Author: Jeremy Botter

Matt Hughes Says Dana White Will Decide If He Fights Again

Matt Hughes is a legend of the fighting game. Because of that, he’s earned the right to decide when he walks away from the sport for good.But as Hughes told MMAjunkie.com prior to taping last night’s episode of UFC Tonight, the decision is isn’t up to …

Matt Hughes is a legend of the fighting game. Because of that, he’s earned the right to decide when he walks away from the sport for good.

But as Hughes told MMAjunkie.com prior to taping last night’s episode of UFC Tonight, the decision is isn’t up to him. It’s not even up to his wife, who has repeatedly told Hughes over the previous 12 months that she’d like her husband to retire and come home to the farm.

“She wants me to retire from fighting so fighting doesn’t retire me,” Hughes said. 

That’s not the way she put it, he adds. Somebody else told him that, but the point is the same. She gets worried and doesn’t want to see her husband hurt.  

“And I see where she’s coming from,” Hughes said. “She didn’t grow up like I did. She’s a city girl, not rough at all. I grew up on a farm with a twin brother. We grew up beating each other up.”

The decision rests with UFC President Dana White, Hughes said. White has noted in the past that he’d like Hughes to retire soon, but Hughes said the decision hasn’t been made and that he hasn’t heard from White regarding the end of his career.

“I’m at a crossroads between fighting another fight or retirement,” he said, adding that a decision will come “soon.” “I’m 38, and I keep getting older, and the fighters keep staying the same age. I wanted the fall and spring off, and now it’s time to talk with DW.”

I’ve heard rumblings that Hughes may be slotted for a fight against Yoshihiro Akiyama later in the summer. If that’s the case, it would be a great fight for both men. Akiyama probably should’ve been cut already, but the UFC likes guys who go out there and put on exciting fights, and that weighs heavily in his favor.

A loss to Hughes would certainly spell the end of his UFC run, though.

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Ken Shamrock Still Holds a Grudge Against UFC President Dana White

Ken Shamrock’s having a hard time letting go.There’s no question that Shamrock is one of the legends of the early days of the sport, and I respect him for all that he’s done to get us to where we are. Without Shamrock, I wouldn’t have my job. And I rea…

Ken Shamrock‘s having a hard time letting go.

There’s no question that Shamrock is one of the legends of the early days of the sport, and I respect him for all that he’s done to get us to where we are. Without Shamrock, I wouldn’t have my job. And I really, really like my job.

But it’s long past time for Shamrock to move on, both from the fight game and from a feud with Dana White that he just can’t win.

Shamrock talked to Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour:

“I don’t like to come in and say, ‘I’ve done this and I’ve done that,’ because really, it takes a village to make something happen. It takes a lot of people to make it successful. And to hear Dana White say, ‘I did this and I did that. It was me. And he didn’t do this and didn’t do that.’ Well, how in the world did they get to where they were at if it was just Dana? Because I didn’t see him in the ring. I didn’t see Dana fighting. I didn’t see the numbers go up when they had just Tito there. I didn’t see any of that.

What I saw was me getting in there, building an organization, having a feud with Tito Ortiz to help build those numbers, along with Dana White and the corporation and the company to shoot that feud. And also to have Tito there, who was a great villain — to have someone going against me. And that’s how we did those numbers. Because we all got involved and did it.”

Again, Shamrock is owed plenty of respect for his work in the early days of the sport. And there is a very real chance that without his feud with Tito Ortiz, MMA never would have reached the heights it has today. That’s a fact.

But Shamrock is mistaken when he trivializes White’s role in building the sport. Without White and his brash, take-no-prisoners style, it’s very likely that the UFC never becomes as popular as it did. The rise of the UFC and of mixed martial arts in the mainstream took three parts: exciting fights on television, intriguing characters and a promoter willing to say and do things that other sporting figureheads would never even consider.

Shamrock will never grasp this concept. And that’s why he’s stuck on the outside, fighting bums and buffoons like James Toney when he could have a lifetime role with the company much like Chuck Liddell.

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UFC’s Jake Shields Says He’ll Eventually Be Able to Strike with the Best in MMA

Jake Shields is one of the best grapplers in mixed martial arts, and yet he seems to be focused on the idea that he can eventually compete with other great strikers in the welterweight division.As Shields told HeavyMMA.com Duane Finley: 
Working b…

Jake Shields is one of the best grapplers in mixed martial arts, and yet he seems to be focused on the idea that he can eventually compete with other great strikers in the welterweight division.

As Shields told HeavyMMA.com Duane Finley: 

Working behind top-notch grappling and his “American Jiu-Jitsu,” Shields has made the canvas the last place his opponents want to find themselves. But in order to claim championship gold in the UFC, he knows it is going to take solid striking and the ability to use his standup for transitions. While that portion of his game may not be exactly where he wants it, Shields is confident everything will come together and he will become the UFC welterweight champion.

My striking still has holes, but it has gotten a lot better, Shields said. I am going to continue to work and develop my skills and I believe in the next year I’ll be able to stand with the best strikers out there. I still have a little ways to go, but we have definitely made big improvements.

I came so close to the title and fell short. Now I feel like I’m close again. I’ve beaten the current (interim) champion, Carlos Condit, and Martin Kampmann, who is a top contender right now. I know I can beat these guys, and it all depends on me working my way back up and getting my shot. I’m not sure what’s next, but hopefully the UFC will give me a contender so I can get back up where I want to be.

Much like Demian Maia, Shields is a fighter who seems willing to vacate the powerful skill that got him to the top of the welterweight heap—his world-class grappling—in favor of standing and trading punches with guys who are much better at that aspect of the game.

It’s one thing if Shields wants to shore up his striking game so that he can rely on it as a fail-safe if his takedowns aren’t working.

That’s an admirable thing. 

But I’m hoping Shields doesn’t completely abandon his grappling game like Maia has in recent years. Shields’ striking should never be his go-to in a fight—that honor should always be reserved for his attempts to get the fight to the ground, where he’s as deadly as anyone in the sport. 

Still, I give Shields kudos for wanting to become a more well-rounded fighter. 

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Brian Stann Details the Iraq Mission That Made Him a War Hero

UFC middleweight Brian Stann is a really good fighter, but he’s so much more than that.Stann is a bona fide American war hero. This is a man who, if he were involved in any other mainstream sport, would be a gigantic superstar simply because of his bac…

UFC middleweight Brian Stann is a really good fighter, but he’s so much more than that.

Stann is a bona fide American war hero. This is a man who, if he were involved in any other mainstream sport, would be a gigantic superstar simply because of his background as a Marine officer.

I’m sure you’ve heard the story by now, so there’s no need to rehash the whole thing. But the basics: Stann was a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and commanded the 2nd Mobile Assault Platoon of the 2nd Marines division. During Operation Matador outside of Karabilah, Iraq, Stann’s platoon came under fire by insurgents. 

The Marines, under Stann’s direction, held out behind enemy lines for six days before being relieved. Stann coordinated air and tank attacks and was awarded the Silver Star for valor in combat.

Stann will detail the entire incident on Tuesday night’s episode of UFC Ultimate Insider, which airs at 10:30 p.m. ET on Fuel TV. It’s a harrowing look at the past of one of the UFC’s brightest stars.

Stann may not ever reach the championship pinnacle in the UFC, but it doesn’t matter. This is a man who is well spoken, highly intelligent and versed in just about any subject you can throw at him. I’ve long considered him the most marketable star on the UFC’s roster, and his recent appearance as a color commentator proved that he can excel in any area. 

This is a fighter who could someday run for President. That’s not a joke, either. Stann will succeed in anything life throws at him, and he’ll do so admirably. 

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UFC 148: Tito vs. Forrest 3 Is a Perfectly Acceptable Fight

Tito Ortiz is getting his wish for one more UFC fight. He’s even getting his own hand-selected opponent, as the UFC confirmed this morning that the long-rumored third bout between Ortiz and Forrest Griffin will take place at UFC 148 in July.I stay fair…

Tito Ortiz is getting his wish for one more UFC fight. He’s even getting his own hand-selected opponent, as the UFC confirmed this morning that the long-rumored third bout between Ortiz and Forrest Griffin will take place at UFC 148 in July.

I stay fairly tuned into Twitter throughout the day, and I was shocked to see the immediate backlash on the fight from fans and journalists alike. 

We’ve known this fight was coming down the pipeline for months, so it can’t be a surprise.

And what’s the big deal, anyway? Ortiz wants one last fight, and they’re giving it to him. Would you really rather see Ortiz—a legend of the sport and a guy who helped build the UFC into the global powerhouse it is today—be sent packing from the Octagon by someone like Jason Brilz or Rich Franklin?

Of course not. That’s a silly notion.

Griffin is the perfect final opponent for Ortiz. Forrest has zero desire to get anywhere near a title shot at this point in his career. He’s just waiting for his own opportunity to ride off into the hills. There aren’t any heavy expectations on either of these guys, and that’s just fine.

Need I point out that they’ve already faced each other twice, with each man taking a close split decision? In this day of immediate rematches that hold up the title pictures of entire divisions, doesn’t it make sense to let these two veterans square their issues, whether real or imagined?

It makes perfect sense.

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Chael Sonnen’s New Book "The Voice of Reason" Is Going to Be a Must-Buy

The moment you’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived: Chael Sonnen, master of verbal warfare and top UFC middleweight, has written a book. “The Voice of Reason: Your VIP Pass to Enlightenment” hits store shelves on May 15, and if you haven’t…

The moment you’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived: Chael Sonnen, master of verbal warfare and top UFC middleweight, has written a book. 

“The Voice of Reason: Your VIP Pass to Enlightenment” hits store shelves on May 15, and if you haven’t pre-ordered it you probably should.

Need more convincing? Check out the intro to the book:

Presence. Tenacity. Insight. Omniscience. No need to look these words up. They are defined by yours truly. Who am I? I’m the one who needs no introduction, the walking thesaurus, the UFC’s most infamous and feared destroyer of men. I am Chael P. Sonnen, and you want to be just like me.

It’s your lucky day. What you are holding in your hands is nothing short of a V.I.P pass to enlightenment.

In the coming pages my humor and tales of heroic adventure will baptize you in superhuman greatness. Allow me to carry you like a frail damsel as I make a nightmarish decent into the bowels of Sao Paulo. Sit before me as a student as I teach you about my plans of creating a Chaelocracy, which translates to “A Better Earth.” Shower me with praise as I take you into my manly mitts like a lump of seemingly worthless clay and craft you into something far better than yourself—me.

Like all great men of myth and legend, I strive for the betterment of the human race. Prometheus brought us fire; Dana White brought us the modern day gladiator; and I bring you a step-by-step guide to being just like me. Do you have what it takes? Is there truly a chance that one day you will be able to walk in my shoes? Purchase this book and find out. There is no better day to stop being you and start trying to be me.

You’re welcome civilization.

Not convinced? Here is some addition information you will glean from The Voice of Reason:Why Dance Dance Revolution is the national fighting style of Brazil.How vegans are ruining themselves and the world.Why you should never feed carrots to a school bus.Why you don?t need an athlete to be your hero.How fighters and fashion models have the exact same job.Why republicans are more compassionate, pioneering, rebellious, and generally cooler than any liberal.

Inside this book I offer you my knowledge of physics, politics, linguistics, history, and physiology. Unless you are currently standing in the checkout line or speeding home, wanting to save my brilliance for when you are curled up in a recliner sipping on some tea, you have already failed at becoming something similar to me. Chael P. Sonnen knows what he wants and buys it. He doesn’t need a dust jacket to tell him a book is good. He can feel it.

This may already be the absolute best mixed martial arts book ever written, and it hasn’t even been released yet. 

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