Issue 105
September 2013
Morsels of Fighters Only musings on everything mma
1 WHITE SAYS BELLATOR ‘NEVER GOING TO BE AS GOOD AS’ UFC
THREE ROUNDS OF ACTION
FO SCORES MMA'S HOTTEST STORIES
UFC president Dana White recently blasted competitor promotion Bellator, saying it will “never be as good as us.” The rival company, part-owned by media giant Viacom, has improved its profile in the sport over the past few years thanks to several high-profile fighter acquisitions and exposure on Spike TV in the US, the former home of the UFC.
However, White told MMA Junkie he believes the UFC’s work rate will make it impossible for Bellator to contend for the UFC’s crown as the biggest MMA promotion in the world.
White commented: “They’re never going to be as good as us. This is what we do 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Christmas. Easter. Let Christmas time come. Viacom shuts down from December 3rd to after the New Year and then all the big holidays in between.”
FO SCORE: The verbal barbs between the UFC and Bellator have escalated in recent times, catalyzed in part by legal disagreements over several fighters. Bellator’s struggles to establish itself in a steady timeslot on North American television mean it’s currently a challenge for it to build ratings to contend with the UFC on a consistent basis.
2 MEGUMI FUJII ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT BOUT
Women’s MMA legend Megumi Fujii has said she intends to fight once more then call time on her career. Japan’s ‘Mega Megu,’ who notched a 26-2 record at the time of going to press, told fans recently she would compete for the last time at Vale Tudo Japan 3rd in October. She was at one time the owner of one of the longest undefeated streaks in all of MMA, going 22-0.
FO SCORE: MMA retirements appear to be unceasing. Fujii’s announcement comes at the same time as fellow MMA mark-makers ‘Babalu’ Sobral and Seth Petruzelli step away from the game. Fujii stacking on the extra 20lb for the UFC’s new 135lb women’s class won’t happen, but she will undoubtedly go down as one of, if not the, best female mixed martial artist ever.
3 EA SPORTS UFC TO BE RELEASED ON PS4, XBOX ONE
The first UFC video game to be released by mega publisher EA Sports will be a next-gen title. EA Sports UFC, the latest installment in a long line of UFC video games, will be available for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It’s currently set for a spring 2014 release.
FO SCORE: The accounts coming out of E3, a massive industry fair during which a select few were able to see the game in action, suggest fans can expect an intense level of detail and accuracy. Combining the gameplay of the significantly underrated EA Sports MMA with the scope, roster and resources of the UFC, let alone the advanced hardware of the PS4 and new Xbox, should mean great things.
ON THE RADAR
Three red-hot prospects worth keeping an eye on...
Marcus Edwards, 4-1
Quick, powerful, with a taste for the finish, Marcus Edwards is built exactly the way the UFC likes its lightweights. Training with UFC 185lb’er Chris Camozzi at Factory X Muay Thai in Colorado, Edwards is only 4-1 but that record comes free of padding and with just one decision: the lone loss, on his pro debut. He’s got a victory over respected TUF hopeful Dakota Cochrane, and between his 11-0 amateur career and his four ‘W’s at pro, he’s finished every fight except two in the first round. The UFC isn’t exactly gasping for 155lb fighters, but with time and continued success Edwards should get there.
Luke Zachrich, 12-2
A one-time protégé of UFC legend Dan Severn, and an ex Bellator 185lb tourney entrant in 2010, Zachrich’s slick ground game and powerful hands would have got him further in his seven-year career if it wasn’t for large periods of inactivity. A slight tendency to leave his chin exposed on the feet hasn’t hurt his pro loss column yet, but a 1-1 stint on TUF 7 in 2008 ended with a TKO defeat. With 10 of 12 wins by stoppage, he could get a late-replacement UFC call-up despite being 31 and a TUF alumnus.
Chaban Ka, 6-1-1
For a heavyweight, France’s Chaban Ka is athletic. You just have to see his leap onto the back of Alexei Kudin to wrap up a fight-ending rear naked choke at M-1 Challenge 38 to appreciate that. Coupled with the fact he can take a solid punch he could be a decent heavyweight prospect with enough wins, despite some rudimentary striking abilities.
STAR SIGHTING: LARRY FITZGERALD
Who? Wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals
Where? UFC 160, Las Vegas, Nevada
He’s friends with UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, regularly watches UFC pay-per-views with the rest of his team and he’s even clocked some training hours at UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta’s private gym in Las Vegas.
QUOTES
“Once the club set started, (Jamie Foxx) was giving shout-outs to everybody, and then my moment comes. I’m on the couch right next to him and he says, ‘Yeah, I’d like to give a shout-out to my man in the building, Rashad Lewis!’ I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I felt so bad.”
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, ladies and gentleman
“Kids dragged me to see Fast & Furious 6 today. Gina was good but I still liked the book better.”
Award-winning coach Greg Jackson puts in a bid for becoming a must-follow on Twitter
“I did feel kind of bad. I was like, ‘Man, I went too far.’ But ever since the tragedy happened, I don’t feel bad. The only thing I regret is I didn’t keep hitting him and choke him out and put him out of his misery.”
Former UFC welterweight John Howard on the time he broke the nose of future Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev during sparring
“He shows up, gives 110% and at the end of the day, when it’s all over, there’s a puddle on the floor where Chad was training. Chad puts in work.”
Perhaps TUF 10 alumnus Scott Junk is better off not detailing what Canadian Football League player Chad Owens gets up to at his gym
“I wished for a good fight. I wish I could have been faster. I wish I could have been stronger than I used to be. But my body cannot continue to do this anymore, and it’s time for me to step out.”
The career of UFC veteran Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral comes to a close
REWIND - FAST FORWARD
Legend reborn: linking two combatants – one past, one present
Big bellies, heavy hands
BUTTERBEAN
Foundation: Boxing
Shouldn’t have a ground game: Has eight submission wins
ROY NELSON
Does have a ground game: Has five submission wins
Foundation: Grappling
