brashleyholland

Or Santa Claus has lost some.

Like Daffanka said, there have been plenty of successful and popular foreign fighters in Japan over the years. A lot of it is to do with respect. Freakshow or legit, hardcore sports fan or casual observer, they respect the hell out of fighters over there. I've been to some big events in Japan, and the adulation and admiration for fighters is incredible. Guys like Fedor, Cro Cop, Nogueira, Hansen, Wanderlei the Gracies...they fought their asses off, they won lots, they earned respect for being the best at what they do. That's why, for example, at the Final 16 last weekend, when Jerome LeBanner walked out of the overtime round against the Japanese 'Ace' Kyotaro in protest against the judging, he raised his hand on the way into the back and the entire arena stood up and roared for him. They respect LeBanner. Speaking of which, I'm loving the stories about LeBanner possibly fighting Ishii under K-1 rules at the WGP Final. There's popping a rating and then there's getting a valuable asset brutally beaten...my guess is that this will be changed to MMA rules really quickly, or that someone much smaller will be subbed in. Wonder what Cyril Adibi is up to these days....

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="ampulator" data-cite="ampulator" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Here's the thing, though. I always thought Japan was the going to become THE place for MMA. </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> It did, and it was for a while. They paid more, had primetime exposure and massive corporate endorsements. Guys like Caol Uno have had their own ranges for massive sports brands like Nike and Addidas. </p><p> </p><p> Problem one was the corruption that runs rife through a lot of Japanese businesses, but particularly in the sports/entertainment/music businesses, finally catching up with them. Important figures in the fight game went to prison or exiled themselves, and a lot of power grabbing that was bad for business went on in their absence. Not to mention the Yakuza stuff being exposed in the nation press.</p><p> </p><p> Problem two was that the Japanese guys who brought in the TV ratings and ticket money were never really great fighters, or they were good but hung on too long: Takada, Ogawa, Sapp et al being the former and Sakuraba, Yoshida etc being the latter. These guys started to lose, killing their profitability. </p><p> </p><p> Japanese pro-wrestling was always most successful when it was "Japan standing up to and beating the foreigners", something that dates back to them being on the losing side of the second world war, which was a huge blow to their national pride/identity. Now that the Japanese fight game has nobody for the Japanese to get behind, and no TV/advertising money to back it, it's crumbling. </p><p> </p><p> The situation now can be compared to the early 00's UFC...MMA fans still watch, there are a few popular guys for the hardcore's to follow...but the mainstream fan base, and their money, isn't there. </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Here's the thing, though. Why would the japanese like Bob Sapp? He's incompetent. I always thought the Japanese preferred more sport-like individuals, where "amirickuns" (I am one, too) liked the Cult aspect. </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Political correctness in Japan is lagging behind much of the western world. Sapp's character was that of a wild, dim-witted, black savage. The appeal wasn't so much Sapp himself (although his massive charisma helped carry the character off), rather the idea of seeing this huge, beast of a man dropped right into the centre of their civilised culture, complete with growling, booming laughter and more! </p><p> </p><p> What will he do next? Bite the head off his opponent's action figure? Chase female Japanese TV presenters around a TV set like a caveman? Become uncontrollable in the ring? What will happen? Step right up! </p><p> </p><p> An even worse example is Bobby Ologun, a Nigerian who became a Japanese TV personality. His 'shtick' was that of a cloth-wearing, spear-throwing, uncivilised aboriginal savage, who was dragged right out of his jungle tribe and dropped into Japan for their amusement. It was horrible. </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>It just seems... odd.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Here's just some of the guys who have been involved in just some of the most-watched fights in Japan....</p><p> </p><p> Dos Caras Jr </p><p> <span>http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:-g4RxQRq2Lk2GM:http://www.mmatko.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/dos.JPG&t=1</span></p><p> </p><p> Giant Silva and Minowa Man</p><p> <span>http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSBth9oKzuDwEC5Kr_Ent0n8lJ1-mW0L1agS4wRaSlv9jgjVfk&t=1&usg=__me3gozIjeMUZ3z2VLLLDDu2hou4=</span></p><p> </p><p> Ken Kaneko (actor, never fought before)</p><p> <span>http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS37foPrCLL6Bs7ZZJ6J9x9B-m5me4Jkmf9vj9XY0ZMhjcxbRg&t=1&usg=__sjXhf1-KySUYN3WgMcU9QWlq7Jc=</span></p><p> </p><p> Akebono</p><p> <span>http://www.synapticblur.com/pics/akebono.jpg</span></p><p> </p><p> I don't even know what this is...</p><p> <span>http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/7887-Sapp-versus-Mantaro.jpg</span></p><p> </p><p> <span>http://nightmareofbattle.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/20081222-00000012-spnavi-fight-view-000.jpg</span></p>

Bad news for K-1 - Their best card in recent memory bombed in the ratings in Japan, coming in last place out of the four major networks for it's timeslot with a 10.0 rating. By comparison, Dream 16, a show with practically zero domestic marketing, did an 11.9. The Final 16 last year did a 13.2. It had the benefit of Hari and Bonjasky, but even so, this number is horrible.

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Gabbo" data-cite="Gabbo" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><p> </p><p> How good are guys like Henderson, Cerrone, Varner compared to Florian, Edgar, Penn and Maynard? Is WEC's division generally regarded as a 2nd rate LW division? </p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> The short answer is that as a division, WEC 155 isn't as deep or talent rich as UFC 155. Guys like Ben Henderson are being given time to develop and are very much on the UFC's radar. Same for Jose Aldo. </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Do the LW guys in the UFC respect them much? </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Very much so. Many of these guys train with UFC guys. Ben Henderson, for example, was brought in by BJ Penn to help with his wrestling. </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Why don't the top guys in WEC want to test themselves in the more prestigious UFC LW division? </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> They do, but there are only so many places available. The UFC has hundreds of fighters under contract and struggles to get them all fights. WEC is a great 'holding pen' for guys. They can make decent scratch, fight three or four times a year and are still under contract to Zuffa, which has its benefits. </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Why don't the mid-level guys in UFC drop to WEC, guys like Griffin, Guida, Diaz etc, and become champions? </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Money. WEC is on Versus. The last show did less than 500,000 viewers. The problem is, fighters rarely get their walk-out televised on Versus, which is where the big sponsor money comes from in terms of hats and shirts. A Clay Guida can fight on PPV or main event a Fight Night with a walk-out, and get paid more. Also, the purses and bonuses for UFC fights for the likes of Guida, Griffin etc are more than they could expect from the WEC. </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>When LW fighters are approached are they given the choice of joining the UFC or WEC, or is it a separate scouting system? </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> It's pretty much separate, but at the same time, the UFC is top of the pecking order when it comes to hot prospects and big stars. The main difference is that the WEC has the luxury of being able to sign 5-0 prospects without anyone batting an eyelid. A lot of 'up and comers' see the WEC as a better option, as it's not as 'sink or swim' as the UFC's 155lb shark tank. </p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Does the UFC consider WEC's LW's as equals to the UFC's? Is it used as a developmental division or just for never-will-be's?</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> See above really. In some cases yes, in other no. There is a big announcement coming soon regarding the WEC though....</p>

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="TheKenwyne" data-cite="TheKenwyne" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I'm with you on that point. Next few months look great for MMA - Brocktober, GSP-Koscheck 2, Dynamite's always a laugh and the two K-1 GP finals. And on the slightly less exciting side of things there are 3 other UFC shows, a Sengoku card and Strikeforce, notably with Diaz-Noons II this coming weekend.<p> </p><p> EDIT: Oh and Bellator and Aoki fighting for DEEP. Forgot those.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yeah, busy times. I'm really looking forward to 120, some quality fights on that card. Looking forward to seeing how Warburton and Big Rob Broughton do on the big show. </p><p> </p><p> Hardy/Condit is gonna be a war as well. </p><p> </p><p> Another 'off the radar' one I'm looking forward to is 'Judo' Jim Wallhead's Bellator début on the 14th of Oct.</p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Plus the UFC in London - can't afford tickets for the show but I've got hold of some for the expo - should be good fun <img alt=":)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/smile.png.142cfa0a1cd2925c0463c1d00f499df2.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> If you're around for the Expo, get Dana on twitter. There aren't many unsold tickets but he'll have <strong>some</strong> and will be giving them away at some point. Never know, you might get lucky <img alt=";)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="TheKenwyne" data-cite="TheKenwyne" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I read that though they both train with Golden Glory they have never actually sparred together - they train with different parts of the camp. Though I guess the management could've had a word in their ears for this.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I know they trained together for a while, I've seen them...this is going back a good ten years or so though when they were both in Breda. They both worked with the GG jiu-jitsu coach, Martijn de Jong for a bit. But yeah, now I think about it, Semmy won't have trained with the Cor Hemmers (Muay Thai) students all that much. </p><p> </p><p> Still, it'll be an interesting fight if it happens and AA still has some gas left in the tank. I get the feeling that Spong is going to be on his bike in their fight. </p><p> </p><p> The trick with Schilt is to head-hunt from the get go...problem being, that gameplan is almost certain suicide against a fighter like him. Still, if the Reem can catch him with a bomb, who knows. Really looking forward to the Best 8 this year!!</p>

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="TheKenwyne" data-cite="TheKenwyne" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26660" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Do you think Ubereem and Schilt were told to keep it open for the big climatic final? </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Nah, they've just been teammates since forever....no point them fighting unless it's for a ton of cash or something as big as the GP final.</p>

http://www.mmabay.co.uk/2010/10/03/the-sunday-supplement-k-1-world-grand-prix-2010-%E2%80%93-a-noob%E2%80%99s-guide-to-stand-up-mma/ A bluffer's guide to K-1 2010

Aren't all the Asylum Studios mock-busters (I am Omega, Transmorphers, The Day the Earth Stopped, AvH: Alien vs Hunter, The Da Vinci Treasure, Pirates of the Treasure Island, Snakes on a Train etc) supposed to be intentionally cheap and tacky?

What makes it worse is that the original ending they filmed was more in keeping with the book. The test audiences didn't like it so they swapped it out. I think it's the special edition DVD/BluRay, you can watch the originally intended ending where... SPOILER IN WHITE ...Mr Smith finds out that the 'Vampires' were only trying to rescue one of their own and in fact are intelligent, feeling creatures and that HE is the monster that is stalking them. He is the mythical 'vampire'. He is Legend.

Is it still on Eurosport? My feeling on the matter is this...if it airs live, or within a reasonable time frame in the UK, I'll watch it on TV, pay for it, whatever. But if it's not aired in the UK (so K-1, Strikeforce, WEC, Bellator, Dream, SRC) then I'll use naughty means to watch it.

Want to watch the K-1 MAX this weekend? Want to watch it live? For free? Legally? Well you can! K-1 are streaming the MAX event live on their website. From Head Kick Legend...

Well the Zombie got Monster Mashed!

Welcome to every week of my life Thanks Bellator, appreciate it.

Tonight dude!

I think that Ivan Trembow is a self-righteous t*t that has done nothing but moan about everything on his blog for years. Nobody takes him seriously. So he's been watching MMA/wrestling/football since way back and NOW he realises that getting smacked in the head etc. is bad for you? Hmm, seems like he must have taken a few heavy blows over the years himself, because you'd have to be intellectually simple not to realise that as an educated adult. Presumably he's going to stop listening to music as well, for fear of facilitating drug and drink-addled musicians. My honest, honest belief is that he is a very bitter man who has put a lot of effort into being recognised as a journalistic 'authority' on MMA, only to see the likes of Josh Gross, Kevin Iole etc breeze past him into well-paid/solid jobs covering MMA for big outlets. I've been talking to a lot of MMA writers about this since it dropped earlier in the week, and the consensus is that Ivan is taking his ball and going home. But not before having one last good, loud cry about the whole dirty business of MMA :-p

I literally can't pick between the two. When I do our P4P rankings, I usually interchange them based on who won most recently/in the most impressive fashion. In my mind, GSP has beaten tougher competition (which I think is the consensus), however the KO loss to Serra sort of balances things out. I hate P4P rankings. Just saying. I'd love to agree here, but he's looked beyond poor recently and has had a massive lay-off. What is it now, three MMA fights in nearly four years, without a win. Words cannot express how much I'd love to see him stand there eating this fat dude's punches while grinning at him, before launching a hellacious left-right hook combo to put him out though. 2 minutes 50. My instinct (and common sense) is that you're bang on the money with this one....I had a dream where Nog finished him with strikes on the feet in the third round though, which has confused me. Lytle hasn't been knocked out or even stopped by strikes in 51 fights (aside from a couple of cuts)...Serra has anvil-fists, but they're on the end of midget arms and Lytle can box. I think his grappling is good enough to keep him alive against Serra (who hasn't submitted anyone since 2002:eek:)...so I dunno. Lytle by decision? Spot on. This will be Dunhams 'coming of age' party. For some bizzare, bizzare reason I'm also looking forward to the train-wreck of a fight that Beltran/Meathead will turn into. Although I suppose I'll be out at a pub/club before the fights start anyway, so I could just stir up some s**t between a couple of fat guys and watch that instead.

Please show me one bit of proof of a female WWE wrestler having a fan-base that followed them anywhere else.

As someone who is very much not a fan of wrestling these days, but occasionally tunes in for a few weeks as a time due to nostalgia/something cool...I can say that TNA bringing in Matt Hardy sounds a million-and-six times better than whoever this Mickie woman is. (Not being facetious , I really don't know)

Gloat all you want mate, it's the internet!!

Hansen's been training at my local (gym, not pub..ok, that too) with Team Tsunami. He looks massively out of place walking the streets of Cambridge :-p

BetUS have posted the line for the Hunt/McCorkle fight... Hunt: -260 McCorkle: +200 ...now that has got to be worth a punt.

Ikuhisa Minowa (Minowaman) vs Satoshi Ishii will cap-off DREAM 16 this weekend. I don't know if that's the best or saddest thing I've heard all week :-D

I wouldn't be surprised to see Belfort thrown straight into a title match with Anderson Silva in Jan now.