("Trust me, everything at Strikeforce is just fine. Say, anybody else hear those violins?")
In the wake of yesterday’s merger between the UFC and the WEC, Strikeforce’s quest to carve out an equal space in the MMA world just got even …
("Trust me, everything at Strikeforce is just fine. Say, anybody else hear those violins?")
In the wake of yesterday’s merger between the UFC and the WEC, Strikeforce’s quest to carve out an equal space in the MMA world just got even more unlikely. But if you’re Scott Coker, this is no time to despair. It’s time to fight harder — and finally fix the slew of problems that have been dragging you down. So here’s what you do…
No more "Challengers" cards until further notice The bottom line is, your roster isn’t deep enough to pull it off, and nobody gives a fuck. We just came off of a Challengers event that was headlined — I said headlined — by Roger Bowling vs. Bobby Voelker. For God’s sake, the next Raging Wolf card is more stacked. Strikeforce should abandon their minor-league series, and stick all those prospects onto the prelims of their larger Showtime cards (more on that next). If that means fewer events, so be it. Sure, you want to develop your brand by holding regular shows around the country, but just as importantly, you want to associate your brand with excellence and excitement. And let’s be honest, Strikeforce can’t be turning a profit on those Challengers cards anyway.
By Joyce Lynda Valdes
A great leader, named Malcolm X said, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”
There are many battles MMA fighters face going into the cage, like that of a standup war or ground and pound, but every battle for these self-made warriors is by choice. There are others […]
ByJoyce Lynda Valdes
Dylan Woods at Tuff-N-Uff in March 2010
A great leader, named Malcolm X said, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”
There are many battles MMA fighters face going into the cage, like that of a standup war or ground and pound, but every battle for these self-made warriors is by choice. There are others of us in the world who are faced with fights that are unwanted and unasked for and it is the truest test of our character when we meet those challenges with will and defiance. For most of us in our lifetime, we will know someone or be someone inflicted with cancer. In my life, I have been blessed to know very few people who have fought and lost to this disease. Last night, the most influential person I have ever met, a young 13 year-old warrior named Dylan Woods who had brain cancer passed away.
I met Dylan through a non-profit organization called It Aint Chemo run by a cancer survivor, Kevin Hoyt. Hoyt, who is a friend of Randy Couture and helped Couture set up a paintball charity event for his GI Foundation, decided to open his organization to help and support MMA fighters, with the request that the fighters give their time to train young warriors who battle cancer daily. Hoyt thought that by kids like Dylan meeting MMA fighters, it would influence them to keep fighting their disease. The surprise ended up being that these kids like Dylan were the ones who inspired the MMA fighters. Dylan Woods went on to support fighters like Ryan Couture, Jimmy Jones, and Gil Guardado. He went to their Tuff-N-Uff amateur fights, cheering in the crowd, and when he could no longer travel, he watched Ryan Couture make his pro-debut in Strikeforce: Challengers on Showtime. Dylan’s story touched even UFC Heavyweight, Frank Mir who volunteered to be auctioned off in a charity MMA Bachelor/Bachelorette event held by It Aint Chemo earlier this month.
Dylan Woods did not go gently. He rose to the challenge. When it seemed he wouldn’t make it through another day, Dylan showed us he was not one to be beat and in August, at 50 lbs and wheel-chair bound, he made it to see Jones and Guardado victorious in their final amateur fights in Las Vegas. Both Jimmy Jones and Gil Guardado will be making their pro-debuts this November 13th in King of the Cage, which can be seen on PPV. Ryan Couture will be going for his second win in Strikeforce: Challengers on November 19th. Dylan fought his fight admirably and now helps science continue the fight as he gave his brain to cancer research. Most notably, he gave men who chose to fight, a solid ground to stand on and something to fight for and believe in; that ground is called It Aint Chemo and throughout these fighters careers, you will learn a lot more of the organization. It is time for Dylan to rest, but for Couture, Jones, and Guardado, it is time to stand and engage.
If you would like to help It Aint Chemo, please visit their website here or vote here for a Pepsi Refresh grant.
(Cain Velasquez’s new Lugz commercial. Yeah, he smashed that. Props: YouTube.com/MMAFightClub)
Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link …
Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail [email protected] for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…
("So, what’s your dad do? He’s in risk management? That’s cool, I guess." PicProps: Strikeforce)
The most shocking fact to emerge from Strikeforce Challengers 10 on Friday? Joe Riggs and Ryan Couture are the same age. Actually, Couture is a m…
("So, what’s your dad do? He’s in risk management? That’s cool, I guess." PicProps: Strikeforce)
The most shocking fact to emerge from Strikeforce Challengers 10 on Friday? Joe Riggs and Ryan Couture are the same age. Actually, Couture is a month older. Yet while the fresh-faced Couture made his professional debut last night, Riggs – who is about as grizzled and world weary as a dude under 30 can possibly be – was taking part in bout No. 44 of his nine-year career. Luckily for both, they were fighting opponents brought in specifically to chum the waters.
If you had complicated feelings about Couture’s first-ever pro fight airing on national television, you weren’t alone. On one hand, nobody likes Jacob Dylan. On the other hand, it feels a little unseemly to harbor a grudge against a guy as apparently likeable as the younger Couture just because he won some kind of genetic MMA lottery. Luckily, Ryno solved our emotional torment for us in just a minute, 15 seconds last night, proving he belonged in the cage with a glossy smooth triangle choke victory over local boy Lucas Stark.
("Next time on Extreme Makeover…" / Photos courtesy of Esther Lin/Strikeforce.)
Program the codes into your DVR machine, because Strikeforce’s femme-tastic Challengers event in Phoenix airs tonight at 11 p.m. (For most of us, at least. C…
Program the codes into your DVR machine, because Strikeforce’s femme-tastic Challengers event in Phoenix airs tonight at 11 p.m. (For most of us, at least. Check your local listings.) Weights have been made, and the first-round tournament match-ups have been set: Miesha Tate will face Maiju Kujala in the semis, while Carina Damm takes on Hitomi Akano. Plus, Ryan Couture makes his pro debut, and Joe Riggs aw who cares. If you’re tuning in, please direct your thoughts to the comment thread below. Let’s have some fun tonight…
(Who’s the real draw tomorrow night? Photos courtesy of Esther Lin/Strikeforce)
Joe Riggs on tomorrow night’s Strikeforce women’s tournament, as quoted in a Strikeforce press release sent out last night: “It’s great. They are always…
Joe Riggs on tomorrow night’s Strikeforce women’s tournament, as quoted in a Strikeforce press release sent out last night: “It’s great. They are always exciting. I saw Miesha (Tate) fight up in Minnesota when I was up there fighting last year and she’s very exciting…That tournament style is hard. I’ve done it and it’s no picnic. You come out with just an hour’s rest a little banged up and you feel injuries you didn’t even know you had during the fight. My hat’s off to them."
Joe Riggs on women’s MMA, as quoted in an SB Nation interview published yesterday: "I don’t know what that girl [Sarah Kaufman] is talking about. She’s lucky to even be on TV…As long as they don’t say things like they don’t want to be on the Challengers card and they want to be main events than they’re good. We’re the show. The men are what people are here to see."
