(Los Angeles , CA) - Just three days before its November 14th event in Ontario California, the fledgling MMA Promotion, Called Out MMA, originally known as Call To Arms, a name it remains unofficially tied to somehow, canceled its third event.

The fight card was a solid one and was recently announced to be airing live on the highly regarded MMA site, Sherdog.com. The card was to feature UFC veterans Hector Ramirez, Alberto Crane and Lodune Sincaid.

Sources close to the executives said that funding due in, prior to the required deadline, did not come through.

The promotion began under CEO Michael Larson in May of 2009 and is said to have lost a significant amount of money. However in its second event, the company changed its name to Called Out MMA and a new CEO, Steve 'Stealth' Miller took over operations.

The second event, and first Called Out MMA show, featured some very talented fighters, including a newcomer to the UFC, Jay Silva.

The matchmaking for this third and now postponed show was no different, sizing up to be equally strong and exciting. The bouts scheduled were:

Hector Ramirez vs. Lodune Sincaid
Vince Ortiz vs. Georgi Karakhanyan
Wander Braga vs. Alberto Crane
Chad George vs. Greg Guzman
Sophie Bagherdai vs. Avery Vilche
Sevak Magakian vs. Jeremy Umphries
Ben Jones vs. Waylon Kennell
Juliano Prado vs. RJ Clifford
Sean Loeffler vs. Brad Harris
Maurice Jackson vs. David Mejia
Craig Wilkerson vs. Marcos Gonzalez


*Further information about what to do should you be a ticket holder, continue checking the promotion's website, www.calledoutmma.com for updates.

By Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti

The Scene: UFC 104

At the close of what was a solid night of Mixed Martial Arts action, at the Staple Center in Los Angeles, California, two co-main events ended with a collective one-two punch that irritated the crowd in attendance.

Both Cain Velasquez’s win over Ben Rothwell and Lyoto Machida’s win over Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua upset the fans that, up until that point in the evening, seemed very pleased with UFC 104.

The diagnosis for what caused so good a night to turn bad is an epidemic of bad vision, that will seemingly stricken ring or cage-side judges and officials in the combat sports community. I call it The Blind Flu. Symptoms include rendering a verdict that clashes so greatly with what actually happened that most would question if the afflicted were even at the event, had they not seen them with their own eyes.

It was in the theme of a jab, straight right hand combination, that this outbreak of Blind Flu went from bad to worse, with co-main event one, then two being ruled in such a way that a vast majority completely disagree with.

Here’s how it went down.

TYPE “A” BLIND FLU: Premature Stoppage of Ben Rothwell vs. Cain Velasquez

This particular lapse in judgment is the kind that is so close to what is a just call, that the reaction by fans and media alike is usually mixed. A majority of people in attendance at UFC 104, however, a group spearheaded by Ben Rothwell, were quite vocal about the fact that they felt the stoppage by referee Steve Mazagatti was premature.

And while the case for that is both reasonable and bothersome, it was not out of the blue. Mr. Mazagatti did walk over to Rothwell’s corner before the second round to caution him about taking unnecessary abuse. So, when he saw more of the same, he halted the action.

Round one, as I blogged that night (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/277978-ufc-104-live-blog-cageside-with-the-yacman), looked a lot like Cain and Unable. Take downs by Velasquez, then ground and pound work were all that we saw happen in this fight. These guys would stand, then as they say on shampoo labels...repeat.

Rothwell needed to stop Cain’s momentum before the man in black officiating did. However, round two was more of the same. No matter what position Ben and Cain were in, Cain was using his one free hand to slug him non-stop.

So, it is my belief that when fans witnessed the stoppage, it was not apparent to them that Steve Mazagatti had seen enough, heading into the second round, poised to save Ben from a gratuitous beating. This scenario is not horrible, as both of the possibilities, stopping the fight or letting it go on, seems fair.

Ben Rothwell is a tough and durable fighter, period. However, the sole reason why the stoppage did not seem too extreme is because there was not even a hint of evidence that the fight would look any different should it have continued. Cain Velasquez was going to continue to shoot in, score take downs and throw his free hand(s) until Steve Mazagatti did stop the fight.
Now, here is where it became a more severe case.

TYPE “B” BLIND FLU: Inability to see what is before you

The main event between former Pride FC star Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua and current UFC Light heavyweight Champion Lyoto ‘The Dragon’ Machida was a good a match up as one can hope for in MMA.

Two great strikers who can mix it up standing or on the ground entered the cage for what most also did not expect would go the distance. That was the first unexpected result to come of this bout, but certainly not the last.

Machida was an insanely heavy favorite to win. And why not? His statistics going into it made it seem easier to solve a Rubik’s cube with your feet, than to beat him.

Shogun did what Dana White promised he would, he looked like the Shogun of Pride fame, aggressive, relentless and durable. This is what made the difference in the fight. Lyoto Machida did not get beaten up badly, but he did get outworked and moved backwards all but one round.
Machida seemed to be waiting for an ideal moment to open up the lightning speed strikes coupled with ghost-like defense, yet that moment did not come. Lyoto did show flashes of that technique which has made him steamroll over top competitors, but so sparingly that it did not amount to much.

The Rumor: Lyoto Machida had been dealing with an actual flu, going into this fight in a weakened state.

In a journalistic pursuit to not only know the truth, but report it as well, I reached out to Machida’s manager Ed Soares. He was, as he has always been with me, courteous and responsive, calling me right back. The lingering effect of being at odds with so many about how his fighter should have fared, was still apparent in his voice. This is a man who always makes you feel he is so glad to talk to you. This time, he was just willing to talk.

In our brief chat, Ed Soares not only addressed the possibility that Lyoto had the flu before UFC 104, but also provided an official statement about the widespread disapproval for Lyoto retaining his title.

When asked pointedly, if Lyoto had been stricken by the flu leading up to UFC 104, Ed Soares stated, “No. He did not have the flu.” As I noted this on paper, verbatim, the call fell silent. Then, I asked for his camp’s statement about the reaction to Lyoto winning the fight, to which Ed replied, “Honestly…you’re not going to like this but, no comment. We have no comment.”

Truthfully, I was indifferent towards that answer. I did not seek an inflammatory answer or an apologetic one, laced with humility. I just wanted whatever Ed would share. I thank him for it once again; he is a great man who brings a lot to our sport.

Conclusion:

UFC 104 was a stacked event that delivered on its promises. The unfortunate endings to the co-main events, which is obviously out of the UFC’s hands, merely put a damper on things.
Dana White publicly stated that he was also opposed to the Machida vs. Shogun outcome, declaring that an immediate rematch would be set.

Forecasting:

If Lyoto Machida is the elite, super-athlete he seemed to be, like Anderson Silva, GSP and even boxing’s Roy Jones Jr., then he will likely take this uproar at his retaining the title, serious. The expectation if he does, is what we often see when these gifted fighters lose in an out of the blue like fashion…a total, one-sided annihilation win over the man who beat them, in the rematch.

Let us hope whether that happens or not, that in the rematch we see the Lyoto Machida we know is inside that champion, released all over the octagon. A full on war between Machida and Rua would really be a killer main event. I sure hope we get to actually see that sometime soon!

By Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti –Commentator for Call to Arms MMA
www.calltoarmsfights.com

On June 6, 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri at Scottrade Center, Strikeforce will host another solid MMA fight card that promises fireworks as usual.

One bout, however, could generate more hype, action and an exciting finish worthy of stealing the show. That fight, in my opinion is ‘The New York Bad Ass’, Phil Baroni versus Joe ‘Diesel’ Riggs.

If you break this fight down from the roots on up, it is already a great match up on paper. Both men have a body of work that qualifies them as experienced. Both have fought in the UFC, in addition to various other promotions, since embarking upon their MMA careers.

Both Baroni and Riggs have fought successfully, many times, at a weight that is heavier than the 170 lb. contest they are about to do.

It is also very difficult to peer at the records of both Riggs and Baroni and say who has fought the bigger names, holds the bigger wins, as both of them can make a case in those categories. Riggs lost to Diego Sanchez, yet holds a win over a younger Nick Diaz.

Phil Baroni’s record shows a loss to the likes of Frank Shamrock but also a KO win over Ryo Chonan, the last man to legitimately defeat Anderson Silva (Yushin Okami holds a DQ win over Silva shortly after).

So if being seasoned isn’t a major factor in this fight, and age really isn’t either, then what is?

STYLES, SUBTLE DISTINCTIONS AND INTANGIBLES:

The New York Bad Ass and Diesel Riggs are both also solid wrestlers, boxers and comfortable on the ground, so no major advantage for anyone there. Baroni is a two-time All American collegiate wrestler, while Riggs has mirrored this achievement in his pre-MMA career.

In Baroni's initial years as a fighter, he had seven kickboxing matches and ten amateur boxing matches. He won every single one of those seventeen fights by knockout.

Is the need to split hairs to find an edge becoming apparent now?

There is no question that Phil Baroni and Joe Riggs are not taking easy fights or dodging a legitimate challenge. This is going to be a fight. Robbie Lawler and Jake Shields may be pressured more by trying to follow this fight, than by each other.

One key difference coming into this welterweight showdown is momentum. Riggs is fifty-fifty in his last 4 fights, with two wins and two losses. Phil Baroni is on a three fight win streak since descending from the middleweight division.

Riggs and Baroni can both claim to be KO artists at the level of a cage-fighting Picasso. Over his career, Riggs has fought in the Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, Middleweight and Welterweight divisions.

Taking this into account, one can easily think that Riggs will not be overly disheartened by Baroni’s power, having fought as high as Heavyweight. This notion could not be more wrong.

I have had a long conversation or two with Frank Shamrock, my friend and a fighter I respect greatly, about Baroni’s move down to welterweight and how hard he hit at middleweight.

In a nutshell, Shamrock said Baroni hit like a freight train at 185 lbs. and upon hearing Phil would be fighting at 170 lbs., instantly knew the KO ratio Baroni touts would increase. So far, by the way, Baroni has added a KO and TKO in his three bouts at welterweight.

So, while Riggs has been in with the big men, Baroni’s punching power can quickly render that fact irrelevant.

One style point that Riggs brings that is uncommon yet not rare, is being a right-handed fighter who has been schooled to box as a south-paw. His lead left is his power shot and he delivers it with bad intentions.

In his most recent win over Luke Stewart at Strikeforce “Destruction”, Riggs used that very weapon to dispose of Stewart in the second round.

THE BULLSEYE CHIN:

When two heavy handed men go at it in the cage, chances are both chins will be tested somewhat, regardless of who wins the fight. Baroni may hold the advantage here. One thing that makes a one-punch power fighter even more dangerous is when he can walk through your power, if he must, in order to deliver his.

You can expect Phil Baroni to take a shot and not crumble. Riggs’ best shot with strikes is attrition.

THE SUBMISSION GAME:

13 of Joe ‘Diesel’ Riggs’ 29 wins are by submission. ‘The New York Bad Ass’ Phil Baroni has just 2 submissions in his 13 wins. It would seem this is more than a slight edge for Riggs, with his chances of tapping Baroni being much higher than being tapped by Baroni. This is another very deceptive statistic.

Phil Baroni has only tapped out once in his entire career as an MMA fighter. Let me repeat that. Baroni has only tapped out once, “eva.” In 2005, at UFC 51, Pete Sell was able to execute a guillotine choke on Baroni, in the third round of their fight.

Even when Phil was in a rear naked choke against Frank Shamrock in 2007, he did not and would not tap. His loss was ruled a TKO (technical submission). He is that tough.

Joe Riggs is a smart fighter without question, which means if he can secure a submission on Baroni, he will. But it also means he won’t enter this match expecting to tap Phil.

I am very excited to see this match. Riggs and Baroni are fighters, not runners or survivors or lay and pray guys. It is very likely that the judges cage-side will be about as necessary as a lifeguard at a Jacuzzi.

This fight will finish, not just end. If it does go to a decision, every single ticket holder will have received their money’s worth on this fight alone.

PERSONALITY:

Joe Riggs and Phil Baroni are two guys who may never have crossed paths with shyness. I know firsthand with Baroni. I have been fortunate enough to interview Phil a few times and each time he let the fans and me know what he was thinking, what he didn’t care to share and what a dumb question that was, that I just asked.

That is the reality show element that any fan based sport needs. Riggs and especially Baroni, are characters, real complex characters.

Love him or hate him, and most are on one side or the other on this, Phil Baroni is a master showman. It does not matter if you do call yourself a fan of Baroni or if you mock him in private. You know his name and his persona. The New York Bad Ass is a known brand name, and that is masterful marketing.

Shamrock versus Baroni was one of the best hyped fights in MMA. The trash talk started over a year and a few failed attempts to make the fight, earlier. It continued until the match was over.

If Baroni can continue to rack up more wins than losses, he can write his own ticket, champion or not. People will flock to see him smash or get smashed, period. That is the best case scenario for a fighter, putting asses in the seats for whatever reason.

Just like the Howard Stern movie, where people who hated him and people who loved him, all listened non-stop just to see what he would say next, ratings don’t discern emotions, they only show numbers.

When a known brand name talks smack, shows up and produces KO’s, takes punishment and keeps coming, that brand should stay in demand.

Watch Phil Baroni's first step into the welterweight division at Cage Rage: http://dailymotion.virgilio.it/video/x63zrp_cage-rage-27-phil-baroni-vs-scott-j_sport

-YACMAN

By Ron 'The Yacman' Yacovetti
Commentator for Call to Arms MMA (www.calltoarmsfights.com)

hue (hyōō) n.

1.Appearance; aspect: a man of somber hue.


At UFC 98, two prominent names in the organization who share the same first name, Matt, squared off for a place in the welterweight division's top ten.


Matt Hughes, the MMA legend and one-time master of the slam, took on Matt Serra, a solid BJJ practitioner who also possesses heavy hands. Hughes, admittedly or not, is fighting for relevance in a division he no longer rules. Serra ruled over the 170 lb. class more recently, but for a time frame similar to how long humans have ruled the Earth in comparison to how old the planet is...a proverbial blink of an eye.


Matt "The Terra" Serra looked ready. He appeared prepared to continue waging his ongoing battle to crawl out from under the "one hit wonder win over Georges St. Pierre" shadow. Going into this fight, it seemed ideal in that respect too. Serra would be dangerous, being the heavier handed fighter, should it remain a stand up war, and with his high level of Jiu-Jitsu equally dangerous against a wrestler who will look to dump him on his back.


So what exactly happened?


We saw a hue of Hughes we continue to see more of since he's lost in recent years. He no longer provides the crowd pleasing, high, back-breaking slams, but instead, churns out a slew of outside leg trips and smooth double-leg take-downs.


Now what, you may ask, is wrong with that? - Well, nothing at first.

The problem comes when Hughes does what MMA fans the world over call "laying and praying." It's often done by one fighter, to simply smother their opponent so as to get a rest, tire them out or literally make time to pray that the referee stands both fighters back up.


It is a pretty strong accusation to make, especially when talking about one of the UFC's finest, in Matt Hughes. However, I cannot recall one submission attempt by Hughes, at any point when the action (or lack thereof) was on the ground.


Hughes did what a wrestler who does not know any submissions would do, merely controlling his opponent, holding him down and sustaining dominant position (See Lesnar versus Herring for another example, as Brock took his back and rode him like a rodeo bull, ignoring the rear naked choke entirely).


The frustrating thing to watch was how Serra was unable to move fluidly beneath him, making Hughes work and fend off submissions. It was only in the third round that the official began to stand them up more and wait less time before doing it.


Round two was very much like watching Hughes laying on a raft in a pool.

He got on top of it, stayed balanced on it and chilled out. No question he is strong as an ox to be able to smother a guy like Serra, but he really did not help his cause very much either.


Having recently read reviews of the entire fight card, which was awesome to me, but more specifically, about Hughes and if he deserves a title shot now, I am not unsure about how I see that, at all.


Did Matt Hughes win the fight over Matt Serra? Yes.


Was the fight close enough to be a split decision? Yes, I thought it was going to be a split.


Did Hughes' performance scream title shot against St. Pierre? I'd say it did not even whisper it.


It would not be a bad thing to have Hughes take on another fight or two, against top level guys, before saying, "He's back!"How about testing his resolve and desire to reign over the welterweights by making him take on Anthony "Rumble" Johnson, who will relentlessly push the pace and not likely get pinned down like a beaten WWE guy about to lose?


This review is an assessment of what happened in UFC 98, Hughes versus Serra. There is no question how talented, strong and iconic Matt Hughes has been in his dominant UFC career. But, in all of combat sports, you do not get to declare superiority long after your performances stop displaying it.


The old hues of Matt Hughes will always remain impressive. Sadly, fighters often remain competitive when it is no longer within their ability or desire to be that great anymore. As a result, fans like us are let down because after having heard their name mentioned on a fight card, we found hope that the hues that made us love them, just might inexplicably, show up that night too.

- YACMAN
www.yacandjshow.com

By Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti

ad•ap•ta•tion (ād'āp-tā'shən) n.
Change in behavior of a person or group in response to new or modified surroundings.

This weekend’s UFC 98 fight card is being headlined by one of combat sports’ rarest of bouts, an undefeated fighter taking on an undefeated fighter. I am already edging closer to the end of my seat cushion.

Equally impressive, is the fact that most journalists in MMA are on the fence about who will win, making predictions, if at all, with airs of caution, as if to say, “Look, don’t quote me on this…” That is what you call a tossup.

But is the reason so many people are torn on foretelling the victor, really because neither warrior has experienced losing? Perhaps this is a factor for some folks, though I find this aspect of the fight somewhat similar to offsetting penalties in football, they cancel each other out.

So what then, dare I say will make this match exciting as well as assist in the determination of a winner? – Styles.

We have all heard it before, “Styles make fights.” This UFC 98 main event is no exception. The most telling thing about the styles of both Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans is how they are dissimilar.

Evans is a modern day mixed martial artist; period. He is diverse, well-conditioned and very athletic. One does not make it to 13-0-1 by being anything less than well-rounded. However, his one draw against Tito Ortiz may serve as a red flag, should Machida’s unorthodox and elusive style have him guessing about what to try next.

I remember watching the Evans versus Ortiz bout wondering if Rashad had not been sent the memo stating that he was allowed to fight before round three. It seemed like a temp agency had sent Rashad in, with him doing the least amount of work for the maximum amount of pay.

For me, it took all three fantastic wins, over Bisping, Liddell and Griffin, to pretty-much erase that blemish that I felt, Rashad put on his own record. Nevertheless, he did delete it in my mind, and now moves into this bout as likely to win as Machida. So how then, does he do it?

Adaptation.

Throughout the course of boxing and cage-fighting history, unorthodox fighters like Machida have embarked upon win streaks that left fans wondering when it would, or how it could, end. Their flashy styles, mental preparedness and ability to out think their opposition made for some of sports’ greatest moments.

When I think about a Lyoto Machida, I also think of standouts like Cung Le, and boxing all-time great Roy Jones Jr. It is my firm belief that Roy Jones suffered his first real loss due to circumstances, including coming down from heavyweight too fast, losing muscle and not being the same man again at light-heavyweight again.

During his prime, Antonio Tarver or Glenn Johnson would not have likely beaten him. I simply do not believe it.

So the question in UFC 98 is, “Is Machida another super-athlete who will not lose to an orthodox mixed martial artist, instead losing eventually due to aging or an unforeseen intangible, like Roy Jones did?”

Rashad Evans will be taking on one of the toughest challenges he will see in the UFC. His fast and heavy hands will not as easily hit their target in this fight. His defense will be taxed like never before, as Machida unleashes the type of barrages a fighter rarely sees or trains with, in the cage.

It is my firm belief that if he can adapt to the style of Lyoto Machida, if he can make changes he will have to figure out in the midst of the fight, that Rashad Evans can win this match. Make no mistake about it too, this adapting by Evans, should he do it, will produce fireworks that will rival the Macy’s Fourth of July show, over the Hudson River, in New York City.

I also believe that in more cases than not, the unique and awkward fighters like Machida, rarely lose so close to their career’s prime. Talk about painting myself into an indecisive corner, right?

Bottom line is that atop one solid UFC fight card this Saturday night, Lyoto Machida and Rashad Evans will be doing what they are meant to do, fight the best opposition that they can. The mere fact that it is so difficult to predict is a testament to the quality of the matchmaking the UFC has done.

Will Lyoto Machida win and leave the entire light heavyweight division wondering what it is going to take to derail him? Or, will Rashad Evans adapt to his every move, outworking him and forcing Lyoto to fight his fight? Not so much time, will tell…

However, before we make our own picks on this fight, let us not forget the likelihood of an Evans quick and thunderous knockout early on in the bout, before Machida gets to find his stride. That would sure punctuate the “O” in Rashad’s record, likely moving it to the beginning of some expletives fans everywhere will be shouting, if it happens.

-Yacman
www.yacandjshow.com

For Immediate Release


Ontario/Los Angeles, CA--May 11, 2009—Eight months after the downfall of the MMA Promotion, EliteXC, Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti, the face of the company’s social networking site, ProElite.com, has signed on as a cage-side commentator for the new Mixed Martial Arts Promotion, Clean Kill “Call to Arms I.” The promotion starts Saturday, May 16th.

This fledgling promotion, the product of a partnership between CleanKillClothing.com and The Luminous Group, will air on both the Spanish television network Univision, as well as online at www.fight5.com as an exclusive MMA, internet Pay-Per-View (PPV) Event.

What: Call to Arms I
When: May 16, 2009, 5:00pm
Where: Citizens Business Bank Arena; 4000 E. Ontario Center Parkway, Ontario, California 91764

The Yacman says his years working for ProElite.com helped prepare him for Call to Arms I by giving him priceless opportunities to interview numerous MMA fighters, develop relationships within the community and do fight commentary for the King of the Cage and Korean MMA Promotion, Spirit MC (Spirit Martial Challenge).

“I'm so excited and I can't wait for May 16th,” says The Yacman. “This fight card is stacked. There will be no shortage of action to call. I'm confident that Call to Arms I will generate a lot of interest in Call to Arms II and III and beyond. This is how you make a first impression count.”

Ron Yacovetti, better known by his nickname ‘The Yacman’, has remained heavily involved in the MMA Community since the fall of EliteXC, writing articles for TheBleacherReport.com, The Yacman Sez Blog and ProElite.com. He has also been regularly covering MMA events in the Southern California area for his web series MMA with Yac & J, a comedic slant on MMA News which uses humor to keep the sport positive as it grows more mainstream.

The Clean Kill “Call to Arms” promotion is slated for three shows in 2009, starting May 16th with subsequent events to be held in August and November of the same year. Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti is on board to call the action live, cage-side, as well as conduct the post-fight interviews with the winners, inside the hexagon-shaped cage.

Headliner: Vladimir "The Janitor"Matyushenko vs Jason "The Punisher" Lambert

Featuring: Brian Warren vsTiki Ghosn; Daniel PudervsJeff Ford; Georgi Karakhanyan vsAlbert Rios; Joe Camacho vsKaren Darabedyan; Jay Silva vsReggie Orr; Jaime Fletcher vsMatt Major; ChadGeorge vsKevin Dunsmor; Toby Grear vsSaad Awad; Sevak Magakian vsHaroldLucambio; Joe Cronin vs Brett Cooper; Francisco Rivera vs Johnny Gomez

By Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti

Writer for TheBleacherReport.com - YacmanSez.Blogspot.com

With the recent launch of MMA 2.0 by Strikeforce, a few things come to mind…

Will MMA 2.0 be able to run smoothly for the long term without needing a boatload of patches along the way like EliteXC (And yeah, I’m also talking to you Windows Vista).

And, as it is about to present its second event SHO MMA, it is difficult not to notice that Strikeforce on Showtime did not receive the same harsh and mixed reviews EliteXC did when it started out with what I assume we should call MMA 1.0.

Coker and crew had already touted one of the best rosters in MMA, prior to acquiring EliteXC fighters. But now with Shields, Lawler, Diaz, Carano and more, it appears they’ve not left a stone unturned. Or have they left 12.1 stone unturned entirely?

For those like me who need to look online for weight conversion, 12.1 stone is the equivalent of 170 lbs. And that amount expressed in a British unit of measure like Stone, equals a welterweight mixed martial artist who hails from across the pond in England. But I’m not talking about an up and comer or over the hill veteran. I’m more specifically talking about a banger from Nottingham, with a record of 20-8-2 who fights as explosive as his nickname…Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley.

Anyone who has seen Paul Daley fight has witnessed the same things; regardless of the individual experience they had watching whatever fights they saw.

§ Paul Daley does not gas. Conditioning is always superb, so you better beat him to beat him. Don’t expect him to fade in the later rounds.

§ Paul Daley has KO potential in as many ways as a precision striker should.

In one of his ShoXC bouts, Daley scored a KO over Sammy Morgan. Many cage-side watched the knockout and commented on it saying “Hey, did you see that punch he dropped Morgan with?” I replied to that saying, “…it wasn’t a punch. It was a one-two combination that dropped Morgan with an elbow.” The shot was so seamless it appeared to be a punch. It was Muay Thai at its finest. Paul can finish anyone in his division in a flash if they stand up with him long enough. Jake Shields, who is a master on the ground, also knew this and made sure not to allow Paul to work on his feet too long.

So if Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley is a well-conditioned, exciting and dynamic striker who is consistently getting better on the ground, why wouldn’t Strikeforce have him in the mix? The reason is not yet clear and remains difficult to say. Scott Coker, CEO of Strikeforce consciously chose not to sign Murillo ‘Ninja’ Rua, brother of Pride and UFC star Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, and many argue Ninja Rua is a very exciting fighter.

It just seems odd that a promotion with roots in kickboxing, would miss a major league talent like Daley who is steeped in stand up skill and has done quite well in the world of MMA.

Regardless of how many top welterweights Strikeforce does possess. Paul Daley would only enhance that pack by being on the roster. And Paul has held world titles, which means garnering another is a high likelihood for him again. Plus, even as a contender at 170 lbs. no one will rise to a title shot undeservingly as long as Daley is in the way. His presence will ensure that the top of the class IS the top of the class, including him.

Perhaps this note of advice will reach Strikeforce and Mr. Coker and we will see Paul Daley imported to our soil once again, giving everything he has to the promotion who signs him and the fans who sure love watching him.

-YACMAN

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