Another drive-by media attack on MMA
By Zach Arnold | August 5, 2007
It’s irritating enough to deal with daily drive-by media attacks on MMA when the outlets are newspapers like The Grand Rapids Press and the Mason City Globe Gazette. It’s even more aggravating when the media outlet in question has a big circulation like The New York Daily News.
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Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Sunday news snips: Hong-Man back on winning track
By Zach Arnold | August 5, 2007
K-1 8/5 Hong Kong event results. Mike Coughlin has filed a report.
I saw a post over at NHB News (Japanese) that took quotes from former MMA agent Miro Mijatovic about MMA’s drug culture in Japan and attributed those quotes to the Wrestling Observer. Those quotes made by Mijatovic were made to me and the staff at CBS Sportsline for our MMA drug culture article series. Here is the CBS Sportsline article link. I know that there are Japanese writers like Game and MMA that read this site, so if someone could post a correction to the NHB News post in Japanese I would appreciate it a lot. Thanks.
Bas Boon announced today that Sergey Kharitonov is joining Golden Glory Russia, reuniting with old friend and promoter George Kobyliansky. Kharitonov is also bringing along other RTT (Russian Top Team) members including Ilioukhine Mikhail. Kharitonov and Mikhail will be training in Holland soon with Cor Hemmers.
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Topics: BoDog, Boxing, Canada, K-1, Media, MMA, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, WEC, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Saturday afternoon media special
By Zach Arnold | August 4, 2007
There’s a surprising amount of MMA media coverage today. The zone is flooded with content. Here’s our Saturday morning news update.
On Any Given Saturday today, Luke Thomas interviewed Sherdog writer Jake Rossen. Show audio here. Also, Luke is also looking for guest bloggers next week to help fill in for him at Bloody Elbow. Contact him at [email protected].
Here is a new set of news links for you. Let’s start off with Kevin Iole talking all things UFC.
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Topics: Canada, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, UFC, UK, WEC | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Whopper of the week
By Zach Arnold | August 4, 2007
The Bob Arum/Dana White feud is turning out to be a goldmine for quotes. Arum fires the latest salvo by claiming that UFC has a bigger drug problem than the Tour de France. UFC Mania has links to the audio clips. Sam Caplan shares his thoughts.
The only topic that gets Bob’s blood pumping more is when you mention the Nevada State Athletic Commission and he starts railing against them as a bunch of lousy “Republicans.”
Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Fight Opinion Radio #57: Josh Barnett
By Zach Arnold | August 4, 2007
A big 90-minute show this week. First, we go through the MMA calendar this month and preview some of the upcoming big fights in WEC & UFC. Second, we take a look at some of the absurd claims that Dana White made in a recent ESPN The Magazine interview. Our stance is pretty clear in regards to his credibility on certain issues.
Sheldon Goldberg stops by to make a brief appearance. He talks about the death of Karl Gotch and why MMA should pay attention to the story. After Sheldon’s segment, Josh Barnett stops by to talk about a lot of important issues in MMA. In the 40-minute interview, Barnett addresses the following topics:
- His thoughts on the death of Karl Gotch, who Gotch was, and what catch wrestling is all about
- The relationship between professional wrestling (and the U-System) to MMA
- Josh’s future plans in the fight game
- A debate about MMA fighter salaries and whether or not the pay structure in UFC is currently fair
- What kind of rating would Josh give UFC so far in terms of marketing the top PRIDE stars in the cage
- The prospects of Barnett vs. Fedor ever taking place (and if so, where it might happen)
- Thoughts on many MMA fighters recently failing drug tests and the issue of maintaining kayfabe in the fight industry
- Making the case that fighters are not educated enough about what supplements to avoid taking and how the state athletic commissions should improve their communications with fighters
- Making the case that the current drug testing process might be flawed
- Reminiscing about the 2001 UFC fight with Pedro Rizzo and his strategy going into the fight
- Where you can find Josh on the web (erikpaulson.com & joshbarnett.tv) and who he’s currently training with (Ginele Marquez and Shayna Baszler)
The 57th 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-8-04-2007.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.
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Topics: Erin Bucknell, Fight Opinion Radio, Japan, Jeff Thaler, Media, MMA, Pancrase, podcasts, PRIDE, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, WEC, WWE, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Another drive-by attack on MMA by the Grand Rapids Press
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2007
By Zach Arnold
On June 4th, we highlighted an article by Brian VanOchten in the Grand Rapids Press that was a baseless attack on MMA and the industry’s supporters. It drew so much heat online (at Sherdog, Fight Opinion, etc.) that the newspaper staff was flooded with angry responses in return. One of our site readers contacted the GRP and a staff member told the reader that the paper would print some of the responses.
None of those responses, to our knowledge, were ever printed online.
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Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 16 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Saturday headlines: MMA at the Mansion
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2007
Medical suspensions issued from the NJACB coming out of the IFL show this past Thursday night: Gerald Harris suspended 30 days and needs neurological examination, Bryan Vetell pending x-ray of left foot and opthamalogical exam of left eye, Tim Boetsch pending xray of right hand, David Phillips 60 days and needs neurological examination, Chris Clements 30 days and neurological examination, Rory Markham 15 days or until cleared by orthopaedic re left hand, and Nissim Levy 30 days and needs neurological examination.
The paid attendance for the BodogFight event a couple of weeks ago in Trenton, New Jersey was around 1,200 paid.
I saw the press release regarding Strikeforce’s 9/29 PPV event at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills. Gilbert Melendez will make his SF return at that event. I felt the need to comment on this show for a couple of reasons. First, there have been boxing events previously at the Mansion that have aired on ESPN2. Second, I know for a fact that Ed Fishman is close to the Hefners. He did invite Josh Barnett to go to the place, after all. During the DSE Inc. vs. Fishman Companies lawsuit, several MMA leagues tried to court him (Art of War, ICON, SF, etc.) In essence, he was viewed as a money mark with connections. I would suspect that Ed had a role in SF’s upcoming show at the Mansion, but that is educated speculation on my part.
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Topics: IFL, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Pro-Wrestling, StrikeForce, UFC, UK, WEC, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Iowa newspaper calls for MMA ban (again)
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2007
By Zach Arnold
On Friday, the Mason City Globe Gazette newspaper published an editorial today repeating their stance on MMA — which is to ban it. They published a similar editorial last April. Since the time the newspaper published that first editorial, MMA has been (or will soon be) regulated in Michigan, Oregon, and North Carolina.
Unfortunately, the newspaper this time has an apparent incident to hang its hat on. A low-level MMA show at a bar last weekend featured a fighter getting hurt and taken out in an ambulance. This kind of story should sound familiar. BTW, has anyone heard anything at all about the fighter in question (Larry Shorman) or the promoters involved in backing that particular show? Someone actually took photos of the Oklahoma show (albums here and here). I have a feeling the photos may not stay online for long, so save them if need be.
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Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Friday fight notes: Just say no… to many things
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2007
I’ve had a few readers who use the Safari browser state that they are having trouble loading this site. I’m not sure what is happening, but one trick to loading the site is to remove the www out of the URL. Try this instead and you should be fine.
UFC and J-ROCK make a package deal. Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Ryoto Machida could be a brutal fight to watch.
Results from the IFL show in New Jersey. Sherdog says the promotion is claiming 7,077 fans in attendance. Wonder how much of it is paid versus papered. Jeff Hamlin has more IFL coverage (as well as MMA Komikazee and The Baltimore Sun). Sam Caplan points out something that might raise an eyebrow, which is that Tim Boetsch fought Vladimir Matyushenko on the IFL show five days after his last fight (last Saturday in West Orange, NJ).
Evander Holyfield vs. Sultan Ibragimov has been booked for October 13th in Moscow, Russia. No state athletic commission oversight… I’m sure Evan Fields is a big fan of this development.
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Topics: Boxing, Canada, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, WEC, Zach Arnold | 28 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Latest CSAC notes
By Zach Arnold | August 2, 2007
Royce Gracie – Did not submit an appeal regarding his suspension. The fine and suspension are final.
Tim Persey – Did not submit an appeal regarding his suspension. The fine and suspension are final.
Johnnie Morton – Fined a total of $7,500 (#1 failing to submit to a test for drugs of abuse, #2 testing positive for an elevated T/E ratio, #3 failing to comply with a request from the Commission to explain his actions on the evening of June 2). His license as a professional athlete has been revoked (eligible to reapply one year from the date of revocation but must appear in front of the Commission for approval of licensure). Mr. Morton paid his fines in full and did not appeal the revocation of his license.
Additionally, Joseph Sakoda, Mr. Morton’s Chief Second, has been fined a total of $5,000 (#1 advising Mr. Morton to refuse taking the test for drugs of abuse and #2 failing to comply with a request from the Commission to explain his actions on the evening of June 2). The fines are unpaid at this time. His license as a second has been revoked (eligible to reapply one year from the date of revocation but must appear in front of the Commission for approval of licensure and must pay the fine in full).
Topics: K-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Thursday trash talk: North Carolina ready to regulate MMA
By Zach Arnold | August 2, 2007
The IFL enters into $12.7 million USD financing. Update: The stock went down to $0.65 USD/share the morning after this news was released.
Here are the weigh-in results for the IFL show that will take place tonight in New Jersey. If you haven’t already done so, head on over to MMA Predictions and make your predictions for the fights on tonight’s IFL event.
Does anyone know if there is an audio or video ad for the IFL 9/20 Hard Rock show in Seminole available online?
The North Carolina state Senate has passed regulation for MMA, pending the Alcohol Law Enforcement division of DCCPP coming up with the rules for MMA regulation. The bill number is H1786 and here is a PDF of the bill (useful for writers like Jeff Hamlin to take a look at). There is a web page with all of the voting information in regards to the bill.
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Topics: Brazil, IFL, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Pro-Wrestling, TNA, UFC, UK, WEC, WWE, Zach Arnold | 16 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Closure for Ed Fishman lawsuit
By Zach Arnold | August 1, 2007
By Zach Arnold
According to public court records in Clark County, Nevada, an order of dismissal with prejudice was issued in the Fishman Companies vs. DSE Inc. lawsuit on July 25th (last Wednesday). It was a five-page document. In other words, a settlement has been reached and no further litigation will take place between the two parties on matters brought up in the initial complaint.
Unless a source close to DSE or Zuffa reveals how much UFC paid for the PRIDE asset sale, we’ll never know what the business figures were. Furthermore, no witness depositions took place or were made public (which could have contained some interesting information about true MMA insider hardball tactics).
Topics: Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 12 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Wednesday war room: 9/19 UFC Fight Night card finalized
By Zach Arnold | August 1, 2007
Travis Lutter not fighting at UFC 74.
Yokozuna Asashoryu suspended for playing soccer. More on the story here.
Josh Gross defends his open letter to Dana White on Fight Network Radio.
Ivan Canello has video of Fabio Silva vs. Ryo Kawamura.
Here is the fight card for the 9/19 UFC Fight Night event.
Bad news on the IFL Front – both Erik Owings and Jamal Patterson have been pulled from the New Jersey show due to injury. Sam Caplan has more information, plus a preview of the New Jersey show. Sadly, I don’t think my IFL predictions will be so accurate after all!
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Topics: BoDog, Boxing, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, Pancrase, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | 25 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |