If there was any comparison in last night’s Bellator Fighting Championships to the company’s explosion onto the scene it was probably King Mo’s first round knockout. Jab, jab, jab…knockout. That’s essentially what the Ne…
If there was any comparison in last night’s Bellator Fighting Championships to the company’s explosion onto the scene it was probably King Mo’s first round knockout.
Jab, jab, jab…knockout. That’s essentially what the Newport Beach based company has done over the last few years as they have grown and got their knockout in the ratings surging on Spike.
Bellator has become a legitimate contender to grow MMA and possibly take some of the UFC’s market share while developing fighters of the future. The debut event and subsequent follow up on Spike has given Bellator its biggest audience in the company’s three-year history and created buzz across the sport of MMA.
And seemingly, they are doing it the right way.
Other organizations have stepped up and tried to go blow-for-blow with Dana White and the UFC. Bellator, on the other hand, has continued to build its brand with great fights, good production value and tournaments that help to grow an audience slowly over time.
Last night was a well-produced television broadcast and the most popular Bellator fighter. King Mo, came away with a win and that’s definitely good for business.
The smartest thing the company is doing is trying not to fool MMA fans into thinking their product is better than the UFC. Rather, it’s different and allows fans to track the entire league week to week for free.
The inability to throw elbows in the tournament actually helps the company and its young fighters. There is less laying and clinching in fights that go to the ground, which makes for better TV. Fighters are forced to throw punches, kicks or have to stand up if they lack ground skill.
But when a championship fight comes, you had better make sure you know how to throw or defend them, or else you will end up like Karl Amoussou at Bellator 86, eating Ben Askren elbows and fists all night.
Bellator has momentum and the worst thing they can do right now is lose focus on the game plan. Their product is good and they don’t need to make any crazy changes. They just need to keep putting on great fights that entertain the Spike television audience and their company will grow just like it has since its inception, slowly but surely.
This weekend’s UFC on Fox is drawing a lot of attention for the fights that have been stuffed down our throats as the best fights on the card. While Johnson/Dodson intrigues me, and I think everyone wants to see what Jackson/Teixeira and Pettis/Ce…
This weekend’s UFC on Fox is drawing a lot of attention for the fights that have been stuffed down our throats as the best fights on the card.
While Johnson/Dodson intrigues me, and I think everyone wants to see what Jackson/Teixeira and Pettis/Cerrone bring to the table, no one is talking about what could be the most entertaining fight of the night: Russow/Jordan.
By no means am I trying to say that the other fights on the card aren’t worthy of the praise they are getting. In fact, of all the free fights the UFC has offered to its fans, as opposed to the usual pay-per-view format, this card might be the best yet.
But at the end of the night when the bonuses are handed out, don’t be surprised if Mike Russow or Shawn Jordan end out with some cash in their pocket. It might be for Knockout of the Night or Fight of the Night, depending on who comes with the solid chin.
This fight could be an all out, drag down war if both fighters realize what is at stake.
Mike Russow came to the UFC and went on a four-fight win streak before losing to Fabricio Werdum by TKO. The native of Chicago will no doubt want to impress his home crowd this Saturday night when he faces off with the former LSU Tiger fullback and 2007 National Champion Jordan.
Jordan is a newcomer to the sport and has risen to the highest level of MMA quicker than most. With his first professional fight coming in May of 2009, it took Jordan less than three years before he was in the UFC, and only 16 months before he was fighting in Bellator.
Jordan had things relatively easy prior to joining the most well known MMA companies as he compiled a 9-1 record prior to losing his debut with Bellator. He is now in the rather precarious position of having to improve quicker against the best in the world if he is to become a contender.
Jordan is just 4-3 since making the jump to Bellator, which led to a chance in Strikeforce and then the UFC.
Russow has the type of one punch power that could send Jordan packing early but is also versatile enough to catch Jordan in a choke.
While neither fighter is a household name to new fans of MMA, both have an opportunity to raise some eyebrows when they get on the national broadcast this weekend. When this weekend’s match up is finished, there is a very good chance that both could have a larger fan base than before and a little more cash in their pocket from a post-fight bonus.
Brock Lesnar burst onto the scene. He was the most feared man in the UFC, he was the future of pay-per-view and everyone in the world was waiting to see what would happen next. Then, he lost, got injured and faded away.There comes a time every year whe…
Brock Lesnar burst onto the scene. He was the most feared man in the UFC, he was the future of pay-per-view and everyone in the world was waiting to see what would happen next. Then, he lost, got injured and faded away.
There comes a time every year where we find ourselves wondering, “What the heck happened to so-and-so?”
Were they outmatched in their fights? Did they get banged up? Or like Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, was it just their time to go?
It seems like all fighters fall victim to at least one of three things at the end of their career: time, injuries or a string of bad luck. Regardless of which one of the three it is, it’s inevitable that every year we unofficially have to say goodbye to fighters who run the risk of no longer being relevant in a division. Sure, we’ll catch them on an undercard again and maybe even the first fight of a UFC PPV, but their days of headlining are over.
Here are the top seven fighters that could fade away in 2013.
There is no doubting the power of guys like Cain Velasquez or Junior Dos Santos. One punch to the chin from either of these heavyweights leaves you wondering if you will ever eat solid food again. But just because you can spin someone’s hea…
There is no doubting the power of guys like Cain Velasquez or Junior Dos Santos. One punch to the chin from either of these heavyweights leaves you wondering if you will ever eat solid food again.
But just because you can spin someone’s head around faster than Brittany Palmer working out at your local gym, it doesn’t mean you are one of the most powerful people in the UFC. People often overlook those in the UFC that really have power over the direction of the organization.
Obviously, the most powerful man in the UFC is its President, Dana White but after him, who is the most powerful person in the UFC?
Several key factors have to be considered when considering who can really move the organization forward or backward. For instance, can the person alter the daily operations of the UFC and MMA in general? Or, could this person alter the growing brand or image of the organization?
When you start putting “powerful” into those terms there are a lot of guys who get eliminated right away. For instance there is no doubting that Jose Aldo is far and away one of the best fighters in the UFC and could dominate his weight division for years to come. But he doesn’t have the type of juice that can change the future of the organization or even damage it.
Guys like him can certainly help strengthen the UFC and continue to build their name, but it’s doubtful they can move millions.
Here are the five most powerful people in the UFC, not named Dana White.
Leister Bowling III is the wrestling coach for Grudge MMA and Easton BJJ. Last fall, he was an assistant coach on the Ultimate Fighter 15: Carwin vs. Nelson. Recently, he and I sat down to talk about his experience on TUF, training some of the be…
Leister Bowling III is the wrestling coach for Grudge MMA and EastonBJJ. Last fall, he was an assistant coach on the Ultimate Fighter 15: Carwin vs. Nelson. Recently, he and I sat down to talk about his experience on TUF, training some of the best in MMA and Nate Marquardt‘s Strikeforce fight this weekend against TarecSaffiedine.
What were your first thoughts when Shane Carwin asked you to join him as a coach on TUF?
I was honored when Shane asked. I was surprised because Donald Cerrone had asked me, as well, due to the rumors that he was coaching that season, so I was completely caught off guard when Shane called.
Did you have any reservations to going?
Anytime you have to leave your family for an extended period of time there are reservations. Also, I have a family business that I manage, so I had to make sure it would work. I was able to go as one of the full-time coaches, but i flew home every Thursday night to work Friday and Saturday and then fly back to Vegas.
How did you get hooked up with Grudge and Carwin?
I fought a little right out of college and I was coaching at University of Northern Colorado. We had a tough heavy weight at the time. I happened to be at a local fight where they announced Shane Carwin out of Greeley, Colo. He was probably 4-0 or so at the time. I reached out to see if he would be interested in coming in to wrestle with our guy at UNC. He said he would if I would help Nate Marquardt with his wrestling. I said yes.
Nate and I immediately clicked and worked well together. Nate began bringing guys from Grudge with him to Greeley for wrestling (one hour drive each way). After about a year and a half of them making the trip, I decided to quit at UNC and focus more on training MMA fighters.
What do you think helps to set Grudge apart from other gyms?
Grudge is a great gym to be a part of. We have teamed up with Easton‘s BJJ and Loren Landow at Steadman Hawkins does our strength and conditioning. Loren is one of our biggest assets that people don’t hear about. He is the most knowledgeable strength and conditioning coach I have ever been around because he truly understands the body and the nagging injuries that go along with being a professional athlete. He has the knowledge and facility to treat their injuries and helps us structure training camps that make our fighters peak at the right time.
How has Nate Marquardt‘s training gone for his upcoming fight against TarecSaffiendine?
Nate is an absolute nightmare for anyone in the world at 170 pounds. He is a new man. At 185, Nate was constantly the No. 1 or No. 2 contender. At 170 pounds, he is the world champ for a reason and I think the world is about to experience the “Nate Marquardt era!”
What do you think Nate needs to do this weekend to get the win?
Nate just has to be Nate. He is better in every aspect. When Nate fights to inflict damage, he will make a bad night for anyone standing across the cage from him. We are not overlooking Tarec in any way, but I feel like Nate will win this fight in dominating fashion.
Trevor Wittman comes across as a very positive coach who will get after fighters when needed. How do your personalities bounce off one another?
You nailed it. Trevor is one of the most positive people I’ve ever been around. He has the ability to always keep things light. I think our personalities mix very well for the fighters, as I am a lot more intense and don’t smile nearly as much! Honestly, though, I think our team of coaches is a perfect balance. Trevor, Loren, Eliot, Amal and myself all work very well together. It is an honor to coach with all of them!
We always see the fighter’s house, but people forget that you guys are staying in Vegas, too. What were your digs like?
They had us staying in fully furnished condos a few miles up the strip from Mandalay Bay. They were very nice with a pool, tennis court, gym, etc.
Any stories you can share from the coaches’ house?
The most action we had at the coaches’ house was a friendly game of tennis. There were six of us (Shane, Marquardt and I vs. Trevor, Loren and Eliot Marshall), but there were only three tennis rackets available. We went down with a basket of about 50 tennis balls and three rackets, and without saying anything, the teams were split and a game of dodgeball ensued for 2.5 hours. All of our arms were sore for three to four days! It was madness. A crowd of people watched from balconies, there were groin shots, face shots, an all-out war!
Take me through the average day on TUF:
The average day was a structured practice from 12 to 2 p.m. As a coaching staff, we made it a priority to get to practice 30 minutes early and make sure we were ready for practice to start on time. The 12 p.m. practice was structured (wrestling, BJJ, striking, sparring). The 4 p.m. practice was more one-on-one training/open room for guys that needed it.
What is something you like that doesn’t come across on TV the way it should?
I wish more of the training would have been shown on both sides. Roy has caught a lot of criticism for his “lack of coaching,” but he had some great assistant coaches and guest coaches. That is something I would have liked to see compared to what we offered as a team.
What surprised you the most (good or bad) on the last TUF?
The thing that shocked me the most coaching TUF was how quickly a bond forms between coach and athlete. Loren Landow and I had talked about how we had a very short time frame to “sell” ourselves as coaches to these guys and make them believe in us and I think we accomplished that. Our guys believed in us and never questioned anything we did. We still have good relationships with them and a few have even been out to Grudge to train.
Who do you think has the best possibility for a long-term career in the UFC from the last TUF?
Based off the show alone, i would say Neil Magny and Mike Ricci. Colton Smith won the show and I think he has a bright future, as well. Neil is so young in this sport and he has been training with us full time at Grudge since the show ended. He is leaps and bounds better than he was on the show. He just keeps getting better and has a huge future ahead of him. Ricci is cutting to 155 and is a very talented guy with a great team behind him. The sky is the limit for those guys.
What advice would you give fighters for upcoming season’s of TUF?
Well, since this season has already been filmed, my advice would be not to talk about it!
Guys going into TUF need to go in with an open mind and take advantage of a situation where they get to be full-time fighters. Yes, it’s hard to be away from family and friends for six weeks, but you are living in a mansion in Vegas, training in a world-class facility with world-class coaches and training partners, you get any kind of food you want daily and you get to live like a professional fighter should. Focus on that. Oh, and let’s be honest; People are sick of watching grown men throw temper tantrums, so find something else to make yourself stand out!
What advice would you give coaches?
Go in with an open mind. Coaches can never stop learning either. I was learning daily from the coaches we had there and it was a great opportunity for me to be open minded and become a student again! Enjoy the experience and don’t lose too much money gambling! Six weeks is a long Vegas vacation!
This was your first chance to really work closely with Dana White, was he what you expected him to be?
We didn’t have too much interaction with Dana, but he was exactly how I expected him to be; real. He speaks his mind and doesn’t hold back any words. I am very similar in that way, so I respect the fact that he speaks what he feels and doesn’t care if you like it or not.
It seems like every division of professional sports has a time or day it looks back on as a historic day in its time without even knowing it happened. For fans of professional football, they often look to the 1983 NFL draft and the great names th…
It seems like every division of professional sports has a time or day it looks back on as a historic day in its time without even knowing it happened. For fans of professional football, they often look to the 1983 NFL draft and the great names that came out of college football that year.
It’s hard to pinpoint when that moment was for MMA.
Sure, there have been groups of great fighters appear here and there but never in the style that the traditional sports fan would recognize. For any longtime fan of the UFC, you can’t look past the day that Royce Gracie stepped into the Octagon and won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship. What followed was the evolution of the UFC into something much greater and much more marketable via the Gracie way.
But MMA has never had a draft and has never had a time it can point to where amateur careers ended and professional careers began. The closest is The Ultimate Fighter competition.
But for people looking for perhaps an out-of-the-blue, out-of-nowhere event where the future of the UFC was shaped, I’d point to the 2006 NAIA Wrestling Championship in Sioux City, Iowa.
Four of the UFC’s fastest up-and-coming fighters all walked away from that year’s NAIA championship as All-Americans. Most notably is the UFC’s current lightweight champion in Benson Henderson, but you can add Abel Trujillo, Rick Story and Mike Rio to that list.
Henderson’s resume doesn’t even need to be disputed as the former WEC champ, current UFC champ and one of the top fighters in the world regardless of weight class. But the interesting thing about Henderson is that of the four fighters in this grouping, he finished the worst of all of them at the championships that year at fifth place.
Trujillo was dominant in his UFC on Fox fight over Marcus LeVesseur and currently rides a five-fight win streak coming into the company. In 2006 Truijillo slipped up and finished third after having been seen as one of the NAIA’s best wrestlers throughout the season.
Rick Story, who is coming off a loss to Demian Maia by submission at UFC 153, actually wrestled at Southern Oregon at 184 lbs. Currently, he’s fighting in the UFC as a welterweight. In 2006 he placed second at the NAIA Nationals, losing only to Willie Parks, who has spent some time dabbling in MMA with a 5-2 record. Since starting his MMA career, Story is 14-6 and won six straight in the UFC before dropping three out of his last four.
Last is Mike Rio. Rio made his UFC debut on The Ultimate Fighter 16 finale with a win over John Cofer via armbar in the third round. Rio was a three-time All-American in the NAIA and was named the MVP of that year’s championship, receiving the Gorriaran Award. “The Wolverine” is 9-1 with his only loss being to Efrain Escudero.
Henderson has proved his wares in the UFC and Trujillo opened eyes with his latest win. The other two still have a lot to prove if they are to be contenders in the UFC, but there is currently a ton of upside to Rio while Story needs to stop his current slide.
While the 2006 NAIA National Championship isn’t exactly the 1983 draft, it was certainly an unknown starting point some of the UFC’s best up-and-coming fighters.
If there was any comparison in last night’s Bellator Fighting Championships to the company’s explosion onto the scene it was probably King Mo’s first round knockout.