UFC 61: An Announcement to Remember
Jake Rossen Jul 11, 2006
Fair’s fair. Quick as I am to lament the UFC’s recent rash of
previously viewed fights, celebration of mediocre talent, and
tightly clutched purse strings — ever the envy of Mister Burns —
I’m as expedient in commenting on a job well done.
I’m not speaking of UFC 61 as a whole, which was clearly a disappointing addition to the promotion’s event library. Seemingly drowned amid the chorus of boos and disenchanted ticket holders was the announcement that we might conceivably bear witness to the unification of two world championship titles in November.
For Internet-savvy mixed martial arts fans, seeing Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) and Chuck Liddell (Pictures) snarl at one another in the
Octagon was probably akin to the cold sweat proffered by comic
diehards when Superman and Spider-Man crossed paths in 1976. It’s
the kind of fever-dream meeting that seemed destined for customized
video game encounters, or perhaps as part of an action figure melee
on someone’s shelf.
As most everyone is aware, the lurid politics of the fight business often conspire to squash such plans before they ever materialize. Promoters spend small fortunes “branding” athletes with great care and discretion; if someone is to defeat them, it stands to reason it would need to be a fighter that promoter can then profit from. Having someone run in, bloody your poster boy, and then take the next redeye overseas might make the crowd happy, but it’s poison to the bottom line.
This isn’t Silva on a losing streak: this is an athlete fresh off a knockout against mammoth heavyweight Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures). Likewise, this isn’t a Liddell freshly pummeled by Couture. This is a Liddell with a laundry list of KOs against revered competition.
Both men are arguably in their respective primes.
Questions arise: with Silva such an unknown commodity in the States, will the UFC be forced to broker barker shows that essentially have to play up PRIDE as a force in the MMA landscape? (If Japan is marketed as the site of second-tier athletics, audience interest in Silva being imported would obviously crumble.) Regardless of who wins, will Liddell be obligated to return overseas for a rematch? If Silva should happen to obliterate Liddell and two other challengers, how will the UFC recover? And how will PRIDE capitalize on a new awareness of their product?
Worse: the bumpy road en route to the bout. Not only does Liddell have to get by Renato Sobral (Pictures) in August (and that’s no short order), he’ll have to emerge injury-free. Silva will have to expect the same with the Grand Prix finals in September. One would imagine the risks for damage go up when prospective opponents will outweigh you by up to 30 pounds.
A smarter strategy may have been to hold off on public disclosure until after the Sept. 10 PRIDE event, to gauge the health of both men. That way, the anticipation for the fight isn’t drowned in “Ifs.” But considering the outcome of the Shamrock-Ortiz smash-up, I don’t blame Dana White for his rush to deliver some good news.
All of this second-guessing is akin to weighing the consequences of skydiving. If your parachute doesn’t open, you might bite it. With the UFC’s ferocious sense of territory on display in the past year, it’s refreshing to see them take some creative chances. This is exactly the adrenaline rush that was needed.
Foreign Goods, Fragile: Arlovski
Few people expect to get something for nothing, especially fight promoters. Silva’s presence seems to indicate that PRIDE will expect the Ultimate to compensate in some fashion.
The obvious choice is Andrei Arlovski (Pictures). Losing the series to Tim Sylvia (Pictures) by a 2-1 margin (or is that 1-2?), the scruffy Belarusian has nowhere to go but down in the States. A fourth bout with Sylvia, even in a rematch-happy UFC, would be numbing.
Allowing Arlovski to pick off contenders for Sylvia would make a similar lack of sense. Strange as it may seem, there really isn’t a berth for the former champion in the division.
Overseas is another matter. With a fresh crop of opponents and some new tools at his disposal, Arlovski could deliver on long-held speculation regarding his chances against Mirko Filipovic (Pictures) and even Fedor. Japanese fans seem likely to embrace his persona, that of a hulking foreigner with crazy facial décor.
The shipment would be win/win for Zuffa: Arlovski goes on a winning streak and their No. 2 heavyweight beat PRIDE’s elite. He loses, and, hey … it’s not like he’s the champ.
Zuffa’s argument for would be DSE’s argument against, of course: getting a knocked-off former title holder in exchange for the domineering Silva is a lopsided transaction. In Zuffa’s defense, DSE still has to account for their “borrowing” of Liddell and Ricco Rodriguez (Pictures) in 2003. This would square things up nicely.
Shamrock-Ortiz, Part Deux
To the surprise of no one, Ken Shamrock (Pictures) was obliterated at the hands of the younger, more explosive Tito Ortiz (Pictures) in the penultimate main event Saturday. I admit to getting caught up in the hype generated by the rivalry. And though I know it was an inevitable early night for Shamrock, I still felt a buzz when he came charging out, swinging for the bleachers in a last-ditch effort at glory.
That Ortiz collected him and deposited his aging, aching musculature on the canvas was no great feat. That he then delivered a series of unanswered, undefended elbows was par for the course. That both the crowd and Shamrock found them lacking in punctuation for this endless “feud” was pure torture.
Contrasted with the gore on display earlier in the Edwards-Stevenson fight, with Yves spurting blood like a lawn sprinkler from Hell, it may have seemed premature. But crucial to referee Herb Dean (Pictures)’s decision to stop the bout was the elevation of Shamrock’s head off the canvas, which allowed his cranium to snap back with ominous possibilities.
The blows were clean, powerful and dangerous. After seeing Shamrock reduced to the fetal position at the hands of limp-wristed Sakuraba, it’s fairly clear that his reaction time — like his career — is past its expiration date.
Making matters worse was Ortiz’s insistence on braying about a rubber match, inciting the crowd to revolt at his gross stab for another paycheck. I don’t blame him. Ortiz is doing what anyone would do in a sport where your career can end in an instant — taking seven figures to beat up a shot opponent must be a highly coveted slot.
An open plea to Tito: those markers have been called in. Get on with the business at hand, which is likely to be a stare down with the winner of Silva-Liddell.
Both Shamrock and the UFC will be tempted to parlay the controversial stoppage into another fight of two for the vet. But unless they can lure in Tank Abbott for that grudge match, I’d advise against it. If anyone were to be seriously injured in the UFC, I would wager that it would come at the expense of an aging athlete trying to square up with the new breed.
Misc.
Two years ago, Frank Mir (Pictures) seemed to be the UFC’s best candidate for a well-spoken, personable heavyweight to attract the masses. How times have changed. Mir’s performance was indefensible. If his injury has barred him from performing at a competitive level, both he and the UFC need to acknowledge that. I don’t begrudge anyone making a living, but not when it comes at the expense of a crowd spending their collective millions on entertainment. …
With talk that Sean Sherk (Pictures) is having trouble luring an opponent into the ring to compete for the lightweight title, it might be preferable to look at two other athletes to fill the slots. I’m dismissive of the idea of giving someone an automatic look at a belt simply because they’re dropping weight and “should” be a monster. Kenny Florian (Pictures), Mark Hominick (Pictures), and even Joe Stevenson (Pictures) have done more to merit the opportunity; Jens Pulver (Pictures) never actually dropped the gold. That’s four far ahead of Sherk in the worth department. …
During the Sylvia-Arlovski main event, Showtime ran the first of what should be several airings of the WFA’s preview show leading up their debut on the 22nd. It was well produced, with both Quinton Jackson (Pictures) and Bas Rutten (Pictures) emerging as strong personalities. I previously begrudged the WFA for lacking in basic cable exposure, so crucial in building a PPV audience. But with rumors that Showtime will be leaping into the free-fight market, I may have underestimated Lappen and Co. …
Then again, the UFC may overestimate their guile. Jeff Thaler of Whaledog.com broke news over the weekend that Lappen was escorted out by security at the UFC despite brandishing his ticket. I’d love to have UFC brass comment on the situation, but their reluctance to speak to media on the record is, as ever, a stumbling block.
For comments, email [email protected].
I’m not speaking of UFC 61 as a whole, which was clearly a disappointing addition to the promotion’s event library. Seemingly drowned amid the chorus of boos and disenchanted ticket holders was the announcement that we might conceivably bear witness to the unification of two world championship titles in November.
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As most everyone is aware, the lurid politics of the fight business often conspire to squash such plans before they ever materialize. Promoters spend small fortunes “branding” athletes with great care and discretion; if someone is to defeat them, it stands to reason it would need to be a fighter that promoter can then profit from. Having someone run in, bloody your poster boy, and then take the next redeye overseas might make the crowd happy, but it’s poison to the bottom line.
The mechanics of signing Silva are not to be underestimated. A bout
of this magnitude usually doesn’t happen until athletes have
nothing else to lose, or promoters nothing else to gain. Mike Tyson
and Lennox Lewis would’ve been a compelling bout in 1995. By 2002,
it lost much of its shine. Royce
Gracie (Pictures) took 11 years to return to the
UFC. Shamrock, six. By the time they strolled on back, time and
mileage conspired against them.
This isn’t Silva on a losing streak: this is an athlete fresh off a knockout against mammoth heavyweight Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures). Likewise, this isn’t a Liddell freshly pummeled by Couture. This is a Liddell with a laundry list of KOs against revered competition.
Both men are arguably in their respective primes.
Questions arise: with Silva such an unknown commodity in the States, will the UFC be forced to broker barker shows that essentially have to play up PRIDE as a force in the MMA landscape? (If Japan is marketed as the site of second-tier athletics, audience interest in Silva being imported would obviously crumble.) Regardless of who wins, will Liddell be obligated to return overseas for a rematch? If Silva should happen to obliterate Liddell and two other challengers, how will the UFC recover? And how will PRIDE capitalize on a new awareness of their product?
Worse: the bumpy road en route to the bout. Not only does Liddell have to get by Renato Sobral (Pictures) in August (and that’s no short order), he’ll have to emerge injury-free. Silva will have to expect the same with the Grand Prix finals in September. One would imagine the risks for damage go up when prospective opponents will outweigh you by up to 30 pounds.
A smarter strategy may have been to hold off on public disclosure until after the Sept. 10 PRIDE event, to gauge the health of both men. That way, the anticipation for the fight isn’t drowned in “Ifs.” But considering the outcome of the Shamrock-Ortiz smash-up, I don’t blame Dana White for his rush to deliver some good news.
All of this second-guessing is akin to weighing the consequences of skydiving. If your parachute doesn’t open, you might bite it. With the UFC’s ferocious sense of territory on display in the past year, it’s refreshing to see them take some creative chances. This is exactly the adrenaline rush that was needed.
Foreign Goods, Fragile: Arlovski
Few people expect to get something for nothing, especially fight promoters. Silva’s presence seems to indicate that PRIDE will expect the Ultimate to compensate in some fashion.
The obvious choice is Andrei Arlovski (Pictures). Losing the series to Tim Sylvia (Pictures) by a 2-1 margin (or is that 1-2?), the scruffy Belarusian has nowhere to go but down in the States. A fourth bout with Sylvia, even in a rematch-happy UFC, would be numbing.
Allowing Arlovski to pick off contenders for Sylvia would make a similar lack of sense. Strange as it may seem, there really isn’t a berth for the former champion in the division.
Overseas is another matter. With a fresh crop of opponents and some new tools at his disposal, Arlovski could deliver on long-held speculation regarding his chances against Mirko Filipovic (Pictures) and even Fedor. Japanese fans seem likely to embrace his persona, that of a hulking foreigner with crazy facial décor.
The shipment would be win/win for Zuffa: Arlovski goes on a winning streak and their No. 2 heavyweight beat PRIDE’s elite. He loses, and, hey … it’s not like he’s the champ.
Zuffa’s argument for would be DSE’s argument against, of course: getting a knocked-off former title holder in exchange for the domineering Silva is a lopsided transaction. In Zuffa’s defense, DSE still has to account for their “borrowing” of Liddell and Ricco Rodriguez (Pictures) in 2003. This would square things up nicely.
Shamrock-Ortiz, Part Deux
To the surprise of no one, Ken Shamrock (Pictures) was obliterated at the hands of the younger, more explosive Tito Ortiz (Pictures) in the penultimate main event Saturday. I admit to getting caught up in the hype generated by the rivalry. And though I know it was an inevitable early night for Shamrock, I still felt a buzz when he came charging out, swinging for the bleachers in a last-ditch effort at glory.
That Ortiz collected him and deposited his aging, aching musculature on the canvas was no great feat. That he then delivered a series of unanswered, undefended elbows was par for the course. That both the crowd and Shamrock found them lacking in punctuation for this endless “feud” was pure torture.
Contrasted with the gore on display earlier in the Edwards-Stevenson fight, with Yves spurting blood like a lawn sprinkler from Hell, it may have seemed premature. But crucial to referee Herb Dean (Pictures)’s decision to stop the bout was the elevation of Shamrock’s head off the canvas, which allowed his cranium to snap back with ominous possibilities.
The blows were clean, powerful and dangerous. After seeing Shamrock reduced to the fetal position at the hands of limp-wristed Sakuraba, it’s fairly clear that his reaction time — like his career — is past its expiration date.
Making matters worse was Ortiz’s insistence on braying about a rubber match, inciting the crowd to revolt at his gross stab for another paycheck. I don’t blame him. Ortiz is doing what anyone would do in a sport where your career can end in an instant — taking seven figures to beat up a shot opponent must be a highly coveted slot.
An open plea to Tito: those markers have been called in. Get on with the business at hand, which is likely to be a stare down with the winner of Silva-Liddell.
Both Shamrock and the UFC will be tempted to parlay the controversial stoppage into another fight of two for the vet. But unless they can lure in Tank Abbott for that grudge match, I’d advise against it. If anyone were to be seriously injured in the UFC, I would wager that it would come at the expense of an aging athlete trying to square up with the new breed.
Misc.
Two years ago, Frank Mir (Pictures) seemed to be the UFC’s best candidate for a well-spoken, personable heavyweight to attract the masses. How times have changed. Mir’s performance was indefensible. If his injury has barred him from performing at a competitive level, both he and the UFC need to acknowledge that. I don’t begrudge anyone making a living, but not when it comes at the expense of a crowd spending their collective millions on entertainment. …
With talk that Sean Sherk (Pictures) is having trouble luring an opponent into the ring to compete for the lightweight title, it might be preferable to look at two other athletes to fill the slots. I’m dismissive of the idea of giving someone an automatic look at a belt simply because they’re dropping weight and “should” be a monster. Kenny Florian (Pictures), Mark Hominick (Pictures), and even Joe Stevenson (Pictures) have done more to merit the opportunity; Jens Pulver (Pictures) never actually dropped the gold. That’s four far ahead of Sherk in the worth department. …
During the Sylvia-Arlovski main event, Showtime ran the first of what should be several airings of the WFA’s preview show leading up their debut on the 22nd. It was well produced, with both Quinton Jackson (Pictures) and Bas Rutten (Pictures) emerging as strong personalities. I previously begrudged the WFA for lacking in basic cable exposure, so crucial in building a PPV audience. But with rumors that Showtime will be leaping into the free-fight market, I may have underestimated Lappen and Co. …
Then again, the UFC may overestimate their guile. Jeff Thaler of Whaledog.com broke news over the weekend that Lappen was escorted out by security at the UFC despite brandishing his ticket. I’d love to have UFC brass comment on the situation, but their reluctance to speak to media on the record is, as ever, a stumbling block.
For comments, email [email protected].
