Issue 040
August 2008
One of the most memorable sound bites in recent MMA history involved just four simple words: “Sean Sherk, you’re dead.”
Having just left Joe Stevenson a bloody mess, BJ Penn took control of Joe Rogan’s microphone and sent the chilling warning to his upcoming challenger sitting a few feet away in the commentary chair. A ripple of excitement went through the audience and those watching at home as we realised in unison that, to use a cliché, it’s on.
Fans were already aware of the frosty relationship between the two fighters, which stemmed from Sherk testing positive for nandrolone after his title defence against Hermes Franca. Penn initially said that his bout against Stevenson would be for the “natural” title rather than the interim one. “Just like bodybuilding,” said Penn. “If guys are cheating, maybe there should be two divisions.” As Sherk proclaimed his innocence to anyone that would listen, the pair continued to exchange verbal jabs in the build-up to their fight.
When being filmed training with his stand-up coach Rudy Valentino for the North American pay per view countdown show, Penn used a different inflammatory word after connecting with each punch. “Nandrolone! California! (The state Sherk tested positive in) 12mg!”
Sherk responded by questioning the heart of his opponent and claiming that someone who comes from a rich background could never truly understand what it’s like to have to fight for everything or be truly fuelled by desire. He said that he’d never previously had a genuine dislike for an opponent but this would be the exception. Even shaking Penn’s hand after the bout could not be guaranteed, so strong were his feelings.
Not only was this a battle between arguably the two top 155lb fighters in the world, competing for the undisputed lightweight title, but they genuinely hated each other as well. All the ingredients were there for a classic title fight. Ultimately, Penn went on to cement his status as the division’s best with a third-round stoppage, so confirming his position as an elite fighter in the sport as a whole.
Curiously though, there was a distinct lack of tension between the two men come fight night. We’d been led to believe they wanted to rip the heads off each other - but by looking at the loving embrace afterwards, they seemed more likely to rip the clothes off one another.
Penn was overheard to say: “Come by any time. I just wanted to build the biggest fight in history”.
I am far from a bloodthirsty savage and all I really care about is the sport itself. But hearing these comments after having allowed myself to buy into the hype over the months preceding the fight, I couldn’t help but feel slightly short-changed.
It is true that a fighter may discover a newfound respect for an opponent once the final bell rings. Also, it is in the promoter’s interests to play on any existing bad blood to generate more pay per view buys. But it is hard to believe that a hatchet could have been buried quite so quickly. Was there ever any serious ‘ill will’ between the pair or were the paying public simply being played like a banjo?
It’s not as if it’s the first time they’ve bragged about effectively misleading the fans.
As recently as at UFC 83, Georges St Pierre claimed that Matt Serra had crossed the line with his comments ahead of their fight, and that he would pay for themmma fighter. Serra had remarked, “Frenchie should go watch ice hockey and drink his red wine.” Sacrébleu!
That fight was unique in that you could have booked me to fight St Pierre and it would have still have sold out on the basis of it being the first UFC in Canada. To pay per view buying fans however there was little reason to take heed other than the head-on clash of personalities.
Once St Pierre had reclaimed his welterweight belt, after a series of brutal knees to Serra’s body, he said to his Montreal fans: “Please don’t do anything to this guy. He just said stuff to hype up the fight and I did as well.”
Even the company-defining feud that was Tito Ortiz against Ken Shamrock, which raged for over seven years concluded with the latter thanking the crowd by saying: “We both a made a lot of money.” The fighters need to stop telling us how foolish we are for listening to what they say, because we may start to take offence. If that happens then there will be little they can do to market otherwise quite pedestrian bouts - such as the planned heavyweight contest between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir - that lack drama or intrigue.
As much as I want to believe that ‘Minotauro’ wants to choke the life out of him for taking the last doughnut at the buffet table, I just don’t know what to believe anymore.
