Issue 070
December 2010
We asked four different figures from the MMA world their opinions on the pressing matters of the time.
THE FIGHTER
Anthony Johnson, promising UFC welterweight, 8-3-0
THE FAN
Adam Hunter, 32, Las Vegas, NV
THE WRITER
Hunter Jones, MMA enthusiast and writer at ChasingHunterJones.com
THE INSIDER
Wad Alameddine, manager of standout fighters such as Paul Daley, Andre Winner and Nick Osipczak
Q1 Can Josh Koscheck stop Georges St Pierre’s UFC welterweight title reign?
A: Johnson
“He can stop it but I don’t see it happening. Koscheck’s striking overall doesn’t compare and GSP’s wrestling is still on point – no disrespect to Kos. I think it’ll be a close fight but GSP will still hold the belt.”
A: Hunter
“If anyone can annoy GSP and force him out of his game plan it’s Koscheck. He seems to relish the villain role – and the only thing Canadians seem to love more than GSP is Celine Dion and not having an army.”
A: Jones
“Nope. Comparing Koscheck to GSP is like comparing a Muppet Baby with Tourettes to Michael Jordan. I think the bigger questions are, will Koscheck fake a crotch hit again, and when will he learn to stop running his mouth like a drunken Mel Gibson?”
A: Alemaddine
“Yes. I believe Koscheck is a very talented fighter, and now he knows what to expect – from the pair’s first fight – he has the ability to win.”
Q2 What should athletic commissions do to better deter fighters from using performance enhancing drugs?
A: Johnson
“Bigger fines and worse punishment like longer suspensions.”
A: Hunter
“If the fighters were forced to give up their entire salaries for the fights due to a positive test then there would be a lot less steroids. It has to be clear what constitutes as a PED too.”
A: Jones
“They should do nothing, but they should stop trashing fighters’ reputations for something that’s not as dramatic as they make it. If people actually knew how many of their MMA golden boys were using PEDs, they’d be shocked.”
A: Alemaddine
“Longer bans and heavier fines, as well as random testing leading up to fights throughout the fighter’s training camp – that’s when it all takes place.”
Q3 Who’s the most underrated fighter on the planet?
A: Johnson
“I don’t know who the most underrated fighter is. In my opinion every fighter is pretty damn good.”
A: Hunter
“Jose Aldo. Aldo completely dominated Uriah Faber and Mike Brown, and beat Cub Swanson in eight seconds. The only thing that I ever did in eight seconds was embarrass myself on prom night.”
A: Jones
“Todd Duffee. That dude barely got a millisecond chance to make his mark in the UFC and I think he would’ve shown us many rad fights had he not got the great White boot.”
A: Alemaddine
“Tough one! You know what, nobody springs to mind. Certain parts of people’s game are underrated, but a fighter in general gets the recognition they deserve through the fans that follow him or her.”
Q4 Dan Henderson is fighting ‘Babalu’ Sobral in Strikeforce in December. Who’s going to win and how?
A: Johnson
“Dan Henderson will win by TKO.”
A: Hunter
“‘Hendo’, if he’s healthy, in a grind-it-out wrestling match that will piss off every kid in the chat room that lives with his mom and is taking a break from World of Warcraft Championship.”
A: Jones
“I’m rooting for Henderson and, unlike the span of time it took to get these two back in the ring, I think the fight won’t make it past the second round; Henderson’s right hook being the end-all.”
A: Alemaddine
“I can see Henderson taking this one by TKO in the second half of the fight. It’s going to be close though and either guy could walk away with the win.”
Q5 Who will you vote for as ‘Referee of the Year’ at the Fighters Only World MMA Awards?
A: Johnson
“Either Herb Dean or Josh Rosenthal, but I like all the refs.”
A: Hunter
“Josh Rosenthal for not stopping Lesnar vs Carwin. It allowed for one of the greatest comebacks of all time.”
A: Jones
“Mario Yamasaki. I like a ref that knows when to let a fight be
a fight.”
A: Alemaddine
“I’ve always been a fan of ‘Big’ John McCarthy, although the Brits are doing a great job. Leon Roberts and Marc Goddard are certainly coming up.”
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