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Evans Says Beating Jones More Important Than Winning Belt

The hype train for next month’s monstrous fight between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former training partner and friend Rashad Evans is in full swing.In the coming weeks, we’ll start seeing plenty of interviews from both fighters as the…

The hype train for next month’s monstrous fight between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former training partner and friend Rashad Evans is in full swing.

In the coming weeks, we’ll start seeing plenty of interviews from both fighters as they prepare for their showdown in Atlanta.

We’ll get the usual UFC Countdown preview show, and we’ll also see a three-week “UFC Primetime” series, beginning April 6.

With nearly two months between UFC pay per view events, the hype level for this one should be off the charts by the time fight week rolls around.

Evans is doing a series of exclusive blog entries for Yahoo, and his first one is a doozy:

At UFC 145, I think it will come down to who really wants it. We are both going to get beat on in this fight, we are both going to get banged up and hurt, but I want this more.

On April 21, at UFC 145, beating Jon Jones up means everything to me. I want to smash him up so bad. I want to be world champion again – but for this fight, beating up on Jon Jones means absolutely everything.

I will beat his ass and then tell him that crying won’t get him his belt back.

Do you believe Evans when he says that beating Jones is more important to him than winning the title?

I do.

This thing between Jones and Evans is very personal. Evans was a senior member at Greg Jackson’s gym in New Mexico, and he feels like he was cast aside by his former coach and friends for the next big thing in Jones.

He was forced to make major life changes, on the personal side and in terms of training. It wasn’t an easy experience.

Evans may never say it publicly, but I believe he was hurt deeply by the way the whole situation unfolded.

We’ll never know the true extent of the former relationship between Evans and Jones, and we may never know exactly how Jones came to be a part of Jackson’s gym in the first place.

At this point, it doesn’t really matter. In Rashad’s mind, the damage is done.

I do believe that beating Jones means more to Evans than winning the title for a second time.

At this point, it’s less about disarming the cocky kid than it is about sending Jackson a message: that he was wrong to stand behind Jones.

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Why UFC President Dana White Thinks Soccer Is the Least-Talented Sport on Earth

Dana White has never been the biggest fan of soccer. We know that.White has claimed for years that the UFC—and mixed martial arts in general—will someday be the biggest sport in the world.And yes, he includes soccer (or football, for those …

Dana White has never been the biggest fan of soccer. We know that.

White has claimed for years that the UFC—and mixed martial arts in general—will someday be the biggest sport in the world.

And yes, he includes soccer (or football, for those of you reading this story from somewhere outside of North America) in that mix.

We’ll analyze this claim in a second, but let’s hear what White had to say during an interview yesterday with the Calgary Sun:

I’m not a big hockey fan. But I respect how talented you have to be to play hockey. Soccer? That’s a whole other ball. Can’t stand soccer. It’s the least-talented sport on Earth. There’s a reason three-year-olds can play soccer. When you’re playing a game when the net is that big and the score is 3-1 (and that’s a blowout) are you kidding me? You know how untalented you have to be to score three times when the net is that big?

First, let’s take a look at White’s belief that the UFC will be bigger than soccer.

This will never happen.

Soccer is the only true worldwide sport.

It’s the most popular sport on the planet, and nothing—not the NFL, not the NBA and certainly not the UFC—is even close.

It’s not even a race.

During the 2010 World Cup, over 99.2 million people viewed at least six minutes of World Cup action during the round of 16. And in the finals, over 700 million people tuned in to see Spain vs. Netherlands.

Seven hundred. Million. People.

That’s a staggering number. And while I think the UFC will continue to grow in popularity over the next 25 years, I simply cannot fathom a day when 700 million people tune in for a UFC fight, even if it’s on free television around the world.

As for White’s claim that soccer is the least-talented sport in the world? That sounds like a statement from someone who doesn’t understand soccer in the slightest.

I’ll admit that I used to have the same attitude. I thought soccer was boring and terrible.

But then I started watching it and realized that, just like mixed martial arts, there are many layers to a soccer game, and your personal enjoyment of the matches goes up when you understand what’s going on.

Dana is a passionate dude. He’s the most powerful promoter in the sport, but he’s also a huge fan, and that’s something that shines through when he makes comments like this.

He’s wrong, but it doesn’t hurt to dream.

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UFC 147: Sonnen vs. Silva Is the Biggest Fight in the History of MMA

We don’t have an exact date or even an exact location, but we do know one thing: The rematch between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen—the bane of Silva’s existence for over two years now—will finally go down in just…

UFC President Dana White noted during yesterday’s press conference in Calgary that Silva and Sonnen will meet in an 80,000-seat soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The fight was long expected to happen in Sao Paolo, but the UFC ran into noise ordinance problems there and ultimately could not come to a deal with the city.

And so they’ll travel back to Rio for the third time in under a year. That’s not a bad thing, though.

Rio, as we’ve all seen from media reports and with our own eyes on pay-per-view broadcasts, is likely the owner of the most vocal and vicious mixed martial arts fans in the entire world. For everything we say about Canadians and their loyalty to the sport, Rio tops them all by sheer force of will.

Make no mistake about it: Silva vs. Sonnen 2 is the biggest fight in the history of the sport. It may not draw the kind of PPV numbers that Brock Lesnar often did during his brief heyday in the sport, but it will not be topped by sheer atmosphere.

Not even UFC 129, which had over 50,000 fans packed into the Rogers Centre for the first stadium show in UFC history, will compare to what goes down in Rio this summer.

As ESPN’s Chuck Mindenhall explains:

It might be hyperbole to start comparing the outdoor fight to the “Thrilla in Manila” or Ali-Liston II or the “Rumble in the Jungle,” but maybe only narrowly. Who knows if in 40 years we’ll be talking about Silva/Sonnen II?

But as of 2012, it looks like the biggest fight in MMA history, with context filling in every corner. Their first fight, at UFC 117 in August 2010, was so one-sided as to become surreal for nine-tenths of the bout. Then came the late submission that has made Sonnen the butt of geometry jokes worldwide. Once again it’s Sonnen’s dogged wrestling against Silva’s violent grace. What buildup awaits. Sonnen knows what to do with a microphone, just like Ali did — and he has his own parcel of scandals, too. In a bargain bin way, testosterone replacement therapy is Sonnen’s “Vietnam” references. Ali lived in turbulent political times. Sonnen is a politician (as well as real estate agent and author) with an uninspiring overall record.

Somehow, here we are.

Lost in all the talk of the rematch is the intricate—and some might say masterful—job that Sonnen has done in building up this fight. It’s an exact match for the kind of old-school pro wrestling storylines that Sonnen so adores.

Years spent watching Portland wrestling and taking the best from Superstar Billy Graham promos prepared him for this very moment, and he has delivered in spades.

Think about it for a second, if you will. Two years ago, Sonnen was an unknown commodity in fighting. But then he started trashing Silva at a time when every other “Spider” opponent was nothing but respectful.

On top of that, he continually trashed Brazil and just about every other Brazilian fighter you can think of. This went on for two years, a period of time that saw him lose to Silva in the most dramatic bout in UFC history.

Sonnen dismissed the loss as a fluke. In reality, he understands that he actually lost the fight, but he’ll never say so publicly. Admitting defeat isn’t part of the plan.

He continued to trash Brazil and Silva and worked his way back to a title shot. And now that title shot, in a moment reflecting the best of those fake wrestling storylines that so hooked him as a kid, will come in the hometown of the fighter he’s been trashing for two years, in the place he’s spent countless hours running down verbally.

No matter what happens at UFC 147, Sonnen did his job. It would be nice to take home the UFC title, but he’s created a memory that will last much longer than any mere title win.

He’s created the biggest fight in UFC history.

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UFC’s Ellenberger or Kampmann, Not Nick Diaz, Should Be the Next Title Contender

You may have missed the news yesterday that top welterweight contenders Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann will face off in the main event of the Ultimate Fighter Live Finale on June 1st.That’s understandable. There was a ton of news going around yes…

You may have missed the news yesterday that top welterweight contenders Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann will face off in the main event of the Ultimate Fighter Live Finale on June 1st.

That’s understandable. There was a ton of news going around yesterday, from multiple fight announcements to a veritable Canadian treasure trove being unveiled during the middle of one of the most unintentionally funny UFC press conferences that I can remember.

Ellenberger vs. Kampmann is big news, though. Both of these men were once thought to be potential opponents for Carlos Condit, but Condit’s decision to sit and wait for Georges St-Pierre’s return and a potential title unification bout on November 17 in Montreal threw a wrench into those plans.

And so we have two of the best welterweight fighters in the world matched up against one another, with the ultimate prize being a likely shot at the winner of Condit vs. Ellenberger.

What about Nick Diaz, you say?

What about him? As of this very moment, Diaz is suspended from fighting. I know Diaz and his lawyer think they have a brilliant excuse for him failing a drug test, and perhaps they do. Perhaps Diaz will get his suspension reduced to six months, meaning he’ll be back in June, and it’ll be like he never left in the first place.

But the truth is that it doesn’t really matter. I know this is hard for Diaz fans to understand, so I’ll say it one more time: Nick lost the fight against Condit. That’s a fact. You may think Condit fought like a girl (he didn’t) or that Condit ran (he didn’t), but the one thing you can’t argue (you will) is that Condit beat Diaz according to the unified rules of mixed martial arts.

Ellenberger and Kampmann are clear contenders. They each won their last fight in definitive fashion. Diaz lost his last fight, and he did so by lackluster decision.

And then he failed a drug test because he couldn’t stop smoking pot for the few weeks surrounding his fight.

The math adds up. Diaz may get his title shot at some point down the road, and potheads around the world will celebrate when he does. But he’ll need to win another fight before they throw him into the title mix.

And in the meantime, two deserving fighters—Ellenberger and Kampmann—can get the shot they actually won in the cage, not by being anti-authority and throwing their fingers in the air.

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UFC Welterweight Brian Ebersole Calls Josh Koscheck Bad Names

The bitter breakup between Josh Koscheck and Javier Mendez from American Kickboxing Academy took a new twist last night when Brian Ebersole jumped into the fray.Ebersole, never known for mincing his words, lashed out at Koscheck (via Vigilante MMA) ove…

The bitter breakup between Josh Koscheck and Javier Mendez from American Kickboxing Academy took a new twist last night when Brian Ebersole jumped into the fray.

Ebersole, never known for mincing his words, lashed out at Koscheck (via Vigilante MMA) over what he believes is disrespectful and arrogant treatment of Mendez. And really, Ebersole is simply saying the same thing that everyone else in the world not named Josh Koscheck is saying.

This wasn’t a happy ending, and most of the blame seems to be falling squarely on Koscheck and his charming personality.

He mentioned that Javier coached him but that he didn’t learn anything. Really? I learn from BJJ blue belts whilst I travel the globe teaching and training. And you can’t learn from a former World Champion? That’s a curious comment, if you ask me, which you did.

I’m not alone in thinking he’s a dick. …

In all of our interactions, never once did he thank me for booking his 1st fight, or taking my Christmas holiday to head out and train with him (on my own dime). I think he was successful because he had a chip on his shoulder all his life. And that’s fine. But when life opens its doors to you, allows you to live the dream, maybe some class, tact, and grace is called for? …

Josh probably had a big problem anytime criticism came; and 90% of that would have come from Javier, because it was not in the nature of the other coaches. Not surprising that they butted heads. And not surprising that Kos has acted like a child in regard to his life-changing plans. Disappointing to many, no doubt. But not surprising to anyone who knows him.

I appreciate Ebersole’s honesty, and I appreciate his ability to put together a coherent sentence. I conducted a live chat with him prior to his fight in December, and he simply asked me for directions, took the computer from me and moderated the chat by himself.

And again, most of the blame for this situation appears to be falling on Koscheck. I don’t see any of his long-time friends from AKA jumping up and heading to his rescue, and that speaks volumes. I’ve been to AKA on several different occasions, and I can tell you from experience that there is a true team mentality within the ranks there.

Koscheck appears to be the odd man out, and I guess that’s the way he wants it.

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UFC’s Decision to Visit Canada 3 Times in 2012 Is a Smart One

UFC president Dana White and Canadian director of operations Tom Wright announced during a press conference in Calgary Wednesday morning that the UFC would be making three stops in Canada during the 2012 calendar year.The dates kick off with June’s vis…

The dates kick off with June’s visit to Calgary, which will be headlined by Jose Aldo defending his featherweight title against an unknown opponent. They’ll return in September for a show in Toronto—likely at the Air Canada Centre and not the Rogers Centre—and then make the trek back to Montreal two months later for what will likely be Georges St-Pierre’s first fight in nearly two years.

“The doctors said it’s the fastest recovering they’ve seen in an ACL injury,” said St-Pierre, who indicated that he wants to return at the Montreal event.

The one Canadian city that won’t be getting a new UFC event any time soon? Vancouver. After several successful visits to the city, the UFC is now fighting a ban on the sport after the conclusion of a two-year regulatory period. White noted that Vancouver likely will not get a show for the next two years, at the very least.

The UFC is wise in making Canada one of their centerpiece nations. Having gone to six events in Canada, I can tell you that the level of rabid fandom that exists in cities like Montreal far exceeds that of anywhere else in the world. Okay, I suppose you’d have to include Brazil in that category.

But the point remains—Canada is full of loving, supportive fans, and they’re going to continue getting big events because of it. I think the rest of the world should take notice, and I’m not even a Canadian.

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