Shukan Gendai’s open questionnaire
By Zach Arnold | April 16, 2006
The focus from the magazine this week is on the TV networks (Fuji TV & Nippon TV) in relation to their ties to MMA. More details at Burning Spirit (Japanese) and here. NHB News has some reaction to the story (in Japanese).
Message board thread about this topic.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, Yakuza, Zach Arnold | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
UFC 59 – The Judges
By Zach Arnold | April 15, 2006
The name of the event is “Reality Check,” and depending on who you talk to, it seems that maybe the judges scoring tonight’s fights at the UFC show might be in need of a reality check. 🙂
I highly encourage ranting or disagreement for this posting.
Meanwhile, some fans will need to be consoled after tonight’s show.
Update: MMAFighting.com is reporting that Tito Ortiz has been medically suspended for three months.
The Long Beach Press-Telegram reports that Dana White is interested in running a show in Texas.
Topics: All Topics, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 11 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
More information on yakuza scandal on Monday
By Zach Arnold | April 15, 2006
By Zach Arnold
A preview for the upcoming edition (this Monday) of Shukan Gendai notes that more information from Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye promoter Seiya Kawamata will be coming, this time with the focus on the two major TV networks in Japan (Fuji TV & Nippon TV) in regards to what Kawamata claims is their respective relationships with the yakuza. It is a 3-4 page article.
The TV networks (more specifically, the producers – Kunio Kiyohara of Fuji TV & Shuji Miyamoto of N-TV) are really big targets to be going after. It is expected that the article will ask several key questions about the players involved in the investigation, especially the TV networks. Gryphon has more thoughts on the subject.
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, Yakuza, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson joins the IFL as color commentator
By Al Yu | April 14, 2006
By Al Yu
Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson has joined the IFL broadcast team and will provide color commentary for its inaugural event on 04/29 in Atlantic City. Accompanying Jackson will be play-by-play commentator Stephen Quadros and interviewer Shannon Knapp.
Topics: Al Yu, All Topics, IFL, MMA | 4 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Boxing: Audley Harrison loses… again
By Zach Arnold | April 14, 2006
By Zach Arnold
For the small amount of boxing fans who come to this web site, ESPN2 on Friday night aired a fight between Audley Harrison and Dominick Guinn from Rancho Mirage, CA. It was billed in the press as a make-or-break fight for both men.
Guinn won after 10 rounds by a unanimous decision in a rather comfortable fashion. Harrison is now 19-2, but the TV commentators (Joe Tessitore & Teddy Atlas) pretty much made it sound like the end of Harrison as a serious challenger. After the bell rang to end the 10th round, the fans in the crowd started chanting “USA! USA! USA!” in support of Guinn.
Topics: All Topics, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
ACF 5/6 Exodus card line-up
By Zach Arnold | April 14, 2006
The promotion’s next show is on May 6th at the Denver Colisum (more information at Tickets West). The main event is Mark Kerr vs. Wes Sims. The undercard:
- Chilo Gonzalez vs. Brett Shafer
- John Cronk vs. Joey Clark
- Jason Brilz vs. Rob Wince
- Donnie Liles vs. Chris Avila
- Keith Wilson vs. Rafael Dias
- Noah Thomas vs. Cruz Chacon
- Dennis Davis vs. TBA
Topics: All Topics, Ken Pishna, Media, MMA, Press Releases | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The Ultimate Fighter 3 – Review
By Luke | April 13, 2006
The Ultimate Fighter 3 – Review
The show opens with a recap of the debut episode last week, and Kalib’s win over Mike Stine. Team Shamrock holds the hammer, in terms of matchmaking.
This week Ross gets a little pissed off that someone has blocked the toilet, but never bothered to fix it. Those bloody window lickers~! He vents this frustration on fellow brit, Michael, who was a little bothered by Ross’s excited state. Matt Hamil walked in. He thought Ross and Mike were from New England, not the UK. That’s funny. It was quickly corrected.
Tito noticed that Noah was dropping his hands during sparring, and in an effort to correct the habit, gave Noah a basketball, and told him to walk around holding the ball between his bicep and his head, this would hopefully correct the technique problem. Back at the house later, Tait and Ross started playing hacky sack with the ball. COOL. Noah didn’t like the fact that they used the ball, but never put it back. Uh oh. I sense confrontation coming. Noah confronted Tait about this, and makes his feelings known. Tait responded with “I don’t feel sorry for makings stupid people feel stupid”. Uh, who are calling stupid? Later, Jesse, Tait, and Kalib come up with a joke to play on Noah and his basketball. Jesse decides to stab it with a steak knife, and put it in Noah’s bed. This was done in an effort to draw a response. Unfortunately, it failed. But, Noah was quite upset the next day, wondering which “MOTHERFUCKER” wrecked his basketball. Noah is a total GEEK. But one I wouldn’t want to fight.
Tito begins to tutor Matt Hamil a little more than the other team members, mostly because Matt is deaf, and needed the extra assistance. Tito figured it would be good to get him an interpreter. The next day, Tito introduced Matt to his interpreter. WOW. Total BABYFACE~! move. Tito might be UFC’s biggest babyface when this show is over. Later on Tito would arrive at the house to make supper for the guys. Jesus, Tito is doing an amazing job at coming off as the warm, likeable, one-of-the-guys type coaches. At the other end – is Ken Shamrock.
After giving his team two days off because he felt they were worn out a bit, Ken completely CHEWED OUT~! His team for what he called a lack of effort, when Kalib and Ross left the Octagon in the middle of training. An argument ensued between Kalib and Ken, who seem to have differing opinions on how you should train for a fight. Kalib said “if I wanted to bruise up my thighs, I’d take a hammer to them”. Ken started questioning how much Kalib cared about his teammates. Kalib didn’t like that much either. The team seemed united against Ken Shamrock after that incident. It’s normally not a good sign when a team turns against their coach.
Then later on, Tito decides that Noah needed a late-night sparring session. Rory REALLY didn’t like this idea. He sounded irate. As if he was the one who had to fight the next day. While working on ground technique, Noah sprained his ankle quite badly, and needed a trip to the hospital to make sure nothing was seriously wrong. His foot was swollen up quite badly. He refused to use crutches because he didn’t want the other fighters knowing he was hurt. Smart move. Rob MacDonald, are you watching? Noah is confident this won’t change the outcome of the fight. We’ll see.
Its FIGHT TIME~! The fight, which was announced near the beginning of the show, is Noah Inhofer vs. Jesse Forbes. Of course, we all remember the rules, 2 five-minute rounds, and if it’s a draw, then it goes to a sudden victory round.
Round one – Jesse and Noah trade blows. Jesse then shoots for the takedown, and they clinch against the fence. Tito is screaming at Noah to get double under-hooks. Jesse eventually gets the takedown into side-mount. Jesse starts working to land elbows from the top. Not looking good for Noah early on. The two worked for position. Noah was working for full guard, while Jesse wanted to maintain a dominant position. Noah eventually finds himself against the fence, but because of his ankle, isn’t able to use the fence to help get back to his feet. Jesse continues to ground and pound. Noah is finally able to push away from the fence with one foot, and lock in an armbar. Jesse tried to pull away, but it only cinched it in deeper. NOAH~! By armbar in the first round. Tito has the hammer. NOW, the fun begins.
Overall, it was another good show. I thought it was a little choppy at times. It seemed to cut from one segment to another, without any real transition. But, that didn’t hurt the show too badly. The personalities are really starting to show through. What a difference one season makes. After two episodes of season two, I think I might have known two or three guys. After two episodes this season, I think I know half the cast.
Topics: All Topics, Luke Nicholson, MMA, UFC | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Sakakibara responds to Gendai articles
By Zach Arnold | April 13, 2006
By Zach Arnold
DSE President Nobuyuki Sakakibara told the press that the charges made in the Shukan Gendai interview series by Seiya Kawamata are ‘groundless’ in regards to telling the truth. Sakakibara stated that the articles were one-sided pieces and that he wants an inquiry into the truth. He claimed that the contents of the articles were slanderous and based on libel.
The heat is on.
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Fujita to return to PRIDE
By Zach Arnold | April 13, 2006
He did a photo-op today for DSE to announce his return to the PRIDE ring. Fujita will participate in the open-weight tournament, which starts on May 5th at the Osaka Dome.
Topics: All Topics, Japan, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Tito-mania runs wild
By Zach Arnold | April 13, 2006
The Long Beach Press-Telegram has three articles (here, here, and here) on this weekend’s UFC 59 PPV show.
Topics: All Topics, Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
DSE links with Pankration team
By Zach Arnold | April 12, 2006
By Zach Arnold
Nobuhiko Takada participated in a press briefing at Yamanashi university in Kofu on the 12th to announce the first “Pankration” team in the world. PRIDE hopes that by linking up with this team, they will be able to have some representation in future Olympic games.
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, PRIDE, Zach Arnold | 1 Comment » | Permalink | Trackback |
Kawamata loses in court to Mijatovic
By Zach Arnold | April 12, 2006
By Zach Arnold
Today, a judge in Tokyo district court awarded a complete victory to power-agent Miro Mijatovic in his civil court case against Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 promoter, Seiya Kawamata. (Case background information here and here) Mijatovic sued to obtain a lien on any earnings that Kawamata wins in his civil court case against Nippon TV. Kawamata sued Nippon TV for canceling a contract to produce fight shows on New Year’s Eve. Mijatovic sued Kawamata successfully for he and his fighters not getting paid for working the Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 event.
A summary of main points from today’s judgement follows.
- Kawamata has been ordered to pay all outstanding amounts of money owed to Mijatovic (including unpaid fight money for Stefan Leko, Semmy Schilt, and Alistair Overeem – along with various expenses related in booking these fighters).
- Kawamata has been ordered to pay for the court costs.
- The court recognized an agreement between Kawamata and Mijatovic, in which the deal made Mijatovic co-promoter of the Inoki show and also the exclusive booker for all foreign fighters related to Kawamata’s events. Kawamata had denied in court that such an agreement ever existed.
- Kawamata claimed that Mijatovic had given him the legal rights to represent Mirko Cro Cop. However, the court ruled that Mijatovic was the only legally-authorized representative of Mirko.
- Kawamata claimed that Mijatovic made a commitment to provide Mirko for the Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 show. However, the court found that there was no legal documentation backing up this claim.
- The court ruled that Mijatovic (an Australian lawyer, contract expert, international financial consultant, and agent of foreign athletes in Japan) is a witness of high credibility.
- The court rejected various verbal statements and evidence presented by Kawamata due to the manner in which they conflicted with the statements of Mijatovic, and the court threw out a lot of Kawamata’s verbal evidence as unreliable.
The aftermath
The next steps after this court ruling will be intriguing to see. Mijatovic has threatened legal proceedings against DSE for “disgraceful business practices” in relation to Mirko Cro Cop & Emelianenko Fedor. In the Gendai interviews, Kawamata has claimed that Miro was threatened and extorted by Sakakibara & DSE yakuza. However, Mijatovic has not publicly mentioned anything about this. On the other hand, FEG/K-1 acknowledged that Kawamata’s story about yakuza threats (in relation to K-1 booking Royce Gracie and creating HEROs) are true and that a criminal complaint is in the works.
At this point, nothing has been heard about Miro’s legal strategy, but everyone is paying attention to the next chapter in this story.
Topics: All Topics, Japan, Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 2 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Fight Opinion Radio: Episode 14 (Tuesday Night Takedowns)
By Zach Arnold | April 11, 2006
This week’s show features an interview with Sherdog’s Jake Rossen, talking about a brand new MMA print magazine called Real Fighter. Jake also talks about the direction of the Ultimate Fight Night shows, and the future of the IFL.
Also, we talk with Fight Opinion writer Luke Nicholson about the direction and future of PRIDE, including the booking of tournament formats.
Rob & Erin also review The Ultimate Fighter: Season 3 debut show, and preview the UFC 59 PPV show. Read Erin’s preview here.
The 14th 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
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, Erin Bucknell, Fight Opinion Radio, MMA, podcasts, Rob Sayers, Zach Arnold | No Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |