(Coming soon to Strikeforce’s late-night offering?)
Kim Couture appeared on TAGG Radio today to talk about the possibility that she may sign a real MMA contract soon, either with Strikeforce or the AFL, which recently signed Tara LaRosa to a supposedly lucrative deal. That’s all fine and good, but where things really got interesting was when Couture discussed some of the rumors about her past and her relationship with “The Natural”, as well as the source of those rumors:
“When Hughes and (Rich) Franklin were on [The Ultimate Fighter 2], I had a surprise birthday party for Randy, and I invited everybody from the show because Randy was still doing a guest coaching appearance,” Couture said. “Matt went around and told the whole (production) crew, ‘I would never go. Randy was my hero, and he’s no longer. I can’t believe he’s with a stripper or a hooker’ or whatever. And I’m like, ‘What’s he talking about?’ Well, time went by, and I hated the guy. I was like, ‘This guy doesn’t even know me. I don’t know where he’s getting this information from.’ I’ve worked my ass off and had some very prestigious jobs.”
According to MMA Junkie, Couture is a former cop and casino executive who has never worked as a stripper. Guess that doesn’t stop Matt Hughes from calling you “a stripper or a hooker” in mixed company. A lot of people will tell you that the “or” in that sentence is what’s significant but honestly, isn’t it just a question of degrees?
Apparently the dispute was eventually resolved, though it’s clearly not been forgotten.
“So, he kind of knew Randy wasn’t talking to him at the events we’d go to. I wasn’t talking to him and was like, ‘Who does this guy think he is?’ He came up to me at one of the (UFC) Fight Nights, and he said … ‘I’m Matt Hughes. I’m an asshole, and I owe you an apology.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, from what I hear, you’re an asshole. I don’t know where you get your information from.’ And he says, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t know, but Randy won’t talk to me, and I’m going to go apologize to him now. From everybody I talk to, you’re really cool, and I just never gave you a chance, and I just didn’t know where you came from.’
…
“I’m like, ‘So, you thought you’d make up that I was a stripper and a hooker and go tell 5,000 people?’”
In Hughes’ defense, all of this did happen in Las Vegas. If a friend of mine told me he’d met his new girlfriend in Las Vegas and she wasn’t there on vacation, I would also immediately assume that she was a stripper or a hooker. When you’re in Vegas, you have to play the odds.
Remember that UFC event they’ve been planning for July 19? You know, the one they only started putting together recently, and which is purely by coincidence on the same day as Affliction’s MMA debut? Yeah, well, looks like it may actually happen. And it looks like the UFC is pulling out all the stops.
MMA Rated is now calling the July 19 event on Spike TV “official” and says it will be headlined by Anderson Silva making his light heavyweight debut against James Irvin.
What’s that you say? It’s totally insane for one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best to be pushed into moving up a weight class to face, of all people, James Irvin, on a show that is being thrown together a month in advance just to screw with Affliction? Yes, you’re right. Deal with it.
The initial story had Wanderlei Silva taking on Brandon Vera, who is said to be dropping to light heavyweight after his loss to Fabricio Werdum. And MMA Rated also reports that a rematch between Silva and Dan Henderson was considered. But Silva has reportedly turned down the fight because — get this — he doesn’t have enough time to prepare.
What? A last-minute offer to fight in a month on a hastily thrown together show doesn’t appeal to you, Wanderlei? Man, don’t make Dana White question your heart in the press again. He’s not above it.
Cain Velasquez is also said to be a candidate to fight on this show, which is expected to take place at the Palms in Vegas. The UFC is still looking for someone to face Brandon Vera at the time of this report, though the way this thing is going he could be signed to face BJ Penn by tomorrow morning.
Legendary boxing guru Freddie Roach — who has trained a long list of superstars including Oscar De La Hoya, Mike Tyson, Bernard Hopkins, and James Toney — will enter the world of mixed martial arts on July 19th, when he’ll be working the corner of Andrei Arlovski at Affliction: Banned. According to Fighthype, Arlovski has been developing his hands at Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, in preparation for his bout against Miletich-trained bruiser Ben Rothwell.
Roach fought as a pro boxer from 1978-1986, beginning his career on a 26-1 run before retiring with a 39-13 record. Casual boxing fans may know him best from his appearances on De La Hoya/Mayweather 24/7, the HBO documentary series that followed his training of the Golden Boy. For your viewing pleasure, here’s a short HBO feature on Roach, which details his rough upbringing, boxing career, transition to training, and recent battle against Parkinson’s disease.
Dana White has moved the meeting for UFC employees to Noon tomorrow (Wednesday) for the big announcement. So word should break shortly after that time.
MMA Mania points out that the New York Tourism, Arts and Sports Development Committee is slated to vote again tomorrow on legislation to legalize MMA in NY. That could just be a coincidence — White previously denied that his announcement was related to New York MMA regulation — but we’ll update you when we know more.
And hey, just so this post isn’t a total waste of your time, here’s a rather-awesome UFC 86 hype video, running down the matchups between Forrest Griffin and Quinton Jackson, as well as Cote vs. Almeida. By the way, if you tell Rampage he’s not going to win this fight, you can kiss his natural black ass.
