Two of MMA’s big name heavyweights choose opposite paths at the same crossroads

By Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti

Yes, I made Fedor the neater one and Kimbo the sloppier one. Their works, at present, back this jest.

Now, a closer look at these two and what they seem to be doing with their futures.

THE WHO:

Kevin Ferguson aka ‘Kimbo Slice’: A heavyweight who holds the record for the most viewers of any one MMA fighter’s bout (CBS Primetime I, May 2008). Famous from his backyard brawls on YouTube, Slice is unproven as a mixed martial artist and has been trying to live up to his hype, which transcends the MMA community. Slice is a man in his 30’s with athletic potential, yet much like an adult school student going for an equivalency degree, he chases after something most others in his field, achieved earlier on.

Fedor Emelianenko aka ‘The Last Emperor ‘: Regarded by most MMA enthusiasts as the best heavyweight cage-fighter in the world (by some the best pound for pound fighter as well). Fedor is and has been a man who is battle tested and proven, but has little hype outside of the hardcore MMA community. Emelianenko is a well-rounded mixed martial artist who exemplifies being a polished fighter. Unfortunately for him, he hasn’t gained fame beyond his ability via the internet…or as I like to call it, pulling a Dane Cook.

COMMON GROUND:

Both Slice and Fedor would benefit from mainstream notoriety. Both men recently found themselves with two viable choices to continue their MMA careers, as their given promotions (EliteXC and Affliction) sank beneath the tide of MMA hopefuls.

THE CHOICES:

Strikeforce or The UFC.

Strikeforce comes with all the bells and whistles that make any fighter looking for exposure a happy camper. Showtime’s continued support of MMA is a major plus for the sport and especially, Strikeforce. As most know, this deal was inherited as EliteXC (Kimbo’s launching pad) went bankrupt. Should CBS add itself to the media outlet list for Strikeforce, the deal gets a whole lot sweeter.

The UFC, like it or not, is the prime brand of mixed martial arts. If not for Dana and the gang, Scott Coker would still be promoting fights longer than them, but it would most likely be only in the realm of kickboxing. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is not flawless or without room to improve, but it is responsible for putting MMA on the map. And, with its outlets on Spike TV and a successfully established following on PPV, exposure is also a very alluring characteristic to signing with them.

LOGIC WOULD SUGGEST:

The best heavyweight in the world signs a multi-fight deal with the biggest promotion in the world while the most hyped heavyweight signs with the number two promotion, as he continues to pad his record during his quest to improve.

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED:

Kimbo Slice makes the wise choice in what is truly a win-win for the UFC as well, signing with them as a contender on The Ultimate Fighter Season 10. There is NO downside to this deal. None.

If Kimbo shines, he earns his MMA kudos and respect as a legitimate cage-fighter. And this is even if he does not win the show. If he merely looks good, shows improvement and pulls out a few key wins, both The UFC and Kimbo gain a lot. If he gets his ass handed to him, Dana has already said that Kimbo is “sh*t”, so an “I told you so” gets the promotion off the hook for having him.

Fedor Emelianenko ended up going to Strikeforce, making the second mega-fight he ‘could’ have had with a UFC Heavyweight Champion (the first one versus Randy Couture; this time versus Brock Lesnar), likely to never happen.

It would’ve been reasonable to assume Slice would go to Strikeforce and take advantage of the exposure, win some and lose some, all while riding his undeveloped potential to a quick and profitable end. It would be hard to fault him for it, he is in his 30’s with time ticking away fast. However, that option, he did not pick.

Kimbo chose the high road, regardless of how it works out for him. Truth be told, the only way he can ever get serious respect as a mixed martial artist is to earn his stripes in the UFC, even on The Ultimate Fighter Show. Four years of being unbeaten in Strikeforce wouldn’t have provided him the same respect from fans that a strong showing on TUF 10 will.

Fedor however, gets the utmost respect from MMA fans. He also had access to his most desirable fight according to fans, against Lesnar, the current UFC Heavyweight Champion. This bout would garner serious attention for the UFC and MMA overall.

The Last Emperor is the big fish amongst heavyweights, right? So why choose the smaller pond? This is not to say going to Strikeforce and Showtime is a bad move. It is not. But in actuality, his reign there, even if he beats Rogers, Overeem and Werdum, should he do so, would be less impactful on fans new and old, than taking on Velasquez, Carwin and of course, Brock Lesnar.

Critics of this deal and what information is available, suggests that the deal breaker was that M-1 Global would not let Fedor Emelianenko sign with The UFC because of a denial to co-promote with M-1. The deal Fedor was offered was good too. He was shown the money and all other requests that he wanted before, when trying to set up a fight with Couture. A no-brainer right? Well yes, it would seem the choice by Fedor’s management did choose to reject the UFC by using absolutely no brains.

A FLIP SIDE?

In today’s conference call with Showtime executives, President of Strikeforce, Scott Coker and Fedor Emelianenko himself, this very choice and issue inevitably, came up. In short, M-1’s Vadim Finkelchtein had this to say, when asked why they turned down The UFC:

“The advantage in making the deal with Strikeforce is really great because the UFC didn’t give us any chance to develop. The UFC wants Fedor to be a fighter only for the UFC. That’s all they offered us. They didn’t offer us anything else. Dana White stated that Fedor and M1 rejected a huge amount of money and decided to fight for nothing. But, that’s not true. Nothing special was offered to M1 and Fedor during the negotiations with UFC. When we made the deal with Strikeforce we had opportunities to show our fights in many other countries. But the UFC wouldn’t give us these opportunities.”

When asked directly about the lost match up with Brock Lesnar, the one man MMA fans would like to see him take on and how his choice to sign with Strikeforce deprives them of that match, the Last Emperor himself replied,

“I really feel sorry that the fight could not happen and I feel sorry for my fans. But, I think I also deserve some respect and I also think my personal interests should be taken into consideration.”

Fedor then addressed his point of view on The UFC and that the very offer that he and M-1 turned down from the UFC differed from the one presented to him:

“From my viewpoint, the UFC does not have the proper attitude to fighters. The UFC attitude towards fighters is not a good one. They don’t treat them like human beings. And I don’t like their policy. The offer that we got was one kind, and then on the Internet they published really different numbers. The offer they gave us was really miserable.”

So how this all washes out and what it means to the heavyweight division is yet to be seen. Perhaps the best case scenario did take place, bolstering the number two promotion even more. Maybe, just maybe, the best scenario for now is not the best one for MMA long term, as a sport.

Other promotions need to exist in order for more fighters to be able to fight full time with no day job. Their money comes in large part, from sponsors. Those folks pay more, if at all, knowing you’re going to be on TV, such as Showtime or even CBS. If the only outlet for serious TV coverage is Spike and PPV, less fighters will receive decent sponsorship checks and end up fighting part time.

The net result of this? A slower developing, weaker talent pool.

PIE IN THE SKY OR REALISTIC?

What if Fedor’s presence in Strikeforce not only means something by his personal contribution, but also what if he dominates then becomes a magnet for the current and future crop of elite heavyweights in MMA?

This scenario could boost Strikeforce as a whole, in ways that would exceed the crushed hopes and dreams Showtime and EliteXC laid upon the shoulders of Kimbo Slice himself, in 2008.

Imagine if a Shane Carwin wanted a shot at Fedor and didn’t re-sign with the UFC. Such a situation is not out of the question.

However, it is also possible that Fedor Emelianenko cleans out the Strikeforce heavyweight crop like an old attic on moving day, and then rides out his career in lackluster fashion.

In the same galaxy not so far away, what if Kimbo Slice wins the Ultimate Fighter Season 10? That would be insane and boost his cache excessively. Again, even a solid showing where sincere effort and improvement show, will help Kimbo and The UFC for taking him in.

Should Kimbo be a wash and get eliminated as quickly as William Hung on an old American Idol (go ahead, Google it), then he goes back to obscurity and trying to make a living as a pseudo-celebrity.

Ultimately, what’s best for MMA as a sport is what would be best to see happen. The UFC isn’t going away and a solid, second promotion who serves up a lot of cage-fighting to the public sure is great to have around too.

-Yacman

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 - www.mogulus.com/wmma

 

When word spread that Nick Diaz, fresh off of beating MMA legend Frank Shamrock, is now calling out a boxing legend, Roy Jones Jr., I first wondered if Diaz would call out Lance Armstrong, considering he has competed in triathlons too.

There's no question Diaz displayed top notch boxing abilities in his one-sided victory over Frank Shamrock.

I too was taken aback by that. And in the same maiden voyage production for Strikeforce on Showtime, Benji Radach, in one writer’s opinion, displayed even better and more slick boxing skills in his instantaneous loss to Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith. But can Nick Diaz hang with the likes of Roy Jones?

Jones has been inconsistent in his last four or so bouts. He’s beaten contenders he was expected to have trouble with or lose to, yet shows almost no killer instinct or offense when he soars up the ranks again, facing an “A” level guy like Joe Calzaghe.

A match with Diaz would be hard to peg on the Jones motivation scale. Let’s be honest, in the back end of Roy’s career, a lack of motivation has him as aggressive and violent as Gandhi.

In the prime of Roy Jones’ career, any mixed martial artist would be so outclassed in a boxing match that the viewing audience would wonder: Why? Why do this? His athletic ability ranks amongst the best all time in boxing. Period. This, by the way, a belief I share with The Fight Professor himself, Stephen Quadros.

That said, Roy Jones Jr. is not in his prime and is tricky to predict when he fights.

The real danger here is Jones still possesses the lightning quick hand speed, he still hits extremely hard (hard enough to have stopped a 235 lb. Ruiz in his tracks) and he can fight ten or twelve rounds without gassing.

We also know, Diaz can likely finish an entire boxing match with plenty of fuel in the tank, but what we don't know is, can Diaz take punches from a guy like Jones? It is safe to assume he has not yet, despite his boxing experiences and cage fighting career.

In a fight like this, I tend to believe that the sport of origin will win. In other words, if Jones vs, Diaz happens in a cage, Diaz wins…if it happens in a boxing ring as a boxing match, Jones wins.

It’s kind of that simple.

Diaz won’t be able to pull out an Oma-plata or dish out leg kicks against Jones. He will be left throwing hands with one of the most precise strikers of all time. Even an aged Jones will stupefy the best MMA fighter in a pugilistic battle.

The one thing I found intriguing about a Roy Jones versus Anderson Silva fight is that Silva, in MMA, displays the type of dominance and athletic superiority that Jones did in boxing. So the best of both world colliding is somewhat of an attention grabbing concept.

While Nick Diaz is amazing, tough and an elite level warrior, I almost feel a match against Jones is like hearing that my father-in-law laid out a championship golf challenge to Tiger Woods. It just seems out of reach.

Let us not forget that despite how amazing Nick looked against Shamrock, he was outboxed big time when he fought a KJ Noons for the EliteXC lightweight title.

So it’s difficult to imagine Noons picking him apart with fluid punch combinations and even an aged Jones being unable to do the same damage or worse to Diaz.

Do I feel this can hurt MMA if Jones destroys Diaz? No.

I think that fear is what kept Dana White and the UFC from allowing Anderson to fight Roy and in that case I do see their point. Silva is synonymous with the best of MMA, so watching the ambassador for the sport get wrecked in another combat sport "could" give artificial leverage to the boxing purists, who feel cage-fighters aren’t skilled like boxers.

One thing is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. Nick Diaz is a true fighter. Anyone that would even consider fighting Roy Jones truly is an ‘any place, anytime’ kind of fighter.

With Strikeforce open to co-promotion and HBO Boxing not as in bed with Jones, as once they had been in his prime, we just may see Nick Diaz take on Roy Jones Jr. in what will hopefully be two talented fighters putting on one hell of a show.

 

 

yacman1@yacandjshow.com

www.mogulus.com/wmma (WMMA-TV)

And so it happened…

Strikeforce, a Northern California promotion that began promoting kickboxing, inherited and continued the race where EliteXC collapsed and handed over the torch. The primary thing above all in-depth analysis anyone will share is whether or not the maiden voyage on Showtime Sports was a success or the next MMA Titanic.

So, before I delve into thoughts on the card and the action it provided, allow me to say MMA 2.0 did appear to be a success. Production value was solid, typical of Showtime Sports. The broadcast team most certainly benefitted by adding Pat Miletich to the mix. And, I believe Gus Johnson, who is a great broadcaster, will eventually find his way on the MMA stage, owning the vernacular and sounding less like he is repeating phrases he’s only just heard. Mauro Ranallo is as always, knowledgeable, sharp and occasionally cartoony.

Brett ‘Grim’ Rogers vs. Abongo Humphrey

Brett Rogers would down his time at EliteXC talking a big game. He wanted Kimbo, he wanted top fights with top level fighters and said that he, not Kimbo, had earned such status. So many times in combat sports that kind of talk is left at the altar of commitment, being stood up by any trace of follow-up action. I found it a refreshing change of pace to see Brett Rogers was not one of those big men who lacked follow through. He was leaner, at least as mean and displayed added skills to his offense. The Muay Thai knees and clinches were most certainly new and sure did pay off, as he pummeled a very tough and game Humphrey. It did also appear the dreadlock hair pulling was circumstantial and not a tactic Rogers was attempting to utilize. Brett ‘Grim’ Rogers should remain a difficult and perhaps undefeated heavyweight for a while. This banger is also a solid wrestler so the ground game he appears to avoid he merely likes a lot less. And why not? He packs power in both hands.

Cris "Cyborg" Santos vs. Hitomi Akano

Cris Cyborg did what she does when she fights. She presses forward at a pace that makes any fan wonder how soon she will run out of gas IF the opponent can elude excessive abuse and weather that onslaught early on. So why do we continue to wonder that each time she fights? Because none of her opponents seem to be able to stop the landslide into a loss that Cyborg afflicts them with. And while Akano is a skilled fighter, evidenced by her record and Josh Barnett’s presence in her corner, she did not show any killer instinct or application of a strategy at any point in the fight. Hitomi Akano seemed to just be flailing and falling into clinches with Cyborg, coming forward behind no technical strikes or attack whatsoever. It bore a disappointing similarity to a child on a mission to bust open a piñata. Am I suggesting Akano ‘could not’ beat Cyborg, ever? No. I am suggesting Akano showed us all that she ‘would not’. Gina Carano will not let Cris Cyborg march in throwing reckless barrages of punches and kicks without making her pay dearly for each attempt, landed or not. And if Gina isn’t the next fight we see Cyborg in, Strikeforce would be wise to put someone in front of her who has studied her on tape and is prepared to deal with her aggression instead of being taken out of the fight by it, as if it’s unexpected.

Scott Smith vs. Benji Radach

Smith said these two would steal the spotlight on the fight card. Smith was absolutely right.

Who doesn’t love two heavy-handed strikers who will trade all night long? Smith and Radach both showed heart, toughness and simply took shots and marched through them. It was a resilient ‘Hands of Steel’ Smith who came back from the brink of destruction and then produced the payoff both men could’ve produced, the KO.

Throughout the bout, Smith did not show enough head movement which was maximized by the fluid and diverse boxing skills of Benji Radach. Scott also ate a portion and a half of stiff jabs that Benji happily served up as a result of that still skull factor. A second reason Smith got beat to the punch until he closed the show was due to his walking Radach down, but without the pressure and consistent attack one should employ when moving forward and backing the other man up. This could be because Scott Smith is more of a counter puncher than a shoot first kind of guy. He did display poise and smarts when he held onto an otherwise useless single leg in order to clear the cobwebs that Radach had been making for him all night. I found odd that the broadcast team made no mention of the cautionary fact that the last thing ANY punchers loses, even when being beaten and broken down all fight, is his own punching power. Smith made that fact abundantly clear when he iced Radach at 3:24 of round 3.

Rodrigo Damm vs. Gilbert Melendez

Rodrigo Damm, as we all know, took the fight on a lot less notice than anyone taking on a guy like Melendez would have liked. That is surely commendable. Gilbert Melendez simply outclassed and outworked Damm. The end came at 2:02 of round 2, when Damm found out what happens when you are at the absolute end of a powerful punchers full extension. Gilbert used a beautiful one-two combination to do two very crucial things…win and stay in title contention with an interim title and make us see why a rematch with Josh ‘The Punk’ Thompson would actually be compelling. The first fight with Josh was so one-sided that the immediate rematch felt like a movie sequel that a film studio was trying to convince us that we wanted to see. Melendez shined so brightly last night that his saying he would be so much better in a rematch, gained credibility.

Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz

This fight, while the main event, will take a lot less detail to sum up. Nick Diaz was 100% there and ready to fight. His reach and unorthodox boxing style kept Frank Shamrock from ever finding a rhythm to strike, be it with hands or feet. The range and how Diaz fought tall was simply too much for Shamrock, something that even I was surprised to see. The second round knockout of Shamrock by Diaz was impressive and showed Diaz was still growing as an elite fighter. The thing about Shamrock that was disturbing was that he once again, did not seem to adapt. If you’re stymied by the man in front of you and already taking abuse, why not take something else…a chance. Shoot in or try a new approach to getting to the target instead of staying where it has already proven to be unsuccessful. Frank Shamrock is still great and a super-athlete. It just may be that this brilliant man’s mind has found a more intelligent thing to focus on and that’s business out of the cage. The killer instinct many top fighters have, fades with age, success and other factors of the like. Perhaps Frank Shamrock can be the best but his survival mode no longer kicks in to fuel it. He does, as he says, take on tough fighters and that is usually when a great warrior who no longer goes for blood, starts to mount a string of losses. Roy Jones Jr. continues to win in boxing, but when he rises to top level opponents now, like Joe Calzaghe, he falls short. Frank will need to show a few fights where he wins when we feel he likely will not. Then, he’ll be at the top of his game and class again.

-YACMAN

- MUST: Pronunciation- [muhst] –auxiliary verb

*to be or feel urged to; ought to: I must watch the first Strikeforce MMA event on Showtime.

A few key reasons why any MMA fan would and should watch Strikeforce on Showtime, April 11th, 2009.

I. Bravado – There is no way either man, Frank ‘The Legend’ Shamrock or Nick Diaz, will pull punches, lay and pray or attempt to win on the scorecards. Official judges at this bout will be like life insurance…there if you absolutely need it, but you really don’t want to have to use it. This facet of the match does lend itself to creating some extremely intense stand up exchanges in the cage. And as most are aware, both Shamrock and Diaz can box and they can box well. So, if it does turn into rock’em-sock’em robots in there, who holds the advantage, even if it is only a minor one?

II. Who Throws The Upper Hands – Now, the only way this should be an itemized reason to watch this fight is if it can almost be guaranteed to take place. Well, guess what – It can be. At the very least, Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz would love to watch the other collapse like wicker chair under Jared “before” he found salvation with Subway sandwiches. The potential to knock each other out is like a perk that comes with the job for these two men. Of course they will look to claim the KO victory if and when they can. And, regardless of who pulls it off, a knock by either man will satisfy the viewers everywhere. One thing that may tell the tale of how a stand up war ‘could’ shape up between these two is the infamous EliteXC Lightweight title match between Nick Diaz and KJ Noons. There was no question that Diaz was the heavy favorite going into the fight. And despite Noons having shown excellent take down defense against Edson Berto he surprised many onlookers as he cranked it up a notch for the more challenging Diaz. The end result was a war of hands, and some kicks, which left Diaz bloodied and seemingly outclassed. If Frank Shamrock can box Nick Diaz’s ears off, showing the precision striking he displayed against the heavy handed New York Bad Ass, Phil Baroni, then he can win this type of war and win it big. The head movement, the jab and combination punching with impressive hand speed will enable Shamrock to negate the height and reach advantage that Nick Diaz has going in. However, should Diaz dominate the stand up battle, Frank Shamrock needs to do what he has said he will do…win and not worry about merely putting on a great show. Frank would need to adapt, use his experience and complete skill set to turn the tables on Diaz, instead of staying in the trenches like he had against Cung Le, just to show he can.

III. Weak Areas – Honestly, I see none. One of the most compelling things about this fight is the fact that you cannot say take so and so to the ground, or make so and so stand and bang, it’s their weak spot. Both Frank and Nick can stand and throw hands; they can both roll on the ground, even if their styles there aren’t quite so similar. This main event fight truly pits one well-rounded fighter against another. One gets the feeling that this type of matchmaking is what will ultimately build Strikeforce as a respected MMA brand with staying power.

IV. Styles: Submission Wrestling vs. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – Despite the recent fights both Shamrock and Diaz have had in EliteXC, both choosing to box and kickbox their opponents almost entirely, these two MMA bad boys made their names with their ground game. Oftentimes, when two fighters in combat sports who tout similar strengths clash, it becomes an intangible factor or alternate game plan that leads one of them to victory. In this fight a ground battle would be very exciting to see. Nick Diaz’s BJJ is rock solid. And like Jake Shields, it is my belief that if you allow a guy like Nick (or Jake) to continue to work on the ground, they will submit you. You just can’t stay there too long. On the other hand, Frank Shamrock, whose career reaches back to 1994, has 33 total fights with only 9 losses. And, of those 9 losses Shamrock has only been submitted one time (3/10/1995 Loss to Masakatsu Funaki at Pancrase-Eyes Of Beast 2; by Submission). So as talented as Diaz is on the ground, he may find himself attempting to do what only one man has ever done to Frank, throughout his entire career, win by making him tap out.

V. Support – The sport of MMA is like one of those weeds or small tress that seem to be defying some law of nature by growing straight out of concrete roads and sidewalks all over New York City. Mixed Martial Arts became the fastest growing sport in the world and now continues to grow in a suppressed economic climate, sprouting new branches, sustaining life on existing ones and replacing others (EliteXC/IFL) that could not endure. And while the UFC remains the premier MMA promotion, it is not a plus for the fighters and the sport’s overall talent pool if they are the ‘only’ MMA promotion. The athletes in MMA make some money to fight. They make more and often the largest chunk of change from sponsors. Now regardless of the economy, which can only enforce this more, the sponsors only pay decent, if at all, when the fighter they sponsor will be on TV. So if you take away the outlets that EliteXC carved out that Strikeforce has inherited, with Showtime and CBS, you leave only Spike TV and PPV. Those alone are not enough and the net result will be more and more fighters being forced to train alongside of a day job versus fighting full-time. This would have a negative effect on the up and coming talent pool, which feeds the UFC as much as any promotion. Of course some other promotions such as King of the Cage and regional one’s do make it onto the airwaves, but the real stardom as a ticket selling fighter and the maximum exposure for income potential is on mainstream TV.

-YACMAN

www.mogulus.com/wmma