Tag: Breaking News

Bellator Ratings Drop Dramatically, Spike TV Officials Expect Turn Around

Bellator debuted its summer series of fights on Wednesday night, capped off by “King” Mo Lawal’s knockout over Seth Petruzelli before the new reality show Fight Master: Bellator MMA also kicked off on Spike TV. This was the first night Bellator moved f…

Bellator debuted its summer series of fights on Wednesday night, capped off by “King” Mo Lawal’s knockout over Seth Petruzelli before the new reality show Fight Master: Bellator MMA also kicked off on Spike TV.

This was the first night Bellator moved from Thursdays to Wednesdays since debuting on the cable network earlier this year.

On Thursday, the ratings for the live show and the reality show were released, and the numbers dipped dramatically from previous airings during the first half of 2013.

According to the ratings released by the Nielsen ratings system and confirmed by Spike TV officials when speaking to Bleacher Report on Thursday, Bellator 96 averaged 480,000 viewers over the two-hour-long broadcast.

Meanwhile, Fight Master: Bellator MMA, which featured prominent coaches such as Randy Couture, Frank Shamrock and Greg Jackson on the show, debuted with 432,000 average viewers over the 60-minute broadcast.

To put this into perspective, the last Bellator show that aired on Spike TV back in April pulled in an average of 901,000 viewers when Pat Curran defended his featherweight title in the main event.  The show peaked with over one million viewers during the broadcast as well.

The entire season for Bellator, which stretched from January to April, averaged just around 800,000 viewers per episode.

Bellator did have some tough competition on Wednesday night as the NHL Stanley Cup game between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks drew 6.64 million viewers when it aired starting at 8 p.m. EDT.  Bellator 96 kicked off at the same time, and the new reality show was still airing while the game was ongoing.

Spike TV officials noted when speaking to Bleacher Report that the viewer demographics for hockey and MMA are virtually the same, so they expected a dropoff with the highly anticipated NHL game airing the same night.  It wouldn’t have gotten any easier on Thursday, with Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs airing on ABC.

“We feel that a few hundred thousand people went over to watch one of the best hockey games you’d ever seen,” David Schwarz, senior vice president of communications for Spike TV told Bleacher Report on Thursday.  “We are disappointed, but we feel like people will find the show and like all reality shows it might take a few nights.”

The change in nights for Bellator also saw the promotion lose its lead-in feature with TNA wrestling.  The pro wrestling show was showcased prior to Bellator broadcasts on Thursday nights, but now by airing the fights on Wednesdays, Bellator is going at it alone for the first time.

Schwarz said that while the numbers were definitely down, Spike TV is also aware that it takes time to grow a product and allow viewers time to find it on a new night.  The reality show is in the same boat and they expect growth as more and more people discover the program.

The key, according to Schwarz, is putting the best quality programming on the network possible and he believes the viewers will follow.

“The product is good,” Schwarz said. “That’s what’s most important.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Bellator Ratings Drop Dramatically, Spike TV Officials Expect Turn Around

Bellator debuted its summer series of fights on Wednesday night, capped off by “King” Mo Lawal’s knockout over Seth Petruzelli before the new reality show Fight Master: Bellator MMA also kicked off on Spike TV. This was the first night Bellator moved f…

Bellator debuted its summer series of fights on Wednesday night, capped off by “King” Mo Lawal’s knockout over Seth Petruzelli before the new reality show Fight Master: Bellator MMA also kicked off on Spike TV.

This was the first night Bellator moved from Thursdays to Wednesdays since debuting on the cable network earlier this year.

On Thursday, the ratings for the live show and the reality show were released, and the numbers dipped dramatically from previous airings during the first half of 2013.

According to the ratings released by the Nielsen ratings system and confirmed by Spike TV officials when speaking to Bleacher Report on Thursday, Bellator 96 averaged 480,000 viewers over the two-hour-long broadcast.

Meanwhile, Fight Master: Bellator MMA, which featured prominent coaches such as Randy Couture, Frank Shamrock and Greg Jackson on the show, debuted with 432,000 average viewers over the 60-minute broadcast.

To put this into perspective, the last Bellator show that aired on Spike TV back in April pulled in an average of 901,000 viewers when Pat Curran defended his featherweight title in the main event.  The show peaked with over one million viewers during the broadcast as well.

The entire season for Bellator, which stretched from January to April, averaged just around 800,000 viewers per episode.

Bellator did have some tough competition on Wednesday night as the NHL Stanley Cup game between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks drew 6.64 million viewers when it aired starting at 8 p.m. EDT.  Bellator 96 kicked off at the same time, and the new reality show was still airing while the game was ongoing.

Spike TV officials noted when speaking to Bleacher Report that the viewer demographics for hockey and MMA are virtually the same, so they expected a dropoff with the highly anticipated NHL game airing the same night.  It wouldn’t have gotten any easier on Thursday, with Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs airing on ABC.

“We feel that a few hundred thousand people went over to watch one of the best hockey games you’d ever seen,” David Schwarz, senior vice president of communications for Spike TV told Bleacher Report on Thursday.  “We are disappointed, but we feel like people will find the show and like all reality shows it might take a few nights.”

The change in nights for Bellator also saw the promotion lose its lead-in feature with TNA wrestling.  The pro wrestling show was showcased prior to Bellator broadcasts on Thursday nights, but now by airing the fights on Wednesdays, Bellator is going at it alone for the first time.

Schwarz said that while the numbers were definitely down, Spike TV is also aware that it takes time to grow a product and allow viewers time to find it on a new night.  The reality show is in the same boat and they expect growth as more and more people discover the program.

The key, according to Schwarz, is putting the best quality programming on the network possible and he believes the viewers will follow.

“The product is good,” Schwarz said. “That’s what’s most important.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Tyrone Spong Wants to Go Down as the Greatest Fighter of All Time

It’s not a new concept for a fighter to decide to crossover into different combat sports, testing their skills against the best mixed martial artists, kickboxers or boxers. Rarely, however, do any fighters find high-level success in multiple sports wh…

It’s not a new concept for a fighter to decide to crossover into different combat sports, testing their skills against the best mixed martial artists, kickboxers or boxers.

Rarely, however, do any fighters find high-level success in multiple sports while dabbling in their chosen crafts.  UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem is one fighter that probably came the closest to conquering two sports with his run as Strikeforce heavyweight champion, and eventually capturing the K-1 Grand Prix title in kickboxing.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Maurice Smith started out as a kickboxing phenomenon, winning multiple titles, before moving over to the sport of MMA where he also gained legendary status.

Tyrone Spong hopes to outdo them all and he’s wasting no time letting his intentions be known because the 27-year old Dutch fighter wants to conquer three different combat sports before his career is finished.

Spong is already considered one of the best kickboxers on the planet having defeated some of the biggest names in the industry, and hopes to do the same this weekend when he competes in a one-night Glory tournament in New York City.

But Spong won’t be happy just being the best kickboxer on the planet.  He’s already 1-0 as a mixed martial artist and, after his Glory tournament this weekend, Spong plans on returning to World Series of Fighting in August for his second bout.

From there, Spong will then move over into the world of pro boxing where he’s been learning the craft under the tutelage of famed trainer Pedro Diaz.  It’s a lofty goal to conquer one sport, but Spong is confident he can be one of the best in three different combat sports simultaneously.

“I want to go down in the sport as the greatest fighter of all time in different sports,” Spong told Bleacher Report recently.  “You have lot of fighting disciplines—you have karate, you have judo, you have this, you have that, but I think the hardest combat sports out there really are kickboxing, boxing and MMA.

“Those are the sports that really have my heart, too. I’m just following my dream.”

It may sound cocky for Spong to make such a statement considering he only has one MMA fight and currently zero boxing matches to his name, but that shows just how confident the young fighter is in his own abilities. 

Spong‘s kickboxing accomplishments are already noted, and he believes working with coaches like Diaz for boxing as well as his full MMA team at the Blackzilians camp in Florida can prepare him for a successful run through three sports.

“I’m really blessed that I have the ability to adjust,” Spong stated.  “A lot of people, I remember when I first came out to the states a couple of years ago, there were a lot of people who doubted me.  Not doubted my qualities, but doubted if it was possible to participate in different disciplines like MMA and kickboxing.  I’m going to make things even worse—I’m going to compete in boxing just to prove them wrong.  Because it’s a challenge for me, I love challenges and that’s the kind of guy I am.”

There’s no doubt Spong is already one of the most devastating strikers in the world, no matter what sport he’s competing at.  Spong is deadly accurate with his punches, and when he lands flush on an opponent, bad things tend to happen.

He recently knocked out kickboxing legend Remy Bonjasky, and that’s one fight after he punished and finished another icon of the sport in Peter Aerts. 

Spong isn’t shy when talking about his striking because he knows all he needs is one slight opening or for an opponent to make a mistake and they will wake up staring at the lights wondering what just happened.

“I think I’m definitely one of the best strikers in the world without trying to be cocky,” Spong said.   “Just speaking facts.  I’m just in a rage to build up my own legacy as one of the best athletes in combat sports.”

Spong‘s declaration will certainly be met with some criticism, but he’s not backing down no matter what anyone says about his goals to be considered the best fighter in the history of combat sports.

Former NFL and Major League Baseball All-Star Bo Jackson, who is one of the most prolific two sport athletes ever, may have summed it up best when he said, “set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.”

Spong‘s goals are set, and he’s determined to make his dreams a reality.

“That’s exactly what I’m aiming for,” Spong said about being the best fighter in the world.  “It’s something that motivates me. I enjoy doing it, I have the best coaches to do that.  Everything is just falling in the right places.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Sonnen: ‘Little Chicken Belly Nog’ Pulled ‘Scumbag Move’ in Not Fighting Shogun

Saying that three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Antonio Rogerio Nogueira faked an injury prior to a scheduled UFC 161 bout with Mauricio Rua would be an understatement. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, “The American Gang…

Saying that three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Antonio Rogerio Nogueira faked an injury prior to a scheduled UFC 161 bout with Mauricio Rua would be an understatement. 

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, “The American Gangster” blasted his Brazilian adversary for withdrawing from a heavily anticipated rematch with “Shogun” roughly three weeks before the match up due to a back injury.

“Little Chicken Belly Nog pulled the same scumbag move that he does every time, lets the UFC put out posters, commercials, doing everything to promote him, knowing full well he’s not going to do the fight,” Sonnen said. “Once again he calls in sick, three weeks early. In no industry on earth can you do that. Nobody can call their boss and say ‘Hey, boss, 20 days from now, I’m not going to feel good’. So he calls in sick three weeks early… it was a ruse from the beginning, and basically, I just wanted to help out.”

Sonnen was willing to step up to the plate and fight Rua with less than two weeks notice, but instead, a showdown between Rua and Sonnen will headline UFC on FOX Sports 1: #1 this August (via MMA Fighting). 

“Little Nog‘s” recent career has been plagued with injuries, not fighting at all in 2012 and only stepping inside the Octagon once in 2013 thus far. 

Nevertheless, back-to-back wins over former divisional champions Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans have earned Nogueira the number 5 spot in the UFC’s official light heavyweight rankings. 

While Rua is a former UFC titleholder in his own right, he is just 3-4 in his past seven fights, a far cry from his dominant 13-1 run under the PRIDE banner. 

Sonnen has lost consecutive fights to Anderson Silva and Jon Jones, fighting for the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight titles, respectively, though he has notched a 7-1 record in his last eight non-title bouts. 

Should Sonnen take out Shogun in Boston on August 17, would the fans be interested in seeing him settle the score with Nogueira in his next fight?

 

John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com and contributes MMA videos to The Young Turks Sports Show.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Frankie Edgar Picks ‘Whole Package’ Weidman over Silva

You know “all the pros” that Dana White says are picking Chris Weidman to dethrone Anderson Silva? Well, you can go ahead and add Frankie Edgar to the list.Last week, White claimed during a media scrum that “All the pros, when you talk to all the fight…

You know “all the pros” that Dana White says are picking Chris Weidman to dethrone Anderson Silva? Well, you can go ahead and add Frankie Edgar to the list.

Last week, White claimed during a media scrum that “All the pros, when you talk to all the fighters – every fighter out there that I’ve talked too, that we’ve interviewed, thinks Weidman is going to beat him [Silva].”

The UFC president didn’t give any names, however, aside from welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

On June 19, one more high-profile fighter—Edgar—added himself to that mysterious list of “every fighter out there,” discussing the UFC 162 headliner during a live chat on UFC.com.

When asked by fan Tim Melvin, “who will win: silva or weidman?” Edgar responded:

Gotta go with the East Coast boy Weidman. He’s the whole package. Anderson has fought good wrestlers, but Chris has got great jiu-jitsu and a solid standup game as well.

Of course, we’ve heard it all before. This next fighter is the one that poses stylistic problems for Silva. The next one will take him down and submit him. The next one is the end of his reign.

And all Silva does is keep winning.

But there is a collective feeling shared by many—not all, many—heading into UFC 162 that Weidman poses a real threat to Silva, and that this isn’t just another turn of the wheel. 

With NCAA Division I All-American honors for wrestling, ADCC grappling experience and a striking game that has come a long way, Weidman certainly looks to be the real deal despite limited experience. His considerable accolades and past performances have garnered attention not just among fans, but among his colleagues, adding authority to his position as a contender.

So what do you think? Does Silva cruise to another convincing win, or do pros like St-Pierre and Edgar have you believing in Weidman?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Jacob Volkmann Recounts Blackout and Seizure Prior to WSOF 3 Bout

I’ve heard plenty of horror stories that come as a result of a weight cut gone bad in mixed martial arts. Most fighters who undertake a weight cut have done so before. They’ve wrestled since they were kids, and while cutting weight at the junior o…

I’ve heard plenty of horror stories that come as a result of a weight cut gone bad in mixed martial arts. 

Most fighters who undertake a weight cut have done so before. They’ve wrestled since they were kids, and while cutting weight at the junior or high school level is mostly frowned upon, the practice is not yet a thing of the past.

According to the Athens Banner-Herald, an astonishing 81 percent of all wrestlers cut weight. It’s no surprise that a wrestler in high school would continue attempting to gain an advantage on his opponents once he grows up and turns professional.

Jacob Volkmann is one of those wrestlers. He’s been cutting weight for what seems like forever and continues to do so as he goes through his professional career. Most of the time, he’s been successful. Other times—such as last week, just days before he was scheduled to make his debut for World Series of Fighting—Volkmann isn’t quite so successful. 

Here’s what he told Sherdog.com on Wednesday:

“The maid knocks on my door and keeps on knocking, and I [thought], ‘I’d better not get up too fast.’ So I got up and walked toward the door, and by the time I got my hand on the door, I blacked out,” Volkman told TJ De Santis during a Wednesday interview on “Beatdown” on the Sherdog Radio Network. “Next thing I remember, I was shaking on the floor, having seizures.”

“I banged my head, and I must have hit my back on the door handle,” Volkmann said. “I didn’t tell anybody, because I didn’t want them to say I couldn’t fight because I just had a seizure. I had bills to pay, so I really didn’t have a choice.”

And so you can see why I believe that the biggest harm to mixed martial arts will not come from the sport itself, but from athletes doing dumb things. Blacking out and busting your head open because you’re dehydrated and stood up too fast to answer your hotel door? Yeah, that qualifies as a dumb thing.

I’d like to say that athletes shouldn’t be in a position where they have to lie to the athletic commissions about their health in order to fight. That’s not safe. It’s not good for the athlete, and it’s not good for the sport.

“It was a byproduct of being dehydrated. I don’t think I need a CAT scan or [anything],” Volkmann continued. “There’s nothing cloudy. My memory is fine. I don’t feel sluggish at all. I’m good to go.”

I trust Volkmann‘s judgment more than most. He did attend two straight years of medical school (M.D.) before branching off to become a chiropractor, after all. 

But 99.99 percent of fighters regularly attempt the same kind of cognitive self-checks that Volkmann used, only they don’t know what they’re doing. They don’t have any medical training and they don’t know what signs to look for. And even if they do know the signs, they ignore them because, as Volkmann said, they have bills to pay and they need the money.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com