CBS Sportsline article: MMA’s drug culture, part two
By Zach Arnold | August 1, 2007
This article was originally scheduled to appear on CBS Sportsline. It is part two of the MMA drug culture article series that I wrote for that web site. You can read part one of the article series by clicking here.
On Tuesday, Dana White stated in an ESPN interview the following:
There was one event in the U.K. where things were moving too fast and we were trying to figure out how to do it. But we did drug test in Ireland, we just never made it public and nobody ever asked.
That statement is factually incorrect, as CBS Sportsline editor Denny Burkholder conducted an interview with Marc Ratner two weeks ago. In that interview, Ratner detailed that none of the fighters tested failed their drug tests (four were tested). Quotes from the Marc Ratner interviewe were used in the MMA drug culture article series. In regards to the specifics of the UFC internal drug tests (e.g. the T/E ratio allowed before a fighter fails a test), we did not get those statistics.
Now, here is part two of the CBS Sportsline article series.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: IFL, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Dana White talks about fighters using steroids
By Zach Arnold | July 31, 2007
By Zach Arnold
First, Kalib Starnes comments on marijuana and steroids.
For a perfect summation of my feelings about MMA’s drug culture, read Fightlinker’s entry today. My argument has never been one about morality (athletes are athletes — they are always looking for an edge), but rather about the health of the fighters. Time in and time in, too many wrestlers have died due to a lethal combination of steroids or growth hormone and prescription pills. It’s a nasty cocktail that has killed a lot of professional wrestlers.
Dana White today responded to charges by various MMA writers that UFC is not doing enough to combat the drug problem in MMA. Dana always manages something interesting to say and usually leaves himself open to questioning with at least one comment per interview.
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Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 25 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
New round of beta testing
By Zach Arnold | July 31, 2007
Update: I sent out an e-mail to the new beta testers. Please let me know if you got it.
I am looking for a new group of beta testers to check out our new site design for bugs. If you have experience on the back-end of handling WordPress issues and bugs, you will get high priority. If you have not seen the new subsite yet and want to help out with beta testing, leave a comment here. I need to get the new site design active soon, so all help is welcome. Leave a comment and make sure the e-mail you fill out is valid so I can write back to you.
Topics: Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Tuesday headlines: Catch wrestling fever
By Zach Arnold | July 30, 2007
Kendall Grove prepares for UFC 74.
A message from Antonio Inoki’s MySpace account (there is one for the IGF) on the death of Karl Gotch. Simon Inoki also released a statement. Josh Barnett also posted a statement. John Wood also has a post about Gotch. Here’s some information pertaining to the politics surrounding catch wrestling in the last few years.
Osamu Nishimura (via Joe Malenko in Tampa) revealed to Nikkan Sports that the cause of death for Karl Gotch was due to a cardiovascular aneurysm that ruptured. Nishimura told the press that Gotch was hospitalized a couple of weeks ago in Tampa with an acute pain in the back/waist area and had emergency surgery, but did not recover.
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Topics: Canada, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Monday media marks: Fedor must make concessions for UFC?
By Zach Arnold | July 29, 2007
Quote of the day from 411 Mania:
With due respect to both sides, this is really a bunch of needless whining. I’m sure the UFC would like nothing more than to throw a couple hundred thousand dollars at Fedor and have the number one fighter in the world in their pocket, and at the same time I’m sure Fedor’s people would love to get a stranglehold on the exploding Russian MMA circuit. Neither of these things is going to happen though, and its time for both sides to pony up and start making some concessions. Fedor will be just fine without the UFC and vice versa, but both sides will be better off working with each other and they know that.
Let’s see… Vadim Finkelstein is on good terms with Vladimir Putin. Putin is a man who does business on his own terms. Russia is a market known for certain politics. I’d say Vadim has a pretty good grip on the Russian MMA scene right about now, even if it’s a money loser.
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Topics: Canada, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, Pancrase, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, Zach Arnold | 15 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Sunday media slate: Gamblers love Kimbo/Tank
By Zach Arnold | July 29, 2007
Beach wrestling with Gomi & KID.
Kenny Florian wants more stringent drug testing in MMA.
Jake Rossen talks about the impact of Title IX on MMA.
The Fightworks Podcast has an interview with Xande Ribeiro.
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Topics: Boxing, Japan, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | 25 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Karl Gotch dead at age 82
By Zach Arnold | July 28, 2007
God of Pro-Wrestling, Mr. Karl Gotch, dies — Yahoo Japan HP
Report here. The Sports Navigator report on Yahoo quotes the Observer as its source on the story.
It is so important to stress what an important figure Gotch was in the history of Japanese professional wrestling, which led to the transition to Mixed Martial Arts in that country. He trained wrestlers in Japan in the 1960s, worked New Japan’s first ever card at Tokyo’s Ota-ku Gym in March of 1972, and would eventually become linked with the UWF system of wrestling.
Jake Shannon at Scientific Wrestling has more details. Here’s an avatar made today of Karl Gotch.
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, Pro-Wrestling, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Report: MMA fighter seriously injured in Oklahoma
By Zach Arnold | July 28, 2007
By Zach Arnold
I got a couple of e-mails about this posting over at the Something Awful forums. Once you read it, you’ll quickly take notice of what is being claimed.
Here’s an update on the fighter’s medical condition.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 40 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Saturday headlines: WWE versus Congress
By Zach Arnold | July 28, 2007
If you haven’t already subscribed to Fight Opinion Radio via iTunes, go subscribe here.
Both Koki Kameda and Daiki Kameda won their fights today in Tokyo at Ariake Colosseum. The results of both fights were unanimous decision wins.
ShootBoxing had their event today at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Top matches featured Adam Higson (King of the Gladiators champion) defeating Ken’ichi Ogata, Mark Hominick (TKO) defeating Koichi Kikuchi by a 2-0 judges’ decision, and Takeshi Ishikawa defeating Crazy Dog Smith (MMAC Canada Lightweight champion) by a 3-0 judges’ decision.
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Topics: Boxing, Canada, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, WWE, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Round two of UFC and Ricky Hatton
By Zach Arnold | July 27, 2007
Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports reported on Friday night that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will fight Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas on December 8th. Eastside Boxing reports that the MGM Grand Garden Arena is being discussed as a possible host for the event.
Why is it possibly news-of-concern for UFC?
December 8th is when UFC is tentatively scheduled to run a Spike TV event at the Palms Casino.
There are a few storylines that make this scenario interesting to watch unfold…
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, UFC, UK, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Friday fight notes: It’s Ultimate Fighting, not MMA
By Zach Arnold | July 26, 2007
I want to send my condolences to the family of Jesse Marunde, as news hit yesterday of Marunde’s death at age 27 due to a massive heart attack. If you have ever seen World’s Strongest Man events on ESPN TV, you would instantly recognize the American strongman.
The Cherry Hill Courier-Post is doing an MMA story and is looking for feedback from fans. You can contact the author here for more information.
MMA Madness has relaunched and it’s a good site design. Go check it out.
Luke Thomas took up my challenge yesterday to show Washington Post columnist Leonard Shapiro that, yes, MMA fans can read and write. Here’s the response Luke received.
If you need any further proof of how far UFC is going the extra mile to basically brand MMA as “Ultimate Fighting” in America, here you go.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: IFL, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, UFC, Zach Arnold | 23 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Michigan State House passes MMA legislation bill
By Zach Arnold | July 26, 2007
By Zach Arnold
Here’s the PDF of the bill that allows the newly-named Oregon State Athletic Commission to regulate MMA.
I’m calling out all the Michigan MMA writers here (Aaron Crossen, Royal Burnell, etc.) to spend a half-hour and look over today’s legislative material. There’s a lot of detailed information in the documents and it needs to be gone over with a fine-tooth comb.
Update: Jordan Breen and Tomer Chen review the Michigan MMA legislation.
The sponsor of this bill is Rep. Barbara Farrah (D – Southgate). Her e-mail is here. Her web site is here. Her office FAX number is 517-373-5926. Her office phone number is 517-373-0845.
Now, onto the legislation at hand. It’s a two-pronged bill set (HB 4869 & HB 4870). Files related to the bills:
- Three-page HFA legislative analysis of the two bills
- HB4869 – 22 page bill as passed by the Michigan State House
- HB4870 – amendment and attachment to HB4869
There’s a lot of material to absorb in the PDF files, but I recommend every reader look at the files and comment both here and to Barbara Farrah about the legislation.
Some notes that caught my eyes about the bill can be seen in full-page mode.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Thursday trash talk: Whatcha going do, brother?!
By Zach Arnold | July 25, 2007
QVC is selling the Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill with Interchangeable Grill, Griddle, & Waffle Plates. The ‘Ultimate Grill’ for $100 USD? Wonder if UFC is paying attention?
I feel the need to state that this has been one hell of a July in terms of news. I want to create a poll asking the readers what they think the most noteworthy MMA news story has been this month. Nominate some topics by posting a reply in the comments section.
Retired NFL superstar Deion Sanders manages to link dogfighting with MMA in only a way a man of his style possibly can:
I believe Vick had a passion for dogfighting. I know many athletes who share his passion. The allure is the intensity and the challenge of a dog fighting to the death. It’s like ultimate fighting, but the dog doesn’t tap out when he knows he can’t win.
It reminds me of when I wore a lot of jewelry back in the day because I always wanted to have the biggest chain or the biggest, baddest car. It gives you status.
Can I pause for a moment to ask you a question?
Who shot Darrant Williams? Remember the Denver Bronco cornerback? I’m just more concerned about bringing to justice someone who killed a human. Or finding out who broke into Miami Heat forward Antoine Walker’s home, tied him up and robbed him at gunpoint.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Boxing, IFL, Japan, Media, MMA, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, Zach Arnold | 13 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |