Badass Fighter Gets Badass Marketing Campaign Because He is Badass

Eddie Alvarez. He's the fighter you've seen plastered all over New York City. Formerly BodogFIGHT's welterweight champ, Alvarez will be returning to the East Coast after competing in such exotic locales as Costa Rica and St. Petersburg, and he's being pushed as the star of BodogFIGHT's July 14th Trenton, New Jersey show. The former high school wrestling champ is well-known for his knockout hands, his ability to kick ass, and his knack for packing a venue with hundreds of cheering fans.


Alvarez is one of the best fighters not signed by the UFC, and would have no problems competing in the Octagon. In fact, he was flown out to Las Vegas as an alternate for the second season of "The Ultimate Fighter" (SpikeTV and Zuffa ended up not needing him). He's that good. And fans of action can expect an extra-large dose of it on July 14th.

Kimbo Slice Breaks All the Rules

On Saturday night, when bare-knuckle pugilist Kimbo Slice defeated former world heavyweight boxing champ Ray Mercer by guillotine choke in just over a minute in an exhibition MMA bout, he broke all the rules. Not for giving the 7,300 in attendance at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall their first glimpse of the Internet-created legend. Not for making Cage Fury Fighting Championship’s first pay-per-view venture a memorable (and successful) one. No, Slice broke all the rules pertaining to debut fighters: he headlined the event and made 75,000 bucks. Aside from main eventers Chuck Liddell and Quinton Jackson, that’s far more than any of the veterans were paid at UFC 71.



Did the ex-backyard boxing star – whose record lists wins over the likes of Big Mac, “The Bouncer” and Afro Puff – deserve it? Hell yes. Regardless of where he may rank amongst the world’s MMA heavyweights, Kimbo brings a ton of charisma and hype, and that kind of love only helps the sport. Thousands of fans showed up or tuned in and droves of media cast a watchful eye, and everyone got to see not just him, but CFFC’s brand of quality MMA, as well as a roster of outstanding undercard fighters. And for that, Kimbo deserved every penny.

TapouT Breathes Life Back into MMA Television

What season of “The Ultimate Fighter” are we on? Fifty? What (or when, exactly) was the last episode of BodogFight? Fuck if I know. But one thing I do know is whoever thought up the concept for the new “TapouT” reality TV show – a show that combines elements of a road trip and a fighter profile with behind the scenes perspectives – deserves some serious “Yeah boy!” For those Generation TUFers out there who don’t know, the TapouT crew have been around forever, supporting the sport while promoting their brand of clothing. Hell, the man behind TapouT, Charles Lewis, was even on the box cover of the old UFC PlayStation game (he was the “fighter” getting smashed by Tito Ortiz).


Sadly, as MTV has taught us, when the “Real World” gets boring and “Road Rules” has run its course, the “Real World/Road Rules Challenge” will soon follow. But until those Ultimate Fighter and TapouT veterans square off in some producer’s pugilistic permutation, I’m going to enjoy the Mask, Skyscrape and Punkass ride.

Clash of the Titans at EC78

The skies will darken, the clouds will rumble and the earth will shake at Extreme Challenge 78 in Asbury Park this weekend - an event featuring a clash of heavyweight titans in Jon Murphy versus Carlos Moreno. Murphy, the current EC Northeast heavyweight title holder, earned his belt when he struck UFC vet Sherman Pendergarst's chin with a bolt of lighting at EC75. Moreno is a former Ring of Combat champ whose return to MMA has given him fresh opportunities to devour his foes. Promoter Ed Hsu's matchmaking machinations have two of the best in the Northeast squaring off, and when these knockout artists step into the cage, you can bet the gods will be watching with interest.

How the Cage Fury Fighting Championship Will Save MMA

In 1993, the UFC captured our imagination with a ton of violence and a shitload of spectacle. Jiu-jitsu versus kickboxing versus sumo versus boxing – legions of fightfanboys were created because of what transpired within the cage, fightfanboys so numerous they would sustain this emerging combat endeavor until Generation TUF was handed the baton. Yet nowadays there’s little room for the magic that once was. Mixed martial arts is an accepted (and well-regulated) full-fledged sport, and evolution and the passage of time have coaxed the one-dimensional fighter to go the way of the Dodo bird. As millions tune in to watch the virtually homogenous Chuck Liddell and Quinton Jackson slug it out, another nail will be driven into the coffin of the “spectacle” we fell in love with.

But thank God for the Cage Fury Fighting Championship. On June 23rd, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City and broadcast live on pay-per-view, when former heavyweight boxing champ Ray Mercer squares off against legendary street fighter Kimbo Slice, every fightfanboy will once more taste what originally got them hooked. Yeah, that’s grade-A spectacle right there. And really, it doesn’t matter who wins or loses that night. What matters is that CFFC has managed to keep that magical spark alive.

Carlos Moreno Returns, Fails to Kill Opponent

Battle Cage Xtreme, a fledgling promotion in New Jersey, had its debut show this past weekend. Six bouts total. Welterweight stud Greg Soto won a belt, featherweight Matt Zaccarias won a belt, blah, blah, blah. The real news was the long-awaited return of Carlos Moreno. Who is Carlos Moreno?

Moreno first stepped into the ring at one of the old 2002 BAMA FightNight shows and began knocking out heavyweights in impressive fashion, and when he wasn’t sending fighters into dreamland, the ref was either stepping in (lest someone die) or the opponents were submitting with broken eye sockets. Think of a friendly and amiable Puerto Rican Tank Abbott. In 2004, jiu-jitsu wizard Tom Muller took the now Ring of Combat Heavyweight Champ down and submitted him and… we never really heard from Moreno again.

That is, until the tryouts for the BET reality show came along a couple months ago. Yes, Moreno tried out, and by some accounts did not impress – his conditioning wasn’t up to par, he didn’t look great during whatever drills they had to do, etc. And then they put him in the ring against Bombsquad up-and-comer Jarrid Palmer, and when Palmer was sent crashing to the canvas with a broken jaw, the powers that be saw Moreno was the real deal (I think Moreno was given a thousand bucks on the spot).

The trimmed-down Moreno we saw this past weekend was a good 20 pounds lighter than the 2004 version. He looked in shape and was definitely focused, and although he didn’t decapitate his opponent, it was a clear and convincing 34-second one-sided beatdown. Does this mean Moreno is back? God, I hope so. Heavy-handed punchers are always thrilling to watch – especially when they have an uncanny knack for landing those punches in the heat of an MMA bout – and this guy has got talent and presence in spades.

Breaking News: Mainstream Media Suddenly Gives a Shit

Take a deep breath and look around. Notice the wealth of reporters, ringside at almost every event? The proliferation of MMA articles in national publications? The marriage of Sherdog and ESPN? Gone are the days when all the sport got from the press was a big plate of “human cockfighting” and a tall glass of “shut the hell up.” Mainstream media suddenly gives a shit.

At UFC 37 in Louisiana, Zuffa asked me to show a London Times correspondent the ropes. Like any good frontline soldier, I did – introducing him to fighters, commentators and fans so he could get quotes to flesh out his story, and helping his grasp the pugilistic nuances of what he was seeing in the cage. But that REMF visit was a rare thing. Human cockfighting. Shut the hell up.

The tide has turned, and while the ever-popular UFC has garnered all sorts of attention as MMA’s crown jewel, some of that love has finally trickled down to even the regional and local shows. Nowadays, producers from major news channels track me down through Myspace, while reporters stick cameras and microphones in my face and ask for my educated opinion. The sport has gotten shockingly huge and everyone wants to cover it.

And it’s about damn time.

Binky Jones - ROC Lightweight Champ

A Few Words on Ring of Combat 14

The Tournament of Champions – which began back in November and spanned the lightweight, middleweight and welterweight divisions – came to a conclusion this past Friday with three champs crowned. Each weight class of the tourney began with a pool of eight competitors (some of them local, some of them not so local), and though the NJSACB doesn’t allow fighters to compete more than once a night, it was akin to the elimination-style events that captured the imagination of MMA fans in days of yore. Tournaments make for a compelling storyline. Add to that equation the background of each fighter (i.e., who he is and what he’s gone through to get there), and you’ve really got something that reels you in.

There was none more compelling on Friday than the story of James “Binky” Jones. A Baltimore jiu-jitsu specialist, Binky’s been around for years, never more than a journeyman but someone you could always count on for a good scrap. In fact, when he was announced as one of the eight 155-pounders taking part in the opening round, a roster that included a Reality Fighting champ, a few grappling studs and a Team Quest representative, I rated his chances at “pretty damn slim.”

I’ll be darned if Binky didn’t rise to the occasion.

Putting on a jiu-jitsu clinic to dispatch two Midwesterners in the first two rounds, the only man standing between him and the belt was the toughest of the lightweight bunch: IFL veteran Ian Loveland. Binky popped Loveland’s elbow with an armbar three minutes and 17 seconds into the bout.

The video promos highlighted how hard he trained, how much he gives back to the community and what not, but the whole picture, the whole story encompasses a great deal more. Of all those who won at Ring of Combat 14, Binky’s story was the most compelling because of the legion of supporters in red T-shirts, the post-fight hugs and the grin of his proud coach. Ultimately, though, it all came down to this: the journeyman was now the champ.

MMA Market Analysis: New York & New Jersey

There was a time, not too long ago, when, if you wanted to see a local MMA show, you had to wait until Kipp Kollar’s Reality Fighting or Lou Neglia’s Ring of Combat rolled around – or if you were really lucky, you were in the loop on Dan Miragliatta’s BAMA FightNight (an underground show of sorts). There were even some odds and ends events, like the IFC’s only two Garden State ventures, or Brian Cimin’s Sportfighting, or the “Battle on Broadway” in NYC, or the MegaFights in Atlantic City (which featured Ken Shamrock and his Lions Den taking on a bunch of over-matched fighters). But take it from someone who went to them all: for the hungry fan, pickings were slim.

Nowadays, thanks to Generation TUF and an exponential increase in both interest and capital, those promotions that survived through the lean years are now feeding fighters into the UFC, while new organizations have sprouted up to claim their share of the market (and consumer dollars). Here’s a brief look at the current MMA landscape in New York and New Jersey:

• Ring of Combat (ROC) - when the State of New York clamped down on his Long Island “Vengeance at the Vanderbilt” events, Neglia began putting out ROC events, with the first one held at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut and all since in New Jersey. No other local promotion has seen more fighters get called up to the UFC – a testament both to its level of competition and the strength of its match-ups. With its ongoing grand prix-style Tournament of Champions, ROC is currently making the jump to pay-per-view.

• Reality Fighting (RF) - Kollar’s situation among the MMA promoters is unique in that he also runs the successful NAGA grappling tournaments, and, having mined the New England market with his Mass Destruction events, has recently sought to expand the RF brand to New Hampshire. Consequently, his hold on the Garden State has loosened, which has translated into fewer shows in New Jersey and fewer top-level match-ups. However, RF is still considered to be a favorite amongst fans and fighters.

• Extreme Challenge (EC) - In little more than a year, Ed Hsu (formerly the man behind Combat in the Cage) has gone from green newcomer to strong presence amongst those putting on shows – due in no small part to his absolute market dominance in the world of amateur mixed martial arts. No one even comes close to bringing in the same amount of fresh competitors (and fans), and this success has bled into his ever-improving pro shows. A recent partnership with Midwest promoting legend Monte Cox will no doubt provide an even bigger conduit between talent here and talent elsewhere.

• Cage Fury Fighting Championship (CFFC) - There was no learning curve for promoter Felix Martinez; his first CFFC show last year was solid, and they’ve been solid every time since. These events feature a wealth of top fighters from Maryland to New England (and all points in between). With former boxing champ Ray Mercer taking on Internet legend Kimbo Slice at their upcoming show, CFFC is poised to take their brand to the national (and possibly international) level.

• Underground Combat League (UCL) - the current climate in New York State is such that very few will risk putting on an MMA show for fear of incurring the athletic commission’s wrath. Enter: Peter Storm’s UCL, a promotion that exists under the radar (despite having managed to get an awful lot of mainstream press). Fans never know what they’ll get when they go to these events – maybe they’ll see two streetfighters brawling, an IFL veteran taking on some bouncer, or even a future UFC superstar – but the convenience of these events being in one of the Five Boroughs, as well as the NHB rules and the seediness of it being “underground”, have made the UCL into a strong brand.

• Others - At this point, it’s unclear if Cimins’ Sportfighting events will return (Cimins has his hands full running the Grapplers Quest tournaments). The World’s Best Fighter show is another big question mark, although it proved once again that the “USA versus international team” concept (done successfully many times by the Mixed Fighting Championship) works and works well. As for the Mixed Fighting Championship (MFC), it was absorbed into BodogFight, and they haven’t officially announced when they’ll return to New Jersey (note: the inside rumblings indicate a mid-summer show). In the realm of amateurs, New Breed has some catching up to do, but they’re trying with an upcoming show in Atlantic City next on their agenda. There are also a few other would-be promoters who will likely be casting their hats into the ring sometime soon.

What does all this mean? Currently, the market greatly favors the fighter, as the fighter is the ultimate ingredient promoters use to attract fans. Meanwhile, the recipe of a successful MMA event has remained constant: local fighters sell far more tickets than bigger-named non-local ones, and no brand is strong enough to overcome that (except for the UFC, and soon the IFL – but that’s another article). It is a great time to be fan of MMA, a great time to be a fighter, and, once they nail down their business model and carve out their niche in the market, a great time for promoters.

NY/NJ MMA rankings -April '07

Here are my latest NJ/NY MMA rankings, based on my observations of events from the last year. People who have fought in the UFC are ineligible to appear on this list (thereby excluding people like Matt Serra, Pete Sell, Luke Cummo, Frankie Edgar, Sherman Pendergarst, etc). Also, people under contract by the IFL are precluded (thereby excluding Dante Rivera, Andre Gusmao, Shane Ott, etc.). If I left someone out, forgive me. This area has traditionally been short on bigger guys, hence the few names in light-heavyweight and heavyweight classes.

Lightweight:

*Jim Miller –the best lightweight in New Jersey right now. CFFC champ with nonstop and relentless grappling and ever-improving striking. He went the distance with Frankie Edgar before Edgar graduated to the UFC. He and Deividas Taurosevicius are without question the best two in this weight class.

*Deividas Taurosevicius –the second-best lightweight in New Jersey right now. Another fantastic grappler with strong striking, he recently subbed some dude in an IFL prelim. He and Jim Miller would have little problem beating the rest of the 155-pounders in the Garden State.

*Tim Troxell –he went from amateur to pro without a hitch, and has been dominating opponents with an aggressive and solid jiu-jitsu game. I think he’s moving down to 145, though.

*Kevin Roddy –smooth submission grappler who’s dangerous both on top and from the guard. Not the best striker, but that’s not his bread and butter.

*James “Binky” Jones –seasoned veteran and slick grappler, Binky has really stepped up his performance lately. He’ll be taking on Team Quest’s Ian Loveland at the next Ring of Combat, having made it to the final round of the Tournament of Champions.

*Honorable mention: a) Al Buck –great striker who recently lost his CFFC lightweight belt to Jim Miller (although there’s no shame in that). b) Brian McLaughlin –good jiu-jitsu fighter and Sportfighting champ; is fighting Carmine Zocchi at 170 at the upcoming ROC show.

Welterweight:

*Tamdan McCrory –strong grappler and strong striker, who, despite not having a lot of experience, has been kicking more-experienced fighters’ asses. Currently a champ at CFFC.

*Chris Ligouri –even though he’s a UFC vet, that fight was years ago, so I’m throwing him back on the rankings. Chris is a great striker, but his wrestling and jiu-jitsu is even better. He’s been around a long, long time, and he’s definitely the best welterweight in New Jersey right now. He’s currently the Reality Fighting champ.

*Greg Soto –unstoppable takedowns mixed with ground-and-pounding fury. No one has been able to withstand Greg’s punishment so far. No one.

*Doug Gordon –athleticism plus an ever-improving sub-game. Gordon has fought at light-heavyweight and middleweight, and recently won at welterweight against a tough Tom Gallicchio.

*Phillipe Nover –well-rounded grappler and heavy-handed striker, he made it to the final round of the Ring of Combat Tournament of Champions by subbing Jay Coleman.

*Honorable mention: a) Tom Gallicchio –he’s coming off two sub losses, but Tom is a strong wrestler and ground-and-pounder. b) Jay Coleman –insanely heavy hands with a solid wrestling game; he has a knack for knocking out wrestlers. He’s taking the injured Nover’s place at the up-coming Ring of Combat show. c) Rich Ashkar –strong wrestler and submission fighter.

Middleweight:

*Marc Stevens –great wrestler and ground-and-pounder. He defeated Landon Showalter by ref stoppage at the last Ring of Combat to advance to the final round of the tournament.

*Dan Miller –probably the best middleweight in New Jersey right now, he’s used flawless grappling to earn (and keep) the CFFC belt. If Dante Rivera wasn’t an IFL fighter right now, a match-up between the two of them would be a must in determining who was king.

*Alexis Aquino –good boxing and great grappling, Aquino has cut a swath through the 185-pounders. If anyone has earned at shot at Dan Miller, it’s him – although I don’t see him winning that match-up. Still, he’s proven to be game as hell.

*Mike Massenzio –another great wrestler who’s insanely athletic. This Reality Fighting champ ain’t a finisher, but few have been able to stop him from grinding out the win.

*Lyman Good –a dangerous striker who fights at 175 (I’m not sure he could cut that extra five pounds and make welterweight), Lyman is the best MMA fighter TSK has competing right now. He took out Renzo black belt Julio Cruz at the World’s Best Fighter show – mostly because Cruz was foolish enough to want to duke it out with him. Lyman’s facing Ring of Combat champ James Gabert at the up-coming ROC show.

*Honorable mention: a) Jose Rodriguez –the perennial slugger and submission fighter, Jose has been around a long time. He just lost to Dan Miller at the last CFFC show, but he’s still tough as hell. b) Nissim Levy –good grappler and good boxer; his fight was a loss to Alexis Aquino, but a well-conditioned Levy can beat most of the middleweight out there

Light-Heavyweight:

*John Doyle –more heart than technique, John is a ground-and-pounder who simply outlasts everyone. He’s a Combat in the Cage/Extreme Challenge champ.

*Tim Boetsch –high-level wrestling mixed with an unabashed willingness to strike, Tim is a Reality Fighting champ and USKBA champ. His only two MMA fights were against a very-skilled Hazem Ibrahim, but Tim has established himself as one of the best light-heavyweights with those performances.

*Hazem Ibrahim –still a tough positional grappler and brawler, despite losing twice in a row to Tim Boetsch.

*Josh Rhodes –the best light-heavyweight in New Jersey, Josh has got knockout-power in his hands and enough wrestling skill to stay on his feet and use them. Currently the CFFC champ, he’s probably the only 205-pounder around who could take on the rest of the top guys in his weight class and beat them all.

*Honorable mention: Lamont Lister –scrappy fighter who’s happy throwing down, but can grapple if he needs to. He’s lost to Josh Rhodes, and lost as a heavyweight, but he’s still a bad dude.

Heavyweight:

*Jon Murphy –the best of the heavyweights, Jon has subbed a Renzo brown belt (Carlos Cline) and knocked out a UFC vet (Sherman Pendergarst). He’s dangerous, and can end a fight at any time.

*Honorable mention: a) Glen Sandull –former Reality Fighting champ who used to have a fearsome wrestling game, but hasn’t had time to train properly last I heard. b) Carlos Cline –he’s been around a while, but has never really been able to dominate as much as he should have; he was kicking Jon Murphy’s ass for two rounds before Jon tapped him out with a kneebar

Fighter X

For those of you who guessed that Fighter X is Laura D'Auguste, you are correct. Please bring your ticket stubs to the second window to claim your prize.


Laura should be meeting with Renzo Gracie personally any day now, and the two will discuss whether or not she'll be a good fit for the Gracie team.

A World-Class Fighter Without a Home

I got the call on Tuesday. Fighter X had been abruptly kicked off their fight team and out of their school – could I help find them a place to train?

“Of course,” I said. After all, I’ve known Fighter X for years, have been ringside for almost all their fights, and even consider them a friend. And it’s not unheard of for a fighter to switch up where they train once in a while. However, a couple things made this situation unique: Fighter X is one of the top MMA competitors in their weight class, and Fighter X might be competing at the Abu Dhabi World Championships in a few weeks.

To draw a comparison, it would be akin to the Mets suddenly finding out they were no longer welcome at Shea Stadium a few weeks before they were to face the Yankees in the World Series.

How this fighter ended up “homeless” is really only a small part of this tale, involving unsigned management contracts and growing pains. Suffice to say, there are two sides to every story, and I’d prefer to remain as ignorant as possible.

In considering options, Fighter X had expressed a willingness to check out the Rhino Fight Team, as well as a few other places. But is Rhino really a good fit for one of the best grapplers in the country? Though Rhino is a phenomenal school for MMA (just ask anyone impressed by Frankie Edgar’s UFC debut), I suggested Renzo Gracie’s academy in Manhattan as the best possible option.

“Call there,” I told Fighter X. “Call and tell them who you are, and tell them you need a new place to train.”

Fighter X liked that idea. And if Renzo was unwilling to accept Fighter X because of the conflict of having his own representatives already slated to compete at Abu Dhabi, Fighter X promised to respectfully bow out of the world-class grappling tournament.

Fighter X phoned the Manhattan academy, and was soon listening to the sales pitch delivered by someone named “Max”. Max informed Fighter X that new students start out in the blue belt program, and train with the gi – which is the cornerstone of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – until they get their blue belt.

“What about no-gi training?” Fighter X asked, and explained that that’s where Fighter X’s interest resided. Fighter X was willing to learn gi grappling, but wanted to do both (the Abu Dhabi World Championship is a no-gi event).

“Do you have any experience with grappling without the gi?” Max asked.

“Well, I took second place at the Abu Dhabi US trials,” Fighter X replied.

I doubt Max understood (or believed) Fighter X. He scheduled a one-on-on assessment for Friday, though, when a black belt would roll with Fighter X to see what’s what.

I laughed when Fighter X relayed this to me. Could Fighter X submit a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt? Absolutely. Although I doubt Fighter X could take two steps into Renzo’s school without getting recognized. Still, the comedic value of an unwitting black belt being surprised at how skilled this jiu-jitsu newbie was… that would’ve been gold.

* * *

I called Nick Lembo of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board and he was more than happy to help. Nick had actually arranged for Renzo to coach Fighter X at the US trials, when Fighter X’s own coach no-showed, so he would give the jiu-jitsu legend a call and a heads up.

As of this writing, that call hasn’t happened yet, and it’s up in the air if Fighter X is going to have to go to the Manhattan academy and get the kindergartner treatment – or even if Renzo’s will end up being Fighter X’s new home. But I’ll let you know how it all works out.