Resolution between Mirko & PRIDE?
By Zach Arnold | August 7, 2006
By Zach Arnold
Vecernji List reports (translated on Sherdog) that a resolution between PRIDE & Mirko Cro Cop may have been reached. The dispute between Mirko and PRIDE involved money, more specifically whether or not he would get paid fight money for two fights if he won his first fight against Vanderlei Silva and then the open-weight GP finals.
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
HERO’s admits misjudgement
By Zach Arnold | August 7, 2006
By Zach Arnold
Last week turned out to be bittersweet for Tokyo Broadcasting System, which televised both the Koki Kameda fight (that drew monster ratings) and the HERO’s 8/5 Ariake Colosseum show, featuring the debut of Kazushi Sakuraba in the K-1 MMA ring. Both of those fights had controversy, but there was another fight on the HERO’s show that drew more controversy (the Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Kin Tai Ei contest). On Monday, the HERO’s rule director released a statement stating that the referee stoppage by Kenichi Serizawa was improper and that the referee, sub-referee, and judging crews would be further analyzed. A public apology was issued to the fighters and the fans.
Topics: All Topics, HERO's, Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
2H2H – PRIDE & HONOR Card
By Mark Pickering | August 6, 2006
Holland’s Too Hot Too Handle (2H2H) promotion have announced the fight card for PRIDE & HONOR on November 12th at the Ahoy’ Rotterdam.
The card presented in conjunction with PRIDE will be the organisation’s sixth event at the Rotterdam venue and will feature 12 international bouts.
PRIDE & HONOR is set to play host to one of the most eagerly awaited clashes in Dutch MMA history as Alistair “Demolition Man†Overeem takes on Golden Glory team-mate Gilbert “The Hurricane†Yvel in a domestic superbout.
PRIDE FC’s Alexander Emelianenko goes toe-to-toe with Cage Warriors Super-Heavyweight Champion Antonio “Pezão” Silva Junior.
Full Card:
- Alistair Overeem vs. Gilbert Yvel
- Emelianenko Alexander vs. Antonio “Junior” Silva
- Rodney Faverus vs. Gegard Mousasi
- Brecht Walis vs. Ashwin Balrak
- Michael Knapp vs. TBA
- Lukas Jurkowski vs. Dave Dalglish
- Gohkan Saki vs. Samir Bennazoouz
- Joerie Mes vs. Tyrone Spong
- Murat Direki vs. Ray Staring
- Jan Oosterbaan vs. Henk Kuipers
- Faldir Chahbari vs. Ali Gunjar
- Alviar Lima vs. Marco Pique
Topics: All Topics, Mark Pickering, MMA, PRIDE | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Bushido 8/26 updated card line-up
By Zach Arnold | August 6, 2006
8/26 Nagoya Aichi Rainbow Hall (4 PM)
- Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Cristiano Marcello (Chute Boxe)
- Hayato “Mach” Sakurai vs. Luciano Azevedo
- Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Eric “Butterbean” Esch
- Jeff Curran vs. Hioki Hatsu
- Shin’ya Aoki vs. Jason Black
- Gilbert Melendez vs. Nobuhiro Obiya
- Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Chris Brennan
- Welterweight Tournament: Denis Kang vs. Amar Suloev
- Welterweight Tournament: Gergard Mousasi vs. Akihiro Gono
- Welterweight Tournament: Ryo Chonan vs. Paulo Filho
- Welterweight Tournament: Dan Henderson vs. Kazuo Misaki
Update: On Monday, PRIDE announced one more match for the show — Takanori Gomi vs. David Baron (France). More intriguingly, Gomi is no longer representing the Kiguchi Dojo. He’s representing his brand new gym now.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Japan, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Mirko out of open-weight tournament?
By Zach Arnold | August 5, 2006
By Zach Arnold
Update: Reaction on the Nokaut site.
This Croatian report indicates that Mirko Cro Cop is not working the PRIDE 9/10 Saitama Super Arena show. Sherdog claims it is a money issue.
This is a very bad sign for PRIDE, even if the end result (which is likely Yoshida filling in, creating yet another Yoshida vs. Silva match) will likely be better for business. Mirko has been awfully loyal to DSE on many big fights, and now suddenly once the Fuji TV deal is dead — he’s not so cooperative. Mirko vs. Silva was, on paper, a tremendous match (and one that I felt Mirko could win for sure). Silva vs. Yoshida is always fun, but the result is not really in question now. It’s certainly not fair to either Barnett or Nogueira.
The most interesting note in all of this story is that the Croatian report does indeed name the WFA as the promotion that made a big-money offer for Mirko to work in America in October. The rumors right now suggest that WFA is going to run their October show in Las Vegas, meaning Las Vegas in one month will have shows from WFA, PRIDE, and UFC. PRIDE, right now, looks to be the big loser in all of this.
Update: I am astounded at some of the reaction online to the news of Mirko leaving. The same people who bitch over and over about how fighters don’t get paid enough (such as in UFC) are now complaining about Mirko having a money dispute with PRIDE. Hello… this is a business. If PRIDE didn’t have Mirko under contract throughout the tournament, that’s their problem. If Mirko is in a position to leverage for more money, why shouldn’t he do it? The anti-UFC, pro-PRIDE crowd can’t have it both ways here.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 15 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
HERO’s 8/5 Tokyo review
By Zach Arnold | August 5, 2006
8/5 Tokyo, Ariake Colosseum results | Kakuto.com show review
Anyone who gets a chance to watch some of the matches, feel free to write a comment to this post.
Update: On Sunday, Akira Maeda gave comments to the media about the Sakuraba fight. Maeda stated that bad decisions were made by the referee, judge, and doctor. He suggested that the rules and system of the HERO’s show be modified soon. Maeda said that MMA is a sport, not a ring where fighters are supposed to kill each other. Sakuraba went to the hospital after his fight, and no abnormalities (such as brain swelling) were shown on the CT scan. An MRI will be performed shortly.
Update II: The show drew a 9.3% rating, which is not great at all.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, HERO's, Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 17 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Drama between Miletich & White continues
By Zach Arnold | August 4, 2006
By Zach Arnold
2006 has publicly proven to be quite the interesting year between superstar MMA trainer/businessman Pat Miletich and UFC President Dana White. Tim Sylvia, Miletich’s top heavyweight, remains UFC champion. Miletich gave a witness deposition statement in the UFC vs. IFL court case earlier this year, in which he talked about Dana’s displeasure with the IFL hiring and using former UFC employees (and their apparent business data sources).
Today, the Quad-City Times reports that Pat Miletich is claiming that UFC President Dana White is creating scheduling conflicts for both he and his fighters, forcing his camp to have to make tough business decisions as to which shows to appear on (the UFC or the IFL).
I strongly encourage everyone to read the article. It’s an explosive piece that could be a sign of trouble coming. UFC has the brand power, but Miletich brings the leverage of training some of the world’s top fighters. This could end very ugly.
“I’m sure he does think that. Pat’s a paranoid lunatic, and he thinks that the UFC’s always trying to (mess) with him,†White said. “The IFL sells 1,000 tickets. It wasn’t a dig on Pat, but he’ll think it was.â€
Jeff Thaler has more thoughts on the article.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, IFL, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 10 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
PRIDE 10/14 Las Vegas show
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2006
They are marketing this show as THE REAL DEAL. Seriously.
Possible participants include PRIDE Fighting Heavyweight Champion FEDOR EMELINANENKO, “THE NEW YORK BAD ASS†PHIL BARONI, KEVIN “THE MONSTER†RANDLEMAN, MIRKO “CRO COP†FILIPOVIC, MAURICIO “SHOGUN†RUA, KAZUYUKI “IRONHEAD†FUJITA, MARK “THE HAMMER†COLEMAN, and other PRIDE Fighting superstars! (Fighters and card subject to change.)
PRIDEFC.COM mailing list members will have the exclusive privilege to purchase tickets two weeks before they are made available to the general public. Event tickets will be available on a first come first serve basis, meaning PRIDEFC.COM mailing list members will have access to the best seats before the general public. Ticket prices will range from $50, $100, $300, $500 and $700.
A few interesting notes: Recall when Mirko, a couple of weeks ago, stated that he was considering working in America in October but not for PRIDE or UFC? Jeff Thaler says Phil Baroni, who was supposed to work the UFC show in November (tentatively headlined by Vanderlei Silva vs. Chuck Liddell), is off that card. It’ll be interesting to see who fights and who doesn’t fight on the PRIDE show.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Kameda may vacate WBA belt
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2006
Mainichi Daily News: Kameda may relinquish title and move on, boxing gym president hints
Keiichiro Kanehira, the president of the boxing gym to which world light flyweight champion Koki Kameda belongs, has hinted that Kameda may give up his crown without defending it.
Speaking in a news conference Thursday, Kanehira suggested that Kameda, who won the light flyweight title on Wednesday, may move up to the next weight class and relinquish his title without defending it.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Boxing, Japan, Media, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Final HERO’s 8/5 Tokyo card line-up
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2006
8/5 Tokyo, Ariake Colosseum (4 PM)
- HERO’s rules: Kotetsu Boku vs. Alexandre Franca Nogueira
- HERO’s rules: Semmy Schilt vs. Kim Min Soo
- Middleweight Tournament: Hideo Tokoro vs. Ivan Menjivar
- Middleweight Tournament: Hiroyuki Takaya vs. JZ Calvan (Gesias Calvancanti)
- Middleweight Tournament: Kazuya Yasuhiro vs. Rani Yahira
- Middleweight Tournament: Kaoru Uno vs. Black Mamba
- Light Heavyweight Tournament: Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Kin Tai Ei
- Light Heavyweight Tournament: Crosley Gracie vs. Melvin Manhoef
- HERO’s rules: Don Frye vs. Yoshihisa Yamamoto
- Light Heavyweight Tournament: Shungo Oyama vs. Rodrigo Gracie
- Light Heavyweight Tournament: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Kestutis Smirnovas (Lithuania)
K-1 matchmaker Sadaharu Tanigawa also announced matches for their World MAX 9/4 Ariake Colosseum show. Takayuki Kohiruimaki vs. Andy Souwer and Yoshihiro Sato vs. Albert Kraus are two top matches on the card.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, HERO's, Japan, K-1, MMA, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
More MMA PPVs in America
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2006
Two items buried in the weekly MMA column written by Carlos Arias in the Orange County Register. First, an item regarding another American MMA promotion running a PPV telecast:
(Rick) Bassman, the promoter for Valor Fighting, said Valor Fighting has a pay-per-view event featuring Eric “Butterbean†Esch against Tank Abbott scheduled for Dec. 2 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
Second, an item on the WFA’s future:
It looks like the WFA’s next pay-per-view event might take place in October, possibly in Las Vegas.
Jeff Thaler has more on WFA fighter signings.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, WFA, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Brock Lesnar update
By Zach Arnold | August 3, 2006
By Zach Arnold
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported on Thursday that Brock Lesnar is continuing to train for MMA.
Former Gophers NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion Brock Lesnar has been vigorously training near his home in Independence for an “ultimate fighting” match in October in Las Vegas. Former heavyweight boxer Scott LeDoux is training Lesnar, a former professional wrestler, for boxing, and Lesnar also has a mentor to help him improve his kicking skills.
If you recognize the name Scott LeDoux, you may remember him as a color commentator from ESPN2’s boxing shows. If you’re an old-time wrestling fan, you’ll certainly remember his name. He was the local Minneapolis boxer that Verne Gagne booked against Larry Zybysko for the WrestleRock Rumble show at the MetroDome in 1986.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 15 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The future of Xyience
By Zach Arnold | August 2, 2006
By Zach Arnold
Xyience, which is the main sponsor of UFC telecasts (and has sponsorship deals with several fighters), may be facing some financial problems (according to a report on F4W).
In what could end up being a huge story, the word in Las Vegas the last few days is that there may be major problems with Xyience, once of UFC’s biggest sponsors. Allegedly, people are being laid off left and right.
If the report is true, it would certainly cause some headaches for UFC. It may also cause headaches for WPT Enterprises, Inc., the company that runs the World Poker Tour shows. According to WPT (in a press release issued on Thursday), they have reached a sponsorship agreement with Xyience:
The Company also finalized a sponsorship agreement with Xyience, Inc. during the second quarter of 2006 to promote its product as the “official energy drink” of Season V and Season VI of the World Poker Tour. The Company will recognize revenues from this agreement when the programs are broadcast beginning in 2007.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Media, UFC, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |