It was a bad night to be a foreigner, but it was a good night if you were a fan of fighting. On February 3rd, 2007, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, a one-shot promotion called World's Best Fighter assembled together a roster of fledgling Asian mixed martial artists and solid American up-and-comers and pitted them against each other in a "Team USA vs. Team Asia" contest. Team Asia got its ass kicked. Future UFC fighter Mike Massenzio played his usual ground-and-pound game against his Japanese foe, grinding out a unanimous decision, while local stud Greg Soto won via armbar and heavyweight everyman Justin Eilers won with a tsunami of knees and punches. The only real competitive bout of the event was Kevin Roddy versus Jong Man Kim - a Korean Top Team rep and the best grappler of the bunch - but "K-Rod" won via armbar with just three seconds left in the first round (the result was later changed to a "no contest" because, well, K-Rod is K-Rod you know). Aside from a few kickboxing match-ups and John Doyle and Brendan Barrett falling out of the ring (their bout was declared a "no contest"), the undercard also featured Team Tiger Schulmann rising star Lyman Good against Renzo black belt Julio Cruz, with Good's superior striking earning him the win via TKO.
Though the the Asian portion of the crowd sat stoic and silent throughout, the American portion of the crowd seemed to love every minute of it. And why wouldn't they? The fights were entertaining. Plus, Team USA kicked ass.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Liveblog: World MMA Expo Day 2
MMA Journalist is back for more, although today it was to sit on the panel for the discussion about the "The Future of MMA in New York". No real crazies in the audience this time, but as an "authority" on underground shows I was asked questions about where the promoters hide the dead bodies and if actual Southeast Asian slaves are used as fighters. Attendance for the expo itself seems down from yesterday, but hey, it's Sunday. Even MMA fans go to church.
Observations From My Couch: UFC 104 "Holy Robbery, Batman!"
- The decision in the Lyoto Machida/Shogun fight wasn't just bad, it was heinous. Heinous I tell you!
- Cain Velasquez is a beast.
- Ben Rothwell is whatever a zookeeper feeds a beast at its designated feeding time.
- All this time in the sport and Josh Neer still hasn't learned how to avoid takedowns? What does he do with his time? Drive under the influence or something?
- Spencer Fisher, I think you're an exciting fighter. However, it might be time to retire from the Octagon.
- I sure wish Anthony Johnson had made weight. I really wanted to be impressed with his performance. Instead, I'm stuck with the notion that the dude is just a cheater.
- Ryan Bader is a big pile of UNIMPRESSIVE.
- Pat Barry looked good. Antoni Hardonk looked like he took a bad hardonk to the head.
- I don't know who that Chael Sonnen was wrecking Yushin Okami, but he should stick around. He's much better than the Chael Sonnen we're used to.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Liveblog: World MMA Expo Part 3
Eddie's knowledge of the history of the sport cannot be overstated. When I started covering MMA back in 2001, he was someone I looked up to in terms of the scope and breadth of what he knew, his fashion sense notwithstanding. Melvina gets the conch shell again, and like when she spoke at the legislative roundtable earlier this year, she brings up the scourge known as unsanctioned underground shows. Somewhere, Peter Storm's ears are ringing. Uh oh, now Eddie's talking about underground fights, and he's bringing up Doug Dedge, the American who fought in an unsanctioned show in the Ukraine and died. Someone must've clued him in about the death toll events like the UCL and Empire State Warrior Challenge have left in their wake. Okay, now it's open to questions from the audience. Some lunatic is ranting and raving about being a Tae Kwon Do champ and member of Lions Den and smokers and, God, I can't figure out where he's going with this. I think he hates the government or something. Now he's going on about Matt Hughes and Tim Sylvia raping a girl and Dana White paying her 2 million bucks in hush money. Oh this is gold. To his credit, Mike Kim is responding with calm and poise and is difusing Mr. Crazy Lions Den Guy Who Did Tae Kwon Do. Okay, things are drawing to a close. Overall, it seems the future of MMA is optimistic - with a side of crazy.
Liveblog: World MMA Expo Part 2
It's time now for the panel discussion title "The Future of MMA in New York". The speakers include athletic commission chairwoman Melvina Lathan, Mike Kim (the guy who drafted the legislation that will soon be passed legalizing pro MMA), and Eddie Goldman. Also on hand are an assortment of fortune tellers, soothsayers, prognosticators, clairvoyants and gypsies that read chicken gizzards. Melvina is up first, and the crux of her speech is a brief history of the commission's oversight of MMA before it was banned in 1996. She stresses that the commission currently has no regulatory power over it, that the law has to change. Mike Kim is now talking about the legalization process and where the MMA bill stands. Eddie, meanwhile, is contributing by blowing up balloons and making animals and a crown.
Liveblog: World MMA Expo Part 1
MMA Journalist is here at the Javits Center in Manhattan for the inaugural World MMA Expo, a convention of sorts featuring vendors, demos, guest speakers and religious zealots out to convert bystanders into followers of jiu-jitsu, wrestling and Muay Thai. The turnout isn't bad - not as huge as when the nerds gather for a ComicCon or something, but there's a decent amount of people. Pete Sell, Pete Spratt and Phillipe Nover are in a cage giving autographs, and the line is pretty long for that, and a healthy crowd is gathered around a mat to watch Marcelo Garcia display his absolute mastery of Tai Chi. Or something. Also present: the Fight Nerd, Doug from Evolution Combat Club, and Eddie "Bad Mofo" Goldman. I'm going to try to get Eddie to sign my chest.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Weekend Schedule
There's a lot going on this weekend. Besides UFC 104 on pay-per-view Saturday night, Maryland will host its first-ever pro MMA show with Shogun Fights. The man behind the event is John Rallo, a Renzo black belt and the driving force that got the sport legalized down there, and it looks like local studs Binky Jones, Rick Desper and New Jersey featherweight powerhouse Steve DeAngelis get to be first up to bat.
Also this weekend is the World MMA Expo at the Jacob Javitz Center in Manhattan. MMA Journalist will be liveblogging that one.
Asylum Fight League XX is on Saturday night at the Trump Marina in Atlantic City. The AFL is always a good night of fighting, but as cloning technology isn't quite up to par yet, MMA Journalist is going to miss it.
Also this weekend is the World MMA Expo at the Jacob Javitz Center in Manhattan. MMA Journalist will be liveblogging that one.
Asylum Fight League XX is on Saturday night at the Trump Marina in Atlantic City. The AFL is always a good night of fighting, but as cloning technology isn't quite up to par yet, MMA Journalist is going to miss it.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Reformed Underground Fighter to Return to the Warm Embrace of Sanctioned MMA
Reformed underground fighter James Funaro, who made a name for himself as a top vale tudo competitor in the New York underground fight scene, will return to the warm embrace of sanctioned MMA this weekend at Asylum Fight League XX in Atlantic City. It's an unprecedented move. Usually, fighters who've crossed over to the dark side of unregulated matches are banned from amateur competition in New Jersey. But "after filing the proper post-UCL paperwork" and getting the necessary medical tests, it looks like the 175-pound Vamos BJJ/BoxFit rep will make the switch. Funaro, of course, is no stranger to bouts with actual rules. Prior to his career as a lawless gladiator fighting to the death, he saw combat at New Breed Fighters, Caged Fury in Ohio, and most recently at Philly Biker Brawl in Philadelphia. "Good for him," said the evil Brian Dennehy, who controls the underground fight circuit in New York. "He deserves to go legit. I wish him luck." Funaro is scheduled to face the experienced Anthony Cruz, and the AFL 20 card will also feature amateur mainstays Thiago Carfi, George Siderias and Cuba Gooding Jr.
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