Been a long time since I posted here. (Though I admit, I unexpectedly got a lot of mileage out of that "Warrior" review...) I'd written this as a sample for another project and it seemed fitting to include here. It's a look at the upcoming UFC on FOX main card tailored to those unfamiliar with the sport and its combatants. Let me know what you think.
UFC on FOX 2: Main Card Preview
The Ultimate Fighting Championship presents “UFC on FOX 2” on January 28th, 2012 from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The 11-bout card features a main event between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis and a restructured co-feature between Chael Sonnen and Michael Bisping. Three fights will air on the FOX network starting at 8pm EST while the prelim bouts air on Fuel. Here’s what to expect on fight night once the main card gets underway…
Rashad Evans vs. “Mr. Wonderful” Phil Davis
Two wrestlers step into the cage for the main event when Michigan State wrestling alumnus Rashad Evans meets Penn State wrestling standout Phil Davis at 205 lbs. Evans has a record of 16-1-1 while Davis is undefeated at a perfect 9-0. Evans last fought against Tito Ortiz at “UFC 133” and was victorious with a TKO in the second round. He was originally slated to fight Davis at that event but “Mr. Wonderful” bowed out with an injury, prompting Ortiz to take his place. Davis last fought in March of 2011 when he defeated Antonio Rogerio Noguiera by decision at “UFC Fight Night 34.” This is his first fight since the knee injury that canceled the initial Evans/Davis matchup.
When two wrestlers meet in the cage, their grappling often cancels out and the fight turns into a kickboxing battle. Rashad Evans is the more experienced fighter, has faster movement and has demonstrated knockout power against Sean Salmon and Chuck Liddell. Phil Davis is the larger and younger of the two men and a win over Evans elevates him into the top-five in the light-heavyweight rankings. Evans has more to lose because he is guaranteed a title shot against current champion Jon Jones with a victory while Davis has not been given such assurances. The fight is five rounds and a grueling decision for either man would not be surprising though Evans is favored. Evans and Jones have a longstanding rivalry and an Evans victory sets up a potentially lucrative Jones vs. Evans pay-per-view bout for the championship.
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael “The Count” Bisping
Two of the UFC’s most polarizing personalities clash at 185 lbs. when British fighter Michael Bisping squares off against Oregon wrestler Chael Sonnen to determine the number one contender to Anderson Silva’s middleweight championship. Sonnen’s original opponent Mark Munoz had to pull out due to an injury. Sonnen (26-11-1) is fresh off a dominant win against Brian Stann at “UFC 136” in October while Bisping (22-3-0) is making a quick turnaround following his victory over Jason Miller in December. Sonnen is looking for a rematch against Silva, who submitted him in August of 2010. Sonnen tested positive for PEDs following the loss and this is his second fight since coming off of suspension. Bisping just completed his second stint as a coach for the UFC’s “The Ultimate Fighter” TV series and earned himself a step-up in competition following his dismantling of Miller.
While both men have similar records, Sonnen has generally faced higher-ranked competition throughout his career and Bisping has come up short when facing higher-profile opponents. Bisping also tends to take fights personally and is easily offended by perceived disrespect. Sonnen is one of MMA’s most prolific trash-talkers so the pre-fight hype may work to his advantage. Bisping has shown excellent defensive grappling and underrated striking but his takedown defense has long been an Achilles heel and that is where Sonnen shines.
Damien Maia vs. Chris Weidman
Chris Weidman is stepping in on short notice to fight submission specialist Damien Maia after Maia’s original opponent Michael Bisping got promoted to the co-main event against Chael Sonnen. Weidman is undefeated in his seven-fight career but he has never faced a specialist the level of Damien Maia, who may have the best jiu-jitsu game in the middleweight division, if not the entire sport. Maia is 15-3-0 with submission wins over the likes of Chael Sonnen and Jason MacDonald.
While Weidman has a strong wrestling pedigree, it’s not in his best interests to take a ground-specialist like Maia to the floor. Maia has been knocked out standing up before so Weidman is likely to use his wrestling to keep the fight standing so he can batter Maia with strikes. Maia’s striking has greatly improved in his more recent bouts but it’s still the weakest part of his overall game. Maia may struggle with getting a wrestler of Weidman’s ability down but, if he does, look for him to try to finish quickly with an armbar or choke.
Striking Distance
A random view of mixed-martial-arts from the cheap seats
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Friday, August 12, 2011
"Warrior" Review
ALERT: Some minor spoilers contained here, but nothing that the trailer doesn't already allude to.
WARRIOR
Combat sports have always been tailor-made for cinema since conflict is the necessary engine for drama. Put two guys in a ring. Have them fight. One wins, one loses. In that simple setup, you have enough conflict to fill a film. It's quick to establish and easy to understand. Boxing has proven to be box office gold using this formula with the "Rocky" films, "Raging Bull," "Cinderella Man" and numerous other titles that centered their stories on those who must literally fight to survive both in and out of the ring.
In recent years, the ring has been replaced by the cage as mixed-martial-arts in general and the Ultimate Fighting Championship in particular have invaded the public consciousness. MMA fighters are becoming stars for the first time and UFC events are drawing higher attendance and higher pay-per-view buy rates than at any other time in the sport's short history. (The first UFC was in 1993 in front of less than 3,000 people.)
Hollywood's recent attempts to capture the attention of MMA fans have been middling at best. "Never Back Down" was an MTV-style "Karate Kid" ripoff while other entries into the new "MMA movie" genre were direct-to-DVD schlock fests. The closest thing to a respectable MMA film thus far has been David Mamet's "Redbelt" but MMA was more of a setting than a focus for the noirish movie about a jiu-jitsu instructor, which also fell off the rails a bit in the final act when the dialogue stopped and the fighting started.
"Warrior", the new film from director Gavin O'Conner starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte, looks to buck the trend by portraying the sport of mixed-martial-arts and the athletes that engage in it in a complex and respectful manner. Make no mistake about about it, "Warrior" is a fight film. It is a mixed-martial-arts fight film. But what separates it from others of its genre is that it works to be a great film first and have great fights second. As a director and co-writer, O'Conner understands that interesting characters are needed to make any fight compelling. Therefore, he focuses on the characters and their stories to such a degree that by the time they start coming into physical contact with each other, you care deeply about the outcome.
The film focuses its story on a broken family. Nick Nolte is Paddy, the reforming alcoholic father who is trying to atone for years of abuse with two sons who want nothing to do with him. Tommy (Tom Hardy) is a war veteran who is clearly battling personal demons of his own that are way more similar to his father's than he'd like to admit. Brendan (Joel Edgerton) is a physics teacher and family man who is simply trying to keep a roof over his wife and kids' heads in the midst of financial turmoil. Tommy and Brendan have issues of their own that aren't readily clear early on so it would be unfair to divulge them here. However, each of them turn to fighting as a way out of their personal misfortunes and then they find themselves in the same lucrative tournament with a "winner-take-all" $5,000,000 purse.
"Warrior" certainly relies on tried-and-true film formulas to get it from Point A to Point B but is also aware enough of those conventions to flip them here and there so you never get too comfortable with where the film is taking you. Issues like the recent financial crisis and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are used to fill in the main character's back stories and give them depth but it is a credit to the performances, writing and directing that these elements always feel genuine and never exploitative. When a banker (Noah Emmerich) explains how the terms of Brendan's home mortgage have changed and how they can't be readjusted, there is a genuine anger and sympathy that results because it feels real. Tommy's internal conflict stemming from the war also feels genuine and not simply a plot-device.
It's a tough line to walk when showcasing a sport so its fans are placated while also making a movie for a wider audience and "Warrior" exceeds all expectations in that regard. The film utilizes real MMA terminology and situations (like when Brendan competes in "smokers") without stopping to explain what they mean because the characters know what they mean and explaining it would make the movie feel unnatural. Audiences who don't know the sport don't need "smoker" explained to understand fully what's happening and why it's important so MMA fans will enjoy those little details while also not being overly catered to. (The audience doesn't need to know what an omoplata is to get that it's a bad idea to be trapped in one.) The use of MMA media personalities like Jon Anik and the Tapout crew also help make the events of the movie feel like they're happening in the real world. Koba, played by a silent and imposing Kurt Angle, is clearly based on Fedor Emelianenko while Mad Dog sports the look and basic fighting style of Chuck Liddell. Real fighters like Anthony Johnson and Nate Marquardt also spring up and make the fights feel authentic. The tournament itself, why it is set up and how it is funded are explained but not elaborated on so the film can justify how a major event exists that doesn't have the letters "UFC" attached to it. The UFC does exist in this film world and some of the film's humor is generated by the characters' wisecracks about the stereotypical UFC fan. Brendan had a brief run in the UFC per the film that is explained but never shown and his former trainer describes him as a ".500 fighter" in his heyday. This both gives Brendan legitimacy (he's not just coming into the sport off of his couch) while also maintaining his underdog likability. (His physics students get a real surprise once they realize their teacher is an ass-kicker. Or ass-kicked, as the case may be.)
The performances are all outstanding. Tom Hardy boils on the screen with an intensity and a torment that stays with the audience even when he isn't on camera. His scenes with Nolte in particular have a simmering tension that is palpable. Nolte is stellar here as a man who desperately wants redemption but is self-aware enough to know he probably doesn't deserve it. Right at the moment when you feel sorriest for Paddy, he reminds you why you shouldn't. It is a complex, lived-in and heart wrenching performance. Edgerton is the real star of the film and his character is the most fleshed-out since Hardy's is intended to be more mysterious by nature. He makes you feel Brendan's struggles as he's forced to decide what he will do to support his family and if blood money is worth collecting. Jennifer Morrison is in the "Adrian" role as Brendan's wife Tess and while her part in the story is somewhat formulaic, she plays it with warmth, compassion and worry. You feel for her when she stares at the phone and desperately waits for it to ring while Brendan's fighting since she can't bear to watch him.
Most fight films tell one story about one character. There's a hero to root for, a villain who is developed just enough to make him despicable, and then the standoff between the two at the end. "Warrior" tells parallel stories of two fighters and makes them both equally compelling for different reasons. It's no spoiler to say that the brothers do have a standoff against each other at some point. (The trailer itself makes that clear and I do think the trailer gives a bit too much away.) This is where the film shines. There is no real villain in this movie and the film is wise to avoid those types of conventions. (Angle's Koba is menacing and destructive but he's not a bad guy. He's just very, very good at what he does.) Brendan's a little more of a clear-cut protagonist with fewer "shades of grey" than Tommy or Paddy but the end-result is you want both brothers to succeed and you don't want either to get hurt. And that's the audience dilemma: You can't root for one without also rooting for the other's failure. One can't succeed without the demise (figuratively) of the other. Such is the life of two fighters.
There are some missed opportunities. Much is made of Paddy's ruthless training methods from when he'd trained Tommy as a youth but aside from one fantastic moment in a restaurant when Paddy first accepts his son's request to train him, you never see Paddy really preparing Tommy aside from a brief montage clip here or there. It feels more like Tommy is simply going alone while Paddy follows him around. Tommy's whole reason for having him there is to better himself athletically but you never see that come to fruition. The relationship with Brendan and his trainer Frank (Frank Grillo) fares better as you clearly see that Brendan would be nowhere as a fighter without Frank's influence and friendship. The fight scenes are exciting and well-shot but occasionally stretch belief. The film is wise to extend the tournament over two days to both A) divide up the punishment its main characters are enduring and B) allow for more dramatic moments to occur between fights. However, there are times when things happen that an athletic commission would NEVER allow in real competition and those moments in the movie both encourage MMA's false reputation as human cockfighting for those uninitiated and distract the MMA fans who will likely be thinking "Um, wouldn't the ref have stopped this ten minutes ago?" The movie is not gratuitously violent, but if a fighter cannot defend himself adequately, a fight will not continue in the real world. In the film world, they enjoy more leeway.
Many films set up difficult decisions for their lead characters only to balk at them at the end and I was expecting one of the brothers to suddenly have a change of heart on the course they had committed to. "Warrior" sets up a difficult quandary and actually makes the tough choices and commits to an ending. Two men enter. One wins. One loses. Such is the life of a fighter. For the audience, even if you're not a fight fan, it's a journey absolutely worth taking.
"Warrior" opens September 9th.
WARRIOR TRAILER:
WARRIOR
Combat sports have always been tailor-made for cinema since conflict is the necessary engine for drama. Put two guys in a ring. Have them fight. One wins, one loses. In that simple setup, you have enough conflict to fill a film. It's quick to establish and easy to understand. Boxing has proven to be box office gold using this formula with the "Rocky" films, "Raging Bull," "Cinderella Man" and numerous other titles that centered their stories on those who must literally fight to survive both in and out of the ring.
In recent years, the ring has been replaced by the cage as mixed-martial-arts in general and the Ultimate Fighting Championship in particular have invaded the public consciousness. MMA fighters are becoming stars for the first time and UFC events are drawing higher attendance and higher pay-per-view buy rates than at any other time in the sport's short history. (The first UFC was in 1993 in front of less than 3,000 people.)
Hollywood's recent attempts to capture the attention of MMA fans have been middling at best. "Never Back Down" was an MTV-style "Karate Kid" ripoff while other entries into the new "MMA movie" genre were direct-to-DVD schlock fests. The closest thing to a respectable MMA film thus far has been David Mamet's "Redbelt" but MMA was more of a setting than a focus for the noirish movie about a jiu-jitsu instructor, which also fell off the rails a bit in the final act when the dialogue stopped and the fighting started.
"Warrior", the new film from director Gavin O'Conner starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte, looks to buck the trend by portraying the sport of mixed-martial-arts and the athletes that engage in it in a complex and respectful manner. Make no mistake about about it, "Warrior" is a fight film. It is a mixed-martial-arts fight film. But what separates it from others of its genre is that it works to be a great film first and have great fights second. As a director and co-writer, O'Conner understands that interesting characters are needed to make any fight compelling. Therefore, he focuses on the characters and their stories to such a degree that by the time they start coming into physical contact with each other, you care deeply about the outcome.
The film focuses its story on a broken family. Nick Nolte is Paddy, the reforming alcoholic father who is trying to atone for years of abuse with two sons who want nothing to do with him. Tommy (Tom Hardy) is a war veteran who is clearly battling personal demons of his own that are way more similar to his father's than he'd like to admit. Brendan (Joel Edgerton) is a physics teacher and family man who is simply trying to keep a roof over his wife and kids' heads in the midst of financial turmoil. Tommy and Brendan have issues of their own that aren't readily clear early on so it would be unfair to divulge them here. However, each of them turn to fighting as a way out of their personal misfortunes and then they find themselves in the same lucrative tournament with a "winner-take-all" $5,000,000 purse.
"Warrior" certainly relies on tried-and-true film formulas to get it from Point A to Point B but is also aware enough of those conventions to flip them here and there so you never get too comfortable with where the film is taking you. Issues like the recent financial crisis and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are used to fill in the main character's back stories and give them depth but it is a credit to the performances, writing and directing that these elements always feel genuine and never exploitative. When a banker (Noah Emmerich) explains how the terms of Brendan's home mortgage have changed and how they can't be readjusted, there is a genuine anger and sympathy that results because it feels real. Tommy's internal conflict stemming from the war also feels genuine and not simply a plot-device.
It's a tough line to walk when showcasing a sport so its fans are placated while also making a movie for a wider audience and "Warrior" exceeds all expectations in that regard. The film utilizes real MMA terminology and situations (like when Brendan competes in "smokers") without stopping to explain what they mean because the characters know what they mean and explaining it would make the movie feel unnatural. Audiences who don't know the sport don't need "smoker" explained to understand fully what's happening and why it's important so MMA fans will enjoy those little details while also not being overly catered to. (The audience doesn't need to know what an omoplata is to get that it's a bad idea to be trapped in one.) The use of MMA media personalities like Jon Anik and the Tapout crew also help make the events of the movie feel like they're happening in the real world. Koba, played by a silent and imposing Kurt Angle, is clearly based on Fedor Emelianenko while Mad Dog sports the look and basic fighting style of Chuck Liddell. Real fighters like Anthony Johnson and Nate Marquardt also spring up and make the fights feel authentic. The tournament itself, why it is set up and how it is funded are explained but not elaborated on so the film can justify how a major event exists that doesn't have the letters "UFC" attached to it. The UFC does exist in this film world and some of the film's humor is generated by the characters' wisecracks about the stereotypical UFC fan. Brendan had a brief run in the UFC per the film that is explained but never shown and his former trainer describes him as a ".500 fighter" in his heyday. This both gives Brendan legitimacy (he's not just coming into the sport off of his couch) while also maintaining his underdog likability. (His physics students get a real surprise once they realize their teacher is an ass-kicker. Or ass-kicked, as the case may be.)
The performances are all outstanding. Tom Hardy boils on the screen with an intensity and a torment that stays with the audience even when he isn't on camera. His scenes with Nolte in particular have a simmering tension that is palpable. Nolte is stellar here as a man who desperately wants redemption but is self-aware enough to know he probably doesn't deserve it. Right at the moment when you feel sorriest for Paddy, he reminds you why you shouldn't. It is a complex, lived-in and heart wrenching performance. Edgerton is the real star of the film and his character is the most fleshed-out since Hardy's is intended to be more mysterious by nature. He makes you feel Brendan's struggles as he's forced to decide what he will do to support his family and if blood money is worth collecting. Jennifer Morrison is in the "Adrian" role as Brendan's wife Tess and while her part in the story is somewhat formulaic, she plays it with warmth, compassion and worry. You feel for her when she stares at the phone and desperately waits for it to ring while Brendan's fighting since she can't bear to watch him.
Most fight films tell one story about one character. There's a hero to root for, a villain who is developed just enough to make him despicable, and then the standoff between the two at the end. "Warrior" tells parallel stories of two fighters and makes them both equally compelling for different reasons. It's no spoiler to say that the brothers do have a standoff against each other at some point. (The trailer itself makes that clear and I do think the trailer gives a bit too much away.) This is where the film shines. There is no real villain in this movie and the film is wise to avoid those types of conventions. (Angle's Koba is menacing and destructive but he's not a bad guy. He's just very, very good at what he does.) Brendan's a little more of a clear-cut protagonist with fewer "shades of grey" than Tommy or Paddy but the end-result is you want both brothers to succeed and you don't want either to get hurt. And that's the audience dilemma: You can't root for one without also rooting for the other's failure. One can't succeed without the demise (figuratively) of the other. Such is the life of two fighters.
There are some missed opportunities. Much is made of Paddy's ruthless training methods from when he'd trained Tommy as a youth but aside from one fantastic moment in a restaurant when Paddy first accepts his son's request to train him, you never see Paddy really preparing Tommy aside from a brief montage clip here or there. It feels more like Tommy is simply going alone while Paddy follows him around. Tommy's whole reason for having him there is to better himself athletically but you never see that come to fruition. The relationship with Brendan and his trainer Frank (Frank Grillo) fares better as you clearly see that Brendan would be nowhere as a fighter without Frank's influence and friendship. The fight scenes are exciting and well-shot but occasionally stretch belief. The film is wise to extend the tournament over two days to both A) divide up the punishment its main characters are enduring and B) allow for more dramatic moments to occur between fights. However, there are times when things happen that an athletic commission would NEVER allow in real competition and those moments in the movie both encourage MMA's false reputation as human cockfighting for those uninitiated and distract the MMA fans who will likely be thinking "Um, wouldn't the ref have stopped this ten minutes ago?" The movie is not gratuitously violent, but if a fighter cannot defend himself adequately, a fight will not continue in the real world. In the film world, they enjoy more leeway.
Many films set up difficult decisions for their lead characters only to balk at them at the end and I was expecting one of the brothers to suddenly have a change of heart on the course they had committed to. "Warrior" sets up a difficult quandary and actually makes the tough choices and commits to an ending. Two men enter. One wins. One loses. Such is the life of a fighter. For the audience, even if you're not a fight fan, it's a journey absolutely worth taking.
"Warrior" opens September 9th.
WARRIOR TRAILER:
Monday, June 6, 2011
Controversy
The following video caused an uproar this past week as Showtime revealed a previously unseen conversation between boxing trainer Naazim Richardson and legendary boxer "Sugar" Shane Mosley between the 10th and 11th rounds of his recent championship fight against pound-for-pound kingpin Manny Pacquiao.
Mosley, well-renowned for his toughness and indomitable spirit, was trying to quit on his stool. More accurately, he was ordering Richardson to do it for him.
The video was used to promote the final installment of Showtime's "Fight Camp 360" that aired this past Saturday night. In the full clip, it is revealed that Mosley had felt a massive blister pop on his foot and was concerned about the resulting lack of mobility. Richardson, as he later explained, believed Mosley quitting on himself and getting out of the fight would be a decision that would haunt Shane for the rest of his life once the dust had settled and the fight was over. He also stressed to Shane afterward that he would never put him in danger and truly believed in Mosley's ability to finish the fight.
Richardson's been blasted by many in the media for not listening to Shane's demand to stop the fight between rounds, saying that decision belonged to the fighter and the fighter alone. Others have attacked Mosley for trying to quit during such a high-profile bout when his performance prior to then had already been so lackluster, despite scoring a bogus knockdown in the 10th round due to an admitted error by referee Kenny Bayless.
I think a guy that has accomplished what Shane Mosley has in his career should be given benefit of the doubt regarding his conversation with Richardson and his desire to end a bout he was badly losing. However, I also think Richardson acted appropriately as well. It is the trainer's job to sometimes protect the fighter from himself. Normally, this means calling off a fight when the boxer is too hurt to safely continue, even if the fighter wants to go on. In this case, Mosley was getting beaten but was not gravely injured. The physical problem was a blister which, while extremely painful, was not going to put him at risk of catastrophic injury. His lack of movement could set up punches from Pacquiao but if Manny started bombing on Shane to where Shane was getting hurt, I believe Richardson would throw the towel in. As it was, Shane Mosley was about to pull a Roberto Duran if left to his own devices. One of the greatest and most accomplished boxers of any generation, Duran is still best known for his "No mas" quitting on the stool against Ray Leonard. After a lackluster fight, Mosley refusing to come out for the bell in the 11th round would have been the defining moment of his career that, up until then, had been so brilliant. (Controversy about PEDs aside.)
In addition, I think Mosley knew this. That's why he was demanding Richardson to stop the fight for him. If he really believed he was in danger and that the fight must be stopped for his health, all he had to do was tell the referee and the fight would be called without question. Instead, he wanted Richardson to do the deed for him, likely so he could spin it as a corner decision after the fight was over and not his personal choice. Risky game to play with a documentary crew around ringside, but if Mosley couldn't continue, he could have stopped the fight himself.
Boxing's a brutal sport that claims several lives every year in the United States alone so the dangers of continuing a losing fight should not be glossed over. But it is a sport these athletes chose and that these two particular athletes got paid very richly for. That money comes from the people who purchase the pay-per-view event at sixty bucks a pop. The guy who worked an overtime shift the past week and paid his phone bill late so he could see Shane Mosley try to make history one more time. That guy deserves another two rounds, six minutes, if Shane Mosley has it in him. And while the last two rounds were mostly Mosley backing away and not engaging the aggressive Pacquiao, he clearly had it in him.
Naazim Richardson wasn't wrong. He saw the angles, saw the responsibility and knew what Mosley could and couldn't do at that moment in time. The result was a mostly boring fight, but a still preserved legacy that was nearly destroyed in the 60 seconds between rounds. Richardson protected Shane Mosley from himself.
And that's the trainer's job.
Full video:
Mosley, well-renowned for his toughness and indomitable spirit, was trying to quit on his stool. More accurately, he was ordering Richardson to do it for him.
The video was used to promote the final installment of Showtime's "Fight Camp 360" that aired this past Saturday night. In the full clip, it is revealed that Mosley had felt a massive blister pop on his foot and was concerned about the resulting lack of mobility. Richardson, as he later explained, believed Mosley quitting on himself and getting out of the fight would be a decision that would haunt Shane for the rest of his life once the dust had settled and the fight was over. He also stressed to Shane afterward that he would never put him in danger and truly believed in Mosley's ability to finish the fight.
Richardson's been blasted by many in the media for not listening to Shane's demand to stop the fight between rounds, saying that decision belonged to the fighter and the fighter alone. Others have attacked Mosley for trying to quit during such a high-profile bout when his performance prior to then had already been so lackluster, despite scoring a bogus knockdown in the 10th round due to an admitted error by referee Kenny Bayless.
I think a guy that has accomplished what Shane Mosley has in his career should be given benefit of the doubt regarding his conversation with Richardson and his desire to end a bout he was badly losing. However, I also think Richardson acted appropriately as well. It is the trainer's job to sometimes protect the fighter from himself. Normally, this means calling off a fight when the boxer is too hurt to safely continue, even if the fighter wants to go on. In this case, Mosley was getting beaten but was not gravely injured. The physical problem was a blister which, while extremely painful, was not going to put him at risk of catastrophic injury. His lack of movement could set up punches from Pacquiao but if Manny started bombing on Shane to where Shane was getting hurt, I believe Richardson would throw the towel in. As it was, Shane Mosley was about to pull a Roberto Duran if left to his own devices. One of the greatest and most accomplished boxers of any generation, Duran is still best known for his "No mas" quitting on the stool against Ray Leonard. After a lackluster fight, Mosley refusing to come out for the bell in the 11th round would have been the defining moment of his career that, up until then, had been so brilliant. (Controversy about PEDs aside.)
In addition, I think Mosley knew this. That's why he was demanding Richardson to stop the fight for him. If he really believed he was in danger and that the fight must be stopped for his health, all he had to do was tell the referee and the fight would be called without question. Instead, he wanted Richardson to do the deed for him, likely so he could spin it as a corner decision after the fight was over and not his personal choice. Risky game to play with a documentary crew around ringside, but if Mosley couldn't continue, he could have stopped the fight himself.
Boxing's a brutal sport that claims several lives every year in the United States alone so the dangers of continuing a losing fight should not be glossed over. But it is a sport these athletes chose and that these two particular athletes got paid very richly for. That money comes from the people who purchase the pay-per-view event at sixty bucks a pop. The guy who worked an overtime shift the past week and paid his phone bill late so he could see Shane Mosley try to make history one more time. That guy deserves another two rounds, six minutes, if Shane Mosley has it in him. And while the last two rounds were mostly Mosley backing away and not engaging the aggressive Pacquiao, he clearly had it in him.
Naazim Richardson wasn't wrong. He saw the angles, saw the responsibility and knew what Mosley could and couldn't do at that moment in time. The result was a mostly boring fight, but a still preserved legacy that was nearly destroyed in the 60 seconds between rounds. Richardson protected Shane Mosley from himself.
And that's the trainer's job.
Full video:
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Don't Try This at Home
Let's make a couple of assumptions to get this underway.
1) Let's assume, simply for the purpose of this blog post, that I can punch very hard.
2) Let's also assume that you have taken a small pad, about the width of several cotton balls, and taped it to the side of your jaw.
3) Let's then assume that you now permit me to punch you in the jaw as hard as I can.
Sound ridiculous? Then please explain this to me. (The relevant part is at 1:34.)
There are a number of videos online showcasing various martial arts techniques. Some of them, such as Sherdog's "Technique of the Week," are demonstrated by legitimate experts and have practical applications. Others, like the gentleman above, are more likely to get you injured or killed than they are to assist you in self-defense.
I'm not familiar with the instructor in this video and am not making any claims about what his qualifications are or aren't. But let's examine this logically: if you place the back of your hand against your face and rely on your palm to protect you, an incoming punch will likely break the bones in your hand and the force will transfer through to the flesh behind it and cause severe pain and possible damage. If you have a little bit of distance between your hand and your face, as he does here, an incoming punch will knock your hand into your jaw and you'll possibly knock yourself out. Let's see THAT on the video. It's no different than that little pad we just talked about and just as ridiculous as assuming that growing a beard will somehow protect you from a knockout blow. Most instructional videos show a technique slowly and then do it full speed so you can see how it actually works. They don't do that here. Why? 'Cause dude would get knocked on his ass. (His belt is knotted in an unusual fashion as well, but that's neither here nor there.)
To be sure, the palm heel CAN be used in very specific circumstances to deflect a punch but not in the way demonstrated here and it's an advanced technique that is never the first choice of anyone who knows what they're doing- not a simple tactic that can be taught through a two minute YouTube video.
He likes to use Bruce Lee's name a lot in the video to give himself some credibility but while I certainly never met Mr. Lee personally, I can guarantee you the man wasn't this stupid.
Online videos are best used by people who already have a background in martial arts so they can apply that previous knowledge in new ways and they can understand the concepts presented in a video technique and apply it to their own repertoire. People without any experience should really forgo the YouTube videos and take classes with an experienced instructor to get hands-on experience. But if you still plan on using online tutorials as the backbone of your self-defense planning, at least stick with ones that are effective. Like this one:
1) Let's assume, simply for the purpose of this blog post, that I can punch very hard.
2) Let's also assume that you have taken a small pad, about the width of several cotton balls, and taped it to the side of your jaw.
3) Let's then assume that you now permit me to punch you in the jaw as hard as I can.
Sound ridiculous? Then please explain this to me. (The relevant part is at 1:34.)
There are a number of videos online showcasing various martial arts techniques. Some of them, such as Sherdog's "Technique of the Week," are demonstrated by legitimate experts and have practical applications. Others, like the gentleman above, are more likely to get you injured or killed than they are to assist you in self-defense.
I'm not familiar with the instructor in this video and am not making any claims about what his qualifications are or aren't. But let's examine this logically: if you place the back of your hand against your face and rely on your palm to protect you, an incoming punch will likely break the bones in your hand and the force will transfer through to the flesh behind it and cause severe pain and possible damage. If you have a little bit of distance between your hand and your face, as he does here, an incoming punch will knock your hand into your jaw and you'll possibly knock yourself out. Let's see THAT on the video. It's no different than that little pad we just talked about and just as ridiculous as assuming that growing a beard will somehow protect you from a knockout blow. Most instructional videos show a technique slowly and then do it full speed so you can see how it actually works. They don't do that here. Why? 'Cause dude would get knocked on his ass. (His belt is knotted in an unusual fashion as well, but that's neither here nor there.)
To be sure, the palm heel CAN be used in very specific circumstances to deflect a punch but not in the way demonstrated here and it's an advanced technique that is never the first choice of anyone who knows what they're doing- not a simple tactic that can be taught through a two minute YouTube video.
He likes to use Bruce Lee's name a lot in the video to give himself some credibility but while I certainly never met Mr. Lee personally, I can guarantee you the man wasn't this stupid.
Online videos are best used by people who already have a background in martial arts so they can apply that previous knowledge in new ways and they can understand the concepts presented in a video technique and apply it to their own repertoire. People without any experience should really forgo the YouTube videos and take classes with an experienced instructor to get hands-on experience. But if you still plan on using online tutorials as the backbone of your self-defense planning, at least stick with ones that are effective. Like this one:
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Oh, Canada...
The historic and record-breaking UFC 129 from Toronto, Canada was as good as any event to finally start the blog I'd been contemplating for a while now. I think I know a lot about the sport, have a somewhat unique perspective on certain elements of it and might as well have an outlet for throwing thoughts down. Which brings us to now. Fortunately, this first posting is greatly assisted by the fact that last night's fights were, you know, really good.
Come on, when the most uninteresting bout on the card (on paper) ends in a crushing knockout in under a minute, you're having a good night. No disrespect to Vladimir Matyushenko or Jason Brilz but of all the bouts on the televised portion of the card (Spike and PPV,) it was the least compelling to me. The Janitor swiftly put those concerns to rest by dimming the running lights of Brilz in 20 seconds to take home his second win in a row since the nasty loss to Jon Jones. As for other thoughts on the card, here's the rundown:
GOODBYE TO THE NATURAL
Many people seemed skeptical about Randy Couture's talks of retirement coming into his bout with Lyoto Machida. The major difference between Randy now and Randy when he initially retired in 2006 is that now Randy is 47 years old. Those added years mean a lot in your late 40s, especially for a professional athlete. Couture finally admitted to feeling the effects of Father Time after his loss to Machida and admitted he felt slow. Hard to argue after losing a tooth via a foot to the face, but Randy went out the way he came in: taking on the very best of the world and doing everything he could to try to pull off the upset. Last night, it wasn't to be and the book closes on one of the most exciting and IMPORTANT careers in MMA history. He's earned a happy and healthy retirement and I'd like to see the UFC bring him back into the broadcast booth. Machida has meanwhile got people talking again after a flashy double-jump kick KO that was reminiscent of Daniel LaRusso foot-blasting Johnny into the annals of cinematic history. I thought Machida should have gotten the decision against Rampage. He looked great against Couture and I think he's one of the most intriguing style match-ups for champion Jon Jones at 205 pounds.
MARK HOMINICK IS A BAD, BAD MAN
Mark Hominick may have been defeated in his bid to claim Jose Aldo's featherweight title but I can't think of another fight where a fighter's stock rose so much in a losing effort. Hominick's will was unbreakable as he was bloodied and battered to the point of having a massive hematoma warping the side of his head while simultaneously bleeding from under his eye. Not only did "The Machine" refuse the doctor's offers to stop the fight, he turned the tables on the fading Aldo in the final round and laid a beating on the previously dominant champion that made me think Hominick would have possibly claimed the title had the fight had more time. It was an absolutely awesome showing of will and guts coupled with the talented striking that we knew he had. He definitely needs to work on wrestling defense but anyone who saw that fight has to be interested in where Hominick goes from here. In one night, he went from overmatched underdog to one of the featherweight division's most intriguing personalities. The fact that he dropped to the ground and started doing pushups (while what looked to be a space alien was growing out of his head) after the final bell only endeared him to the hometown crowd even more. Hominick became a star last night. Period.
As for Aldo, many are decrying his performance as evidence that the touted pound-for-pound great has been overhyped. Possibly, but let's not ignore the fact that he dominated a very game challenger for 20 minutes of a 25 minute fight. I didn't see a fighter who was lacking skills or who was the product of hyperbole. I saw a really talented guy coming into his first fight since back surgery. Aldo was slower, got tired more easily and didn't have the same killer instinct that's defined his career until now but he still showed flashes of absolute brilliance against Hominick with his mixing of punches, his trademark leg kicks (which I think he needed more of) and a smothering top control that I hadn't seen from him in the past. If Aldo looks the same in his next fight, maybe we can start talking about if he's not as advertised but I saw last night as him knocking off some rust, getting back into the grind and barring injury I think he'll be returning to top form sooner rather than later. Then we can see if he's hype or substance.
"DON'T BLINK"- HOW PROPHETIC
Georges St. Pierre gets more venom spewed his way from fans than any other champion in the sport right now. (At least he has since Anderson Silva snap-kicked his way back into the good graces of the UFC audience.) He does himself no favors by promising finishes he ends up not being able to deliver on but the real story is he once again got a dominating win against a top 5 challenger. No one has faced the Murderers Row that GSP has or looked as dominant doing it. The eye injury is a concern but early reports indicate it's not a retina detachment, though St. Pierre has yet to regain full sight in his left eye.
The larger story going into the fight, in my opinion, is that GSP looked considerably leaner than he has in the past and he didn't look as quick as he usually does. Loretta Hunt from CBS Sports had gone on record to pick Shields to win based on some confidential information she'd heard from one of the training camps. While she understandably did not wish to divulge what that info was, I'm wondering if it concerned illness or injury in Camp St. Pierre. He did what he needed to do last night but there were times where it looked as if he'd rather be anywhere else.
Credit to Shields for giving a tough fight, though his gameplan seemed to evaporate after the first few minutes. He didn't land much, but when he did he he hurt St. Pierre. One thing that does bear mentioning about GSP's performance is that there always seems to be one technique that stands out in each of his recent fights. From the guard passing against Penn to the jab against Koscheck, GSP always has some textbook technique that he simply does better than nearly anybody else in the game. While his Liddell-like looping right was a new wrinkle in the Shields bout, I was most taken by his head movement. Couture is often praised for using head movement to throw off opponents but his is a wide sway that takes him far left, right, up or down and often requires him to reposition his feet before he can do anything with it. St. Pierre moves his head just a few inches left, right, or back so a punch BARELY misses him while keeping in range to immediately fire back. I think that's definitely a result of his time with Freddie Roach and a boxing skill that does translate very well to MMA if you have the skillset to pull it off, which GSP certainly does. Not an explosive fight but a fascinating one with some wrinkles people weren't expecting. In the end, another dominant win for GSP though not the showcase many had hoped for.
QUICK THOUGHTS
While Hominick ensured a lot of interest in his next bout, the same can't be said for Shields. While he put up a tough fight in losing a decision, it wasn't the type of performance that will make people clamor to see him again. Ironically, the most relevant fight for him right now is probably the one most casual fans would balk the loudest at: a bout against perennial #2 welterweight Jon Fitch. BJ Penn could be another interesting fight for Shields since I have zero interest in a Penn/Fitch rematch, with the first bout being one I thought Fitch soundly won.
Georges St. Pierre clearly does not want to bulk up to middleweight and Anderson Silva is seemingly indifferent to cutting weight so why not just make this fight happen at a catchweight of 178 lbs and make it a 5 round fight? If ever a non-title bout deserved the added time, it's this one and a St. Pierre/Silva contest would not be made any less relevant without a title on the line. Let St. Pierre stay at welterweight as he clearly prefers and Anderson Silva can either continue running roughshot over the middleweight division or bulk up to 205 if they can convince him. Make no mistake, this potential fight is the Pacquiao/Mayweather of MMA and let's not lose it because the UFC wants to force St. Pierre to bulk up in a way that he believes is a detriment to his future. Let them fight as they are, since that's what got them here to begin with.
Come on, when the most uninteresting bout on the card (on paper) ends in a crushing knockout in under a minute, you're having a good night. No disrespect to Vladimir Matyushenko or Jason Brilz but of all the bouts on the televised portion of the card (Spike and PPV,) it was the least compelling to me. The Janitor swiftly put those concerns to rest by dimming the running lights of Brilz in 20 seconds to take home his second win in a row since the nasty loss to Jon Jones. As for other thoughts on the card, here's the rundown:
GOODBYE TO THE NATURAL
Many people seemed skeptical about Randy Couture's talks of retirement coming into his bout with Lyoto Machida. The major difference between Randy now and Randy when he initially retired in 2006 is that now Randy is 47 years old. Those added years mean a lot in your late 40s, especially for a professional athlete. Couture finally admitted to feeling the effects of Father Time after his loss to Machida and admitted he felt slow. Hard to argue after losing a tooth via a foot to the face, but Randy went out the way he came in: taking on the very best of the world and doing everything he could to try to pull off the upset. Last night, it wasn't to be and the book closes on one of the most exciting and IMPORTANT careers in MMA history. He's earned a happy and healthy retirement and I'd like to see the UFC bring him back into the broadcast booth. Machida has meanwhile got people talking again after a flashy double-jump kick KO that was reminiscent of Daniel LaRusso foot-blasting Johnny into the annals of cinematic history. I thought Machida should have gotten the decision against Rampage. He looked great against Couture and I think he's one of the most intriguing style match-ups for champion Jon Jones at 205 pounds.
MARK HOMINICK IS A BAD, BAD MAN
Mark Hominick may have been defeated in his bid to claim Jose Aldo's featherweight title but I can't think of another fight where a fighter's stock rose so much in a losing effort. Hominick's will was unbreakable as he was bloodied and battered to the point of having a massive hematoma warping the side of his head while simultaneously bleeding from under his eye. Not only did "The Machine" refuse the doctor's offers to stop the fight, he turned the tables on the fading Aldo in the final round and laid a beating on the previously dominant champion that made me think Hominick would have possibly claimed the title had the fight had more time. It was an absolutely awesome showing of will and guts coupled with the talented striking that we knew he had. He definitely needs to work on wrestling defense but anyone who saw that fight has to be interested in where Hominick goes from here. In one night, he went from overmatched underdog to one of the featherweight division's most intriguing personalities. The fact that he dropped to the ground and started doing pushups (while what looked to be a space alien was growing out of his head) after the final bell only endeared him to the hometown crowd even more. Hominick became a star last night. Period.
As for Aldo, many are decrying his performance as evidence that the touted pound-for-pound great has been overhyped. Possibly, but let's not ignore the fact that he dominated a very game challenger for 20 minutes of a 25 minute fight. I didn't see a fighter who was lacking skills or who was the product of hyperbole. I saw a really talented guy coming into his first fight since back surgery. Aldo was slower, got tired more easily and didn't have the same killer instinct that's defined his career until now but he still showed flashes of absolute brilliance against Hominick with his mixing of punches, his trademark leg kicks (which I think he needed more of) and a smothering top control that I hadn't seen from him in the past. If Aldo looks the same in his next fight, maybe we can start talking about if he's not as advertised but I saw last night as him knocking off some rust, getting back into the grind and barring injury I think he'll be returning to top form sooner rather than later. Then we can see if he's hype or substance.
"DON'T BLINK"- HOW PROPHETIC
Georges St. Pierre gets more venom spewed his way from fans than any other champion in the sport right now. (At least he has since Anderson Silva snap-kicked his way back into the good graces of the UFC audience.) He does himself no favors by promising finishes he ends up not being able to deliver on but the real story is he once again got a dominating win against a top 5 challenger. No one has faced the Murderers Row that GSP has or looked as dominant doing it. The eye injury is a concern but early reports indicate it's not a retina detachment, though St. Pierre has yet to regain full sight in his left eye.
The larger story going into the fight, in my opinion, is that GSP looked considerably leaner than he has in the past and he didn't look as quick as he usually does. Loretta Hunt from CBS Sports had gone on record to pick Shields to win based on some confidential information she'd heard from one of the training camps. While she understandably did not wish to divulge what that info was, I'm wondering if it concerned illness or injury in Camp St. Pierre. He did what he needed to do last night but there were times where it looked as if he'd rather be anywhere else.
Credit to Shields for giving a tough fight, though his gameplan seemed to evaporate after the first few minutes. He didn't land much, but when he did he he hurt St. Pierre. One thing that does bear mentioning about GSP's performance is that there always seems to be one technique that stands out in each of his recent fights. From the guard passing against Penn to the jab against Koscheck, GSP always has some textbook technique that he simply does better than nearly anybody else in the game. While his Liddell-like looping right was a new wrinkle in the Shields bout, I was most taken by his head movement. Couture is often praised for using head movement to throw off opponents but his is a wide sway that takes him far left, right, up or down and often requires him to reposition his feet before he can do anything with it. St. Pierre moves his head just a few inches left, right, or back so a punch BARELY misses him while keeping in range to immediately fire back. I think that's definitely a result of his time with Freddie Roach and a boxing skill that does translate very well to MMA if you have the skillset to pull it off, which GSP certainly does. Not an explosive fight but a fascinating one with some wrinkles people weren't expecting. In the end, another dominant win for GSP though not the showcase many had hoped for.
QUICK THOUGHTS
While Hominick ensured a lot of interest in his next bout, the same can't be said for Shields. While he put up a tough fight in losing a decision, it wasn't the type of performance that will make people clamor to see him again. Ironically, the most relevant fight for him right now is probably the one most casual fans would balk the loudest at: a bout against perennial #2 welterweight Jon Fitch. BJ Penn could be another interesting fight for Shields since I have zero interest in a Penn/Fitch rematch, with the first bout being one I thought Fitch soundly won.
Georges St. Pierre clearly does not want to bulk up to middleweight and Anderson Silva is seemingly indifferent to cutting weight so why not just make this fight happen at a catchweight of 178 lbs and make it a 5 round fight? If ever a non-title bout deserved the added time, it's this one and a St. Pierre/Silva contest would not be made any less relevant without a title on the line. Let St. Pierre stay at welterweight as he clearly prefers and Anderson Silva can either continue running roughshot over the middleweight division or bulk up to 205 if they can convince him. Make no mistake, this potential fight is the Pacquiao/Mayweather of MMA and let's not lose it because the UFC wants to force St. Pierre to bulk up in a way that he believes is a detriment to his future. Let them fight as they are, since that's what got them here to begin with.
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