When is a can not a can

So everyone seems pretty happy with UFC 62, which is nice. The complaints about 61 were sounding like the death knell of the UFC. And already, I'm hearing dissatisfaction about the 63 card. One fan groused that there should be two title fights on every pay-per-view! Well, in a dream world with 8 weight classes and 3 sanctioning bodies, you might pull it off. Oh wait, that's BOXING!

Say what you want to about Dana White, but he is doing two things right: he's making money for the company, and he's growing the product. UFC pay-per-views are monthly, TUF is in Season 4 and Ultimate Fight Nights are mixed in giving 15 televised or PPV events for the promotion in 2006 (with December no scheduled yet). And while all the MMA superfans want to see Chuck Liddell pound someone senseless every month, lots of good young fighters are getting needed exposure, fights, and paychecks. It's not enough to ride your stars to riches, particularly in a business where a broken hand and a 6 month vacation are right around the next corner. You have to take a long view.

It's great to see the big dog nurturing the fighters of the future. Identifying and grooming the next wave of Shamrocks, Gracies and Coutures is what will ensure the success of MMA. The IFL and the regional promotions are a boon to the MMA scene, providing a chance to fight in front of a good crowd and get paid. Get off your ass, step away from the pay-per-view, and get out to support your local MMA promotion. There are a ton of quality fights with great production values to be seen live. There is some pleasure to be taken in seeing a guy early in his career and then watch him grow into a champion.

Speaking of Shamrock, how fickle be the minds of MMA fans. In the stampede to denounce Ken as a can, it's interesting to see how other legends of the sport fair in the mind's eye of the public. Bas Rutten's return has been deservedly warm. People love Bas, and for good reason. But Bas has three losses to the Shamrock brothers, two to Ken. On the surface,Randy Couture's 14-8 record wouldn't put him the Hall of Fame, but that is exactly where he is. IFL coaches Maurice Smith (9-9) and Renzo Gracie (10-6, lost 6 of his last 7) have records that show them as distinctly beatable, yet no one disputes their status. I'm not going to do all the math for you. I mean, you are on the internet, look into it for yourself. My point is, why all the hate on Shamrock? Over a 10-plus year career, it's ridiculous to expect a fighter to go undefeated. This isn't boxing. You can't dance around, clinch and hide. You get three or five rounds to do some damage and, if you can't finish, suffer the whims of the judges. Ask Matt Lindland how he feels about judges. And Shamrock was giving up 10 years to Ortiz and Franklin. As a guy looking 40 in the face, I can say that with all the blah blah about weight classes, 10 lbs difference is nothing compared with 10 years. Everyone takes losses in this game. The proof of a fighter's greatness is seen in his fights, not necessarily in his record. Perhaps when he finally leaves the ring (or octagon or whatever the fighting venue) time will afford some perspective in regards to Ken's legacy.

People already seem to moving Royce Gracie from the pantheon of MMA stars to the ash heap. His loss to Matt Hughes has been heralded as some sort of event horizon for MMA. Out with the old, in with the new. Yes, times have changed since a 26 year-old Royce started his tear through the best fighters in the world. But those first UFC events were a battle to determine which was the dominant discipline. Now that the "mixed" in MMA is being fully realized, anyone without a solid combination of skills won't survive. But instead of being a used up cog in the new MMA machine, I think that Royce and his family have as much claim to the evolution of MMA as anyone. I've seen Royce up close... he's a slender guy. Matt Hughes makes me look around for the block of stone with the Matt Hughes shaped piece missing from it. He's not a mid-carder. That Matt Hughes used a strong BJJ game to supplement his superior strength (and relative youth) to help defeat him says alot about Royce and his achievements. The sight of Royce calmly working out his options while Hughes was trying to twist his arm off is the thing that sticks in my head the most. While no one leapt to praise them, the gospel that the Gracies have been preaching obviously made its mark on this fight. And though it was certainly not the result they wanted, it's important to remember that it's a poor teacher who has no student become his equal.

That said, if Royce wants to fight again, I'd like to see him put on 10 lbs of muscle and move up to 185. Trust me, it's easy to put the weight on at 40. And who wouldn't want to see a combination of his skills with some real power against someone like Rich Franklin or David Loiseau?

Dear Renato... DUCK!

Now, I'm not a guy who likes to be wrong. It bugs me. But, I'm also a big boy and, when I back the wrong horse, I'll admit it (see my gaping, idiot face watching Mike Pyle get shaghaied in his IFL match with Rory Markham, just seconds after I told my friend Steve "watch the Pyle kid. Lot's of buzz. This is going to be a coming out party for him".

Yeah.

See I'm no stranger to the mea culpa. So please allow me a minute to sit smugly at the keyboard and simply say "Hmmph" (I'm also not an "I told you so" kinda guy, but I do relish a self-satisfied "Hmmph" when I'm right). I am forwarding the contents of this blog to Renato Sobral and his team of experts in case there is ever an opportunity for him to face Chuck Liddell again. This ain't the freakin' riddle of the sphinx. Write this down.. I WILL NOT TRADE SHOTS WITH CHUCK LIDDELL. Why do guys do this? Jeremy Horn chased him. Randy Couture chased him. Tito chased him until Chuck finally nailed him and then Chuck charged. Apparently Chuck is getting better at this, as the Sobral expedition into the Liddell wheelhouse barely had time to launch the boats before all were lost.

I'm no Liddell hater... he's the hammer, has crazy power, he seems to love his work, and the work of others...



But I want to see him challenged. I want someone to take him out of his comfort zone and really make him work. Right now, if you come in slow, he waits to line you up and then pow. If you come in fast, he backpedals, firing shots as he goes. I just looks to me like he doesn't want to get down and dirty (much like CroCop). And I don't blame Chuck. If he can drop guys with the minimum effort and risk, why deviate from the formula. If it ain't broke, etc.... But please, whomever the next guy is, make him work for it.

A second, and even more satisfied "Hmmph" to Nick Diaz. The kid can swing, and then slip on the lock when an opening presents itself. This is another guy who needs a game plan. Something that will maximize his strengths minimize his risks, namely exposing his face to unnecessary fists. Again, he'll only get better with some guidance. I"m glad to have him back and look forward to his next UFC fight... maybe another go-round with the Nightmare.

As for Forrest Griffin, kudos. But it's time to move on. Going round and round (and the distance - twice, now) with Stephan Bonnar, even with as much as they obviously bring out in each other, is not the stuff of legend. Or of a regular UFC job. Griffin needs to focus on one thing... Chuck Liddell. He's the guy with the belt. He's the guy you have to aim for. If you aren't ready for the best guy in your division, start working on that. If you don't think you'll ever be ready, enroll in a tax prep course... it's time for a new gig. He's got a KO loss to Jeremy Horn and dropped a split to Ortiz. Not bad guys to be losing to, but that sort of thing is supposed to make you stronger. Giddyup.

Calling Matt Hughes. BJ Penn on line 2

As sorry as I am to see George St. Pierre unable to meet Matt Hughes, I'm thrilled that BJ Penn is stepping in for the rematch. These three guys could battle it out for the title for years. There's some talk of whether Penn is ready for this, but I can't think of a better challenge for him, or for Hughes. Look at Penn's record and you'll see he's lost twice in 4 years; once to GSP and the other to a guy who had 30 pounds on him. I like Hughes, terrific all-around fighter, but you gotta love a guy who has a black belt sewn into his shorts. Big balls. And that's what it will take. GSP? I guess he gets winners. And I can't wait for that.

Am I the only person happy to see Nick Diaz on this card? As much as I hate guys who jaw too much, I 'm definitely a fan. Yeah, he's on a slide, but look at the guys he in there with. Good, experienced fighters that he's taking the distance. I love his attitude and the way he went toe to toe with a swinger like Lawler, and I thought he won the Riggs fight. The kid is a talent and, most important, still a kid. He's on my list to only get better.

Lot's of chatter about Brock Lesnar signing with K-1. Did UFC miss the boat? Is he a future champion? Who let the pro wrestlers in? I don't know about you, but Lesnar is some kind of goddamn cyborg, physically. Strong, fast and agile, he's an NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion (after finishing second in 1999) and athletic enough to have a pre-season run with an NFL team. Yes, he got cut, but he was on short training after a motorcycle accident and did get offered a trip to NFL Europe to work himself into shape. And if you look at the success level of guys with strong wrestling backgrounds: Hughes, Coleman, Randleman, Couture and Liddell, you know he's got a shot.

The flip side is that this guy seems to be the classic bad decision maker... the bike accident, the improv top-rope flip that injured him in WWE, jumping to football, jumping to Japan wrestling. And then my favorite: leaving his fiancee to get engaged to, then breaking up with, and then marrying former wrestling diva and older woman, Rena Mero. Classy.

Do not wager any money on this guy. I don't care if Pat Miletich ADOPTS him. You'll get a better return with Keno.

UFC 62 - On the way

Just some blah blah while I've got a minute...

Am I the only one who is surprised how long Chuck Liddell has managed to hang onto the title? It certainly doesn't hurt that eveyone decides to stand and slug with him. You would think that, between grapplers of the caliber of Couture, Horn and Ortiz, someone would figure out how to drag him down out of his comfort zone and work him on the ground. Not that Wanderlei would have done it any different but, at least with Wand, you have a complete striker to challenge him at his own game. Too bad that's not happening.

Speaking of the Axe Murderer (and how f*cked up is THAT for a nickname?), but something doesn't smell right with the Liddell/Silva fight now being written off. "Toruble coming to an agreement" with the difficult Japanese, is how it's being spun. But how does Wand find his way into the ring on a UFC pay-per-view to challenge the champ without a contract in place? Was he just passing through? And then DSE releases it's fight card for their US debut and it's all the big names... Cro-Cop, Fedor, Coleman, Randleman, Vitor, Barnett, Shogun, Silva and the New York Bare Ass. I'm joining the ranks of those hoping that these two promotions can be combined to give the fans the best fighters fighting each other on a regular basis.

Everyone is looking forward to Bonnar/Griffin, many as much as Babalu/Liddell. Look for Griffin to outlast Bonnar again for the win. And I'm picking Sobral to finally get through to the Iceman. Unless he turns it into a punchout. Then NOBODY is stopping Chuck.

Until Silva.