Author: Damon Martin

Pride and Brutality: Cristiano Marcello Feels at Home Again in Japan

When Cristiano Marcello steps back into the cage this weekend, it will almost feel like he’s going home again. While Marcello is a proud Brazilian and holds his country in the highest esteem, for many years his home away from home was in Japan. Marcell…

When Cristiano Marcello steps back into the cage this weekend, it will almost feel like he’s going home again.

While Marcello is a proud Brazilian and holds his country in the highest esteem, for many years his home away from home was in Japan.

Marcello only actually fought in Japan one time while competing under the Pride Fighting Championships banner, but he traveled there on numerous occasions as a coach and teacher for one of the most legendary teams in MMA history.

As part of the Chute Boxe team, Marcello was omnipresent during the team’s historic rise to the top of the sport when Pride was the prominent brand in mixed martial arts.  The team’s captain was then Pride middleweight champ Wanderlei Silva, who left a wake of destruction in his path during his rampant charge through the best fighters in the division that the promotion could throw at him.

Marcello was also there when Mauricio “Shogun” Rua came on the scene and the Chute Boxe era was strengthened even more with his tornado like run through the Pride Grand Prix. 

“Japan’s a very special place for me,” Marcello told Bleacher Report.  “I been in Japan 20 something times, during Pride time, so everything started there for me.  The Japanese crowd is very peculiar crowd because they love each moment of the fight.  Whether you get a good sweep or you get a takedown or you land a great punch, they love each moment of the fight.  They love martial arts.”

Virtually every time one of Chute Boxe‘s fighters were competing in Japan, Marcello was almost always standing in the corner shouting instructions or helping them in the back as they prepared to walk out into the arena.

This time around, as part of the UFC on Fuel 8 card, Marcello will actually share space on the same show as one of his closest friends and students, Wanderlei Silva, who fights in the  main event against Brian Stann.

“I coached Wanderlei and this time he’s going to fight and I’m going to fight on the same card. That’s going to be a special moment and a great moment for me,” Marcello said.

When asked to peg down one lone moment that stands out above the rest, Marcello is hard pressed to come up with a single occasion because there were so many great memories there.  He does admit fighting in Saitama Super Arena will be very special because of one of the most epic knockouts in MMA history happened in that building and he was there to witness every brutal second of it.

“It’s going to bring a lot of memories from that place, Saitama Super Arena.  He won his fight there against Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson with all the animosity in the air, and the pride situation, so it’s going to be great to smell the arena,” Marcello said.   “The feel of Japan again.”

That night Silva blasted Jackson with a series of knee strikes and when the American fell, he crashed through the ropes in a scene that will be replayed in MMA highlights for the next 20 years.  This time around, Marcello will be going for a highlight of his own when he faces Kazuki Tokudome, and then he will proudly watch from the back as his friend and former student looks to wow the crowd in Japan one more time.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

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Carlos Condit Predicts ‘Another GSP Decision’ When St-Pierre Faces Diaz

As UFC 158 fast approaches, the tension in the main event between champion Georges St-Pierre and challenger Nick Diaz is starting to become palpable. A lot of fighters and journalists will place their predictions on this fight over the next couple of w…

As UFC 158 fast approaches, the tension in the main event between champion Georges St-Pierre and challenger Nick Diaz is starting to become palpable.

A lot of fighters and journalists will place their predictions on this fight over the next couple of weeks, but no one may be more qualified to give their opinion on the upcoming title fight than former UFC interim champion Carlos Condit.

Condit‘s last two fights have been back-to-back versus the UFC 158 main event fighters, first against Nick Diaz, whom he defeated to win the interim title, and then a loss to Georges St-Pierre in his last bout in November 2012.

The New Mexico native is preparing for his own fight against Johny Hendricks in the co-main event of UFC 158 but took time to place his prediction on the upcoming fight between St-Pierre and Diaz.

“Nick is tough and he’s got a different style, but I really think it’s going to come down to GSP‘s athleticism.  Diaz kind of has that same pace, just kind of a constant medium pace as far as his striking, his explosiveness,” Condit explained while breaking things down when speaking to Bleacher Report on Thursday.

St-Pierre’s athleticism is just a different animal, according to Condit, who admits he was caught off guard by his speed and efficiency when they fought at UFC 154.

“Georges is super fast,” said Condit.  “On some of his shots, he was in on me before I even realized he was shooting.  So, I really feel like that’s going to be the difference.”

While Condit can absolutely work his way back into title contention with a win over Johny Hendricks, who most believe is the true uncrowned title challenger in the welterweight division, a Nick Diaz victory would almost assuredly give him the next crack at the belt.

Condit beat Diaz by unanimous decision in 2012 to win the interim UFC title, and if both fighters win at UFC 158, it would seem natural to pit them against each other in a rematch for the welterweight gold.

When looking at the matchup however, Condit just doesn’t see a way Diaz beats St-Pierre in their fight on March 16 in Montreal.

“Honestly I don’t see Georges finishing Diaz, but I think we’re going to see another GSP decision,” said Condit.

St-Pierre is the overwhelming favorite heading into the bout, and the incumbent champion has been dominant throughout his second reign as UFC welterweight king.

Condit‘s path back to a title shot would probably be quicker served with a Diaz victory, but considering he has a loss on his record to St-Pierre, there’s no doubt he would enjoy washing the taste of that defeat out of his mouth as well.

Is “The Natural Born Killer” calling this one correctly?  Will Georges St-Pierre simply be too much for Nick Diaz and beat him soundly over five rounds? 

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

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South Dakota Votes in MMA Regulation; Could Largest Event Ever Happen There?

Senator Mark Johnston of South Dakota was always for fighting the good fight when it came to getting mixed martial arts regulated in his home state. Even when Representative Steve Hickey came out with an outrageous statement calling MMA “the child porn…

Senator Mark Johnston of South Dakota was always for fighting the good fight when it came to getting mixed martial arts regulated in his home state.

Even when Representative Steve Hickey came out with an outrageous statement calling MMA “the child porn of sports,” Johnston and many like him that represent the people of South Dakota knew that a vigilant, intelligent battle was much better than one marred by political mudslinging.

It paid off because on Wednesday, the South Dakota House of Representatives passed a bill to create an athletic commission to oversee sports like MMA in the state by a vote of 50-20, according to a report from the Argus Leader.

The South Dakota State Senate already passed the bill as well, although they still have to re-approve a few changes that were made in the House. Senator Johnston believes, however, that is just a formality before the final bill is sent to the Governor’s office for approval.

“It’s not over yet.  Because it was amended in the House of Representatives we still have to concur in the Senate over the House changes.  I support those changes, but the real challenge is when that bill comes before Governor Daugaard and what he does with it.  Either sign it, veto it or not sign it which in effect will allow that to go into law,” Senator Johnston told Bleacher Report on Wednesday.  “Most importantly, I’m excited for the athletes in South Dakota.

“I believe that this will go a long way to change the perception that MMA has in South Dakota.  All throughout this process it has absolutely angered me the number of people who use the negative connotation of cage fighting with MMA.  We all know that a regulated sport like MMA will do away with 99-percent of the problems that we’ve had in South Dakota.”

Governor Dennis Daugaard has been a staunch opponent to the bill from the beginning, but even if he decides to veto the law, the legislature has the numbers on their side to override his decision if it goes that far.

Johnston is actually extending an olive branch to the governor on this issue. He has offered to meet with him, along with the possibility of bringing in a fighter such as UFC light heavyweight Ryan Bader or one of his teammates who have supported the fight for regulated MMA in the state of South Dakota, to show the kind of athletes who compete in MMA.

Whether the governor will accept that offer remains to be seen, but Johnston is excited about what this new law could mean not only for the safety of the athletes who compete in MMA in South Dakota, but also because it could lead to major revenue for the state when promoters are legally allowed to put on shows there.

“There were two things that drove me everyday with this piece of legislation – athlete safety and opportunity,” Johnston explained.   “I think we’ve addressed athlete safety several times throughout these discussions but also from an opportunity perspective we have former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar who is a native of South Dakota, we’ve got a guy like David Martin, one of the most prominent managers of mixed martial artists in this country, all proponents of MMA. Importantly from a venue perspective having the Sturgis motorcycle rally the first 10 days of August in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota every year, that attracts some half a million people over that 10-day period.”

The Sturgis motorcycle rally is one of the largest of its kind and has reportedly brought in over $800 million dollars to South Dakota annually. The rally also routinely attracts nearly half a million visitors during the week-long event typically held around the first week of August.

Harley Davidson is a major contributor to the annual motorcycle rally, and of course it can’t be forgotten that the company is also a top sponsor for the UFC. 

Johnston says it would be crazy not to think a major MMA event during Sturgis week could be good for the state and good for the promotion as well.

“Picture the possibility of holding at some point in history, holding the largest attended MMA event in the history of the sport in conjuncture with the Sturgis motorcycle rally,” said Johnston.  “Talk about the prominence that will bring to South Dakota.  All because we have a sanctioning, governing body that will be a promoter of that type of event.  I’m thrilled by that possibility.”

Johnston will now anxiously await, along with the other lawmakers in South Dakota, for Governor Daugaard to hopefully sign the bill into law. Then they can begin work on building an athletic commission to oversee sports like mixed martial arts in the state.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted

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Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones: In a Perfect World Superfight Headlines UFC in NYC

The battle to legalize mixed martial arts in New York has gone on for so long that UFC president Dana White doesn’t even like talking about it anymore. For several years, whenever the subject of MMA in New York would come up, White would answer back wi…

The battle to legalize mixed martial arts in New York has gone on for so long that UFC president Dana White doesn’t even like talking about it anymore.

For several years, whenever the subject of MMA in New York would come up, White would answer back with brimming positivity, saying over and over “this is the year” that the sport becomes legal. 

Now in 2013, mixed martial arts is still banned in the state of New York, but lawmakers are fighting tooth and nail to get the legislation passed to finally bring the sport there by the end of the year.

The sport is once again up for a vote as the bill to legalize MMA in New York is currently weaving through the state Senate, and predictions are better than ever that 2013 is finally the year for the ban on MMA to be lifted.

If New York does indeed lift the ban and vote to regulate mixed martial arts over the next few weeks, the financial windfall for the state could happen as early as November with a major UFC show landing right in the heart of New York City.

Dana White has talked about bringing the UFC to Madison Square Garden for the 20th anniversary show in November, and if that happens, the city could land a dream fight for MMA fans worldwide.

In a perfect world, if White had his way, the bout that would lead the card in November would be the superfight pitting the most dominant champion in UFC history, Anderson Silva, against current light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

“If we made that fight, and if everything went the right way – Madison Square Garden on our anniversary,” White answered when asked where the Silva vs. Jones superfight would likely take place when speaking to UFC Tonight.

The UFC’s 20th anniversary show has been connected to New York ever since White first mentioned the possibility in late December, and back then he hinted at a major main event, saying, “I do have the fight, but I can’t tell you guys yet”.

It appears that Silva vs. Jones would be just the superfight the UFC needs to headline a major card like the one it is planning for November.

Now, if New York’s legislature doesn’t pass the bill to legalize MMA in time, that doesn’t mean the UFC’s plans of a major 20th anniversary show go away.  White also mentioned that places like Dallas’ Cowboy Stadium, Toronto or even Brazil could host a major card like the one headlined by Silva vs. Jones.

There are still several hurdles that have to be crossed before a hypothetical Silva vs. Jones fight can even come together.  First, Jon Jones has to defeat Chael Sonnen at UFC 159 in April, but if that happens, the UFC could easily allow Silva to sit out until November for the proposed bout.

White knows his middleweight champion and longest-reigning titleholder in UFC history is on board for the biggest possible fights, and there may not be a bigger one currently than facing light heavyweight king Jon Jones.

“He wants that Georges St-Pierre fight, he wants that Jon Jones fight.  He wants big fights,” White said.

It doesn’t hurt matters much that of all the potential superfights the UFC could promote, White is on board for Silva vs. Jones as well.

“Anderson and (Jon) Jones, that’s the fight I want to see,” White stated.

If MMA can find a way to become fully legalized and regulated in New York, the barrier will be broken down for the UFC to finally land in the Empire State.  If Jon Jones can then defeat Chael Sonnen in April, it may be time for the UFC to promote a superfight for the ages.

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

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Stefan Struve Standing Tall: ‘I Can Beat Anybody in the World’

A four-fight win streak in the UFC’s heavyweight division is very impressive these days. Taking a look at the top ten rankings, according to the UFC, not a single fighter, save for one, has victories in four consecutive fights, and that one person is U…

A four-fight win streak in the UFC’s heavyweight division is very impressive these days.

Taking a look at the top ten rankings, according to the UFC, not a single fighter, save for one, has victories in four consecutive fights, and that one person is UFC on Fuel 8 competitor Stefan Struve.

The 7’0″ Dutch fighter has started to come into his own in the last couple of years after some rough patches when he kicked off his UFC career as a young, lanky 21-year-old.  Now more matured and a bigger body made for the heavyweight division, Struve wants to cement his place as a serious contender this year, starting with his fight against Mark Hunt this weekend in Japan.

“I need to make a statement if I want to put myself right in one of the top spots,” Struve told Bleacher Report.  “If I win this fight, I’m going to be the only heavyweight in the UFC that’s on a five-fight winning streak.  I think that’s going to make a lot of noise.  I need to make a clear statement, win this fight in exciting fashion and don’t let there be any doubts that he had any chance to win this fight.”

Facing Hunt in Japan was a very conscious choice for Struve because he knows what kind of star power the former Pride and K-1 fighter has in the country.  Struve knows that MMA is sometimes just as much about business outside the cage as what happens inside the Octagon.

Beating someone like Hunt in the country where he gained his notoriety is something special, and Struve plans on taking full advantage of the situation.

He also knows that Hunt received a ground swell of support last year when at the time UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos lost his original opponent for UFC 146, and Hunt’s name was championed by the fans to take the open slot.  Ultimately, the UFC shot down the idea, and Hunt himself actually ended up falling off the card due to injury, as well, but that doesn’t mean Struve wasn’t paying attention.

Now Struve wants to capitalize on his winning streak, Hunt’s fame and roll that all in to one more long stride towards title contention. 

“I’m only focused on Mark right now. I’m not thinking about that. Of course I want that belt,” said Struve.  “I can beat anybody in the world, that’s really what my mindset is right now.  If I hit somebody with the power I have right now, they’re going down.  Right now, I’m focused on Mark, I’m not looking past him; that would be a really dumb thing to do.”

Looking at Mark Hunt’s record is a little deceiving when breaking down what kind of fighter he’s become lately.  Overall Hunt is 8-7 as a pro mixed martial artist, but that doesn’t speak volumes about the extreme level of talent he faced early in his career or the fact that he jumped into MMA with minimal training outside of his stupendous kickboxing acumen.

Lately, Hunt has transformed into a much better fighter, winning his last three fights in the Octagon, with two of them coming by way of knockout.  Struve is also very well aware of everyone that Hunt has beaten, and he actually believes his record could be even better if he was training the way a UFC fighter has to train to stay competitive in the division.

“He’s a really dangerous fighter. The thing is he fought Chris Tuchscherer and if (Hunt) would have been training for that fight, in my opinion he should win that fight.  After that, he fought Ben Rothwell and he fought a great fight, but couldn’t finish him.  If you look at Rothwell in his last fight against (Gabriel) Gonzaga, I wasn’t that impressed, no offense,” Struve said.  

“Then he fought (Cheick) Kongo, and Kongo didn’t seem like his normal self, and he fell after his punches, and if you do that against a guy like Mark, you’re going to be in a lot of trouble.  Cheick overdid with a right hand, and Mark caught him with a left hook. As long as Mark is training, he’s a really dangerous guy.”

Hunt is certainly a dangerous fighter, and if he can get inside on anybody and land a punch or two, it’s likely they will wake up a few moments later wondering what just happened.  Struve is no dummy when it comes to Hunt’s game plan, and he refuses to play into his strategy for victory.

“Don’t expect a slugfest,” said Struve.   “I learned from my mistakes in the past, and I’m not going to do that again. I’m just going to fight my fight like I’ve done for the last four fights, and we make a good game plan and I’m going to stick to that and I’m going to win this fight.”

With a win, Struve will have five straight victories, and it will be hard to ignore him stepping into a top five fight for his next trip to the Octagon and then possibly title contention after that.  Struve knows, however, none of that happens if he doesn’t get past Mark Hunt in Japan.

 

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, and all quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

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Takeya Mizugaki Sees Bryan Caraway as His Ticket Back to Top-10 UFC Fighters

Takeya Mizugaki is hoping the 11th time is the charm. Now, to explain the meaning behind that you have to look no further than checking out the long-time UFC and WEC bantamweight’s record to see the unusual nature of his resume. For 10 fights in a row,…

Takeya Mizugaki is hoping the 11th time is the charm.

Now, to explain the meaning behind that you have to look no further than checking out the long-time UFC and WEC bantamweight’s record to see the unusual nature of his resume.

For 10 fights in a row, Mizugaki has bounced back and forth between wins and losses while fighting in the UFC or WEC—an inauspicious record to say the least, and something that the Japanese fighter admits haunts him when he thinks about how some of those defeats could have easily gone the other way.

In reality, Mizugaki should be on a three-fight win streak if not for some bad judging at UFC 144, where he lost a decision to Chris Cariaso in his home country of Japan.  The decision was so bad, in fact, that the UFC paid Mizugaki his win bonus from the show.

While he harbors no harsh feelings after the fact, Mizugaki learned a valuable lesson in that performance, and it’s given him a new killer instinct in fights.

“I think, because of that fight (vs. Cariaso), I am more matured as a fighter and I believe became a better fighter,” Mizugaki told Bleacher Report.  “Ever since that fight, regardless of if the fight goes to decision or not, I started to believe that Kakutougi (combat sports) is about keep attacking and dominate the opponent. 

“I don’t even think about engaging in so-called ‘point game’ such as avoiding the danger (to be defensive). I just want to show my best offense all the time.”

Now, as much as any fighter wants to finish every fight they have in the UFC, Mizugaki knows, realistically, that won’t always happen.  The positive way he looks at it as he approaches his next fight at UFC on Fuel 8 is to leave everything he has in the cage, for all 15 minutes.

If that happens and the judges still don’t give him the nod, Mizugaki refuses to live with regret.

“To me, the most important thing about fight is to use all my ability. If I can give everything I got in the Octagon, then even if the fight went to decision, I won’t feel any regret,” said Mizugaki.

Throughout his career with Zuffa (between the UFC and WEC), Mizugaki has faced a who’s who list of competitors at 135 pounds.  From top-10 fighters to championship contenders, Mizugaki has never backed down from a challenge and it won’t start in 2013, either.

But because of his record bouncing between wins and losses, Mizugaki knows that to get back to fights against competitors like Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles, he has to face and defeat opponents like up-and-comers such as Bryan Caraway this Saturday in Japan.

Caraway only moved to bantamweight recently and he’s looking to get a big win on his resume by beating Mizugaki.  On the flip side, however, Mizugaki is looking at Caraway as his entry back to facing the best of the best at bantamweight.

“I consider this upcoming fight to be sort of like a qualifier to get a right to fight top fighters in this weight class,” said Mizugaki.

“I want to win this fight, and I want to win against top fighters and make 2013 a fantastic year for me.”

Mizugaki will have his chance when he faces Bryan Caraway during the UFC on Fuel 8 preliminary fights on Facebook airing Saturday night from Japan at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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