UFC information secrecy bill sent to Florida Gov. Rick Scott to sign into law
By Zach Arnold | June 7, 2014
What is the UFC trying to hide from the media in Florida by buying Governor Rick Scott’s loyalty?
Zuffa paid the man a lot of a cash for his re-election campaign against Charlie Crist. They got what they wanted:
PUBLIC RECORDS/GENERAL BILL by Regulatory Affairs Committee ; Government Operations Subcommittee ; Business and Professional Regulation Subcommittee ; Hutson
Pub. Rec./Florida State Boxing Commission; Provides exemption from public records requirements for proprietary confidential business information in reports required to be filed with Florida State Boxing Commission by promoter or obtained by commission through audit of promoter’s records; defines term “proprietary confidential business information”; provides for future legislative review & repeal of exemption; provides statement of public necessity; provides for contingent effect.
Here is the official bill text as constituted…
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Florida, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Nevada State Athletic Commission board member granted marijuana permit despite Gaming Commission protest
By Zach Arnold | June 6, 2014
On March 5th, we wrote about the saga of M Resort CEO Anthony Marnell, a current board member for the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He was appointed to the NSAC by Governor Brian Sandoval. In one conflict of interest, the Athletic Commission approved future MMA dates at casino properties that Marnell is involved in.
Marnell then turned around and applied for a medical marijuana license from Clark County, Nevada when the county started testing the waters for approval of a select few permits.
Marnell was one of many major Las Vegas business players who applied for a medical marijuana license. The Nevada Gaming Commission was absolutely pissed. Marnell found himself in front of the Gaming Commission, having to explain why someone with a gaming license applied a medical marijuana permit. Marnell reportedly owns 71% of Clear River LLC, which applied for the permit. According to the Nevada Secretary of State’s web site, Marnell is/was considered an “inactive” officer. Not so much now. His partner in Clear River LLC is Robert R. Black.
Which brings us to Friday’s events where Clark County announced the winners of 18 medical marijuana permits. On the list was Clear River LLC. Anthony Marnell now has a medical marijuana permit despite the Nevada Gaming Commission telling him to back off. Marnell still is on the Nevada State Athletic Commission board. What we are now witnessing is a high-stakes, high-profile game of chicken where someone is going to blink and follow the money. Marnell being a public face of this battle is a big deal.
This situation puts the Athletic Commission and the AG’s office in a public relations pickle. Keith Kizer, who resigned as the Executive Director of the Athletic Commission, is now essentially the AC’s lawyer along with Christopher Eccles.
The timing could not be worse for the Athletic Commission. The AC has slammed fighters hard in the past who had tested positive for marijuana metabolites and yet gave out testosterone passes. Earlier this week, Joe Rogan admitted that Vitor Belfort failed an early February drug test for elevated levels of testosterone. On Friday, Belfort released documentation related to that failed drug test. The incident cost Belfort a chance to fight Chris Weidman in May for the UFC Middleweight title. However, Wanderlei Silva allegedly refused to comply with an out-of-competition NSAC drug test and won’t be fighting Chael Sonnen. The UFC, in turn, is now publicly encouraging the Athletic Commission to grant Belfort a license to fight Sonnen in July just four months after his failed out-of-competition drug test.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Fight Opinion Radio: Steve Kim on mutual assured destruction between Oscar De La Hoya & Richard Schaefer
By Zach Arnold | June 5, 2014
Richard Schaefer, former CEO of Golden Boy
Download the show
RIGHT HERE: (http://www.fightopinion.com/podcasts/foradio-6-05-2014.mp3).
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Time length of this week’s show: 34 minutes (16 MB MP3)
Contact us
Get a hold of us by messaging Judge Jeff on Twitter (@whaledog) and Zach on Twitter (@fightopinion).
Our e-mail address: [email protected].
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Boxing, Fight Opinion Radio, Jeff Thaler, Media, MMA, podcasts, UFC, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
A look at a very busy June 2014 MMA fight schedule & card slate
By Zach Arnold | June 2, 2014
Event: Bellator 121 (Friday, June 6th at Winstar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma)
TV: Spike TV
- Light Heavyweight tournament: Austen Heidlage vs. Phelipe Lins
- Light Heavyweight tournament: Carlos Eduardo vs. Egidijus Valavicius
- Heavyweights: James Thompson vs. Eric Prindle
- Light Heavyweights: Sokoudjou vs. Terry Davinney
- Bubba McDaniel vs. Matt Jones
Event: UFC Fight Night (Saturday, June 7th at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque)
TV: Fox Sports 1
- Light Heavyweights: Patrick Cummins vs. Roger Narvaez
- Lightweights: Jon Tuck vs. Jake Lindsey
- Flyweights: Scott Jorgensen vs. Danny Martinez
- Welterweights: Bobby Voelker vs. Lance Benoist
- Bantamweights: Yaotzin Meza vs. Sergio Pettis
- Bantamweights: Erik Perez vs. Bryan Caraway
- Lightweights: Yves Edwards vs. Piotr Hallmann
- Lightweights: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Jason High
- Flyweights: John Dodson vs. John Moraga
- Lightweights: Diego Sanchez vs. Ross Pearson
- Lightweights: Ben Henderson vs. Rustam Khabilov
Event: UFC 174 (Saturday, June 14th, Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C., Canada)
TV: Fox Sports 1/PPV
- Lightweights: Jason Saggo vs. Josh Shockley
- Bantamweights: Roland Delorme vs. Michinori Tanaka
- Lightweights: Kajan Johnson vs. Tae Hyun Bang
- Bantamweights: Yves Jabouin vs. Mike Easton
- Ladies 135 pounds: Germaine De Randamie vs. Milana Dudieva
- Middleweights: Daniel Sarafian vs. Kiichi Kunimoto
- Light Heavyweights: Ovince Saint Preux vs. Ryan Jimmo
- Heavyweights: Andrei Arlovski vs. Brendan Schaub
- Light Heavyweights: Ryan Bader vs. Rafael Cavalcante
- Welterweights: Rory MacDonald vs. Tyron Woodley
- UFC Flyweight title match: Demetrious Johnson vs. Ali Bagautinov
Event: UFC Fight Night (Saturday, June 28th at Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand)
TV: Internet
- Welterweights: Neil Magny vs. Claudio Silva
- Light Heavyweights: Gian Villante vs. Anthony Perosh
- Welterweights: Chris Indich vs. Vik Grujic
- Welterweights: Robert Whittaker vs. Mike Rhodes
- Featherweights: Hatsu Hioki vs. Charles Oliveira
- Heavyweights: Soa Palelei vs. Jared Rosholt
- Light Heavyweights: James Te Huna vs. Nate Marquardt
Event: UFC Fight Night (Saturday, June 28th at the AT & T Center in San Antonio, Texas)
TV: Fox Sports 1
- Flyweights: Ryan Benoit vs. Ray Borg
- Heavyweights: Oleksiy Oliynyk vs. Anthony Hamilton
- Welterweights: Marcelo Guimaraes vs. Andy Enz
- Welterweights: Sean Spencer vs. Luiz Dutra
- Lightweights: Colton Smith vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira
- Lightweights: Francisco Trevino vs. Joe Ellenberger
- Bantamweights: Johnny Bedford vs. Cody Gibson
- Middleweights: Clint Hester vs. Antonio Braga Neto
- Featherweights: Ricardo Lamas vs. Hacran Dias
- Middleweights: Cezar Ferreira vs. Andrew Craig
- Lightweights: Myles Jury vs. Abel Trujillo
- Welterweights: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Nico Musoke
- Lightweights: Cub Swanson vs. Jeremy Stephens
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Verdict on first UFC double-header: insufferably long
By Zach Arnold | May 31, 2014
Results from the main fights on Saturday…
Berlin card at O2 World Arena (8,000 in attendance)
- Gegard Mousasi defeated Mark Munoz in R1 in 3’57 with a choke sleeper hold.
- CB Dollaway defeated Francis Carmont after 3R by unanimous decision.
- Sean Strickland defeated Luke Barnatt after 3R by split decision.
- Maximo Blanco defeated Andy Ogle after 3R by unanimous decision.
Sao Paulo card at Ibirapuera Arena (sparsely attended at beginning, quiet at the end):
- Stipe Miocic defeated Fabio Maldonaldo in R1 in 35 seconds by TKO.
- Antonio Carlos Junior defeated Vitor Miranda after 3R by unanimous decision.
- Warlley Alves destroyed Marcio Alexandre Junior in R3 in 25 seconds with a choke.
- Demian Maia defeated Alexander Yakovlev after 3R by unanimous decision.
- Robert Peralta defeated Rony Jason after 3R by split decision.
Grace Tourinho: UFC plans 4 more cards in Brazil this year in September, October, November and December.
— Guilherme Cruz (@guicruzzz) June 1, 2014
Fabio Maldonaldo looked like he wanted no part being in the cage with Stipe Miocic and it showed. Very soft as a small heavyweight and the second he got tagged by Miocic, he was backtracking. A clean right and Maldonaldo was done.
Antonio Carlos Junior won his TUF Heavyweight fight and the yellow “Team Wanderlei” shirt was the only reference to Wanderlei at all during the program tonight. Chael Sonnen was in the audience. Mixed reaction, at best, from the tired and fatigued Brazilian crowd.
Demian Maia had full mount for the majority of his fight and did nothing with it.
The UFC sent the wrong mat canvas to their Berlin event. They’re running so many shows, nobody can keep track of what is going on. Perfect symbolism.
Today was the first time that I saw advertising on TV for UFC 164 (the mystery Vancouver PPV headlined in two weeks by Demetrious Johnson). I feel very badly for DJ in terms of the promotional end of the stick. I have serious doubts that this card can draw over 125,000 PPV buys. That is extremely low for UFC but I think it is an entirely possible scenario.
The UFC and Bellator will be going head-to-head on Friday night in early September in Connecticut. UFC FS1 event from Foxwoods and Bellator at their strong-hold in Mohegan Sun. The Mohegan Sun events genuinely bring the best energy of all the Bellator crowds. If UFC is going to run more cards head-to-head against Bellator, that will be quite a statement of paranoia.
The boxing two-step with Felix Sturm losing and Carl Froch beating George Groves was more interesting to watch.
Topics: Brazil, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The minor shake-up at DCA & impending 2015 shake-up at California State Athletic Commission
By Zach Arnold | May 30, 2014
Another day, more turmoil.
Yesterday came word that figurehead Denise Brown, a Sacramento lifer, was on her way out via retirement at the Department of Consumer Affairs. DCA is the monstrous government behemoth that controls many agencies in California. She was able to pad her retirement benefits by hanging around for a few years. And now her hatchet-man, Awet Kidane, is taking over.
Awet Kidane, 38, of Elk Grove, has been appointed director of the California Department of Consumer Affairs effective July 3, 2014, following the retirement of director Denise Brown. Kidane has served as chief deputy director at the California Department of Consumer Affairs since 2012. He was chief of staff for California State Assemblymember Steven Bradford from 2009 to 2012 and senior advisor to California State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass from 2008 to 2009. Kidane served as a legislative consultant for the California State Assembly from 2003 to 2009, where he was an associate consultant from 2002 to 2003. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $148,836. Kidane is a Democrat.
Tracy Rhine, 42, of El Dorado, has been appointed chief deputy director at the California Department of Consumer Affairs, where she has served as deputy director of legislative and policy review since 2012. Rhine served in multiple positions at the California Board of Behavioral Sciences from 2008 to 2012, including assistant executive officer and legislative analyst. She was a consultant for the California State Assembly Committee on Business, Professions and Consumer Protection from 2005 to 2008 and consultant for the California State Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services from 2002 to 2005. Rhine was a graduate research assistant in Governor Gray Davis’ Office of Innovation in 2002. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $132,528. Rhine is a Democrat.
In the grand scheme of things, not a lot will change at the Athletic Commission as a result of Kidane getting promoted. He was already doing a lot of the dirty work for Denise Brown. The only difference is Kidane is now the face of DCA. He’s the target. The dossier on him is that he hates bad press. Really hates it. One way he can avoid bad press is by doing his job professionally and that includes cleaning up the festering mess of problems at the Athletic Commission.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Boxing, CSAC, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
The UFC, Nevada State Athletic Commission, and Wanderlei Silva’s future
By Zach Arnold | May 28, 2014
Over the past couple of months, Chael Sonnen went through a Nevada hearing to get cleared to fight because he’s over the age of 35. This is standard operating procedure. Dan Henderson did the same thing. Mysteriously, Wanderlei Silva did not. His name has not been on any Nevada meeting agendas.
According to NSAC Exec. Director Robert Bennett, Wanderlei Silva had "ample time" to file for a license to fight in Nevada & chose not to.
— Shaun Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) May 28, 2014
Nevada will have a meeting on June 17th. Here’s the kicker: Vitor Belfort will have a license hearing that day to replace Wanderlei Silva as Chael Sonnen’s opponent for the July UFC event in Las Vegas. And yet the same commission & promoter is not allowing Wanderlei Silva to get paperwork prepared before that same June 17th meeting?
Wanderlei missed exames and his license was denied. Belfort did all the exams and tested negative for them all.
— Ivan Raupp (@IvanRaupp) May 28, 2014
Remember the context here for the UFC event in July: Chris Weidman was supposed to fight Vitor Belfort in May. Then came the avalanche of negative press coverage (listen to our recent interview with Josh Gross on this topic) about the testosterone plague in UFC and the reversal on testosterone passes. Lyoto Machida is named as the replacement for Belfort to fight Weidman in May. Weidman injures his knee and the fight is pushed to July. Vitor lost his title shot and had a drug testing issue with Nevada. He wasn’t licensed.
Six months after that licensing issue, here comes Vitor back to Nevada to fight on a card where he originally was going to get a title shot against Weidman. Instead, Vitor will now fight Chael Sonnen in the ultimate testosterone death match at 205 pounds. And Wanderlei Silva, who needed to be approved to fight Sonnen because he’s over 35, won’t be approved by the same commission that is about to approve Vitor?
On FS1 Pravda (UFC Tonight), Chael Sonnen “broke” the news of opponent change. Sonnen claimed that Wanderlei Silva ran away from taking a Nevada drug test at his “gym” and that Wanderlei’s UFC career is finished. Sonnen vs. Vitor will be a #1 challenger’s match to face the winner of Weidman/Machida.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 12 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Seven fight stories we’re watching that might interest you
By Zach Arnold | May 28, 2014
1. The fallout from The Desert Sun’s articles on Angel Osuna & the California State Athletic Commission
If you missed the requisite reading material, start here. Then go here. Then read our response.
The Desert Sun is part of the Gannett media family. They have tentacles to other newspapers in California and the rest of the country. Enterprising newspaper editors looking for a human interest/health & safety story that is compelling will pick up on the articles. The backlash against Consumer Affairs management is justified.
There is a reason to amend the Business & Professions Code to assist event promoters in buying an additional, catastrophic insurance policy with a $50,000 deductible to help protect financially-vulnerable fighters who will be forced to declare bankruptcy when they can’t pay mounting medical bills due to a serious injury.
An alternative solution, if cheaper for promoters than purchasing catastrophic insurance policies, could involve linking up fighters to California’s quasi-public State Compensation Insurance Fund.
Awet Kidane at Consumer Affairs has a choice. He can be a hero by lobbying for a new catastrophic insurance requirement or he can be a political goat.
2. Cole Miller is one of many fighters who do not want to fight in California again.
The @ufc can go back to Cali all they want.ill never fight there again unless they reimburse the $1500 they stole out of my bank acct. 2day
— Cole Miller (@colemillerATT) May 27, 2014
Cali ignored and never replied to two appeals from my tax attorney for bogus taxes from 2012 fight already paid. They stole $1500 from acct.
— Cole Miller (@colemillerATT) May 27, 2014
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Bellator, Boxing, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Taxpayers stuck with massive medical bills due to inadequate fighter insurance in California
By Zach Arnold | May 26, 2014
To read our previous articles on the California State Athletic Commission, CLICK HERE.
December 13th, 2013 is proving to be one of the uglier days in the history of the California State Athletic Commission.
In the afternoon of Friday the 13th, a document dump on the Athletic Commission’s web site site revealed a temporary suspension for boxing manager/trainer Rodrigo Mosquera. Mosquera, along with one of his fighters, was suspended due to altered gloves being confiscated at a September boxing show promoted by Ed Holmes/All Star Boxing at Quiet Cannon in Montebello. On the same day that the temporary suspension was announced, athletic inspectors working the Golden Boy boxing event at Fantasy Springs (resort & casino) in Indio, California renewed Mosquera’s license. Mosquera would stay active until his meeting in front of the Athletic Commission last February. To top it off, Executive Officer Andy Foster recommended that Mosquera be given time served and continue his licensed duties. The Athletic Commission then proceeded to throw the book at Mosquera (and rightfully so).
At that same December 13th event at Fantasy Springs, boxer Angel Osuna was on his way to winning a 10 round fight. However, a freak accident involving a slip to the timekeeper’s table caused a subdural hematoma. Osuna was taken to a local hospital and underwent a craniotomy. He suffered some strokes. He has brain damage. Osuna also owes over a million dollars in medical bills.
The Desert Sun, which is the newspaper of Palm Springs, had a lengthy article on Osuna’s injuries and the role of the Athletic Commission. It is a gut-wrenching article to read. For the casual fight fan who doesn’t know the inner workings of Sacramento, it is heartbreaking and dispiriting to read. For those of us who know how things work at Consumer Affairs in Sacramento, the article is infuriating to read. The newspaper is so disgusted with what is happening in Sacramento that they published a second front-page article (on Monday) laying out the many ways the Athletic Commission has failed the fighters. None of the information is particularly new to Fight Opinion readers, but the readers of the Desert Sun are in for a big surprise.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Boxing, CSAC, Media, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
You won’t have to write any more “Renan Barao can’t draw as UFC champion” articles
By Zach Arnold | May 24, 2014
Attendance: 11,036. Gate: $1.7 million
FOTN: Barao, Dillashaw
Performance: Dillashaw, Clarke
— Mike Chiappetta MMA (@MikeChiappetta) May 25, 2014
Barao is deep in the fear zone. He looks like he would rather be in any other place on Earth right now. Dillashaw is shredding his soul.
— Jordan Breen (@jordanbreen) May 25, 2014
Event: UFC 173 on Saturday, May 24th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
TV: Fox Sports 1/PPV
- Welterweights: Li Jingliang defeated David Michaud after 3R by split decision.
- Featherweights: Sam Sicilia defeated Aaron Phillips after 3R by unanimous decision.
- Lightweights: Vinc Pichel (+200) defeated Anthony Njokuani (-250, 5 to 2 favorite) after 3R by unanimous decision.
- Lightweights: Mitch Clarke (+350) defeated Al Iaquinta (-450, 9 to 2 favorite) in R2 in 57 seconds with a choke.
- Bantamweights: Chris Holdsworth defeated Chico Camus after 3R by unanimous decision.
- Lightweights: Tony Ferguson defeated Katsunori Kikuno in R1 in 4’06 by KO.
- Lightweights: Michael Chiesa defeated Francisco Trinaldo after 3R by unanimous decision.
- Lightweights: James Krause (+200) defeated Jamie Varner (-200, 2 to 1 favorite) after the fight was stopped due to leg injury.
- Bantamweights: Takeya Mizugaki defeated Francisco Rivera after 3R by unanimous decision.
- Welterweights: Robbie Lawler (-200, 2 to 1 favorite) defeated Jake Ellenberger (+160) in R3 in 3’06 by TKO.
- Light Heavyweights: Daniel Cormier (-800, 8 to 1 favorite) defeated Dan Henderson (+500) in R3 in 3’53 by choke sleeper hold. Cormier challenged Jon Jones to a fight afterwards.
- UFC Bantamweight title match: TJ Dillashaw (+600, 6 to 1 underdog) defeated Renan Barao (-900, 9 to 1 favorite) in R5 in 2’26 by TKO to win the title.
So, the UFC's new bantamweight champion isn't in their new swaggy video game, huh?
— Jordan Breen (@jordanbreen) May 25, 2014
We will now see the re-match between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson on August 30th in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Will we see TJ Dillashaw vs. Dominick Cruz next?
Dana White says that Vitor Belfort wasn’t and isn’t a drug cheater.
Next week is the start of UFC double-headers, a beginning of a trend for the promotion in 2014.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Fight Opinion Radio: Josh Gross (@yay_yee) on media honesty, MMA drug usage, oversaturation
By Zach Arnold | May 23, 2014
Scrum got weird with Dana saying guys can elevate T levels as high as they want between fights. I don't think he meant it way it came out.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 22, 2014
Dana's comments re: Vitor out of comp random test not mattering because he wasn't fighting either massively ignorant or massively dishonest
— Larry Pepe (@LarryPepe) May 22, 2014
Download the show
RIGHT HERE: (http://www.fightopinion.com/podcasts/foradio-5-23-2014.mp3).
Subscribe automatically to Fight Opinion Radio: http://feeds.feedburner.com/fightopinionradio.
Time length of this week’s show: 37 minutes (17 MB MP3)
Show preview
Josh Gross (on Twitter @yay_yee) has seen it all as an MMA writer spanning two decades. He, along with Mike Fish, wrote the ESPN story on testosterone usage in MMA that broke open the multi-year anabolic steroid scandal with athletic commissions and UFC. We talked with Josh about the fallout & criticism he received from writing that article along with the ever-changing media attitudes towards Mixed Martial Arts. A recent syrupy Washington Post article summarized the current state of affairs. Josh brings candor & honesty to the table in regards to discussing the current state of affairs with integrity & honesty in the current MMA media scene.
In addition, Judge Jeff & yours truly has a lengthy breakdown of a recent article by friend-of-the-show John Nash at Bloody Elbow titled Managers express concerns over Bellator’s sticky contracts. Bellator has a taken a beaten in the press over their alleged contracts of adhesion. There was even the famous Reddit MMA article about a $400 pay day and selling tickets. The press has not been very positive for Bellator on this front.
However, there is an angle to the Bellator contract situation that has not been discussed: the role of California. On our program this week, we break down the missing angle that no one is focusing on. Bellator is now a California company under Spike/Viacom ownership. They are a licensed promoter. If any California-based fighter is licensed with the Athletic Commission, they could avoid going to court with Bellator by asking for arbitration. However, there’s a lot of questions and moving parts to analyze if a fighter decides to go that route. We break it all down and make it simple for you to understand.
Contact us
Get a hold of us by messaging Judge Jeff on Twitter (@whaledog) and Zach on Twitter (@fightopinion).
Our e-mail address: [email protected].
Special thanks
To Zack Nelson for his past & present support of Fight Opinion Radio. Solid gold character.
Topics: Bellator, Fight Opinion Radio, Jeff Thaler, Media, MMA, podcasts, UFC, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
The story on Andy Foster/California approving an over-50 female fighter versus a 300 pounder; Byars wins unanimous decision
By Zach Arnold | May 22, 2014
YFrog image by Francisco Salazar – click to enlarge
This Friday night at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, California, Ed Holmes under the All-Star Boxing banner will be promoting a fight between two unique female fighters.
Keela Byrd Byars, supposedly in her mid-to-late 50s, has allegedly been lobbying promoter Ed Holmes to book her on one of his fight cards for about a year. Initially, she wanted to fight former world champion Martha Salazar. That was rejected. Byars eventually was approved for a license from the California State Athletic Commission a couple of months ago. However, Chairman John Frierson stated that the commission would only sanction fights involving properly matched opponents.
According to Athletic Commission documentation, Andy Foster issued Byars a temporary license and stated that he would personally approve her opponent. John Frierson, Mary Lehman (former boxer), and John Carvelli approved the temporary license. The only one who voted no was Dr. VanBuren Ross Lemons.
Byars is in her 50s and, according to a source at Thursday’s weigh-ins, is in the low 200s for weight. The opponent she will be facing on Friday night in Montebello will be Bridgette Davis, a boxer who supposedly is in her 40s and weighed in the upper 290s on Thursday. Neither fighter currently has a profile on Boxrec.
The athletic inspector who did the weigh-ins on Thursday was Raul Oseguera, considered the #2 inspector (behind Mark Relyea) in Southern California.
According to boxing writer Francisco Salazar, the fight between Byars and Davis will be an attempt to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records.
It turns out that the over-50 female boxer Andy Foster approved to fight a 40-something 300-pounder is nearly 60.
— FightOpinion (@FightOpinion) May 25, 2014
Update: Over-50 Keela Byrd Byars beat 300-pounder Bridgette Davis by unanimous decision in 4-rounder tonight in Montebello. Raul Caiz Jr. was the referee. The athletic inspectors who worked the show included Raul Osegueda, Fight Opinion critic Joe Ulrey, Joe Borrielli, and Larry Ervin.
Topics: Boxing, CSAC, Media, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Dana White’s final act with Keith Kizer & Steve Mazzagatti on The Ultimate Fighter
By Zach Arnold | May 21, 2014
UFC hyped up a major controversy for Wednesday’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter series featuring BJ Penn & Frankie Edgar as coaches. It proved to be the final act for both Keith Kizer & Steve Mazzagatti in Nevada. After this incident, changes were promptly made to the Athletic Commission.
The show featured a Middleweight fight between Edgar fighter Ian Stephens and Penn fighter Roger Zapata. Dana White spent the last half of the show trashing Stephens as a lay-and-pray, human wet blanket with no intent to finish an opponent with effective submissions. He went out of his way to bury Stephens. Very Dana-like but still curious behavior.
Stephens and Zapata went to a draw after two rounds. Zapata was nailing Stephens with elbows to the head throughout the fight and Mazzagatti got on his case about it. They went to a third round to determine a winner. Mazzagatti took a point away from Zapata for an illegal elbow. Dana blew his gasket and started ranting & raving about how to properly officiate that kind of situation by giving a warning first. At the end of the third round, two of the judges had scored the round a 9-9 round but one judge scored it a 10-8 round in favor of Stephens.
When Mazzagatti announced the winner of the fight, he raised Zapata’s hand and called him “Ian Zapata.” Everyone went crazy. Mazzagatti tried a do-over and said “Roger Zapata” but the UFC editors made sure to leave the mistake in. White blew a gasket and said it was impossible for the judges to give Zapata the win given that he lost a point in the third round. Dana claims that since only one judge declared a winner after the third round that the judges were asked to pick an overall winner (PRIDE-style) and they picked Zapata. This situation reminded me of the odd scenario ESPN was pushing in Nevada during the early stages of their Boxcino tournaments where there was a proposed situation involving fans, via Facebook, being able to pick a winner in the 7th round of a fight if judges could not pick a tie-breaking winner.
Dana went on his usual rant about not leaving a decision in the hands of judges. He basically berated Mazzagatti and Kizer the same way he threw a fit over Ariel Helwani asking Chuck Liddell about his desire to fight Jon Jones.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |