Friday fight notes: Dana White’s media messages
By Zach Arnold | June 28, 2007
Peter Aerts vs. Bob Sapp last weekend from Amsterdam
Dana White sends a message to Jeff Sherwood. Also, The Oregonian reports on the war featuring UFC vs. Sherdog and Internet MMA web sites. More thoughts here. Ken Shamrock also got a media message from Dana White and he’s not happy about it. We’ll be hearing more from him soon.
What is it with the MMA and dog-fighting comparisons? Two examples here and here.
Today is the day when Tim Sylvia puts his dancing shoes on. We could seriously have a Mark Madsen-type situation here.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: BoDog, IFL, Media, MMA, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, WEC, WWE, Zach Arnold | 22 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Getting the PRIDE story straight
By Zach Arnold | June 28, 2007
By Zach Arnold
Dana White made some rather interesting comments today about PRIDE in the UFC 73 conference call.
…explain the situation pertaining to the PRIDE contracts and whether they can be transferred to the UFC. He said the old PRIDE contracts are valid with PRIDE Worldwide, the new company that owns PRIDE. However, the contracts can’t be transferred to the UFC and that with PRIDE’s status being uncertain, a lot of the guys need to fight so they are also signing them to UFC deals.
This is, in my opinion, Mr. White completely talking out of both sides of his mouth. The ‘test’ to determine the validity of the PRIDE contracts is very simple – were they personal service contracts? If they were, they are not transferrable to third parties in asset sales. If they were iron-clad deals, then they are transferrable.
Simply put, it doesn’t make any sense to ask PRIDE fighters to sign UFC contracts if you think the PRIDE contracts are iron clad in the first place. The PRIDE fighters know this and are calling Zuffa’s bluff here.
If Mr. White would like the public to know the details about the PRIDE contracts and the assets purchased from DSE, perhaps Zuffa management should cooperate in the witness deposition process in the Ed Fishman lawsuit against DSE. Instead, members of Zuffa management are not cooperating with witness depositions by claiming that they have nondisclosure agreements that prevent them from discussing the asset sale details. (The information about members of management not wanting to give depositions is publicly listed in court records pertaining to the Fishman vs. DSE Inc. lawsuit.)
Said it was their intention when they bought Pride to actually run it but that there’s just a lot to sort out right now. He scoffed several times when reports about Pride running shows soon were brought up.
This is exactly the kind of attitude that will not fly with the Japanese when it comes to doing business. There’s a reason why the inmates who used to run the asylum are making noise again in Japan — they want to see some action. The perception amongst many people in the Japanese fight community is that UFC is a dead-end proposition for them. UFC better be prepared for a major turf war in Japan, a situation which presents Zuffa with having zero leverage in that marketplace.
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, UFC, Zach Arnold | 19 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
WAGA TV: Benoit’s doctor’s office raided
By Zach Arnold | June 28, 2007
By Zach Arnold
WAGA TV (My FOX 5 in Atlanta) is reporting that Federal authorities (Drug Enforcement Agency) have raided the office of Dr. Phil Astin, Chris Benoit’s personal doctor. Astin publicly told the Associated Press that he saw Benoit last Friday and had prescribed testosterone.
And yet another bizarre twist to this story. I hope MMA never has to deal with a story like this…
Topics: Media, Pro-Wrestling, WWE, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Thursday trash talk: The drug culture
By Zach Arnold | June 27, 2007
Results from today’s K-1 World MAX show in Tokyo at Nippon Budokan.
Carter Williams tested positive for cocaine. Melvin Guillard now has some company with him.
Josh Barnett’s contract with DSE will end in October.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Pro-Wrestling, StrikeForce, UFC, WWE, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Wednesday fight notes: More angry boxers
By Zach Arnold | June 27, 2007
Boxing trainer Tommy Gallagher quoted in a BoxingScene.com article:
Gallagher has obviously seen it all in a lifetime spent in the hardest game. He’s disappointed with what he sees these days and he wonders if boxing can make it. “The commissioners are ruinin’ this business,” he laments. “The UFC lets ‘em wear condoms on their hands. We have to wear 14-ounce gloves if you weigh over 135! They wanna’ think they’re doin’ somethin’. They’re doin’ nuthin’ but makin’ the fighters lose out. Now in the UFC fighting you can kick, you can bite and use your elbows. There may be a conspiracy to remove boxing and keep that Ultimate Bull%&^* out there! I’m not takin’ away from the athletes, but they allow them to do whatever they want and the boxers are scrutinized. What does that mean? Don’t get me started!”
Your latest MMA Weekly fighter rankings
Fighter salaries coming out of the Elite XC/Strikeforce 6/22 San Jose event.
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Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, Pro Elite, Pro-Wrestling, StrikeForce, UFC, WWE, Zach Arnold | 14 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
MMA, wrestling, and regulation
By Zach Arnold | June 26, 2007
By Zach Arnold
Update: Jim Rome devoted most of his radio show today on the topic of Chris Benoit and professional wrestling’s place in American culture. Michael David Smith says that perhaps the health risks of pro-wrestling have been overstated.
Here are the comments I will make on the Chris Benoit story and why I am writing about it on this site. It’s easily one of the most tragic events to affect the professional wrestling industry, and given the litany of heartache that has come out of this business that’s saying a lot. There’s more dirt about the wrestling business coming out tonight. Had to be expected.
But there’s a more public side to this story that is about to rear its head that people in the wrestling business fear and loathe – the concept of regulation. Chris Mannix in Sports Illustrated today raises this issue.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro-Wrestling, WWE, Zach Arnold | 22 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
TUF 5 finale draws 2.0 rating
By Zach Arnold | June 26, 2007
A very good cable rating for UFC this past weekend. More details here:
Overall The Ultimate Fighter 5 finale reached 2.6 million people with a 3.0 rating in Men 18-34 (834,000), 2.6 rating in Men 18-49 (1.4 million), and a 2.00 HH rating. The telecast peaked with 3.4 million people at 11:30pm for the Penn-Pulver fight.
The UFC event also knocked out HBO’s boxing telecast of Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo which aired head-to-head that evening. Despite it being HBO’s most watched fight of the year for Men 18-34, Spike drew 153% more Men 18-34 and 106% more Men 18-49. Overall, the Spike finale drew 800,000 more total viewers.
All positive news for UFC on the ratings front for this event. Especially the super quarter-hour rating for Penn vs. Pulver. The reward for Penn? He’ll face the winner of the Sean Sherk/Hermes Franca match (which takes place on July 7th at Arco Arena in Sacramento).
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Chris Benoit news updates
By Zach Arnold | June 26, 2007
Comments are now closed.
Mauro Ranallo, John Pollock, and Bryan Alvarez discussed Chris Benoit’s death today on the radio.
TMZ is reporting the following (more here):
- Benoit strangled his wife, Nancy, on Saturday.
- Benoit smothered his son, Daniel, in his bed on Sunday.
- Benoit hung himself on Monday in a weight-room.
WWE.com also has a new report on the situation. Outside of the news report, other references to him on the web site are allegedly missing or not available.
TMZ says it all – World Wrestling DEADeration. The AJC has more local reaction to the Benoit story.
Go to full-page mode to see all of the updates, including notes from the police press conference.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, Pro-Wrestling, WWE, Zach Arnold | 23 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
IFL fudges numbers?
By Zach Arnold | June 26, 2007
By Zach Arnold
When the IFL held their June 16th event at the Las Vegas Hilton (in the facility’s ballroom), they stated the following in a press release:
LAS VEGAS, June 16, 2007 – The New York Pitbulls and host Nevada Lions claimed victories in the final 2007 regular-season International Fight League matches for each team, before a sold-out crowd of 3,200 at the Las Vegas Hilton. The Pitbulls took out the Toronto Dragons, 3-2, while the Lions scored a 4-1 win over the Tucson Scorpions.
Today, The Fight Network is reporting that the claim of 3,200 paid is false:
The Nevada State Athletic Commission released attendance and gate receipt figures for IFL Las Vegas Monday, and the numbers were shockingly poor.
According to the NSAC, only 996 tickets were sold for the June 16 event, which showcased two matches with playoff implications at the Las Vegas Hilton. The show produced a total gate of just $93,270. The struggling promotion provided 1,842 complimentary tickets.
The IFL had originally scheduled the June 16th date at the Reno Events Center, which is about an hour away from The Lions Den facility in Susanville, California.
Fightlinker claims that the IFL is fudging more than just attendance figures.
Topics: IFL, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Tuesday headlines: K-1 signs a big deal
By Zach Arnold | June 25, 2007
The top story of the day from Japan is K-1 doing a business tie-up with the Kyoei boxing gym, with the focus on K-1 using Russian boxing and MMA talent. K-1 hopes that it creates a big impact on all of their various shows in terms of boosting talent.
Medical suspensions coming out of this past weekend’s shows (Tuff ‘n Uff and TUF 5 Finale) in Las Vegas.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Canada, IFL, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, UFC, WWE, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Chris Benoit dead at age 40
By Zach Arnold | June 25, 2007
By Zach Arnold
More on Benoit’s death can be found at SLAM! Sports, The Edmonton Sun, WWE HP, and ABC News. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and WAGA-TV has further updates. Even Gambling 911 has an update. Fox News has an update with a very sad graphic photo. More details at the Observer.
TMZ is also covering the story. More information tonight at The Citizen newspaper.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, Pro-Wrestling, WWE, Zach Arnold | 63 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Puroresu Focal Shows, Summer 2007
By ditch | June 25, 2007
By David Ditch
It’s no secret that business is bad for the ‘fight business’ in Japan. On the MMA side, PRIDE is in rough shape and K-1 is far from healthy. On the pro wrestling side, promotions are either downsizing or playing to half-full venues. The top wrestler, Kenta Kobashi, has been out for a year following treatment for cancer; he won’t return until winter at the earliest.
Pro wrestling in Japan isn’t going down without a fight, but in recent years that fight seems more and more like a losing one. Here’s a look at the biggest shows of the summer, from the business and product aspects.
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Topics: Dave Ditch, Japan, Pro-Wrestling | 20 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Cage Fury FC 5 event official results
By Zach Arnold | June 25, 2007
NJSACB Official Weights, Results, Suspensions and Attendance
Cage Fury Fighting Championships 5
Promoter: Felix Martinez
June 23, 2007
Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
Paid Attendance: 7,286
Exhibition Result
Kimbo Slice (239.4lbs) vs. Ray Mercer – (241.9lbs)
Slice via guillotine choke submission at 1:12 of Round One.
Referee: Dan Miragliotta
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |