Boxing Wins the Battle, But Will MMA Win the War?

Six days ago, this same photo combo led off a piece discussing the PPV Grudge Match that went down last Saturday between UFC 103 and Mayweather vs. Marquez.

Early reports indicate that "Pretty Boy Floyd" put a beating on the UFC last weekend, something that will certainly be trumpeted from the mountain tops by boxing fans and anti-MMA activists alike.

While this unanimous decision certainly helps cement Mayweather's place as one of the biggest PPV draws on the planet, I'm not ready to declare boxing the undisputed champion of pay-per-view just yet.

Without question, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is one of the two biggest boxing stars competing today, the other being Manny Pacquiao, of course. He is a massive draw, undefeated in 40 professional bouts and pretty much untouchable.

For MMA fans, he's the Lyoto Machida of boxing, emerging from his fights unscathed the same way the reigning light heavyweight champ does time after time.

But let's not go putting too much stock into last weekend's tug-o-war for people's pay-per-view dollars.

You had one of the greatest and most popular boxers on the planet, covered and promoted at great length by the mainstream media, competing in the biggest boxing event of the year going up against UFC 103, complete with zero title fights, one half of the main event returning to the company after a four-year hiatus and a handful of other competitive but far from captivating bouts.

Of course Mayweather - Marquez ruled the night; this was the varsity squad beating the tar out of the JV team and then bragging about it. Losing would have been a story, but the fact that they came out ahead shouldn't surprise anyone.

Perhaps a more far and just comparison would be between boxing's biggest draw (Mayweather) and the best the UFC has offered this year, their centennial show in Las Vegas this past July.

Golden Boy CEO Richard Shaefer has hinted that last weekend's event will eclipse the one million buy mark, a great number no matter what side of the debate you're on.

That being said, rising above the one million mark would still leave the biggest boxing event of the year more than half a million buys shy of the premier event on the UFC calendar this year.

Headlined by some of the biggest names in the sport, UFC 100 garnered a reported 1.6 million PPV buys and sits atop the charts as the single biggest pay-per-view event of the year. It was also the first time that the mainstream media gave the a UFC event the same amount of coverage they offer boxing.

If the two biggest draws in their respective sports (Mayweather in boxing, Brock Lesnar in MMA) were ever to go head-to-head, a definitive winner could not be decided right here, right now, at least not without a whole lot of bias being involved.

Clearly, boxing had the better night last weekend; The Floyd Mayweather Jr. Show was a massive success and laid waste to UFC 103.

But boxing should certainly be looking over it's shoulder.

Without much mainstream media attention, the UFC is producing numbers approaching that of the biggest boxing event of the year on a monthly basis and the numbers will only continue to grow.

If the sport is ever afforded the same coverage that boxing is given, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

And let's not forget, while boxing has been around forever, past down from generation to generation as the combat sport of choice, Mixed Martial Arts is still in it's teenage years and already making inroads on boxing's fan base.

My suggestion?

Circle November 21, 2009 on your calendar.

That's the day UFC 106 goes down in Las Vegas, headlined by Brock Lesnar defending his title against Shane Carwin, with an undercard featuring the return of Tito Ortiz.

Boxing rolled out it's big guns last weekend and put a big number on the board.

We'll see where things really stand when the UFC does the same in two months time.


Continue reading...

UFC 103: Things I Learned Last Night

1. SOMETHING LIKE A PHENOM-ENON

I have no problem admitting I was dead wrong about Vitor Belfort.

While the trouble he had making the 195 pound catchweight limit still worries me, there are no questions remaining about what Vitor Belfort has returned to the UFC and the type of danger he presents for everyone in the middleweight division.

Glancing blows dropped Rich Franklin before a fast-paced flurry ended things. It's hard to train for a fighter with that kind of hand speed.

2. NEXT UP: ANDERSON SILVA

The middleweight champ has shown little interest in fighting Dan Henderson or Nate Marquardt, so Belfort's impressive performance Saturday night should skyrocket him to the the top of the title contenders list.

Now, we've said before that different fighters could cause problems for Silva and repeatedly been proven wrong and Belfort may be no different. But Belfort may be the first guy to stand across the ring from "The Spider" who possesses the same kind of deadly striking ability as the undefeated Pound-for-Pound king.

Hopefully, all sides are interested and we can make this fight come to fruition early next year.

3. CRO COP IS FINISHED

He looked spent from the time the second round started, throwing very few strikes and showing no real defense against the attacks of Junior dos Santos.

As much as the Mirko Cro Cop highlight reel is still one of the most impressive collections of knockouts around, those days are gone, as is the opportunity for the UFC to use his as a headlining name anywhere other than overseas.

His decision to enter the arena wearing an old Pride t-shirt says it all; those were the glory days and when he was at his peak, but unfortunately, those days and that organization are long gone.

4. CIGANO IS THE REAL DEAL

Junior dos Santos continues to impress inside the Octagon, running his UFC record to 3-0 and bringing down another high profile name.

The key will be how the UFC proceeds from here; while you certainly can't have him take a dramatic step back in competition, a lot of the top level heavyweights are currently contracted to fight.

While he's not quite ready for a title shot, he's definitely leapfrogged Cain Velasquez in my books and could make for an interesting fight against Frank Mir if (when?) MIr disposes of Cheick Kongo.

5. WHAT TO DO WITH THE WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION?

First, Josh Koscheck scored the impressive knockout he needed to erase the memory of Paulo Thiago starching him last February.

Then Paul Daley made things even more interesting by laying a beating on Martin Kampmann, announcing his presence in the UFC in impressive fashion.

So now what do you do? Mike Swick is still needs a top tier challenger after missing out on the action last night in Dallas, and there is no one cemented as the #1 Contender to Georges St-Pierre's throne.

My bet is that Koscheck gets a title shot simply because Jon Fitch got pounded on too recently to get a rematch and no one else fits the bill.

6. GIVE NATE DIAZ TYSON GRIFFIN IF HE WANTS A TOP 5 TALENT

After his victory over Melvin Guillard at UFN 19, the brash Diaz proclaimed he was ready for a step up in competition.

I say feed him to Tyson Griffin, who looked outstanding in executing a perfect gameplan to earn the finish many were waiting for over Hermes Franca.

With Gray Maynard looking like the next challenger for the lightweight title, another solid performance over a name brand fighter would put Griffin right in the mix and Diaz offers just that; a name casual fans know, but not enough offense to derail the Xtreme Couture powerhouse.

7. DREW McFEDRIES NEEDS TO GO

I've actually know this for quite some time, as have many others I would bet. But after last night's performance against Tomasz "Gorilla" Drwal, this has got to be the end of the line for Drew McFedries.

He's a one-trick pony who fails to perform that trick more often than not. If the UFC can wave goodbye to Thales Leites one fight removed from a title shot, they can certainly show McFedries and his 4-5 record the door.

8. ROB EMERSON IS GOING TO BE WALKING FUNNY FOR A COUPLE DAYS

Did you see how jacked up his left leg looked? Yikes!

Rafael Dos Anjos laid a beating on the inside of Emerson's left leg and looked good for a third straight performance. While he lost the first two, he showed well before taking the "Uppercut from Hell" from Jeremy Stephens, and pushed Tyson Griffin to a decision that was closer than the scores suggested.

Emerson, on the other, can join Drew McFedries on the unemployment line as far as I'm concerned. Somewhere, Jason MacDonald is scratching his head, wondering exactly how he got cut while "The Saint" still remains in the UFC?

9. K2 INTERVIEW SERIES CURSE UPDATE

Basically, I'm poison.

While the record remains at 0-2 with one canceled bout, both Kryzsztof Soszynski and Cole Miller has agreed to interviews with me before failing to deliver the goods. Both also lost.

Heading into UFC 104, I say we put this thing to the test and see if I can take down Lyoto Machida. Whattaya say?

10. WELCOME TO NO MAN'S LAND

I saved this one for the very end in hopes that some of you who read my "Rich Franklin: The Under-Appreciated Superstar" piece earlier in the week would miss it.

Well, the former middleweight champion of the world is officially the Mayor of No Man's Land. While a win could have sent him into the Top 5 of the Light Heavyweight division, his loss leaves him without any real role in the company.

Perhaps he should take a meeting with the other residents and see what they have to say. Somebody get Franklin the numbers for Keith Jardine, Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin and find out if the boardroom is available next Thursday.


Continue reading...

UFC 103 vs. Mayweather-Marquez: Discussing the PPV Grudge Match in Relation to the Mainstream Media

"If early mainstream media coverage is an accurate indicator, Mayweather-Marquez will crush UFC 103 tomorrow night in PPV buys. Then again, mainstream media have shown lukewarm interest in UFC despite its constant growth and popularity."

The above comment is taken from the status of New Jersey Star-Ledger Boxing and MMA writer Franklin McNeil's Facebook profile. Yes, we're friends.

While the thought reminds me of why I am a fan of Franklin McNeil in the first place, it also brings up the constant debate between boxing and mixed martial arts and the coverage they receive in the mainstream media.

Settle in, this one is going to take a while.

Both portions of McNeil's status update are true; the Mayweather-Marquez fight has been earning 10-8 rounds against UFC 103 for the entire week, if not longer.

Though the UFC delivered their usual strong Countdown show on Spike, the M&M show has garner 24/7 coverage, both literally and figuratively from ESPN and most other major media outlets.

While the UFC can't get a sniff of main page attention from the websites of the two sports superpowers, Mayweather versus Marquez is batting leadoff and sixth on ESPN, in addition to holding down the three hole on Sports Illustrated.

Adding up all the attention the sweet science is receiving certainly gives the impression that the championship card of boxing will score an impressive TKO over the UFC tomorrow night.

But is that impression legitimate?

This is where the second part of McNeil's doubly-truthful observation comes into play.

Saying the mainstream media has shown lukewarm interest in the UFC is like saying Angelina Jolie is decent looking; both are gross understatements.

Outside of UFC 100 and Brock Lesnar's post-fight shenanigans, the mainstream media has only shown an interest in MMA when the story is just too huge to ignore.

Affliction's demise got a little bit of ink, while the Fedor Sweepstakes and the Gina Carano - Cris Cyborg fight both scored reasonably well, but other than that, the coverage has been minimal outside of the pages and columns dedicated to the sport.

And let's be honest with each other: we all know why the Gina Carano fight got as much attention as it did...

I just call them like I see them.

Back to the matter at hand, predicting who will come out ahead in the pay-per-view grudge match taking place tonight based on mainstream media attention is drawing conclusions from a compromised collection of data.

Although Mixed Martial Arts is growing at a rapid pace both globally and domestically, many mainstream media outlets refuse to give it the same coverage they offer boxing.

Despite the fact that boxing fans have to wait four to six months for a worthwhile pay-per-view event, in comparison to monthly cards courtesy of the UFC, MMA continues to be treated like the redheaded stepchild of the sports world by the media.

Even though Mayweather has been out of the ring for over two years, the returning former pound-for-pound king is garnering the sport coverage equivalent of being Jon Gosselin, while Rich Franklin and the rest of the UFC 103 fighters can't even make it on TMZ, yet alone Showbiz Tonight or Access Hollywood.

Everyone knows what Mayweather had to eat for dinner last night, while Franklin and company have to hunt down the paparazzi themselves if they want to have their pictures taken.

Drawing realistic conclusions is awfully hard when the information being presented is biased.

Though the mainstream media may be showering the Mayweather-Marquez bout with attention, my guess would be that the roles are reversed when you look at which event bars and other such establishments are choosing to air tomorrow night.

While I can name you several sports bars and watering holes that are showing the UFC within a 100 mile radius of the tiny town I currently call home, I can't tell you one such establishment that will have Mayweather versus Marquez on their marquee tomorrow night.

The same trend holds true for each of the three cities I've settled in over the last two years. In fact, the last big boxing event that I can recall garnering serious pay-per-view attention with the barstool set was the Lennox Lewis - Mike Tyson tilt and that took place in 2002.

That's not to say that boxing doesn't still have a loyal and dedicated fan base that will open their wallets for championship events, but the truth of the matter is the MMA has replaced boxing as the combat sport of choice for bar owners, as well as the 18-35 demographic.

Keeping that demographic in mind, it's easy to see why the mainstream media is down on MMA and big on boxing; there aren't a whole lot of members of said demographic with any kind of sway in the mainstream media right about now is there?

In their way is "The Old Guard," an assembly of elder statesmen raised on the glory days of boxing, when legends took to the ring on a regular basis and martial arts was reserved for kung-fu films and the occasional class at the YMCA.

Does anyone really expect the same people who routinely cling to archaic ideas about MMA that have been repeatedly refuted to suddenly switch gears and start covering the sport?

The answer is no, and it will remain that way until people who are passionate about the sport are afforded the opportunity to provide it with the coverage it deserves.

While MMA is making small strides, like having two of the three panelists on Friday's episode of Around the Horn pick UFC 103 to come out victorious in this weekend's PPV Grudge Match, winning a small battle on a single segment of Horn is hardly a cause for celebration.

Perhaps the frequent fight schedule will always mean that only the biggest events of the year will receive wall-to-wall coverage a la UFC 100, while the infrequent nature of top tier boxing events makes the massive mainstream attention more understandable.

That being said, trying to determine which of these two pay-per-view programs is going to come out ahead by the amount of coverage afforded to each is about as useful as asking a bunch of Toronto-area residents who will win the Stanley Cup this year.

A majority will say the Maple Leafs, despite having last sipped from Lord Stanley's mug more than forty years ago.

Just because the mainstream media is backing boxing, doesn't mean Mayweather and Marquez are going to come out on top tonight.

It just mean that they, like Toronto Maple Leafs fans, refuse to accept anything different.





Continue reading...

UFC 103 Punch Drunk Predictions

Tonight marks the end of a busy week here at Keyboard Kimura.

Between delivering the Fight Week Preview series, as well as some interviews and editorials and the Punch Drunk Predictions on UFN 19 on Wednesday, twelve posts have already come off the figurative presses.

Hopefully, this round of fearless forecasting will serve as Lucky #13...

The Prelims: Fast and Dirty

Rob Emerson vs. Rafael dos Anjos
The former cast member from Season 5 of The Ultimate Fighter was choked out by Kurt Pellegrino last time out, while the Brazilian black belt gave Tyson Griffin fits in a fight that was closer than the scores showed.

Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Igor Pokrajac
One is a crafty veteran returning to the UFC after an extended hiatus that saw him clean out the IFL Light Heavyweight division, the other is Mirko Cro Cop's training partner who has beaten exactly no one of relevance in his career.

Eliot Marshall vs. Jason Brilz
One of the better undercard bouts of the night, Brilz is riding a ten-fight winning streak and hasn't lost since 2001. Marshall is a legitimate BJJ black belt and solid on the ground. Training with Greg Jackson and company in New Mexico doesn't hurt either.

Rick Story vs. Brian Foster
If this was three or four years ago, Foster would be the easy pick just because he trains with Matt Hughes and the H.I.T. Squad team. But it isn't 2005 anymore, is it? Remember how impressive Jake Ellenberger looked against Carlos Condit on Wednesday night? Story beat him.

Rafaello Oliveira vs. Nik Lentz
Oliveira was originally slated to fight on the Affliction: Trilogy card against Japanese star Takanori Gomi. Nik Lentz is no Takanori Gomi, not even the less impressive version we've seen in recent years.

Jim Miller vs. Steve Lopez
One half of one of the two sets of "Fighting Miller Boys" in MMA, Jersey Jim's two career loses came from going toe-to-toe with Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar. Do you see either of them on the other side of the cage?

Drew McFedries vs. Tomasz Drwal
Somebody is going to get KTFO in this one. Drwal is younger, stronger and making the drop to his more natural fighting weight of 185 for the first time. Drew McFedries is Drew McFedries.

Efrain Escudero vs. Cole Miller
The winner of Season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter had a tough time making weight and will have an even tougher time in his post-TUF debut, as Cole Miller, half of the other set of "Fighting Miller Boys" competing in MMA is a slick submission specialist and should get the win, especially because he decided against doing an interview with me for some reason.

You got in-depth coverage of each of the main card fights already this week, so it's on to the picks.

Punch Drunk Predictions
Record: 73-55

Preliminary Card
Rafael dos Anjos over Rob Emerson, Submission R2
Vladimir Matyushenko over Igor Pokjarac, TKO R2
Eliot Marshall over Jason Brilz, Unanimous Decision
Rick Story over Brian Foster, TKO R3
Rafaello Oliveira over Nik Lentz, Unanimous Decision
Jim Miller over Steve Lopez, Submission R1
Tomasz Drwal over Drew McFedries, TKO R1
Cole Miller over Efrain Escudero, Submission R2

Main Card
Tyson Griffin over Hermes Franca, Tyson Griffin Special (Unanimous Decision)
Josh Koscheck over Frank Trigg, Submission R2 (Probably a Rear Naked Choke)
Martin Kampmann over Paul Daley, Submission R2 (See above)
Junior dos Santos over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, KO R1 (Uppercut of Doom)

And in the Main Event of the Evening...

Rich "Ace" Franklin over Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort by Unanimous Decision... especially since Belfort had a bitch of a time making weight.

Now touch gloves and come out swingin!


Continue reading...

The Under-Appreciated Superstar

How can a fighter with a professional record of 27-4 who has headlined three fight cards in the last eight months and is a former middleweight champion be under-appreciated?

By being Rich Franklin.

One of the early faces of the UFC, the former math teacher from Cincinnati, Ohio has become an afterthought when discussions turn to the premier fighters in the sport today.

Fans are quick to call out his two devastating defeats at the hands, well, knees of Anderson Silva, as if Franklin's fate was somehow different than the other eight men who have stood before "The Spider" and came away with nothing.

Knowing that a third fight against the dominant middleweight ruler was less than likely to materialize, Franklin set his sights on the light heavyweight division. Since that time, all Franklin has done is whatever the UFC has asked of him, including headlining UFC 93 and 99 earlier this year.

Saturday, he steps into another catchweight fight against another dangerous opponent, the returning "Phenom" Vitor Belfort. While some consider Franklin a gatekeeper to fighters looking to earn instant opportunities in the middleweight division, I call him a consummate professional who is grossly undervalued.

Think about it: his four losses are to Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson and Lyoto Machida. Two of those men are currently the undisputed kings of their divisions, while Henderson was the first man to simultaneous hold titles in two different weight classes.

Their combined record is 65-11.

How do you fault a man for suffering defeats to three of the greatest champions the sport has ever seen?

Say what you will about Franklin being unable to win the big fights against the big names, but no one has been able to beat Machida at all, Silva has barely been challenged under the UFC banner and both of Henderson's UFC losses came in title fights, including one against Anderson Silva.

Yet somehow Rich Franklin has become this middle-of-the-road fighter unworthy of another title shot to some?

A loss to Lyoto Machida six years ago should not preclude Franklin from another opportunity, and a case could be made for a win here catapulting "Ace" into a title fight early next year.

Machida makes his first title defense next month against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, and should emerge victorious. Honestly, can you see the guy who gassed against Mark Coleman come away with a win over the undefeated, almost untouchable champion? Me neither.

But who would be next in line?

Anderson Silva has stated on numerous occasions that he has no interest in fighting his friend and teammate, Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans have a score to settle once Jackson is done channeling his inner Mr. T and the rest of the potential contenders within the division are all locked up for the foreseeable future.

Add the UFC's need to find a suitable main event for the year-end Ultimate 2009 card (UFC 109) scheduled for January 2 at the MGM Grand and you have a tailor-made opening for Franklin to receive a title shot in a highly marketable main event against Machida.

Regardless of what happens in the future, both next year and tomorrow night, Rich Franklin is a consummate professional and a world class fighter.

Here's hoping some people start to remember that.

Continue reading...

Fight Week Previews: Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort

Even though there is no title belt on the line, the main event of UFC 103 packs a whole lot of interest into the maximum 15 minutes these two warriors will go toe-to-toe.

On one side of the cage you have Rich Franklin, the former middleweight champion and consummate professional, headlining his third event of the year.

Across from him is the returning Vitor Belfort, a former champion in his own right who steamrolled the competition he faced on the two Affliction cards and looks to instantly establish himself as a title threat in whatever division he decides upon.

Simply put, this one is going to be explosive.

Rich "Ace" Franklin (27-4-0, 1 NC) versus Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (18-8-0)

Starting where we always do, the former light heavyweight champion Belfort gets an edge for being a member of Xtreme Couture.

Not to take anything away from Franklin and the training he does with Jorge Gurgel and company in Cincinnati, but a training camp spent working with the loaded roster at Xtreme Couture gets the edge.

On the flip side, Franklin holds an advantage when it comes to experience and the consistent level of competition he faces.

While Belfort has been fought some legends in his own right, Matt Lindland serves as the only true test "The Phenom" has faced in the last two years. Defeating Ivan Serati, James Zikic and Terry Martin doesn't come close to the relentless list of challengers Franklin has fought over that same period of time.

Wanderlei Silva and Dan Henderson are still world class fighters, while Matt Hamill and Travis Lutter are at least on par with the competition Belfort has faced.

Additionally, while Belfort has been earning praise for his performances with Affliction, neither was near the top of the marquee; the Terry Martin fight was a preliminary card bout, while he and Lindland batted in the three hole.

Meanwhile, Rich Franklin routinely headlines events, standing in the center of the ring under the brightest lights of them all and never fails to deliver a quality fight.

The opponents these two fighters share results in a wash; both suffered defeats at the hands of Dan Henderson and came away victorious when faced with Wanderlei Silva.

That being said, Henderson scored a unanimous decision over Belfort who then tested positive for a banned substance after the fight (in Japan, no less, where far less substances are banned). Conversely, Franklin dropped a tough split decision to the Team Quest founder at UFC 93.

Of course, Belfort needed just 44 seconds to finish "The Axe Murderer" at UFC Brazil back in 1998, a far cry from the decision Franklin earned at UFC 99 in June.

Stylistically, these two fit each other quite well and will surely make for an entertaining fight for the fans.

Belfort has ferocious one-punch knockout power, as Matt Lindland learned back in January. He likes to charge forward, a whirlwind of punches looking to end the fight early, and possesses some of the fastest hands in the fight game today.

Though Franklin too is more striker than anything else, the former math teacher is more methodical in his approach, picking his spots, changing levels and mixing in powerful kicks to compliment his stiff left hand.

Not only does this fight mark Belfort's return to the UFC, but also a marked step up in competition. No disrespect to Matt Lindland, but dropping a 37-year-old who was equally focused on winning an election is not the same as standing across the cage from Rich Franklin.

The winner will instantly earn title consideration, with Franklin in particular becoming a potential light heavyweight challenger for whoever emerges from the UFC 104 main event.

Who will that winner be?

We'll find out Saturday night in Dallas.

Continue reading...

Fight Week Previews: Junior dos Santos vs. Mirko Cro Cop

Words can accurately express how excited I am for this fight, though I'll certainly try my best.

While Junior dos Santos burst onto the scene just eleven months ago by delivering an uppercut of destruction to the dome of Fabricio Werdum, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic has been doing this for a decade.

One of the most feared strikers in the history of the sport, the former Pride standout takes a big step up in competition to face one of the young lions of the heavyweight division.

Junior dos Santos (8-1-0) versus Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (25-6-2, 1 NC)

Two words: Black House.

While the Croatian superstar is the big dog of his own gym, the young Brazilian works at the same establishment as Lyoto Machida, Anderson Silva and The Nogueiras. There is no way that spending every day working every day with that collection of champions doesn't greatly improve your skill set.

Though dos Santos has an edge in training partners, "Cro Cop" comes away with a sizable advantage in terms of both experience and the opposition he's faced.

Filipovic has faced a Who's Who of champions and challengers over his career, including Fedor and Aleksander Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Wanderlei Silva and "Minotauro" Noguiera. As impressive as "Cigano" has been in his two UFC wins, the former Pride Open Weight Grand Prix champion has a more extensive highlight reel.

Some will argue with my earlier statement that "Cro Cop" is facing a step up in competition this time around, pointing to his past greatness and the level of competition he's faced over the years.

While that is very much true, his time in the UFC has resulted in wins over two marginal opponents and defeats to middle of the pack contenders Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo.

As great as "Cro Cop" once was, the guy who defeated Mostapha Al-Turk in Germany was not the same Mirko Filipovic that used to send people to the hospital with his deadly left leg.

Additionally, it's not as if dos Santos has simply beaten on weaker opponents. After all, his introduction to the UFC was a stunning upset of then title contender Fabricio Werdum. Though he was given a step back in his destruction of Stefan Struve, the young Brazilian is a legitimate contender in the heavyweight division and a definite threat to the Croatian.

Consider this a potential "Passing of the Torch" match and one that could certainly produce some fireworks.

Continue reading...

Fight Week Previews: Martin Kampmann vs. Paul Daley

Martin Kampmann was supposed to be facing Mike Swick in a #1 Contender match, the winner going on to face Georges St-Pierre sometime next year but plans have changed.

Swick was injured during training camp and forced to pull out of the fight, leaving an opening for recently signed British kickboxer Paul "Semtex" Daley.

Though unknown to most of the North American market, Daley is a credible fighter and could prove to be a handful for the former middleweight from Denmark if he's not ready.

Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann (15-2-0) vs. Paul "Semtex" Daley (21-8-2)

Starting where we always do, Kampmann earns a clear edge in the training camp competition, working out of Xtreme Couture Las Vegas.

If this were a kickboxing match, Daley would win hands down, as he trains with the legendary Ernesto Hoost and company at the Vos Gym. But this is MMA, not kickboxing.

Strength of schedule is a tough one, as both have faced some talented opponents over the years. The deciding factor though, as expected is results, and where Kampmann has come away victorious over guys like Carlos Condit, Thales Leites and Drew McFedries, Daley has come away on the wrong side of the ledger against Nick Thompson and Jake Shields.

That Shields fight should actually serve as the stylistic mirror to Saturday night's third broadcast bout. While Kampmann has superior striking in comparison with the Cesar Gracie jiu jitsu product, the only way for Daley to win this fight is by catching Kampmann standing up or picking at him with strikes.

On the ground, this is all Kampmann and don't be surprised if "The Hitman" comes out looking for the takedown. We've seen him lock up McFedries in an arm triangle and choke out Jorge Rivera, so you know the know-how is there.

What happens next is the most interesting element of this fight.

If Daley scores the upset, the already muddied welterweight waters become even murkier.

If Kampmann wins, nothing is promised anymore, as rumors have Josh Koscheck also being considered for GSP's triumphant return should he emerge victorious.

Even though the question of "Who's Next?" in the welterweight division may not be answered, we're still in line for another great fight and that's something no one can complain about.


Continue reading...

London Calling: An Interview with "Hands of Stone" Sam Stout

I know what you’re thinking: man, all this guy does is interview Canadian fighters.

Well, not entirely, but we have this weird idea up here in the Great White North where we do our best to help our fellow Canadians succeed wherever we can. Crazy, right?

Sam Stout is no different; the minute I contacted the London, Ontario native, he accepted this invitation, opening the door to a cadre of questions about his upcoming fight with Phillipe Nover, a potential trilogy fight with Spencer Fisher and whether Tyson Griffin does in fact have a gigantic ass.

This is the K2 Interview Series... with Sam Stout.

Thanks for doing this.

How did London turn into a hotbed for MMA talent?

Shawn Tompkins was the one who kind of brought MMA into the city of London.

When I first started training with him, we were mostly doing just kickboxing, but then TKO out of Montreal started to take off and he saw it as an opportunity for us to get more fights and explore new venues.

He got myself and Mark Hominick and a couple of our other guys some mixed martial arts fights up there and the rest is history.

Who wins a fight between all the London boys?

Almost all of us are different weight classes, but we all have our good days and we all have our bad days where some days I come out on top, some days Mark comes out on top and some days Chris (Horodecki) comes out on top. Really though, we’re all just trying to make each other better.

Dana White recently announced that the UFC would be making a stop in Vancouver in 2010, while a trip to Toronto has yet to materialize. What do you think is holding up the legislation for bringing MMA to the biggest city in the country?

I think there are just a couple people who are not seeing the potential or have some kind of bias against mixed martial arts. I don’t think that will last much longer.

I think they’ll start seeing how much money these shows bring in, how much revenue they bring to the cities that hold these events and they won’t be able to keep it illegal much longer.

Overall, what do you think of the state of MMA in Canada right now and where do you see it going in the future?

It’s just going to keep growing. As time goes on, more and more people are getting into it.

I’m getting recognized more and more often by people; little old ladies know who I am sometimes and it’s pretty interesting to see how mainstream it’s become and I think it’s just going to keep growing the way it has been.

So you’ve got your eighth fight with the UFC coming up next week against TUF 8 alum Phillipe Nover.

First off, how has training camp been going and tell everybody where you spend your days getting ready to fight.

Camp has been going great. I started off at the Adrenaline Training Centre, my old gym, in London, Ontario. I was able to work with Nick Johnson who is a wrestling coach of mine at Xtreme Couture in Toronto and about six weeks ago I flew out to Las Vegas and am training at Xtreme Couture with Shawn Tompkins.

The guys out here are unbelievable; there’s myself, Gray Maynard, Tyson Griffin, Martin Kampmann, Mike Pyle, Frank Trigg and Vitor Belfort that are all getting ready for fights within three days of each other.

Everyone in the gym is in shape; everyone in the gym is really working hard and pushing each other. Training camp has been unbelievable.

I’ve also been working on my jiu jitsu with my jiu jitsu coach out here Keebo Robinson, so I’m really covering every aspect of the game and I’m really looking forward to this fight.

Did you watch the show at all and if so, what is your assessment of his skills in the cage?

Yeah, I watched the show and I watched all his fights on the show. I tracked down the DVD of it and watched them all again actually.

He’s tough competitor, you know, he comes to fight and I think I’m going to have an advantage when it comes to the experience factor; I’ve been in there quite a few more time than him and I’ve been under the bright lights more times and I think that’s going to help me out and I don’t really see any way he going to be able to stop me.

I think it’s a really good fight for me.

From his time on the show and his first fight at UFC 98, Nover appears to be a guy who likes to stand and trade. Is this going to be another Sam Stout stand-up war?

(Laughs) Yeah, don’t be surprised if you see that.

Going into the finale, many people were picking him to win it all and skyrocket to stardom, but so far the exact opposite has happened.

Has The Ultimate Fighter turned into a hype-machine more than a proving ground and opportunity for young fighters or are we just seeing how deep the talent pool is in MMA right now?

I think it’s a little of both, but I think the show is still a really good way of scouting new guys and getting guys some exposure. But I don’t think you can expect people to come out of that show and just start tearing through divisions.

I think Phillipe went on the show he only had six pro fights or something like that, so it’s really an experience thing too. You’re not going to come in and tear through the division with only six fights on your record because you need to still come into the UFC and start at the bottom, building your way up.

It’s still an important thing and a really big reason for why the sport is what it is today, so I don’t think the show is useless or anything like that, but you can’t expect too much of guys right off the bat.

You’ve gone the distance in each of your last four fights. Do you see this fight going the full 15 minutes or are we going to see a stoppage?

I would like to finish it early, but I would like to finish it early every time I fight.

The thing about me is, like I said, I’m pretty experienced; I know you can’t force a knockout, you can’t force a submission. You just have to go out there, fight your fight, stick to your gameplan and whatever happens happens.

You can’t look for the knockout if it just doesn’t happen, you know? I’d like to knockout every person that I fight, but that doesn’t always happen. There are some really tough tests in the UFC. If it happens, I’ll be ecstatic, but if it doesn’t, as long as I come out with the win, I’m happy.

You’ve never been knocked out in your career.

Knock on wood.

How do you pass medical exams with those iron plates fused to your jaw? Doesn’t that give you a distinct advantage over your opponents?

(Laughs) Yeah, I don’t know what that is, but my chin has definitely been a help in my career for sure. It’s just, I don’t know. I was born with an iron jaw I guess. I can’t explain it.

Before getting around to some more insightful and investigative journalism-type questions, let’s run through the Keyboard Kimura Questionnaire:

Favourite fighter?

It’s tough because there are so many good guys. It’s tough to argue with Anderson Silva, but I’m also a big Georges St-Pierre fan.

Best fight you’ve ever seen – live or otherwise?

One of the most exciting ones I’ve seen was, I really liked watching the Chuck Liddell – Wanderlei Silva fight a couple years ago. Great fight to watch, really exciting.

Most Underrated Fighter?

That’s tough to say. I don’t underestimate anybody, so I can’t really say.

Does the same apply to Most Overrated?

I think most of the guys who come in with just a lot of hype get exposed pretty quickly, so there isn’t a lot of underrated or overrated guys out there right now.

I do think somebody to watch out for is Vitor Belfort making his comeback against Rich Franklin. Don’t underestimate that guy.

I think this weekend is going to be an introduction to Vitor Belfort for a lot of people. For those who haven’t seen him in some time, it’ll be a chance to see him in top form again and for those who have never seen him fight before, it’s going to be a wake-up call.

D’you know who might be the most underrated right now? Gray Maynard.

That guy - I’ve been out there training with him, he’s a really close friend of mine – that guy’s a killer. He’s an unbelievable wrestler, he such a hard worker and he’s putting the rest of his game together, so he’s definitely somebody who not everybody knows about that everybody should be talking about.

So then we’ll put him as Best Prospect because that was the next one.

Alright.

If I wasn’t a fighter, I would be a ...

Well, I was going to school to be a paramedic before this, but I don’t know if that would have worked out, so I don’t know. Who knows, man? Maybe a porn star or something.

I’m sure I’m not the first person to ask you this and I will certainly not be the last, but do you think we could see Stout – Fisher III?

I would love to do it again. The way I see it, it has to happen eventually; we’ve got two fights, I won the first, he won the second, they’ve both been really close, really exciting fights.

I get asked about the rubber match at least once a week, so I welcome the chance to get in there and do it with him again, have it one more time and settle the score. I’ve got all the respect in the world for Spencer Fisher, but yeah, I definitely think we need to fight again.

He’s got a tough test ahead of him at UFC 104 against Joe Stevenson. Any early predictions?

You know what? I think that’s a bad matchup for Spencer, especially with Joe over at Greg Jackson’s camp. It really helped him put together a great gameplan for his fights now and going back to his roots.

Joe’s a great wrestler and Spencer has had a tough time with wrestlers in the past, so – Joe’s a really good friend of mine too – so, I’m gonna have to probably pick Joe on that one.

It might come as a surprise to some that you’re just 25-years-old, since we’ve seen you in the UFC for the last three years and change.

Do you feel like you’re just now entering your prime and poised to make a sustained run in the lightweight division?

Absolutely, yeah., I think it’s about time for me to start moving into that position. I think I still need to make some improvements, get a couple more wins on my record, so that’s what I’m thinking of doing right now. I’m taking it one step at a time.

Right now, the next step for me is to get this win against Phillipe and keep building on that, keep getting wins. This fight would put me at 4-4 in the UFC should I win it and I know I’m not going to get a title shot with a .500 record, but I look to keep piling up wins and get up there within the next two years.

Not to look passed Phillipe Nover or anything like that, but who do you want to get into the cage with moving forward? Who would be next if you could select your own opponent?

I’d really like to fight Spencer again to be honest with you.

It makes sense; you’re both in that big middle ground and the rubber match is needed.

Alright, a little more fun stuff.

First, let’s get your predictions for the UFC 103 card.

Franklin vs. Belfort?

Belfort; I think he’ll be too much for Rich. I think he’ll beat him to the punch the whole fight, be too quick for him.

Cro Cop vs. dos Santos?

I’m a huge Mirko Cro Cop fan. I’m really hoping for him that he’s going to pull this one out. I think his experience will help him get the win.

But dos Santos is dangerous; we’ve seen him get a couple big knockouts.

Kampmann vs. Daley? Obviously you’re going with the Xtreme Couture fighter?

Yeah, and the reason for that is I think Martin is going to be too tough for Daley. He’s a fantastic fighter and great kickboxer, but Martin is tough. I can tell you that firsthand.

Hard worker, he’s going to come into this fight in great shape; he’s been training for this fight for a long time, and Daley’s taking it on short notice. Don’t get me wrong, he’s going to have his hands full, but Martin’s going to come out with the win.

If wins this fight, is Kampmann next in line for GSP? It started as a #1 contender fight against Mike Swick...

I think that would have made more sense and really, this is only his third fight at 170, so really, I don’t think it would hurt him to get through this fight and maybe face Swick afterward for that #1 contender spot still.

And you know Georges St-Pierre is a beast and as tough as Martin is, I think anyone that’s going to fight him could use all the work that they can get in advance.

Koscheck vs. Trigg?

Yeah, Trigg’s been in the gym, he’s been working really hard and he’s a good enough wrestler that he can neutralize Koscheck’s wrestling. He’s a hard hitter and he’s a lefty, so he’s going to be tricky in terms of stand up. We’ve seen him get knocked out a few times, so I’m hoping Trigg can knock him out.

And also Tyson and Hermes? Was that the other one you were going to ask me about?

Yeah that’s the next one.

Yeah, that could be semi-main event. That’s going to be a fantastic fight. I think it’s the fight on the card that I’m looking forward to the most.

Tyson is a great friend and a long-time training partner of mine and Hermes Franca I think is a tailor-made Fight of the Night.

Obviously, I’m picking my boy Tyson; he looks great in the gym right now. He’s on fire and I’m looking forward to seeing him fight Hermes.

That’s the second vote for that fight as a potential Fight of the Night. I did an interview with Ryan Loco last week and he also pick that fight. He also mentioned that Tyson has a giant ass.

So as a good friend and training partner, I need confirmation for everyone out there as to whether Tyson Griffin has a gigantic ass.

(Laughs) He’s definitely got a big booty.

Your nickname of course is “Hands of Stone,” a moniker made famous, no offense, by Roberto Duran. If the two of you squared off in a battle for the name, who comes away with the win and the name?

I might shoot for the takedown in that one. If that ever happened, I might get another submission.

As much as “Hands of Stone” is a very apt nickname for you, your last name also presents some interesting options. Ever thought of changing it up and going by Sam “The Beerman” Stout? Think of the endorsement opportunities.

(Laughs) That’s my nickname in the off-season, after the fight.

Favorite beer? Let’s get you an endorsement deal here...

I’m not going to bite the hand that feeds me, so I’ll say Bud Light.

Alright, last two...

If you could fight anyone - past or present - who would it be and who would be the winner?

Hitler.

If you could play matchmaker for one day, regardless of organizational ties or anything like that, what three fights would you make and why?

I’d like to see Fedor and Lesnar, because obviously there is no bigger dispute in the heavyweight divisions about who is the best.

I’d like to see Georges take some time off and put on the weight to come up and fight Anderson Silva. I think that would be fantastic to see.

And I’d like to see Sam Stout – Spencer Fisher III.

The Brock – Fedor fight makes everybody’s list.

Well that’s the only one left that there is any dispute about, right?

Any shoutouts you need to give? We do reach a guaranteed audience of 47 people…

(Laughs) I want to thank Shawn Tompkins. I want to thank Keebo Robinson, my jiu jitsu coach, Rowan Cunningham, my jiu jitsu coach back home in Canada.

Nick Johnson, my wrestling coach and all my training partners at Xtreme Couture in Vegas, Xtreme Couture in Toronto and my home gym, the Adrenaline Training Centre that’s owned by me, Mark Hominick and Chris Horodecki.

Thanks again for doing this and good luck Wednesday.

Thank you.

Continue reading...

Fight Week Previews: Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg

As much as I wasn't overly interested in Frank Trigg's return to the UFC when the company began down the path of signing every household name imaginable, this fight actually intrigues the hell out of me.

Both guys need a strong showing; Koscheck to rebound from his loss to Paulo Thiago and Trigg to justify the UFC's decision to bring him back into the fold.

Normally, I'd say something about their styles, but after getting beatdown by TNA superstar A.J. Styles with a kendo stick, any mention of the word makes Trigg get all squirrelly.

Josh Koscheck (12-4-0) vs. Frank Trigg (19-6-0)

When it comes to training camps, both fighters are coming out of top-notch facilities, so you know they are going to be ready for war.

While Koscheck spends his days rolling with fellow welterweight contenders Jon Fitch and Mike Swick at American Kickboxing Academy, Trigg has spent this camp in Vegas working with the boys at Xtreme Couture, making the camp competition too close to call.

Georges St-Pierre is the only shared opponent between the two, and not surprisingly, both were defeated.

If we're grasping for every edge and angle imaginable, Koscheck went the distance with GSP in his first fight after losing the welterweight title, while Trigg tapped to a rear naked choke in the first round of their fight at UFC 54.

On strength of schedule, Trigg is the unquestioned winner. Over the years, "Twinkle Toes" has lined up opposite Matt Hughes twice, Carlos Condit, Robbie Lawler, Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Hayato "Mach" Sakurai.

Normally, Josh Koscheck's recent decision to use his striking far more than his wrestling is something I question, but in this fight, it might be the right approach.

Trigg is a solid wrestler in his own right and has been around the sport long enough to have seen everything Kos could throw at him in terms of takedowns and shoots. His defense is solid, as is his clinch game, and if Koscheck continually tries to take him to the ground, we could have a 15 minute hugging session on our hands.

On the other hand, Trigg hasn't knocked anyone out in quite some time, while Koscheck knocked Yoshiyuki Yoshida stiff just two fights back. While I don't think Trigg has the punching power to put Koscheck down for the count, how Kos adapts to the southpaw stance will help determine where this fight ends up.

Either way, this is just one of a number of tussles taking place this week that will clear up the muddied waters of the welterweight division.

If the speculation is true, expect Koscheck to be extra motivated, as a title shot might accompany a win.




Continue reading...

Fight Week Previews: Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes Franca

Nothing better than kicking off a busy week with a preview of what many feel will be a Fight of the Night contender this Saturday at UFC 103.

As the lightweight division begins to sort itself out, Tyson Griffin and Hermes Franca both look to secure a win and their footing on the competitive ladder by adding a second consecutive win to their already impressive records.

No time to beat around the bush... it's time to break it down.

Tyson Griffin (13-2-0) vs. Hermes Franca (19-7)

Why do many believe this fight will come away with Fight of the Night honors?

For starters, the two combatants have five Fight of the Night awards between them; Griffin earning four and Franca collecting one for his Fight Night bout with Frankie Edgar.

If that's not enough, their last ten combined fights have gone the distance and this one should be no different, meaning fans will be treated to a 15 minute slugfest right off the bat.

Starting where we usually do, Griffin earns the edge in the team competition as the 25-year-old goes through the paces at Xtreme Couture, while Franca is the big dog of his own gym down in Jupiter, Florida.

Where Griffin excels with better training partners, Franca has a similarly stronger opponent history than his opponent on Saturday night.

Franca had built his record to 8-0 before Tyson Griffin even began competing in mixed martial arts, and made his first appearance inside the Octagon at UFC 42. While the two have shared many opponents during their overlapping time in the UFC, Franca has additionally faced the likes of Caol Uno, Josh Thomson, Yves Edwards and Jamie Varner.

And yes, we know Griffin was the first man to defeat Urijah Faber. It's not the same.

Which brings us to the shared opponents portion of the preview. Griffin has danced with each of Franca's last three opponents and interestingly enough, the results have been identical.

Both dropped decisions to Sean Sherk and Frankie Edgar while out-pointing Marcus Aurelio on all three scorecards at the end of 15 minutes. Though Franca went the championship distance with Sherk, it should also be noted that both men didn't do so well when they peed in a cup after the fight.

Sometimes, in tight battles like this, you have to look at little things to help you make a decision, so here are a few little things to consider:

• Franca is ten years the senior of Tyson Griffin and while we've seen Randy Couture dominate men much younger than he is, Hermes Franca is no Randy Couture.
  
  
• This will be Franca's first fight in nearly a year after recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee. With Griffin's strong wrestling base, how the knee holds up against repeated takedown attempts could play a part in the results.
  
  
• Griffin enters the ring to the inspiring sounds of "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor.

Will the younger fighter who channels Rocky come away with the win or will the veteran with dyed hair play the part of Clubber Lang?

Your guess is as good as mine.


Continue reading...