Month in Review: June’s Good, Bad and Ugly
Jun 30, 2009
Like virtually anything else in life, mixed martial arts has its
yin and its yang. The sport’s ever-changing landscape offers
fighters, fans and frenzied media monthly talking points. In June,
there was plenty about which to be upset and enough to feed the
optimists, too. Here’s a look at the good, the bad and the
ugly.
The Good
UFC Expands Markets, Wallets: The UFC’s
global domination plot puts Pinky and the Brain to shame. The Las
Vegas-based organization’s 30-day calendar never has an empty
space, but in a one-week span, it broke ground in Deutschland (June
13) and strengthened its footing in the UK (June 20). Despite
German opposition, Zuffa LLC delivered a stellar card at UFC 99,
headlined by Wanderlei
Silva’s valiant decision loss to Rich
Franklin. With that, the UFC put down roots in another major
European market. One week later, it crowned two new “The Ultimate
Fighter” winners from the UK in James Wilks
and Ross
Pearson. Their rise to reality television stardom only boosts
the UFC’s position overseas. In addition, the UFC handed out three
“Fight of the Night” bonuses for the first time in its history at
“The Ultimate Fighter 9” Finale. Nate Diaz,
Joe
Stevenson, Kevin Burns,
Chris
Lytle, Clay Guida and
Diego
Sanchez all pocketed an extra $25,000. Not a bad start to
summer.
Fifteen Minutes for Females: Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker knew it, as did fighters and hardcore fans: women can fight for 15 minutes -- or more. Gina Carano’s stock skyrocketed and with it went the popularity of female MMA. Bantamweight Sarah Kaufman scored a decision victory against Miesha Tate in a bout contested over three three-minute rounds at ShoMMA “Strikeforce Challenge Series 1” on May 15 in Fresno, Calif. The non-stop action the match featured served as a tipping point. At the second ShoMMA installment just a month later, Strikeforce featured female MMA’s first major 15-minute match between Kaufman and Shayna Baszler. The unbeaten Kaufman again won by unanimous decision. Coker has the commissions in Washington and California on board. A long-awaited super fight pitting Carano against Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will crown the first Strikeforce women’s champion on Aug. 15. The historic headliner -- which should only further the female fight cause -- has been scheduled for five five-minute rounds.
Tim Kennedy and the Prospects: In what proved to be a savvy free agent signing, Strikeforce picked up middleweight Tim Kennedy and placed him against massive welterweight Nick Thompson at ShoMMA “Strikeforce Challenger Series 2.” Kennedy struck Thompson into submission in his first bout as a full-time fighter. While not exactly a traditional prospect, the former Army Ranger -- a natural ambassador for the sport -- has been a solid middleweight for years, and his undivided attention to the sport all but promises a transformation into a contender. The same card featured guerilla jiu-jitsu brown belt Luke Rockhold, who made an emphatic statement with a 30-second victory against Cory Devela. Lyle Beerbohm emerged, too. A former methamphetamine addict, Beerbohm literally went from prison to the gym and picked up the best win of his young career against UFC veteran and 2002 K-1 USA Max winner Duane Ludwig … The month started with Seth Dikun pulling a flying triangle choke against Rolando Perez at WEC 41 -- a surefire way to leave one’s mark in MMA. Josh Grispi graduated from prospect to contender by submitting one-time UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver … Meanwhile, featherweight Joe Soto, lightweight Eddie Alvarez, welterweight Lyman Good and middleweight Hector Lombard cashed in $175,000 in their Bellator Fighting Championships tournament wins, adding their names to smart money’s watch list.
***
The Bad
New York: It seems UFC fighters will only compete in Madison Square Garden in “UFC 2009 Undisputed 2009” -- for now. A bill to regulate MMA in the Empire State crumbled during an emergency session by the Tourism, Arts and Sports Committee. MMA optimists in New York hoped to see a UFC show there in December or early 2010; now, they will have to set a new target date a full year behind schedule. Anti-MMA Assemblyman Bob Reilly gets his way again but only seems to be prolonging the inevitable, as success in Pennsylvania comes in August with a visit from the UFC and will continue in other established markets like California, Texas and abroad. Somewhere, New York MMA crusader Matt Serra is drowning his justified sorrows in a bowl of pasta.
Banned Sponsors: A FiveOuncesofPain.com report revealed Dethrone, One More Round and Rolling Stone magazine as the latest sponsors to join Affliction on the UFC’s banned list. There may be a method to Zuffa’s madness. However, constricting blood flow to companies that support fighters -- who more often than not rely on sponsorships to pay the bills -- seems absurd. It impacts more than the fighters, too. Popular UFC cutman Jacob “Stitch” Duran was sponsored by One More Round. Is there a brand with a more fitting name for the 60-second healer? This move was nothing new for the sport. The Rolling Stone ban was striking, though. French heavyweight Cheick Kongo entered the Octagon to Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” at UFC 99, and the surreal nature of seeing one of America’s most important cultural touchstones supporting a mixed martial artist must not be ignored.
Bellator vs. WEC: Consensus top featherweight Mike Thomas Brown only made a reported $25,256, including a win bonus, for besting Urijah Faber in a five-round scrap that also earned him a $10,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus. The WEC’s bonuses and overall salaries are stacked lower than the UFC’s despite both companies being owned by Zuffa LLC. UFC transplant Manny Gamburyan made more in disclosed pay in his WEC debut than Brown, though the Armenian-born judoka did carry his UFC contract into the WEC. Fighter pay remains a contentious an issue in the sport, but something seems wrong about Brown, the best 145-pounder in the world, missing out on larger paydays because of his weight class. The WEC provides the greatest platform the lighter divisions have ever enjoyed, but more progress needs to be made. That the upstart Bellator Fighting Championship promotion handed $175,000 to featherweight tournament winner Joe Soto served as a small reminder.
Referring, Judging: Wanderlei Silva, Mustapha al Turk, Marcus Davis, Gleison Tibau, Edgar Garcia and Nick Thompson all had trouble with referees, judges or both during the month of June. With such a representative sample of fighters speaking out about the same issue in a 30-day span, fans, promoters and commissions should take notice. Enough red tape exists to deter anyone from tackling the issue, but there are tough people involved in MMA. The sport made it this far. No sense in succumbing to complacency.
***
The Ugly
Mercer Crumples Sylvia: Washed-up professional boxer Ray Mercer, a 1988 Olympic gold medalist, knocked out former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia in nine seconds at Adrenaline MMA 3 on June 13 in Birmingham, Ala. Mere facts do no do the ugliness of the KO justice.
The Good
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Fifteen Minutes for Females: Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker knew it, as did fighters and hardcore fans: women can fight for 15 minutes -- or more. Gina Carano’s stock skyrocketed and with it went the popularity of female MMA. Bantamweight Sarah Kaufman scored a decision victory against Miesha Tate in a bout contested over three three-minute rounds at ShoMMA “Strikeforce Challenge Series 1” on May 15 in Fresno, Calif. The non-stop action the match featured served as a tipping point. At the second ShoMMA installment just a month later, Strikeforce featured female MMA’s first major 15-minute match between Kaufman and Shayna Baszler. The unbeaten Kaufman again won by unanimous decision. Coker has the commissions in Washington and California on board. A long-awaited super fight pitting Carano against Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos will crown the first Strikeforce women’s champion on Aug. 15. The historic headliner -- which should only further the female fight cause -- has been scheduled for five five-minute rounds.
Trench Battles: When there are major
shows every weekend, barnburners are bound to surface. World
Extreme Cagefighting kicked off the month with a five-round war, as
featherweight champion Mike
Thomas Brown bested injured hometown hero Urijah Faber
at WEC 42 on June 7 in Sacramento, Calif. … Razor-thin decisions
were abundant at UFC 99 on June 13, none more emotionally riveting
than a catchweight main event between former UFC middleweight king
Rich
Franklin and longtime Pride Fighting Championships titleholder
Wanderlei
Silva … Strikeforce picked up where Zuffa LLC left off, as
Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Jorge Gurgel
slugged his way to victory against Conor Heun
and the Greg
Jackson-trained Joey
Villasenor earned a split decision against Evangelista “Cyborg”
Santos at ShoMMA “Strikeforce Challenger Series 2” on June 19 … The
UFC closed the curtains on its month on June 20 with “The Ultimate
Fighter 9” Finale, which featured three “Fights of the Night,”
including a memorable main event battle between lightweights
Diego
Sanchez and Clay
Guida.
Tim Kennedy and the Prospects: In what proved to be a savvy free agent signing, Strikeforce picked up middleweight Tim Kennedy and placed him against massive welterweight Nick Thompson at ShoMMA “Strikeforce Challenger Series 2.” Kennedy struck Thompson into submission in his first bout as a full-time fighter. While not exactly a traditional prospect, the former Army Ranger -- a natural ambassador for the sport -- has been a solid middleweight for years, and his undivided attention to the sport all but promises a transformation into a contender. The same card featured guerilla jiu-jitsu brown belt Luke Rockhold, who made an emphatic statement with a 30-second victory against Cory Devela. Lyle Beerbohm emerged, too. A former methamphetamine addict, Beerbohm literally went from prison to the gym and picked up the best win of his young career against UFC veteran and 2002 K-1 USA Max winner Duane Ludwig … The month started with Seth Dikun pulling a flying triangle choke against Rolando Perez at WEC 41 -- a surefire way to leave one’s mark in MMA. Josh Grispi graduated from prospect to contender by submitting one-time UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver … Meanwhile, featherweight Joe Soto, lightweight Eddie Alvarez, welterweight Lyman Good and middleweight Hector Lombard cashed in $175,000 in their Bellator Fighting Championships tournament wins, adding their names to smart money’s watch list.
***
The Bad
New York: It seems UFC fighters will only compete in Madison Square Garden in “UFC 2009 Undisputed 2009” -- for now. A bill to regulate MMA in the Empire State crumbled during an emergency session by the Tourism, Arts and Sports Committee. MMA optimists in New York hoped to see a UFC show there in December or early 2010; now, they will have to set a new target date a full year behind schedule. Anti-MMA Assemblyman Bob Reilly gets his way again but only seems to be prolonging the inevitable, as success in Pennsylvania comes in August with a visit from the UFC and will continue in other established markets like California, Texas and abroad. Somewhere, New York MMA crusader Matt Serra is drowning his justified sorrows in a bowl of pasta.
Banned Sponsors: A FiveOuncesofPain.com report revealed Dethrone, One More Round and Rolling Stone magazine as the latest sponsors to join Affliction on the UFC’s banned list. There may be a method to Zuffa’s madness. However, constricting blood flow to companies that support fighters -- who more often than not rely on sponsorships to pay the bills -- seems absurd. It impacts more than the fighters, too. Popular UFC cutman Jacob “Stitch” Duran was sponsored by One More Round. Is there a brand with a more fitting name for the 60-second healer? This move was nothing new for the sport. The Rolling Stone ban was striking, though. French heavyweight Cheick Kongo entered the Octagon to Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” at UFC 99, and the surreal nature of seeing one of America’s most important cultural touchstones supporting a mixed martial artist must not be ignored.
Bellator vs. WEC: Consensus top featherweight Mike Thomas Brown only made a reported $25,256, including a win bonus, for besting Urijah Faber in a five-round scrap that also earned him a $10,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus. The WEC’s bonuses and overall salaries are stacked lower than the UFC’s despite both companies being owned by Zuffa LLC. UFC transplant Manny Gamburyan made more in disclosed pay in his WEC debut than Brown, though the Armenian-born judoka did carry his UFC contract into the WEC. Fighter pay remains a contentious an issue in the sport, but something seems wrong about Brown, the best 145-pounder in the world, missing out on larger paydays because of his weight class. The WEC provides the greatest platform the lighter divisions have ever enjoyed, but more progress needs to be made. That the upstart Bellator Fighting Championship promotion handed $175,000 to featherweight tournament winner Joe Soto served as a small reminder.
Referring, Judging: Wanderlei Silva, Mustapha al Turk, Marcus Davis, Gleison Tibau, Edgar Garcia and Nick Thompson all had trouble with referees, judges or both during the month of June. With such a representative sample of fighters speaking out about the same issue in a 30-day span, fans, promoters and commissions should take notice. Enough red tape exists to deter anyone from tackling the issue, but there are tough people involved in MMA. The sport made it this far. No sense in succumbing to complacency.
***
The Ugly
Mercer Crumples Sylvia: Washed-up professional boxer Ray Mercer, a 1988 Olympic gold medalist, knocked out former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia in nine seconds at Adrenaline MMA 3 on June 13 in Birmingham, Ala. Mere facts do no do the ugliness of the KO justice.
