Put a Lid on it: Favoritism from the UFC Broadcasting Booth

This article was written in the days following UFC 100, and was originally published on Nokaut.com

This past Saturday Joe Rogan once again demonstrated both his enthusiasm for mixed martial arts and his bad habit of making hyperbolic, biased declarations.

Joe Rogan is a true asset to the UFC and mixed martial arts generally. He brings a definite, infectious excitement to his broadcasts, and his effortless knowledge of the sport's history, composite disciplines, and fighters is impressive. Yet it is this close, personal relationship he has with the world of MMA that seems to be at the heart of a mounting problem. That is, Rogan's increasingly uninhibited partiality while calling action from the broadcast booth and while conducting post-fight interviews.

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During the UFC 100 broadcast Joe Rogan waxed horrified at the judges' decision ruling Yoshihiro Akiyama the winner over Alan Belcher. As an exhausted Akiyama celebrated, Rogan turned his indignation up to 11 and announced "Alan Belcher knows he got robbed." Such a statement is problematic for several reasons. Most obviously because it assumes that Belcher was, in fact, robbed.

It’s important to be clear. Alan Belcher was not "robbed" in his decision loss. It was a close, competitive, and exciting fight. But before anyone takes Rogan's cue, they should consider: to say Alan Belcher was robbed is to say that in no way, in any reasonable person's mind, should Akiyama have been seen as the victor. To say Belcher was robbed is to claim, essentially, that the fight wasn't even close. Yet, a look at play-by-plays running on three MMA websites proves contrary. Our very own Nokaut.com saw the fight in Belcher's favor, and MMAJunkie and Sherdog.com saw Akiyama as the bout's winner. While this speaks to the extremely narrow margin by which Akiyama won (a fact Akiyama himself seemed to realize given his apparent sense of relief), it also indicates that, as much as the fight could have gone to Belcher, more times than not it would end with Akiyama's hand being raised.

Furthermore, if Rogan was to play back the third round of this fight, he would hear himself commenting that Akiyama, having just taken Belcher down, was scoring points with the judges, and that Belcher needed to get back to his feet, urgently so, in an effort to take the round, if not finish Akiyama in the closing minutes. Why would this even be an issue if Belcher had, to that point, won the fight to such a degree that any conflicting judge's verdict would be called a robbery? In the end, even Rogan's own immediate (and in this way perhaps more honest) assessment of the fight contradicted a subsequent incredulity that, in this light, can only be seen as fueled by favoritism.

Of course, these are easy points to make in retrospect. At the time, on a live broadcast, Rogan couldn't have known what the general consensus was and, once properly contextualized, how little the decision warranted such outrage. However, what he should have realized, as both a long-time fan and someone working within the industry, is the fallibility of his own eyes when evaluating a fight; with this in mind he might have withheld such a definitive, public assertion until he gave himself time to reflect and become better informed. This might seem like a lot to ask of someone so engrossed by the sport as Joe Rogan but, as he is a professional, it's not unwarranted.

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Joe Rogan's vocal yet unfounded disgust following the Akiyama-Belcher decision wouldn't be such a problem if it weren't indicative of a larger trend. As Rogan has become a fixture within the UFC, he has seemed less concerned with providing an apparently unbiased point of view, all the while relying more and more confidently on his gut feelings, his heart, and his personal preferences when qualifying the action inside the Octagon. Long time fans of MMA might claim that they have always detected a tendency towards favoritism in Joe Rogan. To whatever extent this has been true, it has become all the more pronounced in the last nine to twelve months—a fact that is often obscured by his usual perceptiveness and also by partner Mike Goldberg's more persistent towing of the company line. Yet whereas Goldberg can be excused for being occasionally off the mark on account of naiveté and professional obligation (he is paid to push the UFC brand, after all), Rogan, as a student of the game with a wider range of expression, ought to know better.

Note first the fight between Dong Hyun Kim and Matt Brown at UFC 88. Kim was awarded a split-decision victory following a third round in which neither exhausted fighter was able to deliver an emphatic conclusion. Across the 15 minutes of the fight, however, Joe Rogan couldn't help but enthuse over Matt Brown's notorious grit and dubious in-fight effectiveness. His affinity for Brown reached a fever pitch when, during the post fight interviews, Rogan actually came out and told Brown that he felt he’d won the fight. One may appreciate the emotional investment that would lead to such an outpouring, but the fact remains: with Dong Hyun Kim (who, frankly, worked his ass off) and a large attending audience still present, such an assertion was hugely disrespectful to the Korean fighter and his camp.

Kim had the misfortune of fighting another of Rogan's favorites in Karo Parisyan a few months later, at UFC 94. With both fighters on the ground, Kim worked for an ankle lock. Parisyan, in an attempt to escape, haphazardly kicked Kim in the head. The illegal move was caught by the referee, Parisyan was officially warned, and the fight was restarted. Rogan admonished the break in action, however, and feebly contended that what Parisyan leveled at Kim's head was more of a "shove" than a kick. It's troubling that Rogan would debate an issue of fighter safety on the mere basis of semantics, and yet more troubling since it was in the service of a fighter for whom Rogan has had an admitted fondness; since Parisyan's early days in the UFC Rogan has sung his praises. In this case, though, Rogan's hero-worship consequently belittled Kim's own right to a fair fight.

Shots to the back of the head go unremarked. A stalemate on the ground is seen instead as a tactical advantage that must remain uninterrupted (or vice-versa, depending on who's landed on top, figuratively speaking). These episodes are small, but nevertheless threaten to compromise what has, to date, been otherwise admirable commentating.

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Let's keep things in perspective. I only dissect Joe Rogan’s work as an announcer because he is an integral member of the mixed martial arts community. He's worth discussing. What's more, I would never go so far as to say that Rogan's partiality is "bad for the sport." This is a concept that gets tossed around far too much in an attempt to lend moral gravity to some issue that only a lunatic fringe really agonizes over (that drawing of a penis on Brock Lesnar's chest is bad for the sport; Dana White's Hot Topic wardrobe is bad for the sport; Kimbo Slice's asymmetrical chest hair is bad for the sport; photos of a bloated Chuck Liddell with no damn shirt on are bad for the sport). In fact, if anything, Joe Rogan is good for MMA--he's articulate, likable, and is trusted by probably thousands of spectators. This last point, though, is why it's important that he become a little more measured in what he says. There are a great many MMA fans, eagerly looking forward to his next comedy special (something like "Screaming Bearded Man with a Passion for Space-Faring Mammals") that readily hang their opinions about MMA on Joe Rogan's own. So, while the fate of mixed martial arts doesn't necessarily rest in Rogan's wildly gesticulating hands, it might be nice if he were to encourage a more thoughtful, fair-minded audience.

And if Joe Rogan doesn’t address the issue, then at least those watching the UFC must acknowledge that there is a problem. No hateful oaths over the internet are necessary. Just please take what the guy says with a grain of salt.

Virtually Some Tyrant: Dana White Clarifies, Lionizes Reaction to EA Games

This is an unpublished follow-up I wrote to "Virtual Chokehold." Unfortunately, I think it may have been deemed too biased against the UFC.

During the UFC 100 post-fight press conference Dana White was asked to clarify his warning to fighters and managers. To whit, any fighter that sells their likeness for the EA MMA video game would be banned from the UFC.

"Sounds like me. Sounds like something that I would say," admitted White. Referring to his initial negotiations to make a UFC video game, he continued, "I went to EA sports. Know what EA Sports said? 'It's not a sport. This isn't a sport. We would never get involved in something like this.' [Expletive] them." Dana White went on to liken the fighters affected by his resulting policy as "casualties" in a war.

Just so we're all on the same page, Dana White is basically saying that the people at EA Sports said something mean to him, which made the UFC president feel bad. Now fighters around the world are expected to forego a savings account for their family or an extra payment on a home as a show of support for Dana White, the tough guy millionaire with the hurt feelings. To call this childish is an understatement.

In telling his story, Dana White seems to think that he will somehow rally a legion of indignant MMA fans and fighters against EA Games. White's self-aggrandizement has reached the point where he believes this petty, spiteful action of his amounts to a righteous act of war. At stake is the honor of our poor, maligned sport. He is the general. The fighters are so many grunts in a trench war; their financial security and the food in their families' mouths become collateral damage, regrettable but wholly acceptable under the possessive gaze of Dana White.

All fighters, from Fedor Emelianenko to Olaf Alfonso, should be outraged. Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg should be outraged. Monte Cox and Ken Pavia should be outraged. Greg Jackson, Ricardo Liborio, John Hackleman, and Pat Miletich should be outraged. Most importantly, any thinking, feeling fan of MMA worth his or her weight in salt should be outraged. There's a virulent strain of Dana White apologists out there, infatuated with his roughneck aesthetic and televised antics, but they need to wise up. Just because a carpenter builds you a house doesn't mean he can walk in and shit wherever he wants. Dana White worked very hard to help usher in this modern era of MMA. It doesn't give him carte blanche to act like some boardroom thug, playing out his adolescent power fantasies on the world of mixed martial arts.

Virtual Chokehold: EA Games, the UFC, and Dana White’s Warning to the World of MMA

To summarize: Dana White has put out the word, which was confirmed in a forum post by MMA agent Ken Pavia, that any fighter who signs on to have their likeness featured in Electronic Arts' upcoming MMA video game (a future competitor to developer THQ' s UFC video game) will be placed on the UFC's blacklist. Appear in the video game, and you will literally never fight in the UFC.

It's hard to speak in any definitive or constructive way on the ethical content of such a mandate. One could argue for days about whether or not this is fair; whether or not fairness (as most people understand it) has any place in this business; to what extent the fighters themselves, in responding to such tactics, would themselves be culpable in their own misery. And of course, the absolute, unconditional nature of White's threat is a little hard to swallow. Should we really believe that if Fedor Emelianenko rang the UFC's doorbell, a signed contract in hand, the day following his debut appearance in EA's video game, that he wouldn't be brought on board? It's doubtful.

What is clear, however, is Dana White's immediate sincerity on the matter. Exceptions aside, the UFC president meant what he said, and it fits with the UFC's emergent modus operandi (formed around such a strong arm as only a boxercise instructor could have). Given this, we have to both admit the threat's significance and examine its potency.

Does Japan want the UFC?

Takanori Gomi is a star. Norifumi Yamamoto is a star. So are Kazushi Sakuraba, Ikuhisa Minowa, and American Jason Miller. None of them needed the UFC to reach the height of popularity, if not rankings, among Japanese MMA fans. Indeed, dating back to the UFC's Ultimate Japan 1 in 1997, it seems that the Ultimate Fighting Championship has always needed Japanese fighters as a means of success overseas more than any fighter from Takada Dojo ever needed the UFC. And while PRIDE is dead and gone, the rise of both DREAM and Sengoku provide for a persistent status quo. It’s hard to imagine that any popular fighter in Japan is particularly shaken at the thought of being banned from fighting in front of a booing American crowd.

Yet, for the best of fighters, being a star won't always be enough. Being the best is the only thing that will do, and in a country like Japan where matchmakers from hell are busy cooking up a fight between a kickboxing champion suffering from gigantism and a retired baseball player, truly testing oneself becomes a dubious proposition. This is where the UFC has an advantage.

Some will always view The Ultimate Fighter as a shameful spectacle, but this pales in comparison to a fight between a pro-wrestler dressed as a comic book character fighting a 320-pound spokesman for Panasonic televisions. Brock Lesnar aside, contenders in the UFC almost always follow a coherent rise to title contention, and the UFC has never in this modern era put a fight together based solely on the idea of a mismatch. The same cannot be said for the much-missed PRIDE FC, or K-1 Hero's or DREAM. A spot in the open-weight DREAM "Superhulk" tournament (where little guys fight big guys!) or a run at Anderson Silva's middleweight title? For the legacy-minded fighter this is not a hard choice. Yoshihiro Akiyama made this choice when he signed with the UFC. Olympic judoka turned sought-after MMA prospect Satoshi Ishii almost did the same before opting to gain experience in Japan before a stateside jump. Might this be indicative of a larger shift in opinion among the Japanese mixed martial arts community? While one can establish super-stardom in a Japanese promotion like DREAM, has the UFC, due to more consistent and productive matchmaking, become the place to test one's mettle at its peak? Dana White, in making such an unqualified threat, seems to be betting yes, but perhaps too soon.

Consider first that with the buyout and dissolution of PRIDE FC, a line was drawn in the sand. On the one end fell those who chose to migrate to the UFC, either for an extended stay (like Shogun Rua) or an abbreviated sort of investigation (like Akihiro Gono). On the other side were those who decided to stick it out in Japan, either in DREAM or in the fledgling Sengoku. If this latter group, comprised of fighters like Takanori Gomi, Josh Barnett, and Tatsuya Kawajiri, weren't too concerned with signing on with the UFC at the height of their overseas mystique, it's unlikely that they would be particularly concerned about it now. And with fighters like the aforementioned Gono moving back into more familiar territory, it's likely that most of the Japanese mainstays will remain just that.

What's more, it seems like there just might be a place for competition-minded fighters like Akiyama as well. Sengoku representative Takahiro Kokuho, in a May 2009 interview, acknowledged the problematic relationship that Japanese MMA culture has had with spectacle-driven events. "For us, Sengoku is a competition. We want it to be a real sport. We want to find out who really is the strongest...." Kokuho went on to say, "We won't be doing things like Bob Sapp-Kinniku Mantaro." If Sengoku's surprisingly sober, competitive tournaments are any indication, then fighters like Akiyama might not have to look to the UFC for more consistent matchmaking.

In the end, Dana White's harsh words may be landing on deaf ears across the Pacific.

Do North American fighters need the UFC?

Basically no. Or at least not for long. While it's true that the UFC currently has a stranglehold on mainstream popularity, key events in the past nine months point toward a change in the MMA landscape. Most significantly, the growth of Strikeforce.

Under staid management Strikeforce has seen steady growth to the point of landing a deal with television network CBS. It's home to MMA stars Gina Carano and Cung Le, and highly esteemed fighters like Jake Shields and Renato Sobral. A healthy collaboration with the money-burning promotion Affliction has managed to keep Strikeforce's growing roster in competitive fights, and its less-stringent contractual policies have seen international stars like Kazuo Misaki pop in to lend some gravitas to their fight cards.

Bearing all this in mind, one might envision a time when an eminent talent might opt out of playing hardball with Dana White in favor of a deal with EA Games and a spot on a CBS-broadcast Strikeforce event. And while Strikeforce could go belly-up before any of this comes to pass, the promotion's sensible rate of expansion and spending definitely separates it from burnouts like the WFA in 2006, the IFL in 2008, and perhaps Affliction in the coming year.

If Strikeforce's momentum continues, it could be little more than a year or two before fighter's can tune-out Dana White's unconditional demands.

Is Dana White pissing in the wind?

The efficacy of Dana White's threats to all UFC hopefuls, now and forever, depends largely on the fighters and their managers. Certainly the near future will see upcoming fighters for whom the UFC still holds a special aura, yet the MMA world seems to be changing—for every TUF hopeful there is a Robbie Lawler making it work outside of the trademarked Octagon.

If fighters recognize Strikeforce or Sengoku’s increasing significance they might, provided the fighter is able and willing to put time into a still-developing promotion, forego dignifying Dana White's strong-arm tactics. Only a couple years ago this would have been unthinkable, but with the growth of Strikeforce, Sengoku, and DREAM, combined with the increasingly vocal dissatisfaction of fighters and managers alike, Dana White may finally be overestimating his hold on the world of MMA.

This article was originally published by Nokaut.com on July 6, 2009

Now on Nokaut.com

Hello folks. A quick note to say that I'll now be writing a weekly column for Nokaut.com. Hope you don't hate them!

I'll continue posting brief articles to this site, the ones with all the swears n cusses, for any interested parties.

They'll do it Every Time

Boxing writers can't seem to get enough of talking in circles about mixed martial arts.

Couched in a lengthy article disparaging boxing prospect Victor Ortiz's decision to quit mid-fight, boxing writer Ron Borges ridiculed mixed martial artists for their being "allowed to quit without recrimination by using a more sanitized phrase...in MMA they say he tapped out." Borges asserted that this fact "is what separates real fighters from those guys in MMA...."

This is a strange thing to write for a couple of reasons.

First, of course, is the fact that the biggest argument against MMA (deeply flawed as it may be) has been that the sport is too dangerous. Critics feel that, compared to the large gloves and limited offensive arsenal available in boxing, the cut-inducing elbow strikes, small gloves, and myriad offensive positions in MMA are likely to end in some fatality or horrific injury. This historically and statistically unfounded opinion has been repeated often by boxing-only supporters (I won't say supports of boxing, since I myself am for boxing as well as for mixed martial arts). Critics of MMA scoff and shake a finger at what they perceive to be inhuman, unsportsmanlike brutality. It's not hard to see, then, why some might be confused when reading of Borges' indignation at Ortiz's unwillingness "to go out on his shield," which is itself, ironically, a "sanitized phrase" for dying.

Borges' unsatisfied bloodlust is all the more surprising when he goes on to admit that one of Ortiz's eyes had been "badly sliced" and the other was developing "a huge contusion." Later, after dismissing Ortiz as a simply a quitter, he attempts to sympathize with the up-and-coming fighter. "The sad fact is [he] had bee beaten on since he was a little boy...by his father...by his mother [...] You try that and see how many more beatings you want to take..." It would be one thing if Borges were railing against Ortiz in a state of sheer ignorance, but that he was able to even begin to envision the psychological and physical turmoil Ortiz must have been in before he quit, and at the same time lambaste him as he did, is disgusting.

Aside from being this week's biggest keyboard warrior, Borges also manages to demonstrate that he's not very good at thinking things through during his brief, but potently idiotic criticism of MMA.

It's obvious, of course, that he doesn't know much about the sport and its surrounding culture, or he would be aware of the fans harsh criticism of anyone who appears to tap or fold too early. Kalib Starnes was cut from the UFC for a reason, and Dana White and company were hesitant to offer the evasive Lyoto Machida any marquee fights until he began to show a greater willingness to engage (which reminds me, I wonder why Borges, in his desire for relentless bloodshed, didn't take a moment to wag a finger at the defensively-minded Floyd Mayweather, Jr.).

And of course, in so adamantly asserting the superiority of a boxer's fighting spirit, he failed to consider the most obvious counter argument. A mixed martial arts writer (were one to be as apparently dense as he) could argue that boxers aren't "real fighters" because they are allowed a chance to stand up and recompose themselves following a knockdown, or because they are permitted a limited arsenal that has been far abstracted from actual fighting.

Borges may be a excellent sports writer on the whole (his profile on thesweetscience.com certainly says so) but his inability to more comprehensively conceive of the issue in this instance is a little embarrassing, and only serves to illustrate that boxing-only critics of MMA are a confused bunch, who can't consistently articulate why they don't like MMA probably because they don't want to admit the real reason: boxing, archaic as it may be, is a fine sport, but is giving up popularity, money, and cultural significance to mixed martial arts.

The Case Against Mixed Martial Arts

Critics of MMA, and proponents of boxing particularly, have often asserted that mixed martial artists are nothing more than a bunch of thugs flailing away at each other in the cage. People like Floyd Mayweather, Jr. believe that while it takes years of intense training and attentive coaching for a boxer to rise to prominence, any tough guy can walk in off the street and become a mixed martial arts champion.

With the increase in cross over athletes, including retired and one-time prospects from the world of pro-wrestling, football, and boxing, MMA is every day closer to definitively answering such skeptics. And while anyone can point to Anderson Silva's artful in-cage performances, or the personable, athletic Georges St. Pierre as examples of MMA's worth to the world of sports, anyone intending to be truly prepared for a debate must instead anticipate their opponents' arguments.

With that in mind, here are four recent fights that serve as a black eye on the face of mixed martial arts.

4. Andrei Arlovksi vs. Fedor Emelianenko

Following an extensive, boxing-centric training camp under Freddie Roach, Arlovski used pin-point punching and fleet footwork to stagger Emelianenko. Driving his opponent into a corner, Arlovski seemed poised to knock out Emelianenko until, following a sloppy jumping knee, he was countered and sent unconscious to the mat. Had Arlovski stuck to straight boxing, he very well may have knocked out the consensus number 1 heavyweight mixed martial artist in the world.

Rebuttal: Coulda shoulda woulda. The fact remains that Emelianenko beat Arlovski, despite the Belarusian contender's extensive training camp with Roach. But if one was truly dedicated to dealing in hypotheticals, then we might as well consider the likely scenario that Emelianenko, rather than sticking it out on the feet, would have easily taken Arlovski to the ground and submitted him (a likely eventuality given Arlovski's boxing-induced tunnel vision). Regarding events as they actually transpired, one might recall that Emelianenko has been in tight spots before (in fights with Kazuyuki Fujita, Kevin Randelman, Mark Hunt, and Mirko Filipovic) and his unconventional striking, grappling acumen, and formidable instincts have always seen him through. Boxing wasn't the first technique to threaten Emelianenko, nor was it enough to close the deal in the end.

3. Brock Lesnar vs. Heath Herring

Carrying a slight professional record of 1-1-0 into the cage with him, former pro-wrestler Brock Lesnar was nevertheless able to thrash former PRIDE heavyweight contender Heath Herring for 3 straight rounds.

Rebuttal: Lesnar is more than just an entertainment wrestler who stumbled into the UFC. Far from simply changing gears one day from turnbuckle acrobatics to in-cage fisticuffs, Lesnar underwent a full year of intensive training with both Royce Gracie and the respectable Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts camp. Combined with his almost peerless collegiate wrestling pedigree and well of raw physical power, and a victory for Lesnar over the wrestling-prone Heath Herring, whose ring age is starting to show through his otherwise tough hide, is not as unusual as it may have seemed at first.

2. Joe Warren vs. Norifumi Yamamoto

With a record of only 1-0-0, Warren was expected by most to fall easily to the DREAM tournament favorite Yamamoto, who carried an impressive record of 17-1-0 into the fight. Instead, Warren brutalized Yamamoto at range, in the clinch, and on the ground en route to a clear cut decision victory.

Rebuttal: Warren was an Olympic wrestling candidate before his hopes were dashed following a positive drug test. Bear in mind that such high level wrestling is a skill that gives any MMA neophyte an edge, even in such a high-profile fight, provided that it is fused with the nerve and chin to mix it up on the feet--something that a lengthy training camp with Dan Henderson's Team Quest would certainly provide. Combined with the fact that Yamamoto was coming off of a year-and-a-half lay off following extensive surgery, and, in hindsight, Warren's victory isn't as shocking, or ridiculous, as it may have appeared

1. Ray Mercer vs. Tim Sylvia

Faded boxing star Ray Mercer, in his pro-debut following a loss in an exhibition match to Kimbo Slice, knocked out former UFC champion and top 10 ranked heavyweight Tim Sylvia.

Rebuttal: If we're being honest, Tim Sylvia, despite being a ranked mixed martial artist, is essentially a kick boxer with an eye for exploiting his size and reach. It's no surprise, then, that he was bested at his own game by a more accomplished striker. It's safe to say that fighters like Sylvia, with a limited skill set and an antiquated "stand-and-trade" approach, are fast becoming outdated, and are hardly representative of mixed martial arts as they exist today.

DREAM 9 Play-by-Play

The next round of the DREAM featherweight tournament continues at 4:00 a.m. Central American, plus the opening round of the all important "Super Hulk Tournament."

Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Bob Sapp

Round 1.
Sapp curiously shoots for the takedown. Successful, he works for a straight arm bar, a kimura. Minowa is sweeping. Sapp manages some shots to the head before flopping to his back. With Minowa now in Sapp's guard, the outcome seems ienvitable. Sure enough, Minowa by Achilles lock.

Minowa, Achilles Lock, Round 1.

Jose Canseco vs. Hong Man Choi

Round 1.
If having a self-trained, former baseball player fight a 7-foot-2 former K-1 champion is the biggest crime of the evening, Canseco's disturbingly tight jazz pants is the second biggest. Canseco has no cornermen, only his girlfriend. Insane. Canseco seems reasonably composed, clips Choi with an overhand right. Choi counters, brief clinch and a knee. Canseco is now visibly shaken. Canseco is on his bike. A round-house kick to Choi's side throws Canseco off balance, and the MLB whistle-blower falls to the ground. Choi capitalizes with some ground and pound before the referee steps in to save Canseco, who has begun to tap out.

Choi, TKO, round 1.

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Jan Nortje

Round 1.
Sokodjou swings and clinches, drives Nortje into the ropes. He attempts a judo throw, but Nortje grabs the ropes. And again. Guy Mezger in the announcers' booth is furious, memories of sketkchy PRIDE officiating no doubt parading through his mind. The referee separates them, and Sokodjou works good kicks to the legs. Takedown by Sokodjou followed up with strikes, Nortje turtling up. The referee stops the fight, but Sokodjou continues to fire away. Nortje's corner storms the ring. Replays show that none of the later strikes really landed, but the poor sportsmanship from usually all-around nice guy Sokodjou is surprising. Sokodjou apologizes to Nortje.

Sokodjou, TKO, round 1.

Gegard Mousasi vs. Mark Hunt

Despite the disparity in weight, Mousasi has an apparent height and reach advantage of Hunt. Hunt stalks slowly around the ring, takedown by Mousasi. Mousasi traps one arm with his legs while working for a straight arm lock, a kimura on the other. Hunt looks to roll, but can't get off his back, and taps out.

Mousasi, kimura, round 1.


Gesias "JZ" Calvancanti vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri

Round 1.
Both fighters take the center of the ring immediately and begin to trade. Edge to JZ, landing clean hooks and crosses. Kawajiri shoots and Calvancanti sprawls well. Locked up against the ropes, JZ jumps for a guillotine. Kawajiri slips from guard, but JZ still has the choke locked in. Jumps to half guard. Kawajiri slips out, finally, settles on top of JZ in half guard.
Kawajiri working some ground and pound, looks to advance to mount, but JZ is tying him up well. Reset in the middle of the ring. JZ with an open guard. Kawajiri with some powerful ground and pound, JZ still lucid.
Kawajiri passes to side control, JZ regains full guard. Back on the feet briefly, but Kawajiri is absolutely smothering JZ, and plants him on his back again. More ground and pound from Kawajiri. Referee stands the up, yellow cards all around.
Both work jabs, miss wide with hooks. Kawajiri with a head kick, JZ witha good right to the jaw. JZ drives for a single leg, unsuccessfully, and they are now tied up against the ropes. Kawajiri working knees to the legs and body. REferee splist them up.
JZ with a good jab, Kawajiri with a clubbing left. Kawajiri looks exhausted, but his driving forward well. Strong uppercut from Kawajiri, drives for a takedown, and lands in JZ's guard. While JZ works the rubber guard, Kawajiri knees the body, finishes with some strong ground and pound. The marathon round was all Kawajiri.

In between rounds, DREAM announcer refers to Akiyama as Sexyama. Highlight of the evening, to be sure.
Last five minutes of the fight, JZ takes some shots to the face before Kawajiri drives for the takedown. JZ again with a guillotine choke, but it's loose. Kawajiri with more ground and pound from half guard. JZ rolls out, back to the feet. In the corner, knees to the body and legs by Kawajiri. The referee resets them in the center fo the ring. JZ works some good boxing, misses with a big overhand right. Kawajiri with awesome right straights, shoots in for a double leg, plants JZ on his back, advances to mount almost immediately. Ground and pound to JZ's dome before the referee restarts them at center. JZ regains half guard. 30 seconds left in the round, this fight was all Kawajiri. Kawajiri advances to side control, more ground and pound. JZ completely shut down by Kawajiri.

Kawajiri, decision, round 2.


Hideo Tokoro vs. Abel Cullum

Round 1.
Lunging rights from Cullum clip Tokoro on the chin. Good left from Tokoro, and a kick to the leg. Cullum has had enough of the standup, and puts Tokoro on his back with a sindobuble. Tokor pops back up, good kicks and punches, nails Cullum hard in the body with a kick. Cullum drives Tokto to the ground and Tokoro locks in a triangle choke. Real tight. Cullum holding on, but it looks like it could be over. Cullum slipping out, Tokoro tightens it up. Cullum slips out, amazing escape. Cullum with knees and punches to Tokoro's head. Tokoro reverses into side control, full mount. sloppy arm bar attempt, but Tokor manages to stay on top. Cullum on his knees, drvies into Tokor's guard. Shots to the body.Tokor threatens with a high guard. Cullum with punches to the head and body. Tokoro pops back up to the feet.
Cullum with a strong uppercut. Tokoro with a jab to the face. Cullum landing good shots to the body and head, puts Tokoro on his back. Tokoro again threatening with a high guard. Tokor sets up an omoplata fro the sweep, lands in Cullum's guard. Tokro advances to half guard, Cullum drops for a knee bar, a toe hold. Tokoro powers his way out with strikes. Cullum rolls or the leg again, but it's loose, Tokoro advances to side contorl, scramble, andt he pair are back otn eh feet. Cullum driving for the takedown, Tokoro hooks the ropes, Cullum picks Tokro up, puts him on the back, advances to hal guard. Tokoro rols to his stmach, Cullum tries to take the back but slips off. Tokoro in full mount, Cullum escapes. Tokoro, on his feet, performs a sliding knee into Cullum, but loses position in the scramble. Round ends with Cullum on top with ground and pound.

Round 2.
Both look remarkably fresh, scramble to the ground immediately. Tokoro gains mount, considers an armbar, but Cullum escapes. On his knees, Cullum drives forward. Tokoro seems to be slipping in a choke, looked tight, but Cullum drops to his side and out of the hold. Cullum looking worn out. The choke is back in. Cullum taps out. Incredible fight.

Tokoro, rear naked choke, round 1.


Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Yoshiro Maeda

Round 1.
Maeda and Takaya trade low kicks. Maeda catches a kick to the head and pushes Takaya to the ground. Maeda with some ground and pound from the half guard, works to pass. Takaya keeping him well tied up. They pop back to the feet. Maeda narrolwy misses with a big knee. The two paw with jabs, both miss with big hooks. They conintue to wing punches at each other in the center of the cage. Good combination by Maeda, Takaya comes back with one of his own. Maeda drives Takaya into the ropes, and then to the ground. Ground and pound from Maeda.
Maeda lands a couple powerful knees as Takaya works back to his feet. Some showmanship now from Maeda as they trade punches. Takaya is looking determined. Maeda's hands are now resting at his shoulders.
Maeda pushes for a takedown, and nearly sends the both of them through the ropes. The fight is stopped to check a cut over Takaya's left eye. They restart in the center of the ring, Maeda in mount. Takaya slips back to half guard. Maeda stands and dives back in with punches. Takaya tries to scramble up, but Maeda pushes him back, and the referee restarts them on the feet immediately after and gives Takaya an undeserved yellow card for holding.
Takaya crushes Maeda with a right straight. Maeda falls to the ground and Takaya capitalizes with ground and pound. Referee steps in.
Takaya and Maeda smile at each other, grateful for the brawl.

Takaya, TKO, round 1

Masakazu Imanari vs. Bibiano "Flash" Fernandes

Round 1.
Fernandes catches a high kick from Imanari and throws him to the ground. Imanari pops back up, continues to fire kicks. Fernandes with a takedown, and some strong ground and pound before Imanari goes for the leg lock. Fernandes explodes away, and they are back to their feet.
They paw with jabs. Takedown by Fernandes. Fernande stands up and kicks at Imanari's legsb before the ref stands them up. Imanari kicks Fernandes tot eh body, and tries to pull guard, but Fernandes shrugs him off. Low kick by Fernandes. Both are playing it very safe, sill feeling each other out.
Imanari again goes for a kick tohe body, Fernandes catches it and drives forward with a punch as he puts Imanari on his back. Leas out of the way of a leg lock, Fernandes kicks at Imanari's legs. Ref stands them up.
Imanari kicks, Fernandes punches, and Iamanri is to his back again. A pattern seems to be forming. Ref stands Imanari up. They feel each other out on the feet some more. Another kick, another takedown, and both are back on their feet. The referee restarts the fighters, scolding them for not engaging. Nevertheless, Imanari flops to his back and Fernandes fires leg kicks. Yellow cards to both fighters. Fernandes is skittish on the feet. Imanari with a flying knee that misses, and pulls Fernandes to the ground. Fernandes lands in side control, scores with knees to the head and body of Imanari. Fernandes holds the position as the round ends.

Round 2.
Round 2 starts with more of the same, kicks with Imanari landing on his back. Imanari actually takes a seat in the center of the ring. Back to his feet, he pulls guard, and Fernandes lands some punches before standing back up. Low kicks by Fernandes. Imanari feigns listlessness, keeping his hands at his sides. More low kicks by Fernandes, and he drives Imanari to the ground. Fernandes tries to pass. Imanari has a leg , but Fernandes explodes out. That may have been Iamanri's best chance at winning. Back on the feet Fernandes with a clubbing punch to the side of Imanari's head, who closes the distance into double under hooks. He flops to his back, and the ref stands them up, gives Fernandes a yellow card for some reason. They trade punches, end up briefly on the ground and then on the feet. With 20 seconds left, Imanari jumps for a leg lock once, twice. The round ends. Looks like Fernandes by decision.

Fernandes, decision, round 2

Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto vs. Joe Warren

Round 1.
Kid tries to embrace Warren as the ref brings them to the center of the ring. The fight started, they trade kicks to the bod. Kid holds in the center of the ring, Warren shoots, Kid sprawls and they clinch. warren landing strikes well inside the clinch, knees and uppercuts. Kid shoots but Warren sprawls. Warren throws kid to his back. Warren working in Kid's guard with punches and knees to the back. Kid maintains a high guard and ties up Warren's hands. Warren slams out and puts some more ground and pound on Kid, but nothing significant. A cut on the bridge of Kid's nose gets checked. Ref issues yellow cards to both fighters. Restart on the feet.
Kid fires front kicks and ajab at Warren. Open palm strike slows Warren down. Clinch against the ropes, knees from Kid. Another strong right from Kid. Warren showing a good chin as he moves forward with clear eyes. Kid ties him up against the ropes and knees tot eh body. They trade body kicks, Warren shoots for a takedown but is shrugged off. Another hard short right by Kid, he's starting to find his stride. Warren shoots again, fails, clinches lands some decent knees. Some good punches, too.
Strong kicks to the leg and body from Kid. From good work from Warren in the clinch, a front kick. Warren puts Kid on his back, works ground and pound, and ends the round in Kid's guard. Impressive performance from Warren so far.

Round 2.
Warren muscles Kid around to start the second. Some kicks from Kid to the legs and body. Big left, and another to Warren's jaw. Fantastic chin, but Warren is looking suddenly tired. Clinches Kid against the ropes, puts him on his back. They restart in the center of the ring, Warren in Kid's guard. With three minutes left, Kid is losing this fight. Rolls for an arm bar, gives it up for some reason, back to guard. Ref stands them up. Kid clips Warren with a right, eliciting a grin from Warren. They trade punches and Warren again shoots, doesn't get it. Kid findhing his stride again, but maybe too late. A minute left, Warren clinches against the ropes, muscles Kid around. Knees tot ehbody. Another takedown, half guard. Ground and pound with 20 seconds left. Joe Warren is going to beat Norifumi Yamamoto. Kid rolls for a last minute arm bar, but loses it. The fight's over. Incredible performance by Joe Warren.

Warren, split decision, round 2
It's amazing that any judge could have seen it for Yamamoto at all.

Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller

A montage of Jacare and Mayhem's antics, both in and out of the ring, is playing. Dance moves abound. The producers have dubbed this fight "Crazy MMA 2."
Miller comes out accompanied by a cavalcade of dancing Japanese schoolgirls. "God bless you, Jason Miller," says announcer Michael Schiavello .
Jacare walks out, arms moving like a alligator's jaws, moseys his way to the ring, ignoring about a dozen screaming Japanese fans eager to drink his sweat. "God bless you, Ronaldo Souza," says I.
Mayhem puts on his serious face and tries to hold back a smirk as the national anthems play. Jacare takes out his mouthpiece for the Brazilian national anthem.

Round 1.
They trade jabs in the center of the ring. Miller is looking to strike, but Jacare takes him down. Miller works back to his feet. Miller puts the muay thai plum on Jacare, but lets it go. They bully eachother along the rope. Jacare lands a couple straight punches. Miller catches a kick and throws Jacare to the ground. Miller levels a soccer kick at Jacare. The move is illegal and the ref calls time. Jacare is cut on the crown of his head. Miller is given a yellow card. Great concern over the cut on Jacare's cut. Chants of "Mayhem" in the crowd. The fight will restart.
Jacare slams Miller to the ground, Miller maintains butterfly guard. Back to the feet, Jacare's cut is bleeding profusely. The fight is stopped to check the cut again. Miller says something to get Jacare's blood up (figuratively speaking) and the ref has to hold Jacare back.
The referree has stopped the fight. Asserting that the foul was unintentional, the fight is ruled a no-contest. Miller seems close to tears.

Miller/Jacare, no contest