The 10 Biggest Mistakes in MMA
More boners
Jake Rossen Mar 20, 2007
Murilo Bustamante (Pictures) leaves UFC for leaner
pastures
Following his victory over Matt Lindland (Pictures) at UFC 37, Murilo Bustamante (Pictures) was considered a pound-for-pound great in the sport. Though he dropped a close bout with Chuck Liddell (Pictures), Bustamante rattled off consecutive victories against both Dave Menne (Pictures) and Lindland to obtain and defend the UFC's middleweight title, respectively.
Though his financial offer to stay in the UFC was considerable,
Bustamante chose to export himself over to PRIDE … where he
promptly dropped three bouts in a row, effectively killing his
momentum as a potential icon in the sport.
Had he remained in the UFC, it's likely he would've benefited from more competitive matchmaking and a slightly more shallow talent pool. Glory doesn't pay the bills, but neither does losing.
You'd be hard pressed to find a more put-upon individual than Kevin Randleman (Pictures), the self-appointed Mr. Bean of martial arts.
His first miscalculation came during the hours leading up to UFC 24's main event, where Randleman was supposed to defend his heavyweight title against Pedro Rizzo (Pictures). Perhaps their collective mojo was too much for the arena; while warming up, Randleman slipped on some pipes and became the first UFC main eventer to get rushed to the hospital prior to his fight.
Gaffe number two came when Randleman was MIA for a UFC press conference, inviting the ire of noted grudge-bearer Dana White with his lack of notice or explanation. Not surprisingly, he was subsequently MIA for actual events.
There are other instances. Dropping Mark Coleman (Pictures) on his head in practice and inducing temporary paralysis; somehow finding a way to lose a bout with Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) despite using the aforementioned move. But the pinnacle of Randleman gaffes remains his October drug test for the NSAC, where he submitted "animal or non-living human" urine in order to conceal God-knows-what in his own discharge.
Considering that rap sheet, some might believe it's hard to be a Kevin Randleman (Pictures) fan. I say it's hard not to be.
Anjoh challenges Rickson to dojo fight
Imagine you're a celebrated professional wrestler. Your superiors in the UWFi convince you it would be a fantastic career move to travel abroad to America, storm a gym with cameras, and demand a dojo match with Rickson Gracie on the spot.
Despite his anemic professional record, Rickson — the official, unofficial champion of the Gracie family — is still not an individual for whom restraint comes easily. And if your fight skills were honed in steel chair matches, the next five minutes of your life are apt to be traumatic indeed.
Angered over what he perceived as a personal slight, Gracie locked himself and Anjoh in a room and proceeded to make Anjoh's dentist a very rich man. Japanese newspapers ran photos of Anjoh looking like he was auditioning for an Elephant Man remake; he later returned to California and proffered apologies.
Liddell's wake-up call
The culture of celebrity is a very tightly wound machine. Actors and athletes rarely open their mouths unless they've been advised by lawyers, publicists, and, in the case of substance-abusing performers, their talking dog.
That's why it was so strange to see current cover story Chuck Liddell (Pictures) show up for a Dallas morning show looking as though he had just been dosed with an animal tranquilizer. Mumbling incoherently, Liddell mentioned Vernon White and Tommy Morrison as viable opponents. At one point, he fell asleep.
Even if he had been alert, Liddell's appearance was disarming: he was on a publicity tour for the movie 300, with only the most tenuous of connections to the film. (Spartans were the "ultimate fighters" of 480 BC. Get it?)
In the end, 300 opened to a record $70 million weekend gross and Liddell got a likely riot act from UFC brass. While no one looks forward to a time when MMA athletes are as inaccessible as ball-wielding egomaniacs, it wouldn't hurt to have a little supervision … especially when a camera is pointed in your direction.
Ibrahim goes chin-for-chin with Fujita
Most of the accomplished wrestlers in MMA have their best grappling years in their rearview mirrors. Mark Coleman (Pictures) was a 1992 Olympic contender; Matt Lindland (Pictures) won the Silver seven years ago.
In contrast, Karam Ibrahim (Pictures) was right off the badass assembly line, having won the Gold in Greco-Roman wrestling at the summer 2004 Olympic Games. Six months later, he was in a K-1 ring as the opposition for Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures).
It seemed academic that Ibrahim would shoot for a takedown as soon as possible. Instead, fans watched incredulously as the newly minted Olympian traded blows with Fujita, finally taking one on the jaw that turned off his power. By way of analogy, consider what would happen if Lennox Lewis entered the game and decided to go for an ankle pick thirty seconds in.
It just ain't right.
For comments, email [email protected]
Following his victory over Matt Lindland (Pictures) at UFC 37, Murilo Bustamante (Pictures) was considered a pound-for-pound great in the sport. Though he dropped a close bout with Chuck Liddell (Pictures), Bustamante rattled off consecutive victories against both Dave Menne (Pictures) and Lindland to obtain and defend the UFC's middleweight title, respectively.
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Had he remained in the UFC, it's likely he would've benefited from more competitive matchmaking and a slightly more shallow talent pool. Glory doesn't pay the bills, but neither does losing.
The Randleman trifecta
You'd be hard pressed to find a more put-upon individual than Kevin Randleman (Pictures), the self-appointed Mr. Bean of martial arts.
His first miscalculation came during the hours leading up to UFC 24's main event, where Randleman was supposed to defend his heavyweight title against Pedro Rizzo (Pictures). Perhaps their collective mojo was too much for the arena; while warming up, Randleman slipped on some pipes and became the first UFC main eventer to get rushed to the hospital prior to his fight.
Gaffe number two came when Randleman was MIA for a UFC press conference, inviting the ire of noted grudge-bearer Dana White with his lack of notice or explanation. Not surprisingly, he was subsequently MIA for actual events.
There are other instances. Dropping Mark Coleman (Pictures) on his head in practice and inducing temporary paralysis; somehow finding a way to lose a bout with Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) despite using the aforementioned move. But the pinnacle of Randleman gaffes remains his October drug test for the NSAC, where he submitted "animal or non-living human" urine in order to conceal God-knows-what in his own discharge.
Considering that rap sheet, some might believe it's hard to be a Kevin Randleman (Pictures) fan. I say it's hard not to be.
Anjoh challenges Rickson to dojo fight
Imagine you're a celebrated professional wrestler. Your superiors in the UWFi convince you it would be a fantastic career move to travel abroad to America, storm a gym with cameras, and demand a dojo match with Rickson Gracie on the spot.
Despite his anemic professional record, Rickson — the official, unofficial champion of the Gracie family — is still not an individual for whom restraint comes easily. And if your fight skills were honed in steel chair matches, the next five minutes of your life are apt to be traumatic indeed.
Angered over what he perceived as a personal slight, Gracie locked himself and Anjoh in a room and proceeded to make Anjoh's dentist a very rich man. Japanese newspapers ran photos of Anjoh looking like he was auditioning for an Elephant Man remake; he later returned to California and proffered apologies.
Liddell's wake-up call
The culture of celebrity is a very tightly wound machine. Actors and athletes rarely open their mouths unless they've been advised by lawyers, publicists, and, in the case of substance-abusing performers, their talking dog.
That's why it was so strange to see current cover story Chuck Liddell (Pictures) show up for a Dallas morning show looking as though he had just been dosed with an animal tranquilizer. Mumbling incoherently, Liddell mentioned Vernon White and Tommy Morrison as viable opponents. At one point, he fell asleep.
Even if he had been alert, Liddell's appearance was disarming: he was on a publicity tour for the movie 300, with only the most tenuous of connections to the film. (Spartans were the "ultimate fighters" of 480 BC. Get it?)
In the end, 300 opened to a record $70 million weekend gross and Liddell got a likely riot act from UFC brass. While no one looks forward to a time when MMA athletes are as inaccessible as ball-wielding egomaniacs, it wouldn't hurt to have a little supervision … especially when a camera is pointed in your direction.
Ibrahim goes chin-for-chin with Fujita
Most of the accomplished wrestlers in MMA have their best grappling years in their rearview mirrors. Mark Coleman (Pictures) was a 1992 Olympic contender; Matt Lindland (Pictures) won the Silver seven years ago.
In contrast, Karam Ibrahim (Pictures) was right off the badass assembly line, having won the Gold in Greco-Roman wrestling at the summer 2004 Olympic Games. Six months later, he was in a K-1 ring as the opposition for Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures).
It seemed academic that Ibrahim would shoot for a takedown as soon as possible. Instead, fans watched incredulously as the newly minted Olympian traded blows with Fujita, finally taking one on the jaw that turned off his power. By way of analogy, consider what would happen if Lennox Lewis entered the game and decided to go for an ankle pick thirty seconds in.
It just ain't right.
For comments, email [email protected]
