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Written by By David Mayeda, PhD
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Friday, 19 September 2008 01:49 |
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Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COMMainstreaming MMA: How to Gain Acceptance among Public Skeptics "People think our sport's more violent than boxing. Wrong! They're weirded out because it goes to the ground. We grew up with John Wayne movies—you don't hit a man when he's down. It's un-American! John Wayne would deck a guy, stand him back up and hit him again. So when Americans first watch UFC—one guy's on top of the other, hitting him when he's down—they say, 'Oh God, he can't defend himself!' It's not like that in Asia, where they've been doing martial arts since the samurai days." – UFC President, Dana White Loving and Hating Violence As Dana White points out in the above quote, Americans simultaneously hold deep a fascination with and disdain for fighting. And frankly, this conflicting perspective is not unique to the United States. Across the globe, cultures struggle to balance a craving for violence while knowing full well that once the violence surpasses a nebulous moral threshold, it becomes tagged one of society’s great evils. Such is often the case with MMA for skeptic viewers and critics, who tend to quickly and unfairly characterize the sport without objectivity or evidence-based criticism. In some cases, the criticism stems from sports journalists (see Bryan Burwell, 4 June 2008, NBC Sports), and in other cases it comes from general news outlets, including those that frequently sensationalize stories and rhetoric (see The O’Reilly Factor, 6 June 2008). Irrespective of the source, the fact that MMA continues to endure a disproportionate level of criticism relative to other sports indicates that it is not nearly as mainstreamed as much of the hardcore MMA fan-base thinks. When I was interviewed by Luke Thomas of BloodyElbow.com earlier this month, he asked me why so much of our populace abhorred MMA but was uncritical of other collision sports (e.g., hockey, football) and sports that have a documented history of abusive coaching practices (e.g., gymnastics). I believe the answer lies in MMA being the closest sport to the complete act of fighting. Think about football, which is without question one of the most physically dangerous sports in the world. Despite the inherent and fairly common physical risks that come with playing football (concussions, torn ACL’s, joint injuries), physical fights are outlawed. It is perfectly legal, even celebrated, when a 190lb wide receiver runs full speed over the middle and is blindsided by a 220lb linebacker, rendering the receiver dazed and possibly injured. Football players, coaches, and fans crave those highlights. However, if two fully padded football players fight, a penalty and possibly ejection’s are immanent. This seems odd given that de-cleating an unprepared player is far more dangerous physically than punching someone in the helmet. Even in hockey, a sport that ritualizes fighting, fights still draw penalties. Uninhibited Fighting is Taboo In other words, fighting is a social taboo, and being taboo, we are concurrently dawn to and repulsed by it. Thus, while sports fans blindly applaud vicious and dangerous collisions in football and hockey, some of those same fans cringe when fights transpire that appear uninhibited. And this is what makes MMA so much different from virtually any other form of fighting (sporting or non-sporting). It appears to be uninhibited. Fights almost never last very long and normally involve some type of intervention. We see fights occur in professional sports competitions aired over and over on ESPN’s SportsCenter. But how many of these fights last more than 10-20 seconds? Not too many. Padding and/or quick intervention minimizes the damage professional athletes sustain when fights break out. Although there are occasional exceptions, when fights transpire in football, hockey, basketball, baseball, and so on, players are rarely even hurt because the fighting is inhibited. Think about bar fights. Again, most don’t last more than a few seconds before friends, random patrons, or security break them up. Most people who get excited about a quick scuffle would not want to see one person in a bar beat down on another repeatedly for a five-minute period, completely uninhibited. That’s when the violence surpasses a moral threshold and becomes taboo. And that is what critics see in MMA – uninhibited fighting. Ostensibly, MMA could very well remind viewers of fighting that occurs not only on the street, but also at schools, or in the home, where violence much more easily transpires without intervention. MMA evokes memories to fledgling viewers of the uninhibited, merciless violence portrayed in movies like Fight Club. Furthermore, fights in these domains involve intent to harm. Conversely, at least within the rule set of most sports, intent to harm is illegal. In MMA, inflicting physical harm (though not injury) is the primary objective. Hence, it crosses many people’s moral threshold. We know behind locker room doors, some football coaches and players advocate injuring opponents, but it is not within the sport’s rule set. In boxing, there is also intent to harm, but would-be critics are more likely to tolerate boxing thinking inaccurately that the gloves protect one’s head (they are actually meant to protect the combatants’ hands). Again, what critics are appalled by is their misperception of uninhibited violence in MMA. Active Education Given MMA critics’ misunderstanding that MMA is uninhibited fighting, it is critical that MMA leadership begin taking steps in “active education,” which means initiating efforts in education. Defendants of MMA are just that, always on the defense. Very few organizations or individual leaders are taking the initiative to dispel myths about MMA and its participants. Back when the IFL was in full swing, Bas Rutten made a public service announcement (PSA) distinguishing MMA as a sporting competition distinctly different from street fighting. Aside from this, nationally-based PSAs in MMA are essentially non-existent. Think about how effective it would be if Gina Carano and Kimbo Slice made the following statements via a pre-recorded PSA during the next EliteXC card on CBS: Carano: Hi, I’m Gina Carano. Slice: And I’m Kimbo Slice. Carano: Every year, about one in every ten women involved in a romantic relationship is physically abused by a male partner. Slice: And in a given year, over five million Americans report being a victim of a violent crime. Carano: We at EliteXC strongly stand against any form of illegal violence, whether it be on the street, school, or in the home. Slice: As many of you may know, I used to engage in backyard street fights. Now I only fight in sanctioned mixed martial arts and train in a responsible gym that doesn’t tolerate any violence outside of our sport. Carano: As mixed martial artists, we know that we compete in a violent sport, but we also know the risks of our sport. And as trained athletes, we’re able to minimize the risks we take while in competition. And none of us want to injure our opponents. Slice: If you want to do what we do, or just get in a good, fun workout, find a responsible mixed martial arts gym and try a beginner’s class. Carano: But never take mixed martial arts into the street, school, or home. Slice: MMA is a sport. Let’s keep it that way. A short PSA like that would not take much time or financial resources. It would do wonders for MMA’s reputation. Ethically it is the right thing to do in terms of sending nonviolent messages to viewers. And finally, it is accurate in that MMA is nowhere near the same thing as street fighting despite much of the public’s perception. Furthermore, there are numerous mixed martial artists out there who believe in such ideals, including very prominent ones. Georges St. Pierre has made statements that denounce street fighting and expressed his desire to use MMA as a medium to help at-risk youth. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Anderson Silva have stated that they hope their MMA Academy in Florida can benefit underprivileged youth. MMA coaches can contribute to these efforts as well (see here). Why can’t the UFC work with these fighters (notably, all of whom are current champions) to produce short PSA’s to be aired on Spike TV and pay-per-view broadcasts so these positive messages don’t fly under the public’s radar? MMA organizations should also be initiating active education on the sporting safety. Rather than continuously responding to the incessant criticisms that taint MMA as the most dangerous sport, why not produce brief educational pieces that clearly explain why grappling and the ability to take down an opponent minimize head trauma? The sight of blood is often noted as “evidence” that MMA is horrifically dangerous. Have a team of respected medical doctors explain that facial lacerations cause virtually no long-term health risks, especially as compared to injuries more common in other accepted sports (e.g., concussions and torn ACL’s in football and women’s basketball/soccer). There is no logical reason for MMA organizations and individual leaders not to carry out such efforts. It certainly would not hurt business. No, not every fighter needs to or should be a spokesperson on these types of issues, but seeing a few athletes and organizations take more initiative would be nice, and when it comes to MMA’s long-term growth, it is necessary. *** David Mayeda, PhD, is lead author of Fighting for Acceptance: Mixed Martial Artists and Violence in American Society, the first political book on mixed martial arts that attempts to reform the sport by increasing violence prevention measures, based on interviews with forty mixed martial artists, including Randy Couture, Dan Henderson, Guy Mezger, Antonio McKee, Chris Leben, "Rampage" Jackson, "Mayhem" Miller, Travis Lutter, and Frank Trigg. Dr. Mayeda has also published numerous academic journal articles on youth violence prevention and discrimination in sports media. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 19 September 2008 01:58 )
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Written by By Danny Acosta
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Friday, 19 September 2008 01:33 |
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Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COMDanny Acosta: How do you feel coming into this fight with Kazuo Misaki? Joe Riggs: Good. I’m just finishing up everything, getting my last two days of sparring in. I feel good, I’m just really excited to get out there. DA: Can you tell fans what its like to be at The Lion’s Den Arizona? JR: It’s nice to have a nice facility at home with my family, but I went to Xtreme Couture for a little while. Jeremy Horn, Joe Doerksen, and Billy Rush came down to help me for a couple of weeks. We just had a nice facility down here. I finished up, doing lots of sparring with Rick Roufus and that’s all I have need to focus on is lots of sparring. DA: Who did you get to work with at Xtreme Couture? JR: S--t man, that place is stacked. Mike Pyle, John Alessio, Jay Hieron, Tyson Griffin, Gray Maynard, Frank Trigg, everybody’s down there. It’s just great. DA: What was the one thing you learned there to bring back to your gym? JR: There were a couple of back escape moves that were really beneficial. I was able to work with Frank Trigg—he gave me a few pointers with Misaki that helped a lot. DA: Misaki is the first ranked guy you’ve fought since Diego Sanchez. Also, you’ve mentioned you want to drop to 170lbs after this fight. Are those factors coming into this fight? JR: I’m keeping my weight close to 185, keeping it there This is the first ranked guy I fought in about a year and a half, two years and I’m glad because I’ve never really fought, you know, too many turds since I’ve been fighting big names. So its nice to get back there and fight people in the top ten and get my name back in the top 10. That’s the main goal here. For sure, if I beat Misaki, I think its just gonna put me even deeper into the top 10. Obviously, coming down, Misaki is a former Pride grand-prix champion. I already have two top ten wins down there, I have a lot of good wins down there beat Lytle and Diaz, so this will just add to it. DA: Jumping into such a dangerous fight after almost two years, do you feel any extra pressure? JR: I like it man. Like I said, I just want to fight the best. Especially if it’s a great style for me, I adapt to certain styles. This is perfect. I just think its good. I’ve had lots of big wins in my career and this will rank up there as the biggest. DA: How has being a main eventer before prepared you for this fight? JR: It doesn’t play a factor at all. I’ve been in very, very big fights. I’ve been on the main card every time I’ve been in the UFC. I’ve fought in front of lots of people. Its no big deal to me; it doesn’t matter to me. It’s good I get to fight a big name, that’s all I care about. DA: Are you excited to go back to the Playboy Mansion? You were on the card last year. JR: It was cool. Yeah it’s cool being there. But you know the crowd is a little lackluster. Not too many true MMA fans, the crowd doesn’t really know what’s going on. Most of the people are just there to be at the Mansion. So it’s weird. People are concentrating on looking at the t----s and drinking more than the fight. DA: Your prediction for the fight? JR: I predict I’m gonna win a unanimous decision. I never really say that, but I have a feeling it’ll be a hard fought war. Misaki has never been knocked out. I’ve trained hard for this fight. He’s prone to go to decision. I’m not gonna try to take this fight to the ground. I think it’s gonna be a really exciting fight. I’ll end up on top with the decision, if the knockout comes that’s gonna be great too. DA: He’s a really elusive fighter, you’re known for bringing it. How are you going to handle that? JR: It’s good. I like guys backing up. I’m a really good counter fighter as well but I think when I’m the bull and I come forward, its even better. It allows me to get off and throw my punches even harder. I have really, really heavy hands and I haven’t been able to show it in fights. The main thing is if I’m sparring a lot, sparring with the right people, a lot of the fights I shy away from standing up if I don’t get the right sparring in, this time I’ve done a lot of sparring and I’ve done a lot preparation for a striking fight and I think its really going to pay off in this fight. DA: Not to look past Misaki, what can fans expect once you return to 170lbs? JR: The same thing as every one of my fights, I’ve never had a boring fight and I’m always bringing it. I’m 25-years-old and I’m going to keep getting better. I’m going to be a champion one day. |
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Written by By Danny Acosta
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Thursday, 28 August 2008 02:20 |
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Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COMQuinton Jackson’s current legal problems, which include two felonies and four misdemeanors charges from Orange County, CA, have overshadowed his potential in the Octagon. Now with Dana White stating “Rampage” is ready to return to the cage and mmajunkie.com reporting he is likely to face Shogun Rua at UFC 91 in Portland, OR, the former UFC light heavyweight champion is raising a legitimate concern—Forrest Griffin. In recent comments he made to Fighter’s Only Magazine, he implores Griffin to admit he didn’t win their July clash. This seems ridiculous. But when one considers Jackson’s 2005 split decision over Murilo Rua, it makes sense. After the victory, he relinquished his trophy to “Ninja,” a symbolic admission that he didn’t win the fight. The former Pride star is asking Griffin to do the same sans trophy. And as ludicrous as it sounds he is right to do so. I scored the fight a draw 47-47 like many did with Jackson taking rounds one, three, four, but losing round two 10-8. When the fight was announced a unanimous decision, I knew—whether it was in Jackson’s favor or Griffin’s—it was going to piss a lot of people off, myself included. A fight that epic and that close should not be unanimous in either direction. Now crazier things have happened in MMA. Everyone, including fighters, knows leaving a fight in the judges hands can be catastrophic. However, the real issue with Griffin winning was two judges gave “The Ultimate Fighter” winner the first round—a judgment so wrong it looked straight out of the type of boxing fights where bankruptcy is followed by a bad decision and a suddenly padded bank account. If Jackson only won one round—the fight was so close its possible he lost the remaining four—it was the first. He nearly got a TKO. Despite the injustice, no one is clamoring for a rematch. Why? Seldom do title fights live up to their hype. The fight had an entire three-month reality show of hype behind it and it still surpassed expectations. With the UFC being anti-Lyoto Machida and every other contender not having a real, timely case for the title shot, why not grant fans another enticing matchup between Jackson and Griffin? The UFC remembers that the company and perhaps the sport were built on more than the reality show. Hopefully, they are not forgetting they were also built around an epic trilogy between fellow light heavyweights Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell. Jackson and Griffin may have the dynamics to be a worthy successor as the UFC’s second great trilogy. So while Griffin may not need to claim that he lost, he should want to beat up “Rampage” again. The way it’s shaping up right now, it looks like he’ll face Chuck Liddell, who has great drawing power but seems like a more dangerous matchup for the Georgian. If he fights Jackson again and Liddell holds his spot as number one contender, the UFC has a three-way dance between their top three money makers at 205-pounds—that’s not a bad a problem to have. Another fighter making news for rematches is EliteXC 160-pound champion KJ Noons, although, he is doing it for the wrong reasons. Noons is actively refusing a bout against Nick Diaz. Claims that he already destroyed Diaz and the Cesar Gracie Fighter isn’t deserving of the shot are ridiculous. First, anyone who has ever seen a Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira knows getting beat for an extended period of time does not equal a loss, especially for a notoriously slow starter like Diaz. Second, Noons came into his title bout with a 1-1 record. Diaz is 3-0 leading up to the rematch, which could have justly came immediately. Lastly, factoring Eddie Alvarez into the equation as the real number one contender is a legit concern, but Alvarez is injured, getting married, and has contractual obligations elsewhere. And he is not as well known as Diaz. So what’s stopping the fight from happening? At this point its clear its not EliteXC or Nick Diaz. Call me old fashioned but I like my fighters willing to throw down. As money pours into the sport, honor may fade out. A pretty simple sentence uttered by Thiago Alves after his controversial cut stoppage victory over Chris Lytle in 2007 sums up everything I so eloquently failed to say about honor in fighting and rematches: “I was enjoying the fight so much so we can do it again.” Me too Mr. Alves, me too. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 28 August 2008 02:25 )
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Written by By Danny Acosta
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Tuesday, 26 August 2008 01:19 |
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Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COMThere was a time when Lagunitas Brewing Company brewed a fine limited edition IPA titled Lumpy Gravy. What made the beer stand out was not its rich taste or frequent trips down my esophagus, it was the label—a picture of Frank Zappa. Every sip was like partying with the iconoclast himself. Now, thanks to Anheuser Busch and Bud Light, I’ll have the chance to live it up with Chuck Liddell and Anderson Silva. The former UFC light heavyweight champion and current UFC middleweight champion are set to be spokesmen for the brewers. A three-year-sponsorship is going to push these bonafide MMA stars into all around stars. While Silva’s English isn’t as strong as Liddell’s, his punch might be—and that might be enough to endear him to legions of sports fans, beer drinkers, and everyone in between (if such people exist). Commercials and billboards will push their likeness alongside the UFC, furthering the promotion and its product as respected forces in professional sports. However, great power brings great responsibility. Combat sports and beer have been linked ever since Ben Franklin said brews are a godsend. With MMA still fighting its bloodlust image in the mass public eye, it can’t afford to casually date the beer makers. It has to be serious. The UFC needs pop open anti-violence ads as frequently as I’m going to pop open Bud Light (only because I want to support the sport). As comedian Brian Mallow said, they are really saying, “:drink responsibly…but drink.” The drink responsibly ads won’t be enough. Like its mainstream counterparts the NFL and NBA, the UFC must start rolling out the cheesy ads that tell me I may have a problem with booze. The organization does do many positive things in communities, but they are not as aggressively advertised as those in the major sports. Beer is a good and smart start. In a sport that boasts perhaps the manliest of mindsets, beer may not be the best fuel. Anyone who has ever watched a UFC event with someone who has had one too many knows how much beer can severely impede enjoyment of a good fight. The “Why doesn’t he do this?” or “I would have knocked him out” begin to flow. Positive advertising that can curtail this is inane but inevitable behavior are constant ads stressing the professionalism, skill, and danger involved in the sport. Just as the IFL, EliteXC, and even the UFC (back in the day) educated fans on moves, they need to educate on social responsibility. It’s impossible for me to watch my Bret Hart DVD without first sitting—forcibly—through “don’t try this at home ads” from the WWE. Sure, its annoying, but for someone who doesn’t know better it might just hammer the point home. And why shouldn’t we see this? Liddell and Silva are no doubt great ambassadors of the sport. They’ll have chances to let their personalities shine regardless of how many downer ads they do because beer advertising is the best and brightest out there. It’s a huge opportunity for the fighters, the promotion, and the sport. And it’s about more than money. I’ll let you guys think it over while I proceed to put down my Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin Mickey’s cans for an upgrade. Partying with Chuck Liddell might be as hell-raising fun as knocking a few back with Zappa. As for Anderson Silva, I picture him drinking kryptonite and laughing at its ineffectiveness. Now if only the UFC can wrangle up a legends deal with Bud Light so I can drink with Keith Hackney. |
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Written by By Danny Acosta
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Wednesday, 20 August 2008 20:28 |
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Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COMDanny Acosta: What will be the impact the IFL had on the sport looking back? Bas Rutten: Oh, [laughs] another company that tried and didn’t work. That’s it right there. I have no clue why it happened. I thought the company was a great company. They produced great fighters and got really good really fast. It shows now in the UFC, they’re everywhere. They’re all good…it was a great experience…[The IFL] blew a lot of money, but it’s too late. It’s always easy to talk afterwards. They produced some good fighters. The good part is they released the fighters, so everybody’s fighting. DA: Out of all the guys that signed with the UFC (Reese Andy, Rory Markham, Jim Miller etc.), who will have the most success? BR: Rory Markham is still a stud. That guy can take a hit and he always comes back from the dead. I really like him. His fighting style, he should start getting less hit before he wakes up. For longevity, I would say slip the punches a little bit more. He’s a guy that can do that. He’s remarkable. He’s got good power, good speed. Reese Andy is good and dominating but he should really learn to…I would really like to see him finish people, start finishing people. He’s controlling. “Big Country” Roy Nelson, I’m looking forward to that [his upcoming fight with Paul Buentello in Affliction]. He’s a good guy, very talented. I look at him and he’s the opposite of what a fighter should look like, but I like it. He’s big. He’s strong. He’s got technique. He’s a good guy. He’s Tank Abbott but with technique. DA: He’s fighting Paul Buentello October 11. BR: That’ll be a great fight. Paul Buentello is going to have his hands full, let me tell you that. Paul Buentello isn’t as good on the ground, where fights go most of the time. Okay, he got hit in the liver against Alistair, most of the time [he loses] because it goes to the ground. Buentello’s got great hands. He’s a great striker, strong guy, tough character, but I just have a feeling that the wrestling skills of Roy Nelson will be too much for him. He’s going to take him to the ground for sure and go for ground and pound or submission. DA: Overall, who do you think will become the biggest star and best fighter from the IFL? BR: Oh my god, that’s a difficult one my friend. Wagnney Fabiano, how about that? DA: Favorite fights in the IFL? BR: Ah, there were some great fights. [Chris] Horodecki and [Bart] Palaszewski, the first one. No! There was another great one….it’s a difficult question. Horodecki and Palaszewski, the first time that went back and forth—toe to toe. Palaszweski would turn it up and Horodecki would hit him back…ah no! Best fight in the IFL, now I’ve got it, of course. Horodecki versus Seattle Tiger Shark Shad Lierely. That was the fight everybody in the audience were standing. I would say 90%. They were just insane, back and forth. I really loved that fight. DA: Best behind the scenes moment? BR: I don’t know… DA: No famous Bas Rutten stories? BR: We went to sign autographs and do some promotion in Ohio. And Horodecki, Shawn Tompkins and myself, we crashed a wedding in the hotel. But security found out really fast and they came [laughs]. We got kicked out but that was really fun to do. DA: How does your experience with the IFL compare to the other orgs you’ve worked with? BR: Good. It was one big family. We had a lot of fun. Everybody was hanging out with the coaches. It was great to see the coaches that you fought against in the past, to see those guys again. And we’re all having dinner with those guys. It was a great experience, but for me everything is always great. I’m always happy about everything. DA: If you could take a script that already exists and make yourself the star of the movie, what would it be? BR: Three Amigos. DA: Would you be Chevy Chase? BR: You know what? I would be “El Guapo”. DA: If you could take any actor and turn them into an MMA fighter, who would you choose? BR: Kevin James. DA: He’s already got the skills. BR: He’s already has skills, but that would be very fun, him beating the s--t out of everybody. DA: Never Back Down or Redbelt? BR: I didn’t see Never Back Down, but for the storylines, I’d say Redbelt. And for fighting wise, I’d say Never Back Down because the fights in there were more up to date than Redbelt was. Redbelt was, if they would have made that movie in ‘95 just when the UFC was out, with the GI and the total style differences, then it wouldn’t be corny. But I think this is more up to date, Never Back Down with the style of fighting. Story wise, Redbelt. DA: Anything else for fans? BR: Godspeed and Party On. |
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Written by MMAyou
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Wednesday, 20 August 2008 19:55 |
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Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COM
Some quick notes:
At the time of Murray's emergance in the UFC, he was not only the top prospect out of England, but he was a top middleweight prospect, period.
In his lone UFC appearance, he defeated Jorge Rivera, who was coming off a strong win over David Louiseau.
He trained under Pat Miletich. Still today, it is rare for UK MMA fighters to train full time in the U.S.
For those who have heard the name Lee Murray and not heard the epic tale attached to it, here is a full explanation in video form. *Notice former Cage Rage champion and all-around tough guy Mark Epstein talking about Murray as a youth.
His last fight in MMA--a Cage Rage fight against Anderson Silva--is also below after the E:60 story. In this losing performance against the Pride veteran, its apparent why Murray is seen as MMA's one of greatest cases of "What if?"
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 20 August 2008 20:24 )
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Written by By Danny Acosta
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Wednesday, 13 August 2008 18:40 |
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Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COMDanny Acosta: Can you comment on Gary stepping down? Jared Shaw: What’s out there is the truth. That is Gary just had a lot going on between family, travel at his age, and his boxing. He’s got really spectacular fall cards: Alfredo Angulo fighting on the 4TH on HBO, you’ve got [Antonio] Tarver-Chad Dawson world title fight on Showtime in October, Sergio Mora contender fight with Vernon Forrest… DA: EliteXC was definitely steered by Gary’s vision, how will the direction of the company change now that he’s not involved? JS: I don’t think that’ll change at all. The production remains the same. You have Showtime and CBS as the platform and their people do a fantastic job at producing these shows and making them great for television. All the fights are still in tact, with the same matchmaking team, the same guys completely working for the promotion. We just don’t have the face, which was Gary. Right now we don’t have a face, but I like to think EliteXC the brand is the face. DA: Analysts criticize EliteXC for not having depth in its divisions. What are you doing to combat that? JS: We’re just continuing to scour the free agent market, continuing to develop our own fighters that we found from the start. One of our world champions KJ Noons, he’s kind of home grown. So it’s not that we don’t know how to build champions because we one-hundred-percent know how to do that. I just think fights make themselves. Hungry fighters make great fights. At the end of the day, you got a couple guys who are going to be great fighters and they make a great fight and then all of a sudden people are talking about the next [Arturo] Gatti, the next [Mickey] Ward. That doesn’t necessarily mean its an [inferior] promotion…they just might not have had the opportunity for that kind of fight yet. DA: EliteXC has done some things to break away from the UFC’s model. Right now there is criticism toward them about rankings. Is EliteXC considering revealing rankings within their organization? JS: I like to think that we don’t have, say, a ranking system aboard or a file that has the rankings. But we have a fight team that tries to agree on fights and…I think right now that the fight team right now knows who’s the 160-pound champion is and who’s number one who’s next in line. Unfortunately…[people] follow one ranking system and that’s universal, but until there’s fighters fighting universally against each other there is no real ranking system. How do you say to yourself Nick Diaz isn’t the number one contender at 160-pounds because he fought outside of the promotion and won? You can’t discredit Eddie Alvarez and the way he fought in Dream because it wasn’t in EliteXC. That doesn’t mean he’s not the number one or two contender. I don’t really believe in rankings, I think they are more of a superficial way of the public identifying fighters. I think if you can just do a fantastic job of promoting fighters and showcasing them and them in return doing their job of making great fights, the sport is just gonna know them and recognize them and not care what their ranking is. You don’t need to put a belt around Gina Carano to know she’s a fantastic female fighter. DA: The second CBS show had a weaker showing than the first, but the fights were strong. How can the network and the company ensure non-Gina Carano, non-Kimbo Slice fights sell? JS: We’ll continue to work with them on the way that they market, that they promote, to continue to give ourselves enough leeway in time in promoting to announce and fully establish ourselves in that local market—to then have a marketing plan for television. I think it just comes down to basically promotion 101. The first one was fantastic and went over great—you had Kimbo and Gina. The second one was a fantastic card but didn’t do the ratings or the gate. People immediately want to point the finger and identify that no Kimbo, no Gina, no money. But it comes down to the fact that it’s the summertime. There was only five weeks to piece together that promotion. But you know its still an important thing to do because it showcased for a second time on national television and it makes that brand that much stronger going into the fall when the ratings really start to amp up. And that’s what’s going to show for CBS. DA: You guys have a show this Friday with Debi Purcell and Rosi Sexton. ShoXC showcases fighters and gets them bigger fights. Is the winner next in line for Gina Carano after October? JS: I think there in line to be in line for everybody. I don’t think it’s just the Gina Carano weight class anymore. Cris Cyborg came around and said, “Hey, this is women’s fighting. It’s not just Gina Carano fighting.” I think Caitlin Young and Shayna Baszler, although both have been defeated, they have something to say about where Rosi Sexton and Debi Purcell fall in line in EliteXC. I think it’s an exciting time for women and female fighting in EliteXC. DA: How far is EliteXC from crowning a female champion? JS: In the first quarter in 2009, you’ll a see a championship belt in every division in EltieXC. DA: After the last show, people were salivating over a Carano/Cyborg fight. Could that be the first ever-headlining female fight? JS: You know Danny, if you have it your way, it will be. DA: Do you feel having the only female fights of a major promotion is going to take the organization to the next level? JS: I mean, I just like to think that its one tool in the chest to take us to the next level. At the end of the day female fighting is an important part of mixed martial arts because at the end of the day women can simply fight. They’re as good as guys. Some of them are. We’re looking for the best of the best. I like to think at the end of the day one thing that EliteXC will be known for is putting female fighting on the map—Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg on the map. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 13 August 2008 18:50 )
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Written by By Danny Acosta
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Tuesday, 12 August 2008 23:08 |
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Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COM The fight between Georges St. Pierre and B.J. Penn—the fight everyone wants to see—is a bad idea. It’s not a bad idea like betting on UFC Unleashed, it’s a bad idea like buying stock in the IFL. It seems great now, but the long term effects are going to stuff the fighters and the organization against the fence. Both the UFC lightweight champion and UFC welterweight champion have many Octagon trips before they should find each other across the cage from one another. Outside of light heavyweight, 170-pounds have been the UFC’s big fight producer since Matt Hughes first slammed a man like he was a bale of hay. St. Pierre has been tabbed—and proven himself thus far—as the future. However, between the Matt Hughes and Matt Serra sagas, “Rush” only has one successful title defense, which came this past Saturday against Jon Fitch. With plenty of solid contenders getting ready to challenge the French-Canadian (winner of Thiago Alves/Diego Sanchez, Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Dong Hyun Kim), there is no reason St. Pierre has to take such risky drop in fight before addressing what’s in front of him. Furthermore, there is nothing to gain from a loss to a lightweight no matter how talented. Penn, too, has only had one title defense. He first captured his title against Joe Stevenson in January after the belt was stripped from Sean Sherk. Penn then defeated “The Muscle Shark” in May in his first and lone defense so far. Penn’s win was technically a title defense yet the hype behind the fight suggested it was his first go at legitimacy to the 155-pound gold. Dana White and Joe Silva sought to reestablish the lightweight division after its hiatus with Penn. When “The Prodigy” resisted and fought at 170-pounds, they still wanted the Hawaiian to immerse himself in the most exciting division in the sport. Every weight class needs an unbeatable champion and Penn is looking like the answer at 155-pounds. So why allow him back into the situation the UFC tried to pry him away from? There are many logistics behind the fight that need to be worked out. A fight between St. Pierre and Penn is inevitable due to the controversy surrounding the first bout. But this particular super-fight isn’t going to be two fighters at their height of popularity and dominance. It’s too soon. If both fighters are 4-0 in four title defenses and then decide to go across weights to find a worthy challenger, it means much more. MMA fans look at boxing like the plague, but that is one blue print from the Sweet Science that works well in the sport. Since Penn is moving up, does he have to relinquish his title at 155-pounds? If so, does he get to bypass the contenders at 170-pounds and get a title shot? If he gets to keep his lightweight title and challenge for St. Pierre’s and wins, can he defend both or does he have to choose one? These are just a handful of the questions in a situation far more complex than my low-wave brain can comprehend. Answers to these questions, however, are bound to leave fighters and fans unhappy. The depth and danger that remains in their weight classes is no secret. There is no need to rush the champions on to super-fight adventures at this juncture. Both obviously want to fight the best and at no fault of their own. That is what champions should desire. And sure, the winner will emerge as a strong pound-for-pound king candidate. However, the loser just damaged or destroyed their credibility as a champion in their respective class. It also has the potential to set a negative precedent in MMA. Rather than the UFC find the best in the world through cross promotion, they will search within their own ranks. In cases like this, it’s legitimate, but there still needs to be room for the Jake Shields and Robbie Lawler’s of the world. After all the work done so far to build these champions and what needs to be done in the future, B.J. Penn versus St. Pierre is a preemptive strike. But when fighters like St. Pierre and Penn deliver any kind of strike, I’ll sure be watching. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 12 August 2008 23:28 )
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Written by MMAyou
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Saturday, 09 August 2008 04:22 |
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Click the photo below to see Jon Fitch featured in the San Jose Mercury News. The more people that see the story, the more likely the Mercury News will consider MMA coverage in the future. 
Get more pictures like this from SHERDOG.COM
[Photo: Dave Mandel] |
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Written by David Mayeda, PhD
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Thursday, 07 August 2008 17:01 |
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[Editor's Note: We are proud to present the first installment of David Mayeda's series of columns on MMA. They will all be called "Doctor's Stoppage" as the PhD brings you his unique perspective on fighting.]
In sync with all institutions, sporting institutions have their pros and cons. As the mixed martial arts (MMA) industry continues to rise in popularity, it is important to highlight the different ways it is affecting society. MMA's internet savvy fanbase is sometimes cast as a niche market that stands alone in defense of the continuous criticism MMA endures from mainstream media outlets. But the reality is, MMA and its numerous facets are always interacting with other societal sectors, sometimes in conflict and other times as mutually beneficial partners.
One thing to remember about sports in general is that they are male-dominated. Even with the 1972 passage of Title IX (which didn't even focus on athletics) and the law's unintended consequences on non-revenue producing men's collegiate sports, the world of athletics remains a male-centered one. And there is no doubt males' socialization in sport can too often influence boys and young men to have negative attitudes toward girls and women.
The renowned sports sociologist and former college athlete, Michael Messner (2005, p. 27), argues that sport can socialize males such that they begin internalizing the following norms and values:
- Competitive, homophobic, and misogynistic talk and joking
- A group practice of voyeuring, where boys can watch their friends have sex with girls and sometimes join in
- Suppression of empathy toward others, especially toward the girls
- A culture of silence among peers, in families, and in the community
Of course the degree to which these and other types of sexist norms are perpetuated and challenged varies from sport to sport, school to school, team to team, and so forth.
Furthermore, neither Messner's work nor my own suggests that all male athletes blindly succumb to these values. Such a statement would conversely perpetuate unfair stereotypes about male athletes. But it is difficult to argue that in some sports, especially male-dominated ones, a culture that demeans the opposite sex is present.
Consequently, it is important that those in the sporting world begin to think more critically about their social responsibilities beyond sport. Every year, approximately 10% of all women involved in a romantic relationship experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner (Alvarez & Bachman, 2008, p. 130). Among women of color and immigrant women, the percentage of victims is substantially higher (Dasgupta, 2006).
Historically, violence against women has been considered a "women's issue." But the bottom line is, if we are to prevent and decrease women's victimization, men need to begin taking leadership roles in this movement as well, and the MMA industry should not be exonerated from this responsibility.
This year was a colossal year for women in MMA. MMA female stars, such as Tara LaRosa and Gina Carano, now grace the covers of MMA magazines. Carano and Kaitlin Young partook in a main card match on MMA's network television debut. Women like Lana Stefanac are promoting MMA cards, running their own gyms, and even coaching men. In the spirit of supporting women's MMA, men in all facets of the MMA industry should also begin shifting the ways women and men are stereotypically portrayed.
With that said, the magazine, MMA Hawaii (July 2008; see http://MMAHawaii.com) recently cast ICON Sport Middleweight Champion, Kala "Kolohe" Hose on its back cover with his daughter, the headline stating:
You love your daughter. You want to give her the world. Start by treating her mother with respect.
REAL FIGHTERS KEEP IT IN THE RING.
The add was made in partnership with the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and MMA Hawaii has also partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in its media campaigns. In fact, via personal communication with MMA Hawaii, I was told the magazine took the initiative to reach out to these organizations so that they could provide these types of messages to the predominantly male audiences that follow MMA in Hawaii and beyond.
This is a perfect example of how an MMA organization is taking active measures to change the way MMA is promoted in a socially responsible manner. It is an example of how an MMA organization took the time to collaborate with a domestic violence prevention group so that a positive image of male athletes is disseminated, one that aims to re-socialize boys and young men to respect women through MMA.
Yes, MMA is a violent sport. It is the closest thing to the complete sport of fighting. As MMA Hawaii has shown, this does not mean MMA has to perpetuate societal violence, and they are doing what they can to insure the violence is "kept in the ring."
Nobody can say it's unrealistic for MMA organizations to preach violence prevention and stimulate mutually beneficial relationships with organizations that prevent intimate partner violence, drunk driving, school violence, and so on. Let's hope more MMA organizations and MMA combatants begin forging these types of socially responsible partnerships and media campaigns, and showcase them to as broad an audience as possible.
David Mayeda, PhD, is lead author of Fighting for Acceptance: Mixed Martial Artists and Violence in American Society, the first political book on mixed martial arts that attempts to reform the sport by increasing violence prevention measures through interviews with forty mixed martial artists, including Randy Couture, Dan Henderson, Guy Mezger, Antonio McKee, Chris Leben, "Rampage" Jackson, "Mayhem" Miller, Travis Lutter, and Frank Trigg. Dr. Mayeda has also published numerous academic journal articles on youth violence prevention and discrimination in sports media.
Non internet sources:
- Alvarez, Alex & Bachman, Ronet. (2008). Violence: The Enduring Problem. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
- Dasgupta, Shamita Das. (2006). Women's realities: defining violence against women by immigration. In N.J. Sokoloff (Ed.) Domestic Violence on the Margins: Readings on Race, Class, Gender, and Culture, pp. 56-70. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
- Messner, Michael A. (2005). The triad of violence in men's sports. In E. Buchwald, P.R. Fletcher, & M. Roth (Eds.) Transforming A Rape Culture, pp. 23-46. Minneapolis, MN: Milkweed Editions.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 07 August 2008 17:07 )
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