quote:

Even I, an ardent supporter of the sport and a life-long believer in the role of combat sports in teaching young people respect, self-control and [b]honor[b], shudder to think of going to high school in a world where all the bullies know Jiu-Jitsu and "train UFC."

Dave Meltzer posted:

Diaz was punished for no-showing in a big way, including being taken out of a fight he’s wanted for years and basically his career in UFC was at stake if he wouldn’t have faced Penn,

quote:

Just ask anyone at the Zephyrhills, Florida party in July of this year who saw 19-year-old aspiring MMA fighter Samuel Smith beaten to death in a carport after challenging 27-year-old Richard Starks, Jr. to a fight.

ChampRamp posted:

Why do people write that poo poo?

Keven. Just. Keven posted:

Nice backpack faggo, now, you're going to "get" it *bully menacingly pounds fists, then falls to his butt and crab walks towards a nerd*

DumbWhiteGuy posted:

David Castillo posted:

This article would be bound to foster hatred towards me if anyone read the site, but I'm just doing what all the cool kids are doing: looking for hits, any way I can. After all, with a title like this, you know I've got all kinds of spiteful things to say about the MMA media. Well, not really. And well, kind of. [ Admitting to trolling in opening sentences]

In case you don't go out much, boxing is having a big event this weekend. Floyd Mayweather is fighting Victor Ortiz. It's a solid substitute for the anticipated money match between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Ortiz isn't what I'd call a live underdog per se, but it's a proper match on its own. Ortiz is fresh off his win over the previously undefeated (and heralded) Andrew Berto (a fighter still containing a healthy dose of raw talent). The fight itself is amazing, and worth viewing. Both fighters were hurt, but Ortiz proved to be more durable.

Ortiz is billed as a brawler with a puncher's chance. And this is more or less correct. But he's a brawler with skill too. How else to explain how of his 33 fights he has knocked down every opponent? On top of that there's the worry that Mayweather's age (at 34) could be a factor. After all, in the ring, age isn't a factor until you're being asked how many fingers the doctor is holding up. The pugilistic cherry on top is a fantastic undercard: the type of undercard boxing is simply not known for. Prospects (Saul Alvarez and Pablo Cano), veterans (Alfonso Gomez), and an aging legend (Erik Morales) populate what makes for what should be boxing's most respectable event all year.

I'll never be on the same ground as some of my fellow MMA fans who think these so called "peripheral" fight sports are not worth watching just because MMA is so comprehensive in its exploration of fight technique. Boxing is a brilliant, unflinchingly brutal, and beautiful sport. A sport appropriately dubbed the 'sweet science' for its violent marriage of technique, and passion. This is what confuses me about MMA fans: how could you possibly value a fight like Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar, or Chang Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia and not find any interest whatsoever in the Morales/Barrera trilogy, De La Hoya/Mosley 1, or Jorge Arce vs. Hussein Hussein 1? It boggles my limited mind how this could be.

I'm fascinated when an MMA site takes the time to cover sports that highlight components of MMA on their own. I write for Head Kick Legend after all. But what I don't get is how the discussion between the two sports is being framed as adversarial.

Josh Nason posted one of the most ill advised pieces I've ever seen written when he declared that MMA won the combat sports war when UFC 132 delivered a great night of fights while boxing failed (Wladimir Klitschko had defended his title in an uneventful fight against David Haye, which Haye would later blame on an injured toe). What exactly defined victory there? Because it certainly wasn't PPV buys. The difference in quality wasn't debatable, but then neither was the lameness if you were to compare the Klitschko/Haye fight to another HW fight at the time: Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum, which existed right there in the same poo poo space as said boxing match.

Brent Brookhouse would respond, quoting Anthony Pace in describing the boxing vs. MMA meme as a 'war of fiction'. It still is, but you wouldn't know it judging by the coverage over Mayweather/Ortiz. Luke Thomas thinks that if Ortiz wins, the UFC needs to put on a super fight. Jonathan Snowden isn't shy about which card is better either.

Well, yea, it's a Fight Night. Floyd Mayweather sells, always has, and the boxing brass have finally given a main event proper support with a great undercard. Of course boxing is selling the better fights. Likewise, nobody's gonna compare ESPN Friday Night Fights to UFC 137. Thomas' comments are even more bizarre. Whatever reasons the UFC has to put on a superfight, they should be completely organic, and not in any way influenced by what boxing is doing, or has failed to do. That would be the supreme fool's errand.

The idea of a "superfight" deserves discussion on its own, in addition. After all, in MMA when we talk about a superfight, we're talking about Georges St. Pierre vs. Silva, or Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones. In both cases, the significant size differences deserve reflection. And they ignore their respective career paths. GSP has legit contenders in front of him, especially if Diaz beats Penn. Meanwhile, Jon Jones' last fight was for the belt for god's sake.

Luke does hit on a salient point. If I understand him correctly, this war, no matter how fictitious, could pay dividends for the UFC if Ortiz wins. Why? Becayse they finally have the platform to validate Dana's criticism of boxing, while expanding on the stigma of the UFC's virtuous attitude towards their fans. "Boxing never gets anything f---ing right!", Dana would undoubtedly tweet, except now the strength of network television sits comfortably on his shoulders.

Still, this divide is a false one. If it ever feels real, it's entirely because of the silly read meat polemic Dana and Arum throw at one another. Meanwhile, fans lap it up, eager to regurgitate their invective. But it's silly. While the political structures warrant comparison, the competitors do not. Have we forgotten that Penn is fighting Diaz? Or that Edgar is fighting Maynard? On the flipside, Mayweather/Ortiz is a great event. Now sing kumbaya you idiots (and take the poll after the jump).

*Myself Included**.

**Not that I count.

quote:

One of the fun parts of a live UFC event is the way fighters use music to pump up as they walk out to the Octagon, but two fighters made questionable choices in their walkout songs at Ultimate Fight Night 25. Those bad decisions were then repeated by UFC president Dana White, who approves every song that is used by fighters.

Ken Stone, who won via submission, walked out to the Prodigy song, "Smack My Bitch Up." The song repeats two lines, "Smack my bitch up, change my pitch up." When it was released in 1997, it was protested by women's groups as condoning violence towards women. MTV only allowed the song to be played late at night, and Wal-Mart and K-Mart pulled the CD from its stores. Prodigy released a statement that the song was not about violence, but that's not apparent from its lyrics.

The next bad decision was when Matt Riddle walked out to the Scorpions song, "Rock You Like a Hurricane." In most cities, it's the perfect song to walk out to, but these fights took place in New Orleans. That's a city that was literally rocked by a hurricane in 2005. Hurricane Katrina's effects are still being felt in New Orleans, as they struggle to restore their population and status as a tourist destination to pre-Katrina levels.

The UFC generally controls their brand very tightly, and UFC officials confirmed to Cagewriter that White approves every walkout song. He has vetoed songs in the past. It's surprising that the UFC would let these two songs slip through.

CarlCX posted:

From Maggie Hendricks over at Yahoo's Cagewriter, UFC Allows Questionable Music Choices at UFN 25:


MMA Journalism: You probably didn't notice this but you should probably be outraged

gunblade posted:

Remember this gem?

Top 10 reasons why Strikeforce is the hottest company in mixed martial arts, by Artie Cooper

RevlisYdoc posted:

Where's that spreadsheet of UFC entrance themes? There has to have been more offensive choices of music that this lady can complain about.

gunblade posted:

Remember this gem?

Top 10 reasons why Strikeforce is the hottest company in mixed martial arts, by Artie Cooper

gunblade posted:

Remember this gem?

Top 10 reasons why Strikeforce is the hottest company in mixed martial arts, by Artie Cooper

gunblade posted:

Remember this gem?

Top 10 reasons why Strikeforce is the hottest company in mixed martial arts, by Artie Cooper

gunblade posted:

Remember this gem?

Top 10 reasons why Strikeforce is the hottest company in mixed martial arts, by Artie Cooper

quote:

Well-liked and thoroughly connected in the industry, Coker also has many Hollywood connections and has appeared in films such as Dragon Fight, Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon and Surf Ninjas.