at Bleacher Report, that won't stop me from breaking in down FWP-style as always. I mean, just because I think Mayhem is going to win doesn't mean I can't discuss the finer points of this outstanding match-up.

Some would call that remaining objective; undoubtedly, others will call it an attempt to pad my stats. I don't care what you call it, as long as you read it.

Jake Shields (23-4-1) vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller (22-6-0, 1 NC)

The Cesar Gracie black belt is head and shoulders ahead of Mayhem in terms of training; while Miller is the big dog in the yard and does most of his training solo, Shields is the captain of "The Scrap Pack," a collection of Gracie students that includes The Diaz Brothers and Gilbert Melendez.

In terms of experience, these two a neck-and-neck; both have close to 30 fights and have been inside rings and cages with some high caliber 170 and 185 pounders over the years. Combined, their list of competition really is quite impressive.

Strength of schedule falls in favor of Shields, as his current 12-fight winning streak has included Robbie Lawler, Paul Daley, Nick Thompson and Carlos Condit, while Miller's most recent wins came over Kala Hose, Hiromitsu Miura and Tim Kennedy.

From here on out, the fight gets real interesting, at least to MMA geeks like me.

First off, Shields is a natural welterweight, having fought the bulk of his career at 170 with a couple of catchweight fights interspersed for flavor. On the other hand, Miller has been making 185 routinely for the last five years and isn't a small middleweight either.

The former EliteXC Welterweight champ has stated he wants to fight in both classes, so packing on 15 pounds of muscle is out of the question.

While Shields certainly looked great in his 182-pound catchweight win over Robbie Lawler, the chances of Miller getting caught in a standing guillotine are slim and none, which brings us nicely to the next wrinkle.

Simply stated, "Mayhem" will not quit. He might take a nap and he might end up with a broken limb, but the guy is not going to tap. This is a guy who grins his way through fights and went 15 minutes with GSP while covered in blood.

Additionally, the Bully Beatdown host actually has some strong defensive skills on the ground. People seem to mistake the fact that Miller hosts a TV show with him being a sub-par fighter and that simply isn't the case. You don't last ten years in the business if you don't know what you're doing.

There is no question that Shields is going to look to win this fight on the ground. Anyone who wants to point to his improved stand-up and tell me that he was handling Robbie Lawler on their feet last time out needs to remember the fight lasted just two minutes.

This one is going to last far more than that. Besides, Mayhem has better stand-up.

The key to this fight is going to be who scores more points where they are least comfortable; can Shields steal a round standing and trading or can Mayhem weasel out a 10-9 with solid defense, submission escapes and reversals?

We'll find out Saturday night, won't we?





Continue reading...

Strikeforce Fight Week Previews: Gegard Mousasi vs. Sokoudjou

Grab a pen and write this down: In no more than three years time, Gegard Mousasi will be considered the best Mixed Martial Artist on the planet.

Remember who told you that when everyone who follows the sport is fawning over the Armenian-born, Dutch-raised soon-to-be superstar.

Saturday night, fight fans will get to see why the man known as "The Dreamcatcher" is on the verge of becoming a household name and one of the top pound-for-pound performers in the sport.

Gegard Mousasi (26-2-1) vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (7-4-0)

The training camp component might be the only win Sokoudjou can steal from Mousasi, as "The African Assassin" gets his instructions from Dan Henderson and company at Team Quest in Temecula, California.

However, it's not like Mousasi comes from some scrub gym either; the guy is Fedor Emelianenko's boxing coach with Red Devil. Training on a daily basis with the best in the business certainly counts for something.

The only reason this isn't a win for Mousasi is the relative lack of depth with the Russian outfit, compared to the laundry list of competitors who call Team Quest their home.

Here is where things get awful impressive for the 24-year-old Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champ.

Saturday marks his 30th fight as a professional and he's riding a 12-fight winning streak. By comparison, Sokoudjou will only be making his 12th appearance in the cage.

There was a time a couple of years ago where Sokoudjou was in Mousasi's shoes; a highly-regarded prospect coming off two shocking upsets in Pride. But after beating Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona on back-t0-back Pride cards, things went south for Soko.

While Mousasi's conquests may not have the same name brand cache as his opponent's signature wins, do not be fooled by the fact that you haven't heard of some of Mousasi's victims. Hector Lombard and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza are Top 20 Middleweights, while there isn't a long line of people looking to step into the cage with Cyborg Santos or Melvin Manhoef.

What makes the streak of "The Dreamcatcher" all the more impressive is that he's done it across various weights and in various fashions; submitting heavyweight Mark Hunt, outlasting the aforementioned Lombard and forcing the ref to call off his one minute beatdown of Renato "Babalu" Sobral in his North American debut.

Not to diminish the talents of Thierry Sokoudjou, but this isn't going to be close and the game plan for scoring a win is pretty well known.

Sokoudjou has a three minute gas tank, give or take 30 or 40 seconds. He comes out like gangbusters, expends all his energy and then is like a wounded gazelle being stalked by a pack of hungry lions; try as he might, it's only a matter of time before the end comes.

Though Mousasi showed a fierce aggressiveness in stopping Sobral last time, look for the young phenom to bide his time, ensuring he doesn't suffer the same upset fate that fell Arona and Little Nog back in Japan before bringing the fight to the ground and forcing Sokoudjou to tap.

From there, expect to see his name start popping up on more and more Pound-for-Pound lists and people to mention his name in conversations about the future of the sport.

Just remember who told you all of this first...



Continue reading...

Strikeforce Fight Week Previews: Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Silva

Sorry I've been slacking on breaking down the Strikeforce Main Card this week; in addition to moving, writing revisionist histories on Brock Lesnar and trying to find a job has taken up all of my time.

Now that it's already Thursday, here's what we're going to do: two today, two tomorrow and Punch Drunk Predictions on Saturday, just like always.

With that out of the way, let's get down to brass tax and break down this bout.

Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1) vs. Antonio Silva (13-1-0)

As always, where each fighter trains is Step One in trying to figure out who is going to have their hand raised and who is going to be standing there all grumpy and defeated.

With these two, we're talking about two very accomplished combat teams, as Werdum works out of the famed Chute Boxe Academy, while Silva trains with American Top Team.

Though both are top tier training camps, Silva gets the edge, as ATT is one of the very best teams in the sport and the presence of a heavyweight grappler like Jeff Monson who can mimic the offense Werdum will present is greater than anything Chute Box can offer their charge.

That being said, Werdum has a massive edge in experience and what we call "strength of schedule," the next two components.

Silva's greatest challenges to date have come in the form of former UFC fighters like Wesley "Cabbage" Correira, Ricco Rodriguez and Justin Eilers, with his lone loss coming at the hands of Eric "Big E" Pele, a fighter some might recall from his days on A&E's Inked.

Meanwhile, in addition to being a multi-time medalist at the Abu Dhabi Submission Grappling Championships, "Vai Cavalo" has faced the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Junior dos Santos, Gabriel Gonzaga, Minotauro Nogueira and Alistair Overeem.

Stylistically, these two are polar opposites, which could make for an interesting altercation.

Silva will surely look to keep this fight standing, as his powerful hands are his greatest weapon. Despite using an arm triangle to defeat Jim York last time out, taking this fight to the ground against Werdum is far from a good idea.

As mentioned earlier, Werdum is a championship-caliber submission fighter and will surely look to put his large opponent on the mat. While Silva is no slouch on the ground and working positions on a man of his stature isn't the easiest thing in the world, neither is winning the heavyweight division at the 2009 ADCC Championships, something Werdum did just two months ago.

One interesting wrinkle that presents itself and is certainly in the memory banks of fight fans is Werdum's crushing knockout defeat at the hands of Junior dos Santos.

Silva is equally as strong - if not stronger - than the young Black House standout and every fight starts standing up, so Werdum will most likely have to weather a storm initially before trying to transition to the ground where he will be in considerably less danger.

Whatever happens, this is going to be an interesting fight; Werdum is looking to keep building towards a marquee fight with either Fedor or Alistair Overeem and Silva is looking to return to title contention following a North American suspension and decimating weaker competition.

And honestly, the whole damn thing is on CBS for free and live fights are certainly more appealing to me than a night of main events I've already seen on Spike.





Continue reading...

Red Jelly Beans, Kleenex and Mixed Martial Arts: Oddly Logical Analogies on a Sunday Morning

If given a choice, which would you rather have: as many red jelly beans as you could possibly eat or all the jelly beans you could stomach in a variety of colors?

Those who love red jelly beans see no reason to venture away from their favorite, content to consume the one and only option they enjoy. But some people enjoy and even need variation, different options and possibilities in their jelly bean intake, and the idea of only being allowed one color ruins the enjoyment.

Now that you're craving jelly beans, think about this: what if the red jelly beans represented the UFC? Now what would you choose?

The idea of a Mixed Martial Arts monopoly has been discussed in various incarnations since the emergence of the Ultimate Fighting Championship as the dominant brand in the sport.

Advocates of the idea speak of the other major sports leagues, Major League Baseball and the NBA for example, where all the best athletes aim to play under the banner of the marquee name in the game.

They talk about dream match-ups between fighters who have yet to face each other, the thought of Brock Lesnar and Fedor Emelianenko meeting in the center of the Octagon for the UFC Heavyweight title sending them into an imaginary fight euphoria.

If the sport of Mixed Martial Arts was derived to determine which style was the best and ultimately, which fighter was the best, wouldn't having all the best fighters in the world under one roof make a great deal of sense?

Opponents of the idea would argue differently.

For starters, variety is the spice of life; imagine how boring listening to the radio would be if your only option was an all-muzak station? Or, more in keeping with the topic, all aggro-alternative like the music the UFC always uses? Sometimes you want a nice, soft ballad or some old fashion gangsta rap and having a multitude of MMA options give fans that choice.

Additionally, the most popular sport in the world (to make it easiest, let's just call it soccer) is not contested in just one league. While some would argue that the best of the best participate in the English Premiership, others would point to the La Liga in Spain as the home of the best soccer clubs and players, while others still would argue for Italy's Serie A.

None of those leagues is close to struggling, despite the fact that the best players in the world are spread amongst them, not to mention those playing in Germany, France and the countless other countries with professional leagues.

We're already at a point where the UFC is becoming the Kleenex of MMA; so prevalent within the sport that people simply refer to MMA as UFC, just as all facial tissue is commonly referred to as Kleenex.

Perhaps the key to remember in the Kleenex analogy is that while the name has been genericized, there are still a multitude of manufacturers making facial tissue.

The difference, of course, is that while the people at Scottie's don't care if you call their product Kleenex or facial tissue, Scott Coker and Strikeforce will certainly be saddened if you refer to their product as UFC...

Whether it's relating the sport to jelly beans or drawing comparisons with facial tissues, there is no definitive answer to whether a Mixed Martial Arts monopoly and the genercizing of the sport is good or bad moving forward.

Those who love red jelly beans are still going to want to do away with all the other colors and Scottie's is still going to make facial tissue, even if you call it Kleenex.

Some will forever argue that all the best fighters belong in the UFC, just as many will mistakenly label Mixed Martial Arts with the name of the biggest brand in the business.

Personally, I don't want to live in a world with only red jelly beans and while I call the stuff I blow my nose in each morning Kleenex, I know that it's really called facial tissue.

What about you?

Continue reading...

Dan Henderson: The Bobby Hull of MMA

Dan Henderson is the Mixed Martial Arts version of Bobby Hull.

For those unfamiliar with the career and biography of "The Golden Jet," Hull was one of the NHL's preeminant stars, sniping goals from the left wing for the Chicago Blackhawks in larger quantities than anyone before him, including Maurice "The Rocket" Richard.

But in 1972, Hull grew unhappy with being chronically underpaid and threatened to sign with the upstart WHL. Even though his contract demands seem unreasonable, the owners banded together, came up with the money and landed one of the marquee names in the sport to help sell their brand.

Dan Henderson is Strikeforce's version of Bobby Hull.

Sure they already have the consensus top heavyweight the sport has to offer in Fedor Emelianenko, but ask anyone invested in the Mixed Martial Arts industry and they'll confirm for you that Joe Smith in Springfield has no idea who "The Last Emperor" is and therefore, his value is somewhat limited.

But thanks to The Ultimate Fighter, even the most casual of MMA fans is fully aware of Dan Henderson, even if only in his capacity as the coach of Team USA in their battle against Team UK.

While Strikeforce has been busy assembling a talented roster, including their recent signing of DREAM Welterweight Grand Prix champion Marius Zaromskis, having a stable full of unknown talents isn't going to convince the average fan to tune in to Showtime.

Though names like Emelianenko, Mousasi and Shields may be the true mark of talent in the organization, Henderson is without question the biggest name outside of the hardcore fans. He is a fighter that people who spend minimal amount of time reading blogs like this can name and a recognizable addition that could bring new fans to the growing organization.

At this stage in their development - and Strikeforce is still very much in the developmental stage and not yet near equal footing with the monolith that is the UFC - acquiring names to attract fans is part of the plan. Why else do you think the UFC was signing everyone under the sun over the summer? It sure wasn't to capitalize on all the Phil Baroni merchandise sales...

But now, the UFC is taking an undoubtedly well-calculated risk, as fellow Bleacher Report writer Darren Wong accurately broke down in his most recent effort. For them, Henderson is not worth the large financial commitment he is seeking, as despite his name recognition, he is not a major PPV draw.

With Henderson, Strikeforce gains the one thing they need most right now: a recognizable name that can draw the attention of casual MMA fans away from the UFC vacuum. Once you're watching, the even more talented members of the roster have the capability to captivate you.

Henderson wasn't heading into this round of contract negotiations with the intention of becoming the MMA version of Bobby Hull. Up until ten days ago, he still believed a deal could be worked out with the UFC and a change of address would not be necessary.

Bobby Hull probably thought the same thing when he told the Chicago Blackhawks he would leave if they didn't pay him what he thought he was worth.

But "The Golden Jet" flew to Winnipeg, bringing name recognition to the otherwise unknown World Hockey Association.

Can Dan Henderson do the same for Strikeforce?


Continue reading...

Strikeforce on CBS: A Tremendous Opportunity for the Growth of Mixed Martial Arts

Early next month, the men featured in this terrific photo by Esther Lin will take part in two of the four stellar match-ups schedule for the debut of Strikeforce on CBS.

Light heavyweight champion Gegard "The Dreamcatcher" Mousasi (left) will face Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in a non-title match, one that was originally slated to take place in the DREAM Super Hulk Tournament.

In the main event, consensus #1 heavyweight and MMA legend Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko (right) will step inside the cage for the first time to face undefeated challenger Brett "The Grim" Rogers.

In addition to being arguably the best televised fight card of the year, this is an incredible opportunity for Strikeforce to showcase their brand, their stars and the sports of Mixed Martial Arts as a whole.

Over six million viewers tuned into Spike TV two weeks ago to watch what amounts to an amateur bout between Kimbo Slice and "Big Country" Roy Nelson. Now, mixed martial arts fans across the country will be given a chance to watch one of the greatest fighters the sport has ever seen and three additional outstanding bouts live on network television.

While Spike is a niche network geared towards the core demographic of the sport itself, Strikeforce will be shown on CBS, the home of some of the best and most-watched programs on television today and the hands-down king of televised sports, the NFL.

Never before has the sport been given an opportunity to promote itself in a manner like this; though EliteXC was previously featured on CBS, the organization was promoted on the back of the aforementioned Kimbo Slice, a backyard brawler of Internet fame.

Now, we have arguably the greatest fighter of the modern era of mixed martial arts, a young fighter who some believe could be the next to carry that torch and well-known opponents Jake Shields and Jason "Mayhem" Miller to use as selling points and showcases for what top level MMA really looks like.

It's not as if we're asking people to find a channel some don't even have like Versus; even if you don't have cable, chances are you have CBS and instead of presenting the street certified Slice, we have the 30-1 Fedor Emelianenko to top the marquee.

We have been talking for months about the sport's push to break into the mainstream and this could be the watershed moment. Four outstanding fights, eight talented fighters and one major network with the ability to promote the event to an entirely new audience, as well as the millions of current fans of the sport and those who tune into AFC action every Sunday afternoon.

Additionally, this is a chance to expand the horizons of those who believe that MMA and UFC are synonymous. While the UFC is certainly the biggest name in the business, they are not the one and only organization worthy of attention in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts and this event proves it.

For the low, low cost of zero dollars, fans and curious onlookers alike are going to have the opportunity to watch one of the most anticipated and stacked fight cards of the year without a single glimpse of Dana White. As blasphemous as that may seem to some, it is a more than welcomed opportunity to many, this writer included.

The sport will only grow through the flourishing of numerous organization, Strikeforce included, and this is a grand opportunity to move closer to that end.

Should CBS decide to put their considerable marketing muscle behind this event, and Strikeforce do everything they can to promote these well-known combatants, new ratings records won't be the only result.

We could have an incredible night of fights that helps break down the barriers preventing mixed martial arts from entering the mainstream, a display of talent, skill and respect that showcases the beauty and artistry of the sport and not the bloodshed.

Hardcore fans are sure to tune in, regardless of any marketing or promotion. You needn't say more than "free Fedor" to entice many MMA fans to choose CBS on November 7.

But if done correctly, this event could draw entirely new fans and those trapped in the UFC vacuum to an emerging organization and outstanding collection of fights, helping push MMA closer to crashing the mainstream media party.

And if we're really lucky, maybe some of the critics of "human cockfighting" will sit down and see what mixed martial arts is really about, seeing as they won't have to spend a dime or search for some channel buried in the upper regions of their satellite or cable service.

Whether all or none of these dreams come true is yet to be determined. One thing that is certainly already is that Strikeforce on CBS is a tremendous opportunity for growth knocking on the door.

Let's just hope someone answers.





Continue reading...

Do You Really Think Brett Rogers is Going to Beat Fedor?

We're roughly a month away from the Strikeforce debut of Fedor Emelianenko on CBS and the spectator speculation is already underway.

On November 7, the consensus top heavyweight in the sport today and one of the greatest fighters in the history of Mixed Martial Arts will set foot inside a cage for the first time against undefeated rising star Brett "The Grim" Rogers.

While I certainly still maintain my contention that this is a bad match-up for Strikeforce to have put together for the debut of the multi-million dollar acquisition, only one question really matters:

Do You Really Think Brett Rogers is Going to Beat Fedor?

If you answer yes to this question, you obviously haven't been paying attention for the last, let's see, nine and a half years.

While Rogers certainly has the power to drop anyone he faces, we're talking about Fedor Emelianenko.

For my money, the guy has never lost. Even taking his 2001 "defeat" against Tsuyoshi Kohsaka into account, "The Last Emperor" is riding a ridiculous eight year undefeated streak, during which time he has amassed 25 wins and one No Contest.

The last time Fedor suffered a loss, the Red Sox were still under the Curse of the Bambino, the New England Patriots "dynasty" hadn't even started and Angelina Jolie was just starting to get noticed as a talented actress after winning an Oscar and sucking face with her brother.

Not to take anything away from Brett Rogers; the guy has been awful impressive in his brief career and his 22 second destruction of Andrei Arlovski was certainly impressive, but do you really think that a guy who has been fighting professionally for all of three years and change is going to dethrone the reigning king of the heavyweight division?

There is nothing Rogers brings to the cage that Fedor hasn't faced before. He's defeated bigger men, faster men and men who are equally as strong as "The Grim," in addition to having built his name handing out losses to the best in the business during his time as Pride Heavyweight Champion.

Rogers has one noteworthy win, his upset of Arlovski back in June. Now check the list of fighters who have fallen to Fedor:

Andrei Arlovski
Tim Sylvia
Matt Lindland
Mark Hunt
Mark Coleman (twice)
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
Tsuyoshi Kohsaka
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice, with one No Contest)
Kevin Randleman
Kazuyuki Fujita
Heath Herring
Semmy Schilt
Renato "Babalu" Sobral

Despite the many times I have questioned Emelianenko's marginal wins over the last few years, defeating "fighters" like Hong Man Choi and Zuluzinho, there is no question that during his heyday in Pride, "The Last Emperor" ruled with an iron fist, underrated ground game and aura of domination that left many opponents defeated before they stepped in the ring.

Many times when I'm breaking down fights and comparing competitors, the bigger, stronger, faster and younger of the two gets the edge in my books; this is not one of those times.

Despite all those adjectives applying directly to Rogers, save for maybe faster, I once again remind you that we're talking about Fedor Emelianenko here. He hasn't gone undefeated over the last eight years through luck and weak opponents.

While it will be interesting to see how Fedor operates in his first foray into a cage after years spent working in a ring, the guy has put together a record of 30-1 by being unable to adapt.

Brett Rogers has an exceptionally bright future in this sport and would shock the world if he manages to come away from Chicago with a victory.

But we're talking about Fedor Emelianenko here people.

Plain and simple: the guy does not lose.

Continue reading...

Gina Carano and The Dwayne Johnson Effect

All the Mixed Martial Arts world is buzzing with the recent string of stars making their way to Hollywood, picking the bright lights and minimal bruising of the silver screen over the beatdowns and bloody lips that come with the cage.

While most fighters-turned-actors have landed supporting roles (see Jackson, Quinton) or the lead in direct-to-DVD sequels (see Couture, Randy), Gina Carano is taking things one step further, landing the lead role in Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh's Knockout.

When discussing this growing trend on the most recent Watch Kalib Run Cage Cast, an interesting and very plausible analogy for Carano's career moving forward came to mind.

Is Gina Carano set to become the Dwayne Johnson of Mixed Martial Arts?

For those who have shied away from the squared circle since the days of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka or simply choose to deny their former love of wrestling, Dwayne Johnson is better known to some as former WWE champion "The Rock," easily the greatest crossover success the wrestling world has produced to date.

Following his rise from young up-and-comer to world champion, Johnson began branching out into the acting world, a natural move for the highly-charismatic potential leading man. His first leading role came as the titular character in The Scorpion King, a role that netted him the largest salary for a first-time lead actor in movie history.

From then on, his in-ring appearances became less frequent, as more movies followed, until the point came where "The Rock" was just a part-time wrestler, while Dwayne Johnson focused on being a full-time actor.

The potential parallels with Carano are obvious, just as her decision to capitalize on this opportunity makes perfect sense as well.

While countless troglodytes and trolls have left comment after comment criticizing this move or voicing their prepubescent fantasies for a nude scene throughout the online community, the fact of the matter is that Carano should make in the neighborhood of ten-times more to make this film than she does for getting punched in the face.

It doesn't take an accountant to tell you that that is a wise financial decision.

Just as Johnson saw the need to strike while the iron was hot and his career was on the upswing, the same applies to Carano now.

Here name recognition and mainstream popularity have never been higher, coming off the massive promotional push of her fight with Cris Cyborg, her role on American Gladiators and he presence in the pages of Maxim Magazine.

Additionally, Carano, like Johnson before her, understands that her in-ring activities won't last forever, and the chance to open a new avenue for life after fighting cannot be missed, especially when the one presenting the option is Steven Soderbergh.

The director of Traffic, Erin Brockovich and the Ocean's Eleven series has said Knockout will be a female James Bond-type adventure, which immediately brings the word "franchise" into play.

But what will all this mean for her career in the cage?

Obviously, a return to the ring in the near future is out of the question, as starring in a major motion picture is not a three week vacation to remote locations.

After filming is complete, the comparison with "The Rock" has the potential to play out even more.

Strikeforce has already displayed a willingness to allow high-profile fighters the opportunity to pursue other endeavors (see Le, Cung) and Carano should be no different.

Much like Johnson was booked into short storylines and given a major push during his sporadic returns to the ring, expect the same with Carano when it comes to fighting.

One highly-publicized, well-promoted fight between acting opportunities is not unreasonable to expect, as Caranao remains "The Face of Women's MMA" and one of the most marketable mixed martial artists period.

In fact, the lack of depth in the female Strikeforce ranks works in Carano's favor as well.

With few credible challengers established enough to sell an event alongside "The Brawling Beauty," Strikeforce can invest some time into building an opponent before putting pen to paper on a contract with Carano, thereby allowing her the time to scratch her acting itch.

While picking an acting gig over an established fight is a little questionable ** cough Rampage cough ** using your time away from the ring to put a little money in the bank for your post-fight career cannot be criticized.

Gina Carano may still be "The Face of Women's MMA," but the opportunity to be the face of a potential action movie franchise is one you don't turn down.

And that's the bottom line, because Stone... oh wait, wrong wrestler.
Continue reading...

Punch Drunk Predictions: Strikeforce

After what feels like a week away (it's only been three days) battling the flu, health has finally returned to me enough to climb back behind my keyboard to hit you with some Punch Drunk Predictions for tonight's historic Strikeforce fight card.

Last week was a busy week for the PDP's and after my 5-5 performance at UFC 101, I vowed to deliver 8 wins from WEC 42 and d'you know what?

8 wins, 3 losses, bringing the record a little closer to respectability and making me feel good about my picks for this card which is full of fights that could certainly go either way.

Mike Kyle (12-6-1) vs. Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1)
Kyle reminded me of a bigger version of Drew McFedries; he's got lethal knockout power and some decent wins, but he never seems to string together impressive performances.

As for Werdum, this will be his first opportunity to erase the memory of Junior dos Santos literally knocking him out of the UFC back in October and while Kyle has the punching power to deliver a repeat, the former Pride and UFC veteran has too much experience to let that happen again.

Doesn't he?

Jay Hieron (17-4-0) vs. Jesse Taylor (13-3-0)
I've got to give it up to Jesse Taylor for a minute.

Since getting tossed from the TUF Finale a few years back and getting submitted by C.B. Dollaway, Taylor has fought anywhere and everywhere while piling up seven straight wins. While he hasn't always been beating name brand opposition, seven wins since October is still pretty impressive.

With that out of the way, Jay Hieron is the toughest test to date for the Team Quest fighter and too much to handle in my books. The former IFL Welterweight champ has a wealth of experience against tougher competition than Taylor has faced and comes in on a five fight winning streak of his own.

Gilbert Melendez (15-2-0) vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (18-5-1)
Despite Josh Thomson's late removal from this fight, "El Nino" is going to get a chance at redemption anyway, facing the man to hand him his first career loss, "The Endless Fighter" Mitsuhiro Ishida.

Melendez has been vocal about the late replacement and some are speculating that Strikeforce has put the Interim Lightweight champion at a disadvantage heading into this fight. While both views could be correct, true champions overcome the obstacles before them and this is Melendez' chance to prove himself as a true champion.

Ishida is a strong wrestler who had gone to battle against some top talent over the years, including Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro and Takanori Gomi, while scoring a Unanimous Decision over Melendez on New Year's Eve 2007.

Renato "Babalu" Sobral (35-8-0) vs. Gegard Mousasi (25-2-1)
Youth versus experience.

Normally, I would side with experience, especially when that experienced competitor is Renato Sobral. But the youth is Gegard "The Dreamcatcher" Mousasi and I'm pretty certain that this will be his North American coming out party.

"Babalu" has become a much smarter fighter in his post-UFC career, finding his spots and executing perfectly in both his Strikeforce win over Bobby Southworth (got inside his range, landed some elbows, got the win) and his last Affliction fight against Sokoudjou (weathered the typical early Soko burst, submitted his tired ass in Round 2).

Then there is Mousasi, who is riding a 12-fight winning streak at the age of 24, including winning the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix and currently sitting as the favorite to win the company's Open Weight "Super Hulk" Tournament as well. You may not have known his name before today, but you shouldn't forget it. He's the real deal like Holyfield.

Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos" (7-1-0) vs. Gina Carano (7-0-0)
The fate of Women's MMA doesn't hang in the balance.

Regardless of the outcome, Gina Carano will remain the Face of WMMA.

But even those two realities doesn't stop this from being an historic event and the fight I have been most looking forward to in this outstanding month of Mixed Martial Arts.

Cyborg is a powerful, aggressive, dominant fighter who has clobbered nearly everyone who has been put before her, using her brute strength to overwhelm her opponents.

Carano is more of a technician, utilizing a wider array of attacks and having shown the ability to grind out a win against tough opponents.

If it ends early, Cyborg will be the winner. If it ends later, Carano will have her hand raised. The question is which one will it be?

Punch Drunk Predictions
Record: 57-45 (That's better...)

Note: Since I have no real knowledge of any of the fighters on the undercard, making picks would really be a complete coin-flip situation and that is dumb to me, so I'm skipping them and sticking with what I know.

Fabricio Werdum over Mike Kyle by Submission, Round 2
Jay Hieron over Jesse Taylor by Unanimous Decision
Mitsuhiro Ishida over Gilbert Melendez by Unanimous Decision
Gegard Mousasi over Renato Sobral by TKO, R1

And in the Main Event of the Evening...

Gina "Conviction" Carano over Cris Cyborg by Submission, R3

Now touch gloves and come out swingin'...

Continue reading...

Gina Carano vs. Cris Cyborg: Redefining What It Means To Hit Like a Girl

There couldn't be a better tag line for this fight than the one used in the title above, one which I heard yesterday for the first time in an advertisement for this historic bout.

Some critics may want to attack Cyborg and Carano's place in the overall scheme of Women's MMA, calling them unworthy of such a grand stage or the attention they've received, while other, perhaps better, fighters go seemingly unnoticed.

My response to those critics is this: On August 16, more people than ever before will have been exposed to high-level Women's MMA, and the likes of Tara Larosa, Sarah Kaufman and Shayna Baszler, to name three, will reap the rewards of what Carano and Cyborg are about to accomplish.

You would think that the critics who attack the headlining act of Strikeforce's August 15 event would be their strongest supporters, as they seem to want to champion the growth and development of WMMA , but then fail to recognize the importance of this fight towards that end.

Whether they're the most worthy females fighters of such an honor is secondary; of primary importance is that we have, for the first time ever, two outstanding female fighters headlining a major organization's event. Regardless of rankings or standing in the eyes of their critics, Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg are going to usher Women's MMA into a new era on Saturday night.

Personally, I couldn't think of two better females to have on opposite sides of the cage for such an important event than these two.

On one side you have Gina Carano, a fighter who has garnered the spotlight and been thrust forth as the "Face of Women's MMA" thanks to her exposure on American Gladiators and undeniable good looks, whose undefeated record is often an afterthought.

Across the cage, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, a "Muay Thai Machine" as Mauro Ranallo has taken to calling her, whose performances in the ring have often been more impressive than her counterpart, yet receive far less acclaim.

Each is the perfect nemesis for the other and their shared Muay Thai base will surely make for a more exciting fight than the first three bouts from last weekend's UFC broadcast.

Don't get it twisted - this is not a WWE Divas match where the combatants are more attractive than athletic; these two women are fighters first and everything else second, and each would quickly change anybody's opinion on female fighting with one straight right to the jaw.

Some in the MMA Community believe the fate of Women's MMA hangs on the results of this fight; specifically that a Cyborg win removes Carano as the face of the sport and somehow makes it less marketable.

I would say the exact opposite is true, regardless of who wins.

This fight is the start of something more for Women's MMA.

No matter who comes away with the belt around their waist, Carano will remain the "Face of WMMA" because, whether you like it or not, she is the most marketable female fighter on the planet and records don't matter as much as when you're talking about marketing revenue.

And that's a good thing, because anything or anyone who brings attention to the great wealth of talent in WMMA is a positive.

A Cyborg win doesn't mean the sport suffers; it means that maybe Sarah Kaufman gets an opportunity to fight for the belt against the women who beat Gina Carano, the Face of WMMA and the one, rightfully or not, currently viewed by some as the best female fighter in the game.

The bottom line is that the sport can't grow without exposure and Cyborg and Carano are bringing more attention to WMMA right now than anyone else could.

They're also going to show a whole bunch of guys that the words "You Hit Like a Girl" is taking on a whole new meaning.



Continue reading...

Strikeforce Stupidity: Fedor Needs to Fight for the Title, Period.

Scott Coker has had himself a pretty impressive week, and it's only Wednesday.

He scooped up the consensus top heavyweight in the business and agreed to a partnership with Japanese organization DREAM that could lead to some outstanding inter-promotional fights. Add in the signing of Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and it's be a busy couple days for the San Jose-based organization.

And how does Scott Coker plan to capitalize on all this momentum?

By sticking Fedor in a showcase fight with some schlub in the Fall!

Um, what?

In an interview with TapouT radio following the Fedor signing, Coker had the following to say about a fight with Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem:

“[Fedor] and Alistair Overeem should be an amazing fight, and people that haven’t seen Alistair, you know, he’s an amazing fighter. I think we should do a couple of fights and build that one up, and then let their champion fight our champion, and let’s see what happens.

We’re hoping that Alistair will be ready to fight in the Fall, and we can put him on one of the cards with Fedor, and not fight against each other but fight against someone else, and let’s build that fight up”

Welcome to How to Potentially Ruin Your Organization 101.

First, spend a lot of money to sign Fedor Emelianenko and enter into a 50/50 profit-sharing agreement with his management / promotional organization M-1 Global.

Then, while everyone is talking about him and your company, instead of having him walk in and destroy your champion, thus adding to his mythic status, we'll have both of them fight on the same card against lesser opponents and see what happens.

Even if both fighters kick the snot out of their respective opponents, you've wasted a glorious opportunity.

There is never going to be more interest in Strikeforce MMA than right now and their first fight card following all this activity. Why in the name of everything sacred in this world would you not throw everything but the kitchen sink into the mix and get your hooks into the fight fans who are dying to see Fedor?

No one wants to see him knockout Paul Buentello, and there is no point in feeding him Brett Rogers at this stage either.

Bringing in Jeff Monson might be interesting, but no one except Jeff Monson thinks Jeff Monson is going to win that fight.

Heaven forbid something ridiculous happens like Fedor looking flat or even losing to one of these guys. Then what do you do?

As Jake Rossen of Sherdog and ESPN said in his blog about this same topic, "Let's Build That Fight Up" isn't a good business strategy in a sport where anything can happen and you're not going to convince anyone that there is a more deserving title challenger in the organization (if not the world) than Fedor.

Three days in and you're already making mistakes.

Not a good sign.

Continue reading...