MMA News and Discussion Thread

[Gazz]

Anyone can knock anyone out if you hit them right, it isn't a question of 'knock out power', the only exception to this rule is Chris Leben, who could be hit in the face with a crowbar and still swing back.

[Rich]

Anyone can knock anyone out if you hit them right, it isn't a question of 'knock out power', the only exception to this rule is Chris Leben, who could be hit in the face with a crowbar and still swing back.

Unless that crowbar is named "Anderson Silva"

[Powerhart]

Anyone can knock anyone out if you hit them right, it isn't a question of 'knock out power', the only exception to this rule is Chris Leben, who could be hit in the face with a crowbar and still swing back.

Unless that crowbar is named "Anderson Silva"

Or Brian Stann's knee.

[Gazz]

Anyone can knock anyone out if you hit them right, it isn't a question of 'knock out power', the only exception to this rule is Chris Leben, who could be hit in the face with a crowbar and still swing back.

Unless that crowbar is named "Anderson Silva"

Or Brian Stann's knee.

Yeah, but Stann had to KO him on his feet 14 times beforehand.

[Ananas]

Anyone watching MFC 28 right now? Curtis Demarce and Richie Whitson are in an absolute fucking war.

[Fitzy]

I liked the Whitson/Demarce and Denny/Westcott fights. And that eye of Lewis in the main event looked nasty.

[Gene Kiniski]

Over the last couple of weeks I had the opportunity to exchange a series of questions with Jason High for an interview:

http://fraymous.com/?p=579

Check it out. It's pretty short and to the point, mostly random tongue-in-cheek style but a few things of substance tossed in.

[Mysterio2000X]

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/3/1/2023733/bellator-35-fight-card-mtv2-debut

Just wish MTV2 provided an HD outlet, but the card itself looks great. Plenty of very intriguing prospects, as is always the case with Bellator. Can't wait to see how Hieron and Wallhead do, but I'm looking forwards to every single one of those matches.

[The Red Reuben]

Gutted that our local boy Demarce lost.

[Mysterio2000X]

Strikeforce Confirms No Heavyweight Tournament Fights on April 9th

by Kid Nate on Mar 1, 2011 6:09 PM PST in Strikeforce News

Scott Coker today confirmed earlier reports from Sherdog that the second installment of the Heavyweight Grand Prix will not take place on April 9th. For weeks MMA sites have speculated wildly about what is going on with that event. There had been talk of holding it in Japan, returning to California, cancelling it. Now it's much more clear.

The April 9th event will NOT feature Alistair Overeem vs Fabricio Werdum or Josh Barnett vs Brett Rogers. Those fights will instead be held on June 18th at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

Josh Gross has more:

"We just ran out of time," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said Tuesday, referring to the second leg of its Heavyeight Tournament quarterfinal round. "I didn't find a venue that we thought would work for everybody, so we decided to move it."

...

"We're in a situation now where we have a good three-and-a-half to four months to promote the fight and do a great job of having a shot of driving the rating and driving attendance," Coker said.

...

The date change, which was first reported as a possibility by Sherdog.com on Feb. 21, pushes the tournament semifinals back to mid-September, with the finals penciled in for early December, Coker said.

"I would like to conclude it by the end of the year," said Coker, who was in the hospital after falling ill last week. "... I feel bad for the fighters but as a promoter I'm happy we have more time. I think with those heavyweights and the proper amount of time, we're really going to have our best shot of recreating the success we had in New Jersey."

The card as it stands right now:

MMA Junkie adds:

Coker stated the April 9 event instead features two title fights: welterweight champ Nick Diaz (24-7 MMA, 5-0 SF) defends his title against Paul Daley (27-9-2 MMA, 2-0 SF), and lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez (18-2 MMA, 8-1 SF) defends his belt against Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2 MMA, 0-0 SF).

...

A venue for the April 9 event has not been determined, a Strikeforce official today told MMAjunkie.com. The promotion is deciding between two separate arenas, though the venues' respective athletic commissions have approved the event.

...

Additionally, a light-heavyweight matchup between former champion Gegard Mousasi and Mike Kyle is expected to take place at the April 9 event. Mousasi informed MMAjunkie.com of the targeted bout this past November.

And:

Josh Gross also tweeted that Japanese star Shinya Aoki will fight an unnamed grappler on April 9th, but that that fight might not be aired on Showtime. Former Elite XC champ K.J. Noons is also a possibility for that card but not likely against Aoki.

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2011/3/1/2024003/strikeforce-confirms-no-heavyweight-tournament-fights-on-april-9th

Pretty bush league from Strikeforce considering April 9th is the date they hyped during the first set of tournament fights. If nothing else, you'd think they'd at least have the first rounders set up in advance. Diaz/Daley, Melendez/Kawajiri, Gegard Mousasi and Shinya Aoki should make for a good show and all, but still.

[bolleje]

Aoki on the untelevised undercard of a Strikeforce event... how deep the mighty have fallen. And how bad is the state of Japanese MMA?! I think the only reason why Aoki would accept such a relatively low-profile fight is because he can't get a fight in Japan. (There are still no scheduled shows in either Sengoku or DREAM). Anybody has an update about the state of those two? I know DREAM is near-dead but I thought at least Sengoku was doing ok...

[Rich]

Sengoku have apparently lost their financial backer and have started to shed some major talent to other promotions (Santiago (the middleweight champ) and Herman to UFC and I believe Sandro to Bellator), DREAM and K-1's parent company FEG are very much in the red and have not set a date for the next DREAM event though there are rumours of an April event but whether that goes to pot with theoretically Aoki, Kawajiri and Mousasi on the Strikeforce card, etc... there are rumours that former PRIDE executive Sakukabara who was heavily involved with the Yakuza, which ultimately lead to PRIDE losing its TV deal and therefore going down the pan, is having a go at getting involved in MMA again, and the other promotions are very regional, but still very entertaining in DEEP, Shooto, Pancrase, Cage Force and ZST (said 'zest'), they are producing great fighters, but none that are world class, currently.

In a nutshell the more visible companies look screwed but JMMA looks ok at a grass roots level, if there is money and interest there, we could still see a resurgent market in a few years, but realistic cost & price structures and goals have to be maintained.

[Guest mr. potato head]

I think the problems are too deep-rooted for Japanese MMA to ever be as big as it was when PRIDE was in its prime. Much like with Americans and anything, the Japanese quickly lost interest as soon as the best in the world (Japanese or foreigners) started going somewhere else.

[Rich]

I think the problems are too deep-rooted for Japanese MMA to ever be as big as it was when PRIDE was in its prime. Much like with Americans and anything, the Japanese quickly lost interest as soon as the best in the world (Japanese or foreigners) started going somewhere else.

MPH is dead on as well, by a resurgence I meant there will be larger organisations but there will never be another PRIDE, or at least it is highly unlikely.

[Gene Kiniski]

And, as cliche as it is, I'm going to beat the dead horse and bring up the level of corruption within the Japanese sports market that will always hinder organizations to a degree. It's a shame because the naturally showboating culture makes for greatly entertaining events.

Edited March 2, 2011 by Gene Kiniski

[Guest mr. potato head]

I think the problems are too deep-rooted for Japanese MMA to ever be as big as it was when PRIDE was in its prime. Much like with Americans and anything, the Japanese quickly lost interest as soon as the best in the world (Japanese or foreigners) started going somewhere else.

MPH is dead on as well, by a resurgence I meant there will be larger organisations but there will never be another PRIDE, or at least it is highly unlikely.

Yeah fair enough. I think it would take a couple homegrown stars (most likely well known pro wrestlers making the switch) for a DEEP or whomever to catch on with the public, but it's certainly possible that a company could get back to the level Sengoku was at, anyhow.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Tim Kennedy's such a great babyface talker.

[Mysterio2000X]

So, there's still some dynamite in that right of Hendo's.

Wonder if he'll be the first Strikeforce champ to actually defend the belt now. Who could he possibly face, though - Mousasi? Is there anybody else out there?

[Guest mr. potato head]

I'd expect him to get the winner of Mousasi/Kyle. Not that title shots are earned based on merit that often in Strikeforce.

Also, Wallhead and Hornbuckle

[Rich]

I am quite happy Hornbuckle didn't win, adds some variety and I was getting sick of Bellator becoming "The Handler TV show" the guy is talented and everything, but he bores me. Bellator really failed to deliver last night, the fights were not that exciting and nobody came out of the event looking a lot better than when they walked in, unlike in previous seasons where their 170 division really was the go to division for Bellator, I do not think any of these guys could face Askren and win, even Heron. However next weeks 155 line up looks exciting so I do not want to complain too much.

Strikeforce however put on a good night of fights, we see fan favourite Hendo get a great win, and exciting women's title fight, a solid return to form for Kennedy and I am hoping a resurgent Masvidal, the April card looks to have really taken shape as well.