Tag: Commentary

The UFC Is Making the Same Mistakes The NFL Has Made Regarding Domestic Violence

By Seth Falvo

Watching Dana White’s recent appearance on “Fox Sports Live” paints a very clear picture: Dana White does not want you to compare him to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

“I can tell you this, I wouldn’t want to be Roger Goodell,” White says, after being asked about his reaction to the video of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking out then-fiancee Janay Palmer. No surprises there, given that the NFL is in the middle of a domestic violence crisis built on the foundation of years of denial and reframing the issue. What is surprising is that he follows up his statement by resorting to the same strategies that the NFL employed to downplay Ray Rice’s assault in order to justify the UFC’s decision to resign Thiago Silva.

You don’t even have to wait for the parallels between how the UFC is choosing to handle Thiago Silva and how the NFL has attempted to cover up domestic violence to become apparent, they’re observable in the very first sentence White speaks once Silva’s name comes up:

“If you believe in the legal process, they came, they arrested him, and he wasn’t brought up on any charges.”

Let’s take a look at the actual documents detailing why the prosecutors decided to drop the charges against Thiago Silva…

By Seth Falvo

Watching Dana White’s recent appearance on “Fox Sports Live” paints a very clear picture: Dana White does not want you to compare him to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

“I can tell you this, I wouldn’t want to be Roger Goodell,” White says, after being asked about his reaction to the video of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocking out then-fiancee Janay Palmer. No surprises there, given that the NFL is in the middle of a domestic violence crisis built on the foundation of years of denial and reframing the issue. What is surprising is that he follows up his statement by resorting to the same strategies that the NFL employed to downplay Ray Rice’s assault in order to justify the UFC’s decision to resign Thiago Silva.

You don’t even have to wait for the parallels between how the UFC is choosing to handle Thiago Silva and how the NFL has attempted to cover up domestic violence to become apparent, they’re observable in the very first sentence White speaks once Silva’s name comes up:

“If you believe in the legal process, they came, they arrested him, and he wasn’t brought up on any charges.”

Let’s take a look at the actual documents detailing why the prosecutors decided to drop the charges against Thiago Silva. As Deadspin puts it, “The memo outlines how in this case, as in so many domestic violence cases, the key witness went from working with investigators to uncooperative to eventually abandoning the legal process, instead getting physically as far away from her alleged attacker as she could.” This wasn’t an issue of the police believing that Thiago Silva was innocent – if that were so, this case would have never made it past the pre-arrest investigation. This was the police acknowledging that without cooperation from the alleged victim, there isn’t enough evidence to press charges at this time; as Sydnie pointed out, the announcement of a nolle prosequi makes it possible for the police to re-indict him if Thaysa Silva decides to cooperate with them.

Of course, the assault charge against Ray Rice will also be dropped upon the completion of a pretrial intervention program. Roger Goodell first landed in hot water for taking a “charges will be dropped, so let’s not make a big deal out of this” approach to Rice’s original two-game suspension. It’s very odd that a person trying to distance himself from comparisons to Goodell would take a virtually identical stance.

White’s justification gets much uglier from there:

“Plus, I know a lot more of the story and what went on. You take his side of the story, her side of the story and the truth lies somewhere in the middle. But he went through the process and he wasn’t charged with anything. The guy should have the ability to make a living.”

This statement on Thaysa Silva’s accusations is the exact same strategy that the Baltimore Ravens used in an attempt to undermine Janay Rice: Toe the line of “Don’t trust what you’ve seen,” but don’t explicitly say that the alleged victim is lying. The police reports make Thiago Silva look like some kind of monster, but Dana White knows a lot more about what really happened. And Thaysa isn’t lying, but the whole truth lies somewhere between her version of the events and Thiago’s proclamation of innocence. By that logic, Thiago only kind-of held a gun in Thaysa’s mouth, and what kind of hot-head bans someone from the UFC over that?

The “make a living” remark at the end is equal parts misdirection and gaslighting. Nobody is trying to say that Thiago Silva shouldn’t be able to make a living, but a lot of fans are questioning whether it’s really appropriate for an alleged domestic abuser whose charges were dropped on a technicality to be punching people for money. White wants the offended parties to ask themselves how they can let a human being starve, while those opposed to his decision are wondering when “UFC fighter” became the only occupation on the planet.

And how did White’s justification end? With perhaps the most Goodellian stance possible:

“And obviously if some tape surfaced [Silva would be fired] but the police have already investigated this entire thing, and they let the guy go.”

This is exactly the line of thought that has brought so much criticism upon Roger Goodell – the unwillingness to recognize an obvious instance of domestic violence until a video surfaces that forces him to. The restraining order that Thaysa filed? That whole armed standoff Thiago had with police? That stuff is all fine and dandy, so long as there isn’t a video of him assaulting her.

And once again, Dana White remains willfully ignorant towards the fact that the decision to drop charges does not mean that the police believe Thiago Silva is innocent. The police aren’t questioning whether he held a gun in her mouth on January 30, or whether he sent her a text message on February 5 saying “I am gonna fuck you up and you are going to die. I am going to hire someone to kill you and I am gonna move my girlfriend in.” Rather, the dropped charges are a sign that the prosecutor doesn’t think that the evidence without Thaysa Silva’s testimony is strong enough to result in a conviction.

Then again, perhaps he isn’t ignorant towards this – notice how he never directly says that he believes that Thiago Silva is an innocent man, like he did for Sean Sherk when Sherk failed a drug test following UFC 73? He’s not so much telling you that Silva has never been abusive towards Thaysa as he’s telling you that the charges were dropped, so move past it.

Perhaps the most disturbing correlations between the UFC and the NFL come while observing how the UFC plans on strengthening their domestic violence policy going forward. The organization takes a page directly out of the NFL’s playbook: Deny that there’s any problems with the current policy. [Author Note: The NFL’s “new” policy of suspending players for six games is nothing more than a slight re-wording of the old policy. “Mitigating factors” can still shorten the suspension as the NFL sees fit.] White kicked off the process:

“We have a track record of getting rid of many people that have done bad things, and we’ve been human beings in letting other guys make up for things and come back. There’s one thing you never bounce back from, and that’s putting your hands on a woman. It’s been that way in the UFC since we started here. You don’t bounce back from putting your hands on a woman.”

Unless, of course, you’re a winning fighter who fans have heard of. In that case, feel free to smack your ex-girlfriend (Johnson) or the mother of your children (Trujillo) around as many times as you’d like. The UFC won’t just forgive you for your past, they’ll do so as quickly and quietly as possible; how many of you even knew that Alexander Gustafsson assaulted a woman when he was a teenager?

And if you have a problem with the fact that the UFC isn’t nearly as hard on domestic violence as they claim to be? UFC Senior Vice President Jackie Poriadjian attempted to avoid that issue in an article published by Businessweek:

“We are no different than any other sport,” she says. “Some individuals will do things that don’t reflect well on our organization.” She pointed to recent domestic violence cases involving NFL players as evidence the issue is not specific to the UFC or MMA.

For the sake of this argument, let’s assume that the NFL in fact has a worse problem than the UFC does with athletes committing domestic violence. What does that have anything to do with the UFC’s stance on domestic violence? How does downplaying the issue as a whole – it happens in football, too, you guys! – change the fact that it’s still happening in your organization? How does “at least we’re not the NFL” change the fact that the UFC claims to ban all offenders, yet only does so when they’re disposable commodities? Why is “don’t change until we’re as bad as the worst organization” a good strategy moving forward?

The answers, of course, are: Nothing, It doesn’t, It definitely doesn’t, and It isn’t.

You wonder why people say our sport has a sexist, toxic culture? It’s because the UFC’s current policy on domestic violence depends on how many fans know who the abuser is, and White’s biggest concern about male fighters beating women revolves around the usage of “Ex-UFC Fighter” in the headlines. You can’t even have a discussion about fixing the problem, because that requires acknowledging that a problem even exists. The UFC has been hard on domestic violence since Zuffa took over, pay no attention to the man assaulting his wife behind the curtain.

A culture of denial in regard to athletes and domestic violence is exactly what created the scandal that the NFL is currently facing, and it’s hardly unreasonable to worry that the UFC’s similar approach will lead to an equally tragic result. The decision to resign Thiago Silva is troubling for a number of reasons, chief among them being that the UFC – like the NFL before them – is choosing to ignore the problem and pretend that they’re tougher on domestic violence than they are. Given how compliant the MMA media is with pushing the UFC narrative at all costs, the organization may very well be able to do this for as long as it wants to.

“If Roger Goodell saw that video, knew that’s what happened, knew Ray Rice did that to his fiancee, he should just get up and leave on his own,” White says at the end of his segment on “Fox Sports Live.” He seems offended that the NFL chose to deny that a problem existed, then chose to cover it up once they were forced to confront it. If only he felt that way about the UFC.

The UFC’s Support of Thiago Silva Tells You Everything You Need to Know About Its Domestic Violence Policy


(Thiago Silva and Thaysa Kamiji Silva in…happier times, I guess? / Photo via Ryan Loco)

By Sydnie Jones
Editor-in-chief of WomensMMA.com

UFC light-heavyweight Thiago Silva was cut from the UFC back in February after he had a standoff with a SWAT team, following an incident outside of the Pablo Popovitch Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Fort Lauderdale. Here’s how it started, per Thaysa Silva’s and Pablo Popovitch’s statements to police:

(Thaysa Silva) and victim #2 Pablo Popovitch were inside the center when she observed the defendant driving his vehicle, a 2012 Dodge Charger bearing FL TAG G7ARY. She could see the defendant pull up to the center because the entire store front is clear glass. The defendant then started honking the vehicle horn continuously. She then went outside to speak with him to avoid a confrontation since victim Silva and victim Popovitch are in a romantic relationship. The defendant is aware of this relationship and this fact contributed to his actions. She approached the defendant which was driving, and when she was approached the driver side, he rolled down the window. She immediately noticed that he had been drinking and extremely intoxicated. He then produced a black glock firearm and pointed it at the victim. He stated, You have ten seconds to bring Pablo outside and if he does not come out, I will go in the gym and start shooting everyone. It should be known there was a class in session with approximately 25 students inside. Victim Popovitch then exited the center to protect victim Silva from harm. He then approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and observed the defendant pointing the firearm above the door frame at the victim Silva. The defendant threatened to kill both victim Silva and victim Popivitch. Popovitch then ran back into the gym, locked the front door, and called 911. The defendant then drove away.

And then, on September 5th, the UFC re-signed Thiago Silva in a dazzling demonstration of ignorance, tone-deafness, and who knows what the fuck. The decision is almost entirely incomprehensible, despite Dana White’s meager efforts to explain it:

“But he was acquitted of all charges. How do you not let the guy fight again?

“He went through the legal process and came out of it untainted. He deserves to be able to make a living again. He’s back under contract.”

A) He was not acquitted of all charges. The charges have been dismissed with the announcement of a nolle prosequi, which is not an acquittal. Nolle prosequi is the decision not to prosecute those charges at that time. It doesn’t necessarily mean never, and it is possible to re-indict someone on the same charges.

B) The UFC isn’t some benevolent foundation dedicated to all that is fair and just, as White’s appeal seems to suggest. Otherwise, Ben Askren would be currently fighting in the UFC, and Anthony Johnson would’ve been banned from the promotion long ago. To re-sign Silva with that rationale is disingenuous and hollow.

C) Silva did not go through “the legal process.” He got out on bail, Thaysa Silva fled the country, and the charges were dropped.


(Thiago Silva and Thaysa Kamiji Silva in…happier times, I guess? / Photo via Ryan Loco)

By Sydnie Jones
Editor-in-chief of WomensMMA.com

UFC light-heavyweight Thiago Silva was cut from the UFC back in February after he had a standoff with a SWAT team, following an incident outside of the Pablo Popovitch Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Fort Lauderdale. Here’s how it started, per Thaysa Silva’s and Pablo Popovitch’s statements to police:

(Thaysa Silva) and victim #2 Pablo Popovitch were inside the center when she observed the defendant driving his vehicle, a 2012 Dodge Charger bearing FL TAG G7ARY. She could see the defendant pull up to the center because the entire store front is clear glass. The defendant then started honking the vehicle horn continuously. She then went outside to speak with him to avoid a confrontation since victim Silva and victim Popovitch are in a romantic relationship. The defendant is aware of this relationship and this fact contributed to his actions. She approached the defendant which was driving, and when she was approached the driver side, he rolled down the window. She immediately noticed that he had been drinking and extremely intoxicated. He then produced a black glock firearm and pointed it at the victim. He stated, You have ten seconds to bring Pablo outside and if he does not come out, I will go in the gym and start shooting everyone. It should be known there was a class in session with approximately 25 students inside. Victim Popovitch then exited the center to protect victim Silva from harm. He then approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and observed the defendant pointing the firearm above the door frame at the victim Silva. The defendant threatened to kill both victim Silva and victim Popivitch. Popovitch then ran back into the gym, locked the front door, and called 911. The defendant then drove away.

And then, on September 5th, the UFC re-signed Thiago Silva in a dazzling demonstration of ignorance, tone-deafness, and who knows what the fuck. The decision is almost entirely incomprehensible, despite Dana White’s meager efforts to explain it:

“But he was acquitted of all charges. How do you not let the guy fight again?

“He went through the legal process and came out of it untainted. He deserves to be able to make a living again. He’s back under contract.”

A) He was not acquitted of all charges. The charges have been dismissed with the announcement of a nolle prosequi, which is not an acquittal. Nolle prosequi is the decision not to prosecute those charges at that time. It doesn’t necessarily mean never, and it is possible to re-indict someone on the same charges.

B) The UFC isn’t some benevolent foundation dedicated to all that is fair and just, as White’s appeal seems to suggest. Otherwise, Ben Askren would be currently fighting in the UFC, and Anthony Johnson would’ve been banned from the promotion long ago. To re-sign Silva with that rationale is disingenuous and hollow.

C) Silva did not go through “the legal process.” He got out on bail, Thaysa Silva fled the country, and the charges were dropped.

D) Thiago Silva was making a living. He was working as a kickboxing instructor with the Blackzilians (thanks for the pic, guys, I’m digging that Nosferatu look) and had a fight scheduled with some amoral promoter for the end of August.

So what is White thinking? Maybe they want to set him up as a can so everyone can watch him get destroyed in the Octagon while capitalizing on his infamy. Does White actually believe his own line of bullshit? I mean…he can’t, right? Did Silva send some threatening text messages promising to have him killed?

During an interview with Ariel Helwani, Thiago Silva has a lot of nothing to say for himself. After taking offense to Helwani asking about that whole SWAT team standoff thing (c’mon Helwani, can we just move on? it’s in the past), Silva says he wanted a divorce but his wife demanded money, and then when he wouldn’t give it to her, she “set (him) up. That’s it.” Seriously.

Unsurprisingly, Silva is painting himself as a man victimized by a crazy, lying, gold-digging woman set on personal vengeance. I doubt White is dumb or sexist enough to believe that, but by allowing Silva back in the UFC, he’s co-signing that narrative, to a degree. How nice that Dana could change this poor man’s life, after Silva was beset by multiple instances allegations of domestic abuse and scary-as-shit behavior that seemed to be escalating. Deadspin points out there were three separate instances. It’s so inspiring when these hard-luck cases can regain their self-confidence and right the wrongs done to them and get to fight for the most prominent, elite promotion in the world.

Let’s pretend Dana does think he’s doing the honorable thing. Does he endorse his fighters saying super sexist, smug things like, “I learned…don’t trust girls”? Of course, Silva chuckles and says he’s joking. No doubt. After some daffy girl trying to profit off his simple desire to be free of her, it must be very easy to be totally joking about how women are untrustworthy.

“People will forget. They always do,” Silva says, which I can personally guarantee will not be true in this instance. Also, does he use the internet? The Internet never forgets.

Later on in the MMA Hour, Helwani also interviews Anthony Johnson, who entered a nolo contendre (no contest) plea for domestic violence in 2010. Johnson, who is somehow still in the UFC despite what White describes as a strict policy enforced since “day one,” was rehabilitated by the penal system with the following: one day in county jail, eight hours of community service, three years’ probation, and 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling. Boy, what a penance.

Following the premiere of TUF 20 on September 10th, Fox Sports Live decided to seize a golden PR opportunity for the UFC to demonstrate its morals and policies around domestic violence with a brief interview with White. What followed was so patently and verifiably false it bordered on humorous. Here’s what the UFC president said when host Dan O’Toole asked him how he justified re-signing Silva:

“If you believe in the process, if you believe in the legal process, they came, [police] arrested him and he wasn’t brought up on any charges. Plus, I know a lot more of the story and what went on. If you take his side of the story, her side of the story, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, but he went through the process and he wasn’t charged with anything.”

So, rest easy, everyone — Thiago gave his bestie Dana the lowdown, and you don’t need to worry about it anymore. Silva would have no reason to lie about what happened or anything, because he’s a good guy and his wife fleeing the country is just what happens in this type of situation. It pretty much all makes sense and is believable. IF you believe in the “legal process” and assume that it doesn’t falter.

When O’Toole asked if the UFC would follow the NFL’s lead and strengthen its stance on domestic violence, White had this to say:

“We’ve been like that since day one, anyway. Obviously, when you’re dealing with human beings, there’s going to be things where guys are going to test positive for all different types of drugs. Guys are going to do stupid things. Guys are going to say stupid things in social media. There’s going to be all these things that happen. We have a record, a track record of getting rid of many people that have done bad things.

“We’ve been human beings in letting these guys, other guys make up for what they’ve done and come back. There’s one thing that you never bounce back from and that’s putting your hands on a woman*. Been that way in the UFC since we started here. You don’t bounce back from putting your hands on a woman*.”

Since this was on television, White couldn’t actually say “asterisk” and list the exceptions to that rule who currently fight in the UFC. Like Anthony Johnson and Abel Trujillo. Yeah, that’s an unimpeachable policy, Dana. Strictly defined and rigorously enforced.

Apparently, White still thinks his audience is dumb enough to believe the lines he’s feeding them. It’s White’s prerogative and responsibility to shape his company’s relationship with domestic violence, and re-signing Silva is a serious misstep that isn’t going to go away. People can change. But when domestic violence offenders have a recidivism rate of 62% within two years post-release, is gambling your company’s reputation on on those odds worth it?

*****

Follow Sydnie Jones on twitter at @syd1138, and read her two-part series on sexism, misogyny, and domestic violence in MMA here and here.

The UFC’s Support of Thiago Silva Tells You Everything You Need to Know About Its Domestic Violence Policy


(Thiago Silva and Thaysa Kamiji Silva in…happier times, I guess? / Photo via Ryan Loco)

By Sydnie Jones
Editor-in-chief of WomensMMA.com

UFC light-heavyweight Thiago Silva was cut from the UFC back in February after he had a standoff with a SWAT team, following an incident outside of the Pablo Popovitch Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Fort Lauderdale. Here’s how it started, per Thaysa Silva’s and Pablo Popovitch’s statements to police:

(Thaysa Silva) and victim #2 Pablo Popovitch were inside the center when she observed the defendant driving his vehicle, a 2012 Dodge Charger bearing FL TAG G7ARY. She could see the defendant pull up to the center because the entire store front is clear glass. The defendant then started honking the vehicle horn continuously. She then went outside to speak with him to avoid a confrontation since victim Silva and victim Popovitch are in a romantic relationship. The defendant is aware of this relationship and this fact contributed to his actions. She approached the defendant which was driving, and when she was approached the driver side, he rolled down the window. She immediately noticed that he had been drinking and extremely intoxicated. He then produced a black glock firearm and pointed it at the victim. He stated, You have ten seconds to bring Pablo outside and if he does not come out, I will go in the gym and start shooting everyone. It should be known there was a class in session with approximately 25 students inside. Victim Popovitch then exited the center to protect victim Silva from harm. He then approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and observed the defendant pointing the firearm above the door frame at the victim Silva. The defendant threatened to kill both victim Silva and victim Popivitch. Popovitch then ran back into the gym, locked the front door, and called 911. The defendant then drove away.

And then, on September 5th, the UFC re-signed Thiago Silva in a dazzling demonstration of ignorance, tone-deafness, and who knows what the fuck. The decision is almost entirely incomprehensible, despite Dana White’s meager efforts to explain it:

“But he was acquitted of all charges. How do you not let the guy fight again?

“He went through the legal process and came out of it untainted. He deserves to be able to make a living again. He’s back under contract.”

A) He was not acquitted of all charges. The charges have been dismissed with the announcement of a nolle prosequi, which is not an acquittal. Nolle prosequi is the decision not to prosecute those charges at that time. It doesn’t necessarily mean never, and it is possible to re-indict someone on the same charges.

B) The UFC isn’t some benevolent foundation dedicated to all that is fair and just, as White’s appeal seems to suggest. Otherwise, Ben Askren would be currently fighting in the UFC, and Anthony Johnson would’ve been banned from the promotion long ago. To re-sign Silva with that rationale is disingenuous and hollow.

C) Silva did not go through “the legal process.” He got out on bail, Thaysa Silva fled the country, and the charges were dropped.


(Thiago Silva and Thaysa Kamiji Silva in…happier times, I guess? / Photo via Ryan Loco)

By Sydnie Jones
Editor-in-chief of WomensMMA.com

UFC light-heavyweight Thiago Silva was cut from the UFC back in February after he had a standoff with a SWAT team, following an incident outside of the Pablo Popovitch Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Fort Lauderdale. Here’s how it started, per Thaysa Silva’s and Pablo Popovitch’s statements to police:

(Thaysa Silva) and victim #2 Pablo Popovitch were inside the center when she observed the defendant driving his vehicle, a 2012 Dodge Charger bearing FL TAG G7ARY. She could see the defendant pull up to the center because the entire store front is clear glass. The defendant then started honking the vehicle horn continuously. She then went outside to speak with him to avoid a confrontation since victim Silva and victim Popovitch are in a romantic relationship. The defendant is aware of this relationship and this fact contributed to his actions. She approached the defendant which was driving, and when she was approached the driver side, he rolled down the window. She immediately noticed that he had been drinking and extremely intoxicated. He then produced a black glock firearm and pointed it at the victim. He stated, You have ten seconds to bring Pablo outside and if he does not come out, I will go in the gym and start shooting everyone. It should be known there was a class in session with approximately 25 students inside. Victim Popovitch then exited the center to protect victim Silva from harm. He then approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and observed the defendant pointing the firearm above the door frame at the victim Silva. The defendant threatened to kill both victim Silva and victim Popivitch. Popovitch then ran back into the gym, locked the front door, and called 911. The defendant then drove away.

And then, on September 5th, the UFC re-signed Thiago Silva in a dazzling demonstration of ignorance, tone-deafness, and who knows what the fuck. The decision is almost entirely incomprehensible, despite Dana White’s meager efforts to explain it:

“But he was acquitted of all charges. How do you not let the guy fight again?

“He went through the legal process and came out of it untainted. He deserves to be able to make a living again. He’s back under contract.”

A) He was not acquitted of all charges. The charges have been dismissed with the announcement of a nolle prosequi, which is not an acquittal. Nolle prosequi is the decision not to prosecute those charges at that time. It doesn’t necessarily mean never, and it is possible to re-indict someone on the same charges.

B) The UFC isn’t some benevolent foundation dedicated to all that is fair and just, as White’s appeal seems to suggest. Otherwise, Ben Askren would be currently fighting in the UFC, and Anthony Johnson would’ve been banned from the promotion long ago. To re-sign Silva with that rationale is disingenuous and hollow.

C) Silva did not go through “the legal process.” He got out on bail, Thaysa Silva fled the country, and the charges were dropped.

D) Thiago Silva was making a living. He was working as a kickboxing instructor with the Blackzilians (thanks for the pic, guys, I’m digging that Nosferatu look) and had a fight scheduled with some amoral promoter for the end of August.

So what is White thinking? Maybe they want to set him up as a can so everyone can watch him get destroyed in the Octagon while capitalizing on his infamy. Does White actually believe his own line of bullshit? I mean…he can’t, right? Did Silva send some threatening text messages promising to have him killed?

During an interview with Ariel Helwani, Thiago Silva has a lot of nothing to say for himself. After taking offense to Helwani asking about that whole SWAT team standoff thing (c’mon Helwani, can we just move on? it’s in the past), Silva says he wanted a divorce but his wife demanded money, and then when he wouldn’t give it to her, she “set (him) up. That’s it.” Seriously.

Unsurprisingly, Silva is painting himself as a man victimized by a crazy, lying, gold-digging woman set on personal vengeance. I doubt White is dumb or sexist enough to believe that, but by allowing Silva back in the UFC, he’s co-signing that narrative, to a degree. How nice that Dana could change this poor man’s life, after Silva was beset by multiple instances allegations of domestic abuse and scary-as-shit behavior that seemed to be escalating. Deadspin points out there were three separate instances. It’s so inspiring when these hard-luck cases can regain their self-confidence and right the wrongs done to them and get to fight for the most prominent, elite promotion in the world.

Let’s pretend Dana does think he’s doing the honorable thing. Does he endorse his fighters saying super sexist, smug things like, “I learned…don’t trust girls”? Of course, Silva chuckles and says he’s joking. No doubt. After some daffy girl trying to profit off his simple desire to be free of her, it must be very easy to be totally joking about how women are untrustworthy.

“People will forget. They always do,” Silva says, which I can personally guarantee will not be true in this instance. Also, does he use the internet? The Internet never forgets.

Later on in the MMA Hour, Helwani also interviews Anthony Johnson, who entered a nolo contendre (no contest) plea for domestic violence in 2010. Johnson, who is somehow still in the UFC despite what White describes as a strict policy enforced since “day one,” was rehabilitated by the penal system with the following: one day in county jail, eight hours of community service, three years’ probation, and 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling. Boy, what a penance.

Following the premiere of TUF 20 on September 10th, Fox Sports Live decided to seize a golden PR opportunity for the UFC to demonstrate its morals and policies around domestic violence with a brief interview with White. What followed was so patently and verifiably false it bordered on humorous. Here’s what the UFC president said when host Dan O’Toole asked him how he justified re-signing Silva:

“If you believe in the process, if you believe in the legal process, they came, [police] arrested him and he wasn’t brought up on any charges. Plus, I know a lot more of the story and what went on. If you take his side of the story, her side of the story, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, but he went through the process and he wasn’t charged with anything.”

So, rest easy, everyone — Thiago gave his bestie Dana the lowdown, and you don’t need to worry about it anymore. Silva would have no reason to lie about what happened or anything, because he’s a good guy and his wife fleeing the country is just what happens in this type of situation. It pretty much all makes sense and is believable. IF you believe in the “legal process” and assume that it doesn’t falter.

When O’Toole asked if the UFC would follow the NFL’s lead and strengthen its stance on domestic violence, White had this to say:

“We’ve been like that since day one, anyway. Obviously, when you’re dealing with human beings, there’s going to be things where guys are going to test positive for all different types of drugs. Guys are going to do stupid things. Guys are going to say stupid things in social media. There’s going to be all these things that happen. We have a record, a track record of getting rid of many people that have done bad things.

“We’ve been human beings in letting these guys, other guys make up for what they’ve done and come back. There’s one thing that you never bounce back from and that’s putting your hands on a woman*. Been that way in the UFC since we started here. You don’t bounce back from putting your hands on a woman*.”

Since this was on television, White couldn’t actually say “asterisk” and list the exceptions to that rule who currently fight in the UFC. Like Anthony Johnson and Abel Trujillo. Yeah, that’s an unimpeachable policy, Dana. Strictly defined and rigorously enforced.

Apparently, White still thinks his audience is dumb enough to believe the lines he’s feeding them. It’s White’s prerogative and responsibility to shape his company’s relationship with domestic violence, and re-signing Silva is a serious misstep that isn’t going to go away. People can change. But when domestic violence offenders have a recidivism rate of 62% within two years post-release, is gambling your company’s reputation on on those odds worth it?

*****

Follow Sydnie Jones on twitter at @syd1138, and read her two-part series on sexism, misogyny, and domestic violence in MMA here and here.

The 7 Biggest UFC Busts of All Time: 2014 Edition

It’s been quite a while since we first penned our list of the 7 Biggest UFC Busts of All Time, and a lot has changed in the time since. While some of our choices are even more relevant now than they were when the list was originally published in July of 2009, most of them seem either inaccurate or simply out of date in light of current circumstances. Knowing what we know now, we’ve decided to update our list to align with today’s MMA landscape. Enjoy.

#7 – Robert Drysdale

Robert Drysdale had already achieved the distinction of being one of the most credentialed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors and sought-after coaches in all of MMA when he signed with the UFC last year. He had also picked up six straight first round submissions in professional competition, and was primed to make some huge waves in the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

But oh, if only it were that simple. Drysdale was first scheduled to take on Ednaldo Oliveira at UFC 163 until he was forced out of the bout at the last minute due to a “lingering staph infection” and definitely not the fact that he had been denied a therapeutic use exemption for TRT days prior. He was then scheduled to face Cody Donovan at UFC 167, but was denied licensure after an out-of-competition drug test came back with an absolutely absurd 19.4:1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio.

You’d think the UFC would have shitcanned Drysdale right then and there, but The Baldfather is nothing if not a softie for guys with a great ground game (lol!). Drysdale was given another shot at the TUF 19 Finale in July, and to his credit, he actually managed to show up and submit Keith Berish in just over 2 minutes. The post-fight drug test, however, would reveal that Drysdale was once again competing with an unnatural level of testosterone flowing through his veins. But hey, at least his T/E ratio was only 12:1 this time!

One fight. Two failed drug tests. And to our knowledge, Drysdale is still employed by the UFC. Let’s hope he can get his sh*t together long enough to pick up one legitimate win before all is said and done.

It’s been quite a while since we first penned our list of the 7 Biggest UFC Busts of All Time, and a lot has changed in the time since. While some of our choices are even more relevant now than they were when the list was originally published in July of 2009, most of them seem either inaccurate or simply out of date in light of current circumstances. Knowing what we know now, we’ve decided to update our list to align with today’s MMA landscape. Enjoy. 

#7 – Robert Drysdale

Robert Drysdale had already achieved the distinction of being one of the most credentialed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors and sought-after coaches in all of MMA when he signed with the UFC last year. He had also picked up six straight first round submissions in professional competition, and was primed to make some huge waves in the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

But oh, if only it were that simple. Drysdale was first scheduled to take on Ednaldo Oliveira at UFC 163 until he was forced out of the bout at the last minute due to a “lingering staph infection” and definitely not the fact that he had been denied a therapeutic use exemption for TRT days prior. He was then scheduled to face Cody Donovan at UFC 167, but was denied licensure after an out-of-competition drug test came back with an absolutely absurd 19.4:1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio.

You’d think the UFC would have shitcanned Drysdale right then and there, but The Baldfather is nothing if not a softie for guys with a great ground game (lol!). Drysdale was given another shot at the TUF 19 Finale in July, and to his credit, he actually managed to show up and submit Keith Berish in just over 2 minutes. The post-fight drug test, however, would reveal that Drysdale was once again competing with an unnatural level of testosterone flowing through his veins. But hey, at least his T/E ratio was only 12:1 this time!

One fight. Two failed drug tests. And to our knowledge, Drysdale is still employed by the UFC.  Let’s hope he can get his sh*t together long enough to pick up one legitimate win before all is said and done.

#6 – Yoshihiro Akiyama

(Photo via Getty.)

It pains us to say this about the man, the myth, the musical sensation known as “Sexyama”, but to declare his UFC career as anything other than :( would be a far more generous emoji than it deserved. Akiyama — seen above disguised as either a Super Saiyan or a pumpkin — was a K-1 Hero’s tournament winner riding a 14-fight unbeaten streak heading into his promotional debut in July of 2009, which saw him paired against Alan “The Talent” Belcher at UFC 100.

While Akiyama would defeat Belcher by controversial split decision that night, it would be all downhill from there. That he is still competing in the Octagon despite dropping his past four fights is a testament to his drawing power in Japan, a fact made all the more evident by his…let’s call it “convenient” decision to return from a two-year, self-imposed hiatus to take on Amir Sadollah at Fight Night Japan next weekend.

But should Akiyama drop his fifth straight to Sadollah, who himself will be returning from the second prolonged absence of his UFC career, one can expect to see him hang up the gloves for good. If you ask us, though, the UFC really missed the boat by not bringing in Sexyama as a coach on TUF 20. ”Easy on the Eyes, Hard on the Face” is practically the man’s credo, for Christ’s sake.

#5 – Jake Shields

(Photo via Getty.)

There was a lot of public uproar when Shields was suddenly cut by the UFC following his unanimous decision loss to Hector Lombard at UFC 171, and rightfully so. The former Strikeforce middleweight champ had gone 3-1 1 NC in his past 5 fights, was a relatively well known name (if for the wrong reasonzzzzz), and held recent wins over top welterweight contenders in Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia.

The problem was, Shields was never what Dana White would a call a “needle mover” (unlike your Conor McGregors and Royston Wees) and his loss to Lombard proved that he was far too one-dimensional to make another run at the title. As was the case with Jon Fitch and Yushin Okami, Shields simply became “too f*cking expensive” an investment for the UFC to ever see how they would get their return. And, not to pat the promotion on the back and risk losing my job, but they were probably right in letting him go.

The sad truth is, Shields was pretty underwhelming from the very start of his UFC tenure, and if you don’t believe us, look no further than the decision “win” he scored (snored?) over Martin Kampmann in his debut to earn a shot at Georges St. Pierre. Let me ask you this: Of the three victories that Shields would notch following successive losses to St. Pierre and Jake Ellenberger, can anyone remember a single highlight? And no, him getting ragdolled by Sexyama doesn’t count.

#4 – Brandon Vera…Still

What we said back then: “How’s this for a return-on-investment: The UFC paid “The Truth” a total of $76,000 in contracted salary for his first four wins against Fabiano Scherner, Justin Eilers, Assuerio Silva, and Frank Mir — all of them by brutal stoppage, mind you — then paid him $500,000 for his subsequent 1-3 stretch against Tim Sylvia, Fabricio Werdum, Reese Andy, and Keith Jardine. Did the fat paychecks make him soft? Did his long legal dispute with his manager throw off his mental game? It’s hard to know for sure, but by the end of 2008 it was clear that this wasn’t the same Brandon Vera who entered the UFC’s heavyweight division three years before and rocked it like a hurricane.

“The Truth is slated to return in August against Matt Hamill at UFC 102, in a fight that will either re-establish him as a rising star at light-heavyweight, or forever define him as an overpaid can-crusher.”

Ooof. If Brandon Vera was already considered a UFC bust prior to his appearance at UFC 102 (wherein he defeated replacement opponent Krzysztof Soszynski via UD), then the 1-4 1 NC streak that followed should undoubtedly serve as a validation of our assessment. I mean, Vera hadn’t even had his face broken by Jon Jones yet, or been turned into a human bongo drum by Thiago Silva yet, or had his face once again broken by Shogun Rua. Hell, he hadn’t even succumbed to the otherwordly shuck-n-jive skills of Ben Rothwell (IFL neva die!) yet.

For a guy who once claimed that he would hold two UFC titles simultaneously, it would be impossible to dub Vera as anything but a bust by his own assertion alone. He never fought for *one* title, or even in a #1 contender’s match for that matter, but hey, maybe he was just referring to his upcoming OneFC run.

#3 – Jason Miller

Jason Miller was never what you’d call “championship material” — even the folks at EA Sports knew that much about him. He was, however, one of the better fighters to spend the majority of his career outside the UFC and a charismatic, unique individual to boot, so it’s safe to say that the UFC had big plans for him when they brought him over to serve as a coach on the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter. 

An intense rivalry with Michael Bisping (go figure, right?) fueled that season, and the expectations surrounding Miller were made all the higher by Miller himself. When he stepped into the octagon against the Brit, fans were expecting an intense, technical battle between two of the sport’s better middleweights. What they got instead was one of the worst — if not the worst — performance of Miller’s career. Between his hilariously awkward attempts at standup and his nonexistent gas tank, Miller looked like plain amateurish next to Bisping, who battered and abused him en route to a third round TKO.

It was a loss that Miller’s career would never come from. One that he certainly wouldn’t learn from, at least. After being tentatively granted another shot against CB Dollaway, Miller once again talked himself into a corner, vowing to retire should Dollaway defeat him.

And to Miller’s credit, he kind of did. Following a “backstage tirade” at UFC 146 and a bizarre string of arrests, he has not fought since. Unless you count that bar scuffle with Uriah Hall, that is.

#2 – Alistair Overeem

(Photo via Getty.)

Replacing Vitor Belfort at #2 (which, wow) is Alistair Overeem, the Hercules-armed, Achilles-chinned PRIDE and Strikeforce star whose hype train went off the rails following consecutive KO losses to Bigfoot Silva and Travis Browne, then careened over a cliff into a school for blind, malnourished orphans at Fight Night 50 last weekend. Metaphorically speaking.

For a time, oh, between 2008-2011, Overeem was nothing short of untouchable. Save a couple losses in the kickboxing ring to top-level competition, Overeem utterly destroyed any and all opposition that was placed before him. That many of his fights during that period could be dubbed as hilariously mismatched squash matches did little to persuade us from declaring that Overeem would be the heavyweight champion within a year’s time should the UFC ever sign him.

Well, they did, and Uber proceeded to kick Brock Lesnar right in the diverticulitis, sending a shockwave through the heavyweight division and a message that he was not a man to be messed with. Four fights later, Overeem’s reputation could not be more different.

The upsides to Overeem’s fledging UFC career: He’s made a sh*tload of money, and he will be given another shot despite suffering a record 9th TKO loss (the most of any active UFC fighter) to Ben Rothwell last weekend.

#1 – Mirko Cro Cop…Still

What we said back then: “As we’ve already discussed in a previous list (Ed note: LISTCEPTION), Filipovic made a strong case for himself as the best fighter in the world after storming through PRIDE’s Open Weight Grand Prix Finals in September 2006. When he jumped ship to the UFC shortly after, we expected him to head-kick his way to a heavyweight title. But in stunning, heartbreaking fashion, Cro Cop flamed out of the organization within a year, becoming the first and most dramatic victim of the PRIDE Curse, as well as the biggest bust in UFC history.”

It’s interesting, they were just having a live discussion over at BloodyElbow about whether or not Alistair Overeem was the biggest bust in UFC History. Surprisingly enough, they almost unanimously agreed that it was Cro Cop, citing the same reasons as we did in our original assessment. Cro Cop was on the heels of the performance of his career and the greatest one-night performance in MMA history, and to see him fall from grace so steadily in the UFC was nothing short of heartbreaking for his legions of fans.

Watching the legend get KO’d three consecutive times at the hands of Frank Mir, Brendan Schaub, and Roy Nelson was tough enough, but if you ask me, the absolute nadir of his MMA career came at Legends 2, where he was submitted via A F*CKING NECK CRANK by some guy we can’t even remember. I guess we can take some small solace away from the fact that Cro Cop is still fighting and winning on the Glory kickboxing circuit. I guess…

Dishonorable mentions: Sokoudjou, “Kid” Yamamoto, Brock Lesnar (SHOTS FIRED)

–J. Jones

16 Semi-Related Thoughts About Race and Combat Sports


(Believe it or not, it’s possible for two black fighters to generate completely different reactions among MMA fans. / Photo via Getty)

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is arguably the most talented MMA fighter of all time, and has spent the last three-and-a-half years utterly dominating his weight class as 205-pound champion. Theoretically, fans should love this guy. And yet they don’t — a situation that is probably best explained by Jones’s odd shifts in personality, and a streak of regrettable behavior that never jibed well with his early choir-boy persona. But on yesterday’s edition of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, UFC commentator Joe Rogan voiced an alternate theory:

“I don’t know why Jon [Jones] is not more loved or popular than he is. I don’t understand it. In my opinion, I will never miss a Jon Jones fucking pay-per-view. I’ve heard people say, ‘Oh, he’s cocky. He’s this and [that].’ I wonder what the fuck is going on with that and I’m going to throw this out there, I’m just going to say it: I wonder how much of it is racism. I really do.

“You know why? Because I think they look at him as this cocky black guy and I think a lot of people have an issue with that. I think that if he was a white guy and he was doing the same thing, a la a Chael Sonnen, I think he would be way more popular. Chael was never the successful athlete that Jon is, but I think Chael was way more successful as a promoter than Jon is. Jon has not been nearly as cocky or outwardly braggadocious as Chael was.

“I just always found it odd when everybody would get upset at him and say that they didn’t like that ‘he’s cocky.’ He’s 25 and he’s the UFC’s light heavyweight champion. He’s the youngest ever UFC champion. He destroyed Shogun [Rua] to win the title and I mean destroyed. He threw a flying knee and hit Shogun in the chin five seconds into their fight. I mean, Jon Jones is a motherfucker. He’s a motherfucker, but for whatever reason people have had an issue with that. I know I’m going to get a bunch of hate tweets. ‘Fuck you and your fucking bullshit. What do you got? White guilt? Calling out racism?‘

“I’m probably going to get an equal amount from ‘the Aryan race,’ mad at me for defending Jon Jones, ‘The cocky negro.’ I really think there’s something to that. I think people want a guy who is so physically gifted and young and brash and black and rich, they want him to have more humility or fake humility, as it were. I think Jon’s trying that a little bit and that’s one of the reasons Daniel Cormier was like, ‘You are so fake.’ Cormier was saying that to him because I think he’s trying to counteract how people feel about him.”

To claim that Jones would be more popular if he was white strikes me as a blatant oversimplification. Then again, to claim that race has no effect on how stars get made in MMA is laughable. Since Rogan has everyone talking about it today, I figured I’d share my own feelings about the intersection of race and combat sports, in no particular order…

1. There’s a reason why Rampage Jackson was beloved by fans in his prime, and Jon Jones never has been. The average Jon Jones-hater will claim that it has to do with “realness” or authenticity, but fans only respond to a particular type of realness. Rampage Jackson was a caricature of an intimidating black guy, and people seemed to love him for it.


(Believe it or not, it’s possible for two black fighters to generate completely different reactions among MMA fans. / Photo via Getty)

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is arguably the most talented MMA fighter of all time, and has spent the last three-and-a-half years utterly dominating his weight class as 205-pound champion. Theoretically, fans should love this guy. And yet they don’t — a situation that is probably best explained by Jones’s odd shifts in personality, and a streak of regrettable behavior that never jibed well with his early choir-boy persona. But on yesterday’s edition of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, UFC commentator Joe Rogan voiced an alternate theory:

“I don’t know why Jon [Jones] is not more loved or popular than he is. I don’t understand it. In my opinion, I will never miss a Jon Jones fucking pay-per-view. I’ve heard people say, ‘Oh, he’s cocky. He’s this and [that].’ I wonder what the fuck is going on with that and I’m going to throw this out there, I’m just going to say it: I wonder how much of it is racism. I really do.

“You know why? Because I think they look at him as this cocky black guy and I think a lot of people have an issue with that. I think that if he was a white guy and he was doing the same thing, a la a Chael Sonnen, I think he would be way more popular. Chael was never the successful athlete that Jon is, but I think Chael was way more successful as a promoter than Jon is. Jon has not been nearly as cocky or outwardly braggadocious as Chael was.

“I just always found it odd when everybody would get upset at him and say that they didn’t like that ‘he’s cocky.’ He’s 25 and he’s the UFC’s light heavyweight champion. He’s the youngest ever UFC champion. He destroyed Shogun [Rua] to win the title and I mean destroyed. He threw a flying knee and hit Shogun in the chin five seconds into their fight. I mean, Jon Jones is a motherfucker. He’s a motherfucker, but for whatever reason people have had an issue with that. I know I’m going to get a bunch of hate tweets. ‘Fuck you and your fucking bullshit. What do you got? White guilt? Calling out racism?‘

“I’m probably going to get an equal amount from ‘the Aryan race,’ mad at me for defending Jon Jones, ‘The cocky negro.’ I really think there’s something to that. I think people want a guy who is so physically gifted and young and brash and black and rich, they want him to have more humility or fake humility, as it were. I think Jon’s trying that a little bit and that’s one of the reasons Daniel Cormier was like, ‘You are so fake.’ Cormier was saying that to him because I think he’s trying to counteract how people feel about him.”

Claiming that Jones would be more popular if he were white strikes me as a blatant oversimplification. But claiming that race has no effect on how stars are made in MMA is laughable. Since Rogan has everyone talking about it today, I figured I’d share my own thoughts about the intersection of race and combat sports, in no particular order…

1. There’s a reason why Rampage Jackson was beloved by fans in his prime, and Jon Jones never has been. The average Jon Jones-hater will claim that it has to do with “realness” or authenticity, but fans only respond to a particular kind of realness. Rampage Jackson was a caricature of an intimidating black guy, and people seemed to love him for it.

2. Rampage was never what you’d call “humble.” Mike Tyson wasn’t either. Muhammad Ali was the cockiest human being on Earth in his prime, and he’s now worshipped as a combat sports demigod by boxing fans of all races. If you look at the most popular black fighters in history, a lack of humility almost seems to be a prerequisite. So when Rogan wonders if Jones isn’t getting over because he’s a “cocky black guy,” it seems misguided in a historical context.

3. (“And also, a UFC employee publicly declaring that their fans are racist is a weird and counterproductive thing to do.”)

4. If Tim Kennedy was black, UFC commentators would often comment on the thickness of his thighs. It’s funny how they never do that.

5. If Daniel Cormier was white, UFC commentators would drop the phrase “blue collar” at least twice per fight. It’s funny how they never do that.

6. If Chael Sonnen was black…Jesus, we would barely be able to process that person. At the very least, he’s probably be called a “Muhammad Ali wannabe” who never lived up to his “great physical potential.”

7. “[Roger] Mayweather briefly stylized himself as the “Mexican Assassin” after a string of victories, most by knockout, over a series of world-class Mexican fighters in Los Angeles between 1986 and 1989.” At the time, fight fans were totally cool with this as a method of promotion.

8. Earlier this year, slow-witted boxer Adrien Broner was accused of racism after jumping on the mic and saying “I just beat the fuck out of a Mexican.” I don’t know if that’s progress or not. At the very least, race has become an issue so sensitive that you can barely bring it up without losing your job.

9. Jon Jones crashed a Bentley into a telephone pole, Rampage Jackson smashed his monster truck into a bunch of cars, and they both fight other men in cages for a living. Let’s not pretend that one guy is more or less of a role model than the other. The difference is, Rampage got famous by humping reporters while wearing a chain around his neck and panting — acting like an animal, and playing up stereotypes for entertainment. Jon Jones never did that. I just think that’s worth pointing out.

10. Call your promoter a dick-rider on national television, and they’ll love you for it.

11. The biggest star in boxing is a convicted woman-beater whose entire personality consists of ostentatious displays of wealth. The sheer existence of Floyd Mayweather Jr. should end all debates about whether blackness is a barrier to success in combat sports. Floyd is the highest-paid athlete in the world, despite being black and a terrible person.

12. On the other hand, comparing boxing to MMA might be an apples-to-oranges kind of exercise. MMA’s fanbase has been overwhelmingly white since the launch of the UFC two decades ago. Boxing’s fanbase, however, has been historically multi-racial. To get over in MMA, white people have to appreciate you.

13. I would love it if Daniel Cormier became light-heavyweight champion of the UFC, just to see how fans react to him as champion. Will he remain beloved because he’s a humble, hard-working family man, or will he fail to catch on as a draw because he doesn’t “act black” in a way that’s stereotypical enough for white fans to comprehend?

14. Fight fans don’t choose their favorite fighters based on race, they choose their favorite fighters based on personality. Of course, personality is often informed by race.

15. If Jon Jones was white, he would still be the greatest fighter on earth, and there would still be a large contingent of MMA fans who would hate him for being a two-faced weirdo.

16. If you still refuse to recognize Jones’s competitive greatness at this point, it suggests that your personal prejudices — whatever they’re based on — are affecting your judgment of the sport you’re watching.

– BG

The Unsupportable Opinion: I’m Watching Bellator Instead of UFC This Friday, And You Should Too


(Bobby Lashley has swelled up to Guy on the Right proportions. That’s worth your attention, right there.)

By Shep Ramsey

Unless you’ve been trapped in your basement savoring celebrity nudes for the past few days, you can’t ignore the UFC vs. Bellator showdown this Friday night. Both MMA organizations are going head-to-head, and to make the pot even sweeter, both events take place in the not-so-glorious state of Connecticut.

Are Dana White and Scott Coker both there to lobby for MMA regulation in nearby New York, or petition for the return of the Hartford Whalers? No.

Not since Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson’s match of “Who Can Run Faster, You or Me” has the sporting world been on the edge of their seats for something of this magnitude. But first, a brief rundown of what’s been happening in each promotion.

Let’s begin with Bellator, the little-brother league that used to hold tournaments not only for its fighters to earn title shots, but also to give champions 14-month periods of rest between fights. Viacom, the mega broadcast company that currently pulls the strings, recently axed Bjorn Rebney from his presidential post for being a “dickrider,” and brought former Strikeforce mastermind Scott Coker into the fold to run this promotion before it runs itself into the ground. I mean, who else brought you the demise of Fedor Emilianenko, premiere women’s MMA battles, Frank Shamrock getting his arms broken by kicks, a post-fight brawl involving Californian gangs, and Gus “Call of the Century” Johnson?

As for the UFC, the promotion started out as an addictive source of violence after two casino heirs-turned-bodybuilders used their papa’s money to hire King Kong Bundy in a dress, and revolutionized the sport of MMA. Nowadays, UFC head honcho (and the sole reason why MMA exists) Dana White, has turned on the fans, media, and even fighters because nobody is watching the 2,034 shows his company puts on a year. Basically, it’s your fault that the UFC is watered down, and if you don’t like it, don’t watch it, but keep in mind, you’re a piece of trash for not watching and supporting fighters who are away from their families for six weeks. And fuck the media for telling you otherwise, because if they’re not with UFC, they have no business writing editorials or opinion columns that their employers pay them for.

So here we are on the eve of UFC Fight Night 50 (which really feels like 250) and Bellator 123 (which feels like 123, considering we have no idea what happened from 1 to 81). You have to pick one, and this writer is going to pretend that dual television sets, DVR, or sketchy Internet streams don’t exist. Which one is it going to be?

You bet your ass we’re watching Bellator…well, at least I am.


(Bobby Lashley has swelled up to Guy on the Right proportions. That’s worth your attention, right there.)

By Shep Ramsey

Unless you’ve been trapped in your basement savoring celebrity nudes for the past few days, you can’t ignore the UFC vs. Bellator showdown this Friday night. Both MMA organizations are going head-to-head, and to make the pot even sweeter, both events take place in the not-so-glorious state of Connecticut.

Are Dana White and Scott Coker both there to lobby for MMA regulation in nearby New York, or petition for the return of the Hartford Whalers? No.

Not since Donovan Bailey and Michael Johnson’s match of “Who Can Run Faster, You or Me” has the sporting world been on the edge of their seats for something of this magnitude. But first, a brief rundown of what’s been happening in each promotion.

Let’s begin with Bellator, the little-brother league that used to hold tournaments not only for its fighters to earn title shots, but also to give champions 14-month periods of rest between fights. Viacom, the mega broadcast company that currently pulls the strings, recently axed Bjorn Rebney from his presidential post for being a “dickrider,” and brought former Strikeforce mastermind Scott Coker into the fold to run this promotion before it runs itself into the ground. I mean, who else brought you the demise of Fedor Emilianenko, premiere women’s MMA battles, Frank Shamrock getting his arms broken by kicks, a post-fight brawl involving Californian gangs, and Gus “Call of the Century” Johnson?

As for the UFC, the promotion started out as an addictive source of violence after two casino heirs-turned-bodybuilders used their papa’s money to hire King Kong Bundy in a dress, and revolutionized the sport of MMA. Nowadays, UFC head honcho (and the sole reason why MMA exists) Dana White, has turned on the fans, media, and even fighters because nobody is watching the 2,034 shows his company puts on a year. Basically, it’s your fault that the UFC is watered down, and if you don’t like it, don’t watch it, but keep in mind, you’re a piece of trash for not watching and supporting fighters who are away from their families for six weeks. And fuck the media for telling you otherwise, because if they’re not with UFC, they have no business writing editorials or opinion columns that their employers pay them for.

So here we are on the eve of UFC Fight Night 50 (which really feels like 250) and Bellator 123 (which feels like 123, considering we have no idea what happened from 1 to 81). You have to pick one, and this writer is going to pretend that dual television sets, DVR, or sketchy Internet streams don’t exist. Which one is it going to be?

You bet your ass we’re watching Bellator…well, at least I am.

You see, Bellator doesn’t really force me to watch its show; the broadcast is just there. After watching a Spike TV schedule of seven hours and realizing you’ve only seen three shows called Cops, Jail, and World’s Wildest Police Videos, it’s refreshing to see two guys who used to be really good fighters engage in a fight that if were food, would be the sloppiest of Joes. They even put on glorious title fights now and then.

On the other channel (which shows a high volume of Nascar and other crap) you’ve got the legendary Gegard Mousasi against Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza battle in a middleweight rematch for the ages. You also have Alistair Overeem potentially ruining a man’s kidney or falling straight to hell after a tap to the chin, Matt Mitrione getting his brain shattered by THE BLACK BEAST, Call of Duty veteran Joe Lauzon going to war, and a bunch of preliminary fights that start right after your morning coffee.

Belltor’s counter-programming effort (because Lord knows THEY should be blamed for this coincidental booking) is another rematch involving Pat Curran vs. Patricio Pitbull for the featherweight title, “The Cheick Kongo Nut Shot” drinking game, the return of the sport’s only royalist, “King Mo,” and a TNA World Heavyweight Championship match featuring Bobby Lashley vs. ‘Merican Samoa Joe.

Look, man…I don’t know about you, but that’s far more tempting than hearing two blokes and a football panel go at it for four hours with an hour of scraps in between. UFC has become the brand Kurt Cobain couldn’t stand, or more so, Metallica after …And Justice For All. Inviting friends over to watch a UFC card basically turns into a sleepover an hour and a half in, shutting your eyes after you reminisce about the high school girls you’re contemplating liking on Tinder. It’s too freaking long, boring, and more importantly, you’re doing them a service by tuning in. In the end, all you get for it is backlash because you aren’t a real fight fan if you didn’t particularly enjoy what you just saw.

With Bellator, I know for a fact it’s going to be a total shit show; they go live from places I’d only stop for Burger King while on tour with my off-kilter punk-folk three-piece band, and truthfully, I have no idea what the process is to attend these fights. That’s what makes it so fun. It’s mysterious, and so goddamn trashy you’ll never stop loving it. Seriously, do the partisans even know where they are?

Also, they don’t bombard me with hours of programming that is deemed necessary viewing while I would love nothing more than to spend my evening in pajamas listening to my wife berate me while on the phone with her friend for two hours. Also, they’re not secretly trying to tell me that Tony Ferguson and Danny Castillo move the needle.

More importantly, they come around every so often, and when their new season hits, I could skip shows without feeling like a worthless peon. Maybe it’s because every event for them isn’t the most stacked show they’ve ever done with the top pound for pound fighter in the world?

If we’re going to do our part to put an end to these slimy corporations stealing the sport we love, we have to fight for our cause. Do your part. We can’t change the world in a day, but eventually, we could rebuild Rome, where organized combat could or could not have first started.

UFC doesn’t care about you more than they do money. And if you’re not making them money — even if it’s a free card — then you’re not on board with the machine. How many UFC events have you watched on Fart Fight Pass wondering who in the hell was fighting? Do these motherfuckers care about mixed martial arts? They care about the growth of their own, and it’s happening at your own expense. If you seriously paid for UFC 177, close your computer, take a walk outside, and sit down in a park for three hours (minimum) to ask yourself what you want to do with your life.

Bellator doesn’t really give a nickel if you watch or not; it’s simply there. And if you’re on board, they’ll tell you it’s the greatest show on earth. The difference is, they say it followed by a smirk, and a big-ass swig of black label.

That’s what I want fighting to feel like.