Friday, July 29, 2011
Liveblog: XFE 8 Part 1
MMAJournalist is here at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City for XFE 8, which will feature ten bouts showcasing the likes of Brendan Barrett, Mervin Rodriguez, Jeff Lentz and JA Dudley. Unfortunately, my new Blackberry is having a rough time supporting this browser plus Twitter plus taking pics. So if you want live results, follow me on Twitter (jim_genia); if you want a snarky postfight review, check back here tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
XFE 8: The Roster
I have no idea what “XFE” stands for (Xtreme Fighting Extravaganza? Xylophonic Festival Extreme?), but one look at the cast of characters for their eighth installment – and Atlantic City promotional debut – on Friday night tells me all I need to know. TUF alum Jeff Lentz, WEC vet Anthony Leone, hard-hitter Brendan Barrett, the scrappy Mervin Rodgriguez… dude, that’s a lot “kill”, “maim” and “celebrity” right there, which makes XFE 8 very much worth checking out. Let’s examine the roster a bit further, shall we?
- Anthony Leone – He’s fought in Bellator, Strikeforce and Bellator, but most people know the durable Leone for his role in the 1979 classic film “The Warriors”, where Leone played the leader of the Long Island-based gang “The Spaghetti-Os”.
- Brendan Barrett – I once saw this IFL vet karate chop a man and the man died in his sleep two days later. Coincidence? I THINK NOT.
- Jeff Lentz – Supposedly, the book “Bruce Lee’s Fighting Method” is an unofficial biography of Lentz’s life. Supposedly. I’m illiterate, so I can’t say for sure.
- Mervin Rodriguez – When not fighting, Rodriguez is a member of Mariah Carey’s security detail. Rumor has it he saved her life when a crazed fan came at her with a chainsaw, so she named one of her kids after him.
- Kevin Roddy – I swear to God I think Roddy stole my wallet. We were sitting on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights drinking frozen Razzmatazz Jamba Juices mixed with homemade moonshine and the wallet was right there on the seat between us. Then I turned away for a second to vomit, and when I turned back it was gone. Gone.
- Dwayne Shelton – There’s tough, and there’s “Dwayne Shelton tough”. A burnt steak is somewhere in between on that scale.
- JA Dudley – Dudley may have a fair number of wins and losses, but they last time he was actually finished in a fight was back in 2008. I don’t know if that stat means anything. I just thought I’d throw that out there.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Lest We Forget, A Brief Reminder of What's What in New York
Hey, here's the Albany Times Union keeping the "MMA in New York" flame alive: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/MMA-s-toughest-match-1576255.php. It's good to know that this thing isn't out of mind when it's out of sight.
So, About This Weekend...
Once again this blog was lacking in the local event coverage department, although this time it was travel issues that sunk me. Sorry about that. From various reports, this edition of the Cage Fury Fighting Championship was a kickass show. I will definitely be at the XFE show this coming Friday, however, liveblogging furiously to make up for lost coverage.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Nine Reasons to Care About CFFC 10
The Cage Fury Fighting Championship’s tenth installment is this Saturday at the Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, and if you’re a fan of Northeast MMA, young fighters with promising futures, bloodshed and the very real possibility of seeing an arm break, then this is the event for you! But what’s that you say? You say you need more concrete reasons to give a darn? Well, here are nine specific reasons attesting to the need for you care about CFFC 10. Enjoy!
- Joey Rivera – He can take a beating and he knows how to slap on a triangle choke, and because of that, Rivera is CFFC’s welterweight champ. Now watch him defend it.
- Al Buck – “Old school South Jersey tough”. Yes, that’s a thing. And Buck is it.
- Mike Medrano – Medrano has forgotten more about hardcore scraps than most people will ever know. That’s partially due to his crushing knockout at the hands of Joe Aviles, but some of the forgetfulness is due to age and natural attrition. Still a tough and dangerous fighter, though.
- Eddie Fyvie – Fyvie is so skilled and well-rounded, he could strike, grapple, do calligraphy and sing opera all in the same bout if he had to.
- Artur Rofi – The aforementioned arm break is likely going to come from this guy, who mixes fast and aggressive jiu-jitsu with unbridled rage. Really, I think Rofi just needs a hug.
- Ozzy Dugulubgov – One. Intense. Dude.
- Aljamain Sterling – Okay, Sterling may have squeaked by Claudio Ledesma at a recent ROC, but that feat alone is at least some indication that Sterling has got skills. And promise. Anyone that doesn’t get smoked by Ledesma has to be at least somewhat badass.
- Anthony Dagostino – “Old man dies kicking younger dudes’ butts.” That’s what the headline is going to read someday, because a) Dagostino is like 63-years old, b) yet remarkably jacked for his age, and c) still capable of kicking butt.
- Lennox Chance – Chance is an accomplished ace kickboxing slowly transitioning to MMA, so that means for his next dozen fights we get to see opponents desperately try to get him to the ground whilst avoiding getting clobbered on the feet. Woot.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Tangential Product Plug
Ancient Chinese general and philosopher Sun Tzu probably never imagined his text "The Art of War" would be required reading for martial arts enthusiasts all the way through to the 21st Century, but hey, here we are. Anyway, for a re-imagined take on it, check out Kelly Roman's graphic novel (link to sample here: http://www.theartofwargraphicnovel.com/). Said Roman to me via email: "My hope is the book will make the ancient text more accessible to a much larger audience - whether martial artists or bankers or soldiers, etc." So yeah, check it out.
NYC Underground in Today's Wall Street Journal
There's an article on the Underground Combat League in today's Wall Street Journal. Here's the link - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303795304576452050922736300.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_newyork - but you need to subscribe to the site to read it. However, here's a link to the slideshow http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304521304576448044062307166.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_PhotosModule_1. At least that's free, right? Anyway, I was interviewed at length for this piece and none of my quotes made it in. I guess maybe I use too much foul language or something...
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Fun with Headlines
Hey there. It’s been a while since I’ve had the time to bring some funny to my blog, but with a sizeable Bjorn Rebney interview in the can for www.MMAConvert.com and RAW COMBAT edited and currently stewing in the publisher’s cauldron, I find myself with some time to kill. So why not kick it old school MMA Journalist style – am I right? Anyhoo, despite the lull in fight show offerings, there’s been some news. Let’s take a look at what’s transpired, shall we?
- Man with Concussion Disorder to Face Man with Eating Disorder at UFC 137 – Heh. Mirko CroCop vs. Roy Nelson. Think the Croation can stay awake long enough for Nelson to gas? Probably not.
- Fighter with Ironic Last Name Cut from UFC – Andre Winner did not win TUF 9, nor did he manage any great success in the UFC proper. I bet Dana White wishes he’d signed Joe Loser instead.
- Pennsylvania Commission Finally Cashes Bonus Check from Zuffa, Lifts Marquardt Suspension – I’m just saying.
- M-1 Challenge 26 Snags 161,000 Viewers; Showtime Execs Still Believe Their Events Are the UFC – You know how those non-MMA industry types are. So out of touch, so lost.
- Jake Shields Denies Knowing Who Jake Ellenberger Is; Athletic Commission Orders Neurological Examination – Damn, did Georges St. Pierre really hit Shields that hard? It didn’t seem like it, but homeboy is acting all amnesiac now.
- Tito Ortiz Steps Up and Gets Paid; Machida Left Drinking Cheap Urine – And not the good, expensive urine, mind you. Like, the cheap stuff that tastes like *drumroll please* p*ss. Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here all week. Don’t forget to tip your waitress.
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