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Red meat Wednesday: PRIDE goeth before the fall

By Zach Arnold | June 12, 2007

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More ridiculousness about the Tommy Morrison ‘MMA’ debut in The Verde Independent. Speaking of Morrison, he appeared on The Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio yesterday. Larry Holmes is not happy about Morrison’s PR blitz.

The LA Times is reporting that both James Toney and Danny Batchelder tested positive for steroids. The two men fought in San Jose on May 24th. Both men are suspended for one year.

It was interesting to see Kevin Iole (formerly of The Las Vegas Review-Journal and now Yahoo Sports) on the UFC 72 preview special on Spike TV. Luke Thomas says that he has had enough of Iole’s MMA analysis.

If you watched the Fight Night show, you heard Joe Rogan comment that ‘he read on the Internet’ that someone said that Jason Black looked like a skeleton at the weigh-ins. Fightlinker wrote this on Tuesday. Is Joe Rogan a closet mark for Fightlinker? I guess drunk radio really does sell! Or not.

Shin’ya Aoki will participate at the DEEP X 2007 event (June 17th at Shinjuku FACE), which will be a pro-grappling tournament.

Dana White to be honored at the 2007 Masters Hall of Fame for ‘his outstanding achievements in the Martial Arts.’

Sam Caplan points out that King of the Cage boss Terry Trebilcock was on The Fight Network radio show on Tuesday to talk about the allegations that PRIDE’s office asked Quinton “Rampage” Jackson to work his debut fight against Kazushi Sakuraba. Listen to the interview here. As I stated on Tuesday, the two people Jackson was alluding to that asked him to do the work were PRIDE USA bosses Yukino Kanda and Hideki Yamamoto. Trebilcock confirms that notion in the radio interview on Tuesday. The question I have is why is it taking the MMA media so long to question Kanda and Yamamoto’s business activities? For years inside the business, people have alluded to them and some of the contract negotiations they have had with fighters. Plus, they show up at UFC events and were around at UFC shows during the time that was spent in negotiations for the PRIDE asset sale deal with DSE. They are the ‘biochemists’ that Jackson alluded to last year. I asked this question last year and I’ll ask it again, since the answer is probably self-explanatory — why were ‘biochemists’ in charge of an office for the largest Japanese MMA company? What was the specific business link or connection to make it happen?

I was told of this rumor a few days ago, but there wasn’t any confirmation of it until today – Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira leaving BTT.

Jordan Breen has his own radio show now. He brought up the UFC/dog-fighting comparisons made in the media. I’ve been the person in the MMA media who has been mainly bringing this up. Give the demonstrative one some credit next time, Jordan. Or else you’re going to get more wacky callers.

There is something about Fight Opinion that makes everyone on here a star other than me. Adam Morgan, our newest writer, is no exception. Within a couple of weeks of writing, he’s already gotten attention from USA Today and now will be appearing on the radio. If only I was able to collect 20% of the appearance fees like an agent…

There is a fight nicknamed ‘The Red Power Ranger’?

Amanda Beard (now of Playboy fame) made an appearance this morning on Mike and Mike (ESPN Radio). During the interview, she talked about how much she loves UFC and has given up on boxing. Listen to the interview here.

Onto today’s headlines.

  1. MMA Weekly: Ed “Short Fuse” Herman ready to explode
  2. Komikazee: MMA Smackdown #27 w/ Royal Burnell & Zach Arnold
  3. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Spencer Fisher avenges his 2006 UFC loss to Sam Stout (UFC Fight Night 10 draws 5,118 paid)
  4. Fight Report: UFC Fight Night 10 results
  5. The Houston Chronicle: Spencer Fisher out-slugs Sam Stout to win re-match
  6. The Canadian Press: Canadian lightweight Sam Stout loses to Spencer Fisher in UFC re-match
  7. UFC Mania: UFC Fight Night 10 – A great show at an even better price
  8. CBS Sportsline: Spencer Fisher evens score with Sam Stout at UFC Fight Night 10
  9. UFC HP: Let’s Play Three – Fisher gets even with Stout in Instant Classic
  10. The Miami Herald: Spencer Fisher exacts sweet revenge
  11. The Long Beach Press-Telegram: Spencer Fisher stops Sam Stout in a close slugfest
  12. The Express-Times (New Jersey): MMA is natural fit for Belvidere’s Jamal Patterson
  13. The UNLV Rebel Yell: Urijah Faber delivers in true defense
  14. The UNLV Rebel Yell: Randy Couture claims prodigious predictions
  15. Philadelphia Weekly: Why I fight – MMA has hit the mainstream
  16. Philadelphia Weekly: The Art of Darkness (Kimbo Slice)
  17. The Oregon News-Review: Sports Jury – what is your opinion of MMA?
  18. The Sweet Science: Boxing Writer’s Assoc. Dinner Report, Part 1
  19. Lay and Pray: Blood on the Asphalt: The hypocrisy of MMA opponents
  20. MMA California: Murilo Ninja seminar on June 30th in Los Angeles
  21. The Roanoke Times: Cage back up for Ruckus – area MMA promoter has ambition plans in building the sport
  22. Anthem Fights: ‘Fight Girls’ review
  23. LA Weekly: The women of Army Wives and Fight Girls
  24. CBS Sportsline: Interview with Cung Le
  25. The Clanton Advertiser (AL): Local athlete Darryl Cummings having success in the world of MMA
  26. Delaware Online: The Ultimate Fight – MMA fighters test their inner (and outer) strength
  27. IFL PR: New member added to Board of Directors
  28. UFC Junkie: Mac Danzig a cast member on TUF season 6
  29. The Huddersfield Daily Examiner: Cage fighting proves knock-out with fans
  30. AOL Sportsblog: Even with no household names, UFC still puts on a good show
  31. The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel (IN): Jon Fitch continues rise in UFC welterweight ranks
  32. The Canadian Press: Forrest Griffin-Hector Ramirez could be the fight to deliver fireworks at UFC 72 in Belfast

Topics: Boxing, Brazil, Canada, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, StrikeForce, UFC, Zach Arnold | 20 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

20 Responses to “Red meat Wednesday: PRIDE goeth before the fall”

  1. Holy shit, we’re famous!

  2. Body_Shots says:

    Rogan got the ‘Skeletor’ comment from a thread on the UG.

  3. Body_Shots says:

    In other news, James Toney’s career is over.

  4. David says:

    Zach, you deserve all the flore and fauna, and fame.

  5. Jonathan says:

    Big Nog (and a I am assuming Lil Nog) leaving BTT came as a big surprise to me. BTT is definitely Top 5 places to train in the world bar none…but I guess that is what happens when you have alot of good fighters together…I am sure that egos come out. I still will not forget though how Murilo rushed into the ring to hold Big Nog after his crushing decision loss to Fedor in their first fight.

  6. DarthMolen says:

    Eh. I don’t believe until the fat lady sings. It’s all speculation. You have to come to expect spats when you get multiple Type-A personalities together in one room…

  7. MoreThanUFC says:

    Nog is refusing to talk to Master Murilo. He may be joining Black
    House with Anderson Silva. Kinda funny, since ASilva used to be Chute Boxe before MT Dream Team.

  8. MoreThanUFC says:

    Yeah, they’re drunk, but MY GOD are they funny! Drunk radio at its best.

  9. Jake says:

    As Fighlinker’s better half, I humbly have to hope that Rogan isn’t a closet fan of the radio show, otherwise, my ass is grass….

  10. The better half? You don’t even know the URL to your own website, apparently.

  11. Jake says:

    Well, I’m also a drunk

  12. sebastian says:

    I also think that Rogan actually got the skeletor comment from the UG.

    The Joe Silva quote was way more fun. Abe Lincoln with rabies.

    He was mentioned several times last night. Good sense of humor and a very interesting job. They should lift the gag order on him.

  13. DarthMolen says:

    LoL. too funny.

    In all seriousness. It sucks to toil in anonimity while watching others at your level or lower get all the pub and opps.

    I feel your pain Zach. Keep up the good work and eventually it will click.

  14. MoreThanUFC says:

    Yeah, to chime in over Zack as bridesmaid, you have one of the most linked to sites, well respected commentary, and insider read blogs out there. All in good time brother.

  15. Adam Morgan says:

    Zach,

    I would hardly say I’m a star. Not even close. Just tryin’ to hustle and make moves, son.

  16. Jonathan says:

    I really liked the Fightlinker.com radio show…fucking hilarious.

    And all you guys got it wrong. Joe Rogan got the skeletor comment from me.

  17. MoreThanUFC says:

    TheRealJoker, eh? Have any of the Jessica’s called yet? 😉

  18. MoreThanUFC says:

    Oh, sorry Zach, I keep misspelling your name. My middle name is Zack, it’s a mental typo I guess.

  19. Jordan Breen says:

    “Give the demonstrative one some credit next time, Jordan. Or else you’re going to get more wacky callers.”

    I was actually going to shout you out, but it slipped my mind entirely, cause with only one hour on air, I feel like I’m racing against the clock to diffuse a bomb.

    I still think you deserve a Horowitz-esque pat on the back though, my man.

  20. chairibofjustice says:

    How is Kevin Iole any different from Dave Doyle, Steve Sievert, Lance Pugmire, or some unknown jackass who writes for ESPN or AOL Sports?

    Simply put, none of them have a clear understanding of what they are watching.

    John Hodgman’s piece on MMA from the Daily Show is still my favorite by a mile out of any of these guys.

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