FightOpinion.com – Your Global Connection to the Fight Industry.

Today’s chalkboard (7/10/08)

By Zach Arnold | July 10, 2008

Dan Wetzel (Yahoo Sports): Competition sends Dana White back to basics
Luke Thomas: I love Dana White’s ruthlessness
Florida Today: MMA hits Brevard County (Joe Silva is quoted)
Florida Today: MMA sheds violent image (with quotes from Marc Ratner)
Jason Macdonald: Brutal scoring – MMA judging right now is so ridiculous, and something needs to be done about it
The Baltimore Sun: Q & A with Tim Sylvia (‘I think judges have to take classes and know more about MMA.’)
USA Today: Russian Emelianenko brings big reputation to the States
International Herald Tribune (NY Times family): UFC wants Europe next
WEC HP: Jamie Varner ready for first title defense in August
The Houston Chronicle: Andrei Arlovski is going to have Freddie Roach in his corner for Affliction event
Sherdog: Final notes from the Akasaka Fight Festival
Total MMA: July 9th radio show with Lee Whitehead (I command you to listen to the show)
USA Today: Brandon Vera looks ahead, with recent past in mind (interview)

Topics: Affliction, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, UFC, UK, WEC, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

PR: MAX goes global with live event DVD deal

By Zach Arnold | July 10, 2008

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promoter MAX Xtreme Fighting is continuing to forge its impressive reputation in the sport by releasing special edition DVDs of its hit 2008 Belfast and Glasgow shows.

MAX Xtreme Fighting has signed a deal with DVD labels giant ILC Media, the official DVD partner for Chelsea FC, to launch its first title Scotland the Brave in September

A second production, Celtic Rage, will be issued in November and there are plans to release a techniques DVD with UFC and Cage Rage champion Mark Weir.

Continue reading this article here…

Topics: Media, MMA, UK, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Charity event on August 23rd at Playboy Mansion

By Zach Arnold | July 9, 2008

It’s being produced by Puder Productions and it’s called “Cops & Robbers.” It’s a charity benefit for the Cops Care Cancer Foundation. Poster here. More information is available at http://www.puderpro.com. There’s talk that a lot of A-list MMA names will be in attendance at the event.

Here’s the PDF file containing all the information regarding the event (for those wanting to purchase tickets or be a corporate sponsor at the event).

Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Attention: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Bloggers

By Zach Arnold | July 9, 2008

The Fightworks Podcast is looking for a few good blogs to link to. So are we.

Topics: Media, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Report: Ken Shamrock vs. Shawn Tompkins in the works

By Zach Arnold | July 9, 2008

News here. The idea being floated is for a match under K-1 rules.

Topics: Media, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

UFC’s new big sponsor

By Zach Arnold | July 8, 2008

Bio-Engineered Supplements & Nutrition Inc.. Whatever happened to Xyience?

Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Quote of the Day – MMA is a thinking man’s game

By Zach Arnold | July 8, 2008

Bill Ordine in The Baltimore Sun:

I gained a new appreciation for mixed martial arts watching it from a distance of 50 feet. There is a very intriguing technical aspect to it as punchers try to stay on their feet and ground fighters try to wrestle them to the ground and exert more subtle violence on their opponent. Such a fight was between middleweight puncher Patrick Cote and all-arounder Ricardo Almeida. Almeida began the fight by literally jumping into the arms of Cote and trying to drag him to the canvas. He was successful and easily won the first round. But Cote managed to stay upright through most of the next two rounds and his obvious aggression forced the judges to award him the next two rounds, and Cote ultimately won on a split decision. It was all strategy and tactics. Almost cerebral.

Runner-up goes to Josh Gross of SI:

It doesn’t look like (Juanito) Ibarra’s gripes mean much. Keith Kizer, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, told me Monday that the decision can be overturned for one of four reasons: (a) a winner tests positive for performance-enhancing drugs; (b) judges’ scorecards were added incorrectly; (c) collusion between a judge and one of the fighters (which has never happened in the state); or, (d), a catastrophic refereeing error.

Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

Where does Machida fit into the UFC 205-pound title picture?

By Zach Arnold | July 8, 2008

Just asking…

Jared Barnes (Houston Chronicle): What’s next for the UFC Light Heavyweight division?
Dave Meltzer (Yahoo Sports): UFC 86 decision spotlights scoring system
Ben Fowlkes (SI): Judging flaws resurface at UFC 86
Sherdog: Fighters weigh-in on Rampage-Griffin
Steve Cofield: Juanito Ibarra brings boxing nonsense to MMA world… still not retired
MMA HQ: UFC 86 fighter payouts
The Big Lead: So why’d ESPN ignore the UFC all weekend?
Five Ounces of Pain: Is a Miguel Torres vs. Urijah Faber fight coming soon?
Fox Sports: WEC 35 card line-up
The Baltimore Sun: Q & A with Brock Lesnar
MMA Mania: Ready for primetime – an interview with Jake Shields
MMA Payout: Sun Sports announces cops vs. firefighters MMA event
Awful Announcing: Floyd Mayweather hammers HBO’s boxing announcers

Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, WEC, Zach Arnold | 25 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

K-1 World MAX (7/7 Nippon Budokan)

By Zach Arnold | July 7, 2008

A respectable crowd of 11,610 paid. Results here. The obvious headline involves Yoshihiro Sato pulling off the upset over Buakaw Por Pramuk, setting up a Masato/Sato confrontation for October 1st. Interestingly enough, there was a lot of media focus on “salaryman” Hiroyuki Owatari (Seido Kaikan) winning by KO in his K-1 debut.

Topics: Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |

Yet another failed drug test

By Zach Arnold | July 7, 2008

The CSAC announced that Alexandre Franca “Pequeno” Nogueira, Shooto and K-1 veteran, failed his drug test that was administered on June 1st in Sacramento. Official statement:

Alexandre Nogueira, who last competed for the WEC on June 1 in Sacramento, has tested positive for Boldenone. He has been fined $2,500. His suspension period runs from the conclusion of the bout on June 1, 2008 through May 31, 2009.

His “A” Sample was tested at Quest Diagnostics and his “B” Sample was tested at Laboratoire de controle du dopage in Laval, Quebec, Canada (a WADA certified test facility).

Topics: Media, MMA, WEC, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |