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Mailbag time
By Zach Arnold | April 17, 2007
Submit your questions in the comments section. We’ll answer them on this week’s edition of Fight Opinion Radio.
Plus, pick what storyline you want us to focus on in the opening segment – Fedor/Lindland, Dana/Tito, complications with the ‘new PRIDE, etc.
In relation to the PRIDE story, this Miruhon report that Gryphon referred to is quite the interesting item. It claims that a Zuffa LLC lawyer has been at the DSE offices every day and that the financial books of PRIDE are being checked. The report states that Zuffa is likely aiming for a two-President system, and that Sakakibara had his nominee voted down. Miruhon further claims that if complications arise in the meeting (that supposed took place today), it would be impossible to get things done before Golden Week (late April-early May). The end game is if things get so complicated that DSE staffers just leave as opposed to shift to the new PRIDE FC Worldwide LLC operation. Motoichiro Takasu also referred to this meeting taking place today.
I didn’t see this publicized on Miruhon, but the ATOM XML feed for their site is: http://www.miruhon.net/news/atom.xml
Topics: Fight Opinion Radio, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 21 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
What’s going to happen to Mark Hunt? Dana said in the teleconference that the SHW class was being eliminated, making PRIDE’s HW division cap at 265. Hasn’t Hunt normally fought just under 300? I thought he was sub-265 in K-1, but that was a long time ago. What do you guys think?
I for one would be interested in hearing about what the experts think about the Zuffa Pride. That and thoughts on where Mark Hunt and Josh Barnett are going to go.
That, and the Dana/Tito story sounds interesting, after seeing the “documentary” on Spike TV, and hearing some of the stories and what was left out on the Wrestling Observer Live radio show. That would IMO be an interesting listen.
The big issue in the MMA world right now has to be the future of Pride. There’s still so much that needs to be settled; management, fight rules, fighter contracts, weight classes, event production, etc…
I’ll throw out a few questions. Answer what you think is important….
1. Thoughts on Sherdog.com posting the results of the Bodog PPV on their main page, and then Josh Gross defending that decision on Beatdown….
2. It looks like it is official that UFC will be on HBO. What are your thoughts? Is this a good thing? What do you think about Goldberg & Rogan not being used. Do you think Max Kellerman would be a good man for the job?
3. Dave Meltzer in his news letter talked about how the WWE has 400+ employees, while Zuffa has about 41. With 20+ events this year, do you think Zuffa is spread too thin? Do you think this will catch up with them?
Side note…. I enjoyed the IFL death watch. Once again, FO is talking about what no other MMA site is…. Well, except Meltzer, but each is equally solid….
“The big issue in the MMA world right now has to be the future of Pride. There’s still so much that needs to be settled; management, fight rules, fighter contracts, weight classes, event production, etc…”
Honestly, I think all these are just minor details in the long run.
IMO, the only important detail is if PRIDE can get back on Japanese TV. Without a TV deal, the only question at that point is how long Zuffa will subsidize PRIDE before a) closing up shop; or b) turning PRIDE into a more US/Western centric minor league (with a minor US TV deal a la WEC).
Definitely the Pride situation is the main topic. I can get the Dana-Tito soap opera anywhere. Also, tying in the Bodog_Pancrase deal to the Pride situation and comparing the two would be interesting.
Please don’t waste too much time on Dana-Tito.
I would love it of you made some calls and found out who has the leverage in the Wes Sims double-booking situation between Art of War and GFC. A quote from Sims himself would be GOLD. We are talking two upstarts promoting the same man in their main event in the space of one week. Let’s find out which company is the one screwing itself over!
I agree with every suggestion so far. Especially the point made by 45 Huddle reference Sherdog posting spoilers for events. I for one will not be going anywhere near the net this Saturday during UFC 70. Spoilers need to be clearly defined on any MMA website.
On The Savage Dog Show on Monday, Sherdog himself said that Sherdog.com is to MMA what ESPN is to the sports world, only Sherdog is better. What are your thoughs on this? Do you think they are a little full of themselves? When is the last time you have seen ESPN not cover a sport fairly because they like or dislike the owners of a company?
Sounds like Sherdog his people are getting a little bit of a god complex when it comes to the sport…..
And this discuss started when they were defending ruining the results on the front page for Bodog….
The “only Sherdog is better” is certainly hyperbole, but otherwise I’d say he’s right if he’s talking about ESPN.com, and not the entire ESPN empire. Sherdog.com is the ESPN.com for MMA as things currently stand.
Pfft. Sherdog isin’t THAT good….But it is handy….except the forums. That’s like the 4chan of MMA. Without the hentai, lolicons, and cam whores though.
Start the show with more into the PRIDE complications, postponing the LW GP, etc. Plus now, no UFC entries into the tourney? What gives!?
You do have to completely ignore the sherdog.net forums. Abandon all hope, all ye who enter there.
interesting news from miruhon
looks to me like Zach was right all along. if this story is right, it is clear evidence that
– Zuffa is now conducting due diligence (as Zach was convinced that they would do following the handshake deal and press conference)
– sakakibaras vote for president was not accepted – this could mean that sakakibaras dummy production and ticketnig companies will have their deals terminated
– the article raises potential issues (problems with the books, contracts??) that may delay the closing
– the article raises the possibility that dse staff may leave
prides future is anything but certain
I’m interested in how interconnected to the UFC and the new Pride will be, i.e. “the superbowl” and tournaments. Opening ssegemnt should be the problems with the new Pride.
Mark Hunt was regularly around 240 pounds when in K1 and can be that weight again, the scary thing is he’s quicker at that weight. But what is his contract status and does UFC/ PRIDE need to make HW an open weight? Also what is Mark Hunts US Visa status?
What do you think of the quality of discussion at the DVD message boards regarding MM? Do you think the moderators’ gestapo like tactics to reign in “undesirable” discussion at that website be sainted or tainted?
I hope you’re keeping a list of ‘top stories ignored by MMA media because it doesn’t fit their agenda’
[…] There’s a Japanese report now stating that Zuffa lawyers are looking at PRIDE’s financial records and contracts right now in Tokyo. Therefore, due diligence is supposedly taking place as we speak (the asset transfer is/was supposed to happen on May 1st). […]
I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that Sherdog staff views itself like ESPN does.
I had a very heated conversation with Jordan Breen about this last night, and again it boils down to one issue for me:
When the chips are down and you have a hard-news story to cover that’s multi-faceted and extremely detailed, are they going to get the job done?
They didn’t cover the biggest scandal in the history of MMA very well, and I don’t expect much out of them in the future unless dramatic changes are made.