Issue 068

October 2010

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

Buffer opens own poker room

‘The Voice of the Octagon’ Bruce Buffer has announced the opening of his own poker room at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The room is high-stakes and will allow people to play against the 53-year-old on UFC event weekends. Buffer was an avid poker player from eight years old and turned professional six years ago. In addition to playing cards at the man’s poker premises, Buffer fans can even visit the onsite Buffer Poker Zone – a shop that sells various MMA merchandise and stocks a signature Bruce Buffer shirt made by clothing brand Silver Star.  

Major acquisitions

Footwear manufacturing giant K-Swiss has acquired FORM Athletics, an MMA brand co-founded by WEC star Uriah Faber. With surf wear player Billabong recently acquiring RVCA, the long-time sponsor of BJ Penn, insiders are now questioning whether this could be a sign of more big-name sports clothing companies moving into the MMA market. FORM has snapped up a league of fighters for sponsorship of late, including UFC middleweight Mark Munoz, WEC bantamweight Joseph Benavidez and dangerous UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones. Urijah Faber also recently starred in a K-Swiss Internet video viral opposite Kenny Powers, the belligerent protagonist of HBO comedy series Eastbound and Down, played by Danny McBride (Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express). 

TUF-Girl?

Female fighters will have their own reality show. The much-delayed Ultimate Fighter-style TV series following a group of 16 female fighters is reportedly set to be shown on major television network, NBC, in the fall. Hosted by MMA legend Bas Rutten and supermodel Joanna Krupa, the awkwardly titled Ultimate Women Challenge will see two competitors crowned champions. Aside from fighting, challengers will face weekly tasks and eliminations. Julie Kedzie (14-8), Jessica Aguilar (8-3) and Brandon Vera’s sister Michelle Vera (1-0) are slated to compete.

California considers half-point judging

Controversial decisions could be on the decline. Respected mixed martial arts figures spoke to the California State Athletic Commission in late July about incorporating the half-point judging system. Referees Herb Dean, ‘Big’ John McCarthy and Nelson ‘Doc’ Hamilton, also a veteran judge, are proponents of the scheme, which comes from kickboxing, where very close rounds are scored 10-9.5 and a clearly won round is scored 10-9 and so on. Currently, very close rounds or solidly won rounds are both scored 10-9 with judges’ decisions sometimes not being reflective of the fight itself.