MMA Thread

[zenryan]

I had it 30-27 Forrest. The second round was close because of the cut but other than that one elbow, Ortiz really didnt land much. It appeared to me that Ortiz was starting to gas in the 2nd round and had nothing left in the 3rd. I cant stand Ortiz and that injury crap he was pulling was lame. It looks like the fans dont care about him anymore and that was bothering him bigtime.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Tito was kind of annoying again, but to his credit he had a long layoff, he came back from major surgery, and he still hung in there with a very tough opponent. I think he would have beaten Coleman and Forrest said something like that too IIRC. I'm mainly pissed about his post-fight press conference words because he didn't give much respect to Forrest at all by going on and on about how he thought he won. Tito had absolutely nothing in the 3rd, and you'd think someone who got embarrassed like that in one round of a 3-round fight would kind of, I dunno, not be such a prick about it? BTW I agree with the decision too, Forrest won and there is no reason for controversy.

 

Very nice to see Rogerio get that big win. I don't know what was with Cane, he's much better than that, but I'm still happy to see Lil' Nog make an impact.

 

I like Baroni too, but I still don't get why the UFC lets some guys walk and brings in some others. Like, how do you go from Tamdan McCrory to Phil Baroni? That's something Strikeforce, Sengoku, Dream, etc. would do. Amir looks improved but he didn't have a lot on those punches and he doesn't appear to have any killer instinct either. I'll hold out some hope though because I like his attitude and the fact that he subbed CB Dollaway twice (can't stand him).

 

Also I was really impressed with Volkmann. Thiago is learning but he held his own against Fitch and got the fluke over Kos, so he looks like he belongs in the mix.

 

Very impressed with Kos too. Not impressed by Goldie constantly going on about AJ's wrestling potentially nullifying Kos' wrestling. That's about it. Good card overall, but it still couldn't come close to making up for the loss of the Lesnar-Carwin bout.

[SoxFan562004]

I enjoyed the PPV and watched it with a good number of casual fans and they really enjoyed it.

 

Saunders looked good in the prelim match, looking forward to see if the Swick performance had him ramp training up or if Davis was just a step down. Ben only has about 10 pro fights so he can definitely be on the upswing.

 

Why did they bring in Baroni? A few reasons, they signed him and Lil' Nog about the time Strikeforce signed the CBS deal, they were looking to keep people with names or big personality away IMO. Also, the people I watched it with had no idea who he was, but automatically hated him, he's a great "heel" and people liked Amir more because he gave him a beatdown. Finally, he'll give performances like that, he'll stand and bang, and we'll probably see him again.

 

Great to see Lil' Nog have a great performance. as far as Cane goes, it was like he never sparred with a lefty, it was odd.

 

I like Kos and good to see him, that match was like a 1970's wrestling match! It was fun and entertaining.

 

Main I had 29-28 with Tito getting the first round. Again, Tito knows that he's a draw because people love to hate him, so he ramps it up a little. Tito/Forrest III would be the perfect main event if the UFC ever get a network deal.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

There's some interesting stuff in this little article on MMA Junkie:

At first glance, it's a concept that sounds all too familiar – a team-based MMA organization built around up-and-coming fighters designed to appeal to fans in specific regions of the country.

 

However, the entrepreneur behind MMA's newest league says his venture is anything but a sequel to the International Fight League (IFL).

 

"The only similarity is that they had an 'L' at the end (of their name), and we have an 'L,'" said California-based promoter Roy Englebrecht, who launched the Professional Mixed Martial Arts League (PMMAL) last month. "It is as opposite as it can be. We're a minor-league operation. They wanted to be international. That's the mistake they made. They hired me early on. I advised them, as I did with Affliction. All you can do is tell people. I said, 'Guys, this doesn't make sense. Trust me; I've done this for 20 years.'"

 

Where the IFL failed is where Englebrecht, one of the most successful local boxing promoters of his generation, believes the PMMAL will flourish. The explicit focus of the league's business model sets it apart from anything that's been attempted in MMA before.

 

The league is scheduled to launch early next year with eight teams in Southern California and Las Vegas. A league-wide fighter salary cap will keep costs in check, as will a mandate to host shows in small venues, such as hotel ballrooms or high-school gyms. This is far removed from the bright lights of the UFC and $55 pay-per-views, which is exactly the point.

 

Englebrecht has long been a believer in minor-league sports, having helped develop the Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) Quakes into one of the most successful Class A organizations in minor league baseball. He also had ownership in the Arena Football League's Anaheim Piranhas and the West Coast Hockey League's Reno Rage. His promotional company, Roy Englebrecht Promotions, hosts the "Battle in the Ballroom" boxing series at the Irvine Marriott Hotel. This bi-monthly professional boxing show is in its 25th year, making it one of the longest running local boxing events in the country.

 

Englebrecht believes now is the right time, and Southern California is the right place, for MMA's first minor-league promotion.

 

"We have 35 million people from Santa Barbara to San Diego, and it's a hotbed of mixed martial arts," Engelbrecht said. "We can launch this with eight franchises where fans don't have to get on a plane. They can drive back and forth to get to away games in an hour-and-a-half and keep expenses down."

 

Each PMMAL team will fight an eight-event regular season schedule, with four home events and four away events, once a month beginning in February. The concept gives fans the chance to take a rooting interest in not just a favorite fighter or two, but in their local team. Englebrecht sees the opportunity for rivalries to develop between teams and fans and for there to be a level of passion among fans that can be fleeting on the current local MMA scene.

 

All eight teams will qualify for the quarterfinals of the PMMAL playoffs in October. Four teams will advance to the semifinals in November and two teams will compete in the PMMAL Championship in December. PMMAL fighters will earn a minimum of $10,000 per year, and can earn upward of $25,000 per year based on their success in the ring.

 

Englebrecht has set the cost of acquiring a PMMAL franchise at $70,000. By comparison, the price of entry into the NBA D-league is $1 million. He says franchises can turn a profit by drawing about 1,000 fans per show and pricing tickets between $30 and $40. The league will hold a fighter draft in December to fill franchise rosters.

 

So far, there's been ample interest from both potential fighters and owners, some of whom are already in the MMA business in the area. The PMMAL is encroaching on the turf of local promoters, but Englebrecht believes the league is more opportunity than threat to those promoters.

 

"We're making the club MMA promoter have an opportunity to be a minor league MMA team owner," said Englebrecht. "Because now you'll have exciting MMA action in Southern California, and a lot of the good, young fighters will be fighting on PMMAL teams, so there won't be anybody else left for the club promoter. We've had club promoters in Southern California who have expressed an interest in protecting their turf and what they've built up over the last two or three years to buy a PMMAL franchise because they can make more money than they can doing their individual show."

 

In keeping with the minor-league approach, Englebrecht doesn't plan to televise regular-season events, but he is interested in exploring the possibility of getting airtime for the playoffs.

 

Coker had to be sold on Walker signing – Over the past eight months, Strikeforce has made a series of moves to elevate its status from respected regional organization to the sport's No. 2 promotion behind the UFC.

 

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has pressed all the right buttons in deals with ProElite, M-1 Global and Fedor Emelianenko, Showtime and CBS. However, his decision to sign former football great Hershel Walker went against the grain. Bringing the 47-year-old Walker into the fold played more like a headline grab than a move designed to bolster the Strikeforce roster. Coker disputes the notion that Walker was signed just to sell tickets, but he understands the skepticism. After all, he had to be sold himself.

 

"Initially, I told him no, we're not going to do this," Coker told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "What changed my mind was when we put him through a workout with a Division I-A wrestler, a jiu-jitsu guy and a kickboxer. He went 15 minutes, with a one-minute break and wasn't winded at all. No one took him down and kickboxing, he did really well. The ground game is where the holes are, but who doesn't have holes in this sport?"

 

Coker says despite the contract that's in place with Walker, the Heisman Trophy winner won't fight if he's not ready. With that said, Walker's training at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., appears to be progressing enough for Strikeforce to green light his first bout. Walker is due to fight in January, but Strikeforce has proceeded cautiously by not announcing his opponent just yet.

 

Broadcasting deal could be UFC's entrée to NBC – A major deal in broadcasting could pave the way for the UFC's long-awaited debut on network television.

 

Cable giant Comcast is in talks with General Electric to purchase majority control of GE's television and movie company, including NBC. It's unlikely that getting MMA on the nation's No. 4 prime-time network would be a near-term priority if Comcast closes the deal. However, the cable company needs no introduction to MMA.

 

Through its Versus cable property, Comcast already has a deal in place to televise Zuffa's World Extreme Cagefighting brand. That could help open the door to potential negotiations between Comcast, as the new majority owner of NBC, and the UFC.

 

MMA has seen NBC airtime in the past, albeit through a paid arrangement with Strikeforce. The California-based promotion previously had a deal with the network in which it purchased a 30-minute, late-night block of programming to air "Strikeforce on NBC." The weekly program, carrying recorded Strikeforce bouts, debuted in April 2008 and peaked with nearly one million viewers for one episode.

 

The solid performance of the series set the stage for discussions between NBC and Strikeforce to air live fights. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told MMAjunkie.com in October 2008, that "it's been signed off on at many levels (at NBC) already, and I think we're at the final stages." However, Strikeforce subsequently purchased ProElite's assets, and jumped at the opportunity to partner with Showtime and, ultimately, CBS.

 

Given the interest NBC had in Strikeforce last year and the continued solid ratings the sport generates on CBS and Spike, the network would likely seize the opportunity to bring MMA's biggest show to its under-performing prime-time lineup. A change in ownership might jumpstart that process.

The minor league concept sounds like a nice idea. It may hurt some of the local shows, but in the long run it would be great for both Zuffa (based in Vegas) and Strikeforce (based in San Jose) to have so much young talent to check out within a short distance from the main offices. My only major concern would be that underhanded s*** that Jeremy Lappen is supposedly involved in where he's working to push the CSAC to allow amateurs to fight basically as pros, without the use of headgear and everything else, and without advertising the fights as amateur MMA. Hopefully this minor league organization is all pro and no amateur, because if the program is sucessful, going the amateur route could run out a few local promotions who highlight pro fighters and thereby push some of the pros out of the area. But a minor league setup like this would really help out a lot of young fighters who just turned pro by giving them a stage to showcase themselves on, and with the salary caps given, it would still allow for local promotions who use veterans of the bigger shows to exist because those guys aren't going to sign for such measly figures. Also, if this does come to fruition, hopefully the organization itself will put some of the profits into a collection to help pay medical costs.

[SoxFan562004]

I've now seen a second interview, with MMAWeekly.com, where Dana says he expects Rampage to fight Rashad if he wins his next match, so I imagine most of that has been smoothed over. Also a youtube link where Dana says the last year Brock has been at 60% so imagine what he'll be like in his comeback, so hopefully that means Brock is coming back

[SoxFan562004]

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templa...91&zoneid=2

 

Bisping/Wand at 110 in February. This was originally rumored to be Wand/Akiyama.

[SoxFan562004]

Randy vs. Coleman at 109

[MHizzle85]

Randy vs. Coleman at 109

*yawns*

[zenryan]

*yawns*

 

 

I like watching both Coleman and Couture fight but them fighting each other is just dumb. Both fighters should basically be used at gatekeepers at this point if they want to continue fighting.

[Rowand44]

I'd like to thank spike for spoiling tonights show for me. I had to watch the replay tonight and spike already had the final being advertised, that was just great.

[SoxFan562004]

I'd like to thank spike for spoiling tonights show for me. I had to watch the replay tonight and spike already had the final being advertised, that was just great.

That is kind of lame that they would do that.

 

Looking forward to the fights on Saturday, for a free card there could be some good ones, I always look forward to seeing Bones fighting, that fight against Bonnar was crazy, he did like 3 pro wrestling moves!

 

I could see Roy grinding out a decision against Schaub, especially if it goes to the ground.

 

 

[Kyyle23]

I find it funny that the guy Dana wants to win the least(Roy Nelson) has a pretty good shot at winning it all.

[SoxFan562004]

I find it funny that the guy Dana wants to win the least(Roy Nelson) has a pretty good shot at winning it all.

some of that was hype, I kind of had the feeling he was going to the finals when Dana did those few "not impressed" cut ins about him, but even with that said, Roy is what he is and UFC is doing what they can to promote him.

[SoxFan562004]

Looks like Dos Santos vs. Yvel at 108

[The Critic]

That is kind of lame that they would do that.

 

Looking forward to the fights on Saturday, for a free card there could be some good ones, I always look forward to seeing Bones fighting, that fight against Bonnar was crazy, he did like 3 pro wrestling moves!

 

I could see Roy grinding out a decision against Schaub, especially if it goes to the ground.

The ease with which Schaub bucked off that giant Marcus Jones makes me think he'd be able to do the same to Roy the Tub.

That McSweeney guy thought he could go in there and snarl and somehow Nelson would just fall down for him. He didn't even put up his free arm to defend the punches.

[SoxFan562004]

The ease with which Schaub bucked off that giant Marcus Jones makes me think he'd be able to do the same to Roy the Tub.

That McSweeney guy thought he could go in there and snarl and somehow Nelson would just fall down for him. He didn't even put up his free arm to defend the punches.

Marcus' did not have a great base, if you listen to his corner they keep yelling at him about maintaining a base, Roy does a fantastic job of doing it.

[Kyyle23]

Marcus honestly looked defeated when Schaub got up. It was like he didnt have a plan B after he couldnt maintain the mount and beat Schaub down. The look on his face when they stood up again said it all, and *pop* Schaub rocked him and he couldnt even defend himself when he went down. I know he is "Big Baby" and this nice guy and all, but he is a huge muscle and he needs to realize that and maintain that aggression.

[MHizzle85]

I'd like to thank spike for spoiling tonights show for me. I had to watch the replay tonight and spike already had the final being advertised, that was just great.

I have that trouble everytime I watch it, I have class until 9 so I end up catching the replay and have it spoiled right before the fight for the night.

 

Except yesterday it was spoiled for me when I heard this guy in my class talk about who won. I wanted to hit him kinda.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Looks like Dos Santos vs. Yvel at 108

That fight is going to be awesome.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Marcus' did not have a great base, if you listen to his corner they keep yelling at him about maintaining a base, Roy does a fantastic job of doing it.

IIRC his corner had also been yelling at him to take the mount in the first place instead of letting him do some damage from side mount first. I'm usually one of the first to be put off by fighters who try to play it so safe that they never go for mount, but when you're as big and powerful as Marcus is, you really only need to land one good shot and then you're in position to finish. So in hindsight that was a little weird, especially since earlier on in the show Rampage was saying how he didn't really want to train the guys too much, he just wanted them to get the basic stuff down enough to where they could win fights.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

I have that trouble everytime I watch it, I have class until 9 so I end up catching the replay and have it spoiled right before the fight for the night.

 

Except yesterday it was spoiled for me when I heard this guy in my class talk about who won. I wanted to hit him kinda.

You should have.

 

BTW your boy Rampage is coming back and he says he wants Rashad.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Marcus honestly looked defeated when Schaub got up. It was like he didnt have a plan B after he couldnt maintain the mount and beat Schaub down. The look on his face when they stood up again said it all, and *pop* Schaub rocked him and he couldnt even defend himself when he went down. I know he is "Big Baby" and this nice guy and all, but he is a huge muscle and he needs to realize that and maintain that aggression.

I don't know where he's training at, but he's 35 already, so he needs to get with some top-class HW wrestlers and just focus on takedowns and positioning, because that man has some pretty vicious GNP potential. He may not be a wrestler at a base level, but his strength, power, and explosiveness could have him taking down a lot of guys at HW, and as long as he can do that and keep them there, he's got a pretty good chance of doing some damage IMO.

[zenryan]

I don't know where he's training at, but he's 35 already, so he needs to get with some top-class HW wrestlers and just focus on takedowns and positioning, because that man has some pretty vicious GNP potential. He may not be a wrestler at a base level, but his strength, power, and explosiveness could have him taking down a lot of guys at HW, and as long as he can do that and keep them there, he's got a pretty good chance of doing some damage IMO.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure he's with Gracie Tampa. Florida isnt known for the greatest of heavyweights or good wrestlers so it would probably be better off if he got in a better camp. But being 35, his other obligations might hinder his thoughts on moving to another area.

[Kyyle23]

Schaub got KTFO by Nelson, Nelson gets the 6 figure contract. Kimbo and Alexander danced in circles for 5 minutes, threw a few punches, wrestled around just a little bit, and Kimbo got the decision in a boring match. Mitrione KO-ed big baby(missed the fight). Schoonover lost to McSweeney, he really never had a shot, McSweeney was all over him.

[The Critic]

Schaub got KTFO by Nelson, Nelson gets the 6 figure contract. Kimbo and Alexander danced in circles for 5 minutes, threw a few punches, wrestled around just a little bit, and Kimbo got the decision in a boring match. Mitrione KO-ed big baby(missed the fight). Schoonover lost to McSweeney, he really never had a shot, McSweeney was all over him.

Schaub did a nice job escaping the Vanilla Mudslide, but took a HEAVY shot to the ear/temple and went night-night.

Jon Bones Jones got DQ'd for using the point of the elbow to Matt Hamill's face, but Jones' ankle sweep takedown of Hamill was SICK!

That Kimbo/Alexander match was worthless.