Here are two quotes from New Jersey's Nick Lembo, quotes which didn't make the cut for an upcoming FCF article I just wrote but were too good to go to waste. The first is in response to why the Garden State hasn't had a big show recently. "The UFC has a difficult time finding an open date at the Prudential Center or Boardwalk Hall, which are really New Jersey's only two big venues. We do not have a lot of big-scale venues in New Jersey. Even Affliction had difficulty obtaining a desired open date at the Prudential Center. The WEC and Strikeforce have not come anywhere on the East Coast to date."
The next quote is in response to the question of if New York legalizing MMA is going to impact the number of New Jersey events. "I don't think it will hurt. More events and more venues will only make the sport grow. Boxing is legal in New York and that has no effect on the number of New Jersey boxing events."
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Liveblog: Strikeforce NYC Presser Part 3
"What role do you think your size and power will play in the fight?" someone asks Cyborg. She then rips out that person's spine a la Mortal Kombat. Someone else asks Carano about how she got into MMA. Her answer contains nothing about whether or not Kit Cope has a sex tape with her. A reporter then asks Cyborg if she feels any added pressure due to the magnitude of the bout. The Brazilian eats her translator. There's going to be some sort of open workout outside after the presser, but I have to get back to the office.
Liveblog: Strikeforce NYC Presser Part 2
Gina Carano and Cris Cyborg are called to the podium individually, like they were coming to the cage for their fight. Carano gets the bigger pop from the crowd, but Cyborg clearly has her fans (werewolves, demons and other creatures that prey upon humans). Both fighters are cordial to each other, and even share a laugh when the Showtime exec sprays them down with a garden hose for the wet t-shirt contest. Nothing Earth shattering is said when Carano gets the microphone. She pretty much thanks everyone she's ever met. Cyborg, meanwhile, eats the microphone and urinates on the podium.
Liveblog: Strikeforce NYC Presser Part 1
MMA Journalist is here at the Strikeforce presser at Madison Square Garden. Maybe a little over 100 fans have turned out, with industry luminaries The Garv, Matt the Fight Nerd, Eddie Goldman and John Moody adding credence to the festivities. NYSAC Chairwoman Melvina Lathan is here. I asked her about MMA getting legalized here and she says she's more optimistic than ever. In terms of refreshments, there's cans of soda, coffee and tea. It's not the opulant spread of an Affliction presser, so maybe that means Strikeforce has a future.
Strikeforce "Carano vs. Cyborg" Presser in NYC Today
Strikeforce is holding a press conference at Madison Square Garden today for their upcoming San Jose show, a show headlined by Gina Carano and Cris "Cyborg" Santos. MMA Journalist will be there to liveblog, with a focus on whatever free schwag and/or food is provided, so stay tuned.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Underground MMA Show in Brooklyn This Coming Saturday
Another weekend, another underground show - this one in Brooklyn and called Gladiator Martial Arts. No clue on what it will be like, although a preliminary fight card seems to have a Krav Maga dude taking on a kickboxer, a grappler taking on a streetfighter, a jiu-jitsu guy taking on a Muay Thai guy, and who knows what else. Expect MMA Journalist to liveblog the whole affair. Unless I'm killed en route. Then expect nothing.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Observations From My Couch: UFC 100
- The robbery perpetrated in the rendering of the decision for the Yoshihiro Akiyama/Alan Belcher fight was so blatant and egregious that Akiyama now has a felony on his record.
- Dan Henderson may have landed a huge, crowd-pleasing knockout, but he did fans everywhere a great disservice. No way are we going to be able to understand what Michael Bisping says now.
- Next on Ultimate Grip Fighting Championship: Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago. Who will come out on top in the meticulous and pain-staking battle to do nothing but place their hands on various strategic parts of their opponent's body? Stay tuned!
- Georges St. Pierre looked dominant, but that groin injury he sustained was inevitable. No one can dry hump someone for 25 minutes without injuring themselves. No one.
- Coors Lite and banging your wife, eh? Brock, are you telling us this because you feel insecure about that dingling tattooed on your chest? Methinks the wrestler doth protest too much.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mac Danzig to Become First TUF Winner Booted from UFC
Noted vegan and gross underperformer Mac Danzig is slated to become the first TUF winner to be cut from the UFC's roster, as the TUF 6 veteran will be facing New Jersey grappling stud Jim Miller in a lightweight undercard bout on Saturday night's UFC 100 event - a match-up Danzig is destined to lose via submission. The loss will be Danzig's third in a row, bringing his Octagon record to a dismal 1-3 and painting him as the clear-cut winner in the Danzig/Joe Stevenson/Kendall Grove "Race to Suckville". When asked about the honor to be bestowed upon him as the first TUF winner given the boot, Danzig replied: "Guys, please, meat is murder. Team Tofu all the way."
Based on Statement from Sketchy Agent, Anthony Johnson Arrested for Murder, Treason and Human Trafficking
Anthony "Rumble" Johnson has been arrested, and while details of the situation remain murky, a statement issued by his sketchy agent, Ken Pavia, indicate that the UFC fighter may be facing charges of murder, treason and human trafficking. The statement reads in part, "On June 27 Mr. Johnson was arrested in Hayward, California, and charged with misdemeanors stemming from an alleged altercation with an ex-girlfriend." As this comes from Pavia, a well-known silver-tongued vampire often found lurking in the rafters of UFC events waiting to prey upon the innocent, it can be inferred that Johnson was in fact arrested for crimes most serious. The statement further reads, "These charges are completely outside the realm of Mr. Johnson's character" - a sure indication that the man who defeated Tommy Speer, Kevin Burns and Luigi Fioravanti in the Octagon was a ticking timebomb set to explode at any time, and perhaps even a criminal mastermind responsible for the deaths of countless of hapless victims. MMA Journalist will have more as this story develops.
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