Randy Couture is back (somewhat)
By Zach Arnold | October 23, 2006
On November 17th in Culver City, California, at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium, the Professional Submission League will hold a big event with Randy “The Natural” Couture, Jake Shields, and many other big names in MMA. The event consists of singles matches on a tatame platform. More information is available at prosubleague.com.
Topics: All Topics, Media, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
K-1 Dynamite main event announced
By Zach Arnold | October 23, 2006
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama. Also announced: Norifumi “KID” Yamamoto, Genki Sudo, Akebono, Musashi, Kaoru Uno, Hideo Tokoro, Katsuhiko Nagata, & Ken Kaneko.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Sports is reporting that PRIDE is interested in Kazuyuki Fujita as Mike Tyson’s exhibition boxing opponent for the Macau Dome show on 12/31.
Topics: All Topics, HERO's, Japan, K-1, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Is WWE getting into the MMA business?
By Zach Arnold | October 22, 2006
By Zach Arnold
PRIDE US announcer Mauro Ranallo did interviews on both the Observer Live and Live Audio Wrestling radio shows on Sunday. According to this post, Ranallo indicated on the LAW interview that WWE is interested in getting involved in promoting MMA.
You can read my thoughts about this in full-post view.
Update: One quick thought… remember last week’s rumors that McMahon was interested in getting Ken Shamrock? Could Shamrock potentially be Vince’s “ace” for his MMA (or worked MMA) promotion if he starts it up?
Update II: Mike Sawyer at F4W Online reports the salaries for the PRIDE Las Vegas show:
Emelianenko Fedor ($100,000) def. Mark Coleman ($70,000)
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua ($25,000) def. Kevin Randleman ($40,000)
Josh Barnett ($60,000) def. Pawel Nastula ($20,000)
Butterbean ($30,000) def. Sean O’Haire ($15,000)
Dan Henderson ($50,000) def. Vitor Belfort ($30,000)
Phil Baroni ($15,000) def. Yosuke Nishijima ($15,000)
Kazuhiro Nakamura ($10,000) def. Travis Galbraith ($2,000)
Robbie Lawler ($10,000) def. Joey Villasenor ($3,000)
If my math is right, that adds up to a payroll of $495,000 USD. I think McMahon could pay that much for a fight card.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Pro-Wrestling, UFC, WWE, Zach Arnold | 22 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Japanese media reaction to PRIDE event
By Zach Arnold | October 22, 2006
Now fully updated.
Plus quick transcribing/notes from the post-show press conference.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 12 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
PRIDE 10/21 Las Vegas open post
By Zach Arnold | October 21, 2006
Butterbean versus Sean O’Haire (image credit: Burning Spirit)
Results/coverage: Sherdog | Observer | F4W Online
Now that the show is over, let’s look at the very mixed media reaction to this event.
- Whaledog – “I have to say, it was not a bad show.”
- Canadian Press (via CBC Sports): Fedor wins in PRIDE’s US debut
- Ivan Trembow: “Some of the fights were good, but the production is the last thing that stood out as being “far advanced†on this show.”
- Fight Report: “PRIDE’s production was top notch and the flow of the show went smoothly.”
- Fox Sports (Josh Gross): Real Deal wrap-up
- Las Vegas Review-Journal: Fedor saves an otherwise lackluster card (attendance claim for show is 11,727)
- MMA weekly: “PRIDE promised fans in Las Vegas that they were bringing their full production for their debut in the United States, they weren’t kidding.”
- Todd Martin: PRIDE’s Real Deal aptly named
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 50 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Friday-Saturday media outpost of links
By Zach Arnold | October 20, 2006
Ed Fishman (Photo credit: Burning Spirit)
- North Jersey Media Group: Mike Tyson’s promoter confirms that he will do a boxing match in Macau for PRIDE’s 12/31 New Year’s Eve event
- Las Vegas Review-Journal: Murder-for-hire plot alleged (man with ties to bodybuilder Craig Titus charged)
- Las Vegas Review-Journal Base pay for Fedor’s 10/21 Vegas fight is $100,000 (can balloon to $1 million USD with win)
- Caitseth: Picture gallery of PRIDE in Las Vegas (here and here)
- YouTube: Frank Shamrock challenges Dana White
- MMA Weekly: PRIDE US weigh-in results
- UFC HP: Four hours of UFC knockouts on Spike TV Saturday night
- The Sweet Science: Is the Rocky road boxing’s only path to redemption?
- Canadian Press (via CBC Sports): PRIDE comes to UFC’s Las Vegas backyard this weekend
- USA Today: Mike Tyson bores crowd in return to ring
- Boxing Scene: Tyson happy with exhibition, fans are not
- Fight Report: Tyson’s sparring match
- Las Vegas Sun: TAKE FIVE: PRIDE Fighting Championships
- Las Vegas Review-Journal: U.S. foe Coleman sees little weakness in Russian champion
- Observer: More information on PRIDE Las Vegas ticket sales
Even though actual ticket sales are good, there is a caveat to them. Most of the ticket brokers (who purchased the original tickets to resell them late at a higher price) have tons left at this point. In addition, there are a lot of comps around Las Vegas for the empties as the place is set up for around 14,000, plus the sponsoring casinos made significant ticket buys and they are passing them out as well.
- Main page: PRIDE’s main Las Vegas show sponsor
- Calgary Sun: All about PRIDE
- 13th Round: Cung Le – From refugee to superstar
- Dublin Death Patrol: Kevin Randleman will use “DDP For Life” as his theme song at PRIDE event
- The Spoctagon: Predictions and preview of PRIDE 10/21 Las Vegas event
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Boxing, Media, MMA, PRIDE, UFC, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Fight Opinion Radio: Episode 28 (Gareb Shamus)
By Zach Arnold | October 20, 2006
With a busy weekend ahead, make sure you get caught up with the events in the world of MMA. This week, our special guest is Gareb Shamus from the IFL. Check out the IFL’s HP at http://www.ifl.tv for more information. We discuss what the Ken vs. Tito III 3.1 TV rating means, whether or not there is a crossover audience from both boxing & wrestling for MMA, and whether or not there is large growth potential for both the IFL & UFC in the American marketplace.
In addition, we review both the UFC 64 & HERO’s 10/9 Yokohama Arena events, plus a preview of the upcoming Bushido 11/5 Yokohama Arena show and the very special Fight Opinion grab bag. If you have any musical selections you would like to recommend to us for the grab bag segment theme, e-mail us.
Podcasting Links
- iTunes subscribers – click here.
- Yahoo Podcast subscribers – click here.
- Podcast Alley subscribers – click here.
The 28th edition of Fight Opinion Radio is now online and available to download. Here are your options for listening to the show:
Broadband (MP3) | Dial-up/Streaming
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-10-20-2006.mp3]Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Erin Bucknell, Fight Opinion Radio, HERO's, IFL, Jeff Thaler, Luke Nicholson, Media, MMA, podcasts, UFC, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The Ultimate Fighter Season 4, Episode 10
By Erin | October 19, 2006
In the “previously on†Serra is annoyed with Laimon, Shonie annoys everyone and Shonie/Serra is set up. Gee, I wonder exactly which two guys this episode will focus on.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Erin Bucknell, MMA | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Thursday media notes
By Zach Arnold | October 19, 2006
- Fight Report: PRIDE’s watered down Las Vegas show
- The Weekly Tapout (FoxSports.com): PRIDE set for U.S. debut
- NHB News (Japan): Was Shogun’s public workout in Las Vegas stopped by a doctor? (inference from a PRIDE Japanese HP official report)
- UNLV Rebel Yell: PRIDE will be ‘quite surprised when a half-empty Thomas & Mack greets them on Saturday’ (Thomas & Mack Center is on the campus of UNLV)
- MMA HQ: Matt Lindland offered a UFC title shot?
- Whaledog: New Jersey changes weigh-in rules (this is a good step)
- UFC Mania: Rich Franklin has surgery today while Dana and Tito prepare to box tomorrow
- Kenny Florian: Post-Sherk fight thoughts
- MySpace Blog (AMC fighter): AMC Pankration signs TV deal, PPV coming as well
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Wednesday media links
By Zach Arnold | October 19, 2006
I realize there is another Wednesday media links post. This is just links left over from Wednesday night. Fresh media links coming on Thursday.
- Wrestling Observer – Dave Meltzer claims PRIDE has sold 10,000 tickets in Las Vegas (we could not get independent confirmation on this)
- Nevada State Athletic Commission – DSE has plans for 2nd US show on 2/24/2007 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas
- F4W Online: WWE wants to sign Ken Shamrock after big Tito/Ken III match rating
- The Fight Network: Frank Trigg joins The Fight Network broadcasting team
- Whaledog: Time to get rid of elbow strikes from MMA
- Eddie Goldman: Interview with MFC matchmaker Miguel Iturrate
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
TUF clone in Germany?
By Stephan | October 19, 2006
This post is more of a question to the Fight Opinion readers than really informative.
While travelling through Austria/Germany last week and flipping through channels at night, I did come across a few boxing and kickboxing matches on prime tv, but I also came across this show which I believe is called Martial Arts Xtreme in german (my german is not good beyond prost). Well the show looked like a total clone of TUF, two teams, similar to the first TUF season with actual physical challenges. That night the teams raced each other while pulling a truck to the finish line. There were actually two elimination fights that night, it looked early in the season with each team almost having 8 members or so. The fights were in an actual octagon, which does seem slightly smaller than the UFC’s.
My search through Google really didnt turn up anything useful on it… Perhaps some reader could fill us more about it? Did it come before TUF or is it a clone? Generally, from what I have gathered, the MMA excitement in Germany/Austria and Italy seems to be where we were just before TUF1.
Maybe I’m wrong… It would be nice to hear from our Europeans conterparts!
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, MMA, Stephan Marceau | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
PRIDE’s main Las Vegas show sponsor
By Zach Arnold | October 19, 2006
By Zach Arnold
Update II: Here is a big article from ITWeek about how Gravity sued Kim Jung-Ryool for allegedly siphoning off $9.1 million USD from the company. (Article: Gravity gaming giant sues founder.) This article also explains the NASDAQ troubles and how auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers missed millions of dollars in fees and royalties that had gone missing. More information here.
Update: Gryphon has more information about this story. Pay close attention to what Cykan Entertainment is saying. Are Sakakibara & the backers of PRIDE selling parts of the company?
We have heard about the Ed Fishman (is this Ed Fishman along with Silva, Sakakibara, and Jerry Millen?) connection in the past. However, an article on the 4gamer.net web site claims that the main sponsor of PRIDE’s 10/21 Las Vegas event is Cykan Entertainment. Cykan Entertainment is an online gaming company created by Kim Jung Ryool, former boss of Gravity Corporation. Gravity Corporation was purchased (through stock) by a subsidiary of Softbank. Read this statement in regards to why Kim sold his company. The Wikipedia entry” on Gravity Corp. (Ed. — Anyone have information about the supposed complaints that NASDAQ shareholders had with Gravity?)
Jung Ryool’s company introduced six new online games at the Tokyo Game Show 2006 convention. One of those games is called RFC (Real Fighting Championship) and has an image character of Emelianenko Fedor. The other games from Cykan included Paper Man, R-Man, Battle Boom, PuppyOn, and Fishing On. It’s no surprise that PRIDE decided to do business with a South Korean-based company given the company’s background, especially in terms of sponsorship and the market (online gaming).
The 4gamer.net article has a press release from Jung Ryool, in which he claims that he hopes to help PRIDE run a show in Seoul, South Korea in the first half of 2007.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Wednesday fight media round-up
By Zach Arnold | October 17, 2006
Mike Tyson only wants to entertain you
This post will be updated throughout the day.
Yahoo Japan HP: Akebono’s mother, Janice, dies
The unfortunate lead story is that Akebono’s mother, 60-year old Janice Rowan, died in a Hawaiian hospital at 12:49 AM on the 17th due to respiratory failure.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Boxing, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |