I guess no one is more self-obsessed then the online MMA media. I made one little passing critique on Zach Arnold and the next day I’m reading highlights on other sites that say I “blasted” him or “slammed him”. Doesn’t anyone remember I mentioned Josh Gross? I can’t even sit through Sherdog’s stuff, I at least read Zach’s gloom and doom. Or listen to it on Podcast. Man, you guys are sardonic. For the record, I never called Zach the devil. I just pointed out he’s a little negative about some stuff that isn’t so bad all the time. Zach pointed this out in an interview Caleb from Fightworks Podcast he did months back that the “controversy sells”. And I know Zach’s defense is the Pride thing. He’s right, he was reporting that, and he was right. But I’m not one of the “hardcore PRIDE forever fans”. I never mentioned Pride. I was talking about everything gloomy since April and UFC. Oh the heck with it. After this week, I wanna see Zach run UFC. Trouble is brewin’.

Onto the real work. I had so much fun doing Comment Army of One last week, I thought I’d bring it back. Initially I was going to pick a different site to bombard with my thoughts on each article. The problem is I seem to have become addicted to commenting on Five Ounces of Pain, so Fightlinker and Luke Thomas, you’ll have to wait until next week (They didn’t reply because they’ve never heard of me). Here we go, and maybe this week we’ll get Sam to play along:

UFC 78 Fight card – UPDATED Version 3
“I’m excited for this card. It’s taken alot of crap, but giving it the once over, it’s an interesting night to me. Bisping vs Evans matches to fighters i like. I don’t care about the hype surrounding whether they did or didn’t win there last fights or pro/con rematch fight arguments. None of that has anything to do with this fight, and these two obviously both have futures as semi-name to name talent. This is a good test for now to see where they’re at, it might decide Bisping dropping down, and it will most likely give us a verdict on how many years Evans has before he truly seen as a main event.
Houston Alexander gets a challenge up a scale from where he was, but not yet top five. This is exactly why I don’t want rankings or it having effects on booking fights. This was a match up based on the way the company and the fans read the lay of the land. It was done on “feel”, and it’s a good test for Alexander. I’d like to see him dropped to the ground, because winning standing up moves him forward, but also makes the questions louder.
I’m not doing judo throws over Parisyan vs Chonan, but at least I know Chonan, and know he’s not a bum. This is really just a midcard test for Karo, but I loves me some Karo, so I’ll be happy to watch the artistic portion of this competition.
Frankie Edgar and Spencer Fisher. This match should go on first. Much like pro wrestling (when WCW existed and had its head on straight) you need a hot opener that will excite people, but not kill them for the rest of the show. Wrestling had the cruiserweights, and MMA has the 155s. Last show had a great lightweight match to set the tone, and I don’t think this should be any different. Doesn’t matter who wins, cause it’ll be great either way.
Ed Herman vs David Terrel is a good second match. It’s the one I’m least interested in, but am interest. Alot of people know Herman from TUF. Many hardcores know Terrell and wanna follow him coming back hopefully with success.
I know this is a nickel priced look at it, but it’s a good card. I don’t think my satellite dish-owning casual fan neighbor will buy it, but it’ll make them money. Besides, I don’t see most fans bitching because of business. Hardcore fans by percentage are worried about the opening match pairing, an obscure guy not making the show, and their perception of the main. I don’t see any of those being a problem here.”

Anderson Silva is a class act (video)
-reacting to comment on UFC putting card in Cinci. As unfair to Silva: “I think the fight being in Cincinnati can be seen a sports or simulated sport (referring to Pro Wrestling) tactic of achieving a hot crowd. How is bad karma to be a promoter and want a sellout at the gate and an excited crowd that wants to see a title change. The dynamic only works if the challenger is in his hometown. Ever seen Rocky? There’s alot of sports movies out there that people get emotionally wrapped up in because of this kind of detail work. It’s done all the time to drive up business in wrestling (or it was, not so much anymore). This is another example of where I feel egotistical White gets a bad wrap, and if you defend him you become a UFC homer and a “TUF newb”. It’s not that I’m saying you are, paddiosf (previous comment above), but it’s the general “hardcore” fan thing to do. Alot of times I think the hardcore fan thing to do becomes pretentious, because if you were all so involved, SHOOTO would be selling hundreds of thousands of DVDs over hear and Jordan Breen would have a job with Yahoo, not Kevin Iole
Now, I wanna see Silva win too, and if he does, can we finally give him some love. He’s the definition of an underrated fighter who people call overrated, and yet he has the BELT! Please drop down, HENDO, cause I think Silva can stay with him, and who knows, maybe even win. I like Rich Franklin, he’s an excellent rep for UFC, but if Silva could speak English and talk trash, wouldn’t we be hearing how badass and unstoppable he’s looked this year? It’s not 2003, I don’t wanna hear about how he lost then. We’re all better at what we do 4 years later.

The agile and mobile Tim Sylvia (video)
Begins with previous quote: “ ‘Vera once stated that he was gonna hold the UFC heavyweight and lt. heavyweight titles at the same time………statements like that tend to make me think that Vera DOES think he is better than he really is.’
Understood, but in giving interviews, especially after fights (where I saw Vera make that statement, is he being self-deluded and egotistical, or is he being a savy self promoter. He said just a month or two ago the person he wants most is Chuck Liddell, yet Vera fights heavyweight. And granted he’s not a huge heavyweight and could drop down, but isn’t it the savy thing to call out one of Dana’s boys and get noticed?”

Franklin talks UFC 77 rematch with Silva (video)
“Two things Sam. Is it that Okami vs Silva isn’t a money match, or that the American public isn’t progressive enough with MMA or culturally in general to sit through a possible technical mat based match with two foreigners? It’s no that i think the match is marquee or main event, but if it was third from the top out of six, would they book it. Neither guy speaks English, and every time Silva’s interpreter talks I get the feeling the producers lower the volume in the venue for fear a a section of racist catcalls.
Secondly, I worry about Rich Franklin here because I think he’s an extremely talented fighter who is top level, but just can’t beat Silva. And I worry because mentally I think he may be similar to Georges St. Pierre, especially with Matt Hughes (or maybe coming back against Koss). I think it’s a head chess game with himself, and I don’t know if you still feel the way you did back when you and Luke Thomas got into that on a preview show in August, but it’s the one time I really wanted to get you on the phone and yell at you. I don’t think an athlete is a “head case” for seeing a sports Psychologist, and in fact thing more people, especially athletes, should see them, or at least really talk alot with close friends and be more open. I know that promotes emotions, maybe crying and hugs, but I think thats healthy for a fighter to be in touch with. I think Franklin should see someone, and I think he’s battling a self confidence scare, and he’s losing.”

NOTE: As of Sunday evening, Caplan had not responded to this comment. Obviously he’s in Dana Whites pocket. OBVIOUSLY!! Another TUF Newb who didn’t get into this sport like the rest of us, through osmosis at birth.

Couture interviewed on SportsCenter (video)

“A PR company would be a good idea, and I actually think Meltzer reported in his print Observer publication that they had a few weeks back (nothing to do with this), though it could be advertising. If anyone remembers, please clarify.
The problem is that Dana insists on being the face of the company, and the brothers Fertitta are happy to let him be. I don’t see Dana being the personality type to take direction from consultants, and I don’t see the Lorenzo Fertitta ultimately making the call to pull Dana.
Sam will get this more then most, but it’s like Jim Fergosi in 1993 with Mitch Williams. Alot of people forget he got the save record that year with something like 46 saves. He’s been on the hill to clinch against Atlanta (the best team in baseball that year in my opinion), but in the final game, we all knew watching at home he was gonna screw up against Joe Carter. Fergosi wouldn’t pull him though. It took me well into my twenties to understand why. Dana, like William, brought them to the dance. They sink or swim with Dana.”

E-mail John Philapavage at johnnyp@mmaopinion.com

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