Issue 119
September 2014
ON THE RADAR
Three red-hot prospects worth keeping an eye on...
Yosef Ali Mohammad, 4-1
The 26-year-old Swede might only be five fights into his career but a wealth of grappling experience and favorable physical characteristics suggest a promising future. A Scandinavian Open jiu-jitsu gold medalist and Swedish ADCC champion, he stands six-foot-six and weighs a slim 235lb.
His only loss, a decision against current UFC heavyweight Viktor Pesta, was originally announced as a win for Mohammad but was later overturned. The rest of his fights? Three fearsome and impressive first-round TKOs and a 66-second submission.
Yuki Motoya, 10-2
Former Deep flyweight champion Yuki Motoya fights smart and has the tantalizing combination of a keen killer instinct and athleticism (see his setting up of a triangle on a standing Akito Sakimura for an example). The smaller Deep ring facilitates his high work rate and constant desire for exchanges with his opponent well.
But whether he can translate that to the larger UFC Octagon (and correct his tendency to evade stand-up danger by moving straight backward), might directly dictate whether he can be successful against the world’s best.
Pietro Menga, 11-0
Featured in an FO UK-only list of prospects last year, jiu-jitsu specialist Pietro Menga has notched up a further three wins since without a loss, moving his record to an impressive 11-0.
Training out of the MMA Academy in Liverpool, UK, under head coach and UFC alumnus Jason Tan, Menga is regarded as the best flyweight in the UK not signed to UFC. Should he get the call, his all-action full guard could make him a bonus check magnet.
DANA WHITE & BELLATOR CAMP DEBATE WHETHER ‘RAMPAGE’ VS. ‘KING MO’ HIT 100K PAY-PER-VIEW BUYS
Debate has erupted between UFC boss Dana White and executives behind Bellator over whether Bellator 120 notched up 100,000 pay-per-view buys.
Online reports first claimed the event, headlined by ‘Rampage’ Jackson and ‘King Mo’ Lawal’s 205lb tournament final grudge match, was bought by 100,000 people, based on information from unnamed industry sources.
However, White cast doubt on the numbers when asked by reporters if he was shocked by the buy rate. “It shocks me, because no it didn’t,” he said.
When asked if he knew of an alternative number, White said: “I do. I knew the real number before they knew the real number.”
When the original reports surfaced, then-CEO Bjorn Rebney told mmafighting.com: “I won’t be discussing specific pay-per-view buy rates, but what I can say is that with one of our main events (Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandler) falling out just seven days before our first pay-per-view, a six-figure-plus buy rate is a good starting point.”
After White’s comments, Kevin Kay, the president of Bellator’s US broadcast partner Spike TV, said the number was “dead-on accurate”.
The true number will reportedly be available in the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) filings of Viacom, Bellator’s parent company, later this year.
FO SCORE: Between gauging Bellator’s future profitability and its status as a competitor to the UFC, there’s quite a bit riding on the real magic number for Bellator 120.
CONTROVERSIAL SANCHEZ-PEARSON DECISION CANNOT BE OVERTURNED
The New Mexico State Athletic Commission has said it’s unable to reverse Diego Sanchez’s controversial decision win over Ross Pearson at UFC Fight Night 42 in June. Chairman Tom King told mmafighting.com there are no rules to allow the commission to overturn a debated judges’ call. Fans and pundits alike were dismayed with 29-28 and 30-27 scores for Sanchez, who was fighting in his hometown of Albuquerque, despite Pearson appearing to control most of the bout and deal out more damage.
FO SCORE: It’ll be frustrating for ‘The Real Deal’ , but UFC president Dana White paid Pearson his win bonus despite the official verdict and stated the promotion will treat it as a win for the striker in regards to his future matchups.
‘IT WOULD BE BETTER’ IF UFC’S WOMEN FIGHTERS WERE REPLACED WITH STRIPPERS
Veteran fighting female Ediane Gomes recently said “it would be better” if fighters in the UFC’s female divisions were replaced with strippers, based on her assertion members of the UFC’s women’s roster are overly concerned with their appearance.
Gomes, who once fought a man in an underground Brazilian MMA bout, told mmafighting.com: “MMA has become a new thing (for females) because of Ronda, but she’s actually one of the few real fighters. To be in the UFC, you have to show your ass. They should just put some strippers to brawl in there, it would be better.”
FO SCORE: Ahead of the biggest fight of her career, against Cris ‘Cyborg’ in Invicta, Gomes certainly managed to draw a lot of attention with the above comments.
REWIND FAST FORWARD
Legend reborn: linking two combatants – one past, one present
Explosive UFC athletes with swanky French names
Georges St Pierre
Majority of UFC wins by:
Decision (63%)
Often referred to as: GSP
Ovince St Preux
Often referred to as: OSP
Majority of UFC and Strikeforce wins by: Decision (40%)
Quotes
“(Rory MacDonald) makes guys feel awkward… Sometimes you’ve got to say to yourself, ‘I am paid to be an entertainer.’ In my fights it’s not if I get hit; it’s when I get hit.”
And that’s why Johny Hendricks could become the UFC 170lb division’s most popular champion
“I was training with Cindy Dandois... I went to push-kick her and she came forward at the same time and I snap-kicked her right in the vagina. And I swear I almost broke my foot. Like, that girl has an iron vagina.”
UFC women’s standout Miesha Tate unwittingly adds another facet to Cindy Dandois’ future game plans
“It was without a doubt the worst season and the least motivated the fighters have ever been. But I can say this, at least the fights (picked) up at the end.”
You know TUF 19 was bad when even UFC president Dana White can’t summon the promoter in him
“(I want) to thank the most important opponent I’ve ever had. I couldn’t have got here without this dance partner, and that is of course you, Anderson Silva. Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you for the memories.”
Even while giving his retirement speech, silver-tongued Chael Sonnen had a few surprises
“Maybe nine times out of 10 I can beat him right. I’m just happy that I got that one loss, that one time that I could possibly lose to him, I got it out of the way.”
Says light heavyweight Patrick Cummins of UFC 170 rival Daniel Cormier. Anyone willing to take a bet on nine straight Cummins victories?
Tim Tebow: Star sighting
Who? Former NFL quarterback
Where? UFC 174, Rogers Arena, Vancouver, Canada
A much-hyped college football prospect who has struggled to find a role as quarterback after getting to the NFL, Tim Tebow was in Vancouver to cheer on occasional MMA training partner and old college football friend Brendan Schaub at UFC 174.
