June 6, 2008
It's no secret to the mixed martial arts world that Tito Ortiz, the UFC light heavyweight champion from April 2000 to September 2003, is planning to leave the Octagon where he emerged as one of the sport's biggest stars. With the looming inaugural of Affliction Banned, a mixed martial arts event co-promoted by the Affliction Clothing and Adrenaline MMA, word on the street is that Ortiz has been invited to join the slate.
Now, it's official. Donald Trump, real estate tycoon and Affliction MMA investor confirmed during a press conference at Trump Tower in New York that he's coming after the legendary UFC star.
June 4, 2008
We begin the final quarterfinals episode of The Ultimate Fighter with everyone impressed by last week's fight between Matt Brown and Amir Sadollah. It truly was a very good fight, a lot of action, neither guy backing down. Jeremy May, right after the fight, wants a rematch with Matt Brown in the finale...or something. It's difficult to comprehend the gall May shows, or what he's done to even think that he'll be invited back for any UFC event. Matt Brown thought it was disrespectful, and the conversation continues inside the house – Jesse Taylor talks loud smack about May and continues to when May himself walks into the room. Jeremy tells Gerald that he wants to piss Jesse off so he'll hit him and then have to be sent home.
May 29, 2008
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Redemption wasn't to be for veteran UFC great, Tito Ortiz. Two weeks ago, we brought you a story leading into UFC 84, about Ortiz's match-up against rising fighter, Lyoto Machida. Ortiz, once the undisputed king of the Light Heavyweight class, was looking to prove himself still a worthy UFC draw.
In the main fight card, the World Lightweight championship was on the line for B.J. Penn to defend against a hungry and vindictive Sean Sherk, who was raring to reclaim the title he contends was wrongly stripped from him in the first place. Sadly, for the battle-worn old guard and the wounded soldier, UFC 84 at the MGM Grand brought no vindication but only humiliation and heartbreak.
May 28, 2008
The episode begins with Dana White informing Forest Griffin that, since he has two quarterfinal matches in which two of his own fighters face off, he has to choose who he corners and who goes over to Rampage's team. Forest doesn't want to choose, so they flip a coin. Dante Rivera and Matt Brown end up going over to Team Rampage – Jesse Taylor and Amir Sadollah stick with Team Forest.
The first quarterfinal match is between Jesse Taylor and Dante Rivera. Jesse and Dante have become good friends in the house, but neither are reserved about the possibility about beating the crap out of each other. Jesse, it turns out, is a freak of nature – he east terribly, yet keeps his physique easily and has no problem cutting weight at the drop of a hat. We reach fight day minutes into the episode.
May 21, 2008
Tonight on The Ultimate Fighter, we may have seen the the eventual Ultimate Fighter winner. CB Dalloway looks like he has exactly what a UFC fighter needs. He is extremely proficient technically. He was an All-American wrestler in college. He also has a huge ego. He is confident almost to a fault. I'd be willing to argue that this is very important for an MMA fighter. Tonight's Ultimate Fighter featured the final first round fight, plus the fight announcements for the Quarterfinals.
After the Cale Yarbrough/Patrick Schultz fight, Rampage yells at Griffin. He's mad at the decision that kept Schultz from getting a third round against Cale. Forest, pissed that Rampage called him out after Cale's win, breaks down the door to his room with his bare hands. After awhile he cools down.
May 14, 2008
The Ultimate Fighter has gotten into a new patter: two fights per episode. I wonder if the UFC and Dana White received less episodes from SpikeTV. Tonight's episode kicks off with Rampage Jackson finally having control of a fight announcement. He relishes the control. He chooses his own Gerald Harris versus Team Forrest's Amir Sadollah. We learn about Gerald first – he's pounds people. He's a rassler. He is great on the ground – Rampage thinks Gerald fights like he does. He calls him a Mini-Me. Amir is completely inexperienced. He's not too excited about going up a guy with a reputation for hurting people. Forrest says that if Amir wins, he'll shave his head.
May 14, 2008
UFC 84 is a mere 10 days away and just ahead of the May 24 scheduled bouts, veteran UFC fighter, Tito Ortiz, speaks out about his future.
Ortiz, who once sat loftily atop the UFC as Light Heavyweight champ for several years beginning in April 2000, when he won over Wanderlei Silva in UFC 25. He went on to successfully defend his title a total of five times in the span of three years. Come May 24, Ortiz, now considered a dinosaur in the league, will once again take to the ring, this time against the rising Lyoto Machida. It will be a fight for honor for the veteran, who will set out to prove to fans and most especially, Dana White of the UFC, exactly what he's still worth.
May 7, 2008
Matt Brown is a scary dude. He doesn't speak much, and when he does, the things he says are both bad ass and cryptic. He is a marketable UFC personality in this way. He is unable to train at half speed. He constantly goes all out, throwing full, hard punches at his teammates and coaches. His coach, Forest Griffin even gets perturbed by this, and I don't blame him. Just having Brown on your team leaves the door open for injury. He's had a checkered past, full of street fights, drugs, booze and jail. His opponent tonight was Jeremy May, the kind of guy who tries to make everyone in the house think he's drunk just to mess with them. Who would come out on top, the stoic or the joker? Tonight's The Ultimate Fighter also featured two fights, thanks to the quickness of each fight.