THE SPLINTER EFFECT

Is Vince and WWE cleaning house or....

2007-08-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

...just trying to cover his ass in the wake of a criminal investigation. I bet there are ten guys out there that would tell you that Vince is a lying bastard and a hypocrite who pushed steroids on them in the first place.

ZUFFA: The New Commission of MMA

2007-08-30T05:15:00.000-07:00

Just like when the five "families" of organized crime merged to form the Commission under Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky, the Fertittas and Dana White have "bought out" their major competition and have a near monopoly on the major league of MMA. It's true that the some other organizations like IFL, Bodog Fight, and ICON have big name fighters, but none of those organization have the main stream exposure like the UFC. The only thing that was keeping the UFC from being the true king of MMA was PRIDE. Once the Fertittas bought out PRIDE (which reeked of Yakuza involvement) and most of the big name talent signed with the UFC, there was no question who was the biggest dog on the block.

The Fertitta Family came from Galveston, Texas where they were the part of the mafia until they were eventually shut down by the state attorney general. They made a mass exodus from Texas to the desert town of Las Vegas where they started over and rebuilt their empire which is worth over a billion dollars today. Where ever combat sports and gambling are, organized crime will always be there as well. So it makes perfect sense that the biggest combat sports company would be controlled by people with a history of organized crime. Lorenzo and Frank's boy, Dana White, a Boston "Southie" native who at one time was a small-time boxing promoter and manager before being "appointed" the UFC president was the driving force in Zuffa's newest acquisition.

Other MMA organizations may pay their fighters well, even better than the UFC in many cases, but if they want the main stream media exposure that can lead to much more money than any fight contract they have to go through the Commission of MMA. And when you go see Dana about signing a contract to fight for the UFC, he has just one question for you.

"So you wanna be a fuckin' fighter?"

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I TESTED POSITIVE?!!!!!

2007-08-28T22:54:00.001-07:00

The Muscle Shark

I'm all natural! I just eat clean and take my vitamins.

Sorry Kyle, it doesn't look good for you and MMA.

2007-08-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

After chumming the waters with your dilemma, it seems as though you haven't got the majority on your side. I believe most everyone would agree that you have the heart of a warrior and determination that is unmatched. Sometimes in this life those noble qualities aren't enough to reach any goal that you set for yourself. MMA is a sport that any goofball freak show with two good fists and an iron chin can make a name for himself. You are anything but a freak show and MMA desperately needs a warrior of your class and spirit. The tattooed white trailer-trash who are beating their girlfriends and wives when they aren't kicking the shit out of one another in a bush league cage fight couldn't even hold your jockstrap. Unfortunately, they have something you don't- arms and legs.

There is no doubt that you can wrestle, that isn't even an issue. The problem is that due to your disability your put at not only an unfair, but unsafe disadvantage. I have given this some thought since my first article about your situation. I have reconsidered my position and have change my mind side with the majority of MMA fans. According to the blog poll, 73% feel that in no way should you be allowed to be able to fight in mixed martial arts. This is not only a safety issue for you, this is also an image issue for the sport. The general population and the mainstream media would not look favorable upon you competing in MMA. I'm afraid that the Georgia State Athletic Commission's concerns are not only for your safety, but what the media would try and portray your participation in this sport- a freak show.

Poor Charles, he was such a nice young man....

2007-08-28T05:40:00.001-07:00

Before CRACK.....

Any questions?

BANNED!!!!!! At The Request of the Crybabies from the Underground MMA Forum

2007-08-26T15:45:00.000-07:00

When enough people whine and cry long and loud enough, I guess they can collectively get what they want. I have been banned from MMA.tv's Underground Forum. Why, you ask? That's a good question. Could it be that there is a plethora of whiners, pussies, and registered sex-offenders that call the Underground home might have gotten tired of being told the truth. Like I always say, the majority of the population would rather believe a lie if it makes them feel better than suck it up and deal with the truth. Although there are some people who are members who were very cool and I enjoyed conversing with. But a few highly anal retentive moderators and some compulsive cry-babies have temporarily crashed the party for me.

Not to worry. If I can't go there, I have them come here. I don't know if Kirik is the one who tossed me out on my ass, or one of his worms dropped the hammer. What is amazing to me when a functionally retarded individual like Jacktown Judoka who somehow has gotten access to a computer can make himself a hero on the Underground. Somewhere out there they are teaching Internet classes to the mentally handicapped for Q-dog to be such an Internet warrior. Better yet, how can a sexual predator with a promoter's license who calls himself a "world champion" be continued to be allowed to promote his events on the forum. Someone has their priorities all twisted up over there. Oh by the way, the cry baby picture is a pretty accurate way to describe the contents of Kirik's inbox of whining e-mails from the members of the forum.

Either way, this is my forum. Anyone from over at the Underground is more than welcome to come over here and post any comments about anything I have said here.

Please, be my guest.

Sincerely,

Splinter.

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES: Would you take an undetectable steroid?

2007-08-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

It seems that a day doesn’t pass without the question of steroids in MMA comes up. In the UFC alone there have been some fighters who were in question for having a high test count which led to investigations and possible sanctions by the athletic commission. As sure as a fighter gets busted, there is an avalanche of fans that come down like a ton of bricks on the fighter labeling him a cheat or bad for the sport. That may be the case, but none of us a walking in that guy’s shoes. Let’s get one thing out of the way right now, we all know that no athlete should be using steroids and should be punished if caught. But what if you were a fighter who had his whole livelihood on the line and you needed an extra boost to help heal a training injury in order to be ready for you upcoming fight. If you knew that you were on the main card and you had six-figures riding on this fight as well as your future in the sport, would you use an undetectable steroid in order to increase your chances of success? If you say no, you’re a liar.

I am the last person in the world to judge anyone for taking steroids. I can’t throw one stone because my whole house is glass. I know that I jumped all over Brock Lesnar about my suspicion of using steroids in the WWE, but that was a different case. I was using that as another reason to bust his balls for talking trash about being able to roll right over the heavyweight division in the UFC. I really don’t care if he juices or not, or anyone else for that matter. What you do or put in your body is up to you. My point is that when someone is put in a corner under extreme circumstances, they would recalibrate their moral compass to in order to justify their actions. Stealing is wrong, but if you were starving and you needed to eat in and feed your family in order to survive, you would steal what ever it took in order to survive. What if you were a fighter under contract and you had enormous amount of pressure to stay healthy so you could be ready for your next fight. Maybe you had a slight muscle tear or strain from over training and canceling due to injury was not an option, would you consider taking an undetectable steroid to keep you strong and healthy. Some fighters have families and they are not the only ones who are depending on getting the winning end of the fight purse. If it were put in that situation, I would have to say yes. I know that I would do whatever I could in order to stay healthy so I could be 100% ready to fight.

There are clandestine lab researchers right now trying to develop anabolic steroids that are harder and harder to detect. The demand is out there no matter how harsh the punishments and fines are for getting caught. For some, taking steroids isn’t just about cheating in order to gain victory for bragging rights; this is about money- plain and simple. I don’t care what sport you are in, if you are a professional athlete you are expected to perform and produce, period. No one wants to hear about excuses about injuries, personal problems, or anything else. Fans are most unforgiving when it comes to losing. The minute your not on top, they will turn on you like a school of sharks. When you are winning, fans love and adore you. Start losing and they just assume kill you as to look at you. When the fans turn against you is when the money stops coming in. The Sports Gods (including MMA) will do anything to keep the fans happy. As soon as you’re not making them happy, you’re gone. As far as the athlete is concerned, he knows the fan could give a rat’s ass about him. His concern is looking out for his own future as well has his families. Would most of the athletes do invisible juice? You bet your ass they would.

ONWARD INTERNET WARRIOR: Quincy "Spice" Rice aka. Jacktown Judoka

2007-08-25T07:40:00.000-07:00

I love this guy. He has become one of my favorite venues of entertainment lately. I don’t get all hot under the collar like some forum regulars do. I have said it before and I will most assuredly say it again, I don’t take myself too seriously in any regard. That is especially why you shouldn’t take the mighty Internet Spartan warrior Jacktown Judoka too seriously. That is not the case with everyone though. Apparently he has managed to piss-off some of his peers in the professional fight community. I believe there has been some “Internet” challenges issued. Based on Jacktown’s past track record, I seriously doubt that any challenges issued will be answered and seen through.

Here are some of my favorite recent posts from the mighty warrior:

“I'm 160 now and Im out of shape, fact is, out of shape I can beat any 145!!! Come on I'd bitch uriah faber!!! I fought when they had no weight class and no rules, its nice he has fought to pussy rules!!! What a badass, outweighing everyone.”

“BJJ is Gay!!! So lets get this straight, you lay down and pull men between your legs to start matches? nuff said..”

“The Death Throw!!! Im pretty confident I could kill most of you with a swift throw onto your head..Of course I wouldnt use it in MMA, but just the same, you should remember that "ippon" symbolizes a token death. many of you are fooled into thinking you are not going to die in a street fight because you train MMA, nothing could be farther from the truth...”

“BJJ Thanks for the input..obviously you are a gay bjj practicioner and I have offended you...good.. fags burn in hell!!!!!!!!!!”

“Jacktown training!!! I dont pay...Im the sensei..now bow bitch..”

“I am tool of destruction!!! Train Judo.”

“Steriods are good for the sport of MMA. Nuff said.”

“Top 5 reasons I piss people off:
(1) I believe that BJJ is Judo
(2) I always stick up for my droogs, even when I know they are wrong
(3) I like rivalries
(4) I never hold back on anything
(5) I believe in myself even when others don’t
Now it’s your turn, why u hatin’ on a player??”

Here is some commentary that was written by some MMA journalists at FIGHTSPORT 24-7 about Mr. Spice:

'INTERNET FIGHTER' RICE SHAMELESSLY RETRACTS CHALLENGE
Internet fighter Quincy "Spice" Rice. Quincy Rice, who has been labeled by many in the MMA community as an 'internet fighter', posed a challenge to Fightsport.com to send one of its reporters to his school in Michigan for a challenge spar of any choosing.Fightsport.com responded to the challenge and offered to send our beat reporter called 'BIRD', who not only wanted to have a boxing sparring match with Rice, but also that he would spar Rice's best student right after!When Rice read our reply posted at the Underground forum, Rice refused to accept the challenge and the message was quickly deleted by moderators. Finally through more persistence on the part of BIRD, Rice changed the challenge around and said BIRD would have to box, kickbox, wrestle, do judo and submissions.BIRD accepted the challenge once again, and then Quincy Rice suddenly disappeared, even though he was still posting many messages on other threads. Quincy Rice now refuses to live up to his challenge.Shame on you Quincy Rice, and it is no wonder that many promoters and competitors in the MMA and grappling community call you the 'internet fighter' and the 'Grappling Circuit Jobber'. The nicknames are well earned in the opinion of Fightsport.com.
I liked this one also:

INTERNET FIGHTER LIVING IN DELUSION
A member of the UG forum informed us that Quincy Rice, who is affectionately referred to as an 'internet fighter' and the 'Grappling Circuit Jobber' by many in the MMA and grappling community, believes that he is the originator of the name 'Fight Club'. Furthermore, Rice, who is also referred to by many fans as Quincy 'Spice' (as in Spice Girls), even went on to state his objection to people who copy others, and who are 'not original'.We at Fightsport.com find that very ironic for the following reasons:

1.) Quincy Rice uses the term 'Droogs' to describe members of his gym. "Droogs" was originally from the classic movie called 'Clockwork Orange', and not an original creation of Quincy "Spice" Rice.

2.) Quincy Rice includes the words 'Fight Club' in the name of his gym, which is Metro Fight Club. This term was first made famous in the hit movie 'Fight Club', which starred actor Brad Pitt. Editor's note: Perhaps Quincy "Spice" Rice believes himself to be like Brad Pitt? (insert laughter)

3. Quincy "Spice" Rice was once caught trying to copy/use the same exact logo that the rap group 'Wu-Tang Clan' use as their own logo.

Don’t let the haters keep you down Jacktown. Keep on rollin’ brother.

My Advice to Brock Lesnar- STAY IN FANTASY LAND!!!!! MMA could be hazardous to your health!

2007-08-24T19:29:00.000-07:00

I was recently reading through the threads of the Underground Forum like I always do. And what do I find? Someone posted a thread with some, shall we say, more than confident comments of none other than Brock Lesnar. Mr. "Next Big Thing" in the squared circle wants to be the considered the same in the cage. I found it amusing how unimpressed he is with all of the heavyweight MMA talent out there. I believe at one point he said that no one could stop his take downs and he would just double-leg everyone right through the cage. Let’s go through the list of things that Mr. "Next Big Thing" may have overlooked, shall we?

First of all Brock, the UFC has steroid testing! I don’t think if you had lived three lifetimes it would be enough time to clean out your system of all the juice you’ve stacked over the years in the WWE. Oh yeah, that’s right, Vince McMahon had a rigorous steroid testing program in his organization and no one to his knowledge ever used steroids. I know, you must have gotten so freakishly big by working hard on the farm as a boy bailing hay, slopping the pigs, and kicking shit. All right then, let’s assume that you’re clean. Then what? How about asking yourself what is the last time you have been hit for REAL. I don’t mean some punk in a bar, those "big right hands" you guys would deliver to each other in the wrestling ring, or "The People's Elbow" for that matter. I am talking about an honest to god Thai-kick coming at your thigh at 65 mph, or how about a flying knee crashing into your jaw or temple. Ever have the point of an elbow ripped across your face? I am not referring to half-assed, pussyfoot, ego-building sparring sessions that you must be having that has given you this delusion of invincibility. I am talking about delivering a package of destruction with bad-intentions, the kind of intentions that shatter bones, rip muscles and joints, and keep the hospitals in business. Sorry Brock, there is no script in this business. The story line is that the guy across the octagon is going to try and kill you. And since you both have signed a contract to fight and everything is sanctioned, that makes your opponent’s assault and battery on your ass perfectly legal.

To sum this little tirade up, any top-ten heavyweight in the game right now would bend you over like a jailhouse bitch. Believe me when I tell you this, I am not even paying attention to what you are saying that closely and I can tell you got an ass-beating coming. What do you think your likely upcoming opponents are thinking right this very moment? You already have big name recognition, which puts a huge target on your syringe-scarred ass. Now you’re claiming that your going to open a giant can of whoop-ass on every heavyweight in MMA? I hate to break it too you, bro. Your not the only NCAA champ who has entered the world of mixed martial arts. And that traveling circus you’ve been trooping with for the past several years hasn’t done anything to prepare you for what you think you are about to get into. I remember another "pro' wrestler who made his MMA debut several years back by the name of Tony Halme, aka "The Viking". He was being interviewed before his first fight and he sounded a lot like you do right now. I remember him talking about how many necks he was going to break and how he couldn’t be taken down, yada, yada, yada. Yeah, he was a real badass until some unknown Greco-Roman wrestler by the name of Randy Couture, who was making his MMA debut at the same time, took his big ass down and proceeded to stomp numerous mud-holes in it. I never heard from Tony again after that fight. As for the other guy, well, we all know the rest of that story.

To Smoke or Not To Smoke: WEED and MMA

2007-08-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Like I said in an earlier article, I read Eddie Bravo’s book Mastering the Rubber Guard. I got some good laughs in the first chapter about his journey of self-discovery into the mind-expanding world of the magic herb. Over the years I have taken a toke or two in the company of friends. I never really experienced a mind-expanding experience, except for the time I tripped out from some weed that was laced (with what I don’t know). I’m told that weed can affect everyone differently from enhancing your creativity to just making you a general asshole. The truth is I would rather deal with a roomful of stoners than drunks any day.

When it comes to fighting professionally, there is no question. Lay off the weed unless you want to be suspended by the various state athletic commissions sanctioning MMA events. Whether this makes sense or not doesn’t matter. Weed is NOT what I would consider to be a “performance enhancer”, although that has been debated in the past. This ban is purely political. The federal government outlaws weed so therefore any state athletic body is going to do the same. Its okay to take doctor prescribed toxic painkillers for injuries, but you had better not touch marijuana to ease any pain from training or any fight related injuries. Better yet, you can destroy your liver with everything you can consume on the top self at the various UFC after parties, but inhale and your gone. That makes a lot of sense.

If you are not fighting in an organization that is drug testing, then smoke away if that’s your thing. I am sick of all the holier-than-thou teetotalers who stand on their soapbox and say how evil weed is by calling it a “gate-way” drug. NEWSFLASH- so is alcohol. I don’t see anyone pushing for banning fighters who drink. In fact the UFC’s poster boy, Chuck Liddell, did an on-air morning interview with a morning talk-show while he was so wasted you could not understand a word the man said. Nice message to send; we will ban and fine any fighter who are caught with THC in his system but you can be as tore-up as you want to be on pills and alcohol.

What this all really comes down to is money and the system. The state athletic commissions are a small piston in the big machine that runs this country. Weed is much more profitable for the government and if it is against the law. So long as it remains an illegal substance it will keep its high value and ridiculous margin of profit, and that means big money for a lot of people who hide behind various pillars of government and society. Banning fighters from smoking weed has nothing to do with health or safety; it’s all about MONEY. There is nothing wrong with MMA fighters who partake in the toking of the herbal peace pipe just as long as they can keep from coming up hot on the piss test. In that case, pass that blunt over here.

BULLSHIDO or just plain ol' KUNG FOOL Fightin'

2007-08-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

The following is an actual ad on the Internet and martial art magazines:

"Who The Heck Is Lieutenant X...Why Is He Saying Such Nasty Things About Martial Arts And Self Defense...And Why On Earth Would He Want To Give Me His Terrifying Top Secret Training Hand-To-Hand Killing Course Absolutely Free?"
Lieutenant X
Former Military Intelligence Officer US Army Special Forces

I like this ad header too:

U.S. Navy SEAL Unarmed Combat Instructor Reveals Amazing Combat Proven Fighting System! ...Especially Effective If You Are Surprised, Out-numbered Or Just Caught In A Situation Where Everything Is Screwed Up!

This one's a eye catcher:

I Will Rush-Ship You Advance CopiesOf The World's Most Anticipated (Secret)Training Videos On Combat-Level Ground Fighting! I Will Give You TheseGround Fighting SecretsAbsolutely FREE! He Proves These Secrets WorkBy Fighting 12 Hard Core Experts...With The Cameras Rolling!

Wait, there's more! This one is my favorite:

"People Have Threatened To Kick My Ass If I Didn’t Give Them These Incredible "Illegal" Fight Secrets. Well, Guess What? They Can Kiss My Ass. We’ve Only Got 99 Video Packages To Give Out... And This One’s Yours!" The Most Vicious, Blood-Tested,Gore-Drenched "Dirty Tricks" Fighting TacticsEver Revealed Outside Illegal"Death Match"Fighting Societies!
Cripple, Shock, And Cause InstantBlinding Pain And Nerve DamageTo ANY Opponent You Use Them On!

We're all about keeping the information rock-solid, ruthless, and simple. Learn it in the morning, kick some serious ass that afternoon if need be. Most of our "talents" are half-crazed, scary, dangerous men… black bag soldiers… vicious street fighters… insane bar-brawling bouncers… trained Navy SEALS and SWAT cops… and special-ops DELTA soldiers hardened by "hands-on" killing. They've all got blood on their hands and not one of them checks their "look" in the mirror before taking someone's head off.

Hey Lt. X! The bullshit is getting so deep and it's spilling into this blog, I had to go to Cabella's and buy some new waders. I can't wait for the "Ultimate Killing Course from the super-secret ex Navy Seal CIA commando who is going to teach me how to kill with the psychic death touch."

You know what's sad? It costs big money to run big goofy ads like that. Which means that there are a lot of stupid idiots out there who buy this nonsense. Hell, I would put Rex-Kwan-do up against Lt. X any day. At least Rex has tested his skills in the Octagon.

Mundials are here- WHO CARES!

2007-08-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Every year the best competitors in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu come together for what many consider to be the world series of their sport. No doubt, the Mundials or World Championships showcase some of the best grappling talent in the world. Thanks to the Pan American Games being held in Rio this year, the Mundials are going to be in L.A. this weekend. I first heard about the Mundials being held in the U.S. a little over a year ago. I immediately started figuring out a budget so I could attend. After some time I began to rethink the whole idea of attending what many consider being the year’s biggest tournament. Now I’m damn glad that I won’t be wasting my time or money to attend at all.

First of all, many of the elite Brazilian talent that is normally attracted to this event will not even be there. I know I’m only a purple belt and I would not be competing against these BJJ “stars”, but with the usual suspects of BJJ not attending it just doesn’t have the same prestige as years past. Another problem is Brazilians have their own sense of time. Their clock runs about two to three hours slower than whatever time it is. In short, they don’t get their ass in a hurry for anything. Anyone who has attended the Pan-American BJJ Championships or the Gracie Worlds (when Relson ran the show) knows exactly what I’m talking about. These are some of the most expensive and worst run tournaments ever. Pay over $100 to sit on your ass for a couple of days to maybe get on the mat for a few minutes. An average tournament is just sitting around for endless hours waiting for your division to be called in a horrible Brazilian accent over a unintelligible loudspeaker system while they are grinning ear-to-ear counting all of the money they made off us stupid gringos.

This year’s Mundials will be something different. There will be a virtual landslide of American white and blue belts. Can you imagine how many white and blue belts are going to be touting themselves as “BJJ world champions” after this tournament is over? I can just hear it now, “yeah, I won the Mundials and so on…” PLEASE. What even makes this tournament even less eventful is that many of the American and Brazilian competitors who live in southern California won’t even have to travel attend. Part of attending the experience of attending the Mundials was not only the bragging rights of attending such a prestigious event; it is also the fun of traveling to Brazil. It is supposed to be the world championships of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu after all. Well, both of those are out the window this year. For those of you who are going- who cares, it’s not like it matters anyway.

Women's MMA or Ultimate Cat-fighting? You decide.

2007-08-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

As MMA continues to grow, so does the involvement of women in the sport; and I am not talking about the ring girls either. In the past several years, women have broken the barrier from simply being spectators and fans of combat sports to being participants. Women now are prevalent in boxing, wrestling, traditional martial arts, and now mixed martial arts. As far as women and MMA goes, there are two categories they fall under- the fan and/or groupie, or the participant. The latter is the much tougher road for women to go on so many levels.

First we can deal with the obvious. Fighting is a rough business regardless you’re a man or a woman. For a woman, the slope uphill is much steeper than it is for their male counterparts. Women are still behind the curve in the general work force in pay and prestige. This is no different in MMA. In fact, because the fan base of this sport is predominantly high-testosterone male, females are naturally not going to be looked upon as equals (especially in the world of combat sports). When it comes to MMA, many male fans only want to see women walking around the cage wearing stiletto heels, not fighting in the cage (unless they were wearing stiletto heels and nothing else). The bottom line is men like to see women who act like women, not women who behave like men.

The next problem women MMA fighter’s have is the paradox they create when they are marketing themselves to the world. What I mean by this is, are you a sex symbol or a fighter. Men, at least normal ones, do not fantasize about a woman who can kick their ass. Some (not all) of these female fighters showcase very provocative photographs and some questionable “members only” sections on their websites. Make up your mind ladies! You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Are you a lingerie model or a fighter? Male fans in this sport are never going to take you seriously as a sports combatant if your website shows videos and photos of you fighting in the cage one minute and then shaking your ass in a thong. What do you want from your male “fans”? Do you want them to respect and admire your competitive spirit and skill one minute and then go to town on themselves with Palmala Handerson? I just does not work that way. We are not wired for that unless you got some fans out there into S&M.

I know that I’m going to take some serious criticism for this topic from two categories of antagonists; the female fighters and their boyfriends or husbands, and male fans who are in denial or don’t want their friends (who are female fighters or feminists) to know how they really feel. Unfortunately ladies, many male fights fans feel the only thing better than watching a good fight is watching a good “cat-fight" between two angry women. For those of you who think I am out of my mind, why don’t you ask Dana when he plans to showcase the “all girl” Ultimate Fighter. I’ll save you the trouble of asking. The answer is NEVER.

KYLE MAYNARD: No excuses for him doesn't mean no limits for others.

2007-08-20T22:32:00.000-07:00

Let me first start off by saying that Kyle Maynard has more heart and courage than many of us could ever hope for. Born with a disability that would make life difficult if not impossible to most of us, Kyle has defied the odds in ways many thought were not possible. He has participated and excelled in wrestling, football, and weightlifting without fully formed arms or legs. Because of his extraordinary effort and courage throughout his endeavors, he has become a national figure by motivating and inspiring all of us to never give up our goals and dreams with NO EXCUSES.

Kyle’s mantra has been his battle cry for every mountain he has set out to climb. His latest mountain is the world of mixed martial arts. I don’t have a doubt in my mind that Kyle’s heart and body is ready for the challenge, but is MMA ready for Kyle? Or it might be better stated, are the governing bodies that regulate MMA ready for Kyle? Recently, the Georgia State Athletic Commission denied Kyle a license to fight in MMA. This has no doubt been a huge blow to Kyle and his supporters. Kyle is in the process of appealing the decision. The decision by the GSAC to prohibit Kyle from fighting is not entirely clear at this point. I realize that the “official” reason is fear for Kyle’s safety and the inability to modify the rules to accommodate this unusual set of circumstances. But, I suspect the REAL reason is for fear of the public relation nightmare that could come to mixed martial arts from the mainstream media. MMA is still in its infancy in this country and is still very much misunderstood by your average Joe on the street. I believe part of the decision not to let Kyle fight is due to the fact that no matter if Kyle wins, or worse if he should lose and get hurt; the mainstream media and opponents of MMA would exploit his participation as some sort of a “freak show” instead of a legitimate sporting contest.
I believe it is shameful for anyone in the media who would use Kyle’s latest challenge as an opportunity to further their own agenda to bring a black cloud over the sport of mixed martial arts. And shame on the GSAC for not standing up and having the courage to allow Kyle to fight and making it accommodations necessary for him to climb this latest mountain before him.

I think the GSAC, and all of us for that matter; can learn a lesson in courage and determination from Kyle. He is determined in his quest to fight despite all the detractors and naysayers in the MMA community. And I believe he will stay the course until he sees this latest challenge through. I say make the necessary accommodations and let the man fight.

HATERADE: What flavor do you drink?

2007-08-16T05:51:00.000-07:00

MMA is a sport that takes serious balls to participate in whether you are in the cage or the ring. I have serious respect for anyone who fights either professionally or as an amateur. I have only participated in one MMA match. Fortunately I was victorious and didn’t walk away with my head getting kicked in. Although I have only one match, I don’t consider myself an MMA fighter. I am a grappler who has fought once in mixed martial arts. There is a clear distinction between someone who stuck his big toe in the pool and someone who swims laps every day. I can respect those who got a little wet in the shallow end compared to those individuals who sit on the bleachers shouting insults all the while not even going near the pool. There is nothing wrong with anyone who chooses not to participate in MMA. This is a sport that is definitely not for everyone. But what drives me up the wall is how some MMA fans go way beyond being mildly critical of a fighter and just are down right hateful.

Any more it seems as though more and more fans out there drink one flavor or another of Haterade towards a fighter. I may not like a particular fighter, but I still respect him (or her) for having the courage and heart to train, suffer, and fight. The type of fan hates on a fighter for fun reminds me of the little kid who would throw rocks and poke sticks at the dog locked behind the fence or tied down on a leash. If the dog happens to get loose or the kid gets too close and gets bitten, he squeals like a stuck pig and runs home screaming to mama. Many fans treat fighters this way by throwing rocks and poking sticks over the Internet. While the fans make vicious comments and insults toward fighters, they are safely tucked away at home behind their keyboards. They are afforded the comfort of anonymity, which fences them of from any retaliation from a particular fighter. Let the dog get loose and on them and they would be the first to run and cry to the police, their lawyer, or anyone else who would be their “mama”. I am not advocating fighters going out and kicking the shit out of fans because they something bad about them. Fighters as well as anyone else must have a little thickness to their skin, as should anyone in the public eye. But fans that drink Haterade have almost become a sport in itself. Some have gone as far as to turn it into an art form. They don’t just drink shots of the stuff; they drink the whole bottle with a bong.

If you’re an MMA fan and Haterade is your poison, that’s your choice. I guess whatever flavor you drink depends on whom you hate on that particular day. Just remember to be careful not to get too close to the dog when your throwing stones and poking sticks, you might find yourself having a hunk of flesh bitten out of your ass.

American Judo has fallen and it can't get up!

2007-08-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

Many judoka in America have gotten a chip on their shoulder in recent years when it comes to Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. They feel as if their judo is the forgotten grappling art. When you compare the amount of attention judo in America gets in relation to wrestling and BJJ, they have been largely ignored. The judo community resents the fact that BJJ steals all their thunder and is given all the attention in the martial arts community. Ask most judoka about BJJ and they will tell you that it is merely judo newaza (groundwork) repackaged with a slick ad campaign. Judo has made some attempts to grab some mainstream attention and integrate judo in to mixed martial arts thanks to the likes of the Gene Lebell, Gokor, Karo Parisyan, the Camarillo Brothers, and Rhadi Ferguson just to name a few. Overall, it is still a drop in the bucket compared to the attention given to grappling arts like BJJ and wrestling.

To be perfectly honest, American judo has no one to blame but themselves for their lack of attention. They had a huge head start of BJJ in the states. BJJ has only been in the U.S. for about 20 years compared to judo landing on these shores over 80 years ago. Judo has been seen spotted through out the martial arts landscape for decades but has failed miserably to capture the status as a premier grappling art. However, this is not the case in Europe, Russia, and of course Japan. Overseas, there are judo clubs everywhere packed with competitive athletes, businessmen, housewives, and school children. Schools and universities offer judo to their students as a sport the way we offer football or wrestling to ours. Many elite European and Japanese judoka regularly participate in professional judo leagues and tournaments. Over here, you might find a decent judo club in larger metropolitan areas. These clubs may have a few adults who are mostly instructors and coaches, but the remaining students are teenagers and children. Smaller judo tournaments are scattered about the U.S. and you might be lucky enough to find a couple major tournaments a year. If you are a serious judo competitor in America, travel is required.

One of the biggest reasons for the failure of American judo to grow and flourish is its inability to be flexible and adapt thereby leaving themselves hopelessly locked in outdated traditions. Maybe for the exception for some of our National team members and Olympic hopefuls, many judo clubs today practice no different than they did decades ago. Judo still remains a rigid art that spends most of its time doing countless repetitions of a small syllabus of techniques that haven’t changed since Kano was teaching classes at the Kodokan. Leaders of American judo are the most culpable in this tragedy by trying to be something they are not- Japanese. America should have taken judo and made it its own. Instead, they preserved it like some kind of a lost relic to impress their Japanese instructors.

That’s not the case with BJJ. As much as Rorion Gracie would have loved to remain the Godfather of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, he could not stop the tidal wave to talented instructors that came from Brazil. He quickly found out that he could not control the content and the pace of the techniques being taught and practiced here. As fast as BJJ rose on the scene it was becoming “Americanized”. Americans were learning the techniques, applying them, and then adapting them to suit their own needs. This evolution process is growing at an exponential rate. BJJ practitioners are constantly trying and testing new techniques in order to make their game more complete. There was a time when BJJ had extremely weak takedowns. They improved that by adapting more judo and wrestling throws and takedowns. Lower body submissions were almost non existent in the early days, now you can see some BJJ competitors pulling off more lower body submissions that sambo wrestlers. I can’t wait to see what the evolution of jiu-jitsu will look like in 10 or 20 years. I know what judo in America will be doing, training the same way they always have and still complaining about being in the shadow of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.

Fallen Warrior- The rise and fall of Mark Kerr

2007-08-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

I remember first time I heard of Mark Kerr. It was in 1987 when I attended the Ohio State High School wrestling tournament. He had just won the division I state title that year. The only reason that I had even paid any attention to him because he was from Toledo. I had family that had attended the same high school he wrestled for. After graduation, I went off to the Army and he went on to wrestle for Syracuse University. I did not see him again until 1992 when CBS was showing the finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships. Mark was wrestling Randy Couture for the 190-pound title. Mark went on to win a majority decision 11-2. Besides Mark and Randy, there were a lot of future stars that were wrestling or coaching in that particular event. Names like Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman, and Kurt Angle come to mind. Of course, Kurt was the only one of that group who did not elect to participate in MMA; he had other career goals in mind. No one in that select group had any idea of that they would be major players in what is now the world’s fastest growing combat sport. In the fall of 1993 that all changed.

Mark made a serious splash in the world of MMA by stampeding his way through the World Vale Tudo Championships in Brazil. I remember seeing watching the show thinking how big he had gotten since he had won the NCAA’s. He looked like the Incredible Hulk or something. Then again, so had all of the other big name wrestlers-turned MMA fighters at that time. I was wondering how in the hell were all the top-level Brazilian fighters going to stop this guy. Not long after the WVT, he fought in the UFC in a 8-man heavyweight tournament where he just crushed everyone. No one he was paired up with could even come close to him. At the time it was considered to be a forgone conclusion that he would hold the UFC heavyweight title as long as he wanted to. Instead of staying in the states and continue to fight in the UFC, he went over to PRIDE where he became an instant celebrity in Japan. He completely dominated his first four opponents in PRIDE. He had yet to taste defeat as a professional mixed martial artist. All the while he was dominating the world of mixed martial arts, he also managed to be crowned as the undisputed king of submission wrestling by winning the absolute title at the ADCC’s. Having accomplished these feats simultaneously placed him in truly elite status as one of the world’s premier combat athletes.

As fast as his meteoric rise to success had come, it came to a screeching halt at the hands of a Russian fighter by the name of Igor Vovchanchyn. Igor had two jackhammers for fists and had decent take down defense. This posed as a serious problem for Mark because take downs and ground-and-pound was his game. Mark continually failed to take Igor down and was summarily punished with crushing knees and fists. The knees to the top of the head finally took its toll on Mark and the referee stepped in to declare Igor the winner via TKO. The bout was later ruled a no contest. I cannot say how this loss affected Mark physically, but psychologically the damage would become self-evident in the upcoming months to follow. He was able to score decision wins over Enson Inoue and Igor Barisov, another Russian fighter. Although he was victorious, the aura of invincibility was gone. He no longer resembled “The Smashing Machine”, a title he was given by the Brazilian press at the beginning of his career and would later become an HBO documentary under the same name.

The HBO documentary was a work of irony to say the least. Although it was called “The Smashing Machine”, it showed Mark to be anything but. The documentary showed a fallen warrior who was struggling with the demons of drug addiction, a tumultuous relationship with his girlfriend, and some serious psychological issues. The sad thing about the whole situation was that he was an obviously gifted athlete who was reduced to a shell of the man that he once was. The documentary told the story of his demons that tormented him on a daily basis. It was almost like watching a modern version of Samson having all of his strength taken from him. Instead of having his hair cut, he was being torn apart from a volatile relationship with his girlfriend and loosing the battle to the drugs that was controlling his life. As I watch the documentary, I remember feeling pity for him. I realized that if such a gifted individual who had risen to such heights and could fall as hard and fast as he did, it could happen to any of us.

Mark has fought five times since his decision win over Igor Barisov; he has yet to taste victory. He has not only suffered with defeat in the ring, but has been plagued by injuries out of the ring. I find it disturbing when fighters not even a fraction of his talent scoff at him by saying he is only a shell of the man he once was. The truth is that many of those critics aren't even worthy to hold his cup. I don’t pass judgement on Mark Kerr. He still possesses the abilities that gave him great success in his youth and throughout his career. Sometimes a man becomes most dangerous when everyone least expects him to rise to the occasion. I don’t know what is store for Mark, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions about the outcome of his future. He may surprise us all.

Bring back old school MMA- Vale Tudo

2007-08-10T13:15:00.001-07:00

I think MMA has come a long way since the first UFC in 1993. I am glad that this sport is now getting worldwide mainstream recognition that it deserves. Bring MMA into the mainstream has also had what I believe are some drawbacks. I am all for safety and that is fine but I miss the days of no gloves and the only rules where no eye gouges, biting, or groin strikes. Now that the state athletic commissions have taken control of many of the MMA shows they have imposed an increasing amount of rules that have been a detraction to hard-core enthusiasts of combat sports. I am not at all saying the all MMA should go back to the way things were in the beginning, but there should be some events (even if they are held outside the U.S.) that display less rules, time limits, score cards, and all of the things that have made things too civilized.

I understand that the current of MMA is going to flow toward the appeal of the masses (and what the critics of the sport will accept), but I would like to see an event that has the old school feel of combat. Loose the gloves, have less time limits, broader weight classes, NO standing fighters who are grappling for the sake of "pushing the action" to appease the crowd. Leave that for contemperary MMA like the UFC. Some of the things I would like to see is elbow from any direction delivered to any part of the body, headbutts, knees and stomps (even if the man is down on all fours), and yes, soccer kicks to the head if the situation warrants.

The whole start of MMA was born out of the concept to test which techniques would be best suited in a fight. We have now taken MMA to the point that it is losing that combative edge. MMA has begun to resemble modified kickboxing with some wrestling and a little jiu-jitsu mixed in. There have also been a series of questionable stoppages as of late that left us not knowing if the down fighter was truly out of the fight or just temporarily stunned. What ever happened to the corner throwing in the towel. I understand that we have to protect lives and no one (well, most of us) wants to see anyone get killed, but having to watch Big John McCarthy jump on the top fighter because he delivered two unanswered shots is ridiculous.

MMA is fine the way it is. I completely understand the argument made by fans about not wanting to see a 30 minute lay and pray snooze fest with the occasional head-butt thrown in. I am just suggesting that old school vale-tudo be brought back on a limited basis in some events for the old school fighters and the fans who appriciate the essence of combat.

Jiu-jitsu: self-defense vs. sport

2007-08-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

For experienced practitioners of BJJ and other grappling arts, this will be singing to the choir. For others who are not familiar with the complete applications of jiu-jitsu or are too closed minded to look beyond the sport BJJ scene, this posting will hopefully give you a different outlook on jiu-jitsu.

Until Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu became one of the world's fastest growing grappling art, jiu-jitsu was considered mainly a form of self-defense with no competitive outlet other than judo or sport ju-jitsu (sport karate with some judo mixed in). Most traditional schools of Japanese jiu-jitsu still only practice this art with self-defense and combatives in mind. In fact my first jiu-jitsu instructor (Japanese style) strongly held the belief that jiu-jitsu was only for self-defense. He felt that the BJJ was just being repackaged as ugly judo. This is a belief that is held by many traditionalists even today. With the meteoric rise in popularity of mixed martial arts, there is a huge influx of new fans to this combat sport. Many of these new fans are affectionately called "noobs" (short for newbies) by veteran fans and practitioners of MMA. The noobs out there have even begun to train themselves in hopes of participating in combat at some point. They understand that in order to participate in MMA they must have a solid understanding of how to fight on their feet and on the ground. Some of these young hopefuls have had experience wrestling in high school or in some other martial art as a kid. What ever thier chosen avenue of training, grappling (most notably BJJ) will most assuredly will be a part of their training. Not everyone, but most everyone, will hold the belief that their BJJ training will server as just 1/2 or 1/3 of the skills needed to survive in the cage. They may believe that their BJJ training and has even less street value because they would never shoot in on someone or drop guard in the street. Another problem that has given many individuals this misconception about BJJ is that many schools train only with the gi and spend all of their time in the dojo sparring from the knees.

When it comes to the art of jiu-jitsu, the techniques should be practiced to be applied in all three mediums; sport (gi and no-gi), vale-tudo or mixed martial arts, and self-defense and combatives. When practiced correctly, BJJ is ment to be able to modify the techniques to apply to all three levels of combat. As a matter of fact there are some BJJ schools that specialize in self-defense and combatives. Some schools are more sport oriented and others are tailored toward MMA training. Relson Gracie is one of the world's formost authorities on the self-defense and combatives applications of jiu-jitsu. In Brazil, everyone agreed (for the most part) that Rickson was that man to beat, but no one wanted to face Relson in the street. BJJ practitioners know this to be true, but to the uneducated masses of MMA fans, they don't have a clue. If new students of BJJ and noob fans of MMA would do a little research about the art they criticize as being one dimensional sport wrestling in "pajamas", they would come to realize that Brazilian jiu-jitsu is really a "trifecta" martial art that can be practiced on the mat, in the cage, or used on the street.