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Monday MMA headlines: Kimbo’s next project

By Zach Arnold | June 24, 2007

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The Associated Press is reporting that ESPN is including MMA fighters as nominees in their Best Fighter category, which originally used to be ‘Best Boxer.’ Somehow, I don’t think Kid Yamamoto and Fedor are going to be nominated any time soon.

NHB News (Japanese) reports that the K-1 Holland event drew a 10.9% TV rating on Fuji TV. Not a great number. Usually that number is in line with what K-1 draws for their Las Vegas events on TV. The Las Vegas shows are generally their worst TV shows in terms of drawing ratings.

Reuters has an article this morning talking about Mark Burnett producing a reality show for Elite XC. Meanwhile, is there is a new pilot for a TV show involving Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt, and Keith Jardine?

An odd, unsigned editorial was published in The Chicago Tribune today about the Illinois General Assembly passing legislation on MMA in the state. The public editor of the news is Tim McNulty (e-mail here).

What’s next for Kimbo Slice? Well, according to The New York Times, Kimbo is going to be asked to participate in an upcoming Hollywood party produced by Courtney Solomon involving the SuicideGirls. It will involve ‘lucky fans’ going out on dates with the girls, including cage fighting with Kimbo… and the ‘dates’ will be aired on the Internet.

Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle is the main event for this weekend’s upcoming Inoki Genome Federation show in Tokyo at Ryogoku Kokugikan. Naoya Ogawa, Kiyoshi Tamura, and Josh Barnett are also booked for the event.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Jeff Gordon calls Jens Pulver his ‘Loser of the Week.’

If you haven’t already listened to this week’s Fight Opinion Radio show, go listen to it.

It’s time to do a roll call of MMA blogs/sites and RSS feeds. If you want to promote your RSS feed, plug it in the comments section.

Onto today’s headlines.

  1. The Eagle Tribune (MA): The Ultimate Fighters – controversial sport has spread like wildfire
  2. MMA on Tap: K-1 World MAX 6/28 Nippon Budokan card line-up
  3. Sam Caplan: Thoughts on TUF 5 finale (he thought the show production was terrible)
  4. ProphetFighting: How I was wrong about Kimbo Slice
  5. UFC Takedown: Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer show review (w/ photos)
  6. Inside Mizzou: Rich Franklin likes the University of Kentucky Wildcats
  7. WTOC 11 (GA): MMA on the rise
  8. The Fayetteville Observer (NC): Legislators spar on toughman, MMA fighting
  9. The Winnipeg Sun: Representing MMA part and parcel for UFC’s Randy Couture
  10. The Winnipeg Sun: MMA fighters have a brawling good time at UCW
  11. Press Release: Robert Parham to be honored at 2007 Masters HOF
  12. The Gloucester Daily Times (NJ): Wrestling roots rescue Josh Rhodes
  13. The Gloucester Daily Times (NJ): Alexis Aquino, Doug Gordon learn from defeat
  14. The Houston Chronicle: Tito Ortiz still makes dollars and sense for UFC and White
  15. Komikazee: TUF 5 season finale review
  16. UFC Junkie: UFC Fight Night 10 medical suspensions

Topics: Canada, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

17 Responses to “Monday MMA headlines: Kimbo’s next project”

  1. Liger05 says:

    Zach do u think this IGF show will draw?

  2. Zach Arnold says:

    It is such an odd event. I think the curiosity factor could certainly raise it up enough to where it’ll draw three-quarters of a full house.

  3. From what I’ve been hearing, Angle’s been sick as a dog of late.

  4. Body_Shots says:

    Revenge for Penn, a win over Mercer for Kimbo
    “I walked right into his trap,” Mercer said. “It was like I put my head in his armpit and said, ‘Go ahead, choke me.’ From now on, I’m sticking to boxing. I can’t get choked out in boxing.” – Ray Mercer

    Big LOL.

  5. Liger05 says:

    Does Inoki actually have long term plans with this? I mean surely they cant just run shows with freelance guys with no booking strategy.

    I would love to see Barnett v Tamura again. A rematch from the previous u-style match.

  6. Zach Arnold says:

    7,286 for Kimbo/Mercer and the IFL has to work doubly-hard to get around the same crowd for a big show. What does this say about promoting MMA in North America?

  7. Ivan Trembow says:

    Angle was vomiting all over the place at the TNA TV tapings last week, and Lesnar had never actually agreed to do the Inoki show at the time it was announced (nor had many other wrestlers).

  8. Jeff says:

    “7,286 for Kimbo/Mercer and the IFL has to work doubly-hard to get around the same crowd for a big show. What does this say about promoting MMA in North America?”

    The CFFC is a local NJ promotion that has put on 5 events over the past year and has courted a local following. Add a main event with recognized names and good crowds will show.

    As much as I want the IFL to succeed, I’m starting to doubt their chances.

    In my town about 3000 people show up for local mma with no or little star power. I imagine most well run, local events could draw 7000 fans with that main event.

  9. AS says:

    Looks like Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico is going to become a reality TV show.

  10. Zach Arnold says:

    The CFFC is a local NJ promotion that has put on 5 events over the past year and has courted a local following. Add a main event with recognized names and good crowds will show.

    I’m glad the lessons of the various companies has resonated the right way. 🙂

  11. klown says:

    From the Reuters article: “Mixed martial arts is a less violent and more complex version of ultimate fighting, a sport that emerged in the early ’90s.”

    That’s a new one!

  12. The Citizen says:

    I just watched the kimbo footage. Its becoming a circus. The stikeforce stuff looked great, but I wish they would put themselves in a ring. That way, they could really separate themselves from ufc. Baroni, wtf?

  13. Greg Edwards says:

    ESPN Awards.

    They actually DID include Rampage and Randy on the listing up against De La Hoya, Cotto, and Mayweather. Go vote now!!

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