We've all heard by now that Strikeforce has been purchased by Zuffa, and I'm of two minds about this.
Negatives? Surprisingly few.
Yes, that means that one company now runs almost all of the major MMA promotions. This isn't a positive however you look at it. Competition is good in every business and sports are no exception. With Strikeforce the UFC had a legit reason to be worried. Lately Strikeforce's cards have been devastatingly good, and the league in general isn't populated with the college wrestling borefests that permeate the UFC at the moment. Having that competition would have eventually forced the UFC to keep up the pace of their fights. Not through any artificial means, but by removing some of the chaff from their roster.
White came out and said that SF and UFC are going to remain separate entities. This is what we heard when Zuffa bought Pride as well.
That's really all the downside I can see. I hate to say it... but this may turn out to be a boon for MMA fans.
What, Me Worry?
If you go back and read some of my other articles, particularly the one about Fedor's last fight, you'll see why I can't exactly be unhappy about this. First and foremost it's now pretty much guaranteed that Fedor and Couture will be caged in anger in the future. As long as White carries through on the already mentioned cross promotions there is no reason for this fight not to happen. Fedor will fight under the Strikeforce/M-1 Global banner. Couture will fight under the UFC banner. Everyone saves face. Everyone makes money. Everyone goes home happy. Furthermore, given the rumors that Fedor was already considering moving to LHW to face Dan Henderson, it seems likely that a bout with Shogun or even Anderson Silva (if he moves to LHW full time) could happen.
The more interesting thing is what this does to the MMA scene as a whole. I can't see any circumstance where folding Strikeforce into the UFC makes sense. With WEC it was a different story. Their top fighters were all on the lighter end of the scale and integrating them into the UFC made perfect sense. You give yourself a whole new division to promote, increase competition in an already competitive weight class, and in general make yourself better. Incorporating Strikeforce wouldn't achieve the same result, and would probably do more harm than good. Right now SF is drawing solid ratings on Showtime, and the UFC is risking market saturation. UFC on Versus, UFC Fight Night, The Ultimate Fighter, UFC Countdown, UFCFU, the list of UFC events available non-PPV is growing and adding a whole other promotion worth of fights to that list wouldn't do anything but make the viewing more difficult. I hate to use this comparison, but there's a direct correlation with the way WWE has separated itself (somewhat) into Raw and Smackdown brands. It adds another layer to the marketing possibilities. Zuffa has successfully attained the same setup.
The UFC has always been looked at by the casual MMA fan as the pinnacle of the sport. Strikeforce has been the second tier. Those of us that watch a little bit more know otherwise. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. Zuffa is now in a position to leverage those differences for our benefit. Cross promotion and possibly even more Strikeforce on free TV (The Strikiest Forcer? Doesn't really work... they'll come up with something better).
Surely you can't be serious?
Yes, I'm serious. And don't call me Shirley. I absolutely hate to say it, but this might turn out to be a good thing. From a hardcore fan standpoint, there's now the possibility of seeing some of the fights we've dreamed of for years happen. From a casual fan standpoint there's going to be another group of fighters they may not know about suddenly appear and make waves. For Zuffa it means having expanded promotional and roster flexibility. For Strikeforce it means their fighters will finally be seen in the eyes of casual fans as the UFC's equals.
When Zuffa bought Pride I honestly felt hollowed out. The death of Pride was one of the darkest sports days ever for me. The only thing worse was seeing Mike Modano wearing a Red Wings sweater. I had a couple of friends that watched Pride, but nobody outside of our tiny little circle knew what it was. It was our thing. It was something special, and then it died. This doesn't feel like that. It feels like a beginning, not an end. We'll see if it plays out that way.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Bisping, Fitch, and deeper issues.
Props
First things first. A big thumbs up to Mark Hunt for finally getting it together and throwing out a big W. I've always liked Hunt. Granite chin, granite hands, and has always seemed like a cool guy in interviews. Here's hoping he can throw together another solid win and finally move back up to PPV status. Hunt vs Carwin? I'd buy it.
Fitch.
Well, I'd figuratively buy it. I will not directly pay money to watch a UFC event. You'll find me at my favorite local sports bar and grill downing a dozen wings on fight night and tipping my server generously but what you will not see is me flipping over to whatever PPV channel is showing the fights and hitting the button to buy. The simple fact of the matter is that the UFC doesn't deliver value for money. Overhype and underdeliver seems to be the habit as of late. Most of the issue stems from the complete lack of restarts. For reasons unknown, the UFC has always allowed such groundbreaking tactics as the Wall 'n Stall and Lay 'n Pray to continue unabated. They're more than content to let the cage be the determining factor in a fight.
Jon Fitch has made his entire career on doing absolutely nothing but pinning a guy up against the cage and making it look like he's doing damage when in reality he isn't. Fitch just doesn't generate the kind of power necessary. When you think of the all time great ground and pound artists, who comes to mind? Fedor? Don Frye? Marks Kerr and Coleman? Probably those and a few others. What name doesn't come to mind? Jon Fitch. You know why? Because he doesn't ground and pound. Unfortunately for those of us that have to sit through his drivel, he also does not lay and pray. "But Michael, isn't he given as the poster child for that tactic?" Yes, but it's incorrect. If you want to see a true lay and pray, have a look at Satoshi Ishii's fight against Ikuhisa Minowa. Ishii attempted about zero submissions, and not many more strikes. Contrast that with Fitch, who at least attempts to stay busy.
Were the UFC to actually enforce restarts in the middle once the fighters reached the cage, the whole sport would change overnight. For one, Fitch would immediately start losing. Without that wall there to act as a third arm his opponents could actually do amazing and unheard of things like attempt sweeps and escapes. Submissions would flow freely. Dogs and cats would live together in harmony. AIDS would be cured, as would gout. All food would taste better and be healthy at the same time. This and more would happen if the UFC would take a stand. NO, we won't let you make our product boring. NO, we will not let you sit there in someone's guard and act like you're a fighter when the only thing you have going for you is an admittedly strong top control game. NO, we won't let you stand against someone in a failed attempt at a single leg for five minutes.
All you have to do, UFC, is enforce restarts once the fighters reach the cage on the ground and break the fighters up more quickly when they're doing nothing but pinning each other against walls. This isn't difficult. It's allowed in the rules. Enforce them.
Bisping.
I've never liked Bisping. He sounds dumber than a post and ruder than a funeral fart, and every action backs up this feeling. At UFC 127 he hit a low even I thought he wasn't capable of when he clearly, with more than enough time to stop himself if it was an accident, kneed Jorge Rivera in the face while Rivera was on both knees.
Before I go further, I feel I must make a statement. The greatest travesty of the Unified Rules that US MMA organizations have mostly adopted is that knees and kicks to the head of a downed opponent are not allowed. It's an absolutely ridiculous rule that I feel does more harm to the sport than good.
That said, it is still a sport. It isn't a street fight. There are rules and regulations that you must abide by whenever you step into the cage or ring. You agreed to these terms and conditions of your own free will, with full knowledge of their meaning and results. While Bisping's knee to the face would have made a great highlight reel KO in Pride (and it was a KO, more on that momentarily), this isn't Pride. This is the UFC, under Unified Rules. If you're going to start blatantly ignoring the rules that you agreed to, you have no business fighting. If you're capable of grabbing someone's head in a clinch, kneeing them in the face while they're down, then acting like a child towards the other fighter's corner you have absolutely no business in this sport because you have absolutely no respect for the safety or well-being of the people you are competing against. It is on the individual fighter to protect themselves at all times, but if they have no sporting reason to protect against an attack why should they waste the processing power doing so? Attacking another fighter with illegal moves is cowardly and unsporting.
I'll put it simply. If Dana White had a ball in his pants he would immediately suspend Bisping the same way he suspended Paul Daley. He purposefully and with malice aforethought broke the rules. He did so out of anger and spite, further backed up by his actions towards Rivera's corner. But he won't be suspended. He probably won't even get a slap on the wrist. Why not? Easy. White knows a cash cow when he sees it, and Bisping's pretty much the only reason anyone in England watches the UFC right now. Putting money over fighter safety is despicable, but that's what you get when you mix business and sports the way it's allowed to be mixed in MMA. That's a whole other article though. A very long one, which will see the light of day soon.
Rivera.
Jorge Rivera's performance showed me several things that were severely lacking on that card. Class, and the heart of a fighter. Strange that he did so when he honestly should not have been allowed to do either.
Bisping's knee knocked Rivera out. He was obviously not expecting it, and had little time to defend, and as a result he was kicked flat-out stupid. One of the doctor's body language made it appear as if he was not happy the fight was continuing. It should not have. Near the end of the fight Bisping was pummeling Rivera with some good shots, but Rivera never gave up. It took a full minute of unbridled face punching to put Rivera down. Really, the fight should have been stopped somewhere in the second volley but again UFC refs seem to have a problem with proper enforcement of the rules. A fighter doesn't have to be unconscious on the ground to stop the fight. If someone is not defending themselves properly, that's when the fight ends. Sorry, clasping your hands to your head is not proper defense.
Okay, it is in certain circumstances on the ground, but not when standing. That's an indication you don't want this to continue but you're too damn tough to fall over. Rivera hit that point, but was allowed to get pummeled for another minute or so. It was ridiculous. While it doesn't rank up there with Santiago/Misaki for gutsy performances it does deserve at least a mention, which it hasn't received at all. The fact that someone can get knocked out, stand back up, continue fighting and then take a beating that would knock most guys down three or four times goes overlooked because some glass jawed Brit acts like a tool is sickening. Rivera isn't a great fighter by any stretch, but he has heart. Gotta give him some respect for that.
End.
I'll finish out by teasing something else I'm working on. Recently I've come to the conclusion that the biggest issue facing MMA is the fact that rather than sanctioning bodies, we deal with individual leagues that fighters are contracted to. I'll be going into detail on why this isn't such a good idea, and why the continual separation of talent will ultimately lead to the end of these organizations. It will be a while before this one is done, but keep an eye out for it.
First things first. A big thumbs up to Mark Hunt for finally getting it together and throwing out a big W. I've always liked Hunt. Granite chin, granite hands, and has always seemed like a cool guy in interviews. Here's hoping he can throw together another solid win and finally move back up to PPV status. Hunt vs Carwin? I'd buy it.
Fitch.
Well, I'd figuratively buy it. I will not directly pay money to watch a UFC event. You'll find me at my favorite local sports bar and grill downing a dozen wings on fight night and tipping my server generously but what you will not see is me flipping over to whatever PPV channel is showing the fights and hitting the button to buy. The simple fact of the matter is that the UFC doesn't deliver value for money. Overhype and underdeliver seems to be the habit as of late. Most of the issue stems from the complete lack of restarts. For reasons unknown, the UFC has always allowed such groundbreaking tactics as the Wall 'n Stall and Lay 'n Pray to continue unabated. They're more than content to let the cage be the determining factor in a fight.
Jon Fitch has made his entire career on doing absolutely nothing but pinning a guy up against the cage and making it look like he's doing damage when in reality he isn't. Fitch just doesn't generate the kind of power necessary. When you think of the all time great ground and pound artists, who comes to mind? Fedor? Don Frye? Marks Kerr and Coleman? Probably those and a few others. What name doesn't come to mind? Jon Fitch. You know why? Because he doesn't ground and pound. Unfortunately for those of us that have to sit through his drivel, he also does not lay and pray. "But Michael, isn't he given as the poster child for that tactic?" Yes, but it's incorrect. If you want to see a true lay and pray, have a look at Satoshi Ishii's fight against Ikuhisa Minowa. Ishii attempted about zero submissions, and not many more strikes. Contrast that with Fitch, who at least attempts to stay busy.
Were the UFC to actually enforce restarts in the middle once the fighters reached the cage, the whole sport would change overnight. For one, Fitch would immediately start losing. Without that wall there to act as a third arm his opponents could actually do amazing and unheard of things like attempt sweeps and escapes. Submissions would flow freely. Dogs and cats would live together in harmony. AIDS would be cured, as would gout. All food would taste better and be healthy at the same time. This and more would happen if the UFC would take a stand. NO, we won't let you make our product boring. NO, we will not let you sit there in someone's guard and act like you're a fighter when the only thing you have going for you is an admittedly strong top control game. NO, we won't let you stand against someone in a failed attempt at a single leg for five minutes.
All you have to do, UFC, is enforce restarts once the fighters reach the cage on the ground and break the fighters up more quickly when they're doing nothing but pinning each other against walls. This isn't difficult. It's allowed in the rules. Enforce them.
Bisping.
I've never liked Bisping. He sounds dumber than a post and ruder than a funeral fart, and every action backs up this feeling. At UFC 127 he hit a low even I thought he wasn't capable of when he clearly, with more than enough time to stop himself if it was an accident, kneed Jorge Rivera in the face while Rivera was on both knees.
Before I go further, I feel I must make a statement. The greatest travesty of the Unified Rules that US MMA organizations have mostly adopted is that knees and kicks to the head of a downed opponent are not allowed. It's an absolutely ridiculous rule that I feel does more harm to the sport than good.
That said, it is still a sport. It isn't a street fight. There are rules and regulations that you must abide by whenever you step into the cage or ring. You agreed to these terms and conditions of your own free will, with full knowledge of their meaning and results. While Bisping's knee to the face would have made a great highlight reel KO in Pride (and it was a KO, more on that momentarily), this isn't Pride. This is the UFC, under Unified Rules. If you're going to start blatantly ignoring the rules that you agreed to, you have no business fighting. If you're capable of grabbing someone's head in a clinch, kneeing them in the face while they're down, then acting like a child towards the other fighter's corner you have absolutely no business in this sport because you have absolutely no respect for the safety or well-being of the people you are competing against. It is on the individual fighter to protect themselves at all times, but if they have no sporting reason to protect against an attack why should they waste the processing power doing so? Attacking another fighter with illegal moves is cowardly and unsporting.
I'll put it simply. If Dana White had a ball in his pants he would immediately suspend Bisping the same way he suspended Paul Daley. He purposefully and with malice aforethought broke the rules. He did so out of anger and spite, further backed up by his actions towards Rivera's corner. But he won't be suspended. He probably won't even get a slap on the wrist. Why not? Easy. White knows a cash cow when he sees it, and Bisping's pretty much the only reason anyone in England watches the UFC right now. Putting money over fighter safety is despicable, but that's what you get when you mix business and sports the way it's allowed to be mixed in MMA. That's a whole other article though. A very long one, which will see the light of day soon.
Rivera.
Jorge Rivera's performance showed me several things that were severely lacking on that card. Class, and the heart of a fighter. Strange that he did so when he honestly should not have been allowed to do either.
Bisping's knee knocked Rivera out. He was obviously not expecting it, and had little time to defend, and as a result he was kicked flat-out stupid. One of the doctor's body language made it appear as if he was not happy the fight was continuing. It should not have. Near the end of the fight Bisping was pummeling Rivera with some good shots, but Rivera never gave up. It took a full minute of unbridled face punching to put Rivera down. Really, the fight should have been stopped somewhere in the second volley but again UFC refs seem to have a problem with proper enforcement of the rules. A fighter doesn't have to be unconscious on the ground to stop the fight. If someone is not defending themselves properly, that's when the fight ends. Sorry, clasping your hands to your head is not proper defense.
Okay, it is in certain circumstances on the ground, but not when standing. That's an indication you don't want this to continue but you're too damn tough to fall over. Rivera hit that point, but was allowed to get pummeled for another minute or so. It was ridiculous. While it doesn't rank up there with Santiago/Misaki for gutsy performances it does deserve at least a mention, which it hasn't received at all. The fact that someone can get knocked out, stand back up, continue fighting and then take a beating that would knock most guys down three or four times goes overlooked because some glass jawed Brit acts like a tool is sickening. Rivera isn't a great fighter by any stretch, but he has heart. Gotta give him some respect for that.
End.
I'll finish out by teasing something else I'm working on. Recently I've come to the conclusion that the biggest issue facing MMA is the fact that rather than sanctioning bodies, we deal with individual leagues that fighters are contracted to. I'll be going into detail on why this isn't such a good idea, and why the continual separation of talent will ultimately lead to the end of these organizations. It will be a while before this one is done, but keep an eye out for it.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Hype vs Reality Part 1: Jon Jones
This is the first part in an ongoing series taking a look at individual fighters based on their actual strengths and weaknesses rather than on whatever hype they may have surrounding them. This is still opinion, but it's opinion based on a decade of MMA fandom and unaffected by Marketing Machines of Doom. I'm calling this as I see it.
Jone Jones: The Next Fedor or the next Crystal Pepsi?
I liked Crystal Pepsi. It had a lot going for it. An interesting, undefinable taste that was unique amongst sodas, while being caffeine free and having slightly less calories than conventional cola drinks. What it also had was a gigantic marketing campaign that built it up to be far more than what it was, which was a clear cola. A clear caffeine free soda. That's what it was. Nothing more. Nothing less. If it had received the same kind of basic product introduction most new drinks do I could be sitting here sipping some fizzy goodness. As it is, the quick explosion of sales puttered into non-existence due to the hype backlash. Build something up too much and it's only going to hurt you in the long run. Let it have a slow burn and over time you'll find yourself more profitable.
What does this have to do with Jon Jones? Everything, really. Jones isn't quite getting the insane levels of hype that Brock Lesnar received (thank the MMA gods), but he is getting a strong push from the UFC Marketing Machine of Doom. They'll have you believe he's the next great fighter, the detractors say he's nothing but lucky. What's the truth?
The truth hurts, so bring Tylenol.
Even at this young age, with as relatively little experience as he has overall, Jones knows how to use his size very well and knows what odd things his frame is capable of. His 84" reach is longer than 6'11" four-time K1 GP champion Semmy Schilt's reach. With his elbows he probably has as much range on the ground as the average fighter does with his entire arm, and he puts everything he has behind those elbows. In this respect he reminds me quite a lot of Fedor Emelianenko. Oh yes, I said that. Don't hate me. It's the truth. But it isn't necessarily a good thing.
Jones's biggest problem is his tendency to leave those long limbs unattended. So far he hasn't faced a punishing submission artist but the day he does will be a very quick and sobering lesson. Throwing as hard as he does, he ends up with his hands near his opponents neck quite often. Even with my minimal grappling experience I know that's a complete no-no. His propensity for overcommitting on ground strikes will get him tapped sooner rather than later, but he strikes me as a fighter that learns with great rapidity and won't make that mistake twice.
The greatest strength Jones has is that he simply does not get hit much. His movement is nothing short of astonishing. The speed at which he retreats from punches is staggering, as is the fact that even while retreating his extra-long arms give him enough reach and power to stay on the offensive. At times he's a bit too busy with his footwork and needs to settle down. At other times, he's too complacent. His strength is phenomenal, as are his takedown defense and throws. That move he put on Bonnar, the one that looked like a modified Sumi Gaeshi (I'm certain there's a specific name for it, but I'm only familiar with judo terminology), was ridiculous. Not many people would have the strength and timing to pull it off, especially without a gi, but he managed it.
Overall, cutting through the BS, Jones is probably the best young talent in the sport. He still has a wildness to his style that will inevitably lead to a loss or five, but once the kinks are worked out he has the raw talent to be a top ten competitor for years to come. Before watching all of his fights I could find before writing this I knew nothing about Jones other than the hype that was surrounding him. While most of it is BS, as usual, he does warrant the attention he is receiving and I will definitely watch his future fights with much interest. Hell, he's still not even in his prime as a fighter. Just imagine what he could be like eight years from now.
Hype: The best prospect in MMA.
Reality: Emphasis on prospect.
Conclusion: The raw talent is there, he simply needs to hone it. He will most likely suffer his first real loss at the hands of Shogun. The true test is whatever fight he lands after that, where we'll see if he has what it takes to come back stronger from losses.
Jone Jones: The Next Fedor or the next Crystal Pepsi?
I liked Crystal Pepsi. It had a lot going for it. An interesting, undefinable taste that was unique amongst sodas, while being caffeine free and having slightly less calories than conventional cola drinks. What it also had was a gigantic marketing campaign that built it up to be far more than what it was, which was a clear cola. A clear caffeine free soda. That's what it was. Nothing more. Nothing less. If it had received the same kind of basic product introduction most new drinks do I could be sitting here sipping some fizzy goodness. As it is, the quick explosion of sales puttered into non-existence due to the hype backlash. Build something up too much and it's only going to hurt you in the long run. Let it have a slow burn and over time you'll find yourself more profitable.
What does this have to do with Jon Jones? Everything, really. Jones isn't quite getting the insane levels of hype that Brock Lesnar received (thank the MMA gods), but he is getting a strong push from the UFC Marketing Machine of Doom. They'll have you believe he's the next great fighter, the detractors say he's nothing but lucky. What's the truth?
The truth hurts, so bring Tylenol.
Even at this young age, with as relatively little experience as he has overall, Jones knows how to use his size very well and knows what odd things his frame is capable of. His 84" reach is longer than 6'11" four-time K1 GP champion Semmy Schilt's reach. With his elbows he probably has as much range on the ground as the average fighter does with his entire arm, and he puts everything he has behind those elbows. In this respect he reminds me quite a lot of Fedor Emelianenko. Oh yes, I said that. Don't hate me. It's the truth. But it isn't necessarily a good thing.
Jones's biggest problem is his tendency to leave those long limbs unattended. So far he hasn't faced a punishing submission artist but the day he does will be a very quick and sobering lesson. Throwing as hard as he does, he ends up with his hands near his opponents neck quite often. Even with my minimal grappling experience I know that's a complete no-no. His propensity for overcommitting on ground strikes will get him tapped sooner rather than later, but he strikes me as a fighter that learns with great rapidity and won't make that mistake twice.
The greatest strength Jones has is that he simply does not get hit much. His movement is nothing short of astonishing. The speed at which he retreats from punches is staggering, as is the fact that even while retreating his extra-long arms give him enough reach and power to stay on the offensive. At times he's a bit too busy with his footwork and needs to settle down. At other times, he's too complacent. His strength is phenomenal, as are his takedown defense and throws. That move he put on Bonnar, the one that looked like a modified Sumi Gaeshi (I'm certain there's a specific name for it, but I'm only familiar with judo terminology), was ridiculous. Not many people would have the strength and timing to pull it off, especially without a gi, but he managed it.
Overall, cutting through the BS, Jones is probably the best young talent in the sport. He still has a wildness to his style that will inevitably lead to a loss or five, but once the kinks are worked out he has the raw talent to be a top ten competitor for years to come. Before watching all of his fights I could find before writing this I knew nothing about Jones other than the hype that was surrounding him. While most of it is BS, as usual, he does warrant the attention he is receiving and I will definitely watch his future fights with much interest. Hell, he's still not even in his prime as a fighter. Just imagine what he could be like eight years from now.
Hype: The best prospect in MMA.
Reality: Emphasis on prospect.
Conclusion: The raw talent is there, he simply needs to hone it. He will most likely suffer his first real loss at the hands of Shogun. The true test is whatever fight he lands after that, where we'll see if he has what it takes to come back stronger from losses.
Friday, February 18, 2011
The Future of Fedor... and other stuff.
The question on everyone's mind is what Fedor is going to do next. Hell, even Dana White wants to know so he can continue being a dick to M-1. There are a handful of options going forward, so let's see what makes sense and what's not going to happen.
1. Retirement
After the loss to Bigfoot, Fedor indicated he was ready to step out of the ring permanently. When the time comes I don't see this being a problem for him. He won't have nine comeback fights. He will step away and stay away. Now, however, isn't the time. While I honestly don't believe Fedor has ever enjoyed fighting, I also don't believe he's ready to call it a day. There's too much left for him to do, and I just don't see it happening yet.
2. Continuing at Heavyweight With a New Camp
While Red Devil has a few names with them, what they don't have is another top-tier fighter, or any other world-class athletes. Consider a camp like Golden Glory whose various arms house Alistair Overeem, Semmy Schilt, and Sergei Kharitonov among others. Mike's Gym gives us Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef, and Paul Daley. Red Devil gives us... Fedor. Fedor is the king of Red Devil, beyond a doubt, but I have the feeling he simply outshines everyone around him and doesn't have anyone to really push him. Moving to a new camp would give him a new crew to learn with and from, which would help him refocus on the sport.
3. Continuing at Heavyweight With Red Devil
To me, this is the least desirable option but also the most likely. It's never seemed to me like fighting was anything but a paycheck for Fedor. He shows up, kicks some ass, grabs his check, and goes back to practice for the next sambo championship. Staying with Red Devil would just reinforce this cycle, and he needs to break with everything he's done in the past if he wants to stay on top. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. He's going to continue with Red Devil.
4. Dropping Down to LHW
The ideal option in my opinion, and a path that's been well traveled before. For one, the thought of a Dan Henderson/Fedor Emelianenko matchup is friggin' awesome. For two, he wouldn't be as outsized as he is now. There's a picture out there of all the GP competitors standing next to each other onstage, and Fedor is practically dwarfed by everyone. He's officially listed at 6'0", but it's plain to see he's closer to 5'10". Additionally, his 230 pounds is all of his weight. He doesn't cut. It should be relatively easy for him to lose a few pounds then cut down to 205. At that weight he's facing guys that are closer to his height and natural weight. It's the absolute best option, and I honestly hope this is the way he goes rather than continue fighting guys that outsize him to near Minowaman proportions.
-----
On to other things. The lack of news from Japan has me scared. SRC is basically silent. Dream is constantly looking for new funding, as is K1. The latest is that It's Showtime is claiming some of its fighters have gone unpaid by K1. I don't even know what to think anymore. Basically I've resigned myself to Japanese MMA being over for the time being and moved on to Strikeforce. At this point I think all we can hope for from Japan is intermittent events with much less production value.
Over in the UFC... I'm bored. Seriously bored. Anderson Silva has cleared out his division and should honestly be forced to move up in weight. There are so many excellent fights that could be made at LHW for him, why continue matching him up with inferior competition simply because it's all they have? Same with GSP. Another Jon "Decision Machine" Fitch match? Who cares? Why is he getting this title shot? Because he's a human blanket, is why. Because winning is more important than actually being entertaining in the UFC. Guys that get Fight on the Night one week are cut after their next fight because it's a loss, while moss-growers like Fitch and Gray Maynard stick around.
Speaking of machines, Mark Kerr just popped up on my TV. Smashing Machine. Ground and pound. Wow, he just pounded his own face WITH the ground. Holy crap...
I can't believe it hasn't been talked about much, but Schiavello and Bas... didn't really work as well as I'd hoped. While they're both great personalities, and the best in the business at their respective announce positions, they didn't really mesh that well. Luckily, I know the solution. Get them on a K1 or SRC event, broadcasting live at 3 AM CST, when they're both lightly toasted on some warm sake. Oh yes. That'll fix everything. Jet lag plus alcohol makes for excellent TV.
1. Retirement
After the loss to Bigfoot, Fedor indicated he was ready to step out of the ring permanently. When the time comes I don't see this being a problem for him. He won't have nine comeback fights. He will step away and stay away. Now, however, isn't the time. While I honestly don't believe Fedor has ever enjoyed fighting, I also don't believe he's ready to call it a day. There's too much left for him to do, and I just don't see it happening yet.
2. Continuing at Heavyweight With a New Camp
While Red Devil has a few names with them, what they don't have is another top-tier fighter, or any other world-class athletes. Consider a camp like Golden Glory whose various arms house Alistair Overeem, Semmy Schilt, and Sergei Kharitonov among others. Mike's Gym gives us Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef, and Paul Daley. Red Devil gives us... Fedor. Fedor is the king of Red Devil, beyond a doubt, but I have the feeling he simply outshines everyone around him and doesn't have anyone to really push him. Moving to a new camp would give him a new crew to learn with and from, which would help him refocus on the sport.
3. Continuing at Heavyweight With Red Devil
To me, this is the least desirable option but also the most likely. It's never seemed to me like fighting was anything but a paycheck for Fedor. He shows up, kicks some ass, grabs his check, and goes back to practice for the next sambo championship. Staying with Red Devil would just reinforce this cycle, and he needs to break with everything he's done in the past if he wants to stay on top. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. He's going to continue with Red Devil.
4. Dropping Down to LHW
The ideal option in my opinion, and a path that's been well traveled before. For one, the thought of a Dan Henderson/Fedor Emelianenko matchup is friggin' awesome. For two, he wouldn't be as outsized as he is now. There's a picture out there of all the GP competitors standing next to each other onstage, and Fedor is practically dwarfed by everyone. He's officially listed at 6'0", but it's plain to see he's closer to 5'10". Additionally, his 230 pounds is all of his weight. He doesn't cut. It should be relatively easy for him to lose a few pounds then cut down to 205. At that weight he's facing guys that are closer to his height and natural weight. It's the absolute best option, and I honestly hope this is the way he goes rather than continue fighting guys that outsize him to near Minowaman proportions.
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On to other things. The lack of news from Japan has me scared. SRC is basically silent. Dream is constantly looking for new funding, as is K1. The latest is that It's Showtime is claiming some of its fighters have gone unpaid by K1. I don't even know what to think anymore. Basically I've resigned myself to Japanese MMA being over for the time being and moved on to Strikeforce. At this point I think all we can hope for from Japan is intermittent events with much less production value.
Over in the UFC... I'm bored. Seriously bored. Anderson Silva has cleared out his division and should honestly be forced to move up in weight. There are so many excellent fights that could be made at LHW for him, why continue matching him up with inferior competition simply because it's all they have? Same with GSP. Another Jon "Decision Machine" Fitch match? Who cares? Why is he getting this title shot? Because he's a human blanket, is why. Because winning is more important than actually being entertaining in the UFC. Guys that get Fight on the Night one week are cut after their next fight because it's a loss, while moss-growers like Fitch and Gray Maynard stick around.
Speaking of machines, Mark Kerr just popped up on my TV. Smashing Machine. Ground and pound. Wow, he just pounded his own face WITH the ground. Holy crap...
I can't believe it hasn't been talked about much, but Schiavello and Bas... didn't really work as well as I'd hoped. While they're both great personalities, and the best in the business at their respective announce positions, they didn't really mesh that well. Luckily, I know the solution. Get them on a K1 or SRC event, broadcasting live at 3 AM CST, when they're both lightly toasted on some warm sake. Oh yes. That'll fix everything. Jet lag plus alcohol makes for excellent TV.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Strikeforce GP
Might as well start this off with a bang. My official Strikeforce GP predictions.
Round 1
Fedor Emelianenko vs Antonio Silva
Bigfoot has a couple of strong wins, but nothing has prepared him for the mauling that awaits. Few fighters adjust their game as well as Fedor does, and you will not see a repeat of the Werdum fight. It won't quite be a Zuluing, but it will approach it. Fedor via TKO.
Fabricio Werdum vs Alistair Overeem
This has been called a stylistic matchup favoring Werdum's strong BJJ skills. It's also been called a stylistic matchup favoring Overeem's strong striking skills. The way I see it the match straight up plays into Overeem's hands. He's probably not skilled enough on the ground to submit Werdum but he sure as hell has the strength and ability to not get himself submitted, get back on his feet, and put Werdum to sleep. Overeem by KO.
Sergei Kharitonov vs Andrei Arlovski
Out of all the first round matches, this one intrigues me the most. Everyone knows Arlovski and his somewhat checkered recent history. Kharitonov seems to be a mystery to most after falling off the map a bit over the past couple of years. 2010 saw him compete three times, twice in the K-1 ring. About the only question I have going into this fight is how much time Kharitonov has had to prepare. He is, as far as I know, still an active duty soldier in the Russian Airborne, and I can't imagine that leaving much time to commit to training. That said, I'm still picking him over Arlovski. The Pitbull's looked more like a Yorkie as of late. Kharitonov by submission.
Josh Barnett vs Brett Rogers
Rogers is Icarus. He flew too high too fast and ended up losing to FUCKING WARPATH. Oh, sure, he won it on the cards, but he didn't actually win that fight. Just watch it. It was absolute BS. He lost. Period. Barnett on the other hand is a man that lost his top ten status via inactivity. He's still one of the most dangerous grapplers in the sport. This will not be a very long fight. Barnett via very quick submission.
Round 2
Fedor Emelianenko vs Alistair Overeem
The fight. The one we all want to see. I'm not even going to bother breaking this one down. Nothing I write will match the awesomeness of this fight. I'm going with Fedor by a very hard fought split decision.
Barnett vs Kharitonov
This is a fight that in 2006 would have the entire MMA world crapping their pants in anticipation. That was five years ago. Today... well, it will still be just as good. Kharitonov's one deficiency is that he doesn't have a proficiency. He has decent standup, decent ground skills, decent takedowns and submissions. He's not excellent at any one thing. Barnett, on the other hand, is a submission artist. He might not be Mario Sperry but his submission skill is beyond Kharitonov's submission defense. Barnett via sub.
Finals
Fedor Emelianenko vs Josh Barnett
This is a fight that back in 2008 would have the entire MMA world crapping their pants in anticipation. Actually... it DID. But Barnett got in a little roid trouble as he is wont to do from time to time and that fell through. Now it's finally happening. It won't be an easy fight. These two are equally matched on the ground, with Fedor having a slight advantage on the feet simply due to his complete unpredictability with his strikes. I'm a huge fan of both men so it's tough to decide... but it's a no-brainer. Fedor via another hard fought decision.
That's the way I see it panning out. The only fight I'm really wavering on is Arlovski/Kharitonov. That might end up being the best fight out of the lot. All I know is that at the end of the day we're all winners.
Round 1
Fedor Emelianenko vs Antonio Silva
Bigfoot has a couple of strong wins, but nothing has prepared him for the mauling that awaits. Few fighters adjust their game as well as Fedor does, and you will not see a repeat of the Werdum fight. It won't quite be a Zuluing, but it will approach it. Fedor via TKO.
Fabricio Werdum vs Alistair Overeem
This has been called a stylistic matchup favoring Werdum's strong BJJ skills. It's also been called a stylistic matchup favoring Overeem's strong striking skills. The way I see it the match straight up plays into Overeem's hands. He's probably not skilled enough on the ground to submit Werdum but he sure as hell has the strength and ability to not get himself submitted, get back on his feet, and put Werdum to sleep. Overeem by KO.
Sergei Kharitonov vs Andrei Arlovski
Out of all the first round matches, this one intrigues me the most. Everyone knows Arlovski and his somewhat checkered recent history. Kharitonov seems to be a mystery to most after falling off the map a bit over the past couple of years. 2010 saw him compete three times, twice in the K-1 ring. About the only question I have going into this fight is how much time Kharitonov has had to prepare. He is, as far as I know, still an active duty soldier in the Russian Airborne, and I can't imagine that leaving much time to commit to training. That said, I'm still picking him over Arlovski. The Pitbull's looked more like a Yorkie as of late. Kharitonov by submission.
Josh Barnett vs Brett Rogers
Rogers is Icarus. He flew too high too fast and ended up losing to FUCKING WARPATH. Oh, sure, he won it on the cards, but he didn't actually win that fight. Just watch it. It was absolute BS. He lost. Period. Barnett on the other hand is a man that lost his top ten status via inactivity. He's still one of the most dangerous grapplers in the sport. This will not be a very long fight. Barnett via very quick submission.
Round 2
Fedor Emelianenko vs Alistair Overeem
The fight. The one we all want to see. I'm not even going to bother breaking this one down. Nothing I write will match the awesomeness of this fight. I'm going with Fedor by a very hard fought split decision.
Barnett vs Kharitonov
This is a fight that in 2006 would have the entire MMA world crapping their pants in anticipation. That was five years ago. Today... well, it will still be just as good. Kharitonov's one deficiency is that he doesn't have a proficiency. He has decent standup, decent ground skills, decent takedowns and submissions. He's not excellent at any one thing. Barnett, on the other hand, is a submission artist. He might not be Mario Sperry but his submission skill is beyond Kharitonov's submission defense. Barnett via sub.
Finals
Fedor Emelianenko vs Josh Barnett
This is a fight that back in 2008 would have the entire MMA world crapping their pants in anticipation. Actually... it DID. But Barnett got in a little roid trouble as he is wont to do from time to time and that fell through. Now it's finally happening. It won't be an easy fight. These two are equally matched on the ground, with Fedor having a slight advantage on the feet simply due to his complete unpredictability with his strikes. I'm a huge fan of both men so it's tough to decide... but it's a no-brainer. Fedor via another hard fought decision.
That's the way I see it panning out. The only fight I'm really wavering on is Arlovski/Kharitonov. That might end up being the best fight out of the lot. All I know is that at the end of the day we're all winners.
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