Website Shout Out

Last week MMA Journalist mentioned a few websites the staff frequents for news. Add a few more to the list: Fight3r.com, japan-mma.com, f4wonline.com and TriStateFighter.com. Fight3r.com is an article link dump similar to FightOpinion.com, while japan-mma.com focuses on (duh!) the Japanese MMA scene. Veteran journo Dave Meltzer's rambling but informative Wrestling Observer is posted every week at f4wonline, and last but not least, TriStateFighter.com is a newcomer aimed at everything in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Check them out. Or don't. I don't care.

Most Depressing TUF Finale Ever

Saturday night's TUF 7 finale, which saw newcomer Amir Sadollah inexplicably armbar CB Dolloway again to capture the title of "Ultimate Fighter", also featured one of the most depressing bouts in UFC history. In the headliner between Evan Tanner and TUF 3 winner Kendall Grove, a tired and spent Tanner took three full rounds of punishment en route to a loss via unanimous decision. For fans of the former champ it was no doubt a sight that was hard to take, but to make matters worse, Tanner was taken behind the shed out back and shot immediately following the show - a move decried by many as heartless, as he could conceivably have been put out to pasture to stud. "He had a good run," said UFC matchmaker Joe Silva. "But it was his time. It was his time."

What's the Value of a TUF Contract Nowadays?

The seventh season of "The Ultimate Fighter" is in the books and the finale is slated for Saturday night. Unfortunately, market saturation and an increasingly stale product has turned what was once a prestigious and coveted title and contract into something far less appealing. What does it mean to be a TUF winner nowadays? What's the current value of a winner's contract? First-season victors Forrest Griffin and Diego Sanchez each garnered six-figure salaries and free Mustang GT convertibles for their efforts, while subsequent winners Rashad Evans, Joe Stevenson, Kendall Grove and Michael Bisping received a moped, a scooter, a skateboard and a pair of roller skates, respectively. But a steady decline in ratings saw TUF 5 winner Nate Diaz's prize reduced to a used 3-speed bicycle (with responsibilty for a newspaper delivery route attached), while TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig is now contractually obligated to work part-time in a Las Vegas car wash. And what will contestants Amir Sadollah or CB Dollawayget get when one of them wins on Saturday? According to sources within Zuffa, the winner of TUF 7 becomes an indentured servant and property of Dana White.

New York State Puts MMA Bill on Backburner in Favor of More Underground Shows

Taking a stand against the sanctioned MMA bouts that New Jersey, Nevada, California and others have embraced, the legislature in New York yesterday moved to the backburner the bill that would have allowed professional incarnations of the sport back into the state - a move that paves the way for more underground shows until the next legislative session in January. Why has the Empire State thus far resisted Zuffa's efforts to lobby for a lift on the pro MMA ban? "We're not ready to accept the economic benefits mixed martial arts events would bring," said Assembly page Alvin Kringle. "A UFC or an EliteXC or even a Ring of Combat would bring too much revenue to Madison Square Garden and various other venues, and it would create too many jobs within the Athletic Commission. Quite frankly, New York just isn't ready for the extra money."

Promoting 101

"Godz of War" is the latest upstart to shit the bed, which, after a glance at their proposed card and venue choice, should come as no surprise to anyone with even a passing knowledge of the industry. Come on, all you kids out there looking to put on an MMA show. You should know better! And if you don't know better, here are some simple rules.

Rule #1: Local fighters sell tickets. Regardless of your PPV deal, your big revenue stream is going to come from ticket sales. Period. And no one at your Atlantic City event is shelling out dough to see Joe Doerksen fight; therefore, his airfare, hotel, meals and purse are going to cost you more than you will make on him. No offence to Doerksen, but far more people are going to buy tickets to see local karate school owner Roger Dingbat compete than an accomplished UFC/IFL/WEC veteran. It's sad but true.

Rule #2: Don't spend more than you make. D'uh. If you fly in fighters from American Top Team, Brazilian Top Team, MFS or wherever, odds are that you're paying more for them than they will earn for you (see Rule #1). If you pay for a band to play in between fights, or some aspiring rappers, or some coke-addled dancing girls, is that really adding value to your show? Are those pyrotechnics really necessary?

Rule #3: Brand recognition only works for the UFC. The UFC could put together a card full of homeless men and orangutans and people will come to see it based on the UFC name alone. You are not going to have that same luck. Really. No one gives a crap that your show is called the "Mega Awesome Combat League" or "Totally Radical Championship". A small percentage of people will buy tickets because they want to see fights and the rest will buy tickets to see fighters they care about. That's your audience. Try to remember that.

These are just three basic rules, but there are more. To their credit, the folks behind Godz of War cancelled before their show, thereby saving themselves a ton in inevitable losses. Hopefully, if they come back, they'll approach things a little smarter - and keep these rules in mind.

From the Mailbag: "Dude, are you for real?"

"Dude, are you for real? Some of the things I read on your blog are way out there. You have some cool bits about the history of MMA and underground shows and stuff, but most of the time I can't tell if you're joking or not. Are we supposed to take you seriously or what?" -SanJoseUFCfan1968 Thanks for the email, SanJoseUFCfan1968. Yes, MMAJournalist is real. Your Internet browser took you to an actual webpage, didn't it? Geez. Listen, if you're looking for news, go to FiveOuncesOfPain.com, Sherdog.com, MMAPayout.com or FightOpinion.com - that's where I go when I want up-to-date info. But if you want a different perspective on the sport, a perspective rife with sarcasm and wit, well... you're screwed. So you might as well keep coming here.

Only One Winner in the Escalating War Between Promotions

In the old days, when Abraham Lincoln was president and getting eaten by a dinosaur was a very real threat, the UFC was the only game in town offering up MMA to fight-hungry consumers. My how times have changed. Case in point: the star-studded July 19th Affliction card on pay-per-view. Sherdog reported yesterday that the UFC might be putting together serious counter-programming on SpikeTV to combat Affliction's "Banned" debut, with Wanderlei Silva one of names thrown into the mix. Is this a dirty tactic on the UFC's part? Or is it just a smart business move? A free UFC on SpikeTV will undoubtebly sink Affliction's PPV buy rates, and maybe inflict a mortal wound on the fledgling promotion, but one thing is clear in this escalating war: the fans are going to win. Yes, in terms of having more MMA on TV, the fans are going to win big.

CBS Wants EliteXC to Cobble Together Another Show in Six Weeks - Who Should Fight?

Hungry to capitalize on the mojo created by "Saturday Night Fights", EliteXC's masters at CBS want another primetime brouhaha despite EliteXC's expressed desire to push their network TV return back (in an effort to allow Kimbo, Carano, et al. some time to recover). But what CBS wants, CBS must get. Logistical issues aside, who could EliteXC field that would make for some good TV-worthy combat on just six weeks notice? The following is a list of potential ass-kickers for the July 26th show. Yes, they're exciting. No, they're not all the best. Not yet at least. 1. Matt Makowski, a welterweight striker who's young, hungry, and on the rise. 2. Wilson Reis, a featherweight jiu-jitsu machine. "Fast-paced" is his middle name. 3. Chris Liguori, a well-rounded lightweight capable of ending things on the feet or on the ground. 4. Steve DeAngelis, a well-rounded featherweight sprawl-and-brawler. 5. Jim Miller, an IFL fighter, grappler extraordinaire and the best 155-pounder in the Northeast. 6. Doug Gordon, a 170-pounder who can submit people or knock them the fuck out (see Gordon's fight against Gregor Gracie). 7. Tom Gallicchio, a welterweight ground-and-pounder. 8. Lyman Good, a bad, bad, bad dude with serious striking skills and serious grappling skills. 9. Dan Miller, a submission specialist and IFL middleweight title holder. 10. Josh Key, an extremely strong well-rounded lightweight who fought and won on BET's Iron Ring. This list is by no means a complete one, but it's a good start. With the Robbie Lawler/Scott Smith rematch headlining the card, any of these fighters are scrappy enough to fit right in.

Observations from My Couch: EliteXC "Return of the King"

-Rafael Feijao and Dave Herman have looked very impressive in the cage thus far, taking out their opponents with violence and fury. Too bad I still have no idea who they are. -Tony Bonello is apparently that little guy who gets drunk at parties and picks fights with the biggest, baddest people he can find. Murilo "Ninja" Rua hates parties. -Nick Diaz ain't no bitch. He ain't no weight-cutter, either. -KJ Noons defeated Yves Edwards faster than you can say "champion slowly but surely legitimizing the depth of talent in EliteXC's relatively new roster with wins over quality opponents".

Trump Not the Only Billionaire Getting into MMA

With the recent news that business magnate Donald Trump is an equity partner in the new Affliction promotion, MMA Journalist has learned that other well-known billionaires are considering taking the MMA plunge. Among those joining Trump are: -Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who is expected to unveil his Martial Arts Combat (a.k.a. "Mac") organization this summer. Competitors will alegedly fight in the "iCage" for stock options. -Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, who is starting a promotion for the lighter, nerdier weight-classes. His fighters will allegedly be incompatible with Job's Mac organization and more prone to viruses. -Media mogul Oprah Winfrey, who will promote a female-orientated league geared towards women above the age of 40, as well as a monthly "Oprah's Fighter Club". Stay tuned for more.