Hey Fedor, Thanks but no Thanks

Fedor Emilanenko is regarded as the greatest fighter of all time. Really? I definitely put him up there as one of the best but is recent memory there has been more hoopla about his company getting involved in the promotion of a fight than him actually fighting. Everyday I loose a little more respect for the fighters of Pride, not because they are not good fighters but that was just a steroid freak show to me. Look at any picture of Vanderlai Silva then and look at him now. He literally looked like a body builder. Of course we all know that steroids are not just for making you big. What with Soccer players supposedly being the #1 users of steroids worldwide I don't know of any of them that look like body builders. With that said I think Pride was all about steroids. So looking at Fedor as the best of those fighters does not say much in MY BOOK, about Pride fighters. Clearly those fights were arguably the best fights MMA fans have been privy to. But after the end of Pride and everyone scattered, mostly to the UFC, there was a lot of ground to make up financially, physically and emotionally. Why did Fedor not fight for the UFC? He really didn't have anything to prove having won the 2004 Pride Grand Prix, he's the 4 time winner of the World Combat Sambo Championship and won a medal in Russia's National Judo Championships the guy is simply no joke.

Why did Fedor go to fight in BODOG? The competition or the money?

Why did Fedor go to fight in Affliction? The competition or the money?

Why did Fedor go to fight in Strikeforce? The competition or the money?

From 2007 when he fought Matt Linland until 2009 when he fought Brett Rogers Fedor fought for approximately 15 minutes. Along the way he defeated Matt Linland, Hong Man Choi, Tim Sylvia, Andrei Arlovski and Brett Rogers. How can you stay in even remotely close to good shape mentally fighting these guys? I don't think this is entirely his fault I can easily blame his management for this, primarily Vadim Finkelstein. It has to be obvious that the UFC was offering millions and he did not take it, maybe like most people knowledgeable with the sport he hates the UFC too for their business tactics and the way they play monopoly BUT at that point there were many more exciting fights available to him there than BODOG.

I have to be honest. I have been losing my admiration for him with every ridiculous decision he has made to stay out of the UFC. But when I became someone that will now root against him in a fight is when after getting his ass handed to him by Silva in the Strikforce Heavyweight Grand Prix he immediately retired. I don't know about you but if I get my ass handed to me I want to fight again. And it’s the first time he's lost like that and he just says that's it I quit. Well he is 34 years old but then again he has not been hurt badly, don't think he's had any major injuries and he may end up as one of those old timers that always gets fights in the UFC even after they continually lose.

Hey Fedor, thanks but no thanks-

SS

Been A While

It has been a while since I've been excited about a fighter. My all time favorites are Sakuraba and Shogun. I have been amazed not only by their ability but by their thinking process, the way they think out a fight is amazing. Watching Sak cartwheel in the ring was spine tingling the first time I saw him do it. Shogun's wars with Overeem were legendary. Who has been this exciting in recent years? Not really anyone. Then last Saturday night I watched Jon Bones Jones become the youngest Champ in UFC history. I remember saying after the fight on Saturday night- "it looks like the belt might stay in his hands for a while." Clearly the biggest obstacle for him is his next fight against Rashad Evans only for the simple fact that they have trained together AND I think that is the only reason Rashad has a chance. Rashad knows his thinking process. What he may resort to if hurt and that has to be Rashad's most important attribute coming into a fight with Jones.

I was very impressed with Jon's response to Boxer James Toney's threat to punch Jones in the face if he saw him, Jones simply responded something to the likes, "Wouldn't that be assault and battery?" How can Toney respond to that? He tried to lure Jones into some kind of verbal battle so as to possible get another fight. Toney lost to Randy Couture quickly and convincingly, there is no way Toney had a shot with Jones. But then again there are not too many people left that do have a chance against him.

Did Shogun really ever have a chance against Jones? Yes, maybe 5 years ago. I love Shogun but I knew he did not have a chance. I told my wife the night of the fight what was gong to happen and it happened almost exactly like I told her but what was most shocking of the fight was the "disrespect" Jones showed Shogun by slamming front kicks to Shoguns decimated knees. I put it like this: If this was a car race Jones is a Ferrari and Shogun is that same Ferrari only it is 6 years older and has 300,000 miles on it.

I know I am jumping the gun here and there are a bunch of fights before this happens but the only person that has a chance to beat Jones is Anderson Silva. But I feel that Jones is the more intelligent of the two fighters. And, ultimately, I think that is what counts. If you look at the greatest athletes of any sport of all time, they don't really fit the profile to be the best at that sport. Michael Jordon is not the tallest, fastest or strongest basketball player. Muhammad Ali dido, Diego Maradona dido. Looking at the physical attributes is only part of it. You have to look at the thinking process and I think (no pun intended) Jones is the most intelligent fighter around. His ability to not only win fights but to display an unorthodox style makes him the most promising fighter around AND he's the champ.

What other lightheavyweight has a chance to beat him? Well realistically they all do. Anyone can knock someone out. But to beat him say 3 out of 5 fights, NO ONE-

Machida is at the forefront but he can run backwards all day long and try to lure Jones close but he is going to get punched from way across the ring in a way he is not use to. Jones can keep his distance and still reach Machida. Machida's real chance is to get close and punch punch punch. And that will leave him open to blood gushing cuts from Jones' knees.

Rampage, he'll just say something funny like "we gonna have some Black on Black crime" but stylistically what does Rampage bring to the table, nada.

I have a feeling the person that takes the belt from Jones is someone not even on the radar, some guy who's hungry and looking for a chance to step into the UFC. Someone with natural gifts like reach, height, strength...intelligence!

It feels great to have a fellow New Yorker as the Champ, I have a feeling with his charisma and sense of humor he will do well as an ambassador to the sport, specifically towards legalizing the sport to New York State.

Good Luck Champ!!!

UFC 124 - Will GSP Deliver the Bully Beatdown?

I got kicked out of Sherdog's forum back in The Ultimate Fighter 1 days when I ripped Koscheck for laying and praying and not reading all the Sherdog rules on what you could not call a fighter.  So I think you know who I want to win this fight. 

Unless there is an scheme to turn this into a $$$Money$$$ making trilogy I see GSP laying before our eyes, the utter destruction of Josh Koscheck.  I think we're going to be surprised at the GSP that shows up.  I think we're going to see a very violent display of martial arts.  GSP is going to take Kos down and GNP his ass and most likely end it with smashing elbows. He should soften him up with Muay Thai kicks to the outside leg before he goes for the take down. 

I see an anger in GSP I have not seen before, reminds me a little of BJ when he walked out to face steroid or human growth hormone spokesman Matt Hughes. GSP is kind of like most of us, he just can stand Josh Koshcheck man!!! Kos is booed everywhere he goes.  So here is the arguably pound for pound best fighter in the world and he gets a chance to beat up arguably pound for pound the biggest dick in MMA.  This almost feels like a Bully Beatdown Episode.  Koscheck has bullied someone on every TUF season he has been on.  So let the beatdown begin.

Kos, who is 4 years older than GSP, is a master of wrestling and not much else and GSP is at least equl here, if not better. He's gotten good in other areas of the arts, I will give him that. His stand up skills have improved palpably over the years but nothing GSP can't handle. Really all Koscheck has is the "Lucky Punch" that sometimes, surprisingly, wins fights.  To his merit Kosheck has survived in the game a lot longer than most people he started out with.  

Whatever, I just want to see him get his ass handed to him on Saturday night on Pey Per View.  I will be hosting a dinner party and will not be able to get to the fights until after midnight but I will have my fingers crossed for GSP to deliver.

Next interesting fight - Stevenson vs. Danzig

Stevenson gets cut bad, Danzig beats his ass...Decision goes to Stevenson.

Next interesting fight - Alves Vs. Howard

Howard looks like Koscheck before he dyes his hair.  Alves' neck looks like most people's thighs.  I'm going for Alves winning from a beatdown.

Next interesting fight - Miller Vs. Oliveira

Should be a good fight, guys are barely known outside of MMA, most likely need sponsers, need to stay in the UFC, need need need.  So this is the type of hunger that makes a good fight.  My pick for fight of the night.

Next interesting fight - Grant Vs. Almeida

I'm going for Almeida on this one. I'm waiting to see if Almeida can jump levels though. He wins a few then loses, wins a few then loses. C'mon man. 

Brock, Everything That's Wrong With America

I, as I am sure many of you who truly know the sport, have asked myself since February 2, 2008 when Brock lost to Frank Mir via knee bar in 1:30 of round 1 “What the hell is this guy doing here?” I had no idea who he was but he came with such perfectly manipulated media fanfare that it was hard not to know who he was just prior to the fight with Mir.  Perfectly manipulated media manipulated by the UFC.  As big a sport as it is, and it may be the fastest growing sport in the world, there is a relatively minor grasp on the sport worldwide and the UFC wants to be the dominant company in the world so when Freaks of Nature appear on the card I believe it is just the UFC trying to close in on some untapped market.  Fake wrestler dude – oh, the UFC must be going after the fake wrestling fan, Ex pro fighter – oh, the UFC must be going after the boxing market, Ex pro football player – let’s go after the football fan, etc…etc.  The UFC’s main prerogative should be, and seems to be, getting the UFC brand all over the world, not just the USA, why not make as much money as possible.   It is like getting to a new country and seeing that there is oil all over the place but you have to establish all the laws, policies and procedures before you can begin to drill and get the oil out of there.  MMA is oil and the UFC is the biggest oil company in the world.  With Cain as the new heavyweight champ I can see Dana White wearing a sombrero and tweeting from Mexico City. 

Much the way the US manipulates policy to function for its benefit.  The UFC could be doing the same thing.  I did not see Jake Shields winning that fight.  A lot of times when two guys are standing there waiting for the judge’s scores I wonder what decision is the best for the UFC.  I am sure they made a significant investment in Shields.  Pay per views, merchandising, all that crap.  If he goes out there and kills Kampmann he gets a title shot, but he goes out there edges out a decision, looks like crap and now is supposed to fight GSP for the title.  What happens if he goes out there and gets his ass handed to him by Kampmann?  I think we would be wondering who he fights next.  If Kampmann would have let his hands go he could have been the one interviewed by Joe Rogan after the fight.

This overinflated superhero waltzes into the UFC like the best thing since sliced cucumbers and thinks he’s going to own the fans.  Sure there are a bunch of young fans that eat that up, especially fans of WFC (Who Fucking Cares) or whatever.  But to the fan that’s been around and has seen the great fighters of our time Brock represents everything that’s wrong with America.  Bold statement,  I know.  A little exaggerated? Maybe.  But the U.S. waltzes in everywhere it goes like it’s the best thing since sliced cucumbers.  Many people in the U.S. do not even know what the most popular sport in the world is.  Many think it is Baseball, some even think it’s football.  “The shot heard round the world” really?  I’m pretty sure most countries around the world were watching local football matches and not baseball.  “The World Champion Yankees” being from New York I’ve heard that endless amounts of times.   There is an insurmountable difference between World Champions and World Series Champions.  Same with the NBA.  World Champs really?  What country did you beat?  A world championship is an astounding accomplishment that seems belittled by American semantics.  Everybody and their mother is a world champ in boxing.  Every four years a world champion is crowned in football.  Spain winning it in Africa this past summer.  If the New York Red Bulls win the championship can I get a t-shirt that says world champions Red Bulls on it. 

I’m sure many people ate up that dish full of Brock the UFC has been serving us since the pay per view numbers are great for all his fights.  The guy is a Money Making Machine and the UFC owns him and the register dosen’t stop ringing.  Some of the things I am hearing up to this point are ridiculous, “The Greatest heavyweight fight of all time.” 

Ultimatly,  I would be doing the same thing if I were in charge.  I mean the company has to survive.  Markets need to be explored, exploited and exited. 

Watching Brock Lesnar’s face after being beaten into a ref stoppage the first thing that occurred to me was who is Brock fighting next.  I was sure Junior Dos Santos was getting a shot at the newly crowned champion Cain Velazquez.   It’s a day later and I still don’t know who will fight Brock next.  Watching the training footage leading up to his fight with Cain I don’t think I saw Brock wear headgear once.  While the UFC is laughing all the way to the bank, there is a serious issue here.  Brock Lesnar is not ready to fight at the level he is fighting at.  How in the world can he be the best fighter on the planet with 6 pro fights to his name?  I just can’t get over it.  But all things aside Brock is in a very dangerous position.  He is not prepared to handle the mental demands of the sport.  Going into the fetal position is usually the last resort with most fighters but with Brock it seems to be the first.  I am getting a little worried about Brock, he could get very hurt in there.  That cut on his face from Cain was no joke and hopefully a wake up call to the UFC to ensure that talented and experienced fighters get in there with each other. 

Kazushi Sakuraba the Japanese MMA icon came from fake wrestling and he is my favorite MMA fighter of all time so I don’t have anything against fake wrestling dudes who move to MMA.  But I could not wait until Brock was beaten out of the sport.  I think from this point on Brock will slowly be abrogated to a postscript in the annals of MMA lore where Kimbo, Bob Sapp, Conan and all the other super large freaks of nature hold court.

 

 

MIR VS CROCOP and the UFC

I don't know about you but I love MMA and what these athletes go through for, what seems like very little reward, their chosen sport.  However, it seems like there is a UFC event every other week now and with that many events it becomes difficult to see this as anything else but a bunch of dudes cashing in.  In a perfect work there would be an even every two months with four or five out of this world fights, (of course in this perfect world no one would be injured either...or juiced up, Sorry Chael couldn't stop myself but it's a good thing you got a funny name otherwise no one is gonna remember you in a year.)  These days the UFC events are a crapshoot and the funny thing is when I think a fight card is going to suck it rocks but the opposite is often the case.  That's the mindset I'm going into tonight's fight with, that it's gonna suck.  I don't think it's going to be anything other than Mir and Cro Cop coming to the center of the ring and swinging for about a minute until someone gets caught or has a heart attack and then they will get grounded and pounded out.  I want to be so wrong and see a great battle of strength, experience, knowledge, cardio but I have the feeling that it's going to be under three minutes and there will be another $50 from my pocket.  I could join a gym for that much couldn't I?  I understand the UFC is doing what it needs to do to survive (and then some) but ultimately the fans are going to realize the ride is too short, the UFC is raking it in and not really giving us our money's worth.

GIVE ME MORE BELLATOR

I’m a busy guy.  Like most people in this modern world, I have many undertakings that take up a tremendous amount of time.  So when a friend suggested I come over to watch Bellator Fighting Championship I proceeded to emasculate him and then said I’d be over in fifteen minutes knowing full well that I can’t get caught up in another MMA organization or my wife is gonna shit.

Bellator, Latin for warrior, is an MMA organization that runs eight man tournaments in four weight divisions.  As the fighter continues to win he moves forward in the competition and makes more money as he heads toward the final, which will land him a shot at the title.  This seems to me the most logical way to get a champ to fight what would be the #1 contender (and have an idea who the #2, #3 etc. fighters would be), unlike other organizations that give title shots to newcomers like a bartender working a college freshman frat party.  Brock has 5 pro fights to his name and he is the champion of the biggest MMA organization in the world.  I think it is pretty safe to say we will not be seeing any fake wrestling dudes talking shit in the middle of the ring at a Bellator fight.  Or fifty year old retired football greats, for that matter.

As I sat at my friend’s house watching the fights I saw hunger in these fighters eyes.  A hunger I have not seen in a long time, these guys had the eye of the tiger (cheese, I know I know. but they did).  They are fighting almost every three weeks so no elbows are allowed in Bellator, other than that it is your standard MMA rules.  I watched as Jared Hess tried to continue the fight after blowing out his knee and being barely able to stand.  By the way, Jared will be undergoing knee surgery and expects to be back in four to six months.  In regards to his injury, Jared had this to say, “I really didn’t feel it at the time.  I don’t know if it was the adrenaline, but all I could think about was trying to finish that guy.”  Best of luck on your recovery Jared!

Bellator Fighting Championship was originally marketed to the ever growing Hispanic demographic.  Back in 09 Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney, who looks like a polished version of Dana White said, "We believe very strongly that there is amazing opportunity in the sport and business of mixed martial arts in the Hispanic market,"

Mr. Rebney was a fight promoter for Oscar De La Hoya from ‘93-‘97. During those years, he seems to have zoned in on the Hispanic market and what makes it tick.  It seems that Bellator may have outgrown its humble origins as Bellator is now seen on many English speaking channels and the show is now broadcast in English. The reason for the success of Bellator could be its tournament style where the fighters control their destiny.  They don’t have to work hard and watch as someone else come in with more marketability and ends up the champ after 3 fights.  If they lose they lose because the other fighter was better not because of anything else.  Those watching the Little Nog fight at UFC 114 will know what I mean.

Although only in season 2 Bellator has an INSANE highlight video and some of the fights are already classics.  Fights like the semifinal match between Toby Imada and Jorge Masvidal.  Imada was supposed to lose that fight and he was.  His face was a mess when somehow during ground action, Masvidal decides to pick up Imada.  Imada lands a reverse triangle on the standing Masvidal.  It basically looks like Imada is humping the back of Masvidal’s neck.  Masvidal’s eyes can be seen going blank and he then drops to the ground, out.  Check them out on youtube.

Season 2 finals will be held in Louisville, Kentucky on June 24^th where the winners of the tournament will earn the title #1 Contender.  It is so refreshing to watch a tournament.  I have not seen one of those in a long time.  I hope Bellator can stand the test of time…and economics.  It will be interesting to see, as Season 3 has been announced for August 12. 

ZEN IN THE MARTIAL ARTS BY JOE HYAMS

There are times we come across something that moves us so much that the day we discovered it becomes permanently installed in our minds. Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hyams is a book that affected me this way the first time I read it. I was studying martial arts heavily at the time I came across this book. The parables this book contains still move me to this day but the real impact this book had on me is that I realized, even when I was not training in a dojo, I was still following some of the Zen ideologies I found in the pages of Joe Hyams' book.

Joe Hyams was born in Massachusetts on June 6, 1923. While attending Harvard University, he enlisted in the United States Army in 1942. He received a Purple Heart and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Many years later while at The Beverly Hills Hotel looking to interview movie stars he managed to get an interview with Humphrey Bogart. In addition to the interview with Humphrey Bogart, within the week Hyams had interviewed Lauren Bacall, Katharine Hepburn, Frank Sinatra and Spencer Tracy. He was the author (or co-author) of more than two-dozen books, most of which were biographies of the celebrities he covered throughout his career. He even co-authored the Chuck Norris bio The Secret of Inner Strength: My Story.

Throughout Zen in the Martial Arts there are many scenarios with celebrated martial arts masters including the one and only Bruce Lee. One great story he tells about Bruce Lee is their first meeting after Bruce had decided to take him on as a student. Bruce reviewed Joe's technique and told him he would need to learn everything over again. After Hyams' inability to understand what Bruce meant, Bruce went on to tell Hyams a story about a Professor who goes to meet a Zen master to learn about Zen but throughout the conversation the man would not let the Zen master speak and wanted to show that he was very knowledgeable. After a brief conversation the Zen master decides to pour the professor a cup of tea, however when reaching the top of the cup the Zen master continued to pour, spilling tea. After the professor complained the Zen master said, “like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

Sometimes, Hyams states, Bruce would say, when arguments got a little heated, “At least empty your cup and try.”

Many of the Zen views in the book are often interceded with a story on how they relate to real life events. He recalls studying Hapkido with Korean Master Bong Soo Han and learning an important lesson in patience. Having begun his studies in Hapkido late in life, he was fifty, he has set out to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible. When things did not go as smoothly as he had hoped Hyams thought about quitting. Master Han invited him into his office and gave him the following advise: “You will never learn to do any endeavor properly unless you are willing to give yourself time. I think you are accustomed to having things come easy to you, but this is not the way of life or of the martial arts.” Hyams responded that he was a patient man, to which Master Han responded, “We are not talking about patience…to be patient is to have the capacity of calm endurance. To give yourself time to actively work toward a goal without setting a limit on how long you will work.” Hyams goes on to explain how we often set deadlines for ourselves that put our focus on the completion of a project and not the process of completing it.

Zen encompasses so many common moments of our lives that we are constantly living Zen whether we know it or not. There is a section on knowing your limits which I enjoy because again it focuses on his learnings from Bruce. Hyams tells a story of having dim sum with Bruce in a downtown L.A. restaurant after a lesson. Hyams was complaining about being too old and not being able to kick as high as he could when he was younger. Bruce tells him that it was years go and he should focus on working with current limitations. Hyams says it is easy for Bruce to say since he was perfect. Bruce says, “I became a martial artist in spite of my limitations…You may not be aware of it but my right leg is one inch shorter than my left leg. That fact dictated the best stance for me…I wear contact lenses…I had difficulty seeing an opponent when he was not up close…I originally started to study Wing-Chun because it is an ideal technique for close-in fighting.” Bruce stretches the theme to fighting, “Instead of trying to do everything well, do those things perfectly of which you are capable...although most expert Martial Artists have spent years mastering hundreds of techniques and movements, in a bout, or Kumite, a champion may actually use only four or five techniques over and over again. These are techniques which he has perfected and which he knows he can depend on.”

Hyams tells a story about one day late in 1965 just before leaving for Hong Kong to make movies, Bruce stopped by his home to say goodbye. Bruce informed Hyams that he intended on becoming the biggest star in films. “You remember our talk about limitations?” Bruce asked. “Well I am limited by my size and difficulty in English and the fact that I am Chinese and there never has been a big Chinese star in American Films. But I have spent the last three years studying films, and I think the time is ripe for a good martial arts film – and I am the best qualified to star in it.”

This book is filled with great stories of great martial artists and I particularly loved the stories he had to tell of Bruce Lee. Ultimately, this book is an ode to Martial Arts by a true martial artist who realized his fortune at having the ability to study with truly great masters. The guy had dim sum with Bruce Lee in L.A. for crying out loud.

Theoretically a short read, at approximately 130 pages, you could knock it out in an hour or two but the lessons this book contains could take a lifetime to master.

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