Archive for the ‘Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)’ Category

How much do steroids help a mixed martial artist?

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

By Matt Larkin
Guest Writer

We’ve had a lot to talk about in MMA of late thanks to the big changes in Ontario sanctioning. As a result, we’ve neglected what was actually a big story that arose last week.

What we know: Michael Bennett of Applied Pharmacies services was just found guilty for supplying steroids to 22 athletes. Among the recipients: a mixed martial artist with the initials S.C. Bennett sent Trenbolone, Testosterone, Stanozol injectable and Nandrolone to S.C. in Colorado.

Mixed martial artist Shane Carwin trains out of Colorado. Gulp. It also doesn’t help that he has a massive and strangely chiselled physique for a heavyweight. Did Carwin use steroids? The evidence certainly suggests it. It doesn’t help that he’s refraining from making any detailed public statements about the accusations.

Until Carwin or the UFC speak up, we can’t fully decide how we feel about Carwin. But the news raises another question on my mind. How much do steroids really help a mixed martial artist?

The natural reaction is that it’s silly to even ask that question. After all, they enhance athletes’ brute strength and few sports reward brute strength like MMA.

But perhaps a guy like George St-Pierre would disagree. He regularly insists that “technique always beats strength” and he’s proven that time and again by using his wrestling to dominate larger opponents. We’ve also seen plenty of brutes beaten by superior technical fighters. Many of Fedor’s fights played out that way, as did Royce Gracie’s in the day thanks to his wily BJJ.

However, I’d argue that the modern “brute” in MMA is much more versed in the technical aspect of fighting. Even a big, potentially steroid-boosted monster like Carwin brings an accomplished collegiate wrestling pedigree to the Octagon. So fighters today arguably gain more from the strength advantage that steroids provide than they did, say, a decade ago.

Another aspect of steroids that makes me question how much they help fighters, however, is that of fatigue. Carwin visibly has a muscled-up body that looks too big for his frame, unlike Brock Lesnar, who is a huge man no matter how you look at him. It’s thus no wonder that he gasses easily with that body struggling to get oxygen everywhere. Is it possible that a steroids-enhanced body tires quicker? Given the bulked-up Bobby Lashley’s showing at Strikeforce last week, I wonder if he should be tested, too.

In the end, it’s ludicrous to assume a mixed martial artist doesn’t gain an unfair advantage from using steroids. But I’m just saying – the edge may not be as big as some people think.

Classless Joe Riggs is wrong about women’s MMA

Sunday, August 22nd, 2010

Doing his best to perpetuate Strikeforce’s classless reputation, journeyman Joe Riggs spoke out against women’s MMA last week, responding to Sarah Kaufmann’s complaint that she doesn’t get enough exposure despite holding a belt at 135 pounds. I have to include his whole quote:

“I don’t know what that [Sarah Kaufman’] is talking about. She’s lucky to even be on TV. As long as [women fighters] don’t say things like they don’t want to be on the Challengers card and they want to be main events then they’re good. We’re the show. The men are what people are here to see.”

Wow. Nice guy. So – looking past Riggs’ general tackiness, is there any merit to what he said?

For the most part, I answer an emphatic “NO.” I paid good money to watch Gina Carano and Cyborg Santos headline a Strikeforce pay-per-view last year. The fight was a phenomenal display of striking and I felt I got my money’s worth and then some.

Hey, Joe. Guess what?  I would never pay a cent for any card you headline. I don’t think I’d even watch it. You bore me. You’re not even good enough to fight in the UFC.

So I do believe that Riggs is wrong in stating that the men are always the top draw over the women. Simply not true. Die-hard MMA fans hold their breath and count the days until they get to see Cyborg unleash her Muay Thai fury again. I know I do.

On the other hand – Riggs inadvertently touched on one topic I raised a couple months back. Women’s MMA is exciting – at the top of the food chain. Cyborg and Sarah Kaufmann are worth watching. But I do worry that the talent level is thin and some women, like Jan Finney, can get badly hurt matched up with the elite.

Still – all that means is that women’s MMA is a work in progress. It doesn’t mean it’s not worth watching or putting on a nationally televised fight card. The matchmakers just have to work a little harder to keep fighters safe.

Now go back to your hole, Joe Riggs. I didn’t even know you were still alive until you were quoted speaking about a female fighter. You sure you’re a bigger name than Sarah Kaufmann?

MMA Gym North York, Toronto, Brampton, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Oshawa, Peel Region, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Thornhill, Vaughan, Woodbridge, York, York Region Ontario Canada.

Weighing in on the “body slams” debate

Friday, July 30th, 2010

You’ve probably seen the highlights of the Sarah Kaufman/Roxanne Modafferi fight for the Strikeforce women’s welterweight championship. It ended abruptly when Kaufman knocked Modafferi out with a spectacular slam. It was amazingly similar to Rampage Jackson’s famous slam on Ricardo Arona –which some consider the greatest knockout in MMA history.

Kaufman’s KO raised a debate on message boards and forums that I consider absurd – but that warrants discussion. Believe it or not, some pundits are posing the question, “Should slams be outlawed in mixed martial arts?”

Hmmm? To me, the argument is so silly that it’s hard to even discuss it. But I’ll try. First off, it’s inspired by a tiny handful of spectacular incidents that stand out because they were, admittedly, violent. But to discuss outlawing a traditional part of grappling in a combat sport is mind boggling.

First off, there’s the suggestion that slams are dangerous in that they can cause head injury or concussion on impact. So does that mean we should outlaw striking? The last time I checked, a Mirko Cro Cop head kick or Junior Dos Santos fist damages opponents’ skulls far more frequently than a slam does.

And what about submissions? Armbars, chokes, neck cranks and kneebars, if held too long, can be seriously hazardous to our health. Should we ban BJJ too?

An even stranger part of the debate is the notion that slams are too “barbaric.” That saddens me. I really thought MMA had evolved past the point of “extreme” culture. It’s not like slams are used in fights just for the sake of causing carnage. Almost every time you see a powerful slam, the fighter doing it is using it strategically to escape a dangerous position. Most commonly, the slam is an attempt to break up an armbar, guillotine, or some other submission attempt.

For anyone out there thinking slams should be outlawed – I suggest you try tiddlywinks.

Why Anderson Silva will win our hearts back on August 7

Friday, July 16th, 2010

We mixed martial arts fans may never truly like Anderson Silva again. In 2010, he’s toyed with our emotions, abused his power, wasted our money and made no effort to connect with fans. Chael Sonnen even claims Silva secretly speaks perfect English.

But, even though we may not like him anymore, don’t expect UFC 117 to be his swan song.

Yes, Silva has been maddening as hell this year. His display against Demian Maia at UFC 112, in which he essentially stopped fighting for the last few rounds, was a disgrace.

But that result was actually easy to predict. And it’s also easy to predict that he’ll do something spectacular in his middleweight title defense against former Olympic wrestling alternate Sonnen next month.

Why? Because certain types of fighters and situations force the best out of Silva and certain ones don’t.

You could see his lollygagging against Maia coming a mile away because Maia was the third choice to fight Silva; Vitor Belfort got hurt and Sonnen wasn’t healed from his previous bout. If Silva doesn’t respect his opponent, doesn’t feel like that opponent deserves to fight him, he mails in the performance, almost as if he’s flipping off Dana White for giving him the inferior matchup.

The other two times we saw Silva dick around: when he fought Patrick Cote and Thales Leites. Both of those challengers drew the “Who?” reaction from fans when they were announced. As a result, they were tentative – fearful – during their bouts with Silva. They didn’t challenge him and he didn’t feel the need to fight back very hard.

All of Anderson Silva’s best efforts have come against skilled fighters who (a) deserved to fight him and (b) weren’t afraid to risk their necks in order to beat him. Think about your favorite Silva highlights:

-    The devastating Muay Thai against Rich Franklin, a fearless and accomplished fighter
-    The rear-naked choke against Dan Henderson, the multi-weight-class Pride champ
-    The absolute clinic against Forrest Griffin, the wildman and ex-light heavyweight champ
-    The vicious knockout over James Irvin, who represented a new challenge as Silva’s first LHW opponent

You see? When The Spider cares, The Spider flourishes. The tougher opponents don’t rest on their laurels. They force Silva to fight back and fight back in spectacular fashion. Chael Sonnen will do just that. Win or lose, that means Anderson Silva should re-emerge as MMA’s most breathtaking fighter to watch on August 7.

MMA Gym Toronto, North York, Brampton, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Oshawa, Peel Region, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Thornhill, Vaughan, Woodbridge, York, York Region Ontario Canada.

Is the A-Team movie a make-or-break moment for MMA?

Monday, June 7th, 2010

Things should get very interesting for Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and all of MMA starting, say, next weekend.

On Friday, June 11, The A-Team premieres in North American theatres. One of its stars is, of course, Rampage, who plays the Mr. T. Role, B.A. Baracus. I can’t help but wonder if the release of the high-budget, high-profile picture presents a boom/bust opportunity for MMA’s popularity.

Rampage was already one of the most recognizable mixed martial artists in the world. Now, whether the movie bombs or not, it will still draw big enough audiences to probably make Rampage the most famous mixed martial artist alive. That means, more than ever, that he’ll be forced to become an ambassador for the sport.

The next question: would that be a good thing for the fight business? The Los Angeles Times already published a controversial piece on Rampage this week, painting him as a foul-mouthed, chauvinistic, homophobic man. In most sports, that type of image “puts bums in seats,” as stars with attitude draw media attention and attract ratings.

But the UFC and MMA in general are different in that virtually all of their athletes, whether it’s fair or not, are already cast in a controversial light. The outsider’s perspective doesn’t often see mixed martial artists as disciplined athletes who combine skills like Karate with the cerebral Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu strategy game. It instead focuses on the F-bombs, tattoos, energy drinks,  ring girls, Affliction T-shirts and, most of all, the blood.

Unfortunately, few mixed martial artists embody the “Xtreme” stereotype like Rampage does. He’s brash, he howls like a dog, he gets in car crashes, he wears a huge chain around neck…and he goes by the name “Rampage,” for cryin’ out loud! His overexposure could cement the negative MMA stereotype. It’s a shame that Randy Couture’s upcoming mega-movie The Expendables wasn’t released before the A-Team, as Couture is a much better spokesman for the sport. The real solution would be to cast the eloquent, honorable Georges St-Pierre in something. Anything.

Worse yet, Rampage has openly admitted that he “almost regrets doing the damn movie.” He blamed it for his loss against wrestling juggernaut Rashad Evans last week and is openly uncomfortable with the upcoming PR tour he must do for The A-Team. If Rampage really doesn’t want to be there at every tour stop, chances are he won’t be the friendliest cast member to interview. That makes it even more likely that he’ll make immature, off-the-cuff remarks.

The hardest part for the rest of MMA is that it didn’t have a say in all this. Rampage can’t be faulted – he has to live his own life – but there’s no questioning that his decision could potentially impact the way the rest of the world sees MMA. It’s how the media machine works these days. In this era of sound bites and YouTube clips, one bad apple can spoil a sport’s already-fragile global reputation.

By Matt Larkin
Guest Writer

Legalize MMA Rally in Toronto at Queen’s Park May 22nd

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

Mixed martial arts fans and mixed martial artists have craved it for a long time. Dana White fuelled the fire when he declared Canadians the best MMA fans. Now, we the people have a chance to bring MMA once step closer to being legalized in Ontario.

On Saturday, May 22, Ontario MMA supporters will gather and rally at Queen’s park. The event lasts from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The goal is to establish for Premiere Dalton McGuinty that MMA is a sport, and an honourable one at that, as opposed to a violent, “extreme” sport, which is how some detractors label it. If boxing was sanctioned 80 years ago, it’s time Ontario’s dinosaurs realized that MMA is just as important (and, arguably, safer) than boxing and finally made competitive bouts legal in the province.

One way to prove MMA’s legitimacy is to show Ontario how many businesses have accepted MMA as a true sport. The long list includes schools, equipment manufacturers, radio/television, sports medicine companies, energy drink brands and nutrition product companies.

Renaissance man Jeff Joslin will host the event. He’s a radio announcer, MMA coach and competitor – a great example that fighters aren’t just thrill seekers and can instead be intelligent, well-spoken businessmen. He’ll be joined by MMA community members like Carlos Newton, the UFC’s first Canadian champion, and Sam Stout, an up-and-comer hailing from London, Ontario.

So how can you contribute to the cause? First off, showing up goes a long way. Strength in numbers proves the point that MMA is no longer a niche hobby but a world-class sport with millions of followers.

Secondly, you can get the word out. Tell your friends, family or anyone else who believes in mixed martial arts. If you’re a blogger, a filmmaker, anyone with a public voice – cover the event. Let the Ontario MMA representatives speak out and make their case to Mr. McGuinty.

Lastly, and perhaps most important, be civil. There are few things sadder than a group of lobbyists getting too rowdy or violent; doing so totally distracts from a cause and only labels protesters as irrational and irresponsible.

That last tip is especially important in MMA given that it’s a combat sport. Less enlightened members of the Ontario government may write MMA off under the stereotype of a barbaric sport performed by violent, tattooed adrenaline junkies. If anyone at the rally gets too rowdy and causes trouble, that stereotype will only be perpetuated.

So do your best to show at the rally and be passionate. But realize that there’s a line you don’t want to cross. Put your energy toward rallying people and disseminating a clear, logical message – not toward anti-government sentiment or chaos.

Legalize MMA in Toronto and Ontario

How Far can MMA go with Dana White?

Friday, May 7th, 2010

I was perusing MMA news today and found quite an interesting nugget. Time magazine released its Most Influential People for 2010 and Mr. Dana White cracked the list. Not only was it surprising to see him recognized by mainstream media, the amazing part was that reader voting placed him above President Obama and Lady Gaga in his power to influence.

Quite the compliment. While it’s a bit much to put White above the leader of the free world (come on!), it’s not too surprising to see White acknowledged as an influential person. After all, he’s an expert at getting not just the UFC, but all of mixed martial arts noticed.

Ten years ago, MMA was written off as barbaric, glorified WWE wrestling or, as the worst expression goes, “human cockfighting.” Now, we’re seeing more and more states and provinces sanction it, we’re seeing it break into mainstream network television (CBS) and it’s receiving the same type of respect as combat sports like boxing.

Though not always directly, Dana White is largely responsible for what MMA is today. The face of the UFC changed when the Fertittas made him the face of their company and his work on building The Ultimate Fighter hugely impacted MMA’s popularity.

Despite White’s accomplishments, however, I wonder how much longer he can take the sport before it’s time to hand over the reins to a new figurehead.

It may seem crazy for me to make such a suggestion; why oust White when MMA is exploding? Well, sooner or later, the UFC will exhaust its ability to grow amidst its young, male-dominated, niche audience (I call it the Spike TV demographic). Eventually, the UFC and other promotions will want to see MMA viewed as a truly honourable and “clean” sport – the kind that could become an Olympic event.

To me, White is too rough around the edges to usher MMA to that next echelon a few years down the road. He’s a true fan and does a great job promoting MMA, but he’s no gentleman. He’s crass, dropping F-bombs in almost every interview, and he even got himself into hot water by making slurs against homosexuals.

If anyone believes the UFC can keep growing with that type of commissioner, let me ask, when was the last time you heard a swear word or slur against a minority from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman? NFL commissioner Roger Goodell? NBA commissioner David stern?

That’s what I thought.

Dana White has accomplished a lot and his influence is undeniable, but he can’t take MMA much further unless he cleans up his own image and learns some manners.

By Matt Larkin
Guest Writer

MMA Gym Toronto, North York, Brampton, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Oshawa, Peel Region, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Thornhill, Vaughan, Woodbridge, York, York Region Ontario Canada.

The future of the UFC lightweight division

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Thank goodness for Frankie Edgar.

A few weeks back,  “The Answer” outhustled and outstrategized BJ “The Prodigy” Penn in the UFC lightweight championship, one of the “unbeatable” champions in MMA was dethroned and the playing field in an entire weight class was levelled.

Most fight fans agreed that the UFC lightweight division was a shark tank of talent but that, like welterweight and middleweight, its champion was in a class of his own. Now that Edgar is the champ, things get a heck of a lot more interesting.

First off, who should face Edgar next? I would argue it has to be wrestling powerhouse Gray Maynard. Not only is Maynard undefeated, he’s the only man to beat Edgar. He deserves his shot. Next in line would probably be Kenny Florian, who was flat against Penn last summer but dominated Clay Guida and Takanori Gomi since then. His Muay Thai, BJJ and intelligence would provide an interesting challenge to Edgar.

I’d be tempted to give Edgar the Maynard fight and pit Kenny Florian against unbeaten George Sotiropoulos, whose ground skills, boxing and long reach would test Florian mightily. The winners of those two bouts could face off.

And where does Penn fit in? Well, I’m going on a hunch, but I believe Penn will view his loss as an opportunity to return to the welterweight division instead of look for a rematch. Plenty of interesting opponents would await him there, from Matt Hughes to Josh Koscheck to Jon Fitch to Thiago Alves. Penn could certainly make things interesting.

After Anderson Silva embarrassed the UFC, it’s especially good timing that one division just got a major shakeup. As for Edgar, before we write him off as a one-hit wonder, maybe we should stop underestimating the little guy. He’s fast, he can box, he can wrestle, and his cardio is unbelievable. He just may stay champ for a while.

By Matt Larkin
Guest Writer

MMA Gyms Toronto, North York, Brampton, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Oshawa, Peel Region, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Thornhill, Vaughan, Woodbridge, York, York Region Ontario Canada.

Strikeforce: Nashville Preview

Friday, April 16th, 2010

After no particularly big fight cards for several months, Strikeforce is finally back and ready to reassume its position as the UFC’s main competitor in mixed martial arts promotions. Sure, the UFC still has most of the top fighters, but Strikeforce will showcase some high-end talent this weekend. Here are my picks for the big fights.

MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: Jake Shields (24-4) vs Dan Henderson (25-7)

After feeling slighted by the UFC, Dan Henderson defected to Strikeforce and was immediately rewarded with a title shot against highly regarded middleweight champ Jake Shields. Both fighters are ground guys first and foremost, with Shields relying on his BJJ and Henderson using his Greco-Roman wrestling background.

The pick: Dan Henderson. Remember, Shields fought most of his career at welterweight and Henderson fought most of his career at light heavyweight; that’s a 35-pound weight difference. Henderson should have the strength advantage in grappling and has a clear edge in the standup thanks to his extremely heavy hands. He’s just a tough matchup for Shields altogether. Though Shields’ record is impressive, I would argue Henderson, even at his advanced age, is the toughest man he’s ever faced. I’m just not convinced he can hurt Henderson or even submit him.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: Gegard Mousasi (28-2-1) vs Muhammed Lawal (6-0)

This should be very interesting. The mouthy Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal will put his undefeated record on the line in an effort to steal the light heavyweight belt from Gegard Mousasi, who has looked positively untouchable of late.

The pick: Gegard Mousasi. Whom has Lawal beaten? Mousasi is a world-class fighter, a non-stop finisher who can beat guys with his blazing hands in the striking game or submit them on the ground. While he’s beaten more solid “B” fighters than “A” guys, he’s still far more experienced than Lawal. Even though Lawal is a powerhouse wrestler, I don’t think he’ll scare Mousasi. The champ is a cerebral fighter who is comfortable in virtually any situation. I think he’ll pick Lawal apart.

LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: Gilbert Melendez (17-2) vs Shinya Aoki (23-4, 1 NC)

After watching Takanori Gomi get embarrassed against Kenny Florian’s boxing in the UFC a few weeks back, Shinya Aoki, ranked as the No. 2 lightweight in the world by most publications, has a lot to prove. Can he finally shake the notion that the Japanese fighters’ skills don’t translate across the pond?

The pick: Gilbert Melendez. I’m not sure what it is that gets lost in translation for Japanese fighters. Is it a hostile crowd atmosphere? Maybe the conversion to the confining cage after years of fighting in rings? Whatever the cause is, I’ve lost confidence in Japanese imports. Instead of backing Aoki based on his name recognition, I’d like to see him earn the win again the tough, gritty Melendez.

By Matt Larkin
Guest MMA Writer

MMA Gym North York,  Toronto, Brampton, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Oshawa, Peel Region, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Thornhill, Vaughan, Woodbridge, York, York Region Ontario Canada.

UFC 112 Preview

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

It’s great for mixed martial arts that the world-class fighters and, just as importantly, the title belts have come out of the woodwork. While it’s true that UFC 112’s title matchups look lopsided, I’m seeing the glass as half-full. Let’s just enjoy the fact that we can watch Anderson Silva and BJ Penn in action. Here are my picks for the fights.

MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: Anderson Silva (25-4) vs Demian Maia (12-1)

Dana White had to get creative and go with “Plan C” as Anderson Silva’s opponent after Vitor Belfort got injured and Chael Sonnen’s political obligations sidetracked him. As a result, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu virtuoso Demian Maia gets the middleweight title shot before he’s actually ready.

The pick: Anderson Silva. Sadly, I could see this fight ending inside the first minute. While it’s true that The Spider has been strangely tentative in at least two of his last three fights, Demian Maia’ s striking is so remedial that there’s absolutely no threat to Silva in the standup (very different from, say, fighting Patrick Cote). Silva’s lightning-fast and accurate Muay Thai strikes should overwhelm Maia quickly. Even though Maia’s BJJ is unbelievable, Silva is still a black belt himself. Maia’s BJJ was neutralized in his last fight when he battled a fellow BJJ black belt in Dan Miller. So Maia won’t have much of an edge on the ground and is horrifically overmatched on his feet. Yep, this should be a slaughter.

LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: BJ Penn (15-5-1) vs Frankie Edgar (11-1)

Like the middleweight and welterweight divisions, the lightweight division has plenty of talented fighters in its second tier but a huge gap between the champion and everyone else. Frankie Edgar is just the latest underdog to challenge BJ “the Prodigy” Penn, who has successfully reinvented himself as a dominant force now that he’s committed to staying in shape.

The pick: BJ Penn.  We can at least expect a closer fight here, however. Frankie Edgar is among the most underrated and cerebral fighters in his division, as he’s very capable on the ground with his wrestling base and decent BJJ and he’s also very technical and accurate in his boxing, capable of picking opponents apart. The problem is that Penn has the same strengths as Edgar but his skills are even more advanced. Penn’s BJJ is unmatched, his boxing is superb and he has a solid size advantage over Edgar, who is one of the smallest lightweights around. Edgar should give a better effort than Diego Sanchez based on intellect alone, but we shouldn’t expect more than that.

Matt Hughes (43-7) vs Renzo Gracie (13-6-1)

This was a long time coming. Finally, legendary Renzo Gracie makes his UFC debut at age 43. Unlike Royce Gracie, Renzo doesn’t have to face Matt Hughes in his prime. But can Renzo have a chance given his age and the fact that he hasn’t fought for over three years?

The pick: Matt Hughes. We’ve seen this movie before. When Royce lost to Hughes, the message was clear: MMA had grown up and a pure BJJ artist could no longer trump a bigger man easily. While Renzo has more modernized striking than Royce did, he’s still the older and physically weaker fighter. I think even a past-his-prime Hughes will have his way with Gracie.

By Matt Larkin
Guest Writer

MMA Gym North York,  Toronto, Brampton, Etobicoke, Markham, Mississauga, Oshawa, Peel Region, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Thornhill, Vaughan, Woodbridge, York, York Region Ontario Canada.