Hey, Josh, I can't wait around for UFC 114 on Might 29. It feels like the earliest big UFC function of the calendar year to me. It's possible since we ended up required to wait on Quinton Jackson vs. Rashad Evans for what felt like permanently. I was so bummed when Jackson was off of the card in Memphis due to the fact he went to film The A-team, but all the trash speak has me fired up yet again. What do you believe about the card?!? Do you assume it will be the greatest event of the calendar year for the UFC?!? Thanks.
-- Jared Westwood, Memphis, Tenn.
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It's truly as well terrible about Forrest Griffin's injury. His combat versus Rogerio Nogueira was heading to be extremely telling, and would have created UFC 114 about very much a lot more than just the principal circumstance. Even now, it's difficult not to be intrigued by Jackson-Evans, and not just since it sets up the first challenger for Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. There are many lingering queries about what Jackson has left, or at least what he desires to give to mixed martial arts, even in the wake of a new 6-combat offer with the UFC. As for Evans, who is seeking to maintain up in the pre-battle verbal battle, let's see if he can keep away from psychological and technical mistakes versus Rampage. If he does, I think he wins.
Straight down the bill, I'm searching forward Diego Sanchez's return to welterweight alongside undefeated Brit John Hathaway. And don't slumber on Todd Duffee versus Mike Russow. Two large heavyweights with opposing designs.
All in all, on a scale of one-ten, I'm about a 7 right here, mainly because I tend to sour on the spoken warfare. There's only so very much back again-and-forth yelling I can deal with in advance of it turns into trite. If Griffin were being even now aboard, UFC 114 would be a solid 8 bordering on 8.5.
As significantly as this being the UFC's largest occasion of the yr, Brock Lesnar-Shane Carwin in July will make this a single on Memorial Day weekend sense modest across the board.
I'm e-mailing since of the issue you posed on Twitter about UFC's using Quinton Jackson's "black on black crime" quote in its UFC 114 spend-per-view promoting. It seemed to trouble you and I can recognize why, but this is just hype, right?!?
-- Felix Mitchell, Encinitas, Calif.
The quote didn't bother me much. I've known Quinton for years. I know where he can come from. I know how he speaks. My stage in asking the concern: There may be many, many folks who don't. The UFC 114 ad was very good until finally Jackson's quotation, which altered the tone of the commercial from two fighters who don't like each and every other to two black fighters who don't like each and every other. Bottom line, the UFC's use of the quotation was unnecessary to market the fight, and it arrived off in weak taste.
Three of the four Bellator finals are regarded. What do you think of the tournaments so far??
-- Warren Marks, Kansas Town, Mo.
High quality competition in Season two. Featherweight, easily portable and welterweight all delivered compelling finals. We'll see about 185 subsequent week.
Easily portable has to be the surprise. Traditional wisdom had Roger Huerta advancing to the finals, but the excellent problem about the format is it facilitates for fighters like Pat Curran and Toby Imada to emerge.
I'm most hunting forward to the 145 finals. Joe Warren is an animal and Patricio Freire looks every last bit as fine as his 14- report. Welterweight has been hit-and-miss, while the finals concerning Dan Hornbuckle and Ben Askren will be effectively well worth watching.
I'll bring Freire, Imada and Hornbuckle.
Just understand your column about Rua's challengers. The issue I have is, Why would you comprise Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal? He fights in a different organization, so the odds of them battling are slim. Don't you think Antonio Rogerio Nogueira would have been a better selection?!?
-- John, West Palm Seashore, Fla.
I said Nogueira. Their very first struggle was remarkable and a rematch would be extremely anticipated. In conditions of design and substance, I really feel a extra seasoned Lawal has what it takes to give Shogun a true combat.
I have important doubts about the outcomes of the Alistair Overeem-Brett Rogers beat. Rogers showed no tenacity whatsoever, was uncharacteristically hesitant in throwing the number of punches he did and turtled up soon after having small injury. It creates me suspect the fix was in so that Strikeforce could preserve the planned Fedor Emelianenko-Overeem showdown (and presumptive massive dollars maker). I don't consider Rogers would have won irrespective, but the quickness with which he gave up just doesn't match.
-- Adam Hill, Raleigh, N.C.
Or perhaps Rogers wasn't the identical guy who walked into the Fedor fight. Dropping for the primary time affected him far more than other fighters I've been all over. Why are people so quick to presume conspiracy theories these days?
I think Fedor will duck this struggle with with Overeem and his crew will scream PEDs are the factor. Fedor has in no way sought to combat the most effective. I are convinced this is the vital component to cementing your legacy. I wrote to you final yr and told you Brett Rogers gave him hardship and Rogers is not a major ten in the Heavies (no way). For the explanations stated, he will in no way be No. 1 in my book.
-- Keith K., Waterloo, N.Y.
You shed me with "Fedor has by no means wanted to fight the ideal." Give me a separate. Anyhow, If Fedor beats Fabricio Werdum on June 26, his up coming beat has to be next to Overeem (presuming he doesn't test beneficial). M-one Worldwide can't participate in politics on this one with no delivering on every last perception that exists about them as funds-grubbing obstructionists.
For 4 many years I lived in Korea. It was by way of this practical knowledge that I received exposed, pretty much every day, to Satisfaction on the Action Network. I keep in mind extremely nicely Overeem being an above-regular fighter. I recall him acquiring, in my thoughts, demolished by Shogun. That was just some decades ago. And he weighed in at only 205. Somehow he has set on 40-in addition pounds of lean entire body mass at the identical time he is instruction for MMA. Is this even conceivable?? Is it conceivable to split along your muscle nearly daily lifting weights, then educate for MMA, and train for K-one?? This just seems scandalous to me. I guess my dilemma is, Does steroid tests work? It looks like the overall problem has turn out to be a joke. Even with Brian Cushing in the NFL obtaining busted, he didn't essentially get caught for steroids. He obtained caught for a drug that kick-starts your technique after utilizing steroids. What is heading on?
-- Jon Strosser, Medford, Ore.
Overeem was 224 lbs when he fought Paul Buentello in 2007, which was basically his stroll-all around weight when he wasn't trying to cut to 205. I'm not intending to get started defending the guy. Not my job. But I will advise alternatively of assuming guilt, we allow the tests from previous weekend shape how we feel about this.
Are drug checks best?? No. Neither Missouri nor the testing facility hired by Strikeforce follows Entire world Anti-Doping Agency protocols. I wish they would. There will generally be people looking for a workaround. Still, MMA has been properly policed in the States. As significantly back again as 2002, the Nevada State Athletic Commission tested fighters for steroids, and lots have been caught. In a best entire world, uniform tests under WADA standards should be adopted by all regulatory bodies affiliated with the Association of Boxing Commissions. Indeed, that expenditures cash, and some states purely aren't equipped to fulfill that responsibility, but until that transpires there will be lingering doubts.
As a person who didn't get into MMA hardcore till Ken Shamrock's very first combat with Tito Ortiz, I enjoy examining intelligent posts on the historical past of the sport. They are tough to occur by! I value your 2000s retrospective. It was not too long ago the 10th anniversary of Kazushi Sakuraba-Royce Gracie at Satisfaction Grand Prix 2000. Could you comment briefly on the buildup to this battle, its significance, the epic really feel that night time and the two great entrances?
-- Marcus
Could possibly 1, 2000. Unlimited rounds. No referee stoppages. Sakuraba in his prime. Gracie, actually undefeated. There are so many memories of this struggle with, which lasted 6 15-minute rounds ahead of Rickson and Helio Gracie, standing in Royce's corner, threw in the towel since the UFC pioneer's legs didn't perform any longer. I'll continually recall Susumu Nagao's iconic photo.
The Pleasure 2000 Grand Prix seriously was epic, a little something from a bygone era. If you haven't noticed The Smashing Device, get a copy. Most of John Hyam's documentary focuses on Mark Kerr, by most accounts the tournament favorite, but you'll get a sense for how significant this affair was at the time.
Believe about what Sakuraba did. On a nighttime he would have necessary to earn three situations -- indeed, the champion was essential to earn about three situations in a span of 6-7 several hours -- he battled Royce for an hour and a fifty percent, then went 20 minutes towards Igor Vovchanchyn, who at the time was as harmful as any individual. In the end, Mark Coleman was fortunate more than enough to win the total point. I need to consider some time to re-observe this.
Sugar not sweet to Quinton jackson
It's not precisely Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock - equally of these guys can really struggle.
But as a lot as trash-talking and genuine dislike goes, the main affair of UFC 114 creates the Ortiz/Shamrock pre-struggle with buildups look tame.
There is minor adore missing among lumination-heavyweights "Sugar" Rashad Evans and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
In an out-of-command, practically surreal, call with the media this week, the major-ranked lumination-heavyweights enable loose on each and every other - each and every digging deeper than the other to insult, belittle and embarrass.
Neither race nor sexuality ended up off-limits as the two teed away on every single other.
Rashad to Quinton "rampage" jackson: "You give black adult males a lousy name by perpetuating the stereotype we're all stupid."
Rampage jackson to Rashad: "I know you're gay because you're always actively playing with your nipples and you wear them tight, gay shorts."
In involving the lengthy exchanges were being good enough F-bombs to make even UFC president Dana Bright blush.
But White's no dummy. The profanity-laced verbal sparring was pure gold.
"These two have eclipsed any grudge match we've ever had," alleges Light, who also announced the winner gets the very first shot at newly-minted brightness-heavyweight champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
"You can inform this is genuine and these men genuinely don't like each other and they definitely want to beat. I don't feel anybody can say that these fellas are putting on an act, even although Rampage jackson is now an actor."
Evans and Jackson coached on The Ultimate Fighter ten and were being placed to battle survive December right after the show. But Jackson decided to perform the position of B.A. Baracus in the new A-Team film as a substitute, drawing the ire of Light and Evans and forcing the battle to be postponed right up until future
Saturday.
