Let’s be honest with each other. I don’t normally watch iiu jitsu tournaments for entertainment. Neither do you. I appreciate the skill and technique, but it’s a point game, one that sees guys in bleached white bath robes try desperately to put knees o…
Let’s be honest with each other. I don’t normally watch iiu jitsu tournaments for entertainment. Neither do you. I appreciate the skill and technique, but it’s a point game, one that sees guys in bleached white bath robes try desperately to put knees on each other’s stomachs.
At last night’s World Jiu Jitsu Expo, some of the best iiu jitsu artists in the world competed on pay-per-view. There were no submissions. There were no submissions that came particularly close. There were but a handful of actual attempts in the entire hour-plus show. It is a battle of position. Nothing more, nothing less.
I found it fascinating and would watch again, but I’m a sucker for these things, a guy who has watched more submission wrestling and fighting than is healthy for humans to absorb. This is about you. And you watched last night, if anecdotal evidence is any indicator, in relatively large numbers.
The UFC star was set to main event the show against jiu jitsu star Braulio Estima. Banned from MMA competition for the sin of smoking marijuana, this was to be our Diaz fix.
And so we waited last night. And waited. Waited for UFC star Nick Diaz. And Nick Diaz—in perhaps the most Nick Diaz move in the history of the world—never showed up.
It really shouldn’t have been much of a surprise. Diaz is famous for missing engagements. Flights, press conferences, phone calls, Diaz does what Diaz wants. But this was different.
The rallying cry of Diaz supporters, fans who followed the fighter through the ups and the downs of his tumultuous career was simple—Diaz may not like the nonsense associated with the fight game, but he’d never miss a bout.
A press conference? Sure. But never a fight.
Now even that has been taken away. Diaz can and will miss a fight, a wedding, possibly even his own funeral one day. And while it’s understandable that Nick Diaz has better things to do on a Saturday night than hang out with the likes of us, I just would have liked to know about it before putting up 10 hard-earned dollars for the privilege of finding out if he was planning on gracing us with his presence.
Twitter Reaction
Ariel Helwani breaks the news:
According to two sources at the WJJE, Nick Diaz hasn’t arrived yet. His match is supposed to be in a approximately 60-90 mins.
Saturday evening, Nick Diaz was supposed to compete against Braulio Estima at the World Jiu Jitsu Expo. I say supposed to because Nick Diaz no-showed the event.Speculation is that Diaz was mad Estima missed weight yesterday and didn’t know that he made…
Saturday evening, Nick Diaz was supposed to compete against Braulio Estima at the World Jiu Jitsu Expo. I say supposed to because Nick Diaz no-showed the event.
Speculation is that Diaz was mad Estima missed weight yesterday and didn’t know that he made weight today. It’s believable if this were the first time that Nick Diaz did this. Unfortunately, Nick Diaz has a reputation of missing his commitments and no-showing events.
This was the final match of a very entertaining online pay per view. The pay per view was priced at $10 and the big story leading into this super fight was that Nick Diaz was going to donate all of his winnings to charity. Seriously, this guy is supposed to compete for charity and doesn’t have the decency to inform the promoters and fans that he had no intention of grappling.
The most absurd thing is that people are still apologizing for him. Some are his friends and others are just long time fans that hope he will one day be champion. They’re excusing his irresponsibility and using his medical issues as reason for skipping engagements. It’s totally absurd that after everything, people still think he cares about anyone but himself.
If Nick doesn’t want to fight in MMA anymore, hey that’s totally fine. He doesn’t have to fight if he doesn’t want to. He’s made a ton of money in his career and probably could get by with just teaching seminars.
But this was his first chance to build up some goodwill with fans. He could have shown people he’s not interested in MMA while showing the BJJ community he cares. Hell, he could have shown that he’s an adult and willing to do what it takes to be an adult.
But no. Not Nick Diaz. He doesn’t have to be the guy who is respectful because his idiot fans and friends are willing to just “yes” him to death and tell him what he wants to hear. Man up. Do what’s right and show you can be a functional adult. Get a note pad. Or a personal assistant whose only job is to make sure you show up when you’re supposed to.
We’re entering yet another weekend without a big Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view, but that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage on MMA programming this weekend.Bellator returns tonight with an exciting featherweight tournament finale. After that…
We’re entering yet another weekend without a big Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view, but that doesn’t mean there’s a shortage on MMA programming this weekend.
Bellator returns tonight with an exciting featherweight tournament finale. After that, you’ve got an intriguing episode of The Ultimate Fighter with two scheduled bouts and then the debut of UFC Primetime: Dos Santos vs. Mir.
See? There’s plenty of MMA action, and that’s just Friday night.
Let’s take a quick look at the upcoming weekend in mixed martial arts.
Season Six of the Bellator tournament continues tonight with the Featherweight Tournament final. Marlon Sandro looks to beat Daniel Straus for an opportunity to face Pat Curran next year for the featherweight belt. Also on the card is Marius Zarom…
Season Six of the Bellator tournament continues tonight with the Featherweight Tournament final. Marlon Sandro looks to beat Daniel Straus for an opportunity to face Pat Curran next year for the featherweight belt.
Also on the card is Marius Zaromskis making his Bellator debut against Strikeforce veteran Waachiim Spiritwolf. The fight is almost guaranteed to be exciting as both Zaromskis and Spiritwolf bring the fight every time they enter the cage.
Prelims
Aung La Nsang def. Jesus Martinez via TKO at :36 in the first round. Anthony Leone def. Claudio Ledesma via Split Decision (29-28 Ledesma, 30-27 Leone, 30-27 Leone) Don Carlo-Clauss vs. Jacob Kirwan
Main Card
Marius Zaromskis vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf Carmelo Marrero vs. Seth Petruzelli Travis Marx vs. Marcos Galvão Marlon Sandro vs. Daniel Straus
Join Bleacher Report for a live discussion of the fights.
The UFC provides such diverse action, so many amazing fights, that sometimes it’s hard to pick a favorite. But Bleacher Report’s lead MMA writers, Jonathan Snowden and Jeremy Botter, were up to the task, pinpointing four fights that…
The UFC provides such diverse action, so many amazing fights, that sometimes it’s hard to pick a favorite. But Bleacher Report’s lead MMA writers, Jonathan Snowden and Jeremy Botter, were up to the task, pinpointing four fights that they can’t wait to see in 2012.
Mark Hunt vs. Stefan Struve (UFC 146, May 26, 2012):
The UFC 146 main card is packed to the brim with heavyweight action. Junior dos Santos will defend his heavyweight title against Frank Mir, but Snowden believes the battle brewing between Hunt and Struve will steal the show.
Hunt, a former K-1 kickboxing champion, is almost as wide as he is tall. Struve, a lanky kid approaching seven feet tall, is almost comically different in proportion. When they meet in the cage, it should be hilarious—and hilariously violent.
Frankie Edgar vs. Benson Henderson (UFC 150, August 11, 2012):
Earlier this year, Henderson shocked the world and took the lightweight title from Edgar. It was such a dynamic and close fight that UFC management has asked them to run it back. Top contender Nate Diaz will be watching carefully as these two battle for the belt at 155 pounds.
Ian McCall vs. Demetrius Johnson (UFC on FX 3, june 8, 2012):
In the first fight between these two flyweights, Johnson had his hand raised, but wasn’t the winner. Make sense? Of course not. Apparently, athletic commission officials miscounted the judge’s scorecards and declared Johnson the winner of a fight that was actually a draw. The two will continue their battle on FX in what should be an explosive contest of speed and technique.
Jon Jones vs. Dan Henderson (UFC 151, September 1, 2012)
Jones, the 24-year-old prodigy, will defend his light heavyweight title for the fourth time against old man Henderson. One week after his 42nd birthday, Henderson will attempt to do the impossible—beat Jones in the center of the cage. Packing power in his right hand, Henderson has a puncher’s chance. But both Botter and Snowden agree, for once, that this one is mostly anticipated for what will surely be another masterful performance from the young champion.
Agree? Have a fight you’re waiting for with baited breath? Let us know in the comments.
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Earlier this week, professional mixed martial artist “King” Mo Lawal signed contracts allowing him to both compete in Bellator and wrestle for TNA. Many proclaimed this to be something new, a revolutionary pairing of two diverse sporting traditions.But…
Earlier this week, professional mixed martial artist “King” Mo Lawal signed contracts allowing him to both compete in Bellator and wrestle for TNA. Many proclaimed this to be something new, a revolutionary pairing of two diverse sporting traditions.
But as we’ve learned over and over again, there’s nothing new under the sun—or in the ring. The relationship between the two sports is much deeper (and older) than “King Mo” and Spike TV. Across the continental divides, the world over, professional wrestling and mixed martial arts are inexorably linked.
“I feel really proud of a professional wrestling lineage,” Strikeforce fighter and pro wrestling star Josh Barnett said. “I feel pride in trying to connect those professional wrestling roots to the combat aspects of wrestling. But also the history and lineage of where professional wrestling came from. It’s not fake…pro wrestlers used to be considered some of the toughest guys in the world back in the day. It didn’t matter if they were out there working, their pedigree was otherwise. And anybody that wanted to step up to them learned the hard way.”
The Roots of American MMA
In America, judo player Mitsuyo Maeda, who came to the country to spread Jigoru Kano’s brilliant grappling art, found a thriving sub-culture of submission grappling (called catch wrestling) already in place. Professional wrestlers right up into the 1930s were almost all competent and incredibly dangerous grapplers. The popularity of carnival circuits and traveling shows meant many wrestlers came up accepting challenges from all comers. That bred a bevy of submission holds, techniques designed to quickly incapacitate even a skilled amateur opponent.
“They were doing submissions just like anybody (does in today’s MMA). Submissions are not new to humanity. You can go look at Egyptian hieroglyphs, an ancient vase from Greece, and even carvings on Indian temples…(Old-time pro wrestling stars) all came from wrestling backgrounds, like myself,” former UFC champion and catch wrestling enthusiast Josh Barnett said. “I think you’ve got to start with basics with anything. It starts with basic body positioning and you can go from there to adding all the submissions you want. As long as your foundation is strong. The foundation is simple movement, control, and leverage.”
Soon, Maeda had joined the professional wrestling circuit, traveling worldwide to challenge the best grapplers anywhere and everywhere on the planet he set foot. England and Mexico were among his destinations, but his most productive pit stop was in Brazil, where he laid the building blocks for the modern submission game.
His combined knowledge, a product of years on the judo mat and in the professional ring, informed a young student of Maeda’s in Brazil named Carlos Gracie. A generation later, Gracie’s nephew, Rorion, created the Ultimate Fighting Championship, mixing the purity of his Gracie Jiu Jitsu with the over-the-top theatrics of professional wrestling. It was a tribute to his family—and to Maeda.
Wrestling on the Rise in the Land of the Rising Sun
It’s in Japan, however, that the connection between pro wrestling and mixed martial arts is starkest. Wrestling legend Antonio Inoki, on the losing side of a promotional war with “Giant” Baba, needed something special to vault ahead of his nemesis. He could never compete in traditional wrestling with Baba, a literal giant who had the backing of American promoters. Instead, Inoki would focus of something different entirely—legitimate martial arts.
He imported Karl Gotch, a 1948 Olympian and legitimate tough guy, to help springboard a newer and more realistic style of wrestling. A product of the legendary Snake Pit in Wigan, England, Gotch trained Inoki in traditional catch wrestling holds and techniques. Inoki and a new generation of wrestling talent learned both how to wrestle for real, and how to incorporate these holds in their predetermined matches.
“It didn’t have the histrionics and dramatics, as much as American pro wrestling had, in terms of promos,” Barnett said. “But the fighting, if you can call it that, was so intense. I really dug it.”
With Inoki leading the way as the “World Martial Arts Champion,” including matches with Muhammad Ali and a host of martial arts experts, business boomed. Willie Williams, Everett Eddy and judo gold medalist Willem Ruska helped give Inoki, and by extension pro wrestling, some much-needed credibility.
Proteges like Yoshiaki Fujiwara became very dangerous men indeed, taking on all comers behind closed doors to prove wrestling was the best of all of Japan’s diverse martial arts. The next generation, men who had grown up on Inoki’s exploits, took the art of wrestling even further towards legitimacy.
“I remember all the stories from the old-school guys at New Japan about when they used to take out ads in the newspaper saying professional wrestling was the strongest of all martial arts,” Barnett said. “And karate guys, judo guys would show up at their dojo saying ‘we don’t believe that. We think that’s crap. And we’re going to come in and beat you and show you otherwise.’ Gotch or Inoki would go Osamu Kido, go wrestle that dude and just tear him apart. They never lost. They beat everybody up who showed up at their gym.”
The next step was Pancrase, where Gotch and Fujiwara trained wrestlers like Masakatsu Funaki and Ken Shamrock and brought professional wrestling back to its roots—real competitive wrestling. Today, Barnett carries on the tradition, mixing fighting with traditional wrestling. Starting with his first match, a world title bout with Yuji Nagata, Barnett has made his mark in the world of Japanese wrestling.
“Not only was my first match against Yuji Nagata in front of 50,000 people, I was coming down with the chicken pox at the same time. I went out there and worked almost 12 minutes with that guy. I had only had two days of professional wrestling training in my entire life,” Barnett said. “I’m out there taking Exploders on the head and wrist clutch Exploders, throwing Yuji around. I did my thing and I remember at the end of that 12 minutes I felt like I was on fire. A fever was and the lights were on me. It was an amazing experience. Watching the replay and thinking ‘man it looks like I broke my neck on that move!’ But no, we were all good.”
When he meets Daniel Cormier in the finals of Strikeforce’s Heavyweight Grand Prix, Barnett will once again look to marry the legitimacy of catch technique with the excitement and theatrics of pro wrestling. The two are poised on the brink of enormous opportunity, and Barnett is hoping to make the most of it.
“With MMA, watching us go out there, it’s like a WrestleMania every time,” Barnett said. ” This is for all the marbles.”
Barnett goes toe-to-toe with Olympian Daniel Cormier May 19, 2012, live on Showtime. Jonathan Snowden is the author of Shooters: The Toughest Men in Professional Wrestling. He’s a regular contributor to Bleacher Report.
Saturday evening,