The Week in Review

It's been a busy week for news. Here's a brief recap of a few of the week's more important MMA-related events, courtesy of the hard-working staff at MMA Journalist. -Kalib Starnes disgraces long-distance runners worldwide by occasionally throwing one or two kicks and punches at Nate Quarry during their UFC 83 footrace. The TUF veteran is promptly cut from the UFC's roster. -Chuck Liddell injures hamstring during a night of Nyquil-fueled group sex. His injury forces him off the card for the June 7th UFC 85 in London, and his hamstring is promptly cut from the UFC's roster. -The IFL and ProElite release their annual 10-K reports, detailing dire fiscal straits for the two MMA promotions. The promotions' financial advisors are promptly cut from the UFC's roster. -Dave Meltzer reports in his Wrestling Observer newsletter that the UFC is trimming the fat by cutting its roster. The UFC roster is promptly cut from the UFC's roster.

A Piece of MMA History: BAMA Fight Night

Say "BAMA Fight Night" to any East Coast old-schooler and they might smile and get a far-away look in their eyes. Some may even wax nostalgic. "BAMA Fight Night?" they might say. "That's where Matt and Nick Serra had their first fights. Man, those were the days." In 1996 the UFC was on the verge of being banned and Japan's Pride FC had not yet been born, while in New Jersey, Bayside Academy of Martial Arts owner Dan Miragliotta organized his first of many Fight Night events. Want to see your training partners step into the ring for a Shootfighting tournament or an NHB bout? Well, if you lived in the Tri-State area, Fight Night was the only game in town. It was where everyone came to get their feet wet. Thanks to the efforts of a rival promoter, this institution's swan song was Fight Night 20 in April of 2003 - an event that saw Carmine Zocchi and Glenn Ortiz both win via heelhook while Judah Ciervo and Billy Craparo had a complete slugfest. And though the list of competitors who went on to make names for themselves is but a fraction of the size of the list of fighters never heard from again, one thing is undeniable: BAMA Fight Night made a definite mark on MMA history.

Haselrig Defeats Ott Amid Controversy

Ex-NFL player Carlton Haselrig defeated IFL veteran Shane Ott at BCX 4 on Saturday night in Atlantic City, with Haselrig pounding out an impressive TKO win in only his first MMA fight. But the victory wasn't without controversy, as the former Pittsburgh Steeler was permitted to wear a football helmet and shoulder pads in the cage - something which may have given him an unfair advantage. "We're looking into it," said an official with the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board. "If we find that Haselrig's hard plastic helmet with facemask and full shoulder pads did in fact give him a competitive edge, appropriate action will be taken." No word yet on what that action may be, although it would likely mean the bout would be ruled a "no contest" and Haselrig would have to take back his touchdown victory dance.

BodogFIGHT: Where Did It Go Wrong?

Recent reports indicate that billionaire Calvin Ayre's BodogFIGHT is in its final death throes. This news - while disappointing - doesn't come as a shock, as industry insiders have been witnessing the promotion hemorrhage money since its inception in 2006. Where did BodogFIGHT go wrong? Some may point to the dismal pay-per-view buy rates for their "USA vs. Russia" and "Clash of Nations" shows, the poorly-attended "Alvarez vs. Lee" event, or the ill-conceived reality TV series broadcast on the barely-watched ION Television network. However, one thing above all else was the biggest nail in BodogFIGHT's coffin: the size of the food and drink spread backstage. At their event in Trenton, New Jersey, a hot buffet of sliced roast beef, roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables complimented a large selection of fresh fruit, juice and granola bars - an offering that, though appreciated, was both excessive and unnecessary. Is there a direct correlation between the success of an organization and the free grub it provides? During Zuffa's early years of UFC ownership they went overboard with their backstage fingerfoods; they have since mended their ways and now thrive. Conversely, Pride's own catered spread was legendary. Where are they now? Even the IFL has wised up, offering up a stack of pizzas to the press and nothing more. When an autopsy is performed on BodogFIGHT, analysts will no doubt claim that losses outstripped profits or similar financial mumbo-jumbo. But smaller promotions succeeded with far less in terms of resources - and they only handed out bottles of water.

Bisping Talks Trash. I Think.

Although the welterweight title bout between Matt Serra and Georges St. Pierre headlines UFC 83 this weekend, the middleweight match-up of TUF 3 winner Michael Bisping and TUF 4 veteran Charles McCarthy has garnered quite a bit of attention - due in no small part Bisping's knack for trash talking. MMA Journalist caught up with the articulate Brit to get his thoughts on his upcoming fight. "My read and write? I'm telling you, mate, the bloke's brown bread." Is Bisping concerned at all with McCarthy's jiu-jitsu? "Ha! E's a vertical bacon sandwich, e' is. Always rabbitting on about something, but the ginger will quiet up once I punch 'im in the mincer and give 'im an ocean liner. Know wha' I mean, geezah? Now excuse me, but I 'ave one in the departure lounge and 'ave to float a sausage to the seaside."

St. Pierre Out to Prove There's More to Canada Than Snow and Maple Syrup

Georges St. Pierre will finally get his rematch against welterweight champ Matt Serra at this Saturday's UFC 83 in Montreal, but to the young Canadian there's more to the bout than simple revenge. For on April 19th, St. Pierre intends to show the world that he's the best 170-pounder out there - and he wants to prove that there's more to his native country than just snow and maple syrup. "We are a proud people full of culture and refinement," said the former champ from his log cabin in the Yukon. With his pet moose "Matilda" grunting in the background, St. Pierre continued. "We do not sit around and speak French and wear fur hats all the time. We also train very, very hard in the mixed martial arts. You will see. At UFC 83, I will put down my poutine - which is a popular Quebecois dish consisting of french fries, cheese curds and gravy - and reclaim the belt that was mine."

An Honest Review of YAMMA Pit Fighting

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Proving Grounds: The New Kid on the Amateur MMA Block

"Proving Grounds" is the latest amateur MMA promotion to sprout up, and it's the child of veteran promoters Lou Neglia & Ray Longo. On Saturday night, representatives from some of the top fight teams in New York and New Jersey stepped into the cage at the Recreation Center in Rahway. A good time was had by all.

An Ode to MMA's Mystery Men

They come out of nowhere to headline a local event or appear on some big show undercard. They possess enough raw talent and skill to kick serious ass, and when the dust settles fans are left scratching their heads, wondering where the hell these guys came from. They are MMA's mystery men, and whether they've spent the last few years mixing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai or toiling on the mats in some isolated Russian conclave, they have always been the X-factors of the sport. On this week's "Iron Ring", Northeast mystery man and jiu-jitsu brown belt JoJo Guarin got royally screwed out of a submission win but looked great in process, while sambo specialist Oleg Savitsky will step into the cage to throw down at this Friday's YAMMA event in Atlantic City. And though they might not be carbon copies of the sport's greatest mystery man in BJ Penn (who emerged from the shadows at UFC 31 to dominate and become one of the best), fighters like Guarin and Savitsky - and Billy Craparo, Shannon McGee and countless others - will always be the secret ingredient in MMA's recipe for success.