Josh Gross criticizes Michael Schiavello’s commentary of Overeem/Hari K-1 fight
By Zach Arnold | December 9, 2009
“He seems like a perfectly nice, extremely passionate guy. But Schiavello’s effort during Overeem-Hari was sad.”
If you want to read the background on why the fans treated Overeem as a heel at Yokohama Arena, read my article from today about how Overeem’s comments about K-1 and MMA were played up into a classic “outsider” angle despite Alistair’s kickboxing background. Schiavello, being a natural fanatic for everything fight-game related (including pro-wrestling), played up every aspect of the fight (the fact that Hari was seeking revenge for losing to Overeem last year on NYE.)
Consider Jordan Breen a fan of Schiavello’s call of the fight:
“Who said objective commentary was a good thing? I wish Lampley and Merchant celebrated like that.”
Schiavello responds to general criticism here:
“LOL. The fan in me came out. AO talked a LOT of smack on K-1, BH lived up 2 his promise. If that didnt excite u, u have no pulse.”
Topics: Japan, K-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 37 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Mystery UFC PPV event in Memphis featuring Frank Mir in semi-main event
By Zach Arnold | December 9, 2009
I’m not sure that Alan Belcher belly-aching about not getting enough love constitutes as great PR for this weekend’s event, which features a good main event of BJ Penn vs. Diego Sanchez and… Frank Mir vs. Cheick Kongo as the semi-main event.
Brett Okamoto in The Las Vegas Sun has an interesting article on Frank Mir in the paper today. It’s an amusing article because of the quotes from Frank Mir’s father, like this one:
“He’s always been a quiet kid, never one to boast about his ability,” says his father, Frank Sr. “He was content to be who he was. He wasn’t out there saying, ‘Look who I am, I can hurt you if I wanted to.’ He was just the opposite.”
So, with Mir vs. Kongo coming up as the semi-main event this weekend that you will have to pay $55 USD to watch, here’s what the two men have to say about each going into the Memphis event:
Frank Mir on his fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 100: “I expected the fight to be a little more of a wild pace. I thought Brock would stand up with me a little bit more, he didn’t which you know I can’t fault him for, he has to do what it takes to win the fight. He took me down and then on the ground he was nowhere near as wild as he had been in the past. I thought there would be a lot of opportunities on my part to take advantage of and there really wasn’t, he did a great job in out-positioning me on the ground and then his then just added on top of the fact his superior size and strength was the you know icing on the cake.”
Mir on his upcoming fight against Cheick Kongo: “Great reach, good right hand, he has sound stand-up with some great knees, obviously his wrestling is not probably the best wrestling. I think his strength and athleticism helps out a lot in those areas.
I think his ground and pound is actually pretty dangerous, I think that it”s not given enough credit. I think he’s pretty well-conditioned, you know, even when he takes a bad beating he seems like he still stays in there. You know in the fight with Cain Velasquez, you know he was getting mauled for 15 minutes and he didn’t really look like he threw in the towel, you know he just threw very poor technique, had no answer.”
“I don’t really have anything to prove by standing up with him, but that’s where he could do the most damage in the fight, that’s where he’s going to feel the most comfortable, that’s where his heartbeat is most relaxed, that’s what he does best. No one is shocked by the fact that his ground game is amongst some of the worst ground game we have in the Heavyweight division. Um, you know, I hope to take advantage of that, I feel that I’m pretty decent on the ground and I’m looking to make myself even better. If I grab him and get him to the ground I think that’s definitely plays into my advantage to winning the fight more so than trying to stand up and have a boxing match with him.”
“When I want to take someone down in the UFC, who do I look to as the best takedown artist? It’s Georges St. Pierre, by far, has the best takedowns in the UFC. How does he do it? Does he shoot from halfway across the ring, do you ever see the shot? Never. He strikes with you and just enough for you to think you’re in a striking match and then the minute you forget that oh yeah there’s takedowns too, he takes you down. It’s not that his takedowns are the most intricate crazy takedowns in the world, they’re very sharp, very sound, technically perfect but basic. He just has phenomenal, phenomenal timing and that’s what I look to do in this fight with Cheick Kongo, go out there and strike with him and look for my opportunity and when it comes, take advantage of it.
Every time he goes to throw a kick if I catch it and it doesn’t knock me out, well he’s going down. That’s going to limit a lot of his techniques you know and so that’s what I look to take advantage of in the fight, you know, eventually you know from in the clinch you know we’ll get the takedown.
Am I going to get it in the first 30 seconds? Probably not. You know, but if I force it that’s when I’m going to get hurt but you know it’s a 15 minute fight and I hope to have only to take him down one time and then that will be the end of the fight.”
—
Cheick Kongo on his fight against Cain Velasquez: “Between two or three weeks training to just to prepare for the (Cain Velasquez) fight wasn’t enough. I was weak and busy so, but whatever, it’s all right, it’s the past. I have to turn the page.
Kongo on his upcoming fight against Frank Mir: “The end of the reign of the big mouth, Frank Mir, that’s it. He talk too much, too much, too much. He’s not a pretty person, just talking good. To have the right word. But I’m going to show him the way to be positive and respectful.
I train very hard for this victory so it’s not a game, it’s not personal, it’s just business and for me, UFC, that’s big business.”
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 15 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
One surprise in K-1 World GP in Yokohama 2009 TV rating
By Zach Arnold | December 7, 2009
Just the facts: 15.3% overall rating on Fuji TV, with the most popular fight being… Remy Bonjasky vs. Errol Zimmerman, 19.9% rating.
Before the fight between Zimmerman and Remy took place, Remy was asked in an interview why he decided to accept Zimmerman’s challenge.
“Well, uh, I believe it’s better to uh make the choice myself instead of that somebody comes and pick me, so that’s why I walked to Errol and said, OK, if you want to fight, I will take the fight so, I went and sat down next to him, yeah.”
The big question going into the tournament was whether or not Bonjasky would run into Semmy Schilt (who has not exactly been K-1’s favorite fighter to promote) in the second round and if he could beat him this time around. Bonjasky has always had trouble with bigger fighters — remember his fight on NYE a few years against The Predator?
“Yeah, it was four years ago when he beat me and it’s not going to happen again, I mean, um, we’ve trained a little harder and we’ve seen how um how people can fight against Sem because when you punch to his head, he will turn face around and that’s what we worked on and I believe I can manage to beat him, yeah.”
Unfortunately, Remy didn’t get past Semmy. In a post-fight interview, he tried to explain what happened and why.
“Well, I feel disappointed, I mean uh, I was almost at the final to defend my title but I made a mistake in the first fight against Zimmerman and he gave me too many low kicks and that’s why I uh I lost the fight against Sem(my Schilt). Yeah, I had too much damage on my left leg.”
He was asked by a Japanese reporter to explain what tactic he was trying to use against Schilt.
“It was a tactic to fight against Sem to work close on it and try to make the knees, I mean the hooks and that’s what I did, I ran out into him and tried to make the left knee or the left hook and I connected, that was the plan and that’s what we trained on but uh I couldn’t hit him again and that was unfortunate.”
Bonjasky, going into the tournament, had won last year’s event in controversial fashion due to Badr Hari acting as a complete heel in the finals and getting disqualified. He was asked before the event what he thought the outcome would have been if he had faced Hari in a re-match.
“No, I don’t think it’s going to be different. Badr got stronger, he got he looks more mature now, but I think if I fight him in the third time I believe I’m going to win because technically I’m a better fighter, I got a lot more experience and I don’t have to rush over him, I just wait until I get my chance and then I will get him, I will punch him, so a lot of fighters they walk into the ring and start to punch and start to kick but you need to have a tactic and some fights don’t have the tactic and I think I sometimes have the best tactic that there is and I take a lot of events from that, yeah.
I see that with a lot of fighters. There are some fighters that um do it with a lot of brawn and just instinct like Mike Tyson but I see more in fighters like Muhammad Ali, that’s a lot of brains and he uses his brain real good and that’s more something for me, yeah.”
If Bonjasky had beaten Schilt, he would have gotten that re-match with Hari. In the end, it didn’t pan out. One Japanese reporter after the Schilt fight asked Remy in an untypically honest fashion if he felt like he had something to prove to both the fans and K-1 fighters this year because of what happened last year with the Hari DQ result and how some fighters thought he was “fake.”
“Of course, you saw what I did. I mean, I was the only one that had a tough fight in the first fight, uh, but I had an easy fight, semi-easy first fight, not a difficult first fight, so I tried to show the fans and everyone that even I had injury, I was doing my best and trying to knock Semmy out.”
The other major storyline going into the K-1 event involved the promoters pushing the idea of Alistair Overeem as the MMA outsider who was vowing to take over the K-1 ring and become K-1 champion. Bonjasky was naturally asked about this before the Tokyo Dome show took place, given how many times he had won the World GP event.
“Yeah, I think if he wins the K-1, I think we should be embarrassed, I mean all the K-1 fighters should be ashamed at themselves because he comes from the MMA and tried to make us look like a fool and it can’t happen, it must not happen, I think Badr or Teixeira must stop him or Karaev, they need to stop him because I hope that they will stop him because he will make us look like a fool, yeah.”
At least Remy ended up getting one wish granted over the weekend.
Topics: Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Ka-boom: Dan Henderson heads to Strikeforce
By Zach Arnold | December 7, 2009
Cue the UFC supporters saying Henderson will bankrupt the promotion, but the move in the short-term hurts the depth of UFC’s “superstar” fighter base in a big way.
It also serves as medicine to Dana White, who spent a lot of TV capital pushing Henderson and then cashing in on him against Michael Bisping at UFC 100… only to see Henderson have no fights left on his contract after the PPV event. We know UFC’s policy of ripping up fight contracts with 1 bout left on them in order to get a new long-term extension.
Think about this — they spent money for a long-term deal with Tito Ortiz in July… and didn’t lock up Henderson. Who’s more valuable now – Henderson or Tito? We know the answer.
As for Henderson and future opponents in Strikeforce… Scott Coker has a list of opponents already in mind. Well-played, Scott, well-played.
Initial read: Helps Strikeforce a little bit, hurts UFC a lot.
Topics: Media, MMA, StrikeForce, UFC, Zach Arnold | 42 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Joe Rogan’s interesting comment about Roy Nelson and Elite XC
By Zach Arnold | December 5, 2009
So, during Roy Nelson’s ring introduction on The Ultimate Fighter tonight, Rogan was praising Nelson as a ground fighter who has faced a high quality of opponent. He mentioned Elite XC for some reason and bluntly said that Elite XC was known as the promotion that paid it’s fighters to stand up. We know about what happened with Jeremy Lappen (who is going to be running California’s amateur MMA scene) and stand-up gate, but I never expected UFC to bring it up (especially so randomly) on television.
Regarding Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz III… that is an ugly fight that I think will draw a cold PPV buyrate. The fight that would have made the most sense was Liddell vs. Kimbo at 215 pounds, but you can’t have either as a coach. When I heard the announcement of Liddell/Ortiz III, it reminded me so much of WCW booking from a decade ago.
If I could get a tightly-edited 2 hour broadcast instead of a sloppily-produced 3 hour live broadcast, I’ll take the taped broadcast any day. Comparing the K-1 produced show at Yokohama Arena on TV versus the UFC show at the Palms… holy $*Q&! Zuffa’s production team really could use some time off to study how Fuji TV produces a show. Wow.
I really thought tonight’s show could have been a good launching point to build momentum for next week’s Memphis PPV. Instead, I didn’t even feel like UFC was even giving a good faith effort in hyping up the Memphis show outside of the boilerplate interview segment with Penn and Sanchez. Just an incredibly lackluster build-up for the event.
Someone in the comments section mentioned this but it was a thought I was pondering tonight… remember when UFC announced Lorenzo Fertitta joining the company as an “earthshattering” announcement? How would you consider his job performance right now?
I cannot recall a fighter grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory like I did with Houston Alexander did on Saturday night. I was laughing out loud when Kimbo Slice nearly finished him off with a choke.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 68 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Ultimate Fighter Heavyweights finale (12/5 Las Vegas)
By Zach Arnold | December 2, 2009
Venue: The Pearl at the Palms
- Heavyweights (up to 265 pounds): Jon Madsen vs. Justin Wren
- Lightweights (155 pounds): Mark Bocek vs. Joe Brammer
- Welterweights (170 pounds): John Howard vs. Dennis Hallman
- Light Heavyweights (205 pounds): Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace
- Heavyweights (up to 265 pounds): Darrill Schoonover vs. James McSweeney
- Heavyweights (up to 265 pounds): Marcus Jones vs. Matt Mitrione
- Lightweights (155 pounds): Frankie Edgar vs. Matt Veach
- Catch weight (215 pounds): Kimbo Slice vs. Houston Alexander
- Light Heavyweights (205 pounds): Matt Hamill vs. Jon “Bones” Jones
- Ultimate Fighter Heavyweight finals: Roy Nelson vs. Brendan Schaub
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 133 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Roy Jones loses to +300 underdog Danny Green in Australia
By Zach Arnold | December 2, 2009
Oh my. Michael David Smith has the video proof of RJ getting beat.
Jones losing takes the steam out of Bernard Hopkins’ fight tonight in Philadelphia, which is scheduled to air live on Versus. The idea was for both Jones and Hopkins to win and have their fights shown on TV to set up a re-match. Not anymore.
Green is the second big underdog in as many weeks to get a big win (the other was Andre Ward beating Mikkel Kessler).
- The Associated Press: Green stops Jones from capturing belt in fifth different weight class
- AFP: Will the Jones/Hopkins fight happen next year?
- The London Telegraph: Green produced one of the greatest performances by an Australian boxer in history
- News.com.au: Stars come out for Green/Jones bout
- The Australian: Fight for the ages over in a moment
- The Sydney Morning Herald: Danny Green puts Roy Jones on deck and into likely retirement
- The Sydney Morning Herald: Danny Green cruises, Roy Jones bruises
- The Sydney Morning Herald: Danny Green daze as legend blown away
- The Sun (UK): Defeat destroys Roy’s dreams
- Boxing Scene: Roy Jones offers no excuses, Danny Green blasts the critics
- Steve Cofield: Jones-Hopkins II ruined — Green raids the party with a knockout
Topics: Boxing, Media, Zach Arnold | 30 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
A very interesting name surfaces for K-1 World GP show at Yokohama Arena…
By Zach Arnold | December 2, 2009
… and I’m not talking about Michael Buffer, either. I’m talking about Branko Cikatic, who will be acting as a ring second for Peter Aerts. Ernesto Hoost will also be at the show as a ring second for Tyrone Spong in his fight against Kyotaro.
On another K-1 related topic, I have a new article detailing K-1’s masterful manuevers on NYE to put Sengoku in the position they are currently in.
And if you can’t get enough of Japanese fight politics, check out this article on how friendly Antonio Inoki and relatives of Rikidozan’s family are with Kim Jong-Il in North Korea.
Topics: Japan, K-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 15 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Ohio Athletic Commission bans certain types of shorts for MMA fights
By Zach Arnold | November 30, 2009
Ohio Athletic Commission Bernie Profato
242 Federal Plaza West Suite 405 Executive Director
Youngstown, OH 44503
http://www.aco.ohio.gov
Office: 330-797-2556
Fax: 330-797-2559
State of Ohio
OHIO ATHLETIC COMMISSION
Reference Shorts for Mixed martial Arts Events
Flexible lightweight, non-abrasive, high-tech polymer fused to the inseam of the fight shorts creates ‘Grip-Zones’ to help secure finishing holds and counter the slippery effects of sweat.
NO SLIP PREVENTION OR GRIPPING MATERIAL ON ANY PORTION OF THE FIGHTER’S SHORTS IS PERMITTED.
PDF of example of Sprawl MMA shorts that are now illegal in Ohio
Jordan Breen has some thoughts on the matter.
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Affliction takes off gloves against M-1 in court
By Zach Arnold | November 30, 2009
Backstory: Text of lawsuit filing between Fedor & M-1 versus Affliction
After Fedor & M-1 filed a lawsuit against Affliction over what they claimed were damages they suffered after the promotion collapsed and failed to run their third event on August 1st, Affliction filed a motion to dismiss the case in November in court. Please read this motion.
At the end of the motion, you will find a link to contracts that Affliction publicly filed with the court — including their fight contract with Fedor and their consulting agreement with M-1. In the text of the lawsuit that Fedor & M-1 filed against Affliction, you’ll recall that they said that they tried to contact Affliction for legal permission to release information regarding contracts they wanted to bring forth as evidence but allegedly did not replies from Affliction on. Affliction’s response is basically the equivalent of a document dump — with a lot of details.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Affliction, M-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 50 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Blockbuster ratings for Koki Kameda title win over Daisuke Naito
By Zach Arnold | November 29, 2009
Video Research Ltd. in Japan is reporting that the WBC Flyweight title fight (boxing) drew an estimated 43.1% rating in the Kanto (Tokyo) region on Tokyo Broadcasting System.
Bad Left Hook analyzes where Kameda stands in the boxing landscape.
Topics: Boxing, Japan, Media, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Junie Browning’s white trash version of Rick Rude’s gimmick
By Zach Arnold | November 29, 2009
Then the microphone was handed to Junie and the arena filled with boos. Junie said, “I try to come out here and put on a show. If you don’t like it, then fuck ya’ll!” This actually brought out a few cheers. Then Junie had a special message for the ladies. He said, “LADIES, AFTER THIS I WANT TWO LINES, ONE FOR SUCKING, AND ONE FOR FUCKING.” He dropped the mic to the ground and walked out of the cage. The boos were deafening.
That ought to help him in his assault court case in Nevada. Oof. If only he had called the crowd a bunch of inbred inner-city sweathogs… On the bright side, at least he didn’t say what he is alleged to have to said in the Vegas incident…
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 19 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
UFC in expansion mode in Canada and elsewhere
By Zach Arnold | November 28, 2009
Couple of interesting news items to digest:
The San Francisco Chronicle has an article about the first UFC-branded gym in nearby Concord. As expected, the UFC brand being attached makes the difference in terms of credibility with casual MMA fans.
Randy Couture is in New York this weekend and UFC company officials will be also in attendance for a petition drive to get MMA legalized in the state.
A big test run happened in Vancouver on Friday night with some amateur MMA bouts in order for the city to slowly allow MMA to happen. Background articles here and here. On Friday night, Rampage Jackson and Denis Kang attended one of two MMA shows that happened within city limits. Vancouver city councilors were on hand.
Topics: Canada, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 21 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |