Author: Jason Moles

20 Minutes Alone With Ring Card Girl Corissa Furr

(Photo provided by Corissa Furr/Keith Selle)

By Jason Moles

It’s not every day you get twenty minutes alone with a professional model, so when you get the opportunity, you make damn well sure you spend your time wisely. That’s exactly what I did earlier this week when I interviewed former Strikeforce ring card girl, Corissa Furr. You’ve probably seen her on Entourage, MANswers or gracing the pages of FHM and Maxim. Most recently, she hosted an ‘MTV Cribs’-esque segment on The Ultimate Insider when she took you through the luxurious home of UFC welterweight Josh Koscheck. We discussed her favorite fighter, women’s MMA, and the lamest thing to be shouted at her while cage side. Enjoy the interview and the new pics Corissa sent us.

CagePotato.com: Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with me. First things first, how in the world does a smart girl from small town Maryland find herself parading around a cage in a bikini while holding up a round card for money?

Corissa Furr: I don’t know. You know, it’s not something I ever thought was going to happen. I was never one of those girls who was like, you know, “I wanna be a model.” I kind of got into it accidentally. My roommate at the time was doing a photo shoot and then the photographer was like, “Let me take some head shots of you.” And that was the beginning of it I guess. I started traveling for different companies, doing tours nationwide and I’ve always been a fan of MMA and boxing and stuff like that so when opportunities came my way, of course I took advantage of them. Who wouldn’t want to be sitting cage side watching the fights and getting paid?

CP: What’s the lamest thing a guy has yelled out at you while you’re up there holding cards?

By Jason Moles

It’s not every day you get twenty minutes alone with a professional model, so when you get the opportunity, you make damn well sure you spend your time wisely. That’s exactly what I did earlier this week when I interviewed former Strikeforce ring card girl, Corissa Furr. You’ve probably seen her on Entourage, MANswers or gracing the pages of FHM and Maxim. Most recently, she hosted an ‘MTV Cribs’-esque segment on The Ultimate Insider when she took you through the luxurious home of UFC welterweight Josh Koscheck. We discussed her favorite fighter, women’s MMA, and the lamest thing to be shouted at her while cage side. Enjoy the interview and the new pics Corissa sent us.

CagePotato.com: Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with me. First things first, how in the world does a smart girl from small town Maryland find herself parading around a cage in a bikini while holding up a round card for money?

Corissa Furr: I don’t know. You know, it’s not something I ever thought was going to happen. I was never one of those girls who was like, you know, “I wanna be a model.” I kind of got into it accidentally. My roommate at the time was doing a photo shoot and then the photographer was like, “Let me take some head shots of you.” And that was the beginning of it I guess. I started traveling for different companies, doing tours nationwide and I’ve always been a fan of MMA and boxing and stuff like that so when opportunities came my way, of course I took advantage of them. Who wouldn’t want to be sitting cage side watching the fights and getting paid?

CP: What’s the lamest thing a guy has yelled out at you while you’re up there holding cards?

CF: Oh gosh, you know you always have those guys who are what we call ‘bad apples’ that stick out. I remember this one fight at Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Feijao, they changed the formation for this card. Before, we would always walk around the outside of the cage. For Henderson – Feijao, we had to remain stationary between rounds which makes it harder to dodge the heckling because you’re in one spot looking in the same direction the whole time. For this one fight, there was this group of like four to five guys, who were of course all drunk, and every time a girl would go up to their corner they would scream, “Show us you tits!” Of all the things you could say, I mean, what am I gonna do – just put down the card and lift up my shirt? That’s the stupidest thing to yell out. Of all the things you could say, that is the stupidest for sure. [Ed Note: It was you, Rex, wasn’t it?]

CP: I’m sure the guys who yell out things like that are real winners.

CF: (Laughing) Right. Like if they would have asked me to blow them a kiss, I could maybe make that happen, but “show me your tits”? No. Good luck with that.

CP: You’ve seen your fair share of live fights. Which one sticks out in your memory the most?

CF: Wow, that’s tough. Umm… There’s a lot of good fights I’ve had the opportunity to see. It’d probably be Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Feijao, not only because it was such an amazing fight, and I’m a fan of Henderson, but because I’m a fan of Feijao and Anderson was there in his corner for that fight. Everyone knows I’m a big Silva fan, it’s no secret to anyone who knows me and that I love Anderson Silva. It was also my first time doing MMA ring card duties for Strikeforce because I just won the contest. So all of the weekend’s experiences, doing the Arnold, meeting the “Govena” and Anderson in the hotel lobby, and watching all of the fights definitely made this a memorable night for sure.

CP: You say you’re a big fan of Silva, but is it true that you named your dog, Spider?”

CF: (Laughing) It is true! Actually, Spider is on my lap right now sniffing the phone. (more laughing)

CP: Are you a fan of women’s MMA and if so, would you ever compete?

CF: Yeah, absolutely! The women have put on some of the most amazing fights I have ever seen. When Meisha took the title from Marloes, I was rooting for Marlose because I’m a really big fan of hers. And then Meisha vs. Rousey was an amazing friggin’ fight – I mean, I was on the edge of my seat jumping up and down for that fight. I defiantly have a huge appreciation for the women in this sport; they know they have something to prove which is why they’re monsters in the cage.

Me particularly, I would like to train but my schedule is just so crazy and just doesn’t allow for something like that. But I would be open to training; I like the Muy Thai discipline and the others ones that are focused on striking. I’m only a hundred pounds, dude, and I don’t even know if they have a weight class for me, but if they do, then maybe.

CP: It takes a lot to keep up with such a hectic lifestyle with all of the travel you do for appearances. Do you hope to someday become a UFC Octagon girl or do your aspirations soar far above the blood and sweat of MMA?

CF: Yeah, all the traveling can take its toll. I just like to keep mixing it up; it keeps me from getting bored – like this week, I’m doing the Mayweather fight. I like doing different things; it keeps me on my toes. An Octagon girl? Sure, it’s totally a dream job of mine. It’s no secret I’m a fan of the sport and that I watch every single UFC fight that is televised and I even watch the facebook prelims. I pretty much watch every fight I possibly can when I’m not working. And when I am working, I dvr them and I tell all of my twitter followers not to tweet any spoilers. Potato Nation make it happen! I’m hosting a segment on the Ultimate Insider on Fuel TV this week with Koscheck and that was a huge pleasure working with the UFC and all the production staff. As a fan of the sport, I would love to continue hosting, doing analytics and that stuff as a career. Even having a permanent spot on Ultimate Insider would be amazing.

CP: Speaking of Ultimate Insider, earlier this week, fans had the chance to check out Josh Koscheck‘s crib when you gave them a tour on The Ultimate Insider. Is this going to be an ongoing segment and what was “Kos” really like?

CF: First question – I don’t know yet, but I sure hope so. I have a few different ideas of a few things I’d like to do. You know, Ultimate Insider has different things each week, it’s not just the same format. They’re trying to shake it up a bit with the fighters to give the viewers a different look at the fighters, which is what I really love about the show.

As far as Koscheck goes, he has such a bad rap in the MMA world and he’s not ashamed to admit that he’s the most hated guy in MMA. I don’t know why, I personally like him. He’s a cool guy in real life and he’s soo nice. We got along great and he’s just a super nice guy. He’s got a bad rap and doesn’t deserve it. I’ve got nothing but nice things to say about him. He’s awesome.

CP: Alright, I’m sure the CagePotato comments section want to know, are you single and if you are, how should a very brave fight fan approach you if he’s looking to get to know you better?

CF: My answer to this question, as always, is “selectively available.” For guys, as far as advice, and I know it sounds cliche, is be yourself because the number one thing I don’t want is for you to approach me and have some sort of game you spit at me – and what if I give in and say sure and we go on a date with you and then I find out what you’re really like. I want you to be the same guy as when I first met you. Don’t try to spit something fake at me. The only way you’re ever going to have a chance is by being who you are, because eventually the real you comes out. Be yourself, have some confidence in who you are (we don’t want shy guys), and have a good sense of humor because I’m very sarcastic and I’m gonna be cracking jokes at you all night, (laughing) so don’t take them the wrong way. The other thing is you can’t be a jealous guy. When you’re with a pretty girl, guys are gonna hit on her and you can’t overreact. At the end of the day, she’s coming home to you and that’s that matters, right?

CP: One last question, Corissa. On May 19, the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix comes to a close with Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormeir squaring off to determine which guy gets a UFC contract next. Who ya got and why?

CF: Whoa, man, that’s a tough one. I’m trying to be more impartial in case I interview one of these guys, you know. All I can say is DC has been taking a lot of people by surprise and I think he may still continue to surprise a lot of people.

CP: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

CF: First and foremost, I always gotta thank the fans!! MMA fans are seriously the best! And I am one, so I love you all! In addition… Of course I want to thank all the companies I’ve worked with along the way on this wonderful journey — UFC, Positive Image Video, Ultimate Insider, Strikeforce, Showtime Sports, Fighting Famous, Rick and Danny, BJPenn.com, Tito Ortiz (for being my first MMA interview, ever!), Josh Koscheck (for letting me invade his home) FIGHT! Magazine, Fight Chix, Punishment Athletics, and anyone else I may have forgotten who has shown me support… If I continue, I’ll be rambling for hours!! I can never show all of my adoration and appreciation! Oh, and last but not least, CagePotato… I love you guys!

You can try your luck with Corissa here:

www.twitter.com/CorissaFurr

www.facebook.com/modelCorissaFurr

‘UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans’ — The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly


(Photo courtesy of MMAFighting.com.)

By Jason Moles

Reflecting on UFC 145, one can only agree that that was an incredible way to break the fast of Zuffa-branded MMA action. Now that it’s all over, let’s take a moment to sort through the night’s biggest winners, losers, and everything in between. Oops, wrong site. So what five things did we learn from the event? Nope, that’s not right either. Here’s UFC 145’s MMA Stock Market The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Yeah, that’s it.

The Good

• Travis Browne. In a shrinking weight division, the undefeated “Hapa” continues his streak of dominance. After submitting Chad Griggs with an arm triangle choke in the first round, top-ten heavyweights are forced to pay this man some notice — especially now that he’s finishing opponents on the mat, which seemed to surprise Browne as much as anybody. Look for the big man to get a big step up in his next outing.

• Young Fighters Performing Like Veterans. Rory MacDonald and Jon Jones are two of the youngest fighters in the UFC, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell that purely from watching them in action Saturday night. At 22 and 24 respectively, the young guns showed us that virtuosity beats experience. Georges St. Pierre has praised MacDonald for a while now, going as far as saying that he will be the next Georges St. Pierre — a mighty high compliment considering the source. In all of his 14 pro bouts, “Ares” has only gone to a decision once. Even his one loss to UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit came in exciting fashion and earned him a Fight of the Night bonus. The countdown has already begun. Liftoff is imminent. Hope this kid isn’t scared of heights.


(Photo courtesy of MMAFighting.com.)

By Jason Moles

Reflecting on UFC 145, one can only agree that that was an incredible way to break the fast of Zuffa-branded MMA action. Now that it’s all over, let’s take a moment to sort through the night’s biggest winners, losers, and everything in between. Oops, wrong site. So what five things did we learn from the event? Nope, that’s not right either. Here’s UFC 145′s MMA Stock Market The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Yeah, that’s it.

The Good

• Travis Browne. In a Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem: Where Are They Now?” href=”http://www.cagepotato.com/brock-lesnar-vs-alistair-overeem-where-are-they-now/” target=”_blank”>shrinking weight division, the undefeated “Hapa” continues his streak of dominance. After submitting Chad Griggs with an arm triangle choke in the first round, top-ten heavyweights are forced to pay this man some notice — especially now that he’s finishing opponents on the mat, which seemed to surprise Browne as much as anybody. Look for the big man to get a big step up in his next outing.

• Young Fighters Performing Like Veterans. Rory MacDonald and Jon Jones are two of the youngest fighters in the UFC, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell that purely from watching them in action Saturday night. At 22 and 24 respectively, the young guns showed us that virtuosity beats experience. Georges St. Pierre has praised MacDonald for a while now, going as far as saying that he will be the next Georges St. Pierre — a mighty high compliment considering the source. In all of his 14 pro bouts, “Ares” has only gone to a decision once. Even his one loss to UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit came in exciting fashion and earned him a Fight of the Night bonus. The countdown has already begun. Liftoff is imminent. Hope this kid isn’t scared of heights.

As for the champion, Jon “Bones” Jones retained his 205 lb. strap after he carved out an elbow-shaped cave in Rashad Evans‘ forehead. Even with emotions running high and the world taking pause to watch genuine bitter enemies fight it out, Jones kept his composure and never once hinted at cracking under the brightest of spotlights. The fight was never really all that close, at least not as close as one would expect it to be with Bones fighting an opponent who’s former champion as well as a former sparring partner. Jones’ masterful performance in the Octagon on Saturday night makes me hope the UFC offers to pay for the funeral of his next opponent. I mean, the guy’s already left four former champions in body bags.

• Guys Who Make Rape Jokes Getting KTFO. I don’t care if it was a line from a hit TV show or not, rape is no laughing matter. Miguel Torres was cut from the UFC for his blunder, and re-signed after making a concerted effort to make amends for his transgressions. Though his debt to society had been paid, Michael “Mayday” McDonald — another impressive young up-and-comer — dished out his own brand of justice to the master of mullets. Defeating a former champ is always noteworthy, even if Torres is playing on the back nine, so to speak. One well-executed uppercut was all that was needed from McDonald to send the former WEC bantamweight champion to the canvas for the night. I bet Torres never saw that coming. Good thing everyone loves surprises.

• Matt Brown’s Testicular Fortitude. Brown fought a game opponent in Stephen Thompson whose famed karate was key in busting up Brown’s face, but was virtually useless when the fight hit the mat. Nonetheless, as the fight progressed into the final minutes of the third round, Thompson landed a 1-2 combo and nearly won the fight. Goldie and Rogan insisted that Brown was in trouble, hurt, rocked and various other synonyms. If half of what they said was true, then maybe “Immortal” is more than just a nickname for Matt Brown.

• Joe Rogan busting Mike Goldberg’s balls. It never, ever gets old.

The Bad

• Brendan Schuaub’s Chin. It’s no coincidence that all three of Brendan Schaub‘s losses have come by way of (T)KO. Some guys can take a punch, others can’t. Either the Colorado native needs to work on a different game plan for heavy hitters, or he should make reservations at Sharmar Village Care Center.

• Rashad Evans’ Unwillingness to “Go for Broke.” Being down four rounds to none is the definition of having one’s back against the wall. You cannot retreat. You have no other recourse than to fight your heart out, risking life and limb, and another embarrassing KO face, for the chance to wear UFC gold once again.  This is your chance to prove what you’ve been saying for over a year to be true. Pop quiz hotshot, what do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO? In the case of Rashad Evans, ‘nothing’ is answer.

• The MMA Live Curse Returns. Miguel Torres and Rashad Evans, both former ESPN MMA Live co-hosts, walked away in defeat at UFC 145. Some say it’s because their opponents were just that damn good or that the difference in reach was an insurmountable disadvantage for Rashad. Others, however, blame a completely provable, totally natural curse from a few years back — which we conveniently never mention unless it benefits us.

The Ugly

• That Color Blind Ref. I swear the referee for the Bocek/Alessio fight was wearing a pair of UPS pants. Although still not as big of a wardrobe malfunction as this (SFW), it was certainly distracting.

• The Faces of Mark Hominick and Eddie Yagin.

• Marcus Brimage and Maximo Blanco following up a shitty fight with a ridiculous gymnastics demo.

• The Sight of Brendan Schaub Reaching at a Phantom After Being Savaged By Ben Rothwell. Although the GIFs it spawned made it all worth it…

‘UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans’ — The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly


(Photo courtesy of MMAFighting.com.)

By Jason Moles

Reflecting on UFC 145, one can only agree that that was an incredible way to break the fast of Zuffa-branded MMA action. Now that it’s all over, let’s take a moment to sort through the night’s biggest winners, losers, and everything in between. Oops, wrong site. So what five things did we learn from the event? Nope, that’s not right either. Here’s UFC 145’s MMA Stock Market The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Yeah, that’s it.

The Good

• Travis Browne. In a shrinking weight division, the undefeated “Hapa” continues his streak of dominance. After submitting Chad Griggs with an arm triangle choke in the first round, top-ten heavyweights are forced to pay this man some notice — especially now that he’s finishing opponents on the mat, which seemed to surprise Browne as much as anybody. Look for the big man to get a big step up in his next outing.

• Young Fighters Performing Like Veterans. Rory MacDonald and Jon Jones are two of the youngest fighters in the UFC, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell that purely from watching them in action Saturday night. At 22 and 24 respectively, the young guns showed us that virtuosity beats experience. Georges St. Pierre has praised MacDonald for a while now, going as far as saying that he will be the next Georges St. Pierre — a mighty high compliment considering the source. In all of his 14 pro bouts, “Ares” has only gone to a decision once. Even his one loss to UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit came in exciting fashion and earned him a Fight of the Night bonus. The countdown has already begun. Liftoff is imminent. Hope this kid isn’t scared of heights.


(Photo courtesy of MMAFighting.com.)

By Jason Moles

Reflecting on UFC 145, one can only agree that that was an incredible way to break the fast of Zuffa-branded MMA action. Now that it’s all over, let’s take a moment to sort through the night’s biggest winners, losers, and everything in between. Oops, wrong site. So what five things did we learn from the event? Nope, that’s not right either. Here’s UFC 145′s MMA Stock Market The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Yeah, that’s it.

The Good

• Travis Browne. In a shrinking weight division, the undefeated “Hapa” continues his streak of dominance. After submitting Chad Griggs with an arm triangle choke in the first round, top-ten heavyweights are forced to pay this man some notice — especially now that he’s finishing opponents on the mat, which seemed to surprise Browne as much as anybody. Look for the big man to get a big step up in his next outing.

• Young Fighters Performing Like Veterans. Rory MacDonald and Jon Jones are two of the youngest fighters in the UFC, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell that purely from watching them in action Saturday night. At 22 and 24 respectively, the young guns showed us that virtuosity beats experience. Georges St. Pierre has praised MacDonald for a while now, going as far as saying that he will be the next Georges St. Pierre — a mighty high compliment considering the source. In all of his 14 pro bouts, “Ares” has only gone to a decision once. Even his one loss to UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit came in exciting fashion and earned him a Fight of the Night bonus. The countdown has already begun. Liftoff is imminent. Hope this kid isn’t scared of heights.

As for the champion, Jon “Bones” Jones retained his 205 lb. strap after he carved out an elbow-shaped cave in Rashad Evans’ forehead. Even with emotions running high and the world taking pause to watch genuine bitter enemies fight it out, Jones kept his composure and never once hinted at cracking under the brightest of spotlights. The fight was never really all that close, at least not as close as one would expect it to be with Bones fighting an opponent who’s former champion as well as a former sparring partner. Jones’ masterful performance in the Octagon on Saturday night makes me hope the UFC offers to pay for the funeral of his next opponent. I mean, the guy’s already left four former champions in body bags.

• Guys Who Make Rape Jokes Getting KTFO. I don’t care if it was a line from a hit TV show or not, rape is no laughing matter. Miguel Torres was cut from the UFC for his blunder, and re-signed after making a concerted effort to make amends for his transgressions. Though his debt to society had been paid, Michael “Mayday” McDonald — another impressive young up-and-comer — dished out his own brand of justice to the master of mullets. Defeating a former champ is always noteworthy, even if Torres is playing on the back nine, so to speak. One well-executed uppercut was all that was needed from McDonald to send the former WEC bantamweight champion to the canvas for the night. I bet Torres never saw that coming. Good thing everyone loves surprises.

• Matt Brown’s Testicular Fortitude. Brown fought a game opponent in Stephen Thompson whose famed karate was key in busting up Brown’s face, but was virtually useless when the fight hit the mat. Nonetheless, as the fight progressed into the final minutes of the third round, Thompson landed a 1-2 combo and nearly won the fight. Goldie and Rogan insisted that Brown was in trouble, hurt, rocked and various other synonyms. If half of what they said was true, then maybe “Immortal” is more than just a nickname for Matt Brown.

• Joe Rogan busting Mike Goldberg’s balls. It never, ever gets old.

The Bad

• Brendan Schuaub’s Chin. It’s no coincidence that all three of Brendan Schaub’s losses have come by way of (T)KO. Some guys can take a punch, others can’t. Either the Colorado native needs to work on a different game plan for heavy hitters, or he should make reservations at Sharmar Village Care Center.

• Rashad Evans’ Unwillingness to “Go for Broke.” Being down four rounds to none is the definition of having one’s back against the wall. You cannot retreat. You have no other recourse than to fight your heart out, risking life and limb, and anotherembarrassing KO face, for the chance to wear UFC gold once again.  This is your chance to prove what you’ve been saying for over a year to be true. Pop quiz hotshot, what do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO? In the case of Rashad Evans, ‘nothing’ is answer.

• The MMA Live Curse Returns. Miguel Torres and Rashad Evans, both former ESPN MMA Live co-hosts, walked away in defeat at UFC 145. Some say it’s because their opponents were just that damn good or that the difference in reach was an insurmountable disadvantage for Rashad. Others, however, blame a completely provable, totally natural curse from a few years back — which we conveniently never mention unless it benefits us.

The Ugly

• That Color Blind Ref. I swear the referee for the Bocek/Alessio fight was wearing a pair of UPS pants. Although still not as big of a wardrobe malfunction as this (SFW), it was certainly distracting.

• The Faces of Mark Hominick and Eddie Yagin.

• Marcus Brimage and Maximo Blanco following up a shitty fight with a ridiculous gymnastics demo.

• The Sight of Brendan Schaub Reaching at a Phantom After Being Savaged By Ben Rothwell. Although the GIFs it spawned made it all worth it…

Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem: Where Are They Now?

By Jason Moles

After the most difficult two-and-a half minutes of his professional MMA career, it was all over for Brock Lesnar. Not just the savage abuse he was taking from Strikeforce/K-1 champion Alistair Overeem, not just his attempted comeback in the sport he took by storm, but his time in MMA altogether. “I’ve had a really difficult couple of years with my disease, and I’m going to officially say tonight was the last time you’ll see me in the Octagon,” Lesnar said during his post-fight retirement speech at UFC 141.

It’s only fitting that Lesnar’s run in the UFC end as quickly and unexpectedly as it began. The former NCAA Division I wrestling champion was never really ours when you think about it — MMA merely borrowed Lesnar, and we should consider ourselves fortunate that he briefly lent his personality and ferocious physicality to our sport. As he said his final good-byes to the Las Vegas crowd, the beardless viking looked relieved to see the Octagon in his rear-view mirror.

Shortly after waiving off the fight, Mario Yamasaki raised the arm of the new #1 contender, Alistair Overeem. The former PRIDE fighter had everything going for him. He dodged a fatal bullet from the NSAC, was making bank in the UFC, and had just defeated a man most people considered a Top 5 contender in the heavyweight division – finally proving to the world that he can indeed hang with the best. On top of all that, he had just been announced as the next challenger for Junior Dos Santos’ championship title. The only way it could have been better is if the mayor had given him a key to the city and held a parade in his honor. If Overeem only knew the fate that would befall him over the course of the next three months, his smile might not have been as big that December night inside the MGM Grand.

By Jason Moles

After the most difficult two-and-a half minutes of his professional MMA career, it was all over for Brock Lesnar. Not just the savage abuse he was taking from Strikeforce/K-1 champion Alistair Overeem, not just his attempted comeback in the sport he took by storm, but his time in MMA altogether. ”I’ve had a really difficult couple of years with my disease, and I’m going to officially say tonight was the last time you’ll see me in the Octagon,” Lesnar said during his post-fight retirement speech at UFC 141.

It’s only fitting that Lesnar’s run in the UFC end as quickly and unexpectedly as it began. The former NCAA Division I wrestling champion was never really ours when you think about it — MMA merely borrowed Lesnar, and we should consider ourselves fortunate that he briefly lent his personality and ferocious physicality to our sport. As he said his final good-byes to the Las Vegas crowd, the beardless viking looked relieved to see the Octagon in his rear-view mirror.

Shortly after waiving off the fight, Mario Yamasaki raised the arm of the new #1 contender, Alistair Overeem. The former PRIDE fighter had everything going for him. He dodged a fatal bullet from the NSAC, was making bank in the UFC, and had just defeated a man most people considered a Top 5 contender in the heavyweight division – finally proving to the world that he can indeed hang with the best. On top of all that, he had just been announced as the next challenger for Junior Dos Santos’ championship title. The only way it could have been better is if the mayor had given him a key to the city and held a parade in his honor. If Overeem only knew the fate that would befall him over the course of the next three months, his smile might not have been as big that December night inside the MGM Grand.

For the majority of 2012’s first quarter, you didn’t hear much from the former UFC heavyweight champion. It was as if he’d fallen off the face of the Earth the moment he walked past the curtains. That was, of course, until his music hit the speakers and he walked toward the ring on WWE Raw last Monday. You read that right: The UFC president himself, Dana White, gave his blessing for “The Next Big Thing” to return to his pro-wrestling roots and that’s exactly what he did. Without saying a word, he stepped inside the squared circle to a hero’s welcome, tricked John Cena with a handshake, and applied his F-5 finishing move. Seconds later, he walked away. It was the first of a rumored 30-35 appearances over the next twelve months that Brock will be required to make, as per the $5 million deal he reportedly struck with Vince McMahon. That sound you hear is a retired mixed martial artist who is laughing his way to the bank. (Where was pantomime-fighting at my career fair?)

As we traded snow shovels and rock salt for sunglasses and BBQ’s, Alistair Overeem’s problems grew as fast as Jack’s mythical beanstalk. Just a few days after winning at UFC 141, the Demolition Man was accused of and charged with shoving a woman in the face at a popular hotel in Vegas — a misdemeanor that threatened jail time. Overeem let his lawyer handle the dirty work at his trial in late March, and instead made the fateful decision to attend a UFC 146 press conference to hype his upcoming title fight against JDS.

Unbeknownst to the heavyweights at the media event, the NSAC planned to administer surprise drug tests after the presser, which ultimately revealed that Alistair Overeem was packing an insanely high testosterone/epitestosterone ratio — 14:1 for those of you who like to keep score. And so, the man who once seemed like the rightful heir to the UFC’s heavyweight crown is likely to be suspended, pushed out of a title fight and potentially out of a job, and will be spending a chunk of his summer picking up cans on the side of the highway and discussing his feelings in a circle with other convicted rageaholics. Yes, indeed, the mighty have fallen.

Suddenly, you get mixed emotions thinking back on the main event from New Year’s Eve weekend, 2011. You don’t feel so bad for Brock. Sure, his career was cut short at the hands of a life-threatening illness, but the behemoth is alive and well…and filthy stinking rich. Alistair on the other hand — well let’s just say it’s hard to cheer a liar and a cheat that isn’t named Chael Sonnen.

Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, And Four More ‘Good Friends, Better Enemies’ Rivalries


(“You and I were long friends; you are now my enemy, and I am yours. – Ben Franklin)

By Jason Moles

Friendship is, and always will be, one of life’s trickiest puzzles. It is also one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences a person will ever have. But despite all of the wonderful joys that come from having a friend, not all friendships are made to last the sands of time like Fred and Barney. How could they? Ego, pride, and the opposite sex often reduce the strongest of bonds to mere ashes. And we wouldn’t want it any other way because some guys make good friends, but much better enemies. Here’s a look at five classic friendships gone awry…

Jon Jones – Rashad Evans

In a time when instant gratification is king, the world is still awaiting the showdown between former friends and training partners, ‘Suga’ Rashad Evans and Jon ‘Bones’ Jones. Jackson’s MMA used to be a place where the two sweat and bled together, side by side, day after day — as friends. These two were more like brothers than Ken and Frank, so much so that they vowed never to fight each other, suggesting someone would fake an injury to avoid the confrontation at all costs.

We’ve had multiple in-cage showdowns, a twitter beef or two, and a minor club incident since the moment the young rising star confirmed that he would indeed fight the former TUF 2 winner if Dana White really wanted him to. Fast forward a year and the two have still yet to fight thanks to injuries, both real and imagined. Some would argue that “Good things come to those who wait,” but patience is not a virtue most of us possess. We want to see these dudes throw down now! All we are concerned with at this point is who the teacher is and who is the student.


(“You and I were long friends; you are now my enemy, and I am yours. – Ben Franklin)

By Jason Moles

Friendship is, and always will be, one of life’s trickiest puzzles. It is also one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences a person will ever have. But despite all of the wonderful joys that come from having a friend, not all friendships are made to last the sands of time like Fred and Barney. How could they? Ego, pride, and the opposite sex often reduce the strongest of bonds to mere ashes. And we wouldn’t want it any other way because some guys make good friends, but much better enemies. Here’s a look at five classic friendships gone awry…

Jon Jones – Rashad Evans

In a time when instant gratification is king, the world is still awaiting the showdown between former friends and training partners, ‘Suga’ Rashad Evans and Jon ‘Bones’ Jones. Jackson’s MMA used to be a place where the two sweat and bled together, side by side, day after day — as friends. These two were more like brothers than Ken and Frank, so much so that they vowed never to fight each other, suggesting someone would fake an injury to avoid the confrontation at all costs.

We’ve had multiple in-cage showdowns, a twitter beef or two, and a minor club incident since the moment the young rising star confirmed that he would indeed fight the former TUF 2 winner if Dana White really wanted him to. Fast forward a year and the two have still yet to fight thanks to injuries, both real and imagined. Some would argue that “Good things come to those who wait,” but patience is not a virtue most of us possess. We want to see these dudes throw down now! All we are concerned with at this point is who the teacher is and who is the student.

Shaquille O’Neal – Kobe Bryant

When these ballers weren’t trashing each other in the media or asking how their ass tasted, they were putting boots to other people’s asses on a regular basis leading to an incredible four NBA Championships including a three-peat from 2000 to 2002. Like all locker rooms, there was probably a sign above the door that read something like this: Check your ego at the door — unless your name is Kobe f’n Bryant.

To put it plainly, Los Angeles just wasn’t big enough for the two of ‘em. What started out as “innocent” hazing slowly morphed into insults being hurled like flaming arrows over a castle wall. The Shaq-Kobe beef separated fans like the Mason-Dixon Line did the legality of slavery. The best part is that the airing of their dirty laundry was just as pleasant to witness as the greatness displayed in the paint.

Ultimate Fighting Championship – Spike TV

At a time when both were looking like the desperate guy outside a casino, smelling of stale cigarettes and booze, hoping to turn the ten bucks bummed from a do-gooder back into the thousands he lost the night before, they realized they were each other’s best, and possibly only chance at hitting the jackpot. In a way, they both made each other. For every fan the UFC has thanks to the amount of exposure given to The Ultimate Fighter, Spike TV has another viewer to boost its Nielsen Ratings with shows like Manswers and 1000 Ways to Die. The symbiotic relationship between Zuffa and Viacom literally kept the UFC and Spike TV alive to fight another day.

Like all good things, this too came to an end. After the UFC signed the FOX deal, the fine gentlemen at Spike’s HQ made no secret about their intent to attack their former partner at all costs. Stealing a page out of White’s own book, Spike won the ratings war with a rerun counter-program to a live event. Not liking the taste of their wounds, the UFC will be forced to amp up their game and make sure the free fights that get tossed to the casual fans for free are actually worth watching. Competition breeds excellence, and that’s exactly what the fans deserve.

Hulk Hogan – “Macho Man” Randy Savage

As with many things in the world of professional wrestling, storylines often change frequently over the course of a few years. During the 1980s, two of the WWF’s biggest stars played opposite roles. On one hand you had the baby face Hulk Hogan, on the other, you had Randy Savage playing the heel. It is pro wrestling math at its finest. However, things changed in 1987 when the former rivals formed The Mega Powers and decided to fight the good fight together.

Thankfully, Savage’s wife Elizabeth drove a wedge between the pair, granting fans the opportunity once more to see the two guys at the top get it on in the squared circle. Even among smarks, you’d have an easier time finding someone who believed in the Easter Bunny than you would finding someone who couldn’t wait for “Hulkamania” and “Macho Madness” to renew their epic battle.

Ben Fowlkes  – Ariel Helwani

During his two-year stint at CagePotato, no one minded when Ben Fowlkes wrote while inebriated, or mailed it in when he had to chase a story for Fight! magazine. It’s a much different story, however, where Ben currently hangs his scarf. The folks over there don’t take too kindly to keyboard warriors who play hooky.

Most weeks, Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting hosts a live show with a bold-faced lie of a title, The MMA Hour. Amidst all the high-profile fighters and managers who stop by and break news or analyze fights, comedic relief was needed. Enter Ben Fowlkes. He and Ariel got along well and verbally sparred with the best of them. The ebb and flow of sarcasm and mutual respect was uncanny. A match made in Heaven they were, and fans ate it up. Until…

Apparently Fowlkes no-showed an episode, so Helwani, being the Judge, Jury and Executioner that he is, laid down the hammer and handed the MMA Journalist of the Year nominee a six-week suspension from the show. Fowlkes claimed he was getting an interview or maybe it was skiing, whatever. The jabs thrown on Twitter between the two created more entertainment in a few short weeks than our entire comments section has this year. Okay, I’m not actually sure if that’s true or not because, quite frankly, I don’t read anything on this site, including my own articles, but I digress. Watching the petty in-fighting among our biggest rivals gave us a sick satisfaction that has comforted us during these trying times.

Bill of Rights For Mixed Martial Artists: Making Sense of it All


(Who knew Tito had such good penmanship?)

By Jason Moles

A while back, we told you that the Culinary Workers Union was at it again, this time pushing the Nevada State Athletic Commission to pass ‘A Bill of Rights for Professional Mixed Martial Artists.’ After reading the document a time or two, it’s easy to conclude that the “MMA Bill of Rights” is eerily similar to SOPA in that they both look bad on paper and sound even worse when said aloud. Don’t get me wrong, I want the fighters to live long and prosper, but some of the points brought up are laughable. I feel it necessary to shed some light on this proposal while keeping in mind that it could have a major impact for promoters, fighters, and fans alike. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

Amendment I: Equal protections for all fighters. – You shall have the same legal protections currently afforded to professional boxers under state and federal law. This includes extending the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000 and its protections against exploitative treatment of boxers to professional mixed-martial arts fighters.

Problem: None, really. Having the promoter disclose how much money was made and who got paid what would be a great thing for fighters come contract renewal time. Additionally, not allowing fighters to be required to sign over future promotional rights just to fight seems reasonable. No real complaints here, it’s an excellent idea.

Amendment II: Right to work. – You shall have the right to sign non-exclusive contracts to participate in any professional mixed martial arts events of your choosing, where such opportunities are available. This right includes the right to refuse to sign exclusive or “automatically renewing” contracts with a promoter that does not guarantee sufficient opportunity for you to fight in professional events and earn a living.


(Who knew Tito had such good penmanship?)

By Jason Moles

A while back, we told you that the Culinary Workers Union was at it again, this time pushing the Nevada State Athletic Commission to pass ‘A Bill of Rights for Professional Mixed Martial Artists.’ After reading the document a time or two, it’s easy to conclude that the “MMA Bill of Rights” is eerily similar to SOPA in that they both look bad on paper and sound even worse when said aloud. Don’t get me wrong, I want the fighters to live long and prosper, but some of the points brought up are laughable. I feel it necessary to shed some light on this proposal while keeping in mind that it could have a major impact for promoters, fighters, and fans alike. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

Amendment I: Equal protections for all fighters. – You shall have the same legal protections currently afforded to professional boxers under state and federal law. This includes extending the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act of 2000 and its protections against exploitative treatment of boxers to professional mixed-martial arts fighters.

Problem: None, really. Having the promoter disclose how much money was made and who got paid what would be a great thing for fighters come contract renewal time. Additionally, not allowing fighters to be required to sign over future promotional rights just to fight seems reasonable. No real complaints here, it’s an excellent idea.

Amendment II: Right to work. – You shall have the right to sign non-exclusive contracts to participate in any professional mixed martial arts events of your choosing, where such opportunities are available. This right includes the right to refuse to sign exclusive or “automatically renewing” contracts with a promoter that does not guarantee sufficient opportunity for you to fight in professional events and earn a living.

Problem: This sounds brutal, I know, but fighters already have the right not to sign a contract they don’t like. If you don’t like the way it’s worded and cannot compromise, hit the road, jack. It’s clear that the Culinary Union has the UFC’s non-competitive and champion’s clauses in mind here. We could pretty much scratch the second amendment out, kind of like what Obama is doing right now, and the world would continue spinning.

If you’re the promoter, there is no way you want your champion taking a fight in Donofrio MMA and losing to a scrub or getting injured en route to a victory. You have to protect your assets. You also don’t want a guy winning the belt in his last fight, especially if it’s a controversial decision, and then jumping ship because his contract is up and the other promoter will let him do a reality tv show while under contract.

Solution: Promotions offer minimum fight contracts with a severance package being paid to the fighter if the contract is not fulfilled within a certain amount of time. This makes it easier for the promotion to cut dead weight if a guy keeps getting injured while showing that they (kinda) care for the fighter as a person. This also helps the fighter in the event that the promotion is unable (or unwilling) to give the guy fights. All contracts for guys who are “in the mix” will still be automatically renewing, however, the payment terms would still be negotiated upon for the new contract.

Amendment III: Inalienable right to your own name, likeness and image. – You shall have the right to refuse to give any promoter and/or manager the right to your own name, likeness and image beyond the duration of the contract you have with the promoter and/or manager. This right includes the right to participate in professional mixed martial arts events, where such opportunities are available, without being required to sign additional contracts to give the promoter, manager and/or anybody else the right to your own name, likeness and image.

Problem: This fails to help anyone already under contract with Zuffa, and a few that aren’t. Furthermore, if you don’t want to sign over your likeness then don’t sign the papers and go fight somewhere else. Now, had this been worded in a way prohibiting promotions to acquire likeness beyond the duration of the contract, we’d have a completely new argument on our hands — but it’s not.

Solution: It’s not Superstars we’re discussing, fictional characters that have steroids for breakfast and “wrassle” 350 days a year, it’s real men and women whose name, story, and likeness are not fabricated by some creative department. MMA promotions should renegotiate to have the rights to use a fighter’s name, image, and likeness after their contract has ended in exchange for a percentage of the profits from its use, be it a video game, trading cards, or a ‘Best of’ DVD.

Amendment IV: Free market of sponsorships. – You shall have the right to choose your own sponsors outside of any professional mixed martial events in which you participate under a promotional contract. Outside of such events, no promoter shall restrict or prohibit you from signing sponsorship contracts with firms that choose to support you; nor shall any promoter or other entity require you to sponsor a particular product, business, or individual as a condition for  participating in a professional mixed martial arts event.

Problem: Since the UFC landed that mega deal with FOX, we’ve seen a few sponsors tossed into body bags, most notably the gun and ammo sponsors. All promotions should have the right to deny a fighter’s request to be sponsored by a company even if they agree to pay the sponsor tax. Don’t agree? Would you want to see a fighters shorts plastered with KKK logos or a slogan so appalling that only Westboro Baptist Church could have written it? Didn’t think so. It’s not just the UFC that doesn’t want that, it’s the NFL too — just take a look at their partnership and endorsement policy. I bet you didn’t know that NFL players are prohibited from doing anything with a long list of BANNED companies, including two of MMA’s favorites, Nutrabolics and BSN.

Solution: Fighters can still make appearances and be a spokesperson for a company in exchange for a paycheck, however, the promotion in which they fight will still have the right from prohibiting any sponsor from being on all clothing and banners for all fights, media workouts, or anything else fight related (i.e. Countdown shows, Talk show appearances, and press conferences).

Amendment V: Transparency of contracts and payments. – You have the right to receive a detailed and written financial accounting, certified by your local athletic commission, of any and all revenues associated with a professional mixed martial arts event in which you participated. The report shall be provided to you by the event promoter in a timely manner and shall include a description of all payments, gifts or benefits the promoter received from the event, including, but not limited to, gate ticket sales, pay-per-view sales, other TV revenues, and other sponsorship payments.

Problem: All promotions will be required to hire someone to carry out these duties, which by the way, are to be done in a “timely manner,” whatever that means. It’s going to take time for the numbers to come in from cable and satellite providers.

Solution: Have the promoters issue all contracted fighters a quarterly summary of the above information, broken down by fight card. This allows the promotion time to get accurate numbers, receive certification from the athletic commission (when applicable) and still let the fighters know how much the company is making.

Take a two-minute water-break, and continue to the next page to read our dissection of amendments 6-10…