Author: Patrick Straub

Joe Rogan Should Issue an Apology to Maggie Hendricks During the TUF 13 Finale

There’s been a healthy amount of debate raging in the wake of Rampage Jackson’s faux “motorboating” of MMA Heat’s Karyn Bryant. The classlessness of Rampage’s actions need no more ridicule. That point has been made.  As of two days ago, however, t…

There’s been a healthy amount of debate raging in the wake of Rampage Jackson’s faux “motorboating” of MMA Heat’s Karyn Bryant. The classlessness of Rampage’s actions need no more ridicule. That point has been made.  

As of two days ago, however, there is now a second controversial issue that has come out of this incident. If you’ve been reading some of the MMA blogs out there like Cagepotato and Bloody Elbow, you’re certainly familiar with those sites calling out Joe Rogan for his poor choice of words to describe Yahoo Sports columnist Maggie Hendricks, after she was one of the many journalists to criticize Rampage for his actions.  

Rogan’s disagreement with Hendricks’ call to the media to not give Rampage a platform to perform his stunts is an opinion he is entitled to.  What was clearly not OK about his actions was his use of the now infamous C-word to describe her.  

Rogan got roasted with enough heat from his comments on the MMA Underground forum that he issued a public apology yesterday to Hendricks for what he called her, now he should go a step further and issue a televised apology at some point when Spike is airing the main card.

This is bigger than Joe Rogan. MMA has been dancing around the edge of getting acceptance by the mainstream for years now, whether you consider that to be a network deal, a full nation of states sanctioning the sport, or your neighbor actually understanding that the sport is called mixed martial arts and not ultimate fighting. 

If UFC employees, full-time or contracted freelancer’s, are allowed to get away with saying and doing things that in any major sport such as football, basketball, and baseball would warrant suspension’s and/or fines you can be sure the media, and subsequently the public, will be sure and brush it off as a sport not worthy of their time.  

It’s a great thing that ESPN is covering MMA, but how long do you think they’ll want to be associated with a sport that’s king organization refuses to punish it’s employees for classless and crude actions and remarks don’t garner any punishing response?  

Dana White and the UFC PR department are now on record as saying that “Joe Rogan is an independent contractor and he wrote his own opinion” thereby absolving them of the responsibility to take action. That stance is weak.  

After Dana White, Joe Rogan is arguably the most recognizable face the UFC has. He hosts all the weigh-ins, gives insightful interviews in every hype video leading up to every event, and is arguably the best color commentator calling MMA today.  

I honestly believe Rogan’s knowledge and ability to break down what is happening in a fight for the layman to understand has helped the UFC grow leaps and bounds. It’s the ability to take what appears to be a boring grappling match and describe intricately what each fighter is trying do within the fight. He is continuously two steps ahead of the action.

For all these reasons, Joe Rogan’s official title as “independent contractor” for the UFC is irrelevant. If he’s weighing in on anything MMA related, he’s doing so as a voice for the UFC, and the UFC knows that.  

In any mainstream sport, athletes and commentators occasionally make mistakes, and apologies are issued. We, the people, demand it. Joe Rogan made a mistake. His actions don’t negate the possibility of the sport being accepted as a mainstream attraction, nor did he necessarily set that effort back.  

Using his time on air tonight to issue a genuine apology for his words towards Maggie Hendricks would show that the UFC, and therefore MMA, is conscious of wrongdoing by its employees and will seek to rectify those wrongdoings using the correct avenues.

Continuous silence and denial of responsibility only proves those who want to stop the sport’s growth are doing the right thing.   

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Debunking Bob Reilly’s Main Arguments Against Sanctioning MMA in New York

New York State Assemblyman Bob Reilly has been fighting the bad fight for years, and rarely passing up the opportunity to hate on the sport of mixed martial arts in a public interview.  Most interviewers simply ask him a question (e.g. Why, B…

New York State Assemblyman Bob Reilly has been fighting the bad fight for years, and rarely passing up the opportunity to hate on the sport of mixed martial arts in a public interview.  Most interviewers simply ask him a question (e.g. Why, Bob?) and give him the floor to spew his vitriol without anybody there to counter his asinine arguments, beyond the interviewer gently playing devil’s advocate.  

Reilly recently appeared on an episode of Forbes to give more unfounded speculation as to why MMA has no place in our society.  Watching an individual in power toss out baseless arguments against anything is incredibly frustrating, and at this point I honestly wonder if he even believes half the garbage he’s saying.  Rather than watch another interview with Reilly and grow exponentially more frustrated, I feel it would be more therapeutic to simply rip the imaginary legs out form under Reilly’s two main arguments against the sanctioning of MMA in New York.  Let’s dig in.

 

ARGUMENT No. 1

Reilly says:  “My overriding opposition [to MMA] is based on the fact that I believe it’s a violent sport, and violence begets violence.”

 Reason says:  The phrase “violence begets violence” has no place in the discussion to sanction MMA.  There’s a famous quote from Martin Luther King Jr.: “Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.”  

Dr. King was, of course, speaking of the need to refrain from responding to violence with violence during the Civil Rights movement, as black people fought for equality in America.  The phrase has always been interpreted and used to explain why violent reprisal occurs, and in the case if Dr. King’s quote, why it shouldn’t. 

Violence against a person or people inspires violence back against that specific person or people.  We see examples of this today half a world away as the Arab Spring continues to churn.  Violence by Middle Eastern governments against the peaceful protests of the people they govern inspire those protesters to respond in kind.

Bob Reilly is suggesting that by watching two athletes square off in a sanctioned competition, in which both consent to participate and are financially rewarded for their participation, people will somehow be brainwashed and inspired to go out and commit violent acts against other people. 

The lunacy of the statement speaks for itself.  If such a thing were true, then by that rationale, boxing would have the same effect, and there would be a history of violent acts in society stretching as far back as boxing has existed that could directly be linked to the sport’s viewership.  Furthermore, there would be modern day examples of violence occurring throughout the country as a result of people watching mixed martial arts.  No such example exists, yet Reilly chooses to carelessly march on with this argument. 

There isn’t a shred of evidence to back up his claim that allowing MMA into New York will inspire violence, and no rap sheet of criminal behavior stemming from watching two individuals fight in any arena is available.  Whatever sound reasoning may exist to block MMA from coming to New York, Mr. Reilly has chosen to ignore it and instead reach for something that is undoubtedly profound yet blatantly ignorant.  

 

ARGUMENT No. 2

Reilly says: “The major (argument) my colleagues use for the legalization of MMA is that it would bring money into the state (of New York), and I reject that entirely.  I think it will cost more money for the state than it will bring in.  I think that’s a specious and filaceous argument, that it would bring money into the state.”

Reason says:  I think that’s a specious and filaceous argument that it would cost the state more money than it would bring in.  I find it ironic that Mr. Reilly uses such big words to denounce the voices of assembly members who see the big picture of revenue that would flow into New York with each MMA event held in the state, while at the same time stating clearly that he thinks it would cost the state money, thereby insinuating an entirely specious point.

While I don’t have facts and figures to display the revenue earned from cities and states visited by the UFC (and certainly from local businesses like bars and restaurants), I’d be shocked to learn that the UFC was constantly returning to locations to put on more events if it were ultimately depleting that location’s funds.  I’ve yet to hear a mayor, governor, or political figure of any sort come out and denounce the UFC for coming to town and bleeding the local economy.  With budget’s currently stretched thin in most states across the country, I can’t imagine the UFC would continue to be a welcome guest if they were hurting more than helping. 

If the Assemblyman were so certain that it would cost the state money, surely he must have his own data to back it up.  Otherwise, I’d have to say that throwing out his personal thoughts on the matter, with no evidence to back it up, while denouncing the rationale arguments of his own colleagues in the very assembly he serves, would be an insult to those same assemblymen trying to bring money back into a stagnant economy.

Bob Reilly has also used his time in interviews to liken mixed martial arts to dog fighting and prostitution (Inside MMA, September 2010).  The absurdity of a statement like that says enough about the mentality of someone like Reilly, who seeks to keep the sport down. 

If Michael Vick had been caught running an underground mixed martial arts league back in 2007, I wonder if the punishment or public outcry would have been anywhere near the same.  Maybe if the fighters were chained up and subsequently murdered for their poor performances in the ring; otherwise, I highly doubt it.

Assemblyman Bob Reilly’s baseless arguments against sanctioning mixed martial arts in the state of New York are beyond a roll of the eyes.  At a time when money is scarce and local economies across the nation could use a boost, Reilly’s venture to stop money from entering New York through legitimate means, and strike fear into those who may not know otherwise through unfounded arguments, is an insult to the constituency he represents and a slap in the face to any politician fighting to bring money into the state.  

What is perhaps more painful than anything is knowing that so long as MMA isn’t sanctioned in New York, Reilly will continue to be given platforms to spew his vitriol without being held accountable for his meritless words. 

The New York State Senate just recently voted overwhelmingly (42-18) in favor of a bill that would sanction mixed martial arts, and the bill now must pass one last hurdle in the State Assembly before the wall comes crumbling down.  Hopefully, the voices of reason will carry the day, and Bob Reilly can fade into obscurity where he belongs.  

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UFC 131: In Shane Carwin, Junior Dos Santos Has a Tougher Battle Ahead of Him

I would love to see a rematch between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin.  I don’t think Lesnar got lucky when he defeated Carwin, but in a way I do think he pulled a rabbit out of a hat.  He survived a brutal first round beating that showed…

I would love to see a rematch between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin.  I don’t think Lesnar got lucky when he defeated Carwin, but in a way I do think he pulled a rabbit out of a hat.  He survived a brutal first round beating that showed a less than stellar stand-up game, and recovered in between rounds to take advantage of Carwin’s lack of cardio, and sink in an arm triangle that nobody outside of Lesnar’s team saw coming. 

Well played by Brock, no doubt, but if Carwin had to do it over again I’m willing to bet he’s learned his lesson about exhausting all your energy trying to finish an opponent, and would take greater care to prevent the submission.  With all that in mind, Lesnar’s replacement by Carwin against Junior dos Santos next month at UFC 131 presents a more difficult task for the Brazilian fighter. 

Dos Santos’ ability to beat Lesnar depended on his being able to stuff Brock’s takedowns, and utilizing far superior boxing to send Lesnar spiraling back down the heavyweight ladder.  Given the history of both fighters, it certainly doesn’t seem like a stretch to say that.  Dos Santos arguably has the best boxing in the heavyweight division, and has showcased his heavy hands en route to taking out five of the six opponents he’s faced in the UFC. 

The sixth, Roy Nelson, somehow survived being dos Santos’ heavy bag for three rounds before losing a decision.  Dos Santos’ only career loss came via arm bar in a Brazilian promotion before he came to the big leagues back in November of 2007.  While I’m sure his ground game has improved since then, dos Santos has made no secret of his desire to stand and bang with anyone put in front of him, and thus far it’s worked to near perfection.

In Carwin, dos Santos must now deal with a fighter with equal if not more power resting in his hands.  Additionally, as a former Division II wrestling champion, Shane Carwin surely isn’t uncomfortable going to the ground, though I’m not sure that dos Santos could say the same for himself.  In short, dos Santos is now facing a more well rounded fighter in Carwin, and it’s setting up a better fight for the fans.

From purely the stand-up perspective in the head-to-head battle, the hand speed belongs to dos Santos, while the punching power belongs to Carwin.  This arises not simply from the trail of destruction each one has left in the UFC, but how they’ve blazed those trails.  Dos Santos burst on to the scene with an enormous upset of Fabricio Werdum, in which he used a devastating upper-cut to end the fight, and has since utilized sharp boxing to outpoint the likes of Mirko Cro Cop, Gabriel Gonzaga, and the aforementioned Roy Nelson. 

With each fight, dos Santos has displayed his brilliant hand speed as his most trusted tool.  Like a good boxer should, he’ll attack with a flurry of punches and jump back out of range of his opponents reach before he has a chance to counter.  For a textbook example of this, go back and watch his fight against Stefan Struve at UFC 95.  He hit Struve with seven shots before backing out, taking a quick break and pouncing back in with an overhand right that was the beginning of the end for Struve.  This all occurred in a matter of four seconds.  That kind of speed is an anomaly in MMA.

Carwin, meanwhile, has used the bricks he possess on the end of each arm to crush Christian Wellisch, Gonzaga, and Frank Mir to name a few.  Even more impressive, each of those three fights displayed Carwin’s power in a different manner.  In his UFC debut, Carwin threw a right cross that dropped Wellisch in the first round, sending his mouth guard flying across the Octagon.  Against Gonzaga, Carwin fought threw an early broken nose, and was on his heels backing up when he threw a short jab that ended Gonzaga’s night. 

The ability to throw that knock out punch while retreating is something few fighters can do, and something MMA fans haven’t really seen since the glory days of Chuck Liddell.  Finally, against Mir, Carwin completely out-muscled him, pinning him against the cage and eventually using short, powerful dirty boxing that Mir was forced to crumble under. 

It was only the fight against Wellisch that Carwin had the luxury of a full wind-up.  In the other two examples, he made the best of a small window to throw the punches necessary to end the fight.  Again, few fighters possess that kind of power.  For Carwin it’s his most prized asset.   

Both Junior dos Santos and Shane Carwin possess phenomenal hands, and each has the skills to end a fight in the blink of an eye.  While dos Santos unfortunately has a tougher opponent on the horizon than the one he was originally scheduled to face, the fans get treated to a fight with greater potential.  Regardless of the outcome, the ringside doctors need to be sure they have the smelling salts handy.  Someone might need to be woken up.  

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UFC 130 Fight Card: Frank Mir and Roy Nelson Battle To Stay Relevant

It is important for any fighter to mentally recover from a loss as best they can, and not let that loss dictate how they carry themselves moving forward.  For young fighters still learning the nuances of the fight game and still gaining invaluable…

It is important for any fighter to mentally recover from a loss as best they can, and not let that loss dictate how they carry themselves moving forward.  For young fighters still learning the nuances of the fight game and still gaining invaluable cage experience, that fact is simply a part of the game.  Overcoming a loss, and in effect “getting back on the horse,” is easier for a prospect than it is for a veteran who has been fighting for years and potentially nearing the end of his career.

At UFC 130 later this month, Frank Mir will square off against Roy Nelson, and the loser will be looking at a daunting uphill climb and likely an irrelevant future in the UFC heavyweight division. 

Mir, at only 31 years old, has a resume packed with impressive names and victories and a comeback from a motorcycle accident worthy of a Disney movie.  He’s the man who showed Brock Lesnar that skill still prevails over brute strength, and he’s the man who dropped a legend in Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira en route to capturing the UFC interim heavyweight title just over two years ago.  Despite his subsequent loss in the rematch with Lesnar, Mir looked as if he had secured a spot at the top of the heavyweight ladder, and could be a serious title contender for year to come. 

A beating at the hands of Shane Carwin in which Mir looked completely outmuscled, and a lackluster win over a past-his-prime Mirko Cro Cop that drew the ire of UFC president Dana White has Mir staring at a make-or-break moment in his career.  Beat Roy Nelson and reassert yourself as a legitimate contender worthy of continuing to swim with the sharks or at least try.  Lose and be exposed as a fighter unable to compete with the new heavyweights of the UFC.  Should that be the case, Mir will be faced with reevaluating his career and perhaps dropping down a weight class.

It’s not so much that the MMA game has passed Mir by, but that the heavyweight division has. Upon losing to Lesnar at UFC 100, Mir showed up to face Cheick Kongo noticeably thicker, and tipped the scales at just under the 265 lb limit, by far the heaviest of his career.  His quick demolition and submission of Kongo put the heavyweight division on notice, Mir had reinvented himself, and it seemed he now had the size to go along with the skill.  The weight gain clearly wasn’t good enough, however, and the loss to Carwin exposed Mir as a fighter that doesn’t possess the necessary raw power, just as he was in the loss to Lesnar. 

I highlight Mir’s last two losses (Lesnar and Carwin, respectively), because they are shining examples of Mir’s shortcomings as a heavyweight.  Mir has hinted at the thought of moving down a weight class before, and should he prove unable to get past Nelson, Mir should seriously contemplate shedding his added pounds and dropping to light heavyweight, where he may find he can bully around some if not most of the crop in that division.

Roy Nelson has a different dilemma on his hands.  He entered the UFC late in his career after holding the IFL heavyweight title and then losing back-to-back fights against Andrei Arlovski and Jeff Monson in other promotions.   After winning The Ultimate Fighter Season 10, which he capped off with a devastating knock out of Brendan Schaub (who has come into his own), Nelson looked strong in sending another rising prospect, Stefan Struve, crumbling to the mat in at UFC Fight Night in March of 2010. 

His loss to Junior Dos Santos at UFC 117 showed a few cracks in his armor.  While he showed heart in carrying himself the distance, he was noticeably more beaten for it.  He didn’t have an answer for Dos Santos’ speed and boxing, and seemed winded by the end of the third. 

 I never believed Nelson would win his season of The Ultimate Fighter (no, I did not pick Kimbo), and I’m impressed he’s come as far as he has.  Though impossible to believe at first glance, there is an abundant amount of skill in that man’s body, and at this point, I would not be shocked to see his hand raised at the end of this next fight with Mir.  Regardless, Nelson’s career takes a considerable hit if he loses. 

He wants to make a serious run at the title and elevate his name among the division’s current elite, but at the age of 34, he can’t afford to be knocked down the ladder again in another “gateway” fight as he did in the loss to dos Santos.  Nelson is clearly good enough to not simply belong in the UFC’s heavyweight division but thrive.  The question remains whether he’ll end up a gatekeeper or bust through the gate.

Frank Mir and Roy Nelson face each other at critical times in their careers.  For the winner, a future date with another title contender awaits.  After that, depending on the outcome, a title shot isn’t out of the question.  For the loser, a period of evaluation is at hand.  At this point in either one’s career, there is only so much drawing board space left.

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