Anything MMA, except thumb wrestling

[Chachie]

Poor Rampage.

What? I think the ring rust got to Rampage the first time.

I was commenting more about the fact that he so wants to put Rashad behind him. The pwn3ge on the TUF, the loss, then all the interviews where he's asked about Evans. He's tortured by Rashad Evans. As far as a Rampage-Evans II goes, I have to wonder if it would be any different. Greg jackson's camp prepared Evans well for the first fight. Now that they know him, they'll be even better.

[StillUnknown]

JDS, Shogun, & Aldo training during TUF

[Sebowski]

$5 every Saturday night with a group of friends is chump change. Give me fights, as many as possible.

Last PPV I could only get two people over. Mostly because my schedule makes me have to tape the fights and get people willing to wait to watch after I get of work. And when Bellator and TUF are both in season there are already fights every weekend. Still, wasn't really my point. When I said "price" I was refering to pandering to the lowest common denominator, not $$$.

Way to reference a kids' theme park. I'm sure Dana wouldn't mind more huge sponsorships, or more network deals. It's a tough guy sport, and yes Dana is brash, but he isn't going to slam the door on big companies on the fence about MMA in honor of some toughness code.

It's not about a "toughness code". It is about presenting the product as what it is, and not compromising. Dana has turned down a lot of TV deals because he wants to make sure the UFC has control over the product. He won't let Showtime, HBO, CBS, ect., tell him how to do anything. The sport will get to be the biggest sport in the world one day. I'm with Dana on that. It is just going to take a lot of time. And that's fine.

Is that seriously the best part about MMA getting big?

No. That was tongue in cheek. Thought it made a good little circle to illustrate a point. MMA Live was awesome online, not so much on TV.

Inside MMA on HDNet is a hell of a lot better than MMA Live on ESPN. Much more informative and company neutral. Also HDNet as a whole is probably the best network for MMA right now period. They cover just about every MMA company from as big as UFC to as small as "EXTREME FIGHTS in Nowhereville, Nowhere"

They also offer a lot more analysis on the fights and fighters, rather then just making everything into a "hype" show.

Also, HDNet shows so many kickass MMA shows, you really get a good perspective of the sport as a whole, on every level of the sport.

Sadly, I don't get HDNet. I have seen the show though. Used to seek it out. It has pretty bad production value though. Can't put my finger on exactly what it is, but I think the old online versions of MMA Live were much better. Yeah, they are kind of UFC-Centric, but that's what the sport is right now. I would watch much less NFL Total Access if they showed higlights of High School games for half the show.

Also, no one has an issue with MMA getting bigger, but when you listen to Dana White speak on the sport, he really comes off as a guy who would be content with UFC growing and everything else staying a regional bush league promotion.

I remember back in the day he had good things to say about Scot Coker, until he signed Fedor, and then it was all the usual bad-mouthing s-talking he is known for.

I am not anti-Dana either. Most of the time I think the guy is genuine and pretty cool, but I can't stand the guy when he is asked about anything non-UFC, because he is pretty abrasive and ridiculous and you pretty much know he is just being full of *****.

First, you are absolutely a Dana hater. That is as obvious as it is that Patrick is stalking Alistar Overeem and might kill him and wear his skin as pajamas.

Second, the guy is running a business. A business he got out of the gutter and on almost every TV in the world. Ask the CEO of McDonalds how he feels about Five Guys Burgers and see what he says. Dana has every right to go after his competition. I take a lot of what he says with a grain of slat, but I also believe he is being very sincere even when he contradicts himself. Lots of people are sincere hypocrites. I bet we all have friends that are like that. If you don't maybe that guys is you.. When you are being filmed and interviewed as often as Dana is those things are going to happen. You can call him out for calling Fedor overrated, but you have to give him credit when a guy thrown out of the UFC taps him out. Part of that is the beauty of the sport, and hindsight says Dana understood that and knows that's why it wasn't worth paying Fedor as much as he was asking for to get him in the octagon. No one is THAT good in this sport. If they would have given Fedor everything the contract structure for every fighter would have changed.

----
Great news about the 5 round fights. Wasn't that long ago that Dana just dismissed the idea. Maybe he'll finally come around on fighting in a ring instead of a cage! :ducksforcover:

[NoCalMike]

Dana on Fedor is one little sliver in the grand puzzle though. Forget what he says about Fedor. I expect him to call fighters not working for him lesser quality. It is his hypocrisy. He said the same thing about Mark Coleman after Fedor beat him up, which he was actually right about, that Coleman was an over-the-hill has been....only problem? Five years later he is main eventing a UFC PPV. And I am sure the co-promotion was much more of a sticking point with the Fedor negotiations than the raw money.

I am not a Dana hater. I am not sure how much more I can make it clear. He has done a lot of good for the sport. He is an ambassador for UFC, I just don't know much how he cares about the sport outside of the the specific UFC brand, that is all. I have no issue with UFC being the biggest and best MMA promotion forever, that's fine, and anytime they put on good fight cards I will be there watching, however in the competitive sports world you need other promotions that are at least capable of putting on intriguing fights as well. I don't see how it does the sport justice to degrade and call other fighters from other promotions bums. Act like a professional for gawd sakes. It's all part of the game I suppose, and like I said, I like what Dana has to say 90% of the time, I just usually put my sarcasm hat on once he is asked about anything non-UFC related.

In general promoters usually end up coming off pretty sleazy in certain business practices. If Boxing is any indication of where MMA will be once it grows to be bigger where there are 20 champions in every weight division, etc etc.

[StillUnknown]

http://mmaweekly.com/matt-hamill-now...son-at-ufc-130

The times they are a-changing.

Bob Dylan said it in a song, and now it stands true for the MMA matchmaking business as well. Just days after reports surfaced that Thiago Silva was set to be pulled from his bout against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and former champion Rashad Evans was slated to take the spot, the fight has changed again.

MMAWeekly.com has confirmed with sources close to the negotiations that former “Ultimate Fighter” competitor Matt Hamill has been contacted and agreed to face Jackson at the UFC 130 card in May.

British site MMABay was the first to mention the possibility of the fight, and MMAWeekly.com has confirmed with sources close to the bout that Hamill has been agreed to face Jackson, and at this point at least verbal agreements are in order.

Originally, Rashad Evans was poised to take the fight against Jackson in May, but it appears the UFC changed their mind about the match-up and opted to go another direction. Sources close to Evans have indicated that he is indeed out of the running for the fight against Jackson.

Speculation about Hamill’s involvement started on Thursday when a scheduled fight between he and Phil Davis was yanked from the UFC’s website for the UFC 129 fight card in Toronto. Davis and Hamill were a featured bout on the card, but it mysteriously disappeared.

Now it appears everyone knows why.

For his part, Thiago Silva has stated on numerous sites that he has received no indication that he is out of the bout against Jackson for May 28, but with a pending drug test result still coming back from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, it appears the UFC may not want to take any chances in waiting.

[Chachie]

http://mmaweekly.com/matt-hamill-now...son-at-ufc-130

It's actually an interesting matchup. I expect Page to beat him but it will be interesting to see if he can take Hamill's heavy hands.

[Sebowski]

I'd rather see Thiago-Rampage than a Rashad rematch, and I'd rather see Hammil-Davis than Rampage-Hammil

[lovetoaster]

I'd rather see Thiago-Rampage than a Rashad rematch, and I'd rather see Hammil-Davis than Rampage-Hammil

This is my only problem. I wonder who is going to face Davis now.

[Patrick86L]

---------- Post added February-11th-2011 at 07:00 PM ----------

[Sebowski]

Not too late to get your Strikeforce tourny picks in!
These are the picks I have:
StillUnknown
Chachie
#98QBKiller
Dr. Do Itch Big
Patrick86L
ceviker
ZoEd

And someone has mine. Can't remember who. I'll post them a couple hrs before the event.

lovetoaster? NoCal? Herrmag? Keastman? Get your picks in!

[Patrick86L]

Strikeforce Fedor vs Silva undercard will be aired on HDNet tonight 8pm ET with commentary from Schiavello and Bas if anyone has it.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Leno picks:

Fedor...too fast and experienced. Always trying to finish. Silva, very talented, but more towards one of those bigass plodding types. Not Hong Man Choi, well besides his head, but still someone I can see Fedor utilizing his ridiculous agility against. Fedor lands a bomb, underhooks, tosses, subs. Vintage. Round 2. In Soviet Russia, armbars Fedor you.

Kharatonov. Expecting to see a finish from either fighter here, and can't bet against Arlovski's knack for getting caught. KO, round 1.

[Chachie]

As I already sent to Bowsk...

Fedor (T)KO Silva, round 2.

Kharitonov UD Arlovski.


I want to throw Andrei a win pick here because I keep thinking about how good he looked against Fedor before he got clobbered. I think he was too defensive against Silva and screwed himself out of a a win he could have bagged if he'd had the confidence. However, It's just hard to go with the Pitbull these days. I actually hope he takes this one in grand fashion.

[StillUnknown]

edit: changed my picks to reflect what i sent Sebowski


Fedor by (T)KO: Silva is big, but I don't think he's fast enough to keep up with Fedor

Arlovski by Unanimous decision: i don't know why i picked him, but i did

[Patrick86L]

I have Fedor by TKO and Arlovski by decision as well. Sergei looks a lot slower now and if Andrei plays it smart circling away from the power he can take the decision.

---------- Post added February-12th-2011 at 08:05 PM ----------