The mess in the Japanese fight game grows: More Sumo match-fixing claims by police
By Zach Arnold | February 1, 2011
I’ve already written a couple of articles this week (here and here) talking about the messier side of the Japanese MMA scene (covering the strange, bizarre, and shady). Last year, I wrote several articles detailing the mess of scandals that Sumo was undergoing that led to major problems with NHK.
Just as you thought things may have been smoothing over comes these articles today that say it all (and you should read all of them):
- The Canadian Press: Scandal-tainted Sumo hit with allegations of bout-fixing
- Mainichi Daily News: Text messages implying match-fixing found on Sumo wrestlers’ cell phones
- The Nikkei: Sumo wrestlers may have rigged matches according to Tokyo Metro PD
- Asia One: Sumo wrestlers suspected of cell phone match-fixing
- AFP: Emergency meeting happening on Wednesday with the Sumo association over new allegations
- Mainichi Daily News: Ex-Sumo wrestler suspected of funneling baseball gambling proceeds to gang boss
In the last article linked, notice the reference to the Kodo-kai gang that is affiliated with Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan’s largest crime family. Kodo-kai has had fingerprints in the past on the pro-wrestling and MMA scene.
The reason I mention the troubles in different sectors of the fight game, like pro-wrestling & Sumo & boxing, is because you generally see similar problems crop up in the MMA sector as well. The best way to understand the complexities of what is going on is to study what’s happening in each sector and then you can connect the dots to figure out what is going on.
Take note of one interesting theme from these articles today — the police don’t have the kind of powerful racketeering laws to break the gangs (unlike the States), so they rely on dripping information both publicly and ‘on background’ to the media to stir the pot. As you saw with the yakuza scandal that destroyed PRIDE, Shukan Gendai was getting a lot of ‘background’ information and publishing it in their negative campaign. Given that there’s still a shame factor in Japan (as opposed to most other countries), this media strategy can still be effective.
Topics: Japan, Media, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Sengoku goes to battle with Gong Kakutougi magazine writer Manabu Takashima
By Zach Arnold | February 1, 2011
Not since promotional attacks in 1995 against then-Weekly Pro Wrestling magazine editor Tarzan Yamamoto can I recall a promotion publicly attacking a veteran writer like you are about to see today. Yamamoto, who was labeled as an anti-New Japan Pro-Wrestling editor, took a beating from fans and was booed unmercilessly everywhere he went.
The writer you’re about to see get mentioned does not remind me of the same type of person as Tarzan Yamamoto, at all.
Manabu Takashima, a competent veteran Japanese MMA writer who often has appeared on TV with dyed silver hair, has lots of street credibility when it comes to understanding the foreign MMA landscape. He’s been around a long time and he’s the kind of guy who, should UFC end up trying to make a big splash in Japan, would prove to be valuable for their efforts if they wanted to hire him for his services outside of writing. (Kind of in the old Wally Yamaguchi role. Only Japanese pro-wrestling fans will understand that analogy.)
So, when I saw this curious article talking about ‘the end of Sengoku’ because of a Gong Kakutougi article, I was amused by the tone. Mr. Takashima is not exactly what you would a tabloid writer. He’s unlikely to be a guy who would launch a Shukan Gendai-type campaign against a promotion.
However, that’s not what Sengoku would like you to believe. In a bizarre statement posted on the company’s web site, the promotion blasted an article that Takashima did in the March edition of Gong Kakutougi magazine. The article theme is ‘our opinion on the interview by Manabu Takashima.’ It starts off talking about since the collapse of PRIDE in 2007 that the Japanese MMA industry had a deep recession and that World Victory Road came along to join the fighters, fans, and mass communiction (media) to help restore the business. It goes on to say that they’re proud to produce big MMA events and do interpromotional fights with DREAM along with the NYE weekend event in Tokyo at Ariake Colosseum. Their viewpoint is that just as things were improving and changing for the future, Manabu Takashima wrote an article that ‘poured cold water’ on their progress that was improper. You can read some of what was said in the Gong article down below, but Sengoku objected to Mr. Takashima’s claims that the organization promoted their NYE weekend event poorly and tried to make it up by booking a lot of matches and used a bigger stage in the building. Additionally, Manabu claimed that fighters signed contracts for the Sengoku 12/30 Tokyo event the day of the show and the promotion disputes the factual accuracy of this claim of ‘irresponsible and groundless’ charges. Sengoku says that they are disappointed that a ‘quality magazine’ like Gong Kakutougi would publish Mr. Takashima’s remarks and that they were launching a protest, demanding a correction and an apology. The promotion claims that they welcome constructive criticism from fans but did not find Mr. Takashima’s personal remarks about Sengoku to be suitable to be attached to what was marketed as an interview with Hatsu Hioki for the magazine.
Essentially, the promotion claims that Takashima’s remarks are damaging to the company’s image and could cause complication with sponsors like Don Quijote. If sponsors back away from the company, then their 4/23 Ariake Colosseum event in Tokyo could be postponed or canceled. The promotion says they are angry at Mr. Takashima’s ‘carelessness’ and expressed strong regret about his comments.
The inimitable Tony Loiseleur on Twitter comments:
Speaking w/those close to the situation but wish to remain anonymous, this kerfuffle on SRC’s page is a non-issue. Don Quijote is still w/SRC. Rumors of DonQi leaving SRC come by way of another mag, quoting an off-the-record Takao Yasuda musing whether DQ should pull out of MMA.
All Manabu Takashima’s article is guilty of is stating contracts are signed day of or day after. I know several ppl who will attest to this. It should be noted however that this is a common practice in JMMA. The biz here obviously works very differently than back in the West.
Also must note: Takashima is an awesome journalist who has covered Western MMA for ages. His noting this idiosyncracy of JMMA biz is natural.
The question is why SRC is calling out Gong & Takashima specifically. I’ve been told a few theories off record that I can’t repeat here, yet. In any case, DonQi is still behind SRC at the moment, but their April show will likely be pushed back to a later date.
The people I spoke to swear it’s SRC kicking up a fuss over nothing. Another thing that should be noted is that the statement on SRC’s page is signed by WVR itself, rather than any of its representatives. It’s a small detail, but I believe something worth keeping in mind.
For all WVR’s troubles promoting, it’s been hard rallying popular & media support. Despite Takashima writing truths, they’re prob fed up. Also, DonQi may not be gone yet, but there’s always that risk. Remember when folks were saying they split from SRC in late 2009? WVR’s statement is prob a warning shot to the media, and a sign to their benefactor, Yasuda, that they’re addressing this “support” issue.
The uber-talented Dan Herbertson on Twitter comments:
Gong’s March issue featured an editorial on SRC, saying they try to compensate for meaningless matches with the size of their stage.
Gong claimed that the fighter contracts were also signed on the day of the event. SRC rebutted that and said that there was no evidence at all to support those claims.
SRC 17 was due to be held on April 23 but now may not happen because of this Gong article.
Some of the Japanese magazines are entirely too close to the promoters (namely FEG). I think this is a reaction to this.
Worth noting that the cover of Gong Kakutougi this month is a picture of Hioki vs Sandro and the lead story is a 10,000 character interview.
I don’t like how WVR refuted that by saying that Gonkaku has no evidence. “Not true” would have been a better response.
The contracts thing is really a non-issue. It’s the lack of support from the MMA media.
Usually when promotions have major problems with beat writers, they will threaten them or admonish them (or bribe them) behind the scenes. Old hat. However, to see a promotion pick a target, freeze it, and then publicly define who the target is to create a certain impression is not the norm.
Keep your eyes on the Twitter accounts of both Dan & Tony for updates on the story. You should trust these men.
Topics: Japan, Media, MMA, Sengoku, Zach Arnold | 5 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Scott Coker is learning what making (first) impressions are all about
By Zach Arnold | January 31, 2011
(Josh Gross photo of Scott Coker shaking hands with Sotaro Shinoda)
Rarely do you get a string of small stories that come together to put together a narrative in the MMA industry, but this is one of those times where it’s there, hanging like fruit from a tree to get picked.
Continue reading this article here…
Topics: All Topics, DREAM, Japan, Media, MMA, StrikeForce, Zach Arnold | 43 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Strikeforce 1/29 HP Pavilion (San Jose Arena)
By Zach Arnold | January 30, 2011
- Ladies 120 pounds: Jenna Castillo defeated Charlene Gellner in R2 in 3’57 by KO (knee).
- Ladies 135 pounds: Germaine De Randamie defeated Stephanie Webber in R1 in 4’25 by KO (knee).
- 180 pounds: Ron Keslar defeated Eric Lawson in R1 in 1’57 with an armbar.
- Lightweights: Isaiah Hill defeated Bobby Stack in R1 in 1’02 with a triangle choke hold.
- Welterweights: Nate Moore defeated Nathan Coy in R2 in 25 seconds by KO.
Main card
- Light Heavyweights: Roger Gracie defeated Trevor Prangley in R1 in 4’19 by submission.
- Heavyweights: Herschel Walker defeated Scott Carson in R1 in 3’13 by TKO.
- Middleweight title match: Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza defeated Robbie Lawler in R3 in 2 minutes with a choke sleeper hold.
- Welterweight title match: Nick Diaz defeated Evangelista Cyborg in R2 in 4’50 with an armbar.
Topics: Media, MMA, StrikeForce, Zach Arnold | 47 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The obligatory ‘Tim Sylvia loses again’ post
By Zach Arnold | January 29, 2011
(A tip of the cap to Nick Thomas)
He stated last year that he wanted to get back into the UFC or Strikeforce, all while being a reserve cop.
Then he fought Mariusz Pudzianowski at over 300 pounds. He’s fought a couple of times since then at a high weight as well. Going into Friday’s fight against a man named Abe Wagner, he weighed 311 pounds for the fight. Last I checked, the HW limit is 265 pounds.
Given the difficulties that could hit the upcoming Strikeforce HW GP tournament (politics, injuries, etc.), you could imagine a scenario where Big Tim fills in for someone as a replacement candidate. It would have been a credible-enough sell given that he’s a former UFC champion and, yeah, he did lose to Fedor in 36 seconds but Andrei Arlovski also lost to Fedor in Affliction, too.
Now? It’s really difficult to see what is left for Tim in his MMA career. Where does he go from here?
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 29 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Strikeforce’s high-risk, high-reward Japan strategy
By Zach Arnold | January 27, 2011
When Josh Gross broke the news of Strikeforce running their second HW GP event on April 9th (with Japan being a target), the obvious reaction online was about avoiding licensing issues and drug testing. The names of Alistair Overeem and Josh Barnett are both popping up for this event. I don’t think it’s fair at all to lump the two fighters together on the issue of doping. Each is an individual case and, as you might recall last May, I argued endlessly about this in relation to Alistair.
I had guessed around the time that Strikeforce picked up Mr. Barnett that they would run his fights in Japan. It made a lot of sense. There’s too many landmines in the States. Plus, with what happened in California (Strikeforce’s home base) and the Affliction show collapse, Japan really was the one place that made sense for Josh. After all, it’s where he wrestles and where he wants to fight. You can also say the same thing about Alistair Overeem, who did sign with talent agency Yoshimoto (the same casting agency that enlists Razor Ramon Hard Gay and his pelvic thrusting.) Overeem’s goal is become the big cheese in Japan and K-1 is his primary focus. America is a nice side attraction for him, but Japan is the goal. What better way to placate him but by having his fights in Japan?
It’s a fascinating move by Scott Coker to really consider a deep involvement in Japan given the current climate of the industry there and yet, it’s a calculated move. The risk is high — lack of money, shaky television situation, long-term uncertainty with K-1. However, what makes the prospects of Strikeforce working with K-1 in Japan realistic is that SF can turn the tables on K-1 and use the K-1 financial model to benefit. With Showtime paying Strikeforce a certain amount of money per show, the promotion can afford to work with someone like K-1 if K-1/DREAM is willing to run the show and cover the costs. Sounds familiar? It was Kazuyoshi Ishii’s strategy when PRIDE collapsed and now, unfortunately for K-1, it’s a failing business model for the Japanese. Which means that the idea of Strikeforce using that same model against the grandmaster who built his empire on it is extremely thick in irony.
For K-1, it would be an interesting image booster in Japan. They could conceivably tell the fans that they are bringing some of the best, if not the best, foreign MMA fighters in the world to Japan to fight in a ring and not a cage. All of this is big for the psyche of the Japanese fans.
(The idea that the big names want to come to Japan because Japan is where the world revolves around.)
Whether it draws or not is another question, but right now K-1 is in survival mode and working with Strikeforce to bring in Fedor, Alistair, Barnett, etc. is good for the image. Plus, all those fighters want to fight in Japan anyways, so it keeps the talent base happy. A co-promotional relationship also would critically help Strikeforce fill some major voids in terms of depth (at least on paper) in the Lightweight and Welterweight classes. The door also opens up to use fighters at Bantamweight and Featherweight.
For Strikeforce, the ability to make money while running big fights in the big non-American MMA market will be a win that UFC will not be able to obtain. It’s a move where both SF & K-1 can combine forces to try to diminish the prospects of UFC making a big dent in the country. Each party (SF & K-1) has something at stake and right now the stakes are pretty high for both parties. Desperate times call for desperate measures. If K-1 can use Alistair, Fedor, and others to try to get leverage for television security, then it’s worth it to play ball in the end.
Now, what I wrote up above is the ‘perfect’ scenario for both parties. Whether or not it turns out that way in the end is anyone’s guess, however. Money talks and bullshit walks.
Topics: DREAM, Japan, Media, MMA, StrikeForce, Zach Arnold | 32 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Kevin Iole’s interviewing adventures with Brock Lesnar
By Zach Arnold | January 27, 2011
KEVIN IOLE: “So, you know when you thought it over I mean obviously you’ve said many times that your family is the most important thing, you don’t want to, you know, that’s why you don’t even go away to train. So, you know, I mean, obviously it’s going to be a tough decision to come here and be six weeks away from your family.”
BROCK LESNAR: “My family is here. I don’t go anywhere without my family.”
KEVIN IOLE: “Ah. Makes it a little bit easier for you then.”
BROCK LESNAR: “And it’s -30 below zero in Alexandria right now. I’ve had enough of ice fishing and trouncing around in the snow. For sure, my wife had enough, too, so, you know, Dana did all the right things for us to be here and Spike, you know, they… you know, is Las Vegas a place that I want to be? Probably, you know, no, there’s other warmer places that I can think of but… you know, it’s not painful. At least it hasn’t been yet. Talk to me in five weeks, but right now it’s pretty accommodating.”
KEVIN IOLE: “There’s a lot of good restaurants here.”
BROCK LESNAR: “We’ll check them out.”
KEVIN IOLE: “Do you feel good about the fact that, you know, Dana had enough confidence in you as an athlete to come in here, you know, you haven’t been in this sport very long and now being a coach and coaching inspiring fighters. I mean, that shows a certain level of confidence in you. Does it or do you think he just picked you for the ratings power you brought?”
BROCK LESNAR: “You know, I don’t… you guys can sit and discredit. I mean, there’s a lot of people out there to, enough to discredit me but I got just as many fights as, you know, Junior (dos Santos) in my mind, I mean I’ve been competing my whole life. I got a great coaching staff, guys who have been coaching top fighters, top wrestlers. Marty Morgan, 16-year veteran at the University of Minnesota, national championship teams. I mean, Luke Richardson, Erik Paulson, Greg Nelson, Comprido, these guys, you know… I think we’re real capable of coaching, you know, underqualified guys to become the next Ultimate Fighter. I don’t have to believe, I got faith in my people. I got enough faith in my people that these guys made me a champion, why can’t we make these young eager kids, you know, successful? I think we can.”
KEVIN IOLE: “But I wasn’t suggesting that you couldn’t. I was just making the point that you’re still, you know, only been in MMA a couple of years yourself and so the fact that it seems like it’s pretty successful.”
BROCK LESNAR: “I was a UFC Heavyweight champion, though, you know…”
KEVIN IOLE: “I agree.”
BROCK LESNAR: “So what more qualifications do you need?”
KEVIN IOLE: “And I guess that’s what I’m getting at, Brock, I’m saying that, you know, young in your career you’ve accomplished that much and now they’re also asking to do something like this which normally goes to a veteran…”
BROCK LESNAR: “I’ve never thought I’d be down here to do this, you know. I’m actually, it’s kind of refreshing, you know. For me, this is about… I’ve got one thing in mind for this whole thing. It’s to help these kids, you know, to improve their lives but more importantly it’s to, for me, to be able to get down here and train. It’s an opportunity for me to get my title back sooner than later where I, you know, when I beat dos Santos then I get a rematch with (Cain) Velasquez and I get my [expletive] belt back. I’m looking at this, that’s the way I’m looking at this.”
KEVIN IOLE: “We didn’t get a chance to talk to you after the (Anaheim) fight that night. When you look back on it, where do you think you came up short in that fight and what do you need to change to defeat him?”
BROCK LESNAR: “I got knocked on queer street somewhere in there. I haven’t watched the fight, even. We’ll go back and when the time is right we’ll analyze where it went wrong and, you know, somewhere along the way there, you know. When you’re fighting in the level we’re fighting, Cain Velasquez is a professional athlete. I’m a professional athlete. We’re at the pinnacle of the sport. It’s a matter of inches, you know. It’s like the NFL season. These guys get to go out 16 games a year but it’s a matter of, you know, somebody missing a block and the ball’s gone and they’re ahead by two touchdowns, you know. It’s a game of inches. We got to sit down and figure out to widen that gap and we will. I’ve been successful, you know. It’s a loss. I hate to lose but I’ll get better. So, I’ll climb my way back like I always do.”
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 7 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Where does Strikeforce fit into Showtime’s plans now?
By Zach Arnold | January 25, 2011
Easily the combat sports article of the year so far (of which I’ve read), Thomas Hauser at Maxboxing talks about how HBO lost Manny Pacquiao. What’s interesting about this article, to me anyways, is that Showtime will now have to put out a significant amount of money to pay for a new wave of boxing programming. Where does this put Strikeforce? Given that there doesn’t seem to be much of a crossover between boxing fans and MMA fans, you can’t really say that Showtime will be able to draw from each other’s fan base. (ESPN2 took a lot of heat, as they admitted recently, with airing “the MMA minute” during Friday Night Fights. It was part of an experiment where FNF would be a lead-in for MMA Live on the network.)
I saw the Showtime-produced Strikeforce 1/29 San Jose Arena show ads start up yesterday on Comcast in the Bay Area. Interesting that Nick Diaz is getting all the push on this one. Last time that happened, the crowd wasn’t so big in the building. Herschel Walker’s appearance was touted as one of those “also on the card Herschel Walker” type deals. Interesting that Walker’s comments about wanting to return to the NFL got way more media play than his upcoming MMA fight, which hardly anyone is really discussing on a mainstream media level. Herschel says that MMA is safer than football.
Everything else
The UFC Fight for the Troops 2 show last Saturday from Fort Hood drew a 1.3 rating on Spike TV. In other words, standard fare. At least Spike TV will have 12 prelim shows before PPVs this year. Here’s an Army press release on the show.
All the talk about the TV deals UFC is doing in Japan is largely bluster and not significant in the grand scheme of things. They can target a show in 2011 in the country and that’s fine, WWE did some shows under the Total Sports Asia banner. I remember vividly when WWE ran a show in March of 2003 at Yokohama Arena and the industry there panicked greatly that WWE was going to invade their home turf. This was when WWE was on Fuji TV, something UFC could only dream about. In the end, Fuji TV cut ties with WWE and WWE never was a serious threat to the industry there. UFC isn’t even at WWE’s level in the country for media penetration and WWE PPV business is not so hot in Japan. Of course, it doesn’t help that WWE PPVs air a month after they take place. The WOWOW deal for UFC is no earth-shaker, either.
If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say that the audience UFC draws in Japan will not have a significant cross-over to the traditional Japanese MMA audience. In other words, separate fan bases (similar to WWE and the Japanese wrestling groups.)
Randy Couture involved in the indoor trampoline park business. You learn something new every day.
Jens Pulver won a fight last weekend, and the media backlash about him continuing to fight has exposed some fissures in what is normally a unified MMA media front. Another older MMA figher, Nate Quarry, is focused on life after fighting. Speaking of Nate, he along with other UFC fighters recently were in Guam as part of a seminar for The Fighter for Fighters Tour.
Who else is ready for UFC 126 presented by SafeAuto.com?
Team Alpha Male at the opening of a new Comcast facility in the Sacramento area.
Topics: Boxing, Media, MMA, StrikeForce, UFC, Zach Arnold | 50 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Melvin Guillard displays electric power at UFC Fight for the Troops 2
By Zach Arnold | January 22, 2011
- Bantamweights: Chris Cariaso defeated Will Campuzano by unanimous decision after 3R.
- Welterweights: Charlie Brenneman defeated Amilcar Alves by unanimous decision after 3R.
- Lightweights: Waylon Lowe defeated Willamy Freire by unanimous decision after 3R.
- Featherweights: Rani Yahya defeated Mike Brown by unanimous decision after 3R.
- Welterweights: Damarques Johnson defeated Mike Guymon in R1 in 3’22 with a body triangle submission lock.
- Lightweights: Yves Edwards defeated Cody McKenzie in R2 in 4’33 with a choke sleeper hold.
- Lightweights: Matt Wiman defeated Cole Miller by unanimous decision after 3R.
- Heavyweights: Pat Barry defeated Joey Beltran by unanimous decision after 3R.
- Featherweights: Mark Hominick defeated George Roop in R1 in 1’28 by TKO (referee stoppage after punches).
- Heavyweights: Matt Mitrione defeated Tim Hague in R1 by TKO via punches.
- Lightweights: Melvin Guillard defeated Evan Dunham in R1 by TKO with knee strikes.
They raised money for the Intreprid Fallen Heroes Fund on tonight’s show and I thought the company did a fantastic job overall with the production and presentation.
Melvin Guillard is starting to put together all of his tools now (thanks to Greg Jackson) and did he blast Evan Dunham in the main or what. Thought it was interesting how going into the fight the promotion pushed the fact that despite losing to Sean Sherk on the score cards last September in Indianapolis that he was still undefeated in the minds of many, which he was. Which made Melvin’s dismantling of him all the more eye-catching. What power. He called out for a title shot after the fight, but I think his goal of staying undefeated in 2011 is something he should focus on more. The title shot will come if he keeps winning.
I thought the crowd reactions tonight were kind of strange. They didn’t boo Mark Hominick (who’s from Ontario) but they made sure to chant “USA!” at Tim Hague who’s from Edmonton. To display the relevance and reach of The Ultimate Fighter still in 2011, Cody McKenzie got by far the loudest cheers of anyone on the show. (At least it seemed that way to me.)
Speaking of Mr. Hominick, what an interesting set of circumstances coming out of his fight with George Roop. He was technically crisp and clean and got the job done in a hurry. And yet, rightfully so by the way, Joe Rogan really gave debuting UFC referee Don Turnage a hard time for not holding up George Roop after the stoppage. Nice save there by Shawn Tompkins. Somewhere, Keith Kizer was thankful that the show didn’t place in Las Vegas tonight. What was interesting about the fight is that the promotion did talk about the winner getting a title shot against Jose Aldo, but curiously the promotion did not push Hominick hard on TV. Let me rephrase that — they didn’t push the fact that his win meant that he would face Aldo in April on his home turf in Toronto on a really, really big show. I’m surprised by that. They have plenty of time to build up Hominick/Aldo in the near future, but interesting that they missed the chance for the hard sell here (something they usually don’t do). I still think Aldo will be a favorite going into that April fight, but Mark’s turning it on big now at the right time. I hope they show his fight with Yves Jabouin over and over on television leading up to the April show. I loved that fight.
The Pat Barry/Joey Beltran fight was kind of weird. I was expecting Barry to take him out much faster, but he was more cautious and actually got tangled up a lot. Mr. Beltran took a hell of a beating in there by the time the fight was done and he rightfully deserves some respect for being able to go the distance. Pat Barry introduces Joey Beltran to K-1 level striking.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 54 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Sengoku gets HDNet’s Youtube account terminated
By Zach Arnold | January 22, 2011
Click here to see the screen capture. The image says it all.
Topics: HDNet, Japan, Media, MMA, Sengoku, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
It’s Showtime cancels Amsterdam Arena show due to K-1 business complications
By Zach Arnold | January 21, 2011
From the company’s office
Usually we start our presale for our Amsterdam Arena event every year on December 1. This year we had postponed our presale to February 1 because we had a business agreement with K-1. This business agreement meant that the 2011 Amsterdam Arena event would be a joint event between IT’S SHOWTIME and K-1, just like in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The organization of this event would be completely in our hands again, but the fight card was supposed to be arranged by K-1. However, after months of asking questions by email, text messages, personally and by telephone we never got an answer from K-1 regarding the fight card. We had set a deadline for the fight card for January 11, because otherwise there would be too little time for us to organize everything before May 21.
It was January 18 when K-1 finally told me that it isn’t able to put the fight card together, because many fighters who have fought for K-1 still have to get their money, and K-1 can’t negotiate with fighters whom K-1 still owes money to. For a long time it’s not a secret anymore that K-1 is in bad financial problems and that it’s still the question whether they will survive this crisis. FEG (K-1) tries to do everything in its power to get out of this crisis but the negotiations with potential investors are stagnating for a year already.
We from IT’S SHOWTIME have tried to help K-1 in every area the last couple of years and we have been very merciful regarding the payments of our fighters. The debts keep increasing in a very fast pace, though. According to FEG, everything will be alright but everything takes more time than they had expected and FEG asks us for more time regarding the payments of our fighters and the final fight card for the Amsterdam Arena.
We from IT’S SHOWTIME really hope that K-1 will stay alive and that they will survive these difficult times. However, we don’t believe this will happen anytime soon and therefore we don’t see the Amsterdam Arena event happen in May.
Also we will not succeed in organizing the Amsterdam Arena event 100% ourselves because only making and arranging the fight card will take several months. K-1 claims it’s still convinced that it can solve its problems in a short amount of time and still keeps the option for May open. Even if K-1 can solve its problems soon, it will be more realistic for a joint event to take place in September or early October. We from IT’S SHOWTIME keep all options in mind and even the fact that there will be no IT’S SHOWTIME event at all in the Amsterdam ArenA this year. We know we really disappoint a lot of people with this news and we really regret that.
Despite of the bad news regarding the Arena, IT’S SHOWTIME is doing very well. In 2008 we organized 4 events, last year we organized 7 events and this year we will be organizing 10 IT’S SHOWTIME events in the world for sure.
IT’S SHOWTIME events are already broadcast in 89 countries worldwide.
The IT’S SHOWTIME calendar for this year so far:
- March 6: Sporthallen Zuid in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- March 26: Brussels, Belgium
- June 11: Warsaw, Poland
- July 23: Sochi, Russia
- September 18: Sporthallen Zuid, Amsterdam
- October 8: Geneva, Switzerland
Further this year, IT’S SHOWTIME events will be organized in England, Spain, Germany and probably Greece. The successful IT’S SHOWTIME Christmas Edition will also get a sequel in The Sand in Amsterdam. For the latest news regarding IT’S SHOWTIME events and the fight cards, visit www.fight.nl and/or www.facebook.com/itsshowtimenl.
Simon Rutz
IT’S SHOWTIME
Topics: Japan, K-1, Media, Zach Arnold | 3 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Should 10-10 and 10-7 rounds be used by judges in scoring MMA fights?
By Zach Arnold | January 20, 2011
On Tuesday, a caller on Jordan Breen’s radio show called in to discuss his experience last week in going through a licensing course in the state of North Carolina for MMA. In short, the caller claimed that he was instructed and taught to not embrace 10-10 or 10-7 rounds for scoring and that on the written tests applicants took, it was clear what answer was supposedly wanted to pass or fail the test. According to the caller, the instructor in question said that scoring 10-10 rounds is unfair to the fighters who train hard and that you should be able to tell who won a round. The same person also allegedly said that you shouldn’t score 10-7 rounds because that would indicate gross negligence on the part of a referee to not stop a fight and that if such an occurrence took place that the referee should be arrested.
(If you’re thinking of a 10-7 round in MMA, think of Cris Cyborg vs. Jan Finney.)
“The unfortunate part and the really chilling part is that the explanations you were given are no different than what are given at the highest levels,” Mr. Breen said in response to the caller.
“That, to me, that could have been Marc Ratner talking. I mean, that is Marc Ratner’s explanation of things.
‘You shouldn’t score 10-10 rounds because you’re supposed to be a professional judge and if you’re a real judge you can tell the difference between who is more effective.’
“And the fact of the matter is, it’s backwards thinking because to say that, you know, ‘oh, well these rounds never happen’ or ‘this isn’t the right way to score things.’ Well, what if, like there are so many things that can happen in a round and, OK, if a 10-7 round happens and, you know, it’s unconscionable that the referee let it go, OK, arrest the referee after. You still have to score the round. What, you scored a 10-8 and then… what? The referee just gets arrested after and no mentions that it was a worse than 10-8? This doesn’t even make sense. Whether or not the referee did a good job doesn’t make you exempt from scoring the round properly, like it’s not even a sensical thing. Like, to say, ‘oh, well, 10-7 is the worst thing because if it happens the ref didn’t do his job.’ Oh, is that to say that referees always do their job in MMA? Because I would beg to differ.”
Reacting to the assertion that the instructor wanted specific answers to pass/fail a written test, the Sherdog host said do what you have to do to get your foot in the door.
“The best thing you can do is pass whatever stupid hoops they want you to jump through and then when you’re a man with a score card in front of you, score 10-10s as often as you think are appropriate. I mean, the thing is, the people who are in charge of the system feel that way for a reason. The thing that needs to be said, though, I mean it’s a particular viewpoint which is softening in general, think of it like any kind of social change. Now, obviously 10-10 rounds are less important than other, you know, wide-spanning social changes but these things take time to be decayed and broken down in people’s minds. The fact that we’ve come as far with 10-10s, like the fact that for me, you know, I see someone like Josh Gross who, when, we worked together here at Sherdog, always steadfastly argued with me, like 10-10 rounds, ‘leave those in Shooto, that’s stupid.’ And now when I see him score 10-10 rounds himself and, you know, when I see like major MMA web sites score 10-10 rounds quite liberally, I mean clearly the climate of MMA is changing. It’s something that people didn’t even really discuss until, you know, two or three years ago. So I think we’re moving the right direction but the unfortunate reality is if you’re looking to get licensed, looking to take scoring courses and the like and whatever, you’re going to encounter people who are pretty old-guard and have this idea that, yeah, you never score 10-10 rounds, they never happen, and that, yeah, a 10-7 round, perish the thought because if that happens then the referee didn’t do their job as though that makes any sense whatsoever.”
Recently in Canada, Big John McCarthy held a COMMAND officiating seminar and laid out the way to judge effectiveness of holds/moves during a fight (as opposed to simply scoring a round for a fighter who has top position but does nothing with it.) Mr. Breen told listeners that these types of seminars are great for those who go into them with an open mind to learn but that the bad judges currently in MMA are those who are least likely to take away anything from the seminars.
“Most MMA judges that people who have score cards put in front of them don’t have that level of familiarity. That’s the unfortunate part. For a lot of people, that doesn’t exist. I mean, it says a lot that when judges go astray most people agree on who won a fight. There are always going to be some fights that strongly divide people. Take a fight like the Rampage (Jackson) & (Lyoto) Machida fight. That’s a good example of a fight that some people will feel one way, some people will feel another but it comes down to a fundamental apples vs. oranges kind of argument. It’s not so much about someone blowing it and fundamentally misunderstanding the sport, so much as what’s personal valued. And when get down to that atomic, subjective level, it’s understandable. But most bad decisions in MMA are still decisions that most people, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80% of people feel one person won. Why is that? The people who are responding, the people who are in love with MMA and understand the sport have a much, much more savvy insight than unfortunately the people who are being asked to score these fights. So, the fact that a course for someone who already gets this stuff would help turn their mind onto these things, sure. I mean, think of it like any kind of teaching curriculum. Put someone who’s an absolute blathering idiot in a graduate school scenario. I mean, the hope when you give people higher education is that they are already of a sufficient intellect that they can be turned onto new ideas and respond to them critically. If someone has no ability to do that all, what are the odds that they’re going to get anything out of it? What are the odds that Glenn Trowbridge is going to be able to really appreciate John McCarthy’s thesis on effectiveness? What are the odds of that? Not very great. If people who are really concerned about the well-being of MMA and really love this sport were getting into judging on the whole, it wouldn’t be an issue and that’s why I encourage listeners and readers to do it and take up the cause en masse. And I think it’s, as I’ve said, extremely encouraging to see so many people who e-mail in are like, hey, you know, I took COMMAND this weekend or, hey, I just got a response from my local athletic commission and really, really get involved. That’s a huge, huge step forward because that’s not something that MMA has in any significant number at this point in time. At all.”
Despite the current frustration that many MMA fans have with the crop of judges in the sport, he encouraged everyone to get involved and be pro-active by getting involved in the officiating process.
“Going back to June of last year and talking about the Vancouver athletic commission, Lance Gibson, fought in the UFC, now trains guys in the UFC. He was a judge for UFC 115 where Rich Franklin knocked out Chuck Liddell and on that night he scored two 10-10 rounds. Now, Lance Gibson fought in Japan, fought in pro Shooto, kind of influences his understanding of how 10-10 rounds work. Marc Ratner was reportedly very upset that he did that. It seems ridiculous. Seems ridiculous on a night where you had a guy like Tony Weeks who scored the fight with Tyson Griffin and Evan Dunham for Tyson Griffin. It seems ridiculous that the guy you would be singling out is the guy who scored 10-10 rounds and actually has a clue about MMA. But that’s the state of regulation.
“The only way it’s going to change is if more people continue to bang the drum about 10-10 rounds, 10-7 rounds, and continue to challenge these very archaic and stone-ladened, chiseled-out, prescribed, idiotic principles that have guided judging in Mixed Martial Arts since 2001 and longer. I think we’ll get there, eventually. We’re never going to get to a point where all decisions please everybody but we’ve already moved in a fairly, fairly positive direction. It’s going to change if more people continue to take up arms against the treachery of horrible decisions and get licensed themselves. It’s noble, it’s fantastic, and any one who goes out and does it I think its a fantastic, fantastic contributor and asset to Mixed Martial Arts.”
Topics: Media, MMA, Zach Arnold | 49 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
The time table on UFC HW champion Cain Velasquez’s recovery: “Four-to-eight months”
By Zach Arnold | January 19, 2011
That’s the word relayed by Javier Mendez of American Kickboxing Academy yesterday on The Fight Radio show with Mauro Ranallo. The quotes below are individual responses to questions asked during the interview:
“He went under the knife with Dr. Sanders, a UFC doctor, in Las Vegas on Thursday. They told him that the recovery on the surgery went great. They said that they didn’t want him doing anything, any exercise or (impact) for at least over the weekend because they don’t want him sweating, you know, and you get the stitches, you know, somewhat, you know, wet and could end up going not so good for him. So, yesterday, you know, they gave him really light exercises to do like little light arm curls, you know, with his arm stationery to the side and they gave him another drill where they wanted him to keep his right hand like right by his stomach and then raise his elbow about 90% up. You know, so, I mean, that’s pretty much what they gave him to do at the present time.
“Right now, he’s in good spirits, you know. He’s just doing what he needs to do, you know. Cain is always wanting to do something, learn something, so if he’s not able to work out it will drive him stir crazy. So, he’s able to do things. As long as he’s got a plan, then he’s good. If I give him a plan and I say, OK, I want you to do this, you know, I want you to do so much footwork, I want you to do so much bobbing, etc. etc. then he’s good with that. But if you leave him alone and you don’t tell him what direction you want to go in, he could get potentially a little frustrated.
“We haven’t started (a plan) yet. I told him we’re going to meet and then we’re going to start. Once we get more about what we can or can’t do, then we’re going to start working a program for him. So, it will start this week. Probably once this week I’ll meet him once this week at night and then, you know, we’ll start doing one-on-one with him and I and then we’ll go from there. We’ll probably do it anywhere from two-to-three times a week, you know, coming the following week and etc. etc.
“(On a time table for coming back) Well, I mean, they’re saying, you know, it’s anywhere from four-to-eight months, you know. And I mean, if you look at it from the point of what’s going on, right, with Brock Lesnar and Junior (dos Santos) being the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter and then their first fight coming back, after that show, their first fight scheduled is supposedly June 1st, right? So, that being the case, provided that whoever the winner of that fight is healthy, then obviously they’re going to want another, you know, at least a two month period to train for Cain and they’re not going to want to go from one fight to the next fight, so you’re looking, you know, and even if he was ready to go sooner, you’re really not looking at him going any sooner, the soonest I think would be August and I think the latest could be as much as December.”
Javier expressed his happiness with the way things have played out with The Ultimate Fighter and where Cain’s marketability is once he returns to fighting in the UFC.
Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 9 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |