Issue 088

May 2012

Things we hear, things we see, things we know.

Ex-EliteXC vice president Jared Shaw embarks on music career

The former vice president of the now-defunct EliteXC promotion, Jared Shaw (pictured), has officially launched a career in music. The son of the former owner of the EliteXC promotion Gary Shaw, Jared, known to be a rapper during his days as an MMA exec, released a music video for his ‘hip-pop’ song Mr All The Wrong Ones off the former MMA talent scout’s reportedly forthcoming EP, Coffee and Chronic Vol. 1. According to Shaw’s Twitter account he is also on the books of the PR mega-firm Creative Artists Agency – home to names like Justin Bieber, Brad Pitt and David Beckham.

UFC, Pride veteran Goodridge diagnosed with brain damage

MMA veteran Gary Goodridge has been diagnosed with brain damage, the Canadian fighter has revealed. The former UFC, Pride and K-1 fighter told website MMA Weekly that doctors have discovered he has early onset dementia pugilistica, which is caused by repeated head trauma and concussions. Adding he “had no regrets” about his life, Goodridge said: “I think most of my damage came from K-1. MMA really wasn’t an issue because there’s hardly any shots to the head.” Goodridge recently released his autobiography, Gatekeeper: The Fighting Life of Gary ‘Big Daddy’ Goodridge.

History of MMA documentary primed for release

The much-talked-about, and long-awaited, documentary Underdogs: The History of MMA will be released later this year. Produced by Bobby Razak, best known for producing the Georges St Pierre and David Loiseau documentary The Striking Truth, the film recounts mixed martial arts’ evolution from underground spectacle to mainstream sport through the eyes of pioneers such as referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy, UFC president Dana White, fight legend Frank Shamrock and UFC co-founder Art Davie.

Michael Bisping splits from Wolfslair camp

Britain’s most successful mixed martial artist, Michael Bisping, has split from Wolfslair, his longtime gym and management. The UK’s most high-profile team had no presence in ‘The Count’s corner for his pivotal number-one contender bout against Chael Sonnen at UFC on Fox 2 in January and the UFC middleweight, 22-4, has now jumped from his former handlers to Paradigm Management. Bisping said: “I am excited to join the team, I’m sure I’ll have a bright future here.”