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Gay couple allegedly attacked in Vancouver hate crime claim UFC was the reason
By Zach Arnold | June 19, 2010
Photos of alleged B.C. gay-bashing released
It’s a sad article to read for a few reasons. One of the two alleged victims blames their beating on UFC because…
“People just shouldn’t get beat up downtown for no reason,” said Holtzman.
I am not oblivious to the fact that there is a heavy strain of homophobia that exists within the business, but to simply blame a hate crime due to UFC putting on a show is really scraping at the bottom of the barrel. I understand the tactic — mention UFC, get press coverage in Canada because of the amount of detractors there are to “ultimate fighting.” And if the purpose is to get more media coverage to find the assailants…
UFC’s PR struggles in Canada are not the case elsewhere in the media in other countries
You know how firm of a grasp UFC’s PR department has on media coverage and getting the storylines they want out in the media that covers them? I must have seen 10 different major media outlets cover the exact same angle (from the LA Times to the Salt Lake Tribune to The London Telegraph) about Court McGee and his battle to come back from a drug overdose.
Don’t get me wrong — the media has to find some angle to try to make tonight’s card interesting to the masses and I’m not sure that a “loser might get cut by UFC” storyline relating to Matt Hamill and Keith Jardine is the kind of friendly press that makes UFC happy.
Fedor not a UFC fan
He sounds like a PRIDE fan from Japan, the kind I heard from for a couple of years after PRIDE died and tried to explain to me why UFC isn’t their cup of tea.
Or, in other words, he sounds like he’s an online message board poster.
As for his way of hyping up the fight against Fabricio Werdum on the 26th, here’s how he puts it:
“I usually don’t think about my opposition as a person who can bring me concerns,” Emelianenko told The Times on Friday as he relaxed in a Santa Monica hotel room. “I work hard in training. I work on my own things I do strong and weak.
Topics: Canada, Media, MMA, StrikeForce, UFC, Zach Arnold | 27 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The couple who were attacked in Vancouver had best have some real evidence that UFC had anything to do with what happened to them. I don’t for one second condone violence against people for any reason, but this doesn’t help people who are victims of hate crimes anywhere in the world.
Unless the attackers were wearing UFC gear and chanting Dana White’s name, that is not going to work.
This does open up another matter…there is this twisted machismo in MMA, as there is in most sports. It is a matter that all the organizations have to face up to and take steps to ensure their fighters (and others) get their heads right.
The police does not confirm that they were attack by people from the UFC event. The only thing that points towards that is the victims opinion.
Beating 2 people up is a terrible thing. But there is nothing indicating it has anything to do with MMA or that the culprits where at the event
If you get blamed for an act of violence, that’s when you know you really made it big.
So stupid, yeah fighters are homophobic and call each other gay slurs for insults, but homosexuality is a topic that is never touched by MMA, so blaming it for a gay bashing is ridiculous.
As for Court McGee getting the same story repeated. I don’t think it’s like UFC has mind control over the press of anything. It’s obviously the topic anybody would talk about. They’ve already run the fact that Hammill is deaf into the ground, so you might as well go with the fightin’ James Frey’s (I still believe B.S.) stories.
Hatred towards homosexuals is really pathetic.
Fedor’s comments went overboard. If he doesn’t like the UFC, that is his choice. But to out down the fighters, which he speciically did, was pretty classless. Especially after what SF just had happen on CBS. I see no real difference between the way UFC and DF fighters behave. Sure, SF didn’t do a good job at preventing it, but the fighters themselves all have the same sorts of personalities.
Dana White is right. Fedor is afraid to fight top guys. Putting down the UFC is an easy excuse to avoid the best. The guy fights 1 or 2 times a year tops and does basically no PR. So what organization he fights for makes little difference. He has such little contact with them anyways. The major difference is the quality of fighters he has to compete against.
He should be really scared right now…Lesnar is bringing in Randy freakin’ Couture.
He’s stuck in the early 2000’s where he only trains with the guys on his team (from what I’ve read) and really, really needs to bring in guys that will help him hone his game and emulate the guys he’s going to be fighting in his upcoming fights.
The game is evolving rapidly and his great skills will only take him so far in this climate.
It’s terrible that couple was beat up. People shouldn’t be beaten for no reason. There are always homosexual fans at UFC events and I can’t recall once seeing anyone targeted at a UFC for their sexual preference.
It’s akin to race baiting for the victims to make that claim. Even if the people were at the show it is coincidental.
As for Fedor, long time readers of this site know that I used to be one of his biggest supporters. I really couldn’t have any less respect for the guy right now. I guess he doesn’t realize his next opponent got humiliated in the UFC since he doesn’t like watching UFC shows.
“I guess he doesn’t realize his next opponent got humiliated in the UFC since he doesn’t like watching UFC shows.”
That’s a bit of revisionist history, no?
How?
JDS demolished Werdum.
I’m curious. I know that Fedor’s friend Tsigor posts on the UG. Maybe Fedor sounds like a message board poster because he’s getting his talking points from the message boards, and either he or his management is trying to stir up some grassroot support. If so, I hope they realize they’re pandering to a minority of a minority when it comes to MMA fans.
Of course, it’s all double-speak. SF is as bad if not worse than the UFC, the only difference is that SF will co-promote.
Re: TUF media angles: sometimes the obvious angle is the correct one. How many people are going to click on a “Matt Hamill might get cut” story as compared to a former drug addict turning his life around? The people doing these stories are trying to sell the most amount of newspapers/get the most eyeballs to their websites, not try to impress a small sliver of hardcore fans.
I saw some pictures of Fedor arriving at the airport a few days ago. Oh my Jason Godsey. Look at the Jean Jacket he was wearing- looks like he bought it at a peasants’ flee market in Tadjikistan. Made of 100% recycled cotton, originally owned by a mine worker from pre-Moscow Olympic era. I’m sure UFC fans won’t accept that kind of outfit.
Not enough skeletons, dragons and/or swords?
The UFC’s PR struggles in Canada would be worse if they didn’t pay for their airtime on Rogers Sportsnet, much like an informercial. Have no fear ultimate fight fans, your friendly neighborhood Showdown Joe Rogan will magically spin this so-called Vancouver “issue” away amongst the drones that watch MMA Connected.
Hopefully other Canadian media will not let this story simply fall by the wayside.
I have nothing against gay people , at least nothing against their lifestyle choices, but they can be so obnoxious that I prefer when they’re not around.
Those obnoxious people you speak of are a subset of the gay community. Most do not not act like that. Most would act “straight” and you would have no clue they are gay.
Good point. As with most things you usually notice the loudest most obnoxious examples.
People say there are good cops, but I would never no it because my only interaction with them is when they\’re flucking with me.
🙂
I\’ve known plenty of gay people, some are even friends and family. Growing up in the bay area and all.
But I stand by my assertion that they tend to emphesize bitchiness IMO. I think its at least partly an aesthetic decision on their part.
Look, most people are annoying to simply point out a certain group is kinda stupid.
The squeeky wheel defiantly gets the grease around here.
But personally that will always get the worst of my attention.
You are annoying as hell and we tolerate you, right?
I dont really need you to tolerate me.
I dont need your attention.
But it sure would be grand if I had the media gestalt of the gays so that I could call the news and sue you into a poor house for your insensitive language towards me.
@ Fedor, I understand were he’s coming from.
I always preferred UFC to Pride. But there is a drunken fratboy/skater metal/shallow pop culture feel to the production that I could live without.
Its not a deal breaker because the product underneath all that makes up for it, but he’s got a point.
Plus they’re a plain ole rival to his employment, so he’s not supposed to like it.
Black Dog says:
“I don’t for one second condone violence against people for any reason, but this doesn’t help people who are victims of hate crimes anywhere in the world.”
You nailed it right on the head.
This just detracts from when something like this REALLY happens. Even if the attackers had attended the UFC event, how does it make it the UFC’s fault?
What if there was a hockey game that the attackers attended? I love hockey, growing up in a hockey town on the border w/ Canada, but there can certainly be goonish mentality with SOME hockey fans. Would the blame have gone to the NHL?
45 Huddle says:
“Fedor’s comments went overboard. If he doesn’t like the UFC, that is his choice. But to out down the fighters, which he specifically did, was pretty classless.”
Yeah, I have to agree. I believe he is being spoon fed shit like this to say,…but if he is still going to say it, well, he is just as responsible by agreeing to say it.
“Dana White is right. Fedor is afraid to fight top guys. Putting down the UFC is an easy excuse to avoid the best.”
I don’t personally, believe this to be the case.
I, however, DO believe M-1 Global is terrified of the thought of Fedor losing at this stage of his career. He is their “national hero, cash cow”.
I’m still a big fan of Fedor, but wish he somehow avoided becoming involved with M-1 Global.
He doesn’t sound like a PRIDE fanboy, though I suspect there is that too, as much as he sounds like he doesn’t appreciate the worked feuds that fuel every other UFC event. When you’ve got guys like BJ Penn, Brock Lesnar, Frank Mir, Koscheck, Sonnen, Tito, Bisping, Killer KenFlo, Daley, etc., and even Anderson Silva trashing Maia during the title fight, I can see how that would rub a guy like Fedor the wrong. Especially with the recent Rashad/Rampage build which was just beyond stupid.
Not that this kind of thing wasn’t prevalent in PRIDE or currently Strikeforce, but the blood feud has become the promotional tool of UFC in doing its biggest business. Personally I don’t care about watching Penn/GSP because BJ said GSP tapped to strikes like a bitch, or because GSP is the gentleman and BJ has had a career long history of poor sportsmanship, I care because its the two of the three best fighters in the world going five rounds.
I’m not a Fedoraholic but he is classy on a rather unreal level for blood sports. The man reacts to KO victories like others would the end of a round. He’s always been a tremendous sportsman and given his little feud with Dana White, I can understand his comments.
This is very true. Fedor was never in on working the crowd to sell a fight like Wanderlei, Rampage, Barnett, ect. in PRIDE. Also he didn’t get Dana bashing him in the press was a way to draw him in, to him it was just an insult.
I’m not saying that’s the only reason he’s not in the UFC, but it’s an overlooked one of the many reasons.
But I am sick to death of talking about Fedor going to the UFC. How many times can everybody repeat the same thing. It’s old. He’s not going to go. Let’s move on to another subject. He has the free will to work where ever he wants to work, and if your sticking point for obsessing over it is some stupid unofficial rankings you really need to get a life outside of the internets.
yeah, we don’t condone violence against people for any reason. except for our own entertainment…
It is BEYOND dumb for the gay couple to blame the UFC for the actions of two men not associated with the company. They are only giving the two homophobes and excuse for their behavior. Giving them credit almost. It seems like regular old homophobia and discrimination, nothing more.
And people shouldn’t take the blame of the UFC seriously. Has anyone taken seriously the excuses of other tragedies? Does anyone really blame Halo and GTAIV for gun violence, or Marilyn Manson music for Columbine? It’s short sighted and naive at best and retarded at worst.
Laughable comments by Fedor but that’s no surprise the guy is just as full of crap as his buddy Vadim. I just hope that now people will stop defending him and making him out to be some sort of victim of M1. When he is exactly like them, full of crap and so blinded by his own hype that anything he says should be taken with a huge grain of salt.