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UFC 118 Prelims: Lauzon Delivers Boston Beatdown |
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Saturday, 28 August 2010 17:00 |
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BOSTON, August 28 – Hometown jitters? Not for Bridgewater’s Joe Lauzon, who thrilled his local fans at TD Garden with a one-sided submission victory over his Ultimate Fighter season five teammate Gabe Ruediger, who saw his Octagon return spoiled Saturday night by a first round armbar.
Lauzong vs. Ruediger
Lauzon took the fight to Ruediger at the bell, landing with two quick rights before scoring with a slam to the mat. While on the ground Lauzon got even busier, searching for submissions in between hard strikes to the head. With a little over three minutes left, Ruediger got back to his feet briefly, only to get slammed back to the mat. Moments later, Lauzon ended the bout, sinking in an armbar that produced a tap out at 2:01 of the round.
With the win, Lauzon – who was fighting in Massachusetts for the first time since 2006 -ups his record to 18-5; Ruediger falls to 17-6.
Winner vs. Lentz
Nik Lentz remained unbeaten in the Octagon, scoring an uneventful three round unanimous decision win over Andre Winner in a lightweight bout.
Scores were 30-27 twice and 29-28 for Lentz, who is 3-0-1 in the UFC.
The first five minutes were a war of attrition, with neither man able to impose their gameplans on each other for very long, with Lentz’ ability to control the location of the bout giving him a slight edge. Nothing changed in the second round, and while Winner started letting his hands go in the third, he was locked up shortly thereafter and taken to the mat, where he was pinned for the remainder of the fight, much to the dismay of the Boston fans.
With the win, Lentz improves to 21-3-2; Winner falls to 12-4-1.
Miller vs. Salter
In middleweight action, Dan Miller broke his three fight losing streak with a second round submission win over Alabama’s John Salter.
“It’s been a long time,” an ecstatic Miller told UFC color commentator Joe Rogan after the bout.
Salter and Miller battled it out competitively in the first round, with Miller holding the edge on the feet and Salter controlling matters on the ground.
The fight was playing out the same way in round two, but this time, when Salter shot in for his first takedown of the frame, the New Jersey native was ready – not just with his sprawl, but with an anaconda choke that ended Salter’s night via tap out at the 1:53 mark.
With the win, Miller – whose losing skid came at the hands of Michael Bisping, Demian Maia, and Chael Sonnen - improves to 12-4 with 1 NC; Salter falls to 5-2.
Osipczak vs. Soto
Lightweight prospect Greg Soto looked like a different fighter than the one that debuted in the UFC back in March, as he survived a nasty cut over his left eye to pound out a three round unanimous decision win over Nick Osipczak.
Scores were 29-28 across the board for the New Jersey product, who improves to 8-1; Osipczak falls to 5-3.
Soto came out strong in the opening frame, using solid groundwork to control the first half of the round. But once Osipczak got back to his feet and cut Soto over the left eye, he took over, potshotting his foe until the bell sounded.
After a long look from the Octagonside physician, Soto was allowed out for round two, and his sense of urgency was evident. Osipczak, clearly the better striker, hurt Soto with a knee at close range and began teeing off. Soto, undeterred, bounced back with a takedown and was close to securing a rear naked choke before the England native escaped. Soto did maintain control on the mat for much of the remaining part of the round until a late standup surge from Osipczak just before the bell.
With trainer and lightweight contender Kurt Pellegrino cheering him on, Soto opened the third with another takedown, quickly transitioning into side control. From there, he kept moving and kept making Osipczak’s life miserable with knees, punches, and a choke attempt, securing an impressive first Octagon win.
Pierce vs. Alves
Vancouver, Washington welterweight Mike Pierce made sure that the Octagon debut of Amilcar Alves ended with a loss in the opener, submitting the Brazil native in the third round.
Not surprisingly, Pierce used his wrestling to smother and control Alves throughout the first two rounds, both on the mat and against the fence, keeping his opponent from mounting any offense.
Alves finally got some kicks off early in the third as he tried to turn things around, but after a couple scores, Pierce got his takedown and resumed his methodical attack. This time though, he looked to finish, and at the 3:11 mark he did, forcing his foe to tap out to a cross body armbar.
With the win, Pierce ups his record to 11-3; Alves falls to 11-2.
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UFC 118 Weigh-In Results |
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Friday, 27 August 2010 17:00 |
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Main Event – UFC Lightweight Championship
BJ Penn (154) VS Frank Edgar (154)
PPV
James Toney (237) VS Randy Couture (220)
Gray Maynard (156) VS Kenny Florian (156)
Marcus Davis (170) VS Nate Diaz (171)
Demian Maia (184) vs Mario Miranda (185)
SPIKE PRELIMS
Gabe Ruediger (155) VS Joe Lauzon (156)
Nik Lentz (155) VS Andre Winner (154)
PRELIMS
John Salter (185) VS Dan Miller (185)
Greg Soto (170) VS Nick Osipczak (171)
Amilcar Alves (171) VS Mike Pierce (171)
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Shaq Debuts in Boston at UFC Expo |
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Thursday, 26 August 2010 17:00 |
He made a huge splash this summer by announcing that he had signed with the Boston Celtics, one of the most storied franchises in NBA history. Now, 15-time All-Star Shaquille O’Neal will meet the loyal Boston sports fans for the first time at tomorrow’s UFC® FAN EXPO™ at the John B. Hynes Convention Center. The 7’1” superstar will appear on the main stage at 12pm ET alongside UFC commentator Mike Goldberg for a Q&A Session with fans.
O’Neal, who won NBA championships with Los Angeles and Miami, is a fan favorite thanks to his bright personality and dominant performances on the hardwood. A longtime supporter of the UFC, Shaq now joins UFC President Dana White’s favorite team, a fact that brings a smile to the face of White.
“Shaq has been a huge supporter of the UFC and we’re pumped that he’ll be making his first public appearance at the UFC Fan Expo,” UFC President Dana White said. “With Shaq becoming a Celtic and this being our first-ever event in Boston, the timing is perfect. This is just another reason why Boston sports fans can’t miss this event.”
This year’s UFC Fan Expo leads into UFC® 118: EDGAR vs. PENN 2 Presented by TAPOUT®, featuring the lightweight title rematch between champion Frankie Edgar and former division kingpin BJ Penn. For more UFC Fan Expo information and to purchase tickets, visit UFCfanexpo.com. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Ed Gallo, Event Director at 1-203-840-5546 or email
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UFC® Announces Operations in Asia |
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Thursday, 26 August 2010 17:00 |
In a special announcement today at the UFC 118 post-fight press conference in Boston, Massachusetts, White and Lorenzo Fertitta, UFC Chairman and CEO, introduced Fischer and discussed their plans to promote the sport of MMA and the UFC brand across Asia.
“Today marks an historic milestone for the UFC,” said White. “We are thrilled to have Mark Fischer on our team. We have big plans for Asia and with his experience building the NBA brand, he’s the perfect person to lead this charge. We are excited to be working with him as we increase the UFC’s popularity in Asia and grow UFC into the biggest sport in the world.”
The establishment of a formal operation and hiring of Fischer as the UFC’s on-the-ground presence demonstrates the company’s commitment and long-term plans for Asia, which includes growing a roster of local talent as well as strong relationships with the many sports federations in the region, including the China National Wushu Federation.
"Asia is one of the most important global sports markets, and this is especially true when it comes to the UFC organization," said Fertitta. "We have great respect for Asia's martial arts heritage, and it's our goal in the coming years to attract Asia’s best athletes and bring the UFC brand to the forefront of the region."
White and Fertitta also announced that the organization has already signed Tiequan Zhang from Inner Mongolia, and that he will have his first fight in September as a lightweight in the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) organization, a sister company to the UFC that features all the best lighter weight fighters in the world.
With more than two decades of sports business, marketing and media experience in Asia, Fischer will lead Asia operations for the UFC as Executive Vice President and Managing Director for Asia.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to work with Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta as the UFC breaks new international ground,” said Fischer. “I look forward to working with them in coming years as we build this fast-growing market and further establish the UFC brand in Asia.”
A sports industry veteran, Fischer has spent the past 20 years working in Asia. Most recently, in 2009, he founded Sports & Entertainment Asia Ltd (SEA), which provides strategic marketing and representation services to sports properties seeking opportunities in China and other Asian markets. Prior to establishing SEA, Fischer worked for 12 years at the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of NBA Asia and was responsible for the development of the NBA’s businesses and operations throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
From 2003 to 2008, Fischer led the NBA’s explosive growth in China, overseeing the expansion of the league’s branding and basketball development initiatives in China. During this period, Fischer built NBA China’s on-ground operations in Beijing and Shanghai and cultivated more than 20 marketing partnerships with leading multinational and domestic brands. He spearheaded a full range of on-ground events such as the NBA China Games and other integrated media and marketing initiatives as well as established the NBA’s groundbreaking partnership with the Beijing Olympic Basketball Arena. These achievements, in combination with his pivotal role in a $253 million investment road show, led to the establishment of NBA China in late 2007 as a separate corporate entity valued at more than $2 billion.
Fischer joined the NBA and established NBA Taiwan, Ltd. in 1997 before being promoted to Senior Director of Marketing Partnerships and Events for NBA Asia, Ltd., a regional position headquartered in Hong Kong, in 1999.
Before his position with the NBA, Fischer worked as Vice President of Richina Media Holdings Ltd. in Beijing, where he established an advertising and sports marketing agency and launched Chinese editions of several foreign content publications.
Fischer holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. He is proficient in Mandarin Chinese and lives in Beijing with his wife and two children.
Fischer’s position with the UFC is already in effect. More information regarding UFC developments in Asia will be available in the near future.
White and Fischer officially made this announcement at 1am Eastern Time, Sunday, August 29, inside the TD Garden in Boston.
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Tweets of the Week - 8/27 |
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Wednesday, 25 August 2010 17:00 |
No Respect|
Movie ticket guy hears us talking about 118 and ask if we are coming in for it. I say I'm fighting on it and he goes "yea sure..." doh! -Joe Lauzon Boston guy "i want lauzon to win, who is he fighting again?" my reply "ME" “ -Gabe Ruediger
Oh Snap! It’s ON!
Just saw Cake-Zilla. He likes the shirts. I can tell because he goes "nice shirrrrts..." #UFC #UFC118 -Joe Lauzon
Just saw creepy joe. I want to punch him already. Is it Saturday yet? -Gabe Ruediger “Godzirra: http://j-lau.com/8r #ufc #ufc118 #movie” -Joe Lauzon
Bean Town Beat Down!
Boston bound!!!!!! -Bart Palaszewski
“Man the Boston fans are out in full force! We appreciate the support” -Gerald Harris
“Love my fans!! Love Boston & the support & motivation they give me. Living my dream, very thankful” -Kenny Florian
Bromance Brewing
“@aaronsimpson you look chubby in your twitter pic” -Ryan Bader
“@ryanbader you look like an a-hole in yours” -Aaron Simpson
“You're wrong @ryanbader... @aaronsimpson looks cute :) “ -Kyle Kingsbury
Date with Varner
“Going to RA to eat sushi then going to Zuma for a breast cancer
benefit where I'll be getting auctioned off to some lucky lady” -Jamie Varner
The Softer Side of Bones
@Verafied Brandon I am sorry you are not satisfied with your
performance. Maybe we can get together and spar sometime. Respect! -Jon Bones Jones
Guns & Muscle Cars? Is Dan really an American?
“I am now the proud owner of a 1928 Thompson Submachine gun.” -Dan Hardy
Better Striking, Too
“I have been playing a lot of Golf. I think I could love that game and I am a little less scandalous than Tiger Woods...” -Shane Carwin
New Janitor on Staff
“Just signed new 4 fight deal with the UFC. Looking forward to the next fight!” -Vladimir Matyushenko
Vocab Lessons
"Haters can osculate my posterior, Yes, I learned a new word for kiss" -Michael Bisping
Born to Do
“My nature is to keep on keepin on. To never give up, be awesome, to make an impression on all those that cross my path.” -Miguel Angel Torres
Food Issues
“I love sushi” -Phil Baroni
“Dieting is just starting to get hard. The cravings are always something odd. This time around I have been craving perrogies.” -Kyle Kingsbury
“@philbaroni word, getting fat, happy and motivated!” -Tyson Griffin
“Need to stop eating or I wont fit into my tux.” -Jon Fitch
“I just come home to a nice warm bowl of spaghetti, my wife is awesome. -Duane Ludwig
Fan Love
“I appreciate all of the fans that are behind me in my career. You guys
give help me train harder with your words of encouragement.” -Cain Velasquez
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No Stone Left Unturned in Couture's Prep |
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Wednesday, 25 August 2010 17:00 |
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When it comes to certain aspects of mixed martial arts, there are few better than Randy Couture. Wrestling, clinch work, ground and pound, ‘The Natural’ is the master.
But at the same time, Couture is a fierce competitor, one who always likes to push the limits. So while the angel on his shoulder is probably telling him to take three-division boxing champion James Toney to the mat in their UFC 118 bout Saturday night and pound him out, is the devil on the other shoulder tempting him to stand with “Lights Out”?
Couture laughs.
“I learned to put that devil in a box a long, long time ago and keep him locked up. He does not get out. I think there are a lot of people who would like to see me stand with James and punch him in his mouth, but I’m a lot more comfortable putting him on his back and punching him in his mouth there.”
Right there is the other part of Randy Couture speaking up, the master gameplanner, the tactician who can rip apart any fighter and come up with a solid plan to beat him. Against guys like Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Tim Sylvia, Gabriel Gonzaga, Brandon Vera, and Mark Coleman, that was relatively easy, given the fact that they were all mixed martial arts fighters. With Toney, who is making his MMA debut, it gets a little tougher, but Couture and his team have found a way to compensate.
“It’s been a little more difficult because there’s no MMA footage on James and we don’t know what kind of things he’s trying to train to do, and how much is he going to realistically be able to learn between when we started this and the fight,” said Couture. “So we’re predominantly going off his boxing style and technique, and if you take him at face value, that’s basically what he’s dragging up into the cage and he’s pretty confident that’s gonna be enough for him. So I’ve been working pretty diligently with Gil Martinez and Ray Sefo on the striking piece of this puzzle, and figuring out the distance and the angles and the best way to set James up. And obviously I’ve been working diligently with Neal Melanson on my ground game for quite some time now, making some changes and some big improvements in that area of my game. So I think both of those things are gonna come into play in this fight.”
It’s obvious from talking to Couture about the fight, that for him, it’s just another night at the office, a chance to compete and put another big name on a stellar resume that has already landed him in the UFC Hall of Fame. So there’s no pressure on him to ‘defend the honor’ of MMA against the boxing invader. In fact, he’s a big boxing fan himself.
“I’ve always liked boxing and been a fan of it,” he said. “I tried to box when I was a kid, but that was the one sport my mom told me I couldn’t do. (Laughs) Now she thinks that’s pretty funny. But I grew up during the heyday of Muhammad Ali when I was a kid, with (Joe) Frazier, (George) Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard and all those huge fights happening through my youth and teenage years.”
Now Couture’s the equivalent of an Ali, Frazier, Foreman, or Leonard for younger fighters and fans, a surreal place to be for the 47-year old native of Everett, Washington. But he also went through some role reversal recently when he was the new kid on the block around action film icons like Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, and Bruce Willis while on the set of his new movie ‘The Expendables.’
“I grew up watching Sylvester Stallone movies like Rocky, Rambo, and all those, so to be able to play a part in one of his movies, especially with that great cast of guys, is pretty cool,” he said. “It was certainly a pinch me moment walking on set, especially that first time in Rio when all The Expendables came together for those first scenes. The whole set was electric, and everybody was fired up about it, so it was pretty neat. It was definitely a unique experience for me.”
So here’s the dilemma for most people: if you have a solid role in a major motion picture like that and the possibility of more down the road, does it get harder to drag yourself back to the gym daily for hours of torture that will culminate in James Toney trying to punch you in the face?
Again, a laugh from ‘The Natural’.
“I haven’t found it difficult at all. It’s been a nice break from the normal grind of training camp, but it hasn’t been a distraction and hasn’t been difficult at all.”
What’s the secret of the hold that the sport has on Couture then?
“I don’t know, I think it just becomes part of you,” he said. “You don’t feel right and don’t feel comfortable unless you’re training and in that environment. I’ve kinda gotten used to grinding it out and banging it out. It’s become a part of my life.”
Yet while Couture is understandably comfortable within the confines of the Octagon, it’s his job to take Toney out of his own comfort zone Saturday night, and if he does, it’s going to be a rough night for the former middleweight, super middleweight, and cruiserweight champ.
“It’s real important to take him out of where he’s comfortable and certainly out of that range of exchanging and striking, and it’s not some place where I really want to play around with him,” said Couture. “Statistically, if you look at what he’s done, 80 percent of his knockouts occurred when he was under 200 pounds. He hasn’t had a lot of time knocking out big guys, and with the bigger guys he’s kinda gotten used to them coming after him because he is smaller, and that allows him to use his shoulder roll and his head movement and all the things that he’s known for – that uppercut, left hook, and right hand. It’s obviously a lot different in mixed martial arts for a lot of reasons, and I can’t walk out and come to him the same way I would with some of my other opponents. I’ve got to make him extend himself and make him come after me a little bit, which I think is gonna be something definitely new for him.”
That’s not the only new thing Toney will be dealing with. Just for starters, he’ll have four ounce gloves, no shoes, wrestling, takedowns, jiu-jitsu, and kicks to deal with. And while lifelong wrestlers have been able to adapt striking into their games (see Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard, and Cain Velasquez, to name just three), history has shown that it’s a lot tougher for strikers to pick up solid wrestling techniques – or better put, to implement solid wrestling techniques.
“Strikers are capable of learning the wrestling – it just takes time,” said Couture. “There’s a muscle memory that comes from years and years of wrestling and it isn’t easy to pick up. It’s one thing to learn the technique by the numbers, and another thing to be able to execute it in real time against a resisting opponent. It seems, at least from my experience, that wrestlers have a particular mindset that they’ve had ingrained in them from the time they were young and learning wrestling technique, and they’ve applied that same mindset to the striking. And it’s still different, even for a wrestler, to learn the striking, but it seems to come easier going that way than going the other way for some reason.”
Most strikers have taken years to make the attempt and they still get taken down by superior wrestlers. Toney has had a mere few months, making this, on paper, an open and shut case for Couture should he survive Toney’s initial onslaught and get him to the mat. It’s the perfect recipe for your typical fighter to get a little overconfident. But Randy Couture is far from typical.
“I’ve certainly looked at the tape and I realize that James poses some interesting problems and is going to be very dangerous early on in this fight,” he said. “And if I get careless or reckless or am overconfident, he’s got the tools and the power to end the night real quick. I give him respect for that and I take that very seriously. So I don’t think there’s any way I can get careless or be reckless or overconfident in this fight. I’ve got to be sharp and I’ve got to be ready to go.”
And he always is.
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Gray Maynard - A Bully in Beantown |
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Tuesday, 24 August 2010 17:00 |
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An undefeated record can be a burden for many fighters. It can make them cautious or paranoid, or make them fight not to lose as opposed to fighting to win, Gray Maynard, unbeaten in 11 pro mixed martial arts bouts (10 wins and 1 no contest), is not one of those fighters.
“I don’t really keep up with that stuff,” he says with a laugh. “I get asked what my record is and I couldn’t even tell you. I don’t know how many wins I had in college, I don’t know how many wins I had in high school, but I can tell you every one that I lost because that eats me up. I expect to win, so I’m not counting them. I’m not here to have a chance to win or to hope I win, I’m going into fights expecting to win.”
And that’s when things get serious, when Maynard – one of the most affable fighters in the game – becomes ‘The Bully.’ Because if you agree to compete against him in anything – fighting, wrestling, checkers, etc – it’s on.
“I really love to win and that’s the time that I don’t care who you are,” he said. “We can be close as hell, but when it’s time to train, I’m coming after you. I take that stuff personally. I’m a competitor. Whatever I have to do, I want to win, no matter what it takes.”
Hence the nickname, which he got not just because he owns two bull terriers, but because of the way he approaches competition.
“When I got with (Xtreme) Couture, it was a group of like eight of us and I came in and I didn’t have hands or jiu-jitsu, so I just tried to take everybody down, take a couple punches, and just trying to be a bully,” he recalls. “I always try to change the gears once I start to train, and it’s a whole new man.”
That frame of mind took him through years of wrestling, including a stint at Michigan State University that saw him earn All-American honors three times, and a similarly impressive run in MMA that now has him one win over Kenny Florian away from earning a shot at the lightweight title. Not that he’s looking that far ahead.
“I’m really concentrating on Florian, and it’s hard for me to look past anyone,” he said. “That’s the plan of course, to go out there, kick Florian’s ass and get a chance at the belt, but if I look past this fight, Florian’s face just keeps popping up in my head and that’s fine. I’m happy with that because that’s who I’m going up against and that’s just my mindset – who’s next, and that’s all I care about.”
But before looking forward to Saturday’s bout in Boston, Maynard’s career to this point bears a second glance, especially considering that his last five wins have come over a Murderer’s Row of 155 pounders, including Jim Miller, Nate Diaz, Roger Huerta, and the man who currently owns the belt, Frankie Edgar. And though the 31-year old Las Vegan hasn’t finished an opponent since he knocked out Joe Veres in nine seconds back in 2007, Maynard insists that it’s not from a lack of trying. Instead, he points to the durability of his opposition.
“You want to do that (finish the fight) every time, but I’m asking for the toughest guys and I have to put in a plan and apply that plan,” he said. “If it (a finish) happens, it happens; if it doesn’t, then you’ve got to get the win. This sport is evolving every day and the top guys are getting closer and closer. (Welterweight champ) GSP (Georges St-Pierre), he’s got his hands full with everybody. I don’t see him knocking out guys. I don’t see (BJ) Penn knocking out the top guys. I see it getting closer and closer, and you’ve got to be prepared for that. If you look back at who I’ve had, you’ve got Nate and he’s only been tapped out once and that was against Hermes (Franca). Miller has only had two losses, to Edgar and me, and both were by decision. Huerta has never been stopped. Edgar has never been stopped. (Rich) Clementi has had a ton of pro fights and he’s only been stopped a couple times. Dennis Siver is a tough guy and durable. So you’ve got to have a plan and you’ve got to count on fighting these guys at their best. I’ve had the top guys all the way through, and that’s fine with me.”
And what is impressive about Maynard’s development as a fighter is that he – like Edgar – has become a solid standup fighter, not always the case with those who come from different disciplines. Maynard is quick to credit his coaches with his continued growth.
“I couldn’t have added it all without Gil Martinez and Neil Melanson to help adjust,” he said. “Before, you had the guys who would just do takedown, takedown, takedown, but now you have to have it all, and if you just apply what you’ve learned from wrestling, which is to work hard – then it’s a lot easier to apply it all. We come from a sport where you have to use every part of your body – your hands, your feet, legs, arms, neck – and if you’re doing that for a long period of time, then you know how to apply and to change.”
Maynard has also seen the change in Florian’s fighting style over the years, and while he commends him for such an evolution, he certainly doesn’t see the two-time title challenger as unbeatable.
“He’s a well-rounded guy,” said Maynard of Florian. “He’s been in the UFC a long time, he’s a smart guy, he learns, evolves, and changes a little bit. But he’s definitely beatable and there’s no excuse to not beat him.”
Needless to say, Maynard believes he’s just the man to do the job, and while fellow wrestler Sean Sherk provided a decent blueprint in 2006 for taking Florian out of his game, it’s not what he’s particularly looking at heading into Saturday night’s bout.
“I’m not that guy,” he said. “I’ve got a lot more tools and I think (BJ) Penn did a good job, Clay (Guida) was actually doing a good job for a little bit, and I’ve got a lot more tools than most of the guys he (Florian) has fought. If you look at it, the guys that he’s beaten, I’ll tell you Clay is good, but he’s an almost .500 fighter for the last 10 or 12; Joe Daddy (Stevenson) was a good win, Huerta was a really close fight, (Takanori) Gomi was just a good matchup; he’s a pretty good name, but I haven’t seen him look great in the last two, three years. Din Thomas was a good win, but he was hurt even before the fight. Florian’s tough and he’s a good guy, but he hasn’t beaten a guy like me.”
And “The Bully” doesn’t plan on letting him be the first to do the job.
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UFC 118 - Main Card Fantasy Preview |
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Monday, 23 August 2010 17:00 |
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Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis
Fighting not too far away from his gym in Boston, Marcus Davis, who fights out of Team Sityodtong will be looking to string together victories for the first time since he beat Paul Kelly (UFC 89) and Chris Lytle (UFC 93). With an overall record of 22-7, Davis is a very experienced fighter, but it will be interesting to see how he responds to the nerves of opening up the Pay-Per-View telecast and fighting in front of his New England fans.
Fighting out of Stockton, CA, Nate Diaz is looking to build on the success he had at UFC 111. Diaz stopped Rory Markham halfway through the first round due to strikes. In his past eight fights, Diaz has put together a rocky record of 5-3. Diaz knows that if he wants to make it to the top of the division, he will need to string together multiple dominating victories.
When trying to breakdown a fight, sometimes it’s as easy as looking at their lead trainers. This is one of those times. For Diaz, who trains under Cesar Gracie, look for him to try and bring the fight to the canvas so he can look for a submission. For Marcus Davis, on the other hand, who trains under Mark DellaGrotte for the final four weeks of training camp, will look to use his boxing and Muay Thai skills to end the fight standing and in the most vicious way possible.
Likelihood to go the Distance: Yes
Method of Finish: Unanimous Decision
Demian Maia vs. Mario Miranda
After being involved in one of the most bizarre fights in UFC history against Anderson Silva, there probably isn’t a fighter more excited to get back inside the Octagon than Demian Maia. After 25 minutes with Silva in April, it will be interesting to see what type of game plan Maia comes out with, and having gone 6-2 in his last eight fights, with notable wins over Chael Sonnen and Nate Quarry, it’s clear that a win will put him back in the title race.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil., Mario Miranda knows how important this fight is to his UFC career. Having split his first two fights inside the Octagon, Miranda is coming off an impressive victory over David Loiseau. Two straight victories will put him in the thick of the division, but a loss on the other hand, would give him a 1-2 record inside the Octagon and a not so secure spot in the UFC.
When you think jiu-jitsu fighters in the UFC, the first names that usually come up are BJ Penn and Demian Maia. In this fight, look for Maia to go back to his jiu-jitsu roots. In four of his eight fights inside the Octagon, Maia has received “Submission of the Night” honors. While Maia may be looking to bring the action of the fight to the canvas, that is certainly not a place Miranda will be looking to go. Look for him to avoid the guard of Maia at all costs.
Likelihood to go the Distance: No
Method of Finish: Submission
Kenny Florian vs. Gray Maynard
Other than Frankie Edgar and BJ Penn, there isn’t anyone more excited for the UFC 118 main event than the winner of the bout between Kenny Florian and Gray Maynard. Look for the winner to quickly make a move from the locker room to a front row seat to watch the rematch.
Saturday night may end up being the most important and exciting night of Kenny Florian’s professional career. Not only will Florian be fighting in front of his hometown, but the runner-up on season one of The Ultimate Fighter knows that a victory will put him in the number one spot to fight for the lightweight title. Since his loss to Diego Sanchez in the finals of TUF1, Florian has put together an impressive 11-2 record – with notable victories over Joe Lauzon, Joe Stevenson, Clay Guida, and Takanori Gomi.
An alumnus of season five of The Ultimate Fighter, Gray Maynard holds an unbeaten 10-0, 1 NC record inside the Octagon. Having won seven straight fights since his no contest against Rob Emerson, Maynard knows that his opportunity to fight for UFC gold depends on his performance when the Octagon gate closes Saturday night.
For Maynard, who wrestled with Rashad Evans at Michigan State, look for him to bring the fight to the canvas. With the strength and ground and pound ability that Maynard possesses, Florian knows that being on his back is somewhere he doesn’t want to be. For Florian, on the other hand, look for him to use his speed and Muay Thai skills to keep the fight where he has the best chance to win – on the feet.
Likelihood to go the Distance: Yes
Method of Finish: Split Decision
Randy Couture vs. James Toney
In a fight that is being dubbed Boxing vs. UFC, two legends of their respective sports will square off on Saturday night. For James Toney, this bout will be his opportunity to prove that a top-level boxer has all the tools he needs to take out a mixed martial arts fighter. For Randy Couture on the other hand, he’d beg to differ. Couture plans to show that there is no place for a one-dimensional fighter in the UFC.
A three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time light heavyweight champion, and a member of the UFC Hall of Fame, Randy Couture is only one of two fighters to have won a UFC title in two divisions. When it was announced that James Toney had signed a deal to compete in the Octagon, Couture immediately made it known that fighting a three-division boxing champion was something he would be interested in doing. Having beaten the likes of Vitor Belfort, Kevin Randleman, Tim Sylvia, Chuck Liddell, and Tito Ortiz, Couture is rightfully considered to be a true pioneer of the sport. Couture has become accustomed to defending MMA to the general public and lawmakers but on Saturday night, Couture will try to silence the boxing critics that believe an MMA fighter doesn’t stand a chance against a highly talented boxer.
Having been a professional boxer for nearly 22 years, James “Lights Out” Toney makes his much-anticipated MMA debut on Saturday night. Although other fighters have made the switch from the boxing ring to the Octagon in the past, none have entered the Octagon with the boxing credentials that Toney has accumulated over his long and successful career. Considered by nearly every boxing expert to be a future inductee to the Boxing Hall of Fame upon his retirement from the sport, Toney has beaten the likes of Evander Holyfield, Vassiliy Jirov, Mike McCallum, Iran Barkley, and Michael Nunn. With an overall record of 72-6-3, 2 NC (44 by KO), Toney believes that regardless of Saturday’s fight being held in a ring or a cage, his punching power will offset anything Couture tries to bring at him. With the fight only days away, it’s time for the Michigan born fighter to back up all the talking he’s been doing leading into his MMA debut.
In what could be the biggest clash of fighting styles in the history of the UFC, Saturday night may help settle the endless debate on how a boxing champion would fare fighting an elite MMA fighter. Having only trained in MMA for less than a year, Toney will go into the fight knowing that he possesses, without a doubt, the most skilled set of hands the UFC has ever seen. Although Toney has the ability to knock anyone out, his critics argue that between kicks to the legs and his inability to fight off his back, Toney doesn’t have a chance. Although few believe Toney has a chance to win, judging by the trash-talking Toney has been doing – he thinks otherwise. The game plan Couture is expected to come in with is pretty simple – throw leg kicks and then use his world-class wrestling ability to bring Toney to the canvas. That seems simple enough, right? Not so fast. In order for Couture to land kicks – that could potentially leave his upper body open to that one punch Toney needs to end the fight. Although it would be hard for someone to argue that Toney will be able to stuff his Olympic-caliber takedowns, Couture knows that by attempting a takedown, it will send him headfirst into the striking range of James Toney.
Likelihood to go the Distance: No
Method of Finish: TKO
Frankie Edgar vs. BJ Penn
Over four months ago at UFC 112, BJ Penn entered the Octagon as a heavy favorite to successfully defend his lightweight belt against Frankie Edgar. Coming off of two dominating victories over Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez, Penn had silenced the critics that claimed he didn’t take training seriously and didn’t have the cardio to go strong for 25 minutes. Looking nearly unbeatable, most people saw Edgar as an easy victory. Obviously, that wasn’t the case. Although the fight ended up being extremely close, Edgar edged out a decision victory. As the debate about who people actually believed won the fight continues, both Penn and Edgar will re-enter the Octagon on Saturday night looking to win in dominating fashion. A dominating victory by either fighter will leave no doubt who sits atop the lightweight ladder.
With an impressive 12-1 professional record, like his opponent on Saturday night, it took Frankie Edgar only three years to have a championship belt put around his waist by Dana White. Having beaten the likes of Tyson Griffin, Spencer Fisher, and Sean Sherk, Edgar knew his well-balanced attack of wrestling and boxing would give him all the tools he needed to beat Penn – regardless of the odds. Unlike their fight four months ago, where Edgar wasn’t expected to win – it will be interesting to see how he deals with the pressure of being in the main event once again.
Fighting out of Hilo, HI, BJ Penn will enter the Octagon for the eighteenth time in his professional career. At the age of 23, Penn is one of the few modern era fighters to have made their professional debut in the UFC. It didn’t take people long to realize just how good he was. In less than three years into his professional career, BJ won the welterweight title at UFC 46 by defeating Matt Hughes. After winning UFC gold, Penn stepped away from the UFC for two years. It was clear that after the two years he was away from the UFC, Penn wasn’t the same fighter. And after losing back-to-back fights to Georges St-Pierre and Matt Hughes, Penn dropped down in weight. After beating rival Jens Pulver, Penn went on to become the second man to have won titles in two weight classes when he beat Joe Stevenson. After being defeated again by St-Pierre, Penn changed his training schedule and has shown he now has the cardio to push the pace for all five rounds. Now all that’s left for him is to avenge his loss to Edgar and regain the belt.
Known for his jiu-jitsu ability, Penn is the first non-Brazilian to win the world championships at the black belt level. With Penn potentially having the best jiu-jitsu in the UFC, look for Edgar to try and keep the fight standing like he did in the first fight. Although Penn is primarily known for his jiu-jitsu, it seems as if each time he enters the Octagon, his hands look better and better. Although they both have good hands, Edgar is a master at using his speed and body movement to make it nearly impossible for someone to tag him. Look for Penn to relentlessly try and bring the action to the canvas. Penn knows that the deeper the fight goes, the less likely he is to stop a cardio machine like Edgar. In fights that go the distance, Penn is 3-4-1 but in fights that end before the final bell, he is 12-2.
Likelihood to go the Distance: No
Method of Finish: TKO
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No Fluke - Edgar Shuts Out Penn |
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Saturday, 28 August 2010 17:00 |
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BOSTON, August 28 – Let the reign truly begin. In what was almost a continuation of their April bout, UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar shut out the man he beat for the belt at UFC 112, BJ Penn, via unanimous decision in the UFC 118 main event Saturday night at TD Garden, silencing any naysayers who called the first win a fluke.
“I want to thank BJ, he truly brought the best out of me,” said Edgar, who took the bout via three scores of 50-45.
“Frankie fought a great fight, he’s the man,” said Penn. “Much respect.”
Penn was emotionless as he made his way into battle; conversely, the champion practically ran up the aisle from his locker room to the Octagon, eager for the fight to begin.
At 12:11am local time, he got his wish, and the action got underway immediately, with the two trading punches and Edgar following up with a takedown of the former champ. Penn locked Edgar’s arms up, and with 3:22 remaining, he scrambled to his feet. Edgar soon settled in, getting back to the rhythm of striking and movement that won him the belt in the first place. This time though, he was throwing more wrestling into the mix, as he put Penn on the mat a second time. Penn rose quickly, and there was heat behind his punches, but he was coming up short when it came to landing them.
Better adjusting to Edgar’s speed and head movement, Penn’s strikes began landing with more frequency early in round two, but the champion was undeterred as he stuck to his gameplan while continuing to mix up his strikes. Midway through the round, Edgar got the bout to the mat, but Penn didn’t allow it to stay there for long as he got upright quickly. “The Prodigy” was unable to capitalize though, as it was Edgar’s quick shots and movement continued to baffle Penn.
Penn came out of his corner with more urgency in round three, and while he had some success early on, by the third minute of the frame, it was Edgar back in control, as the crowd chanted his name. In the final 90 seconds, Penn saw some daylight when he stuffed a takedown attempt and landed some strikes, but it was a short-lived rally as Edgar finished the round strong.
Early in round four, Penn switched gears and took Edgar to the canvas, garnering a roar from the crowd. Edgar grabbed Penn and tried to keep him close, but then suddenly broke free in a lull and got back to his feet. Looking to get even scoring wise, Edgar became the standup aggressor, even kicking Penn’s legs out and sending him to the mat. This time, Penn held Edgar close as he tried to get in position for a submission, but Edgar wasn’t biting. Instead, he postured up to land strikes, with each punch drawing cheers. With 1:30 left, Penn got up, but was unable to cut the Octagon off on Edgar, ending another frustrating frame.
Penn shot for – and got – the takedown again to start round five, and even when Edgar scrambled up, Penn was relentless in getting him back to the mat. But Edgar was just as active, and he turned into Penn’s guard and out of immediate danger. Elbows, punches, and forearms followed from the champion, but Penn remained expressionless, as if all he needed was one shot to turn things around. Edgar wasn’t about to give him that shot though, and his perpetual motion kept Penn from putting together a late rally, even when the two got back to their feet for the final stages of what turned out to be Edgar’s first successful title defense. As for Penn, a former welterweight champion as well, he was non-committal about his future at 155 pounds.
“I’ve really got to go back and think about things,” he said. “No quick decisions.”
With the win, Edgar improves to 13-1; Penn falls to 15-7-1.
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No More Pipe Dreams For Edgar |
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Thursday, 26 August 2010 17:00 |
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If Frankie Edgar hasn’t changed a lot – actually, not at all – since winning the UFC lightweight title from BJ Penn in April, it’s not hard to understand why.
As recently as mid-2007, before his third UFC bout, against Spencer Fisher, Edgar’s days weren’t filled with training, interviews, photo shoots, and time with the family. They were filled with training, interviews, photo shoots, time with the family, and full shifts as a union plumber.
Necessary, yes. Glamorous, no.
“I had to be at the shop at 7, I’d leave the job around 3:30 and I was actually coaching wrestling at the time, so I’d go coach wrestling and then go train at night from 7 to 9,” said Edgar of his pre-championship days. “It was a pretty full day, and it was tough.”
He laughs.
“I enjoy the lifestyle I have right now much more.”
But at the time, Edgar, just 2-0 in the UFC and 7-0 overall, was the new kid on the block, the New Jersey prospect trying to make a name for himself in the big leagues. At home, it was expected that he would eventually take over his father’s plumbing company, but he wasn’t exactly sold on that idea. He recalls a conversation with one of his older colleagues on the job.
“He said, ‘Go back to school, go back to school. Or what do you really want to do?’ I told him what I really want to do is fight for a living. He said go for it. But I really didn’t know if it was ever gonna happen for me.”
Just before the fight with Fisher, Edgar had finally reached the crossroads. He had just gotten into the union, and when that happens, what follows are night classes to learn the ins and outs of the trade. He had to make a decision, and we all know what it was.
“I told my father I was gonna dedicate myself to fighting,” he said. “That’s when I made the total commitment.”
So when did he stop paying his union dues?
“My dad still may be paying my dues,” laughs Edgar.
Fully dedicated to the game, Edgar beat Fisher over three rounds in front of his Jersey fans at UFC 78 in Newark. Then the idea of fighting as a career and becoming a world champion started to become a reality.
“After the Spencer Fisher, I kinda dominated that one and I was like ‘man, I can do this,’” he said. “Then I’m fighting guys like Hermes Franca, who was a number one contender, and I beat him, then Sean Sherk, who was the champ at one time, and I beat him. So it was more of a process for me. It wasn’t like one fight where I said I could do it. Every fight built on each other, the competition got better, and I just started to believe. I said if these guys are doing it, there’s no reason why I can’t.”
With his talent, the time to train full-time, and determination, Edgar was off to the races. But back to the original premise, and Edgar’s ability to remain the same person he was when he started this, and it comes down to the fact that he knows what it’s like to struggle for something and to make it work. When you’ve got that type of work ethic and realist nature, nothing changes other than your tax bracket. That, and the fact that his team won’t let him get a big head over anything he accomplishes.
“My team helps me stay focused,” he said. “At home, I took a week off and was back in the gym. My boxing coach (Mark Henry) is nuts (Laughs) – he’ll text me at three in the morning with stuff I need to work on and he’s always on me, so that’s probably the biggest factor, the people around me that help me stay focused on the bigger picture, and that’s just getting better. The title is obviously a big accomplishment, but all in all you just want to get better as a fighter so you can grow as much as possible.”
That had to be difficult, because in Abu Dhabi in April, Edgar – a huge underdog – upset Penn by fighting a near perfect fight. When you pull off something like that, how do you top it in the rematch on Saturday night?
“It is tough,” he admits. “Sometimes it’s not always the best fighter that wins, it’s whoever shows up that night, and I think the best Frankie Edgar showed up that night, so it’s gonna be tough to duplicate, but my biggest thing has always been to get better between each fight and try to be a better fighter than you were last time. So I’m not worried about replicating the fight so much, I’m just seeing if I can beat the Frankie Edgar from April 10th.”
And it helps by not watching his greatest MMA moment over and over and over.
“I haven’t watched it much,” he said. “I’ve recently been watching a little bit with my boxing coach and my teammates just for gameplanning and stuff to work on as far as technique, but as far as gloating and stuff, that’s just not my deal.”
So no endless Edgar-Penn loop on the televisions in his house?
“It might be on at my father’s shop,” he laughs. “He might be showing everybody over and over, but not me.”
That’s Frankie Edgar – affable, down-to-earth, and not afraid to share a laugh or two. It made his against the odds win over Penn one of the ‘feel good’ stories of the year, but there was little time to enjoy it.
“I think I got a call from (UFC President) Dana (White) that Monday I got back from Abu Dhabi, asking me to fight BJ, so I really didn’t get a chance to enjoy the title,” he said. “But it’s cool, and it’s fitting for me because it’s helped me stay driven.”
And as far as Penn getting an immediate rematch so soon, Edgar has no problems with it.
“Going into it, just knowing the aura BJ has and how long he’s been on top of the division, I wasn’t surprised by it at all – I almost expected it,” he said, before being asked if he feels like sometimes it’s Frankie Edgar against the world.
“I like that, I like the me against the world type of thing,” he said. “That just motivates me to work hard and get better. So it was cool. If anybody deserves an immediate title shot, it is BJ. He’s been tearing this division up for years and it’s kinda hard to say ‘all right, who’s next?’ because he’s done so much.”
After Saturday night though, should Edgar retain his title, there will likely be a chance for him to finally take a breath, enjoy a fall on the Jersey Shore with his wife and two kids, and settle into his role as champion…at least for a little bit.
“I think I’ll be able to step back and maybe take a breath for a second,” he smiles. “But look how many guys there are in this weight class. I don’t think I’ll be taking too long of a breath.”
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BJ Penn – A Fighter, Not An Athlete |
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Thursday, 26 August 2010 17:00 |
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You don’t know BJ Penn. And according to the former two division UFC champion, neither does the man who Penn is looking to regain his lightweight crown from this weekend in Boston, Frankie Edgar.
But he says we’re about to find out who he is.
“Everyone’s favorite thing to say is that BJ Penn is some rich, lazy kid and they don’t know who I am,” said Penn. “They don’t know me, they never met me. Frankie Edgar doesn’t know me, he never met me, and I feel like I’m reborn. I even want to thank Frankie Edgar for doing this to me because him and the rest of the world are gonna get to see who BJ Penn really is – finally. I’m not trying to be a braggart or blow my own horn, but I really feel that what anyone has ever seen me do in my career, we can top all those things in this fight and in the fights in the future. I’m really excited and I’m pumped. I want to fight.”
It’s what you always want to hear from Penn, because even if he says otherwise, we do know who he is. The most decorated lightweight champion in history, a prodigious talent who has competed against the best in the world from 155 pounds to heavyweight, Penn likely has a place waiting for him in the UFC Hall of Fame one day. But if one thing has been painfully clear over the course of his nine year MMA career is that if he’s on his game mentally and suitably motivated, he’s one of the best ever. When he’s not, he’s merely just another talented fighter.
Some would say that in April, when he lost his belt to Edgar by a close five round unanimous decision, he wasn’t motivated enough, and he paid for it. Others would say he was surprised by the movement and style of the New Jersey product, and wasn’t able to adjust in time. For his part, Penn takes the high road when it comes to both trains of thought.
“I don’t want to take away from Frankie Edgar and say that I didn’t get up for him,” he said. “I’m always up for a fight. I made my own mistakes in preparing for the fight, and those are mistakes I have to live with. I was worrying about my physical body at the time, and now I want my mind, body, and spirit to all be as one and I really feel that they are all one right now.”
“And he didn’t surprise me,” Penn continues. “I knew he was tough, I knew he could box and had wrestling. Him and his team had a great gameplan and they came out and did their thing. Whether they believed in ‘The Secret’ and willed themselves to win that night, who knows, but Frankie Edgar walked away with the victory that night, and props to him. He’s got a UFC belt at home sitting on his dresser, or I don’t know what he does with it, but good for him, and he doesn’t know me, he never met me, but he’s gonna find out.”
The world getting to see the “real” BJ Penn is a recurring theme these days for the pride of Hilo, and if anything, he sounds relaxed yet intense, if that makes any sense, as he prepares for the latest biggest fight of his life. And at 31, he’s picked the right time to straighten his ship’s voyage and truly get down to business, not only in the lightweight division, but in what he hopes is a return trip to the 170-pound weight class.
“I couldn’t be happier in my life, my training couldn’t be better, and I’m very excited,” he said. “Now with the way my training’s going, I’m back to my original goal of wanting to become the lightweight champion and the welterweight champion and I feel like now’s my chance. I really want to be a lot more active in the Octagon and I’m just a very happy person right now in my life. Honestly, without giving too much away, I’m just planning on going out there and being myself and hopefully it’s the best BJ Penn anyone has ever seen and everyone’s gonna end up looking at me and saying, man, this guy is the real deal.”
One of the reasons for Penn’s reinvention of himself this time around may be to prove that despite being one of just a handful of fighters remaining from the early days of Zuffa’s UFC ownership, he is still on top of his game nearly a decade later, and perhaps just entering his physical prime. But an even bigger reason may be to set an example for his nearly two year old daughter Aeva Lili’u. Even the slightest mention of her causes Penn’s voice to soften, and you can tell that he’s glad she doesn’t quite understand what her dad does for a living yet.
“I kinda hope that it still takes her a little while longer to be able to recognize her father on TV,” he said. “I don’t want her to see me get injured; that plays very much on my mind. But I want her to be proud of me and I want her to grow up and be like, ‘you know BJ Penn? That’s my dad.’ I want to do all these things, I want to create a great life for her, and my legacy will be her legacy.”
And he plans on part of that legacy being that he was not only be as one of the most talented fighters to ever grace the Octagon, but one who eventually found consistency.
“Honestly, I feel like I’ve been an amateur all this time,” said Penn, 15-6-1 as a pro. “I want to be a lot more consistent. I don’t want to come out and win two or three and then lose some lackluster fight and everybody goes ‘what the hell? That’s not BJ Penn.’ I’m done being an amateur, it’s time to be a professional. I have everything I need here inside me. I can do it. Anybody can tell me ‘no BJ, you can’t win a fight training like that.’ And I’ll look at them and say, ‘no, YOU can’t.’ I can.”
With that, the fire is back, and as Penn points out, it’s not the fire of an athlete, but of a fighter, and this fighter has some things he wants to get off his chest.
“I look at these guys and I’m not an athlete,” he said. “They’re athletes, and I’m a fighter. I fight, I get emotional, I get pissed off, I cry, I do all these different things, and for them, they’re just out there competing one more day. And for me, it still is a fight and it still is the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It isn’t the Ultimate Fitness Challenge, for me it still is what it always was, and that’s why I wanted to be involved in this sport. There is definitely some animosity when I see Frankie Edgar say something like ‘you know I feel bad for Gray Maynard that he keeps getting passed up on his title shot.’ And I’m looking at him and saying, ‘why do you feel bad?’ Is it because he’s getting passed up for me? I didn’t see you complaining that Gray Maynard was getting passed up when you were getting the shot. But all of a sudden BJ Penn’s getting the shot and you feel bad. And I could say a lot of harsh things when it comes to something like that because we all know how important it is to have that UFC belt. We know what it means in sponsors and paying our bills.”
He pauses and collects himself, knowing that negative emotion is never any good when it comes to building up the positive energy he needs to get his belt back. So we change the subject, kind of, and I ask ‘so what’s the difference between an athlete and a fighter?’
“An athlete can go and compete against anyone, anytime, has no problem with how he wins, and that means nothing to him; it’s just a W,” explains Penn. “A fighter is a perfectionist and an emotional person. He wants to do things perfectly, and if not, it’s not good enough. And in some ways he needs that emotion, he needs that drive for perfection to make him want to fight. I need to feel that to go out there and fight. So in a way, Frankie Edgar did do me a favor by saying those things about me passing up Gray Maynard for the title shot. What he did was bring out the fighter in me. An athlete can fight his friends. I can’t fight my friends. It’s harder for me, and I think that’s the difference between an athlete and a fighter.”
Meet BJ Penn.
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The Debut of "Lights Out" Toney |
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Wednesday, 25 August 2010 17:00 |
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“Son, do you really want to do this?”
“Pops, I wanna do it.”
With that two sentence conversation, three division boxing champion James Toney added mixed martial artist to his combat sports resume, and his longtime adviser, John “Pops” Arthur signed on to help his charge realize his ambition to move from the ring to the Octagon.
It may sound simple enough, but with Arthur on board, Toney was free to do what he does best – fight, talk, and build fights up – but not always in that order. And Arthur, mildly skeptical at first, quickly became a believer.
“He had always told me that he wanted to do it, even before this challenge came up,” he said. “When the challenge came out, it drove him to another level. He has something to live for now that makes him more hungry. And he’s hungry now.”
If you’ve followed the career of the man nicknamed “Lights Out”, you’ll know that a hungry Toney is a dangerous Toney, and he’s never been more dangerous than when he’s been counted out before the opening bell.
From his first title-winning effort against Michael Nunn in 1991, to his later wins over Iran Barkley, Vassiliy Jirov, and Evander Holyfield, Toney enjoys fighting with his back to the wall, where his shoulder rolls, dips, and dodges create a false sense of security in opponents before he unleashes pinpoint counters in response. It’s what he made his career in the boxing ring from, and he insists that there will be no changes in that MO when he makes his MMA debut against Randy Couture this weekend in the co-main event of UFC 118 in Boston.
“I’m a fighter, I can fight,” said Toney. “That’s all that matters. If you’re an athlete, you’re an athlete, and you learn how to adapt.”
But will a scant few months of training in an entirely new sport be enough for Toney against Couture, a Hall of Famer in MMA with years of previous experience in wrestling? You know Toney’s answer to that one, and while many in the boxing industry were skeptical of his intentions when the fight was announced, he has been putting in the hours in the gym to get a crash course in the sport.
“I’m having fun with it,” he said. “When I started learning some moves, I started liking it.”
Working with Antonio McKee and Mo Lawal, along with his head coach Trevor Sherman, Toney’s days have been filled with takedowns, chokes, and groundfighting drills, and that’s necessary, not just to be able to compete in the Octagon, but because the former middleweight, super middleweight, and cruiserweight champion’s main form of attack in his boxing matches may not be effective in an MMA match.
More succinctly, the subtle old-school offensive and defensive tricks he learned from watching film of Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, and Sugar Ray Robinson may not help him on Saturday night unless Couture engages in an unlikely standup battle with him.
Toney disagrees.
“I’ve worked on things to add to my old-school things. I’ve learned things from Pops, I’ve learned from Trevor, from King Mo, and Antonio McKee. And I’m still learning the game, and I still like to learn. If you can’t learn nothing new, then you don’t need to be doing it. So even though I like the old-school methods better, I’m open to the new stuff.”
And if you ask him about dirty boxing, Toney smiles.
“Randy’s gonna come in and try to do what he does, what you call dirty boxing, and it’s gonna be a short night for him,” he said. “Very short. And I do hope he tries to grab me, because everybody knows that’s my style – I’m an inside fighter. Well, what if he tries to take me to the ground? I’ve got something for him. We’re ready and I’m not playing.”
With statements like that, Toney vs Couture has taken on a life of its own in recent weeks, with more and more excitement building for the “Boxing vs UFC” matchup. For Couture, it’s just another day in the office, as he’s used to all the hoopla that surrounds each Pay-Per-View event. For Toney, who’s been there before as well, it’s a welcome return to the big stage, a place he really hasn’t seen since his two fight series with Sam Peter in 2006-07.
Since then, he’s unbeaten in four fights (three wins and one no contest), and he currently holds the fringe IBA heavyweight title. He promises a return to boxing in the fall, and also expects to keep fighting in the UFC as well.
“I’m gonna do them both because boxing’s in my blood,” he said. “I have a boxing title defense scheduled for October, and until I get those two girls (the Klitschko brothers) in the ring, I’m gonna fight.”
In the process, he’s garnered a whole new admiration society among the MMA media and fans, a startling development for the 42-year old, and one that Arthur has enjoyed watching.
“We’re over the shock effect because we’re working in it now, but it’s amazing and we’re enjoying it,” said Arthur, who also doesn’t buy into the ‘freakshow’ tag put on the fight, as he promises some surprises from his charge on Saturday night.
“This guy we’re getting here (Couture) is not a gift because he’s a world champion too, and I look at it like this: people say it’s a freakshow or circus, and stuff like that, but how can you say that?” he asks. “You’ve got two champions facing each other. But the fight starts up here (raises his fists to ear level), and after that, we’ll see what happens. They don’t know that James is a real fighter. And they’re gonna find out. They’ve never seen anybody with hands like James, and even if you’re trying to grab him, he’s gonna get off first.”
And with four ounce gloves and a lifetime of experience, James Toney may end up being the most dangerous striker we’ve ever seen in the Octagon. But that’s only if he can get his punches off and avoid Couture’s takedowns. It’s those ‘what ifs’ that make this one of the most interesting bouts we’re likely to see. As for “Lights Out”, he’s just enjoying the ride.
“I’m having fun, I’m a natural fighter, and I’ll adapt to any kind of style,” he said. “I belong in the cage because everyone says I’m a beast.”
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The Fighter's Bookshelf |
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Wednesday, 25 August 2010 17:00 |
Let's face
it, being a professional cage-fighter -- or even the kind of person who
becomes one -- pretty much guarantees you've got some interesting
stories. From
straightforward fight-career bios by Chuck and Randy to war stories
(literally) from Brian Stann and lunatic survival guides from Forrest,
fighters' books can teach you a lot.
There will be plenty of tomes on display at
the UFC Fan Expo in Boston August 27 and 28 -- have Forrest sign your tome at the BSN booth or his own station; track down Brian Stann for an autograph, then swing by the US Marines display to see a smidge of what he went through. Below, a few manly masterpieces to get your library started.
 Be Ready When the Sh*t Goes Down: Forrest Griffin's Survival Guide to the Apocalypse
by Forrest Griffin and Erich Krauss - Yes, just a year after his first masterpiece went live, Forrest Griffin penned another book to unveil even more of his uncommon self-help knowledge. Griffin's
second opus is filled with an almost illegal amount of testosterone
and, of course, comedy. Imagine John Rambo orated his "worst case
scenario" manifesto to "Fight Club" writer Chuck Palahniuk and then was
rewritten by a guy who wanted to make fighting men in cages his day
job. This book is a how-to guide for manning up and hunkering down to wait out an apocalypse brought on by a nuclear blast, an asteroid attack, a Viking god war, and more, each life-ending scenario described in loving detail.
Good choice if you like: World War Z, David Sedaris
 Heart for the Fight: A Marine Hero's Journey from the Battlefields of Iraq to Mixed Martial Arts Champion by
Brian Stann and John R. Bruning - During the tenure of the WEC's
light-heavyweight Championship belt, there were seven different men who
had held the title and only one of them has also received a Silver Star
for valor: Brian Stann. Most fight fans know of Stann for his
impressive 5 fight first round KO win streak in WEC. In Stann's
autobiography fans will learn the harrowing details of his two tours of
in Iraq and the court case that nearly sidelined his career -- the same
one that led him into the world of MMA. At just 30 years old, "All
American" Stann is a former WEC Champion, current UFC fighter, a marine
and a national hero.
Good choice if you like: Military journalism, America
 Iceman: My Fighting Life
by Chuck Liddell and Chad Millman - Arguably the greatest knockout
artist in UFC history, Chuck Liddell tells his life story from growing
up in the poor section of Santa Barbara, California to his early days
of training and fighting through his vaunted UFC light-heavyweight
Championship title run. The book also details Liddell's life outside of
the cage like being a father, friendship with Dana White, rivalry with
Tito Ortiz and, most importantly, why "The Iceman" has a mohawk.
Good choice if you like: Sin City (the movie), that cool old guy at the bar with all the best stories
 This Is Gonna Hurt: The Life of a Mixed Martial Arts Champion
by Tito Ortiz - If you have watched the UFC once in the past decade
then even you know who Tito Ortiz is. Brash, unapologetic,
controversial and strangely charismatic, "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy"
gives a glimpse behind his bold exterior in this personal account of
his, at times, infamous fighting career. Ortiz's tale is an
inspirational one, being born into a drug fueled environment and early
brushes with the law, but, eventually, is saved by wrestling and his
competitive desire to win inside the UFC cage. Ortiz shows a different
side of himself in this book - a less bleach blonde, ground and
pounding, middle finger flipping side.
Good choice if you like: California, Slash's autobiography
 Becoming the Natural: My Life In and Out of the Cage
by Randy Couture - With age comes wisdom and Randy Couture is very old
and, thankfully, very wise. In Couture's autobiography, he explains
what originally drew him to wrestling and how that would lead him to
his eventual Mixed Martial Arts career starting at the late age of 33
and in that same year would win his first of 6 UFC Championship belts.
Age is just a number to Couture as he would reinvent himself at 40 to
win the UFC light-heavyweight title and later move back to heavyweight
to claim that belt at the ripe age of 43. Respect your elders.
Good choice if you like: John Wayne, New Year's resolutions
 Made in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History
by Matt Hughes and Michael Malice - Matt Hughes' life story is a slice
of Americana apple pie with a lot more elbows from the side-mount
position. From his humble beginnings on the family farm in Hillsboro,
Illinois to his UFC Hall of Fame career, Hughes discusses everything a
fan could want to know about this iconic UFC fighter. Hughes leaves no
doors unopened when talking of his youth, famed wrestling pedigree,
training with Pat Miletich, winning and defending the UFC Welterweight
Championship, coaching on The Ultimate Fighter, and, even more personal
topics, like religion, family and his wife's implants.
Good choice if you like: Vision quest, your fraternity
 Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles of Hand-to-Face Combat by
Forrest Griffin and Erich Krauss - In what can only be described as a
twisted amalgamation of life lessons, fighting techniques and graphic
accounts of conquest and failure from, UFC fan favorite, Forrest
Griffin. This is easily the funniest book with a cage-fighter's face on
the cover (or maybe his other book), Griffin mixes together a potpourri
of anecdotes detailing his fighting career as well as tactics for,
hopefully, fantastical scenarios like defending yourself from a sword
attack. The book is dripping with sarcasm and self-depricating humor,
but never forget Griffin is a former UFC light-heavyweight Champion, so
he may actually know what he is talking about.
Good choice if you like: Graphic novels, Ritalin
 Little Evil: One Ultimate Fighter's Rise to the Top
by Jens Pulver and Erich Krauss - Easily one of the most respected and
beloved fighters in UFC history is former lightweight Champion Jens
Pulver. There are 20 other wins on Pulver's record, but none is more
incredible than his decision victory over the unstoppable B.J. Penn for
the UFC's lightweight title. In what many saw as a fight he could not
win, Lil' Evil did what he'd done his whole life -- battle seemingly
insurmountable odds. This book is an emotionally gripping journey of a
modern-day Sisyphus struggling against abuse, alcoholism, personal
tragedy and, lastly, overcoming those problems to be a better person
and a UFC Champion.
Good choice if you like: WEC fights, Lifetime movies (in secret)
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Florian and The Pursuit of Perfection |
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Tuesday, 24 August 2010 17:00 |
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Kenny Florian has come a long way from fighting in “The Gravel Pit” at Club Lido in Revere, Massachusetts, but as he approaches what he hopes is a triumphant homecoming to Boston against Gray Maynard this Saturday night, it’s the lessons he learned in those early years that helped make him the fighter he is today.
Not that he knew it at the time.
“To be honest, I didn’t even see the UFC in the distance,” said Florian, who last fought in his home state against Drew Fickett on July 10, 2004. “I had no intention of fighting in the UFC one day or anything like that. Still at that point it was just one of those things that I was kind of giving a try. I saw it as a test of my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu more than this is a step in my career. It wasn’t even on the radar.”
A black belt in Jiu-Jitsu under Roberto Maia, Florian was the epitome of someone who didn’t “need” fighting. A graduate of Boston College working as a Senior Project Manager for a Harvard-based Translation Services Company, the man soon to be known as “KenFlo” was in his second year as a pro MMA fighter with a handful of fights to his name, but no real “name” in the fight world.
The bout against Fickett would change that, and not just because he fought well in a three round split decision loss, but because of who was in the crowd of less than a thousand people.
“Before the fight I had heard from the promoter that Dana White was gonna be there, and I wasn’t sure if he was serious or not,” recalled Florian. “I think I knew it was more to check out my opponent, Drew Fickett. I knew it was a step up in competition for me because I was really just a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guy at the time, but I was still confident in myself and confident that I was gonna be able to get the win.”
He didn’t, but he did get the call to participate in a televised experiment called ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ The rest is history. No more Gravel Pit.
He laughs.
“I never thought it would be bigger than that.”
It got bigger – a lot bigger. This Saturday night, not only is Florian returning to fight in front of a partisan crowd packing his hometown arena, he will do so with a chance to earn a shot at the lightweight championship. If that’s not coming full circle, what is?
“It’s cool because it really is a dream come true to be able to fight in the biggest promotion in the world here in your hometown,” he said. “But for me on that night, it’s gonna be about my performance. It’s gonna be me, my opponent, and the cage. I’m more excited for my family, friends, and fans here, who get to see me fight in my hometown, something they’ve been asking about for a long time. But if you make it bigger than it is, then it will be, and you’re gonna feel that pressure, so I’m just excited to go out there and compete again.”
In the days since his fight against Fickett, the 34-year old Florian’s list of victims reads like a Who’s Who of lightweight standouts – Sam Stout, Din Thomas, Joe Lauzon, Roger Huerta, Joe Stevenson, Clay Guida, and Takanori Gomi. But it’s the two losses he’s taken at 155 pounds – against Sean Sherk and BJ Penn in lightweight title bouts – that have kept him from the top rung of the ladder, and what still push him today. And though some fighters will suffer a defeat in a championship match and never be the same again, Florian has actually gotten better after his two losses, and he owes his success to taking his ego out of the equation.
“A lot of people get down on themselves, and mentally, those are the roadblocks that are the most difficult things to overcome and what we usually end up creating in our mind after losses,” he said. “We say we’re not good enough, we can’t do it, or maybe I don’t have it. And for me, I always look on the technical side or on the physical side of what things I should have done or could have done better. I just try to take my ego out of it, and that’s very, very tough after a loss. I hate losing at anything, but at the same time, I have to go back and say ‘where did I go wrong?’ I love this too much to give it up. I still have passion for it, I still have energy to go out there and train every single day, so now there’s only one question: what do I need to do to get better? And the answer is going back and looking at the way that you train and looking at the mistakes you made during the fight and kinda taking the ego out of it and saying ‘what do I need to do to get better?’ You analyze yourself as honestly as you can, and have your coaches do the same, and you go back and drill and get better. That’s been critical, along with evolving and getting the right style to be the best fighter. I think that’s where my coaches have really helped, especially with the addition of Firas Zahabi.”
In March, Florian engaged in his second bout since being submitted by Penn in August of 2009. His opponent? Japanese superstar and former PRIDE lightweight boss Takanori Gomi. Expected to be a stiff test for Florian, the New Englander instead put on a clinic, shutting Gomi down with a crisp standup attack before finishing matters in the third round via rear naked choke. It was as perfect a performance as you could get against a world-class foe, but Florian begs to differ, and maybe that’s the secret of his continued evolution as a fighter.
“I went back and watched that fight, and my coaches did the same, and there are still a lot of things that I didn’t do that I wanted to do,” said Florian of the Gomi bout. “There’s a lot of things that I’ve added into my striking and into my training, wrestling, and all that stuff, that I didn’t do in the Gomi fight that I would have liked to have done. For me, there’s no such thing as a flawless performance; there were a lot of mistakes that I made in that fight and I still see the little technical details that I should have done weren’t all the way there. I went back and improved those things, I’m the sharpest I’ve ever been, and people will definitely see a much better fighter than I was against Gomi, and that’s been the most important thing – going back and looking at those mistakes. I’ve definitely done a lot to improve those things, and I’m sure in this fight against Gray I’ll still have a lot to work on.”
So the question should be, is the championship the be all, end all, or is it fighting the perfect fight? Florian goes a step further.
“It’s more than just the perfect fight,” he said. “I would go as far as saying the perfect fighter, and that’s probably impossible, but that’s my goal. Every single day is to get better to the point where it’s perfection. I know it’s an impossibility, but that’s my goal every single day, to have flawless technique, and in everything I do, I want it to be perfect. If I have that in my mind but never get down because it’s not perfect, then I’ll have the perfect mindset.”
And giving credit where credit is due, Florian quickly refers to his father, Agustin, as the source of his work ethic and pursuit of perfection in whatever he chooses to do.
“My dad was a very hard worker and he wanted to be the best and he always had the feeling that he had to better than everybody and try his best coming from another country to the United States, and it’s that work ethic, optimism, and confidence that I got from him,” said Florian of his father, a doctor who came to the United States from Peru. “If you love something, you’re always gonna give a hundred percent and do whatever it takes to make it work. I love this and it’s all I think about, all I do, all I want to do, and for me it’s probably more than a passion – it’s probably an obsession. And when it’s going through your head all the time and you’re working on it all the time and you’re just immersed in it, it’s easy. It’s not even a question of whether I’m gonna try to be better; I have to, and there’s no other way. I love this way too much to not be good at it or not give a hundred percent to it.”
This adds even more intrigue to the compelling bout between Florian and Maynard, with Florian continually adding new wrinkles to his game and Maynard living up to his nickname of “The Bully” as he looks to steamroll his way to a title shot. To win, one fighter will have to break the will of the other eventually, and Florian expects to make a statement on Saturday.
“Every fight is important in the UFC, and for me, I think a win over Gray Maynard, in the fashion that I hope to do it, would be a big statement of saying ‘here’s a guy in Gray Maynard who’s undefeated, he’s beaten top guys, he was considered one of the top contenders to face BJ Penn at the time (in April) along with Frankie Edgar, I beat him, outclassed him, and Kenny Florian’s back and he’s a different fighter.’ Hopefully, we’ll see that I outwrestled him, outstruck him, and that this is a different Kenny Florian from the one we saw before his run at BJ Penn. So I hope to prove that and I think a win over Gray Maynard alone proves that you’re the top contender in the world.”
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Davis' Quest for a Storybook Ending |
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Monday, 23 August 2010 17:00 |
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If you asked Marcus Davis in 2005 if he thought that he would be still fighting at the age of 37, he would have laughed at you. If you asked him the same question 20 years ago, he may have said that the only cage he’d likely be in would be one with bars.
But today’s version of Davis bears little resemblance to the one that roamed the streets of Maine, directionless, the product of a harrowing upbringing that he vowed not to repeat for his own children. Quick with a smile, a joke, or a side-splitting story from his past, Davis has mellowed everywhere except in the gym and the UFC’s Octagon, and even as he approaches his 40th birthday, he hasn’t put a time limit on his fighting career.
“I definitely did not think that I was gonna be 37 years old and fighting in the UFC,” he said. “And I’ve always been doing that thing where I put time limits on everything, but now I’m just gonna look at it like I’m gonna keep fighting while I’m healthy. As long as I’m healthy and I can compete and I can do this, why put limitations on it? And that’s where I’m at right now. I pray that I can keep doing this for another couple years and if God sees it through and that’s his plan and that’s my plan, then I’m gonna do it.”
If his May knockout of Jonathan Goulet is indicative of where he’s at right now, then there is obviously still some firepower left in the “Irish Hand Grenade”, which is a good thing, considering that he has a fight coming up this weekend against young gun Nate Diaz. But before the win over Goulet at UFC 113, Davis was on the first two fight skid of his UFC career, losing a decision to heated rival Dan Hardy and then getting knocked out for the first time ever by Ben Saunders. Both bouts came in the midst of a rough time in his life, and it carried over into all aspects of his fight career.
“I was dealing with a lot of personal issues going into the Dan Hardy fight and then the Dan Hardy fight itself poured into my personal life and it just got worse,” said Davis. “Then I carried it into the Saunders fight, I didn’t take it serious, I had all this other stuff that I was dealing with, and then after the Saunders fight, in December I just stopped. I literally said ‘I’ve got to get my life in order.’ I’m going crazy and I basically took a sabbatical.”
With his fiancé and kids in tow, Davis hit Puerto Vallarta for eight days. He returned home to Maine for two days and then left for 18 days alone in Ireland. After that trip, there was some one on one time with his fiancé, and then it was back to the gym as a new man.
“I was focused, I got my life straightened out, and re-assessed what my long-term and short-term goals were gonna be,” said Davis, who also began writing his autobiography, which he expects to be out in early 2011.
“It’s been like therapy for me,” he said of the book. “Bringing everything up, and sitting down and writing out timelines and remembering where I came from and how I got here is just crazy. People are going to read my biography and they’re not going to believe all this stuff happened.”
But it did, and considering that he turned his life around, he’s able to look back at the things that happened to him in his life with a knowing glance, aware that it was all those experiences, good and bad, that eventually made him who he is today.
“Everybody has things in their life that they regret doing, but I don’t hold on to that regret,” he said. “The bad choices that I made when I was a kid, I’ve asked God for forgiveness. I’ve met, called, and emailed people that I may have wronged as a kid and apologized again for it. And I actually made a list of male role models who have been in my life, because I didn’t have a father, and who have affected me in a positive way, and I contacted all of them and told them that I just needed them to know that they had some kind of influence on me in a good way, and I remember that and I appreciate that. It’s really turned me into a different person. When I look back on the road I traveled, I laugh a lot and say ‘how are you even alive?’ I just don’t get it. But it proves to me that there is a God out there and that there is a plan. And no matter what I do in this sport, in my career, or in life, if my kids don’t end up doing better than what I do, then I failed. My job on this earth is to make sure that they do better than their father has. I want to set that bar high and make sure that they beat it.”
He then tells a story of how he lived in a barn before getting his big MMA break as a member of the cast of the second season of The Ultimate Fighter.
“That was 2004,” said the father of four. “Flash forward six years. My kids are all in private school, my daughter just graduated college and she didn’t take out one loan because daddy was able to pay it, I own two big gyms that are doing well, and I’ve got a great life. I’ve traveled to Ireland five times, I’ve been all over the world, and it’s just crazy.”
It sounds like a man at peace, but don’t let that fool prospective opponents, because Davis hasn’t lost his fighting edge just yet.
“I have an alter ego and that alter ego is the “Irish Hand Grenade”, and the “Irish Hand Grenade” is all the bad stuff, all the hardship, all the pain, so when I have to go into fight camp, that’s who I become,” he said. “My kids aren’t with me, I’m away from my family, and I become this hardened “Irish Hand Grenade” guy from the 80’s and 90’s and that’s who I dump everything into and that’s who I am in the UFC. It gives me that outlet so I have that ability to do what I’m supposed to do. God makes people for certain things and I believe I was made to fight.”
And as he approaches his bout with Diaz, he sees a little bit of his younger self in the Stockton standout.
“I totally do,” said Davis. “He’s probably had it much harder than me just because of the area that he’s from. And that’s real. He’s not playing a character. That’s who he and his brother (UFC vet Nick) are. And I don’t care – I don’t hold any of that stuff against him, whatever he does or however he does it. All I care about is that he’s an exciting fighter to watch, he goes out and wins fights, and we have an opportunity together to entertain the fans of the UFC and the people of Boston. That’s where everything for me lies. I’m not gonna be offended by him mean mugging me or giving me the finger. (Laughs) It’s not gonna bother me. That’s his thing, that’s what he does, and I’m cool with it.”
What has bothered Davis in recent months though, is seeing some fights devolve into wrestling matches. Not surprising from a former pro boxer, and in response, Davis has been working on his own wrestling to counter any takedown thoughts from future opponents.
“I’m trying to do more wrestling, and the reason why is because when you’re able to wrestle, you get to choose where the fight takes place,” he said. “And having the ability to choose where the fight’s gonna end up is a big deal, as we can see with these guys that are just taking their opponents down and it’s position, position, position, with little tiny shots here and there. I don’t want to lose like that. It really, really sucks to watch a fight like that and then to also be the one who loses like that. I say this all the time – I am a professional fighter and I want to win fights, but by definition, for what I do, and where I fight in the UFC, my job is to entertain. It is to go out there and to take a punch and to throw a punch and to fight exciting fights. But there are guys out there that don’t want to fight exciting fights, that want to wrestle the entire time and do the positioning stuff and want to dominate by laying on top and staying on top, and you’re seeing it more and more. The more that (UFC welterweight champion) Georges St-Pierre has done it and shown how superior his wrestling is, everybody’s like ‘how are you gonna beat this guy?’ and more people are working on it. That’s what people are doing. So I’m just trying to wrestle because I don’t want to end up fighting on the ground all the time.”
And while Diaz is a solid jiu-jitsu practitioner, he loves to standup, which is right up Davis’ alley. Again, that’s no surprise, and he’s well aware that everyone in Boston on Saturday night, from Diaz to the parking lot attendant, knows that he will want to keep the fight standing.
“It’s not math,” laughs Davis. “It’s fighting, and I know how to fight, especially when it comes to just hands. I’m gonna do everything in power to keep this fight standing up and to entertain and win this fight. I’m gonna go after it and try to finish this fight. That’s what I need to do.”
Well, in all honesty, Marcus Davis has already taken care of what he’s “needed” to do, taking care of his kids and straightening out his own life. The rest is all gravy, and he knows it, so when you ask him how this story ends, the answer is what you expect it to be.
“I don’t care, as long as it ends with “and lives happily ever after.” That will mean that I’ve done what I’ve had to do to live happily ever after, and that’s my goal.”
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Lauzon on Sacrifice and "Godzilla" |
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Monday, 23 August 2010 17:00 |
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The sport of mixed martial arts is filled with stories of Spartan dedication to training and the sacrifices necessary to compete at the highest level of the sport. Everything from diet to being away from family for weeks at a time to staying away from Starcraft II…
Huh?
Yes, in preparation for his UFC 118 bout against Gabe Ruediger, lightweight up and comer Joe Lauzon has left the Terrans and Zerg to the side to dedicate himself 100 percent to the cause of adding another win to his 17-5 pro record.
“As far as I’m concerned, the game doesn’t come out until the next day (after the fight),” he laughs. “It would be bad. If I got into Starcraft the way I used to be, life would cease to exist outside of that game. I don’t trust myself.”
If you’ve never played the original Starcraft, this whole thing is probably flying right over your head, but for those of us who have been taken in by the real-time strategy juggernaut, it’s easy to see how a fighter looking for a little leisure time in between practice sessions could tend to miss one or two or ten of those sessions while trapped behind a keyboard. Lauzon knows this all too well; in fact, it was his Starcraft obsession that inadvertently led him to MMA.
“When I was in high school, I was really into computers, and I played Starcraft to death,” he said. “I would get home at 2pm and play until 4 o’clock in the morning, go to sleep for an hour and a half, two hours, then go to school and basically be a zombie throughout school, and then go do it again.”
“I used to play tons and tons and tons of Starcraft, and I realized that my eyesight was getting terrible because I was on the computer so much, and I was wasting so many hours a day that I had to get out and start doing something constructive, and that’s how I got into training,” he continues. “I started doing jiu-jitsu and things like that.”
And while South Korea is still obsessed with the multiplayer version of the original 1998 game to the tune of it being dubbed the country’s “national sport” by CNN, Lauzon’s obsession switched to combat sports, and by 2004 he was kicking off a pro career that has seen him knock out a legend (Jens Pulver), compete on a reality show (The Ultimate Fighter), and score five wins in the premier MMA organization on the planet (the UFC).
Not bad for the former Starcraft junkie, but when the sequel was announced, Lauzon was so amped up that he posted the pre-order email he received from Amazon.com on his Twitter page. Yet when July 27th rolled around, there were no packages on his doorstep, no twitchy trigger finger. Joe Lauzon had a fight, and he was going to get ready for it with no distractions. Now say what you will, but that’s discipline.
“Everyone sees the food and the diet and all that kinda stuff, but it’s little stuff like that,” he said, and he’s right. Also, at this pivotal point in his career, any edge you can take is a welcome one, and he feels like he’s got all guns blazing after a nearly eight month long break that really wasn’t much of one.
“I fought January 2nd and within two weeks I was out there in Hawaii with BJ (Penn),” said the 26-year old. “I didn’t waste any time at all. I went out there, trained with him a little bit and got right back at it. And I’ve been training really hard since then. It’s been a long fight camp and I wanted to get back in there right away, but I really wanted to fight in Boston. I thought about trying to fight in March or April and fight again in August, but I think it would have been too close and I didn’t want to put that in jeopardy because fighting in Boston is something I’ve been looking forward to for such a long time. It was better off for me to sit on it a little bit and it also gave me a really long camp to get myself back up where I wanted to be.”
Following a knee injury that kept him on the shelf for nearly a year, Lauzon didn’t come back to the Octagon with a cupcake in the opposite corner. Instead, it was hard-nosed Canadian Sam Stout, who survived some rough early moments to pound out a three round unanimous decision. But despite being what he described as a “six or a seven, where I needed to be a 10,” it looked like he was going to finish things off early.
“I trained really hard and I thought I was in better shape than I was,” he said. “But the fight started exactly as I thought it was gonna. I took him down, I hit him and cut him with an elbow and I started working for a submission. In my eyes, it was exactly the way I saw it in my dreams before the fight and that was the end of the fight. I get the kimura, he taps out, fight’s over, I bounce back after a bad injury and come back with a good win, but Sam Stout had other plans.”
He explains.
“I think I took for granted a little bit what was going on. It was almost like once I had him down and started to go for the kimura, the fight was already over. It was just a formality of finishing the kimura. And then when I didn’t finish it and he got back up, I was like ‘oh boy.’ It wasn’t where I wanted to be. And once the fight kept going, it wasn’t like I was so devastated that I gave up on the fight or anything like that, but it definitely took the wind out of my sails. Before I was in the UFC, I fought (former WEC champion) Mike Brown on a local show and I was losing. He was controlling the pace the entire time, for two and a half rounds, and then I hit a kimura sweep and I took his back and choked him out. So if you have good jiu-jitsu, you’re always in the fight, and the fight is never over. And that’s what I told myself, that if I keep pressing, it would create an opening. I felt like he wasn’t gonna hurt me or knock me out, but I couldn’t keep up with him. The leg kicks were adding up, the body shots were adding up, and I just had a tough, tough time.”
Yet despite the loss, Lauzon had no excuses, only praise for his foe, and he still impressed with a never say die attitude that kept him pressing the action from start to finish.
“It’s all about your perspective,” he said. “You could either be glass half-full or glass half-empty. You could think, ‘I’m losing, get me out of here,’ or you could think ‘I’ve still got 20 seconds, I can still pull off a submission.’ And for me, I don’t need a lot of time. A lot of my fights have ended quickly and it’s only a small window of time and opportunity you need to win a fight with a submission or knockout, and I’m in there for 15 minutes and I’m there to fight until the very last bell.”
And with his extended camp, Lauzon’s outlook has been better than ever, but there was still another wrench to be thrown into the works, and that took place when his original opponent, six-foot-one British prospect Terry Etim, was removed from the bout due to injury. Stepping in was the five-foot-ten Ruediger, Lauzon’s teammate on season five of The Ultimate Fighter. No worries, says Lauzon.
“It’s weird. We’re going to do exactly the same stuff, but we’re not gonna do it exactly the same way,” he said. “I feel like Gabe has better jiu-jitsu, but Terry had more dangerous jiu-jitsu just because his standup presented more issues. With Gabe, it’s not that he’s nothing special, but there’s nothing freaky about him. But with Terry, he’s a standup guy, but as soon as you try to take him down, you’re going into the bread and butter of his submission game – his D’arce chokes, his guillotines, and it’s just a super dangerous fight. He’s not easy, he’s not conventional, it’s tough to get training partners, and there’s a lot of difficulty there. Whereas Gabe, it isn’t as dangerous, I don’t feel, but he’s still tough.”
Ruediger also brings in a six fight winning streak and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, making him a stern test for Lauzon, but Bridgewater’s “J-Lau” is also well aware that as far as the fans are concerned, Ruediger is still “that guy” from TUF who couldn’t make weight on the show.
“I know that Gabe’s got good jiu-jitsu, I know that Gabe is good at certain things, but everyone’s just gonna say, ‘oh, he’s the fat guy from The Ultimate Fighter who couldn’t make weight, he’s so lazy, he sucks, he’s this, he’s that,’” said Lauzon. “But Gabe’s good. He wasn’t cast in the best light (on the show), and he wasn’t cast in the best light for his own actions, and I still think the show was accurate, but at the same time, he’s still got good jiu-jitsu and he’s got the skillset to end a fight quick. I know a lot of things have changed, and I just can’t compare me today against him three years ago, but I think that I’m definitely gonna be very well prepared for anything Gabe has.”
And he’s going to do it in Boston, a hop, skip, and a jump away from home, and a place where he will unquestionably be the crowd favorite. It’s the perfect scenario for Lauzon – fighting at home, friends and family in the crowd, sleeping in your own bed, and the best part of it all…he knows where the Best Buy is in town to pick up his Starcraft II on Sunday.
That may be better than a Fight of the Night bonus, right?
“Well, let’s not get crazy,” he laughs, “but it’s close.”
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