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

1. am•bas•sa•dor - (ām-bās'ə-dər, -dôr') n.

If you ask anyone who they feel is the most identifiable face and name associated with women’s mixed martial arts, the female ambassador, you will almost always hear Gina Carano. Gina is the unofficial face of women’s MMA, a title bestowed upon her, and one I know personally, she does not feel she deserves.

This is not to say Gina thinks she is unworthy of such a moniker. However, in many conversations she and I have had, Gina feels strongly that there are not only other female cage-fighters who also warrant this title, but some who have been at it longer than her.

Enter the extremely skilled, gorgeous and likeable Erin Toughill.
Her first MMA fight was in 1999. She began kickboxing at the age of 18, only to add Brazilian Jiu-jitsu to her arsenal just two years later. In July of 2000, Erin made her professional boxing debut.

In what would eventually become typical Toughill fashion, Erin sought out the best fights she could sign, including a bout against the most recognized name in women’s professional boxing, Laila Ali.

Erin was on a self-prescribed fast track, growing as a fighter and relentless in her pursuit of women who could bring out her best.
This dual combat sports athlete entered 2007 with a professional boxing record of 7-2-1, while simultaneously holding an MMA record of 10-2-1.

I find this especially impressive, because in all of mixed martial arts, men and women combined, it is not the norm or easy for fighters to mount winning records in both MMA and boxing.

This may change in the coming years as more and more athletes are truly well-rounded fighters. Plus, let us not forget the Arlovski’s of the MMA world, training under legendary boxing coaches like Freddy Roach. His hands sure did show results from that assistance.

In examining her own career origin, Erin Toughill has gone on record, stating that she began all of this training to find a positive outlet for her aggression. That outlet may turn out to be a lot more positive than even Erin ever anticipated. Her story, however, is not without the dramatic pitfalls that one would expect from most compelling Hollywood stories.

Exit Erin Toughill from fighting? Really?

In 2007 Toughill proclaimed that she was officially retiring from fighting in both boxing and MMA. As of this very day, I am still unsure why she did it. She would, however, find a new endeavor to take up much of her time, as season two of American Gladiators added Erin to their roster, where she would go by the name Steel.

But Steel was not the first or only cage-fighting female to compete as a Gladiator. Gina Carano, whose gladiator nickname is “Crush,” also happened to be a cast member who was with the show from its rebirth, season one.

Now anyone who knows both Carano and Toughill knows that they share a mutual respect for one another. So, one cannot help but think that this collaborative venture may have influenced Erin’s comeback in November of 2008; that and the continual rise in popularity of MMA.

Carano was opening doors that would be available to many women fighters in due time. It just so happens that Erin Toughill was already poised for mainstream attention.

Since that comeback, Erin has built up a three fight win streak, scoring one TKO and two unanimous decisions. She may also be slated in 2009, to take on the one opponent fans of MMA are clamoring to see Gina Carano take on since the fall of EliteXC…Cris Cyborg! Let us hope she gets this fight too. A win, by the way, would set up a mega-fight between two American Gladiator warriors, as Crush versus Steel would be on!

Erin is truly one of the lucky few who remain well-within their prime, despite having come onto the scene slightly ahead of their time. In so many instances, the result of being ahead of one’s time is a professional shortcoming an athlete is forced to deal with, in retrospect.

Erin Toughill stepped into the cage at a time before anyone believed MMA, let alone women’s MMA, could flourish. And now that Erin Toughill is right there in the mix and ranked accordingly amongst the top echelon of fighters, women’s MMA may likely be seeing another representative who will absolutely do it maximum justice.

I had the good fortune to catch up with Erin Toughill again, just prior to her most recent win at Palace Fighting Championships (www.palacefightingchampionship.com), where we discussed her long term plans in MMA. And yes, Erin having long term plans means Erin fights on. At least this story has a happy ending to it.

Click here to watch my interview with Erin: The Yacman Interviews: Erin Toughill

- YACMAN

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

www.yacandjshow.com

The story of Vladimir Matyushenko, aka VMAT, is one that harkens back to the 1900’s when an able-bodied man with a bus ticket and only the clothes on his back would venture to America in search of his personal variation of the American dream.

And just as in so many success stories, it is the intangibles that make the biggest difference, not the lack of material things, resources or opportunity.

VMAT, as he is most often called nowadays, had left behind his home in Belarus speaking no English, pinning his future’s potential on his wrestling base.

Through contacts he had made in wrestling, Vladimir Matyushenko worked his way to Northern California where he became proficient at speaking English and devastating at wrestling.

The fledgling sport of Mixed Martial Arts had no idea that after 1994, a powerhouse whose take downs would become championship quality was being bred for its heavyweight division.

VMAT would go on to fight in the UFO, Vale Tudo in Japan, the WEF and the UFC, to name a few. But it was in the team oriented International Fight League (IFL) that Matyushenko would grab the gold.

In the IFL’s short life as an MMA promotion (1/2006 – 7/2008), VMAT was its first and only heavyweight champion. He had undoubtedly become better, faster and stronger than he had been when mixing it up in the other aforementioned promotions.

The IFL, as most must know, folded and filed bankruptcy by July 31, 2008, pulling the platform out from under one of MMA’s most athletic and powerful heavyweights.

And while this seems to be a harsh hand to be dealt to Matyushenko’s career, it didn’t size up to the herculean task of having had to pave his own way in America.

VMAT would find a new home to fight as the popular clothing line, Affliction, began to promote shows and booked him on their second show, “Day of Reckoning” in January of 2009.

Vladimir would lose that fight by way of KO (Knee) to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, making his record against that Nogueira one win and one loss.

The former resident of Belarus was back in action, post IFL, but would Affliction be able to keep his level of activity up high enough?

It turns out, not so much. In his late 30’s, VMAT is likely at his best and needs top level opponents to showcase it, if he truly wants to cap off his American dream with a cherry.

So where would Matyushenko find a promotion outside of the UFC would could give him an extremely challenging and dangerous fight? It would come to be that in the spring of 2009, a new promotion out of Ontario, California called, “Call To Arms” would snatch up Vladimir for their first show in May, 2009.

VMAT will be taking on “The Punisher”, Jason Lambert, who holds victories over the likes of Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Marvin Eastman and Terry Martin. So for a guy still regarded as one of the best heavyweights in all of MMA, Vladimir Matyushenko, a guy in search of a defining fight had one find him.

This is a true opportunity for VMAT to commence a second tier to his fighting career, cementing his legacy in the sport as well as his worth as a trainer of future stars.

And why is this so crucial at this point in his career? Well, as it often goes in combat sports, Vladimir remains a dangerous contender and an unsung hero within his division.

So while we may never see him back in the renown octagon, if we continue to see him taking on guys the likes of Jason Lambert and possibly even on a Strikeforce card in the near future, it will be rewarding for all fans of the sport.

Nicknamed “The Janitor” from back in his days as a wrestler for Belarus, he continues his quest to mop up and walk the mixed martial arts hall of fame.

CHECK OUT MY ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW WITH VLADIMIR, from THE BEST OF THE WEST GRAPPLING TOURAMENT, 4/27/2009:

THE YACMAN INTERVIEWS: VLADIMIR "THE JANITOR" MATYUSHENKO

-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.

 

 

By Ron ‘The Yacman’ Yacovetti

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” -- Oscar Wilde

The world of MMA was given its Mask. And even in his absence, his commitment to the sport, TapOut and any relationship he had was and continues to be, an undeniable truth.

Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis may have begun his work in the early days of Mixed Martial Arts as an overzealous t-shirt salesman, but in the end he had amassed more wealth than many ever have the opportunity to experience; And when I say wealth I do not mean money…I mean wealth. Charles had amassed an abundance of love, faith and optimism in so many others that it continues to pay dividends with a ripple effect. Those are the priceless things that often escape the richest of people, the world over. So while TapOut did become a Multimillion dollar company, the cash and material things of success were not the primary objective for Charles ‘Mark’ Lewis. It wasn’t the money that drove or inspired him. It only served to enable him to walk in the circles he was so passionate to be in, to send a box full of shirts to troops who proudly serve our country without giving it a second thought and to be wherever he wanted to be, encouraging whoever he wanted to encourage. He gave up what was at one point in his life, everything he owned. He parted with things that he had, when what he had only touched his life. He believed he was doing what was right and what was necessary to live his dream. If his life and commitment to it destroyed anything, it was doubt.

His message, “Believe”, was repeatedly summed up throughout the entire ceremony held in his honor, at the Crystal Cathedral in Anaheim, California. And in addition to the large number of attendees who knew Charles Lewis well, many who barely knew him or only knew of him also came to pay their respects. Those people may not have realized it when they arrived at the celebration, but Charles ‘Mark’ Lewis isn’t finished doing his work, and as a result, those same people left the Cathedral having made a new friend. His impact, his reach and the ability to show others the bigger and selfless picture that life is truly about, did not die.

The crowd there was a who’s who of MMA and Hollywood elite, all of whom had respect and admiration for The Mask. The tone of the room, while at a time of tremendous loss for so many close to him, was oddly uplifting. Skyscrape made it clear, as did many others who spoke at the podium, that Charles wouldn’t have wanted anyone pining over him, sobbing their eyes out. He would have wanted what this gathering was entitled…A Celebration.

You knew it was not an easy thing to do, you felt the sense of loss from so many in attendance yet somehow everyone there collectively honored the man in unison, sustaining his message of hope, faith and belief. The phrase ‘paying my respects’ is often nothing more than another generic slogan from the handbook for funerals, but for Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis, respects were sincerely paid.

May Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis’ soul Rest in Peace, because his words, thoughts and inspiring actions left behind, will not.

- YACMAN

To see the beautiful imagery captured by one of MMA's finest photographer's, TRACY LEE, click here: http://www.combatlifestyle.com/pics/view_album.php?id=1689

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

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

Videos all On Demand and run 24/7 Web TV Channel.

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

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