Media heat-up for tonight’s WEC event in Las Vegas
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2008
Give Zuffa credit — they have done an excellent job in heating up press coverage for tonight’s WEC event on Versus.
- The New York Times: 30 seconds with Brock Lesnar
- New York Newsday: In legalization fight, MMA has champ in corner with Melvina Lathan
- Charles Jay (MMA Memories): MMA adversary removed from NYSAC payroll
- New York Newsday: MMA combatives training a hit in military
- New York Newsday: MMA champion Brian Stann knows real pressure after Iraq
- Sports Illustrated: Another day, another challenge for WEC champion Brian Stann
- USA Today: WEC titlist Brian Stann finally brings full focus to MMA
- The South Florida Sun-Sentinel: WEC’s Carlos Condit making third title defense tonight
- Todd Martin (CBS Sports): WEC Welterweight champion Carlos Condit looks to finish Hiromitsu Miura early
- Jeff Haney (Las Vegas Sun): Cage fighter Carlos Condit has ties to troops, New Mexico governor Bill Richardson
- The Las Vegas Review-Journal: WEC champion Carlos Condit ignores speculation — some think UFC is next step for Condit, who risks belt today against Miura
- Dave Meltzer (Yahoo Sports): Jamie Varner’s detour to WEC a good move
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, WEC, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Rampage Jackson better lawyer-up real fast
By Zach Arnold | August 2, 2008
Let’s start here with this story at The Daily Pilot…
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Josh Barnett: I’m not taking a pay cut if asked
By Zach Arnold | July 31, 2008
We interviewed him on Wednesday night. We asked him about a report from Dave Meltzer, claiming that Affliction VP Tom Atencio would allegedly ask fighters to take a 50% pay cut to work the Las Vegas show in October. Barnett replied by saying that he was not going to take a pay cut to fight.
In addition, when asked about whether or not he’ll fight Fedor, Mr. Barnett said that it’s not up to him as far as whether or not the fight gets booked. He wants to fight Fedor, but can’t worry about the politics surrounding why the fight hasn’t been booked.
Topics: Affliction, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 35 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Jeremy Lappen interview at AOL Fanhouse
By Zach Arnold | July 31, 2008
Expanding upon comments he made to us in our interview with him last week, Elite XC’s Jeremy Lappen was interviewed by Michael David Smith and asked about what the future direction of the company is.
In short, Mr. Lappen believes that the company is on the right track:
Yeah, I think we’re doing very well as far as accomplishing our goals. I mean when you start a business, any business, you’re going to have a period of time before you’re profitable. We spent money on acquisitions and building stars, and those are investments in the future. Things are going well.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
WEC media coverage gains steam for the heat-up to Sunday’s event
By Zach Arnold | July 31, 2008
Poll of the day: NBC Sports currently has a poll with the following question:
After watching Fedor Emelianenko crush Tim Sylvia in spectacular fashion, which fighter do you think is most capable of beating him?
Randy Couture was first with 47%, no one second at 27%, Andrei Arlovski third with 14%, Mirko Cro Cop fourth with 5.8%, and in last place… Josh Barnett with 5.5%. Oh my.
Someone decided to interview Jordan Breen. Is he a better person than you? Speaking of interviews, here is an interview with Roy Englebrecht. Smart man.
Did you forget that Ryoto Machida still exists in the MMA scene today?
Onto today’s headlines.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Affliction, Media, MMA, UFC, WEC, Zach Arnold | 14 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Elite XC Stockton show payouts
By Zach Arnold | July 30, 2008
From the desk of the CSAC:
Jeremy Freitag – $2,500
Anthony Ruiz – $2,001 + $3,000 win bonus
Shayna Baszler – $8,000
Cristiane Cyborg – $3,000 + $3,000 win bonus
Jake Shields – $35,000 + $10,000 win bonus
Nick Thompson – $25,000
Nick Diaz – $60,000
Thomas Denny – $8,500
David Douglas – $2,500 + $1,500 win bonus
Marlon Mathias – $2,500
Brandon Tarn – $2,000
Drew Montgomery – $1,500 + $1,500 win bonus
Mike Cook – $2,000
Carl Seumanutafa – $2,000 + $2,000 win bonus
Wilson Reis – $2,500 + $2,500 win bonus
Bryan Caraway – $2,000
Rafael Feijao – $10,000 + $10,000 win bonus
Travis Galbraith – $5,000
Antonio Silva – $100,000 + $100,000 win bonus
Justin Eilers – $20,000
Robbie Lawler – $45,000 + $45,000 win bonus
Scott Smith – $14,000
If we complain about fighter salaries in UFC, then we have to be as critical of Elite XC for paying a main event fighter (Scott Smith) $14,000 to headline a CBS show. They paid Antonio Silva $200,000 to headline a fight on Showtime?
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 28 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Kenny Florian’s new Martial Arts Center
By Zach Arnold | July 30, 2008
I don’t know too many details about his new school, but the school is set to have its grand opening in August. The location is:
Florian Martial Arts Center
6 Webster Street
Brookline, MA. 02446-4938
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Don’t supposedly do drugs, kids – James Irvin & Justin Levens edition
By Zach Arnold | July 29, 2008
He reportedly tested positive for the pain killers methadone and oxymorphone.
Update: The CSAC just announced that Justin Levens, who fought on the Affliction 7/19 show, failed a drug test for… testing positive for Oxymorphone.
Justin Levens, who was scheduled to compete at the Roy Englebrecht Promotions event sponsored by Affliction on July 19, 2008, has tested positive for Oxymorphone. He has been fined $1,000 and is suspended retroactively from July 19, 2008 through January 15, 2009.
The nanogram cutoff for Oxymorphone is 120 ng/mL. Mr. Levens test level was finalized at 10,141 ng/mL.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
WEC 35 (8/3 Las Vegas) card line-up
By Zach Arnold | July 29, 2008
- WEC Welterweight Title match: Carlos Condit vs. Hiromitsu Miura
- WEC Light Heavyweight Title match: Brian Stann vs. Steve Cantwell
- WEC Lightweight Title match: Jamie Varner vs. Marcus Hicks
- Micah Miller vs. Josh Grispi
- Brian Bowles vs. Damacio Page
- Brock Larson vs. Carlo Prater
- Bias Avena vs. Dave Terrel
- Shane Roller vs. Todd Moore
- L.C. Davis vs. Hiroyuki Takaya
- Scott Jorgensen vs. Kenji Osawa
- Mike Budnik vs. Greg McIntyre
Topics: Media, MMA, WEC, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
TapouT (second season) premieres tomorrow on Versus
By Zach Arnold | July 29, 2008
July 30th, 10 PM on Versus channel. Here is a podcast show talking about the upcoming season.
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Are you buying or selling Tito Ortiz vs. Renato Babalu?
By Zach Arnold | July 29, 2008
Any time you have headlines screaming ‘Pro fighters tasered, beaten in hotel room’, obviously your eyebrows raise up a little bit. One person is currently in a coma. Keep up-to-date on story developments at TKO Xtreme.
Steve Cofield has stirred things up by reporting on Affliction wanting to book Tito Ortiz vs. Renato Babalu for October.
- Sherdog: An interview with Ricardo Arona
- MMA Weekly: Jake Shields accepting all challengers, even at 185 pounds
- MMA Junkie: L.C. Davis to replace injured Cub Swanson at August 5th WEC event
- The Detroit Free Press: MMA is growing, but it won’t catch onto the mainstream
- The Boston Herald: Josh Grispi won’t be beaten
- The Springfield News Sun (OH): EXC not the same without Gary Shaw’s brashness
- Dave Meltzer (Yahoo Sports): Where the MMA business stands after big shows
- Mike Coughlin: My proposed changes to the Unified Rules of MMA
Topics: Affliction, Brazil, Canada, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, WEC, Zach Arnold | 18 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The real beatdown on Saturday night
By Zach Arnold | July 27, 2008
Ratings down 40% for second EXC on CBS show. I don’t think anyone is surprised.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 24 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Mark Davies: The truth about Zuffa’s business acumen
By Zach Arnold | July 27, 2008
Written by Mark Davies of StrictlyMMA.com
The UFC is threatened in a way that it rarely has been. Affliction is a credible challenger, with discernible advantages in several areas. The deep-pocketed rival, and the mainstream attention it is getting, presents a challenge that even the late, lamented, PRIDE Fighting Championships never did. Affliction, Elite XC, the growing drawing power of a large number of individual stars and the press’ increasing awareness of non-UFC MMA, will test Zuffa’s management in a way that nothing ever has. The Fertittas and Dana White are certainly regarded as possessing the necessary skills to maintain their pre-eminence, but is that reputation warranted?
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC | 50 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |