Beneath the veneer of Marcus Davis' tactful boxing over Chris Lytle, Mark Coleman's gutsy losing effort against Shogun Rua, and the dual Fight of the Night awards they engendered lies the fact that nothing resembling a valid contender emerged from UFC 93.
Shogun Rua, for one, was yet laden with the poor conditioning and muted ferocity that has haunted him since his fight with Forrest Griffin. Many irritated fans speculate that Shogun's new found restriction from performance enhancing drugs is to blame, but that remains merely speculation. What is certain is that a change in fight promotions, training camps, and a series of knee injuries and surgeries (combined, perhaps, with two consecutive opponents that are easily underestimated) have taken a severe toll. Coleman, for his part, showed immense heart and grit in nearly finishing Shogun in the third round, but also exhibited a still-limited skill set and continuously troubling endurance--deal-breakers when considering a match up with champion Rashad Evans, or apparent frontrunners Lyoto Machida and Rampage Jackson.
Rich Franklin, while a top performer, also showed critical flaws in his only-moderate wrestling ability and a distinct tentativeness that would serve him poorly against any of the aforementioned light-heavyweight contenders, let alone nightmare-matchup Anderson Silva back at middleweight. And while Dan Henderson came away with the victory, he didn't show any marked development that would end a second fight with Anderson Silva any differently, either. And its hard to imagine that his wrestling would be good enough to topple the explosive Evans or Jackson (who has already outwrestled Henderson once before) when he could only keep Franklin down in fits and spurts.
Marcus Davis, despite a fairly impressive record, has expressed no wish to become a welterweight champion, which is just as well considering the trouble he had with the tough but unheralded Chris Lytle. Rousimar Palhares, in being unable to finish Jeremy Horn (a feat that Nate Marquardt and recent UFC emigrant Dean Lister accomplished quite handily) showed that his skill set may not be as well-adapted to MMA as many hoped. Elsewhere in the middleweight division, the arrival of anticipated contender Denis Kang ended with a whimper. Kang showed his characteristic in-fight flakiness when he succumbed to a guillotine choke off of an attempted takedown, despite winning in the standup against Alan Belcher. Belcher, meanwhile, has shown some improvement, but suffers from inconsistent performances, which will likely keep him from contender status for at least a year.
Leading up to last Saturday my brother described this card as somehow melancholy, with all of the major players in search of direction or relevance, in some cases desperately. Yet now that the official results have been called, that feeling seems all the more pervasive, with troubled and indistinct performances characterizing much of the night. It could very well take a full year before any of that night's featured light-heavyweights or middleweights can make definitive steps towards a title threat. With uninspired performances from Henderson, Franklin, and Rua, look for Machida to finally cement his number one contender spot at the end of January, while Demian Maia can be expected to break out from the shuffle and grind of the middleweight division with a win over WEC champion Chael Sonnen in late February.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Super List: EliteXC "Heat" part 2
Further thoughts on the rest of Saturday's EliteXC card...
1. There's no pleasing some people.
While certain writers have decried putting Kimbo into a fight where he was, to those without giant dollar signs blocking their vision, over-matched, they complain in the same breath that the still-improving Carano is handled with "kids' gloves." It seems that for some, bringing a fighter through the ranks slowly is only appropriate as an idea in retrospect, after the developing fighter has already crash-and-burned.
The fact is that at 16-2-1 heading into the contest, Kelly Kobold was a tough, experienced opponent for Carano. Carano's decision win over Kobold pushed her record to 7-0-0 against competition with a collective record (at the time of their respective fights) of 36-10-1. Put another way, her opposition held a .766 win average. This is noteworthy when you consider that Tara Larosa (one of Carano's biggest critics who has, among other things, accused Carano of being fed opponents) fought her first seven fights against opposition with a collective record at the time of 24-9-0 (that's an average of .727).
Looking at these numbers, we can see that, in her fledgling career, Carano has performed just as well against competition just as stiff as Larosa during her early years. While her peers could begrudge EliteXC officials and fans for taking to the fighting bombshell so quickly (though they probably shouldn't--welcome to the real world, pretty people have it easier), at a certain point Carano's detractors have to acknowledge that her in-cage performances deserve just as much respect as their own.
And while it's true that to deny audiences a fight between Carano and Cristiane Santos--a fighter who is possessed of striking skills just as good and likely better than Carano--would be an injustice to both the fighters and fans, it's an unlikely eventuality. Both fighters have benefited from some very positive public exposure, and with Santos now 2-0-0 following a nearly two year break from the sport, some time soon rather than last week is the right time for this fight to happen.
2. "Sloppy bastards."
"Who are Benji Radach and Murilo Rua?"
I'm a big fan of Radach but, short of a total overhaul, its hard to imagine that the approach that earned him number one contender status over Rua could likewise overcome the newly disciplined, stalking style of champion Robbie Lawler.
3. Security guard from Jerry Springer show wins heavyweight MMA fight.
After two losses to Tim Sylvia and a couple of underwhelming follow up acts (those would be the TKO win over Marcio Cruz, and his appearance on Jerry Springer as a guest security guard) Andrei Arlovski is now rapidly regaining the momentum and mystique he enjoyed as UFC heavyweight champion. With explosive KO victories over former IFL kingpins Ben Rothwell and most recently Roy Nelson, we finally have an answer to that nagging question: could "The Black Dragon" Ron Van Clief have led Andrei Arlovski and a team of ethnically-themed super fighters dubbed The Des Moines Silver Monkeys to an IFL championship?
All Van Cliefs aside, Arlovski may have shown a resurgent killer instinct, but also a certain penchant for landing underneath his opponents in a scramble. For Rothwell it happened when Arlovski dropped back for a sloppy heel hook. In his fight last Saturday, Nelson used his preternatural spherical qualities to reverse Arlovski during a takedown. He also smothered Arlovski with his massive stomach, which was good for some laughs. Likewise on display was Arlovski's habit of starting out slow, as he took a full round or so in both the Nelson and Rothwell fight before he could really pull the trigger. Both of these qualities are huge liabilities when considering a fight with Fedor Emelienenko, whose dynamic grappling and concussive strikes allow him to go from zero to beating the shit out of Tim Sylva in 36 seconds flat.
4. Now 70% less goofy looking.
Conor Heun, besides earning a cash bonus for his win over Edson Berto, got himself a little upgrade in the Profile Picture Department of Sherdog.com.
Prior to his fight Saturday, Heun was depicted as something like Keanu Reeves' retarded younger brother, grimacing as he soils himself and gets punched in the chest (exhibit A).
exhibit A. "Stranger Danger!" Heun exclaimed as he shied away from his attacker.
Immediately following his win, though, Heun's picture had been changed to show him as determined, combat ready, and only mildly cross-eyed (exhibit B).
exhibit B. Eyes are crossing...every so slightly...
Good job everyone.
Incidentally, Marcus Hicks lost his last high-profile fight to Jamie Varner, so he still has to be immortalized in Sherdog's Fight Finder as Black Quasimodo.
"Sanctuary and so forth!"
1. There's no pleasing some people.
While certain writers have decried putting Kimbo into a fight where he was, to those without giant dollar signs blocking their vision, over-matched, they complain in the same breath that the still-improving Carano is handled with "kids' gloves." It seems that for some, bringing a fighter through the ranks slowly is only appropriate as an idea in retrospect, after the developing fighter has already crash-and-burned.
The fact is that at 16-2-1 heading into the contest, Kelly Kobold was a tough, experienced opponent for Carano. Carano's decision win over Kobold pushed her record to 7-0-0 against competition with a collective record (at the time of their respective fights) of 36-10-1. Put another way, her opposition held a .766 win average. This is noteworthy when you consider that Tara Larosa (one of Carano's biggest critics who has, among other things, accused Carano of being fed opponents) fought her first seven fights against opposition with a collective record at the time of 24-9-0 (that's an average of .727).
Looking at these numbers, we can see that, in her fledgling career, Carano has performed just as well against competition just as stiff as Larosa during her early years. While her peers could begrudge EliteXC officials and fans for taking to the fighting bombshell so quickly (though they probably shouldn't--welcome to the real world, pretty people have it easier), at a certain point Carano's detractors have to acknowledge that her in-cage performances deserve just as much respect as their own.
And while it's true that to deny audiences a fight between Carano and Cristiane Santos--a fighter who is possessed of striking skills just as good and likely better than Carano--would be an injustice to both the fighters and fans, it's an unlikely eventuality. Both fighters have benefited from some very positive public exposure, and with Santos now 2-0-0 following a nearly two year break from the sport, some time soon rather than last week is the right time for this fight to happen.
2. "Sloppy bastards."
"Who are Benji Radach and Murilo Rua?"
I'm a big fan of Radach but, short of a total overhaul, its hard to imagine that the approach that earned him number one contender status over Rua could likewise overcome the newly disciplined, stalking style of champion Robbie Lawler.
3. Security guard from Jerry Springer show wins heavyweight MMA fight.
After two losses to Tim Sylvia and a couple of underwhelming follow up acts (those would be the TKO win over Marcio Cruz, and his appearance on Jerry Springer as a guest security guard) Andrei Arlovski is now rapidly regaining the momentum and mystique he enjoyed as UFC heavyweight champion. With explosive KO victories over former IFL kingpins Ben Rothwell and most recently Roy Nelson, we finally have an answer to that nagging question: could "The Black Dragon" Ron Van Clief have led Andrei Arlovski and a team of ethnically-themed super fighters dubbed The Des Moines Silver Monkeys to an IFL championship?
All Van Cliefs aside, Arlovski may have shown a resurgent killer instinct, but also a certain penchant for landing underneath his opponents in a scramble. For Rothwell it happened when Arlovski dropped back for a sloppy heel hook. In his fight last Saturday, Nelson used his preternatural spherical qualities to reverse Arlovski during a takedown. He also smothered Arlovski with his massive stomach, which was good for some laughs. Likewise on display was Arlovski's habit of starting out slow, as he took a full round or so in both the Nelson and Rothwell fight before he could really pull the trigger. Both of these qualities are huge liabilities when considering a fight with Fedor Emelienenko, whose dynamic grappling and concussive strikes allow him to go from zero to beating the shit out of Tim Sylva in 36 seconds flat.
4. Now 70% less goofy looking.
Conor Heun, besides earning a cash bonus for his win over Edson Berto, got himself a little upgrade in the Profile Picture Department of Sherdog.com.
Prior to his fight Saturday, Heun was depicted as something like Keanu Reeves' retarded younger brother, grimacing as he soils himself and gets punched in the chest (exhibit A).
exhibit A. "Stranger Danger!" Heun exclaimed as he shied away from his attacker.
Immediately following his win, though, Heun's picture had been changed to show him as determined, combat ready, and only mildly cross-eyed (exhibit B).
exhibit B. Eyes are crossing...every so slightly...
Good job everyone.
Incidentally, Marcus Hicks lost his last high-profile fight to Jamie Varner, so he still has to be immortalized in Sherdog's Fight Finder as Black Quasimodo.
"Sanctuary and so forth!"
Monday, October 6, 2008
Super List: EliteXC "Heat" part 1
Don't believe everything you read. Or, when it comes to MMA forums, maybe just don't bother reading at all. This past Saturday saw EliteXC make its third foray onto network television. One unconscious Kimbo Slice later, and hysterical predictions on the future of EliteXC, Kimbo, and Seth Petruzelli run rampant through MMA fandom. The forums on Sherdog were full of know-it-alls with itchy keyboard-fingers who couldn't wait to proclaim their great joy at Kimbo's demise, wag their fingers while declaring that they had predicted this fall from grace all along, and sagely foretell the future of EliteXC.
The dubious honor of predicting an MMA novice's eventual loss aside, the message boards revealed a wealth (or maybe an "infestation" would be more appropriate) of venomous and delusional misconceptions.
For the first half of this two-part Super List, I'll address the most common ravings from the internet lunatics stemming from the Kimbo-Petruzelli fight.
1. "Kimbo should quit before he gets really hurt!"
Insert obligatory "LOL" as you like.
A knockout loss is a shocking thing, sometimes made more horrifying if it comes unexpectedly, but it's a fact of MMA. And everyone loses sometime, especially within their first four fights. If the advice of cackling MMA fans were taken to heart, then fighters like Denis Kang, Wanderlei Silva, Jason Miller, Andrei Arlovski, Tito Ortiz, Guy Mezger, and Seth Petruzelli himself should have called it quits years ago.
And for those of you who want to say that it was Kimbo losing to a smaller fighter that's the problem, then maybe you should write to Ken Shamrock, Jorge Santiago, Matt Hughes, Yushin Okami, and Kazuyuki Fujita, and let them know that they should have stopped competing after losing to a fighter in a lower weight class before they really got hurt, too.
2. "Finally, Kimbo Slice will go away! Go back to the crack house!"
Insert closet (and not-so-closet) prejudice as you like.
Kimbo Slice deserves infinitely more respect from both fans and professionals. There is absolutely no reason to wish on him a total career-collapse. For someone like Frank Mir to say that he has no respect for Kimbo because Kimbo disrespects the sport is nothing less than absolutely outrageous. Kimbo has shown deference to the sport during press conferences, enlisted the training services of MMA legend Bas Rutten, never hypes up fights by invoking "street cred," is cordial and professional during interviews, and is gentlemanly in defeat. I doubt that anyone could find him saying or doing anything more condemnable than what any other average MMA fighter has said or done. Frankly, for fans and professionals to disrespect and hate Kimbo despite his exemplary behavior comes off as racist. That "crack house" comment is a direct quote, by the way.
For fans and other fighters to begrudge Kimbo his fame on the basis of seniority is likewise ridiculous. If these people got their wish, then Akira Shoji would headline a night of fights instead of Rodrigo Nogueira, and Travis Fulton would draw a higher paycheck than Anderson Silva. Guys, it just doesn't make a god-damn lick of sense.
3. "Kimbo got exposed!"
Only if you're missing half a brain.
Everyone among the MMA-educated, including Kimbo himself, has had no illusions about his place in MMA. He's a decent prospect who has a marketable persona and some appreciable charisma. Losing to a solid journeyman like Seth Petruzelli doesn't mean much of anything except that Kimbo isn't invincible, still needs work, and may have a slightly weak jaw. And even that last assessment might not be entirely true.
The last-minute nature of the fight probably filled both Kimbo and Petruzelli with a ton of nervous tension. The more nervous a fighter is, the easier it is to knock him out (as in Marvin Eastman's loss to Travis Lutter, or Bo Cantrell's loss to Kimbo, for that matter). It's pretty likely that Kimbo's got a bit more fight in him than he displayed this last weekend.
4. "Mauro Renallo is an excuse-making idiot with his nose up EliteXC's collective asshole."
Well I--! Uh...eh.
People like Renallo and the Shaws are what really ruin Kimbo. They put undue pressure on him to be the next big thing, and, as exemplified in Renallo's post-fight comments, desperately make excuses while Kimbo should be allowed to gracefully accept defeat. People inevitably equate the words of these spokesmen with Kimbo's own opinions, and suddenly everyone resents Kimbo himself for making excuses and proclaiming himself to be a great fighter. It's unfair to Kimbo, and it's a huge pain for the fans to listen to.
5. "I wish Ken Shamrock could've fought. Then he could have got the KO."
Seriously? Ken Shamrock has won by TKO only twice in a 15 year career. The first happened against Alexander Otsuka, who currently has a record of 4-13-0, and the second was four years ago over fellow elder-statesman Kimo Leopoldo, who has lost four of his last five fights. Furthermore, Shamrock has displayed a woeful reaction time and poor game-planning in his last five fights, all of which he lost by TKO in the first round.
By contrast, nine of Petruzelli's ten wins have come by TKO. He's never been knocked out, and still retains natural peak-athleticism. Petruzelli would have been a more dangerous opponent for Kimbo to begin with, and has always had a far better chance of beating Kimbo than Shamrock did. Set aside any delusions of pugilistic glory for Shamrock, and rest assured that if Ken "Little Brittle" Shamrock hadn't irrevocably injured himself in the hours leading up to the fight that things would have gone exactly as Shaw had dreamed them in his pretty little head.
6. "EliteXC is finished! LOLARRRGHUNUNGHUHUHUNGUNG!"
Why should EliteXC be finished? Going in to Saturday night, the whole question of EliteXC's future hung on whether or not they would have a successful night of ratings. Gina Carano and Kimbo Slice, the promotion's two biggest attractions, showed up to fight as promised. So why, why in the hell, I ask you, would the outcome of the last fight on a live telecast effect the ratings?
Sure enough, word on the ratings for "Heat" have been very positive. Both Sherdog and MMAWeekly report that the show placed first among males 18-34 and 18-49, against MLB playoffs, college football, and a replay of UFC pay-per-views on Spike. And those numbers don't even include the time that Kimbo was on screen. And while Kimbo's tarnished aura might have thrown Shaw and company for a loop, Kimbo on the comeback trail doesn't make for such a bad story, either. The only way they could screw this up is if they try to explain the loss away.
Ultimately, in terms of production and audience interest, the promotion is steadily improving, and signing a carnival barker like Tito Ortiz could only help at this point. The very public argument between Jared Shaw and KJ Noons' management, plus Antonio Silva's positive steroid test, seemed to be the vomit-icing on a money-hemorrhaging turd cake, but things are looking up. EliteXC fans have upgraded to peanut butter icing on a cabbage cake.
"A what-cake?"
7. "Seth Petruzelli is going to be getting a call from Dana White!"
Why? According to the same people who shout-type this garbage, Kimbo Slice is a bum. So why would Dana white give Petruzelli a contract to fight in MMA's number one promotion for beating somebody who was no good anyway? I understand that some people imagine Dana White would do this as a sign of appreciation, but: 1. Dana White isn't so swell a guy. 2. EliteXC is already floundering, and I doubt Dana White would bother giving much credit to Petruzelli if the promotion went under. And 3. Petruzelli was already in the UFC, and performed rather poorly. You could argue that he has improved, and that his notoriety would bring a greater viewership, but given the that the UFC is loathe to mention other fight promotions, explaining why any UFC fan should care about Petruzelli would prove difficult.
And even if he got the offer, maybe going back to the UFC wouldn't be the best thing for Petruzelli. The fact is, he knocked out a very popular but very inexperienced fighter, and is probably not well enough equipped to wade into the deeper waters of the UFC light-heavyweight division. If he did, he would probably be relegated to undercard status, with pay to match. In a promotion like EliteXC or Strikeforce, however, his notoriety is much more palpable, and could probably lead to much more immediate rewards.
8. The Troy Waugh Show.
"Welcome to CBS, EliteXC style! Let's give the millions of fans watching what the came to see!" What the hell, Troy? Aren't you supposed to tell them to follow the rules or something? He's got pretty good take down defense, though.
Troy "The Grimace" Waugh putting the screw face to Kimbo in order to fend off the attack.
The dubious honor of predicting an MMA novice's eventual loss aside, the message boards revealed a wealth (or maybe an "infestation" would be more appropriate) of venomous and delusional misconceptions.
For the first half of this two-part Super List, I'll address the most common ravings from the internet lunatics stemming from the Kimbo-Petruzelli fight.
1. "Kimbo should quit before he gets really hurt!"
Insert obligatory "LOL" as you like.
A knockout loss is a shocking thing, sometimes made more horrifying if it comes unexpectedly, but it's a fact of MMA. And everyone loses sometime, especially within their first four fights. If the advice of cackling MMA fans were taken to heart, then fighters like Denis Kang, Wanderlei Silva, Jason Miller, Andrei Arlovski, Tito Ortiz, Guy Mezger, and Seth Petruzelli himself should have called it quits years ago.
And for those of you who want to say that it was Kimbo losing to a smaller fighter that's the problem, then maybe you should write to Ken Shamrock, Jorge Santiago, Matt Hughes, Yushin Okami, and Kazuyuki Fujita, and let them know that they should have stopped competing after losing to a fighter in a lower weight class before they really got hurt, too.
2. "Finally, Kimbo Slice will go away! Go back to the crack house!"
Insert closet (and not-so-closet) prejudice as you like.
Kimbo Slice deserves infinitely more respect from both fans and professionals. There is absolutely no reason to wish on him a total career-collapse. For someone like Frank Mir to say that he has no respect for Kimbo because Kimbo disrespects the sport is nothing less than absolutely outrageous. Kimbo has shown deference to the sport during press conferences, enlisted the training services of MMA legend Bas Rutten, never hypes up fights by invoking "street cred," is cordial and professional during interviews, and is gentlemanly in defeat. I doubt that anyone could find him saying or doing anything more condemnable than what any other average MMA fighter has said or done. Frankly, for fans and professionals to disrespect and hate Kimbo despite his exemplary behavior comes off as racist. That "crack house" comment is a direct quote, by the way.
For fans and other fighters to begrudge Kimbo his fame on the basis of seniority is likewise ridiculous. If these people got their wish, then Akira Shoji would headline a night of fights instead of Rodrigo Nogueira, and Travis Fulton would draw a higher paycheck than Anderson Silva. Guys, it just doesn't make a god-damn lick of sense.
3. "Kimbo got exposed!"
Only if you're missing half a brain.
Everyone among the MMA-educated, including Kimbo himself, has had no illusions about his place in MMA. He's a decent prospect who has a marketable persona and some appreciable charisma. Losing to a solid journeyman like Seth Petruzelli doesn't mean much of anything except that Kimbo isn't invincible, still needs work, and may have a slightly weak jaw. And even that last assessment might not be entirely true.
The last-minute nature of the fight probably filled both Kimbo and Petruzelli with a ton of nervous tension. The more nervous a fighter is, the easier it is to knock him out (as in Marvin Eastman's loss to Travis Lutter, or Bo Cantrell's loss to Kimbo, for that matter). It's pretty likely that Kimbo's got a bit more fight in him than he displayed this last weekend.
4. "Mauro Renallo is an excuse-making idiot with his nose up EliteXC's collective asshole."
Well I--! Uh...eh.
People like Renallo and the Shaws are what really ruin Kimbo. They put undue pressure on him to be the next big thing, and, as exemplified in Renallo's post-fight comments, desperately make excuses while Kimbo should be allowed to gracefully accept defeat. People inevitably equate the words of these spokesmen with Kimbo's own opinions, and suddenly everyone resents Kimbo himself for making excuses and proclaiming himself to be a great fighter. It's unfair to Kimbo, and it's a huge pain for the fans to listen to.
5. "I wish Ken Shamrock could've fought. Then he could have got the KO."
Seriously? Ken Shamrock has won by TKO only twice in a 15 year career. The first happened against Alexander Otsuka, who currently has a record of 4-13-0, and the second was four years ago over fellow elder-statesman Kimo Leopoldo, who has lost four of his last five fights. Furthermore, Shamrock has displayed a woeful reaction time and poor game-planning in his last five fights, all of which he lost by TKO in the first round.
By contrast, nine of Petruzelli's ten wins have come by TKO. He's never been knocked out, and still retains natural peak-athleticism. Petruzelli would have been a more dangerous opponent for Kimbo to begin with, and has always had a far better chance of beating Kimbo than Shamrock did. Set aside any delusions of pugilistic glory for Shamrock, and rest assured that if Ken "Little Brittle" Shamrock hadn't irrevocably injured himself in the hours leading up to the fight that things would have gone exactly as Shaw had dreamed them in his pretty little head.
6. "EliteXC is finished! LOLARRRGHUNUNGHUHUHUNGUNG!"
Why should EliteXC be finished? Going in to Saturday night, the whole question of EliteXC's future hung on whether or not they would have a successful night of ratings. Gina Carano and Kimbo Slice, the promotion's two biggest attractions, showed up to fight as promised. So why, why in the hell, I ask you, would the outcome of the last fight on a live telecast effect the ratings?
Sure enough, word on the ratings for "Heat" have been very positive. Both Sherdog and MMAWeekly report that the show placed first among males 18-34 and 18-49, against MLB playoffs, college football, and a replay of UFC pay-per-views on Spike. And those numbers don't even include the time that Kimbo was on screen. And while Kimbo's tarnished aura might have thrown Shaw and company for a loop, Kimbo on the comeback trail doesn't make for such a bad story, either. The only way they could screw this up is if they try to explain the loss away.
Ultimately, in terms of production and audience interest, the promotion is steadily improving, and signing a carnival barker like Tito Ortiz could only help at this point. The very public argument between Jared Shaw and KJ Noons' management, plus Antonio Silva's positive steroid test, seemed to be the vomit-icing on a money-hemorrhaging turd cake, but things are looking up. EliteXC fans have upgraded to peanut butter icing on a cabbage cake.
"A what-cake?"
7. "Seth Petruzelli is going to be getting a call from Dana White!"
Why? According to the same people who shout-type this garbage, Kimbo Slice is a bum. So why would Dana white give Petruzelli a contract to fight in MMA's number one promotion for beating somebody who was no good anyway? I understand that some people imagine Dana White would do this as a sign of appreciation, but: 1. Dana White isn't so swell a guy. 2. EliteXC is already floundering, and I doubt Dana White would bother giving much credit to Petruzelli if the promotion went under. And 3. Petruzelli was already in the UFC, and performed rather poorly. You could argue that he has improved, and that his notoriety would bring a greater viewership, but given the that the UFC is loathe to mention other fight promotions, explaining why any UFC fan should care about Petruzelli would prove difficult.
And even if he got the offer, maybe going back to the UFC wouldn't be the best thing for Petruzelli. The fact is, he knocked out a very popular but very inexperienced fighter, and is probably not well enough equipped to wade into the deeper waters of the UFC light-heavyweight division. If he did, he would probably be relegated to undercard status, with pay to match. In a promotion like EliteXC or Strikeforce, however, his notoriety is much more palpable, and could probably lead to much more immediate rewards.
8. The Troy Waugh Show.
"Welcome to CBS, EliteXC style! Let's give the millions of fans watching what the came to see!" What the hell, Troy? Aren't you supposed to tell them to follow the rules or something? He's got pretty good take down defense, though.
Troy "The Grimace" Waugh putting the screw face to Kimbo in order to fend off the attack.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Superlist: UFC 87
- 6'3" 265 pound man with a large penis-sword tattooed across his pasty white chest spotted while pointing his finger, hopping around, and giggling.
Is there anything more grotesque?
-Don't look at the finger, or you will miss all that heavenly glory.
Kenny Florian wins the Track Suit of the Night Award. Channeling the spirit of Bruce Lee, Florian sported a yellow, Game of Death-inspired jacket and pants ensemble, and kicked Kareem Abdul Jabar in the face on his way to the cage.
- Foot in mouth.
Somewhat literally.
After claiming that Georges St. Pierre was just a wrestler after the champion's second fight with Serra, Jon Fitch assured audiences that St. Pierre would be too scared to stand and trade in their bout, with a hint of self-satisfaction that was curiously absent following their fight. That smugness must have gone missing somewhere in between pre-fight and when St. Pierre launched an unidentified object out of Fitch's mouth and across the cage.
Impressive in losing, Fitch displayed his trademark toughness to his largest audience yet, getting battered on the ground and on the feet en route to a lopsided decision loss. St. Pierre, for his part, dispelled any suspicions (originating mostly from rival camp AKA) that he lacked the drive and grittiness to defeat someone of Fitch's caliber across 5 championship rounds.
- Foot in mouth II.
With hype and momentum fast-abandoning him, Roger Huerta has been forced these last few days to "clarify" statements he made during interviews in the months leading up to the fight. Often quoted as being dissatisfied with the UFC's compensation, support, and general treatment of their fighters, Huerta has, since his loss to Kenny Florian, recanted his assertions that he was being over worked (as in the UFC's strenuous PR campaigns) and undercompensated (as in the $50.00 per diem that the UFC gave to Huerta on said campaigns). Huerta now claims that his words were put out of context and exaggerated. "I never bashed the UFC," he said at the post-fight press conference. "I was never saying that the UFC is bad."
Of course, while he can claim that his print interviews were taken wrongly, there is little to misunderstand about the interview Huerta gave at the weigh-ins for UFC 84, which I attended. When asked plainly if he thought that the UFC fairly compensated their fighters, Huerta replied, after a long, awkward pause, "No."
As a Florian fan, I was happy with the outcome of their fight, but as a fan hopeful for greater company responsibility towards, and compensation for fighters, the results don't bode well. Had Huerta won, he would have had a huge bargaining chip going into his upcoming contract negotiations, and, more importantly, a great deal of influence over both fans and company men when it comes to fighters' rights and pay. To date, those who have been most vocal over the UFC's financial abuse and lack of loyalty, such as Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture, have been dismissed as washed up, their concerns stemming from desperate greed at the end of their careers. For Huerta, a young fighter at his peak, to come out against the UFC's business practices surely would have opened more eyes to how uniformly the UFC mistreats its fighters.
I was never that impressed with Huerta as a fighter, but I greatly appreciated how strategically and responsibly he used the leverage that fame had given him to stand up (or begin to stand up) for himself and his peers.
Is there anything more grotesque?
-Don't look at the finger, or you will miss all that heavenly glory.
Kenny Florian wins the Track Suit of the Night Award. Channeling the spirit of Bruce Lee, Florian sported a yellow, Game of Death-inspired jacket and pants ensemble, and kicked Kareem Abdul Jabar in the face on his way to the cage.
- Foot in mouth.
Somewhat literally.
After claiming that Georges St. Pierre was just a wrestler after the champion's second fight with Serra, Jon Fitch assured audiences that St. Pierre would be too scared to stand and trade in their bout, with a hint of self-satisfaction that was curiously absent following their fight. That smugness must have gone missing somewhere in between pre-fight and when St. Pierre launched an unidentified object out of Fitch's mouth and across the cage.
Impressive in losing, Fitch displayed his trademark toughness to his largest audience yet, getting battered on the ground and on the feet en route to a lopsided decision loss. St. Pierre, for his part, dispelled any suspicions (originating mostly from rival camp AKA) that he lacked the drive and grittiness to defeat someone of Fitch's caliber across 5 championship rounds.
- Foot in mouth II.
With hype and momentum fast-abandoning him, Roger Huerta has been forced these last few days to "clarify" statements he made during interviews in the months leading up to the fight. Often quoted as being dissatisfied with the UFC's compensation, support, and general treatment of their fighters, Huerta has, since his loss to Kenny Florian, recanted his assertions that he was being over worked (as in the UFC's strenuous PR campaigns) and undercompensated (as in the $50.00 per diem that the UFC gave to Huerta on said campaigns). Huerta now claims that his words were put out of context and exaggerated. "I never bashed the UFC," he said at the post-fight press conference. "I was never saying that the UFC is bad."
Of course, while he can claim that his print interviews were taken wrongly, there is little to misunderstand about the interview Huerta gave at the weigh-ins for UFC 84, which I attended. When asked plainly if he thought that the UFC fairly compensated their fighters, Huerta replied, after a long, awkward pause, "No."
As a Florian fan, I was happy with the outcome of their fight, but as a fan hopeful for greater company responsibility towards, and compensation for fighters, the results don't bode well. Had Huerta won, he would have had a huge bargaining chip going into his upcoming contract negotiations, and, more importantly, a great deal of influence over both fans and company men when it comes to fighters' rights and pay. To date, those who have been most vocal over the UFC's financial abuse and lack of loyalty, such as Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture, have been dismissed as washed up, their concerns stemming from desperate greed at the end of their careers. For Huerta, a young fighter at his peak, to come out against the UFC's business practices surely would have opened more eyes to how uniformly the UFC mistreats its fighters.
I was never that impressed with Huerta as a fighter, but I greatly appreciated how strategically and responsibly he used the leverage that fame had given him to stand up (or begin to stand up) for himself and his peers.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Lambert to 185
Word around the old internet is that Jason Lambert is back in the cage this September for UFC 88...at middleweight. MMAMania.com reports that a fight with Jason Day has been set for the Atlanta fight card.
Lambert had shown flashes of brilliance at light-heavyweight (most notably his TKO of Renato Sobral in 2007) but was always a little undersized for the division, as evidenced by his inability to close the distance in his losing efforts against Luiz Cane and Wilson Gouveia (who, interestingly, is also moving down to middleweight). So long as Lambert's power carries into the lower weight class, and he takes advantage of the greater endurance that should come with a leaner build, Lambert ought to enjoy more consistent success at middleweight, and add some much-needed depth to the division.
Plus, maybe this will save me from having to explain the many loose folds of flesh that hang off his body.
Word around the old internet is that Jason Lambert is back in the cage this September for UFC 88...at middleweight. MMAMania.com reports that a fight with Jason Day has been set for the Atlanta fight card.
Lambert had shown flashes of brilliance at light-heavyweight (most notably his TKO of Renato Sobral in 2007) but was always a little undersized for the division, as evidenced by his inability to close the distance in his losing efforts against Luiz Cane and Wilson Gouveia (who, interestingly, is also moving down to middleweight). So long as Lambert's power carries into the lower weight class, and he takes advantage of the greater endurance that should come with a leaner build, Lambert ought to enjoy more consistent success at middleweight, and add some much-needed depth to the division.
Plus, maybe this will save me from having to explain the many loose folds of flesh that hang off his body.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Pleasant Surprise of the Day: David Loiseau won by TKO this past June.
Loiseau, who many considered effectively ruined after a thrashing at the hands of Rich Franklin, knocked out the now 5-2-0 Andrew Buckland last June at a relatively small Canadian show. This is the first time Loiseau has been able to string together two consecutive wins in almost 3 years. Buckland might not be considered huge game (especially for someone who was at one time a UFC top contender) but isn't bad competition for a fighter on the mend like Loiseau.
I was a little surprised that it hadn't been reported any earlier that Loiseau was fighting. He was appearing on a card populated with other big show veterans (Dan Hornbuckle, Carlo Prater, Travis Galbraith), and he himself still has a pretty decently sized fan base. Sometimes I wonder if this, and similar news bits, are purposefully not covered by sites like Sherdog.com as an attempt at showing impartiality to the UFC (and, by extension, its stable of fighters). That is, a fighter like Loiseau (or Dave Menne, or Anthony Perosh, or any number of TUF castaways) isn't newsworthy simply because he fought in the UFC.
I certainly hope this isn't the case. While such a policy initially seems like a step towards a less UFC-centric view of mixed martial arts, all this really does is hurt fighters. The UFC cut them anyway, and their infamously (and perhaps mythically) cold, bottom-line-focused relations with fighters leaves little room for sentiment--it's doubtful that Dana White is feeling slighted that some news site or another isn't covering UFC veteran David Loiseau. But I bet David Loiseau sure would appreciate some publicity.
And why not give it to him? Fighters like these, who at one point put their body and mind on the line in order to fill a money-making card for the UFC, deserve a little recognition. And in a relatively inexpensive medium like online journalism, websites like Sherdog.com (with an increasingly burgeoning set of ad banners) can afford to keep up with David Loiseau, (or Ricco Rodriguez, or Gideon Ray) even if he is only rebuilding his record in smaller shows. Certainly the fan interest would justify at least a small blurb.
Altruism and potential fan service aside, such reports would also serve to contextualize, and re-contextualize, the sport, where it was, and where it's going. It's interesting to see that at one point a fighter like Junior Assuncao, with a bit of momentum behind him, was considered good enough to compete for the world's premier mixed martial arts promoter, whereas now he is having trouble in the smaller shows. These details hint at the growth of the sport, and the evolution of its fighters.
It's a hard enough business without getting your UFC contract (which was probably underpaying you anyway) abruptly terminated, and certainly hard enough without what should have been a blessing (greater exposure) becoming a source of resentment among the MMA community. And honestly, instead of reading a bunch of pre-fight hype out of Michael Bisping, I'd rather keep up with David Loiseau, or Mark Kerr.
Speaking of Mark Kerr...
Absolutely Unpleasant, Depressing Surprise of the Day: Mark Kerr has fought twice since his loss to Oleg Taktarov in the YAMMA, and lost both fights.
Dear God, no.
I'm a huge fan of Mark Kerr, and I love to see him win. Though his best days are behind him, I had hoped that "The Smashing Machine" would be able to find a rhythm and continue winning against less notable opposition so long as he wished to keep fighting. However, Kerr has already suffered two losses this summer--one to a then 2-0-0 Tracy Willis, and the second to a then 3-4-0 Ralph Kelly.
Ultimately, one has to respect the fighter's decision to compete or not, but these losses seriously put in doubt the efficacy of any further in-ring contests. I've been hoping for a while now that Mark Kerr will make the physical and psychological adjustments necessary to compete successfully, but at this point, I'm not sure if that will ever happen.
My heart is broken. A piece of it lies in Mark Kerr's mutant pectorals of yesteryear. Unbreak my heart, Mark Kerr!
Loiseau, who many considered effectively ruined after a thrashing at the hands of Rich Franklin, knocked out the now 5-2-0 Andrew Buckland last June at a relatively small Canadian show. This is the first time Loiseau has been able to string together two consecutive wins in almost 3 years. Buckland might not be considered huge game (especially for someone who was at one time a UFC top contender) but isn't bad competition for a fighter on the mend like Loiseau.
I was a little surprised that it hadn't been reported any earlier that Loiseau was fighting. He was appearing on a card populated with other big show veterans (Dan Hornbuckle, Carlo Prater, Travis Galbraith), and he himself still has a pretty decently sized fan base. Sometimes I wonder if this, and similar news bits, are purposefully not covered by sites like Sherdog.com as an attempt at showing impartiality to the UFC (and, by extension, its stable of fighters). That is, a fighter like Loiseau (or Dave Menne, or Anthony Perosh, or any number of TUF castaways) isn't newsworthy simply because he fought in the UFC.
I certainly hope this isn't the case. While such a policy initially seems like a step towards a less UFC-centric view of mixed martial arts, all this really does is hurt fighters. The UFC cut them anyway, and their infamously (and perhaps mythically) cold, bottom-line-focused relations with fighters leaves little room for sentiment--it's doubtful that Dana White is feeling slighted that some news site or another isn't covering UFC veteran David Loiseau. But I bet David Loiseau sure would appreciate some publicity.
And why not give it to him? Fighters like these, who at one point put their body and mind on the line in order to fill a money-making card for the UFC, deserve a little recognition. And in a relatively inexpensive medium like online journalism, websites like Sherdog.com (with an increasingly burgeoning set of ad banners) can afford to keep up with David Loiseau, (or Ricco Rodriguez, or Gideon Ray) even if he is only rebuilding his record in smaller shows. Certainly the fan interest would justify at least a small blurb.
Altruism and potential fan service aside, such reports would also serve to contextualize, and re-contextualize, the sport, where it was, and where it's going. It's interesting to see that at one point a fighter like Junior Assuncao, with a bit of momentum behind him, was considered good enough to compete for the world's premier mixed martial arts promoter, whereas now he is having trouble in the smaller shows. These details hint at the growth of the sport, and the evolution of its fighters.
It's a hard enough business without getting your UFC contract (which was probably underpaying you anyway) abruptly terminated, and certainly hard enough without what should have been a blessing (greater exposure) becoming a source of resentment among the MMA community. And honestly, instead of reading a bunch of pre-fight hype out of Michael Bisping, I'd rather keep up with David Loiseau, or Mark Kerr.
Speaking of Mark Kerr...
Absolutely Unpleasant, Depressing Surprise of the Day: Mark Kerr has fought twice since his loss to Oleg Taktarov in the YAMMA, and lost both fights.
Dear God, no.
I'm a huge fan of Mark Kerr, and I love to see him win. Though his best days are behind him, I had hoped that "The Smashing Machine" would be able to find a rhythm and continue winning against less notable opposition so long as he wished to keep fighting. However, Kerr has already suffered two losses this summer--one to a then 2-0-0 Tracy Willis, and the second to a then 3-4-0 Ralph Kelly.
Ultimately, one has to respect the fighter's decision to compete or not, but these losses seriously put in doubt the efficacy of any further in-ring contests. I've been hoping for a while now that Mark Kerr will make the physical and psychological adjustments necessary to compete successfully, but at this point, I'm not sure if that will ever happen.
My heart is broken. A piece of it lies in Mark Kerr's mutant pectorals of yesteryear. Unbreak my heart, Mark Kerr!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
On Sakuraba
On Sakuraba
On the Sherdog.com forums, a minor debate has flared up in the wake of Melvin Manhoef’s ultra-violent TKO of MMA legend and fan-favorite Kazushi Sakuraba. Precipitated by one fight fan’s feeling of satisfaction at the news of Sakuraba’s in-ring destruction, many have since decried what they see as a disrespectful sentiment, arguing that any antagonistic feelings toward such a venerable legend could only be a result of the UFC-centric, TUF-generation mentality; that such fans are merely loud-mouthed newcomers with little understanding or appreciation of the sport’s history.
Of course, I believe that the “problem,” if you can even call it that, is far more complicated, and such sentiments deserve more than just an angry dismissal by the self-styled aficionados and old guard.
We first have to understand that someone like Sakuraba (or Royce Gracie, or Ken Shamrock, or Randy Couture, or any fighter who has sufficiently captured the hearts and imaginations of the larger MMA audience) has, by turns either famous or notorious, become legendary, an institution in mixed martial arts. Attendant to this status is the fact that, when such a personage fights, he represents not just himself, but, for better or worse, a host of ideals or sins. Sakuraba is not so much a man as he is a symbol.
But a symbol of what?
Showmanship and a true appreciation for the sport and its fans, as evidenced by his good nature and elaborate entrances, may certainly find suitable personification in Sakuraba. The ideals of fighting spirit and resourcefulness are likewise well manifested in Sakuraba’s 185 pound frame—on display in his come-from-behind submission victory over Kestutis Smirnovas, and, though they ultimately ended in defeat, his seemingly fearless confrontations against the oversized Mirko Filipovic, Ricardo Årona, and Wanderlei Silva. Any spectator with a fair understanding of mixed martial art’s evolution since UFC 1 must concede these points.
However, as well-schooled spectators, we also have a responsibility to acknowledge what can be dubbed “the whole story.” With this in mind, it is, in fact, more reprehensible for any self-styled expert to refuse that Sakuraba may represent anything but integrity than it is for a relative newcomer to wholly dismiss Sakuraba’s contributions. Neither position is correct, but the newcomer has an excuse in his inexperience, while the expert ought to know better. While Sakuraba deservedly embodies any number of admirable qualities, he has, throughout his career, also earned some attributes that sit bitter on many tongues. It’s these associations that could lead a spectator to find satisfaction rather than heartbreak in Sakuraba’s defeat.
MMA snobbery and Japanophilia are unfortunately tied to Sakuraba, not through any fault of his own, but by the attitudes that some of his most vocal supporters have taken—those who don’t appreciate Sakuraba in total are dismissed by the self-appointed elite as low-brow idiots. Sakuraba also served as one of the most visual standards born by those in favor of the Japanese fight promotion during the senseless UFC vs. PRIDE FC debates. He and his peers were irrationally seen as the classy, intelligent alternative to the dumbed-down UFC crowd.
Similarly, Sakuraba may be associated with officiation bias and corruption in MMA. At least one fighter, in Quinton Jackson, has stated that he was monetarily encouraged to lose in his fight with Sakuraba (though he didn’t take the “bonus,” and lost anyway). Likewise, respected veteran Guy Mezger recently revealed that, while fighting for PRIDE FC, he was pressured to be “creative” with how the fights went, and that, in his fight with Sakuraba, rather than going to the judge’s scorecards, a contract-breaching third round was decided upon at the last minute (he refused to continue in the fight, and it sits as a loss by way of forfeit on his record). At this point we can say that Sakuraba wasn’t a direct conspirator, but there is the mounting suspicion that he benefited from some of PRIDE FC’s more notorious matchmaking, refereeing, and judging practices. Unfortunately, being one of the poster boys for PRIDE FC, he is exemplary of its best qualities, but also shoulders the burden of its most reprehensible.
Perhaps more than anything else, though, Sakuraba represents the double standard in mixed martial arts. When discussing Sakuraba’s legacy, the point most often brought up are his set of victories over Royce, Renzo, Royler, and Ryan Gracie. The Gracies were, of course, once thought to be invincible, but now their own family legacy has recently been thrown in to question, and they are widely considered to be relics of the sport, obsolete since the last time Royce Gracie won a UFC tournament. While much dismissed in every area of MMA discussion, the Gracie’s reputation for invincibility and ultra-toughness are for some reason restored when discussing Sakuraba. Furthermore, while the Gracies are often criticized for demanding special parameters for their fights, Sakuraba receives little criticism for similar practices, as in the aforementioned fight with Guy Mezger.
When a given person delights in the destruction of Sakuraba, they aren’t reacting to Sakuraba personally (really, how could they? Virtually none of the spectators know him intimately, so this concept is ridiculous from the outset). Rather, they are delighting in the destruction of snobbery, or corruption, or double standards.
Of course Sakuraba is not a proponent of MMA snobbery, corruption, or double standards. But someone with such deep roots in mixed martial arts, someone who has entered the fans’ consciousness to the extent that he has, is bound to be coupled with one or another of those undesirable characteristics, just as he is connected to the ideals of showmanship, fan appreciation, and warrior spirit.
Is this fair to Sakuraba? Is it fair that he should shoulder the doubts as well as the admiration of millions of imaginations? When it comes to being a legend, this is an occupational hazard. To mix metaphors, being an icon is a double-edged sword—just as the world will project its greatest ideals onto a great person, so might they just as readily project the worst faults. An educated fan’s responsibility lies in recognizing this fact, that no fighter is an absolute hero or villain. That like the individual themselves, like the day-to-day man Kazushi Sakuraba, a fighter’s legacy, the Kazushi Sakuraba of the ring, is multifaceted, evolving, and complex.
On the Sherdog.com forums, a minor debate has flared up in the wake of Melvin Manhoef’s ultra-violent TKO of MMA legend and fan-favorite Kazushi Sakuraba. Precipitated by one fight fan’s feeling of satisfaction at the news of Sakuraba’s in-ring destruction, many have since decried what they see as a disrespectful sentiment, arguing that any antagonistic feelings toward such a venerable legend could only be a result of the UFC-centric, TUF-generation mentality; that such fans are merely loud-mouthed newcomers with little understanding or appreciation of the sport’s history.
Of course, I believe that the “problem,” if you can even call it that, is far more complicated, and such sentiments deserve more than just an angry dismissal by the self-styled aficionados and old guard.
We first have to understand that someone like Sakuraba (or Royce Gracie, or Ken Shamrock, or Randy Couture, or any fighter who has sufficiently captured the hearts and imaginations of the larger MMA audience) has, by turns either famous or notorious, become legendary, an institution in mixed martial arts. Attendant to this status is the fact that, when such a personage fights, he represents not just himself, but, for better or worse, a host of ideals or sins. Sakuraba is not so much a man as he is a symbol.
But a symbol of what?
Showmanship and a true appreciation for the sport and its fans, as evidenced by his good nature and elaborate entrances, may certainly find suitable personification in Sakuraba. The ideals of fighting spirit and resourcefulness are likewise well manifested in Sakuraba’s 185 pound frame—on display in his come-from-behind submission victory over Kestutis Smirnovas, and, though they ultimately ended in defeat, his seemingly fearless confrontations against the oversized Mirko Filipovic, Ricardo Årona, and Wanderlei Silva. Any spectator with a fair understanding of mixed martial art’s evolution since UFC 1 must concede these points.
However, as well-schooled spectators, we also have a responsibility to acknowledge what can be dubbed “the whole story.” With this in mind, it is, in fact, more reprehensible for any self-styled expert to refuse that Sakuraba may represent anything but integrity than it is for a relative newcomer to wholly dismiss Sakuraba’s contributions. Neither position is correct, but the newcomer has an excuse in his inexperience, while the expert ought to know better. While Sakuraba deservedly embodies any number of admirable qualities, he has, throughout his career, also earned some attributes that sit bitter on many tongues. It’s these associations that could lead a spectator to find satisfaction rather than heartbreak in Sakuraba’s defeat.
MMA snobbery and Japanophilia are unfortunately tied to Sakuraba, not through any fault of his own, but by the attitudes that some of his most vocal supporters have taken—those who don’t appreciate Sakuraba in total are dismissed by the self-appointed elite as low-brow idiots. Sakuraba also served as one of the most visual standards born by those in favor of the Japanese fight promotion during the senseless UFC vs. PRIDE FC debates. He and his peers were irrationally seen as the classy, intelligent alternative to the dumbed-down UFC crowd.
Similarly, Sakuraba may be associated with officiation bias and corruption in MMA. At least one fighter, in Quinton Jackson, has stated that he was monetarily encouraged to lose in his fight with Sakuraba (though he didn’t take the “bonus,” and lost anyway). Likewise, respected veteran Guy Mezger recently revealed that, while fighting for PRIDE FC, he was pressured to be “creative” with how the fights went, and that, in his fight with Sakuraba, rather than going to the judge’s scorecards, a contract-breaching third round was decided upon at the last minute (he refused to continue in the fight, and it sits as a loss by way of forfeit on his record). At this point we can say that Sakuraba wasn’t a direct conspirator, but there is the mounting suspicion that he benefited from some of PRIDE FC’s more notorious matchmaking, refereeing, and judging practices. Unfortunately, being one of the poster boys for PRIDE FC, he is exemplary of its best qualities, but also shoulders the burden of its most reprehensible.
Perhaps more than anything else, though, Sakuraba represents the double standard in mixed martial arts. When discussing Sakuraba’s legacy, the point most often brought up are his set of victories over Royce, Renzo, Royler, and Ryan Gracie. The Gracies were, of course, once thought to be invincible, but now their own family legacy has recently been thrown in to question, and they are widely considered to be relics of the sport, obsolete since the last time Royce Gracie won a UFC tournament. While much dismissed in every area of MMA discussion, the Gracie’s reputation for invincibility and ultra-toughness are for some reason restored when discussing Sakuraba. Furthermore, while the Gracies are often criticized for demanding special parameters for their fights, Sakuraba receives little criticism for similar practices, as in the aforementioned fight with Guy Mezger.
When a given person delights in the destruction of Sakuraba, they aren’t reacting to Sakuraba personally (really, how could they? Virtually none of the spectators know him intimately, so this concept is ridiculous from the outset). Rather, they are delighting in the destruction of snobbery, or corruption, or double standards.
Of course Sakuraba is not a proponent of MMA snobbery, corruption, or double standards. But someone with such deep roots in mixed martial arts, someone who has entered the fans’ consciousness to the extent that he has, is bound to be coupled with one or another of those undesirable characteristics, just as he is connected to the ideals of showmanship, fan appreciation, and warrior spirit.
Is this fair to Sakuraba? Is it fair that he should shoulder the doubts as well as the admiration of millions of imaginations? When it comes to being a legend, this is an occupational hazard. To mix metaphors, being an icon is a double-edged sword—just as the world will project its greatest ideals onto a great person, so might they just as readily project the worst faults. An educated fan’s responsibility lies in recognizing this fact, that no fighter is an absolute hero or villain. That like the individual themselves, like the day-to-day man Kazushi Sakuraba, a fighter’s legacy, the Kazushi Sakuraba of the ring, is multifaceted, evolving, and complex.
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