In news that’s sure to excite both PRIDE fanboys and MMA enthusiasts alike, PRIDE FC will return to DVD starting on May 6 with the release of PRIDE: Shockwave 2006.
The staff at MMAmania.com spoke directly with the distributor who has confirmed that a total of 12 PRIDE FC DVD’s will be released over the next eighteen months. In addition to Shockwave 2006, PRIDE 34: Kamikaze will be released sometime in June.
Zuffa — the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship — purchased the Japanese mixed martial arts promotion (and its biggest rival) early last year. With no television deal and most of its top fighters signing UFC contracts, the entity known as PRIDE became no more.
Now fans will have an opportunity to relive the glory days on DVD. MMAmania.com will preview each disc as its release date becomes available.
In the meantime, here’s a quick peek at PRIDE Shockwave 2006:
PRIDE SHOCKWAVE 2006
Saitama Super Arena, December 31st, 2006
Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Ikuhisa Minowa
Shinya Aoki vs. Joachim Hansen
Akihiro Gono vs. Yuki Kondo
Mauricio Rua vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
Gilbert Melendez vs. Tatsua Kawajiri
Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Eldari Kurtanidze
Takanori Gomi vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida
James Thompson vs. Hidehiko Yoshida
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Josh Barnett
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mark Hunt
Check back in a few weeks for more information on upcoming titles and their release dates.
It was a big night for former PRIDE stars during Wednesday’s World Victory Road: Sengoku at the Yogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
In the main event, Josh Barnett (21-5) controlled Hidehiko Yoshida (7-6) for most of the fight before submitting him at 3:23 of the third round with a heel hook.
Both “The Babyface Assassin” and Yoshida have been out of action since coming off losses at PRIDE: Shockwave on New Year’s Eve of 2006. Barnett had dropped a unanimous decision to current UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira in a rematch from their classic battle at PRIDE: Final Conflict Absolute while Yoshida was pounded out by the much bigger James “The Colossus” Thompson.
Takanori Gomi (28-3) returned to his winning ways by stopping Duane Ludwig (16-8) in the first round via TKO after a typical Gomi offense left “Bang” too badly cut to continue.
“The Fireball Kid” is probably happy to have a new fight to talk about. Gomi was submitted by Nick Diaz via gogoplata at PRIDE 33: Second Coming but had the decision overturned by the NSAC after Diaz tested positive for marijuana.
In other action, popular Japanese wrestler Kazuyuki Fujita (15-6) submitted K-1 veteran Peter Graham (0-1) via north/south choke at 1:23 in the first round. Graham trains out of Xtreme Couture and was making his MMA debut.
No doubt Fujita is glad to have won so easily after Graham (who seems to be making a career out of pre-fight scuffles) forced officials and fighters to separate the two after taunting Fujita at a recent pre-fight press conference.
2006 PRIDE welterweight Grand Prix champion Kazuo Misaki (19-8-2) choked out Shooto light heavyweight champion Siyar Bahadurzada (13-2-1) with a guillotine at 2:02 of the second round.
“The Grabaka Hitman” had the edge in experience but Bahadurzada is an up-and-coming fighter that will only get better.
With the event’s second heel hook, Evangelista Santos (16-11) upset the heavily-favored Makoto Takimoto (4-4) at 4:51 of the first round. While “Cyborg” was known for his lethal striking, many expected him to be absolutely tooled on the ground by Takimoto, an Olympic gold medalist who was supposed to be the one handing out submissions.
Bodog welterweight champion Nick “The Goat” Thompson (35-9-1) extended his winning streak to eleven after outlasting Brazil’s Fabricio “Pitbull” Monteiro (16-7). The unanimous decision win now puts Thompson at 19-1 since July of 2005.
Grappling phenom Antonio Braga Neto (5-1) saw his perfect record snapped after dropping a unanimous decision to Pancrase veteran Ryo Kawamura (8-2-2). Neto was expected to control the fight but the wily Kawamura proved that his loss against Keiichiro Yamamiya at Pancrase: Rising 10 may have been merely an off-night.
While Sengoku was a solid event it still pains me to see Josh Barnett walking the Japanese countryside like Kwai Chang Caine. Outside of Couture, Barnett is the only real credible threat to deposed despot Fedor Emelianenko who like Barnett, seems content fighting anyone not ranked in the top five.
Neil Sedaka said it best: Breaking up, is hard to do!
Andrei Arlovski and Mirko Cro Cop, the flotsam and jetsam of the UFC heavyweight division, are now being jettisoned to distant promotions to try and recapture the mythos that preceded their recent shortcomings.
At least “The Pitbull” has a chance to go out with a win by garroting Jake O’Brien at UFC 82. In fact, with a dominating performance, Zuffa may even offer him a respectable contract.
Cro Cop, however, must exit the UFC with his tail between his legs, clinging to the onion skin that is his Japanese legacy.
A year ago I salivated at the thought of these two gifted strikers facing off inside the Octagon. Now I anticipate their futures with a sort of jaded apathy.
A fighter’s success has to be about more than just wins and losses. Josh Haynes once told me he would gladly settle for an 0-30 record if every fight had the crowd on its feet.
So often a promoter can sell a fight on hype alone. What a fighter’s done and who he’s done it against are of paramount importance. But once the cage door closes there is nothing left but two men and the truth of the moment.
Some fighters understand the urgency of that moment. In a recent interview with MMAmania, Diego Sanchez explained the anxiety of a three round fight: A mere 15 minutes to overcome a man whose sole purpose is to destroy you.
But win or lose, there is still opportunity.
A fight like Huerta vs. Guida at The Ultimate Finale 6 will guarantee your employment. A fight like Herring vs. O’Brien at Fight Night 8 may not.
EliteXC honcho Gary Shaw recently remarked how Dana White “ruined” Brock Lesnar after the pasty-faced goliath came up short in his debut at UFC 81.
Mark this one in your books folks, because I’m going to bat for Dana White.
From a fans perspective, I don’t think anything about Lesnar’s debut was ruined by losing. As we originally reported, Brock Lesnar had a hand in requesting this fight.
And Brock Lesnar lost.
That doesn’t have anything to do with Dana White or the booking of Joe Silva. It has to do with the submission defense of Brock Lesnar and the resilience of Frank Mir, who saw his opportunity in a herculean ham hock.
I do understand Shaw’s philosophy. If you shell out boku bucks for a marquee name, you should at least get your money’s worth.
But this isn’t the WWE. You can’t script a fighter’s greatness.
Nor can you tiptoe your way to the championship.
I have more respect for Brock Lesnar in defeat to Frank Mir than I would have had in victory over a fighter such as Ruben Villareal (sorry, Warpath). And in truth I am excited to see the evolution of Lesnar if he is sincere about sticking around.
I think a promoter’s first instinct may be to protect his headliners. Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva was bigger while they were both riding win streaks. But the stakes were even higher after both suffered back-to-back losses.
And the fight still delivered.
Does Dan “Hollywood” Henderson’s loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 75 make his championship match against Anderson “The Spider” Silva at UFC 82 any less exciting?
Not a chance. But that’s because “Dangerous” Dan knows how to deliver. His five round war with Rampage was the epitome of Octagon excitement.
And I think that is the lesson for Arlovski and Cro Cop. And perhaps a bit of foreshadowing for Brock Lesnar.
So talented yet so timid in recent fights, Arlovski may have to pack his tent and try greener pastures. Hopefully he’s able to rediscover his will to engage, because (stay or go) it may be the only thing that returns him to greatness.
Cro Cop, on the other hand, bitter and full of excuses, is back in the land that made him famous. His time in the UFC can be described in many ways, but for me the most fitting is opportunity lost.
The Eddie Sanchez fight at UFC 67 was supposed to be an opportunity for the Croatian to get his feet wet inside the cage. Instead it may have lulled him into a false sense of security.
His blase approach to the intricacies of the Octagon cost him against Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 70, and the fallout seemed to carry into his match with Cheick Kongo at UFC 75.
Shrugging off the UFC as a place he never really belonged, Cro Cop has once again started anew, this time at the newly-formed DREAM with hopes of finding the same success he had back in PRIDE FC.
I don’t think a change of scenery is going to do any good without a change of perspective to accompany it.
Opportunity knocks in almost every fight. Warriors like “Minotauro” Nogueira and Randy “The Natural” Couture know how to seize it. And that is why they’ve brought such honor and prestige to the UFC heavyweight title.
They understand that inside the cage, there is no past and there is no future. There is only the present. There are no absolutes, only opportunities.
Diego Sanchez is no stranger to controversy. Once a rising star on season one of The Ultimate Fighter, Sanchez has become and continues to be one of the most talked about fighters in the sport of MMA.
As his undefeated record started to reach mythical proportions, Sanchez seemed destined for welterweight greatness. Thrilling victories over top welterweights Nick Diaz and Karo Parisyan (and a devastating KO against Joe Riggs) further cemented his status as the future of the division.
And then it all came tumbling down.
Just days before his fight with Josh Koscheck at UFC 69, Diego was diagnosed (improperly) with Hepatitis C. While it was later learned he was suffering from a staph infection, the illness affected his performance and the usually ferocious Sanchez trudged his way to a unanimous decision loss.
Add to that his subsequent departure from the Greg Jackson camp, and a displaced Sanchez found himself on the losing end once again against Koscheck teammate and welterweight contender Jon Fitch at UFC 76.
Now finally settled at the University of Jiu Jitsu (UNIJJ) under Saulo Ribeiro and his team in San Diego, “Nightmare” looks to get back to his winning ways - and his destiny to become the UFC welterweight champion.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Diego thank you for taking the time to speak with us at MMAmania. Let’s start with UFC 82. Tell us how you ended up fighting newcomer David Bielkheden?
Diego Sanchez: He’s the one who stepped up to the plate. Joe Silva called everybody he could and nobody wanted to take the fight with me. I think it’s well known that I’m a very dangerous fighter - maybe even more so amongst the fighters.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Since pounding out Brian Gassaway at UFC 54 back in 2005, five of your last six fights have gone to a decision. How important is it to you - especially as a fighter who wants to keep the reputation of being dangerous - to finish a fight?
Diego Sanchez: It’s very important to me. But fifteen minutes is not a lot of time and there are so many factors that can influence the outcome. Those fights were also very tough match-ups. You had Karo Parisyan, Nick Diaz who is as tough a dude as there is, these are tough guys and sometimes it goes to a decision no matter what. Some guys have styles that make them very hard to finish.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): But you didn’t have that problem against Joe Riggs.
Diego Sanchez: That’s the only KO of my career but man it felt good.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): You mentioned your opponent’s styles. Critics have accused you of having an identity crisis inside the Octagon. Tell us how you transition from ground ‘n pound coming out of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) show to strictly boxing against Koscheck to jiu-jitsu against Jon Fitch.
Diego Sanchez: I’m evolving as a mixed martial artist. I have to evolve at a higher speed than my opponents in order to be a world champion. I may have had two bumps in the road but make no mistake about it I’m here to be the world champion. I’m learning man, just like everybody else. I’m training now under guys like Saulo Ribeiro and Rickson Gracie, legends in this sport. Training in the Gi has totally taken me to another level.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): But you did go into the Koscheck fight with the intention of keeping it standing? Did the Riggs KO have any influence on that decision?
Diego Sanchez: I wanted to knock out Koscheck but I was sick and I wasn’t myself. That fight was a nightmare. My mind wasn’t there and most people who know me know that I wasn’t there for that fight. He didn’t even do anything. He tried to throw some punches so that he could score his points and get out of there. He was too scared to try and finish me. Throw some punches, score some points and retreat. He could have tried to engage like Karo. Look at the Karo fight and see what happens when two guys try to finish each other the whole fight. You get fight of the year.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): For a guy who is known for exciting fights, how hard was it to hear the fans boo the end of your fight with Koscheck?
Diego Sanchez: That being my first loss was difficult enough to deal with, but I did try and look at it in a positive way. It humbled me and I had to learn from it. I was starting to lose my way. I was enjoying the lifestyle a little too much. I would collect my paycheck and then go off and do some traveling. I would go to Miami and party and meet different people. That’s not what a champion does and that’s not what got me here. That’s not me but I got sucked into it. It was nice, I was living the dream, but then I realized wait a minute I’m not the champion. I have unfinished business inside the Octagon. My career is not over yet.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Explain the motivation behind the Koscheck shove at the weigh-ins for UFC 69. Was it mind games or do you just flat-out hate the guy?
Diego Sanchez: Me and Koscheck have personal issues. He was talking mess to my family, doing whatever he could to get a rematch with me. It worked because he pissed me off. I didn’t need the fight but Dana approached me about it and I took it.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): And after that you had your second loss to Jon Fitch. I’ll bet that didn’t help ease any of the pain from loss #1.
Diego Sanchez: My life was in transition then. I changed teams, I changed camps, my training was different, my drills were different, everything changed. I still went into the fight and attacked. I may have had the wrong strategy. I probably should have kept it standing more but I was always going for the finish. He held position. He didn’t once try to pass my guard or do any kind of damage. He hit me with two punches and glancing hammer fists. If the guys over at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) are happy with just squeaking out these wins then let them have it. To me winning with as little effort as possible is nothing to be proud of. If you want to be proud, be proud of a war - win or lose.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): So you feel that the Fitch strategy was like the Koscheck strategy? Score enough points to get the win and go home?
Diego Sanchez: Exactly! He didn’t do anything. He wasn’t in one position to finish me and he hit me with no clean shots. He couldn’t even pass my guard! Where are the points? In his lay ‘n pray? I don’t understand the judges sometimes, it’s like they don’t understand jiu-jitsu but I guess holding top position is all it takes. I knew they were giving it to him but all I can do is accept it and move on. I give Fitch credit for the win because he is strong but he also taught me that I need to be stronger too. I need to get back to weightlifting and work on my power.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): So having said that we can assume you plan to stay at 170lbs indefinitely?
Diego Sanchez: Oh yeah, I’ll never go down to 155. I did consider it but it’s hard because my true weight class for my body type would be 163. I’m too big for 155. If I made that drop I would have to sacrifice too much muscle. Right now I’m walking around at 177, but a very lean 177. I was very real with myself after the Jon Fitch fight and I knew that I had to make these adjustments.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Can losing a high profile match or back-to-back matches make a fighter question whether or not he belongs in a certain weight class?
Diego Sanchez: I don’t know, I think it depends on the way that you lose. Look at some of these other guys getting their jaw knocked into the fifth row. You have this guy who is supposed to be unbeatable, an MMA God and Matt Serra went in there and knocked him around.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): That tone leaves me with the impression that you’re not entirely sold on GSP’s immortality.
Diego Sanchez: Oh no. You know what? I respect him, he’s a great warrior who is very strong, but I don’t fear him like some of the other guys at 170. He’s just a man. I could have went down to 155 to avoid him but my dream started at 170 and I’m gonna see it through. He’s out at my old camp now.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): He’s now with Greg Jackson and you’re not. Based on what you’ve said thus far I’ll assume that’s more than just a coincidence?
Diego Sanchez: I have so much respect for the Jackson camp. Keith Jardine, Nate Marquardt, all those guys, they’re still my boys. My loyalty was very strong. But GSP could have gone to any camp he wanted. He knew that place was my home, my dream. That took a little something out of my heart. He’s training in the cage that I bled in, that I sweat in and cried in.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Did you feel pushed aside when he arrived?
Diego Sanchez: Put yourself there for a minute. You’re an undefeated fighter coming off two of the biggest wins of your career (Parisyan/Riggs). Now they’re bringing in the champion of your weight class to train with your guys? For three months I was telling Greg that my heart wasn’t feeling it. Greg kept telling me “Trust me, trust me, you guys are going to make each other the best” but I kept feeling like their true intentions were to make me go down to 155. I mean most of the Jackson fighters cut a lot of weight and that’s not me. I wasn’t going to do it. I wasn’t bowing down to Georges St. Pierre. I ain’t riding nobody’s coattails. I’m Diego Sanchez and just because I had two decision losses - one while I was sick and one controversial to a top five welterweight - does not mean that I’m gonna give up on my dream, my dream to be welterweight champion. Maybe me and GSP will throw down in Albuquerque somewhere in the future. Dana told me there is going to be a show in Albuquerque. I don’t want to fight him unless it’s for the title. I want him for five rounds.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): What would you do to prepare for that fight?
Diego Sanchez: The way GSP destroyed Matt Hughes I said to myself the only way I’m gonna beat this guy is to outwork him. I have something in my heart that he doesn’t have. Maybe he has something that I don’t, but you know what? That’s what we’re gonna put against each other in the ring. I just pray that it’s a five round fight. I don’t want it to be about points. I want him to be the champion at the time and have to fight me for five rounds. Believe me if Koscheck and Fitch had to go five rounds things would have been different. I’ll never get tired. It’s genetic with me, all in my DNA. I’m here to fight.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Assuming you’re able to get past David Bielkheden at UFC 82, what’s next for Diego Sanchez?
Diego Sanchez: I want a rematch with Koscheck. I’ve already talked to Dana about it and he understands my situation. Dana and I talk about this stuff. He was ready to announce my retirement after the first fight because of the Hepatitis test. That was scary. I thought my career was over. I had no back-up plan.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): You don’t seem to be in any hurry to fight for the title. Is that by choice? Take us back to Fight Night 7. You KO Joe Riggs and have an undefeated record including 6-0 in the UFC. Why then does the UFC present Koscheck? Why not fight for title contention?
Diego Sanchez: I’ve never been in a rush for a title shot. I’m still improving, especially in my striking. It’s all good. When Joe Silva and the UFC say it’s time to fight for the title then it’s time.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Would you consider yourself a top five welterweight?
Diego Sanchez: Of course man! Who else is there? GSP, Matt Serra, Matt Hughes…
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Do you put Fitch up there?
Diego Sanchez: Yeah, of course, even though he didn’t do anything to me! Who else after that? It’s not BJ Penn, he’s a lightweight.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Koscheck?
Diego Sanchez: Yeah, I guess then Koscheck.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): As a TUF pioneer, how do you rate the recent crop of fighters to come from the show? Has the quality gone down or have the standards gone up?
Diego Sanchez: That’s a hard question to answer. There are some good fighters coming through, but for season one they had to take mostly real fighters, pros. If the quality has gone down it’s not by much.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): How do you want to be remembered as a fighter?
Diego Sanchez: As one of the most exciting fighters ever. A fighter who always pushes the pace. Most of all I want to be remembered as a champion. I’ve never had this kind of focus. I’m grown up now and ready to win.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): And your relationship with Ali Sonoma?
Diego Sanchez: Oh man we’re in the deepest love ever. She’s truly the one who helped me grow up. Once you fall in love you settle down. We’re better than ever. We rushed into an engagement but that was the la-la land part of the relationship. We know we’re going to get married someday but we both have to take care of our business first. We totally back each other. She’s awesome.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): When you’re not training and not fighting what do you do?
Diego Sanchez: Snowboarding. It’s my passion. It’s the only thing that gets me off more than fighting. But I’m a calm snowboarder now. I just kind of cruise down the mountain. I don’t hit the 780’s or half-pipes anymore. Dana would kill me if I got hurt. Now it’s just for meditative purposes.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Diego thank you for taking the time to speak with us at MMAmania and we wish you the best of luck at UFC 82.
Our own Jesse Holland stopped in to chat with Ariel Helwani at JarryPark.com to recap UFC 80: “Rapid Fire,” preview UFC Fight Night 12 and ramble on about all things mixed martial arts (MMA).
Here are some specific discussion points:
BJ Penn’s victory over Joe Stevenson
What to expect from a Penn-Sherk match up
The way the Sherk situation was handled on the UFC 80 telecast
Fabricio Werdum’s place in the heavyweight division
The rise and fall of Kendall Grove
Mike Swick vs. Josh Burkman, Patrick Côté vs. Drew McFedries and the rest of the UFC Fight Night 12 card tonight
Andrei Arlovski, Mirko Cro Cop and Evan Tanner’s UFC future
Check it out when you have some time right here (there’s also an audio player included at the bottom of this post). It turned out to be a solid discussion.
Thanks again to Ariel for inviting Jesse to “The Park.” He’s alienated most if not all of his friends at this point in his life so it made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
It’s been interesting to watch the UFC lightweight division evolve from afterthought to afterburner in a little over a year. What began as a punchline for fighters under 170lbs is now the go-to division for Fight of the Night.
You have seasoned headliners like BJ Penn and Sean Sherk, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) grads like Kenny Florian and Joe Lauzon with something to prove, and battle-tested warriors like Clay Guida and Roger Huerta rounding out the mix.
So where does an up-and-coming fighter like Frankie “The Answer” Edgar fit into the mix?
“I belong here” deadpanned the easygoing yet confident lightweight. And after his dominating win over UFC veteran Spencer “The King” Fisher at UFC 78: Validation, it’s hard to argue against the still perfect Edgar (8-0) in his assertion.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Frankie, first and foremost thank you for taking the time to talk with us at MMAmania.com. How are you feeling physically?
Frank Edgar: I feel good, I feel 100%. I’m between fights right now but I’m still training.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): We can assume your training regimen is different now than it is for an upcoming fight?
Frank Edgar: Definitely. The intensity is much different. I like to start training for an opponent 10 weeks out. Right now I just continue to work out.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): With that in mind, do you think that puts you at a disadvantage should the UFC need a last minute replacement for a big fight? Would you be able to step up and face BJ Penn if Joe Stevenson got hurt on just 4-6 weeks notice like Georges St. Pierre did against Matt Hughes?
Frank Edgar: I could pull it off, no problem. I’m always right in striking distance, I never let myself get too far off.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Since you’re not training at full intensity we should take that to mean you don’t have your next opponent lined up yet?
Frank Edgar: No, I haven’t heard from Joe Silva. He calls me when he has something and we take it from there. As of right now we haven’t spoken. We’re kind of playing it by ear. He hasn’t let me down yet.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): How did that rumor get started about you fighting Takanori Gomi?
Frank Edgar: (Laughs) I have no idea. I’m not fighting him. He’s not even signed to the UFC.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Let’s go back to your recent win against Spencer Fisher at UFC 78: Validation in your home state of New Jersey. How did it feel to be the hometown boy?
Frank Edgar: It felt great. He’s the biggest name I’ve fought. It was cool to be able to do it in front of all my friends and family. It was kind of like a homecoming. I had everybody there.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Did their presence pump you up or did you have some extra jitters?
Frank Edgar: It didn’t affect me one way or the other. I kind of approach every fight the same way but I definitely fed off the energy.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): The lightweight division is really starting to stand out with so many exciting fighters at 155lbs. Where do you think you fit in amongst the division’s elite? Would you rank yourself in the top ten? Top five?
Frank Edgar: I don’t know about rankings or numbers, I just know that I can compete with any of them.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Is there anyone in your division that you’ve had your eye on, someone you really want to fight?
Frank Edgar: Um not really, I guess I want to fight people who are on the road to the belt. I may not be ready for a title shot just yet but I definitely want to be heading in that direction.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): How do you think you would match up against a guy like Roger Huerta?
Frank Edgar: It would be a good fight. We match up pretty well. It would probably be a very fast-paced fight.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Besides yourself, who is a fighter to watch in the lightweight division?
Frank Edgar: Tyson Griffin. He’s a tough dude. He keeps winning these tough fights and he’s exciting to watch.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): What’s your prediction on Stevenson vs Penn at UFC 80?
Frank Edgar: Penn. I mean Stevenson’s good, but Penn is just a little bit better – probably the best in our division.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): No discussion of the lightweight division would be complete without touching on the Sean Sherk scandal. Do you have an opinion on how everything went down?
Frank Edgar: Um, not really. He said he didn’t do it, so it’s cool. I believe him.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Do you have any reservations about going on record as steroid-free?
Frank Edgar: Not at all. I’ve always been a wrestler and as a wrestler you’re always worried about cutting weight. The last thing I want to do is make that process any harder by packing on mass.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Were you ever approached to do the The Ultimate Fighter?
Frank Edgar: I actually tried out for it but I wasn’t selected. I was disappointed but then a couple of weeks later my manager got a call from the UFC asking if I wanted to fight Tyson Griffin. I said yes and haven’t looked back.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Do you think that TUF has run its course or does it have its place in the big picture.
Frank Edgar: I think it will be around because it’s a great feeder for the UFC. You’ll never be able to get an entire cast of great fighters but you got a couple of really good guys coming out of every show.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): How did you end up getting into mixed martial arts?
Frank Edgar: Mostly from my wrestling. I wrestled in college and I just knew this was something I wanted to do.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): What are some of your accomplishments in amateur wrestling?
Frank Edgar: I was a two-time state place winner, four-time national qualifier in college, one match away from All-American.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): When kids are young, they tend to say “When I grow up, I want to be a fireman, or policeman, or doctor”. What did you say when you were young?
Frank Edgar: I didn’t know. It was hard too not knowing. I always felt like there was something missing. Fighting now fills that void.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): While you were starting to get into fighting, who were some of the fighters you admired or wanted to model yourself after?
Frank Edgar: Well it’s kind of new to me, but I have a wrestler’s mentality so I guess guys like Hughes and Couture come to mind.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): We know you can wrestle, but what about your other skills like submissions and stand-up?
Frank Edgar: I didn’t get to showcase my striking against Fisher, but I had good stand-up against Bocek. It’s something I’ll continue to work on and improve with each fight.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): What weight do you walk around at?
Frank Edgar: About 165lbs.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): You’re still pretty young and not too far removed from college. How tough has it been to sell your parents on a career as mixed martial artist?
Frank Edgar: My parents are my biggest supporters, as well as my fiancé. They were a little tentative in the beginning but once they saw that I was giving it 100% they were behind me all the way.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): How hard is it for your fiancé to watch you fight?
Frank Edgar: She watches them, she probably screams the entire fight. It’s tough because I know it’s a lot of stress on her too.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): What would you be doing if you weren’t fighting?
Frank Edgar: Plumbing. That’s what I was doing before. In fact I was still doing it up until the Spencer Fisher fight.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): That’s very Jersey of you. Since then have you been able to support yourself on fighting alone?
Frank Edgar: Yeah, now I’m a full-time fighter. I’m pretty lucky.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): I’ll bet it was hard trying to work full-time, fight on the side, and still have a life.
Frank Edgar: Yeah it was tough. I was tired all the time man. Now it’s nice I can train two times a day, get the proper rest, everything.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): How many fights do you have left on your current contract?
Frank Edgar: I want to say three. Two or three.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Does having an early start in the UFC change your career timeline? Do you want to fight for X number of years and then move on while you’re still pretty young or is this it for the foreseeable future?
Frank Edgar: I want to fight, so I guess I’ll do it as long as my body allows me to. I wouldn’t mind being like Couture fighting into my forties!
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): A lot of fighters are able to parlay their success into other business ventures. Do you see yourself building upon your success to branch out into other endeavors like a training school or clothing line?
Frank Edgar: Definitely, I would love that. I’m assistant wrestling coach at Rutgers University and I love teaching. You know what, I’ll get into all that. The clothing-shit I’ll even do movies! I’m down with all that.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Living in Jersey and having fought in Jersey are you starting to get recognized now? Do you get approached when you go out with your friends?
Frank Edgar: Yeah, a little bit here and there.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Is that something you enjoy or has it been difficult adjusting?
Frank Edgar: No, it’s cool. I’ve lived here my whole life in Toms River so most of the time I end up knowing them anyway – one way or the other. This is Jersey, it’s always like hey I know this guy, who knows this guy…
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): How is your relationship with other guys in the UFC? Is there a bit of camaraderie in the locker room or is it strictly business for you?
Frank Edgar: Everyone’s pretty friendly and usually in a pretty good mood before the fights. It’s a nice experience.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): (UFC President) Dana White has implied that Randy Couture’s recent fallout has a lot to do with the fighters talking and gossiping about paydays, matchmaking, etc. in their own little circles. Have you found fighters to be privy to that kind of information or openly talking about their situations?
Frank Edgar: Well if they do I’m definitely not in the loop!
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): How is your relationship with Dana, and how involved is he on the fighter level?
Frank Edgar: I don’t talk to him unless I see him at the events. He’s cool but I don’t have much contact with him at this point.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): So who gave you your nickname “The Answer”?
Frank Edgar: My teammate Chris Ligori.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Is there a background behind it or did he just blurt it out?
Frank Edgar: Uh, no he just kind of came out with it. I liked it, sounded good with Edgar.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): And your tattoos, do they have any special significance?
Frank Edgar: Um, I don’t know, I have a samurai on my arm, as far as significance, I guess it’s basically the same cliché stuff everyone else likes to talk about.
Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com): Thanks again Frankie for taking the time to talk with us. Is there anything we can pass along for your fans?
Frank Edgar: Yeah, go to MMAinstructional.com for some demonstrations on MMA from myself and others, it’s pretty neat. And check out FrankEdgar.com.
You know in the old days when we had a question we were too ashamed to ask a friend or loved one we would just drive to the nearest rest stop and copy little pearls of wisdom from inside the bathroom stalls.
I guess I’m just old-fashioned that way.
Don “The Predator” Frye, former PRIDE and UFC warrior, is proving that the pen is truly mightier than the sword.
Frye has been treating fans to his little Don-isms for some time now over at the IFL website with his regular “Dear Don” column. And in true holiday spirit, he’s re-gifted a vernacular fruitcake for the hundreds of IFL fans around the globe.
Here’s a sample of advice from the Frye-guy:
Dear Don,
What’s a good Christmas present for my girlfriend that doesn’t involve expensive jewelry or me wandering into a women’s clothing store? I feel like I don’t know how to shop for a woman, but I really like this girl and want to get her something good. At the same time, I don’t have a ton of money and am not ready to go the engagement ring route. What should I get her?
You don’t want to buy her a ring or any other expensive jewelry, huh? Congratulations. You’re not as dumb as everyone else. I don’t know where people get the idea that jewelry is some kind of Christmas cure-all. Maybe it’s from those damn commercials during the football games this time of year.
Anyway, you’ve already decided not to go that route, and I’m proud of you. What you do now is put your girl in the car and drive to the strip club. Take her in and buy her a lap dance for Christmas. The good news is that, even if she doesn’t like it, she can’t return it.
Who knows, maybe one thing leads to another and you both go home with a present. Call it a Christmas miracle. If it doesn’t work and she gets mad at you, hey, at least you’re already in the strip club. What better place is there to get cheered up after your girlfriend leaves you? Merry Christmas, partner.
And there you have it. I have to admit the man knows his stuff. Those of you with a significant other please remember, don’t try this at home.
I never thought I’d be nostalgic for Billy Blanks.
Like every other new kid on the mainstream block, Hollywood has wasted little time pillaging the success of the UFC and mixed martial arts (MMA) with an impotent portrait of teen angst titled Never Back Down.
From what I could tolerate of the trailer, I think I can summarize the plot::
Boy moves to new town. Boy meets Girl. Boy gets assaulted by Dominant Male. Girl Frowns. Boy learns how to kick ass from Brooding Mentor. Boy and Girl find love. Boy gets revenge on Dominant Male. Girl smiles.
Pretty complex stuff, but somehow I nailed it.
This shouldn’t be confused with the D.O.A. Never Submit, a thrown-together and ham-handed script that eventually did submit - to its own stupidity.
It should be confused however with The Karate Kid, Showdown and The Power Within - since they’re basically all the same movie.
Never Back Down was written by Chris Hauty and Robert Munic. Haughty is credited with the script for Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco. Munic as the co-star of Stunt C*cks.
Somewhere between runaway pets and runaway boners you have the recipe for a good MMA movie. Or so they’ll tell you at Summit Entertainment.
I could go on and on about how ridiculous the plot is but hey, that’s what the trailer is for.
I will say how disappointed I am to see the talented Djimon Hounsou mired in this dreck. Brilliant in Amistad, he turns in a performance so rigid it reminds me of Old Chief Woodenhead from 1987’s Creepshow 2.
David Mamet is also trying his hand at MMA with the upcoming Redbelt. While the jury’s still out on how well it will depict the sport of MMA, the casting of Tim Allen in the lead role doesn’t give me that warm, fuzzy feeling.
Until then I guess we’ll have to settle for Never Back Down. Unless of course anyone wants to join me for a private screening of Gymkata.
(Thanks to MMAmania reader “A Lynch” for the assist.)
The twelfth and final episode kicks off with a quick look at the matches that got us to the semifinals. Scheduled to fight are:
Mac Danzig vs. Matt Arroyo
Tommy Speer vs. George Sotiropoulos
That is of course until the nimble and fluid Richie Hightower does a faceplant into Matt Arroyo’s ribs during training.
Since we already know that someone bows out early this episode, it’s no surprise that Matt’s X-Rays reveal a cracked rib.
He gamely confronts Dana about the possibility of continuing and almost looks surprised when Dana doesn’t throw his arm around him and exclaim: “Safety first!”
Matt throws in the towel (almost a little too easily) and now it’s up to Dana and Coach Serra to recruit his replacement.
Since Serra’s first choice (Ben Saunders) is unable to compete due to injury, he runs down his list of sloppy seconds.
Just like season three, not everyone is up for the job. Jon Koppenhaver plans to just swing for the fences until he gasses while Troy Mandaloniz and Richie Hightower are afraid that making weight will be too hard for them on just three days notice.
That leaves John Kolosci, who in an unintentional Ross Pointon impersonation storms in and demands a fight with Mac Danzig. Dana likes what he hears and lines up Kolosci/Danzig II.
I wanted to share Dana’s enthusiasm, but in the back of my mind I knew there was a reason their first fight ended the way it did: John and Mac are fighters on two very different levels.
Mac, who is starting to sound more and more like Roy Batty with each passing episode, complains that fighting John for a second time puts him at a disadvantage. I didn’t agree but I guess it wouldn’t be a Mac segment if he wasn’t complaining about something.
A confident John Kolosci starts round one with a low kick. He charges in but Mac spins him like a dradle. John goes back to the low kick. He tries a high kick and lands on his keister ala Shamrock/Franklin.
John kicks again but this time Mac kicks back. Mac backs him up with a combo. Mac with a low kick but John catches it and they tie-up. Mac works him over and gets the takedown.
Mac keeps him immobilized and lands a few questionable shots to the back of the head prompting a Mazzagatti warning. More strikes that get Serra and Hughes yelling at each other from across the cage.
John postures up and Mac sinks in the rear naked choke. John taps and sends Mac to the finals. Serra, rarely at a loss for words, calls it a moral victory for John.
The show quickly shifts gears to prepare for Speer/Sotiropoulos. Hughes reveals that Tommy has a secret weapon: His heavy right hand. Knowing that someone gets KTFO in this episode, I feel a bit cheated with Hughes’ revelation.
George clomps around oozing confidence. He tries to give one of those foreboding predictions but comes off sounding a little like Jim Hellwig: “I don’t know what round it’s going to end, but I know it’s going to end.” Hughes is not impressed and calls George weak.
Round one opens with some fancy footwork as they try and size each other up. Tommy rushes but George simply sidesteps. Tommy charges again, this time throwing hands and gets a warning about his fingers.
Another Speer bumrush and George gets a thumb to the eye.
McCarthy halts the action and a quick OK from the Doc gets George right back into action (despite Serra’s advice to take more recovery time). The fight resumes and George looks like he has trouble with his vision.
Tommy takes advantage of a flatfooted George and lands a right. Then another. George goes down. Tommy mounts and pounds him out. Tommy Speer is heading to the finals to face Mac Danzig.
Team Hughes goes bananas. George wakes up and is obviously devastated but handles it with class.
The matches weren’t terrible, but they also weren’t spectacular. I think that kind of sums up the season for me.
Dana closes out the show with props for the coaches and a look ahead to the finale. The announcer gets perhaps the biggest laugh of the season when he asks: “Will the farmboy devour the vegan?”
By now most have us have come to recognize (and ultimately accept) the unfortunate passing of mixed martial arts competitor Sam Vasquez.
Vasquez, 35, died last Friday from complications stemming from head trauma suffered at the hands of opponent Vince Libardi at Renegades Extreme Fighting back on October 20th.
Despite two surgeries and prompt medical care, Vasquez was unable to recover after being knocked out in the third round. He was admitted to St. Joseph Medical Center and eventually transferred to an area hospice on November 26th.
Vasquez is survived by his wife Sandra and a seven-year old son.
It’s been difficult for me to try and find a way to examine his death without it turning into a eulogy. While surely heartfelt, it would be disingenuous and maladministered.
In fairness to Sam, I would have never heard of him if not for his death on November 30th. And when I did hear, I waited anxiously for the anti-MMA crusaders to release their hounds.
They never came.
No public outcry, no villagers with pitchforks and torches laying waste to Dana’s castle, nary a blurb save for the occasional sound byte on Fox News or quick write-up on MSNBC.
With predators like Bill O’Reilly constantly cruising the surf, such little attention struck me as an opportunity lost.
Let’s face it, having zero fatalities in mixed martial arts has always been our ace in the hole. When detractors gave us brutality on the turn, we answered with death-proof on the river.
No longer.
Does the death of Sam Vasquez weaken the argument for fighter safety? Does it damage the credibility of MMA sanctioning? Maybe yes, maybe no.
Like the murky waters that have clouded the Douglas Dedge tragedy, the death of Sam Vasquez has offered little in terms of closure for his family and his sport.
Vasquez suffered two massive brain clots while hospitalized, both requiring major surgery. Yet the first clot was not a result of his fight with Libardi according to wife Sandra.
If accurate (and coming from his wife we should assume that it is) it raises very serious questions about the pre-fight health of Sam Vasquez and his ability to compete.
An initial investigation reveals that Vasquez, as well as veteran promoter Saul Soliz, had completed the necessary licensing requirements required to participate and that on the surface, everything was done by the book.
It may not be unreasonable to think that Vasquez may have answered “no” on a medical questionnaire when deep down inside he knew the answer was “yes”.
It may also not be unreasonable to think that a perfectly healthy fighter can be killed by competing in a sport that is essentially a form of controlled violence.
Which side of the fence you’re on all depends on your opinion of mixed martial arts as a sport.
In the coming weeks the tragedy of Sam Vasquez will start to fade away. So too will the significance of his passing.
And it is significant. It’s marks a new era in mixed martial arts by casting a shadow of mortality over the fighters and events.
Will we remember that mortality at UFC 79 as we stand and cheer during Silva vs. Liddell? Will any of the drunken misfits feel the pain and guilt of Vince Libardi as they scream for a knockout at countless live events?
I wonder how things might have been different had it happened to a high-profile fighter like Rich Franklin. At the end of round one against Anderson Silva at UFC 77, Franklin was walking like a newborn calf, yet continued to take punishment by answering the bell for round two.
Perhaps such a scenario, coupled with the less-than-conclusive facts in the Vasquez tragedy is what’s keeping the mainstream media at bay.
They may just be biding their time.
As a both a fan and a writer of mixed martial arts, I have that constant subjective/objective battle within myself when it comes to watching fights. It was always hard for me to watch gruesome endings like McFedries/Radev at Fight Night 10. Having Sam Vasquez in the back of my mind will now make it even harder.
I don’t think there is anything positive that can come from a fatality in our sport unless it becomes the catalyst for a much-needed change or a call to action. Whether or not that happens in the case of Vasquez remains to be seen.
While I don’t know anything about Sam Vasquez the man, I do know something about Sam Vasquez the fighter. I know he was 35. I know he was a husband and a father. I also know it was just his third fight under a smaller promotion. Combining those facts tells me that he probably wasn’t fighting to attain Fedor’s money or Liddell’s fame, but because he loved to fight.
Sam Vasquez died doing what he loved.
Maybe I do know something about Sam Vasquez the man after all.
So long, grainy YouTube footage. 
By Jesse Holland
