(’Who has the nachos? Don’t act like I don’t know nachos when I smell ‘em!’)
After reports that Zuffa was buying the video library and at least some of the IFL’s fighter contracts, we kept expecting the flood of stories about all the ex-IFL’ers making the jump to either the UFC or WEC. So far news has been relatively light on that front, but it looks like Affliction has swooped in to pick off a couple of top prospects for themselves.
MMANews.com reports that Roy Nelson will face Xtreme Couture’s Jay White at Affliction: DoR (the abbreviations have already begun, deal with it) in October. Nelson was the IFL’s only official heavyweight champ, and White is…2-5. Wonder which of these guys is being groomed for a big future in the stacked Affliction heavyweight division?
Meanwhile, Sherdog is passing along info that a rematch with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira has been offered to IFL light heavyweight champ Vladimir Matyushenko. Vladdy beat Little Nog via decision in 2002, and he never faced much of a test during his unbeaten run in the IFL. Matyushenko would make an excellent addition to the growing 205-pound ranks in Affliction, which should soon include Tito Ortiz, who Matyushenko lost a decision to in 2001.
In other news…
- Fightlinker has enlisted the services of Matthew Polly — author of this hilarious and highly recommended book — to review several of the MMA “memoirs” that have hit the shelves in recent months. Polly does to their sense of narrative and craft (and their ghostwriters’ sense of exactly how much work they’d have to do to get paid) what these same fighters would likely do to the face of anyone who uses words like narrative and craft. Fun times. Check out his review of “Iceman: My Fighting Life” and you’ll see what we mean.
- Ever wondered how rich Dana White really is? Well, rich. But Wall Street Fighter tries to nail down a solid figure. It’s actually harder than it sounds, although their photoshop of the UFC Prez is just adorable.
At 38, The Iceman is talking about doing what scores of athletes in every sport have done before him: go into coaching after he’s done competing. Liddell has stated that he loves what he does — not sure if he meant getting drunk and groping chicks, or fighting — but he figures he’s got between 2-4 years left in the cage. The reality of age is starting to creep in and he’s got a plan for the future…or at least an idea of what he might do in retirement.
“I definitely will be moving into coaching. I’ve got a couple of guys that have been training with me for a long time and they’ve helped me get to where I’m at today.
“So if nothing else I’ll be around for a few years helping them out with their careers.”
“I hope I’ll be doing some movie work - I’ve had a couple of offers but trying to work it around a training regime is real hard to do and I haven’t been able to get anything I’ve really wanted to fit around my fight schedule.
“But If I can get something to fit in with my fight schedule, I might do it now but for we’ll see what happens.”
Shit.
And if you’re interested in some semi-related news, MMAJunkie recently had a sit-down with Chuck’s next opponent, the undefeated Rashad Evans. The fight will go down at UFC 85 on June 7th in London. Among the things discussed — a strategy to beat Chuck, training with Keith Jardine, and where the hell Evans feels he ranks among the UFC light heavies.
With the UFC’s heavyweight division utterly bereft of legitimate contenders to face Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the organization may need to start thinking creatively. And if they need Chuck Liddell to bail them out, Liddell would be up for it.
On Fight Network Radio, Chuck said he’d be willing to fight Minotauro for the interim big-boy belt if the UFC requests it. “If they want to set it up. I’m willing to do it,” he said. “Honestly I would like to get my title back at light heavyweight and then talk about moving up, but if that came up, (that) too is a possibility.”
Though Liddell is aching for another crack at Quinton Jackson, a win over Rashad Evans technically shouldn’t put him any closer to a title shot, and Chuck probably wouldn’t fare any better in a third match with Rampage than he did in their first two fights. He had a great run as the light-heavyweight champ — instead of chasing past glory, why not shoot for a new accomplishment and take on Nog at heavyweight? Especially if we’re talking about an immediate title shot (well, after Chuck gets through Rashad Evans, of course). Big as he is, Nogueira is beatable. And Rampage has Chuck figured out. Simple math, people.
