Fighters.com May Heavyweight Rankings

Is there any real wonder why the UFC is divesting in the heavyweight division?  It’s dead!

The only April action was a first round TKO of Silvao Santos (1-1) by tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3).  It might as well have been a Monday morning sparring session.

So, why did “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4) and “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) sink a spot respectively?  Sylvia’s stoppage of “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5) in 2006 fell off their two-year records, which is the time span Fighters.com considers when ranking fighters.

The division’s future is just as bleak as the recent past.

Adrenaline MMA still insists Emelianenko’s claim of an official fight with Sylvia in June is false.  To boot, the promotion that promotes Sylvia and rising heavyweight Ben Rothwell (29-5) claims Emelianenko’s delinquent repayment of a $500,000 signing bonus left over from the M-1 Global era is also holding up a fight for Rothwell on the same card.  Though Rothwell insists it ain’t happenin’, he’s been rumored to have been matched versus Arlovski.

All four fighters and the entire division need those two fights.

Unfortunately, third-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett’s (21-5) rise will be short-lived because his submission of tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) will fall off his two-year record next month.  He’s scheduled to grapple with always competitive “The Snowman” Jeff Monson (24-7) at Sengoku this month; but, even the expected “W” can’t replace the submission of Emelianenko.

The UFC has scheduled a contender match-up between seventh-ranked “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1) and “The Truth” Brandon Vera (8-1) for London in June.  A win for Vera will launch him into the division’s top ten; a win for “Vai Cavalo” will prove that he belongs.

First-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) is rumored to be mauling a UFC title defense against Frank Mir (11-3).  For the love of God!  Mir is a gentleman, a technician on the mat, and a fine fighter.  He is not the top heavyweight contender in the UFC.

So goes a division where “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (2-0) and Brock Lesnar (1-1) make bank at the box office.

May Heavyweight Rankings

1. “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1)

It ain’t pretty! Nogueira has turned “blocking punches with your face” into a winning strategy versus top teners Sylvia, Herring, Barnett, and Werdum in the last two years, earning him Fighters.com’s first ranking at heavyweight.

2. “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8)

The best strategist in a weight class of brutes returned to solve the 6′8″ riddle of Sylvia over five grueling rounds to reclaim UFC’s title, then forced Cro Cop-slayer Gonzaga to wish MMA had timeouts in a bloody three-round TKO.

3. “The Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (21-5)

“The Babyface Assassin” returned to tap Hidehiko Yoshida and is the last man to beat Noguiera. Even with an involuntary 14-month layoff, he holds submissions over tenth-ranked Aleksander Emelianenko and hard-headed Mark Hunt in the last two years.

4. “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia (24-4)

The oft maligned “Maine-iac” has meshed his stature with world-class striking, championship cardio, and a Jeff Monson-tested ground game. His losses are to legends Nogueira and Couture, but he’s failed to lay out ripe KO candidates Arlovski and Monson.

5. “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (12-5)

“Pitbull” has fought like a poodle since getting neutered by Sylvia in an ‘06 KO loss, but was able to steal a decision from Werdum in the most disappointing fight of ’07.  Perhaps free agency will reignite the once explosive fighter’s fire.

6. “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1)

Rankings reflect what has happened in fights with a predilection towards the most recent and Emelianenko hasn’t fought another top ten heavyweight in 32 months.   He’ll take sixth and like it, or take first in a real fight.  It’s his decision.

7. “Vai Cavalo” Fabricio Werdum (10-3-1)

“Vai Cavalo” spanked Gonzaga like a bad monkey in January, his fourth consecutive top ten matchup, going 2-2 with two stoppage wins.  He’s likely Nogueira’s first UFC title challenge in a rematch that ended in a close decision for Nogueira in PRIDE.

8. “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13)

Herring’s bungle versus Nogueira was beefed-up with a strong decision over Cheick Kongo in March.   Three losses to Nogueira stop-gaps a potential UFC title challenge, but the “Texas Crazy Horse” will valiantly defend the gate to the UFC’s gold.

9. “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3)

After mauling Mirko Filipovic in Manchester, “Napao” risks becoming a footnote in MMA history with consecutive stoppage losses to Couture and Werdum.  The big man has the tools to remain top ten for years to come, but does he have the heart?

10. Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3)

Fedor’s li’l bro’ isn’t lost in the shadow of “The Last Emporer”. In the last two years, the man with the coldest stare down in MMA has outclassed his brother in competition, losing only to top ten heavies while TKOing fellow Russian Sergei Kharitonov.

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Aoki Outtie!

Fresh from the biggest “W” of his career, “Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (15-2) has been forced out of DREAM’s Lightweight Grand Prix due to a facial injury suffered during his unanimous decision victory over “JZ” Gesias Calvancante (14-2-1).

According to Sherdog, Calvancante was contacted by DREAM to replace Aoki, but couldn’t come to terms with DREAM executives.

Aoki was scheduled to fight Katsuhiko Nagata (4-2) 11 May, who defeated Artur Oumakhanov (7-3) at DREAM.1 to advance to the Grand Prix’s second round. 

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Nakamura Brushing Up on Boxing

UFC middleweight Kazuhiro Nakamura (11-7) revealed on his blog today that the judoka-turned-fighter is brushing up on the sweet science.

Nakamura is training with Japanese cruiserweight boxer Ryosuke Takahashi, a former Oriental & Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Cruiserweight Champion with a 17-5 boxing record.  The OPBF is a minor title under the World Boxing Council umbrella of 11 regional sanctioning federations.

Nakamura is set to battle Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked light heavyweight “The African Assassin” Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (4-2) in an all-judo showdown on the undercard of UFC 84.

Sokoudjou posted Tuesday on his blog that he’s training with Olympic judoka’s “Shango” Hector Lombard (15-2-1) of Cuba and Pawel Nastula (1-3) of Poland, evidently expecting his fight with Nakamura to be more of a demonstration of circle theory.

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Ortiz: Couture “My Hardest Fight”

In a Q’n'A with British Newspaper The Sun, Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked light heavyweight “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz claimed, “My hardest fight was with Randy Couture.  He beat me in a five-round decision and he took my championship belt from me and it really, really sucks.  I had so much training and it was a terrible loss.”

Ortiz and “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) cranked out five rounds in September 2003 while Ortiz was at the top of his game, having dispatched six consecutive challengers with names such as tenth-ranked light heavyweight “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1), Yuki Kondo (48-21-6), IFL Light Heavyweight Champion “The Janitor” Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3), and MMA pioneer “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock (26-13-2).

Ortiz also paid respects to Shamrock and Royce Gracie (14-3-3).

“The first thing I really looked at was Royce and Ken Shamrock - they were the two big names in the UFC, great athletes.

“Royce was the guy who was submitting all the wrestling guys with them being on top.

“I really look up to him - if it wasn’t for him our sport wouldn’t be where it is now. Royce, myself, Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell are the names that built the sport that is today.”

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“El Dirte” Dogged

The UFC has struck again, releasing middleweight “El Dirte” Joe Doerksen (39-12) Tuesday.

Doerksen was on the wrong end of “Knockout of the Night” versus “The Athlete” Jason MacDonald (20-9) 11 days ago in Montréal.

“(The UFC officials) made it very clear they’re very happy with the way I fight and they want me to come back,” Doerksen told Sportsnet.ca.  “But they need me to go put a couple of wins together (first).”

Doerksen joins fellow middleweights “The Serial Killer” Travis Lutter and Kalib Starnes in the unemployment line after fighting at UFC 83.

The 30-year old veteran made his UFC debut in August 2004, submitting on strikes to “Diesel” Joe Riggs (27-10).  Since, “El Dirte” is 1-5 in the organization and another loss in UFC brother promotion the WEC.

The bright spotlight has been too hot for Doerksen, but his docket lists “W’s” over Denis Kang (29-10-1), “Crippler” Chris Leben (18-4), Riki Fukuda (9-3), and “The Natural” John Alessio (22-11) on other stages.

“I’m sure I’ll be back again,” Doerkson said.

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DREAM.2 Quick Results

“Tobikan Judan” Shinya Aoki (15-2) won a unanimous decision over “JZ” Gesias Calvancante (14-2-1) in a Lightweight Grand Prix bout.

The rest of the card were fights in the Middleweight Grand Prix.

Gegard Mousasi (21-2-1) submitted Denis Kang (29-10-1) in a triangle choke at 3:10 of round one.

Taiei Kin (3-2) won a unaninmous decision over “The Punk” Ikuhisa Minowa (39-28-8).

“Benkei” Zelg Galesic (8-3) submitted Magomed Sultanakhmedov (4-2) by armbar at 1:40 of round one.

“The Gracie Hunter” Kazushi Sakuraba (24-10-1) sumbitted Andrews Nakahara (0-1) by neck crank at 8:20 of the first round.

“Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (8-1) submitted Ian Murphy (0-1) by rear naked choke at 3:38 of the first round.

Kiyoshi Tamura (32-14-1) TKO Masakatsu Funaki (38-13-1) in 57 seconds.

Dong Sik Yoon (4-4) won a unanimous decision over Shungo Oyama (7-11).

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Yamamiya Upsets Kondo, Shoji Barely Hangs On in Tokyo

Sunday night, Differ Ariake in Tokyo hosted the latest installment of Pancrase.

Light heavyweight Grabaka striker Keiichiro Yamamiya (33-22-9) scored a second consecutive upset, this time going long with veteran Yuki Kondo (48-21-6).   The judges called a majority decision in Yamamiya’s favor by scores of 30-29 twice and 30-30.

In December, Yamamiya won an upset unanimous decision over Ryo Kawamura (8-2-2).

Pancrase crowned a new King at welterweight when Takuya Wada (17-8-8) won a unanimous decision over Jason Palacios (5-4).  Palacios was a late replacement for Frenchman Bryan Rafiq (5-2).

Lightweight King of Pancrase Shoji Maruyama (6-2-1) weathered a mat struggle with Koji Oishi (16-7-5) to retain his title by majority draw.  Judges scores were 30-29 for Oishi, 29-29, and 30-30.

“The Pink Typhoon” Yuji Hisamatsu (11-14-4) blew over Swede Matti Makela (9-6) by TKO at 4:52 of the first round.

“J-Taro” Masaya Takita (9-9-2) evened up his record with a second-round KO of Manabu Inoue (6-4-1) at 1:16.  “J-Taro” clocked Inoue clean with a knee strike as Inoue shot.

Middleweight warrior Ryuji Ohori (3-2) battled back from a pounding to submit Daisuke Watanabe (17-28-4) in an armbar at 4:46 of the second round.  It was Watanabe’s third consecutive defeat.

Team Sakuraba’s Wataru Takahashi submitted Yuko Sakaguchi in an armbar at 4:23 of round one.

Undefeated Djamal Kurbanov (3-0-1) and Katsuya Inoue (16-5-3) fought to a majority draw by scores of 30-29 for Inoue, 29-29, and 28-28.

Lightweight Steve Magdaleno (4-0-1) won a unanimous decision over Korean Il Gyu Park (1-1).

Featherweight Hirotoshi Saito (1-0) won a unanimous decision debut over Hayatao Shimizu.

Bantamweight Yasutomo Tanaka (5-1-3) submitted Motonobu Tezuka (6-3-1) by rear naked choke at 2:30 of round two.

In his pro debut, Takuya Eizumi (1-0) TKO’d featherweight Ryota Sasaki (0-2) at :43 of round two.

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The UFC’s Art of War

He who wishes to fight must first count the cost.  The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Remember the World Fighting Alliance?  Perhaps not since only a generously estimated 300,000 watched their last event, King of the Streets, on 22 July, 2006.

After an aggressive free agent signing campaign that netted the WFA Fighters.com’s first-ranked light heavyweight “Rampage” Quinton Jackson (28-6), third-ranked light heavyweight “The Dragon” Lyoto Machida (12-0), eighth-ranked heavyweight “Texas Crazy Horse” Heath Herring (28-13), tenth-ranked welterweight “Mayhem” Jason Miller (20-5), former WEC Lightweight Champion “Razor” Rob McCullough (15-4), WEC Featherweight Champion “California Kid” Urijah Faber (20-1), and veterans “The Law” Matt Lindland (20-5), “El Guapo” Bas Rutten (28-4-1), and “The Beastman” Marvin Eastman (15-7-1), the Las Vegas-based promotion folded and eventually sold-out to cross town competitor the UFC.

Marquee names and great fighters don’t equal guaranteed market share.  The 2006 WFA final hurrah sold just 2,300 tickets and an estimated 50,000 PPV buys.

Marquee names and great fighters do cost a lot of green.

You don’t have to be an MBA to realize high costs and low sales don’t add up.

Hold that thought for a moment.  Switch gears.

A lot of MMA fans are confused since the UFC started cutting weight from their fighter roster.

Perhaps it started when heavyweight “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic (23-6-2) was granted release from his contract in February.  In March, third-ranked heavyweight “Maine-iac” Tim Sylvia was also granted release.

Many of the UFC’s unranked, but popular fighters have been released in the last month, perhaps perfectly symbolized by the widely reported release of heavyweight prospect “Irish” Jake O’Brien (10-1).  Yesterday, “The Serial Killer” Travis Lutter (9-5) announced he had been released too, to the dismay of many fans.

OK, now hold both thoughts.  Let’s review a few facts.

Fact: Second-ranked heavyweight “The Natural” Randy Couture (16-8) is paid $250,000 per win in base salary by the UFC.  Couture thinks he’s so underpaid that he’s refused to continue fighting for that salary.

Fact: M-1 Global formed to promote fights for fifth-ranked heavyweight “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), but never produced an event due to Emelianenko’s prohibitive purse rendering any event immediately in the red, according to Adrenaline MMA CEO Monte Cox.

Fact: EliteXC offered Emelianenko $400,000 per win, which he turned down in favor of an undisclosed deal with Affliction.  (Emelianenko requested $2 million per fight according to ProElite Live Events President Gary Shaw.)

According to two of the most popular MMA promotions, somewhere between $250,000 and $400,000 is the market price for a top heavyweight.

But, the MMA market is more competitive than it ever has been and promotions are bidding up fighter purses.

Emelianenko eventually signed with Affliction for an undisclosed amount before Affliction has staged a single event.  Assume Emelianenko was offered more than $400,000 per win, beating EliteXC’s offer.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Emelianenko’s presence on a fight card guarantees he’ll make back the purse he’ll be paid.  Remember the WFA?

Promotions are in a rush to buy market share.  They have deep pockets and see MMA as a good investment.

Companies can buy market share, but they’ll pay a premium.  They’ll overpay for fighters who can’t deliver their salary in PPV buys.

UFC President Dana White knows the market is more competitive and saturated than ever before and competing promotions are willing to overpay for any fighter they can slap on a poster labeled “former UFC”.

The UFC can either try to outspend the competition buying-up and holding on to fighters; or, flood the market with fighters and let the competing promotions outbid each other into bankruptcy to feature “former UFC title contender Travis Lutter” at their next event.

The forum freaks who’re appalled White would release Lutter after two losses know they’re not going to shell out $44.95 to watch him gas after one round again.

But, Lutter isn’t going to bankrupt anyone.  It’s the big guys who’re the key to White’s strategy.

It’s the thinning UFC heavyweight class that’s confusing many fans.

White paid “Cro Cop” $1,050,000 to beat Eddie Sanchez (8-1), get mauled by “Napao” Gabriel Gonzaga (8-3), and nearly retire in the cage versus Cheick Kongo (11-4-1).  Can even the most loyal Filipovic fan contend White got his money’s worth?

White had to drop $200,000 every time tough Sylvia won, but Sylvia is one of the most disliked fighters in MMA.  The UFC couldn’t even headline the two-time champion’s third title challenge versus “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1) at UFC 81.  MMA rookie Brock Lesnar (1-1) was the main event.

Remember too, Emelianenko’s North American debut at PRIDE 32 broke no PPV or attendance records.

The heavyweight class salaries are irrational based on the revenues heavyweights generate.

White is chumming the MMA waters with fighters hoping sharks like Affliction, HDNet Fights, and EliteXC go on a feeding frenzy into bankruptcy like the WFA and BodogFight before them.

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Lutter Released From UFC

“The Serial Killer” Travis Lutter (9-5) announced on his MySpace blog this afternoon that his agent informed him yesterday he had been released from his UFC contract due to two consecutive losses.

Last week in Montréal Lutter was TKO’d on strikes by Fighters.com’s second-ranked middleweight “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3).

In February 2007, Lutter tapped out amidst furious elbows launched by Fighters.com’s first-ranked middleweight “Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4).

Lutter initially weighed-in two pounds overweight for his title shot versus Silva, which he won as a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter: The Comeback.  He couldn’t make the weight limit and the bout was changed to a non-title bout.

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Bowling Amazing in RFL Title Victory

Louisville-based Revolution Fight League has a new gem to polish in Welterweight Champion Roger Bowling (3-0).

After a brief tussle with former 170-pound titlist Shamar Bailey (8-1) of Indianapolis, Bowling and his two fists convinced the referee to stop the main event title fight in the first round at Broadbent Arena Saturday night.

With a resemblance to WEC Featherweight Champion “California Kid” Urijah Faber (20-1) and the Midwestern manners of fellow Cincinnatian “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3), Bowling pops off event posters often graced by bad tats and Mohawks.

At the initial bell in Lousiville, Bowling popped out of his corner windmilling combos, backing Bailey to the fence.  Bowling launched a right high kick as Bailey ducked to a single leg take down.  Bowling collapsed atop his opponent.

Bowling tagged Bailey on the mat; and, Bailey scrambled furiously out from beneath the young talent.  But, Bowling smelled blood and ran Bailey down, pounding lefts and rights until the referee called a stop to the fight.

Bowling dedicated his 170-pound title to his training team at Team G-Force.  The 24-year old’s future is likely at 155-pounds as he steps-up in competition.

For three five-minute rounds earlier in the night, bantamweights Orville Smith (9-0) of Indianapolis and Louisville’s own Josh Ferguson (2-1) matched each other’s tenacity, whether in Ferguson’s zone throwing mean leather or on Smith’s mat filing through submissions and dropping monster slams.

Their fight was a classic that neither warrior lost until the judges called it 29-8 twice and 28-29 for the visitor to L-town, Smith, by split decision.

Smith told the booing partisan crowd that the “W” capped-off a 50 hour work week.

Ferguson’s brother, featherweight “Boogieman” BJ Ferguson (1-0), avenged Josh’s loss with a unanimous decision over Brandon Bell (0-2) in an all-Kentucky slog.

Ferguson, unlike his brother, seemed more comfortable on the mat, shooting out at the initial bell and working a G’n'P offense inside Bell’s open guard.  Bell closed and tightened his guard and pegged Ferguson’s skull with elbows until Ferguson postured up and swung three looping lefts in return fire.

Bell walked up the cage to his feet.  Ferguson ran into a stiff jab, but managed to clinch up and land a knee to Bell’s head to break.

Bell countered aggressively with a 1-2-3 combo, but Ferguson clinched again and landed the same knee to Bell’s head.

In the second round, Ferguson consistently hammered Bell’s skull with a knee in the clinch.

Bell secured a body lock, but Ferguson dropped levels and slammed Bell.  Ferguson mounted, but got anxious for the death blow and attempted a premature armbar on his slippery opponent.  Bell rolled into Ferguson’s full guard and postured; but, Ferguson again swung his legs into an armbar.  Bell yanked free and scrambled into full mount.

Bell’s mount was clumsy and Ferguson found an Achilles lock; but again Bell scrambled free into Ferguson’s full guard.  The ref stood them after a period of inactivity.

Again, Ferguson knocked Bell’s noggin with a knee in the clinch.

Bell was gassed for the final chapter.  He managed a stiff right cross that drove Ferguson back on his heels; but, Bell advanced into Ferguson’s clinch and got nailed by that knee again, followed by a Ferguson double leg takedown that ended with Bell inside Ferguson’s full guard.

Ferguson attempted two more armbars before the final bell.

The judges’ scores were 30-27 twice and 29-28, all for Ferguson.

Featherweight Charles Nutt (2-1) of Rory Singer’s Georgia-based camp ruined Brandon Walker’s pro debut (0-1) when Nutt’s G’n'P barrage forced walker to surrender an arm for a first-round armbar tapout.

In heavyweight tussle to begin the night, rookie Mike Yanez (1-0) of Louisville took an overpowering and surprisingly agile brawl to Craig Schoonover (0-1).  Yanez followed a first-round haymaker to the clinch, took Schoonover to the mat, popped into full mount, and pounded until Schoonover surrendered an arm to an armbar at the cage.

Light heavyweights “C.T.” Craig Turner (1-0) in his pro debut and Derek Sawyer (1-3-1), both of Louisville, frustrated the crowd and the judges in a cycle that slowed to a Sunday stroll by round three.

Sawyer, a wrestler, would shoot, followed by a great sprawl by “C.T.”.  Sawyer would scramble into side control and easily pass Turner’s guard to full mount.  Then…nothing.

By round three, Turner would stand after stuffing Sawyer’s shot.  Then…nothing.

The judges scored it a split decision “W” for Turner 29-28 twice and 28-29.  I scored it 29-28 for Sawyer, but gave an “L” for anyone who paid to watch.

In amateur bouts, lightweight “The Machine” Tim Cook (0-0) of Louisville and Cincinnatian Nick Moeler (0-0) had a ground war for two three-minute rounds before the judges decided it 29-28 for the homeboy, Cook.  Both fighters came to battle.

Lightweight Johnny Cardona (0-0) of Miami whooped Lane Splawn (0-0) in a 1:56 TKO.  Splawn assumed turtle guard and Cardona hammered fists through Splawn’s defense until the referee stopped the bout.  Cardona shined on the amateur portion of the event.

After controversy in the first round, when Joe Heink (0-0) caught Isaiah Combs (0-0) in an armbar, but released it thinking his opponent had tapped, Heink secured a guillotine choke to tap Combs in the second round.  Heink won the RFL amateur welterweight title.

Liddell-style Lohawk-sporting Josh Ball (0-0) of Louisville wriggled free of a heel hook to pound Tommy Wales (0-0) to a first-round TKO.

Featherweight Rob Smith (0-0) was too slick for boxer Billy Smith (0-0) of Louisville.  He shot for a single leg, transitioned to a double leg slam, landing in the half mount. R. Smith worked a choke to tap out B. Smith just over a minute into round one.

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