Rickson Gracie to be coordinator at Super Challenge Grappling
By Zach Arnold | November 10, 2007
(From B-Tough)
Submission attempts will score more points than any other position
While no one is really sure about his return to the ring, Rickson Gracie has joined the Super Challenge Grappling organization to help coordinate rules for the show. Promoter Paulo Vasconcelos explained that Rickson joining the event was fundamental in establishing the rules of the tournament.
“We talked about the necessity of creating rules for fighters to be active and we are working on making these rules work.”
Rickson stated that Super Challenge will feature a grappling event with all the glamour and notoriety of a big MMA show.
“Paulo is a big friend of mine and I am happy to join this project. What we did is make rules that will give points to fighters who put their opponents in real submission attempts. For example, a sweep will render only one point, a mount position two points, but a submission attempt will earn you three points. We are going to offer a great show for the fans and hope to stimulate fighters to compete for submissions.”
Topics: Brazil, Media, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Big Saturday (11/10)
By Zach Arnold | November 10, 2007
We’ll add play-by-play links for both the EXC show in Corpus Christi and the boxing event at MSG.
Post all thoughts, spoilers, and criticisms in the comments section.
EXC event: MMA Weekly | Sherdog | MMA on Tap | The Fight Network | Bloody Elbow | Observer
Interesting results from MMAPrediction.com users regarding who they picked to win at the EXC event:
Nick Diaz is favored (99%) to beat KJ Noons.
Kimbo Slice is favored (93%) to beat Bo Cantrell.
Jake Shields is favored (80%) to beat Mike Pyle.
Kyle Noke is favored (55%) to beat Seth Kleinbeck.
Antonio Silva is favored (86%) to beat Jonathan Wiezorek.
Yves Edwards is favored (88%) to beat Nick Gonzales.
Update: If you were one of the 99% to pick Nick Diaz, you lost! Shaw has to be thrilled that Noons won the fight, considering that Noons is also under contract to do boxing for him. Everyone else won their fight as expected.
Cotto vs. Mosley: Charles Jay’s Play | Bad Left Hook | Yahoo Sports
Controversy at MSG. Plus, Miguel Cotto won his fight by unanimous decision.
Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Saturday fight slate: Boxing & MMA take center stage
By Zach Arnold | November 10, 2007
Dave Meltzer talks about how Elite XC hired Kimbo Slice. Plus, weigh-in notes from Corpus Christi. Jake Shields has signed a new deal with EXC. Here is another event preview for Saturday’s EXC event in Texas. Make sure to get your EXC event predictions in at MMA Predictions. Two articles in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times (here and here) about tonight’s EXC event.
A preview of tonight’s big MMA event in San Antonio.
A review of the new four-disc BodogFight DVD set.
Dragon Gate pro-wrestler “Hollywood” Stoker Ichikawa has been booked for DEEP’s 12/12 Korakuen Hall event in Tokyo.
Riddick Bowe ready for MMA action.
Frank Trigg vs. Edwin DeWees has been booked for HDNet Fights on 12/15 in Dallas. Or maybe it hasn’t.
Sean Sherk’s doping attorney, Howard Jacobs, is not happy. MMA Analyst is on the case.
Luke Cummo is taking applications.
Stephen Brunt in The Globe and Mail:
That was always the UFC’s potential Achilles heel: when it evolved into a de facto monopoly, and the returns grew exponentially, the fighters themselves were naturally going to demand a bigger piece of the action. They weren’t organized, they didn’t fight very often, their careers were short, and the game was both painful and dangerous. Forget those bonuses for the best fight of the night: the guys putting their bodies on the line and selling all of those pay-per-view sign-ups were inevitably going to start biting the hand that fed them.
Art of War attempts to make their case about what kind of impact the promotion has had on the MMA landscape in 2007.
The latest update in the Xyience Inc. vs. Rich Bergeron lawsuit: Xyience Inc. filed a modified preliminary injunction order (3 pages) against Bergeron, dated 11/6 (in Clark County, Nevada court).
Predictions for the Shane Mosley vs. Miguel Cotto fight at MSG.
Randy Couture is auctioning off the Hummer H2 that UFC gave him.
Topics: Boxing, HDNet, Japan, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Marcelo Garcia to compete at Super Challenge Grappling event
By Zach Arnold | November 9, 2007
From B-Tough
Away of MMA until the end of the year, Garcia may fight in the absolute tournament
Super Challenge Grappling is trying its best to promote the most important submission tournament ever. In order to accomplish this, the promoted has hired BJJ ace and superb grappler Marcelo Garcia, the three-time ADCC champion (under 76kg) and runner-up in Absolute 2007. Garcia, who will not fight in MMA until the end of the year (due to a nasty cut suffered his HERO’s MMA debut fight in South Korea), is seriously considering the possibility of being featured in this Brazilian tournament. His coach, Fabio Gurgel, stated that Super Challenge Grappling would help his pupil stay active while waiting for his next MMA booking in HEROs. This opportunity in Super Challenge Grappling could give Garcia his first absolute win.
“Garcia wants to focus in MMA, but he’ll only comeback in 2008. Because of this, I think it’s important that he takes part in Super Challenge Grappling, which will be a great submission tournament, After the MTL Finals, at next Nov. 10th, I’m going to NY to chat with him about this> possibility,” revealed Gurgel, who also said that Garcia’s chances of entering the tournament will depend on how well his cut heals (which required over 100 stitches).
If Garcia is booked in the tournament, he will join a list of high-level grapplers booked (such as Demian Maia, Fabricio Werdum, and Robert Drysdale). Also confirmed is Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Jeff Monson, and Delson Pe-de-Chumbo. Super Challenge Grappling will take place at Clube Athletico Pauloistano on December 8th in Sao Paulo, Brazil. 8 Brazilian and 8 foreign fighters will try to win prize money of $15,000 USD for first place in this absolute competition.
Topics: Brazil, Media, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Friday fight notes: What the media thinks of UFC
By Zach Arnold | November 9, 2007
MMA HQ has a preview for this weekend’s EXC event.
An update on Josh Koscheck.
Eddie Goldman analyzes the latest sanctioning body attempt in MMA.
An about-face about the CSAC from UFC.
A British take on the UFC. Doogan says that the current sports editor at the Sunday Times refuses to carry any coverage of ‘ultimate fighting’ because “it’s not quite legitimate.” Doogan said that he was severely disappointed in Chuck Liddell (in relation to Liddell vs. Jackson), stating that Liddell looked like a guy who didn’t train for the fight. He also stated that “when a guy is done,” he doesn’t like seeing the guy get beat upon.
An update on the Andrei Arlovski/Dana White situation in the Chicago Sun-Times. Note the opinion of the paper’s MMA writer, who says that he likes UFC but not MMA in general. The author’s e-mail is here.
Local MMA action in Shreveport, Louisiana tonight.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 32 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Thursday random notes (11/8)
By Zach Arnold | November 8, 2007
Hotmail has changed over to its new Windows Live format (which is hideous). Does anyone know how to turn off the “rich text” format for e-mails and go to a text-based format? I didn’t see it anywhere in the options panel.
From the CSAC:
Jennifer Tate, who last competed for Pro Elite on October 26, 2007 in Santa Ynez, has tested positive for Marijuana. Her suspension runs from the conclusion of the bout on October 26, 2007 through January 24, 2008. She has been fined $500.
The rest of the news
It’s really getting out of control between Randy Couture and Dana White. Notice how the UFC President always chooses Yahoo Sports to issue comments to the fans through the media.
Will CBS take a flyer on UFC programming?
The latest on the Chinese fight beat.
Grapple Monkey discusses MMA & BJJ gear bags.
A Japanese version of YouTube featuring MMA and pro-wrestling videos.
Nathan Marquardt may return to action at UFC 81.
Bernard Hopkins is thanking UFC for the rise in boxing’s current popularity:
“I will say thanks to the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) that boxing now has to step up and make the matches that interest people,” he said.
“Boxing is back like the 1980s, with the (Marvin) Haglers and the (Sugar) Ray Leonards,” Hopkins said. “Now the talent is going head to head with other champions.”
Mike Pyle isn’t going to be happy about this — My Fox Kansas City has a video story talking about women in MMA.
Joachim Hansen lost today in Tokyo in the Shooto ring.
Randy Couture and Brett Favre in Green Bay at the same time.
Kevin Iole has a profile article on Jake Shields. Steve Sievert talks about the Elite XC show this weekend in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sam Caplan has an event preview and Todd Martin thinks that EXC pushing Kimbo Slice is a bad gamble. A preview article for Kimbo Slice’s debut in Elite XC this weekend.
Topics: Boxing, Japan, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | 10 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Quotes of the week
By Zach Arnold | November 7, 2007
Mouth: I would assume this is the final fight on your contract?
Pyle: Yes, to answer your question from before, this is the final fight on my contract. Gary Shaw and those guys might be under the impression, because I haven’t really had a chance to talk with them, that this is my last fight with them. This is my last fight on my contract, which means I’m not going to work with them unless other things…You understand what I’m saying?
Mouth: Yes absolutely, so does it make you upset when someone like Gina Carano are being—
Pyle: THANK YOU! Thank you very much. This is a woman! I’m being put behind a woman to be on the undercard. I don’t have time for that man! That, right there gives me the idea that they don’t…and some of the people they chose to promote can’t even stay out of f—ing jail long enough to make their fight.
Mouth: Wow! Well that’s true, yeah that’s true.
Pyle: I don’t have time to be put behind people like that! Not to take anything away from Gina, Gina’s my girl, but right now this is a man’s sport. This is a man’s world right now in this game and that’s all there is to it. Who else am I going to be put behind? I feel like I’ve earned my spot in the game. Look at my record, I have fights against Quinton [Jackson], John Fitch, Andrei Semenov, Shonie Carter…I’ve been around the world fighting dude. I fought, you know?
Mouth: Right, no, absolutely, but I can kind of understand the pushing of Gina just because it is such a rarity and I assume they want to hook people with that.
Pyle: Well, I mean, you take a room full of guys and who are they going to watch brawl, Mike Pyle or a chick?
Mouth: That’s a tough call actually. I would assume most people would want to watch the chick brawl.
Pyle: Yeah well, this is the thing: Gina can get down.
Mouth: Yeah
Pyle: This is one out of a handful of those chicks that can really scrap. The rest of them just look like shit, but there are some that can get down and Gina is one of them and she is very entertaining with that. But still, she is a woman and I don’t have time for that man. I can’t be put behind a woman and I will stand behind that until the day I die.
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Zach Arnold | 23 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Wednesday war room: Sean Sherk put on hold, again
By Zach Arnold | November 7, 2007
Jeff Thaler & Zach Arnold appeared at the first annual Jarry Park MMA awards. Well, as much as you can appear on an Internet radio show.
Ken Shamrock made an appearance on Fight Network Radio (audio here).
Spike TV is home to UFC and Takeru Kobayashi of Major League Eating. (Hat tip: Mikeinformer.)
Todd Martin has the second installment of his Japanese MMA history series. Given the audience that Todd is writing for, he does an excellent job trying to put over the basics. There are two criticisms I have of the article, however, that I do think need to be addressed.
- Pancrase was important historically for Japanese pro-wrestling and MMA, but it didn’t do anywhere near the level of business that UWF International did. To basically pass over some of the major events that occured during the time period of UWF-Inter in the article is not something that I would have done.
- The start of UWF-Inter (including the famous Takada vs. Koji Kitao match that had nuclear heat at Budokan) and the end of UWF-Inter (Takada tried to get into politics, lost money, and the group was broke so they ended up doing business with Choshu & New Japan and got destroyed). It was New Japan’s destruction of UWF-Inter that ironically led to the destruction of Japanese pro-wrestling on a major scale due to the creation of PRIDE.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, WEC, Zach Arnold | 31 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Tuesday evening notes (11/6)
By Zach Arnold | November 6, 2007
Don Frye is no longer a coach in the IFL.
An interview with Bas Rutten.
UFC insists that their UFC 80 event will happen on 1/19.
Tyson Griffin vs. Gleison Tibau coming at UFC 81.
M-1 denies that Fedor will fight on NYE.
An update on Jonathan Goulet.
The IFL drew a 0.4 rating for their Saturday show on MyNetworkTV. Eddie Goldman has some thoughts about the Chicago event. Sam Caplan made an appearance on Fight Network Radio (audio here). During the Caplan interview, John Pollock reported that 200 Canadian viewers watched the IFL Chicago event on Fox Sports World.
Nate Marqardt is stuck with one fight left in UFC and is getting the same treatment as Andrei Arlovski.
Topics: IFL, M-1, Media, MMA, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 32 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Tuesday news and notes (11/6)
By Zach Arnold | November 6, 2007
Your tabloid headline of the day.
Pramit Mohapatra has a brand new article at Sports Illustrated talking about Kimbo Slice.
Dan Henderson is coming to Winnipeg on November 30th.
Dave Meltzer has two new articles on Yahoo (here and here) talking about last week’s CSAC appeals hearing.
An interview with Big John McCarthy. Plus, an interview with Houston Alexander.
Taking a look at the Din Thomas case.
Jake Ellenberger wins in 9.2 seconds.
Glad to see more dogfighting references to MMA in the UK. At least there seems to be more MMA activity in New Zealand these days.
News and notes on the Atlantic City MMA scene.
Gary Shaw compares the payscales in both MMA & boxing.
Topics: Canada, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir
By Zach Arnold | November 5, 2007
So sayeth Dave Meltzer. The fight will happen on February 2nd. UFC press release here.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 26 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
NJACB UFC 78 assignments
By Zach Arnold | November 5, 2007
UFC 78 NOVEMBER 17,2007
PRUDENTIAL CENTER
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY
NJSACB ASSIGNMENTS
Listings can be seen in full-page view.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Fight Opinion Radio #67: Adam Swift
By Zach Arnold | November 5, 2007
Adam Swift of MMAPayout.com and Sherdog.com has been a busy man lately. Last week, he published an article talking about what a standard Zuffa contract looks like. Therefore, we had to bring him on the show to further elaborate on his article and the North American MMA scene in general. Do other promoters use similar-type contracts with fighters? How would the American legal system interpret a Zuffa contract? Everything you need to know is available in this week’s edition of Fight Opinion Radio.
The 67th edition of Fight Opinion Radio is now online and available to download. Download this week’s show here.
Or you can use the great flash player to listen to it streaming (without having to use an external program). Check it out (down below).
[audio:http://www.fightopinion.com/podcasts/foradio-11-05-2007.mp3]Podcasting: Use http://feeds.feedburner.com/fightopinionradio. This link should work for all RSS programs and podcatching programs. You’ll never miss another show again.
If you have iTunes, do the following:
- In your iTunes program, go to Advanced. Then choose the Subscribe to Podcast option.
- Type in http://feeds.feedburner.com/fightopinionradio.
- The newest edition of Fight Opinion Radio will be automatically downloaded and future editions of FOR will download for you as well, hassle-free.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Erin Bucknell, Fight Opinion Radio, Jeff Thaler, K-1, Media, MMA, podcasts, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |