MMA News and Notes

ReproMan · 09-11-2007, 03:40 PM

UFC 75 Sets MMA Ratings Record in North America

Quote:

Tuesday, September 11, 2007
by Sherdog.com Staff

UFC 75 was the most watched mixed martial arts event ever in North America, drawing 4.7 million viewers, Spike TV officials said in a news release Tuesday.

The Sept. 8 event from the O2 Arena in London, England, featured UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson (Pictures)'s win over PRIDE champ Dan Henderson (Pictures) in a title unification bout. Airing delayed on Spike, the telecast peaked at 5.6 million viewers during Jackson's battle against Henderson.

The show's ratings were particularly strong among men age 18-34 and men 18-49. For those audiences, UFC 75 beat everything on television, Spike officials said, including ABC's NASCAR race and Michigan vs. Oregon college football game, as well as ESPN's Virginia Tech vs. LSU and Notre Dame vs. Penn St. games.

"The ratings are further proof that the tide in American sports is changing," said Kevin Kay, Spike TV general manager. "Young men, who constitute the Spike TV core audience, prefer the incredible action and athleticism of the UFC to more traditional sports."

"Champion vs. Champion" outpaced the previous record -- Tito Ortiz (Pictures) vs. Ken Shamrock (Pictures) III, also broadcast on SpikeTV -- by half a million viewers.

Spike TV said its telecast of UFC 75 had an overall rating of 3.1 (3.0 million homes), including a 5.7 rating for men 18-34 (1.6 million), 4.5 for men 18-49 (2.5 million) and 6.2 for men 25-34 (1.0 million).

The event also had a record-breaking audience at the 02 Arena in London, UFC President Dana White said.

AKIRA · 09-11-2007, 05:32 PM

I love this...
"The show's ratings were particularly strong among men age 18-34 and men 18-49." Now that is some great writing!

" "Champion vs. Champion" outpaced the previous record -- Tito Ortiz (Pictures) vs. Ken Shamrock (Pictures) III, also broadcast on SpikeTV -- by half a million viewers. "

Wow, it even beat out a heated rivalry? For the most part, I was thinking this title match was just another title match, cuz Jackson isnt all that well known. Almost everyone knew about Ortiz and his hatred for Shamrock, plus they even had a show and 2 previous fights!

This is some reconizable point of event..

PreMier · 09-11-2007, 06:24 PM

the crowd at that arena was only 20k or so. nothing compared to prodes 60k+ that usually attended. it is growing though, and im glad they have gone intl

AKIRA · 09-11-2007, 06:26 PM

Oh yeah, did anyone else think Englands crowd was impatient? So many boos...

x0d · 09-11-2007, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PreMier

the crowd at that arena was only 20k or so. nothing compared to prodes 60k+ that usually attended. it is growing though, and im glad they have gone intl

I thought i remembered one of the announcers saying it was a 48k crowd. The O2 was able to handle a lot more fans than most other UFC venues.

ReproMan · 09-11-2007, 08:20 PM

O2 Arena holds a little over 20k.

BoneCrusher · 09-16-2007, 10:45 AM

If you missed the EliteXC event then be sure not to miss out on the reruns. Great fights all around.

BoneCrusher · 09-16-2007, 06:42 PM

Quote:

- MMA MAGAZINE SHOW PREMIERES TONIGHT ON HDNET
Friday, September 14, 2007 - by MMAWeekly.com

HDNet on Thursday announced the premier episode of its new weekly mixed martial arts magazine-format television series “Inside MMA.”

Inside MMA airs on Friday nights beginning tonight, Sept. 14 at 9:30 p.m. ET on HDNet. The program is hosted by broadcaster Kenny Rice and veteran fighter Bas Rutten. Each episode of Inside MMA will also include in-depth features by HDNet’s Ron Kruck.

Tonight’s premier episode includes former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell, actor/comedian Kevin James, and HDNet FiGHTS Commissioner Guy Mezger. Also expect coverage of the latest news, rankings, stats and highlights from the world of mixed martial arts.

"Inside MMA is the only program of its kind," said Mark Cuban, president and co-founder of HDNet. "It will be THE destination for MMA fans looking for the latest news and information on this exciting sport."

HDNet has also announced the new HDNet FiGHTS series that will premiere on the network on Oct. 19.

BoneCrusher · 09-16-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

- MMAD LIBS II: WRITING AN MMA HATCHET PIECE
Sunday, September 02, 2007 - Editorial by Rami Genauer for MMAWeekly.com

Dear Op/Ed Writer Who Has Just Discovered This Ultimate Fighting Thing and is Currently on Deadline,

You need a column pronto and no op/ed writer ever got syndicated by speaking softly. You need to condemn something and Mixed Martial Arts seems as good a target as any. Maybe you’re morally opposed to the idea of hand-to-hand combat as sport, or maybe you’re a boxing fan with an inferiority complex. Perhaps you’re a cantankerous coot predisposed to hating anything invented after Eisenhower left office, when this country up and went to hell, dadgummit. Whatever you are, you’re in a hurry and are probably too busy to be bothered with facts.

Luckily, you’re an op/ed columnist, so that shouldn’t be a problem. All you need is 600 words of vitriol and you’re good until next week. But what – besides righteous indignation – to put in those 600 words? Your exposure to this sport is probably limited to what someone once told you their 18-34 year old nephew was watching these days. If you tuned into a UFC program on Spike, it was probably only long enough to see something you could label barbaric in the second or third paragraph. So if thoughtful and well-researched critique is out, you’ll need to sound absolutely outraged if people are going to believe you have a worthy opinion. But getting that worked up can be stressful and there’s no reason to angry up the blood, especially at your age.

I’m here to help. I’ve already done the job of your colleagues in the newsroom in my Cautiously Optimistic MMA Trend Piece Template and now I’m here to make your life a little easier. Critiquing MMA has become something of a rote exercise; every columnist makes the same arguments, most of them using the same idioms and comparisons. Admit it, you were going to use a dog fighting analogy and pass it off as cogent analysis, weren’t you? You and everyone else, pal.

So sit back, relax, and let me do the heavy lifting for you. I’m sure some journalists would feel uncomfortable profiting off the work of others and taking credit for someone else’s ideas. Luckily, you’re an op/ed columnist, so that shouldn’t be a problem. And to make sure the article sounds like you wrote it, I’ll even use those one-word and one-sentence paragraphs you love so much.

Here’s the template for an MMA hatchet job. Just fill in the blanks, submit to your editor, and wait for the melodramatic letters-to-the-editor to come rolling in:

“I was minding my own business (choose one: flipping channels/having a drink in the local sports bar/reading the sport section) when I caught wind of the newest fad catering to American youth’s (choose one: bloodlust/baser instincts/descent into the gutter), this so-called “Ultimate Fighting.” If you haven’t seen this (choose one: disgusting/nauseating/horrific) display of violence, consider yourself lucky. The fact that the barbaric spectacle of drunken slobs beating each other senseless is even sanctioned should (choose one: concern/give pause to/chill the blood of) any sensible person.

The rules of Ultimate Fighting are simple: (choose one: anything goes/there are no rules/kill or be killed). Perhaps it’s this simplicity that makes Ultimate Fighting so appealing to the (choose one: slack-jawed/illiterate/sadistic) savages that make up its fan base. By appealing to the lowest common denominator of society, Ultimate Fighting has brought (choose one: street fighting/bar-room brawling/unskilled mayhem) to the masses in order to turn a profit.

(choose one: Disgusting/Pathetic/There ought to be a law).

Not one of the untrained (choose one: punks/thugs/brutes) who compete in this farce has an iota of the (choose two: grace/class/skill/athleticism/honor) of a (name of dead boxer) or a (choose one: Muhammad Ali). Trying to inflict as much damage as possible is not honorable. Kicking a man when he’s down used to be the benchmark for unsportsmanlike conduct; in Ultimate Fighting it’s (choose one: applauded/just part of the game/par for the course).

What is worse, would you believe people have the audacity to call this barbarism a “sport?” Trust me, (name of stick and ball sport) is a sport. (Name of different stick and ball sport) is a sport. Even (name of less popular, non-stick and ball sport) is a sport. Punching a man in the groin is not a sport.

Ultimate Fighting’s (choose one: Neanderthal/Troglodyte/Homuncular) fans will have a ready excuse for all of this, calling it pure, honorable, or “real.”

(choose one: Please/Spare me/Come on).

This is nothing more than human cockfighting. If Michael Vick is going to jail for subjecting dogs to this sort of caged mayhem, the owners of Ultimate Fighting (choose one: should get a good lawyer/should go with him/deserve worse).

At least Vick’s dog fighting operation was witnessed by only a few cruel individuals. Ultimate Fighting regularly draws more viewers in the advertiser-coveted demographic of males age 18-34 than (name of any sports league besides the NFL) games.

As frightening a thought as that is, remember that our children are watching too. It’s no wonder, after desensitizing them to violence through (choose two: violent video games/the WWE/heavy metal music/splatter films like “Saw”), that they would turn to Ultimate Fighting as the next big thing. Should we be surprised that after watching these bare-knuckle brawls that kids emulate this activity (choose one: on the playground/in their backyards/in amateur “fight clubs”)?

Our children need to know that violence is wrong and that (choose one: absurd/antiquated/hyper-masculine) notions of bloodshed as acceptable spectacle have no place in the 21st century. What’s next, televised (choose one: knife fighting/fights to the death/executions)?

Let’s end this (choose one: coarsening of our culture/threat to our children’s well-being/pockmark on the sporting landscape). We’ve advanced as a civilization from the days of gladiators fighting in the Coliseum. The time for action is now. These barbarians are not at the gates, they’re already in your (choose one: house/living room/neighborhood).

BigDyl · 09-16-2007, 07:22 PM

I'm going to get some private MMA lessons for Gina Carano........

BoneCrusher · 09-16-2007, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDyl

I'm going to get some private MMA lessons for Gina Carano........

For or from?

BoneCrusher · 09-16-2007, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Tito Ortiz Has Re-Signed With The UFC

UFC Fans have commented

Posted:
Sep 16th, 2007 This is new from IronLife.com . I know alot of people that will be happy!

“I’ll be re-signing with the UFC and they gave me what I want. I know a lot of other companies that are asking about me and I can’t count how many phone calls I’ve said ‘I can’t talk to you guys anymore,’ because it’s against my contract’…. It’s just one of those things. I think if you look at the history of Ultimate Fighting Championship, and you look at a person or a fighter who’s made more money for the company than any other fighter in the world, my name’s going to be right on top of all those names, way past Liddell, way past Couture because I’ve had a huge draw and a huge fan base that still support me 100 percent, win, lose, or draw.”

BoneCrusher · 09-16-2007, 09:26 PM

Quote:

A&E Biography Series Set To Feature Randy Couture
MMANEWS.COM

The following is an excerpt from an article on TheFightNetwork.com:

UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture will be featured on an upcoming installment of A&E’s “Biography,” the Emmy-award winning series that has profiled some of the world’s most influential people, from statesmen and Supreme Court justices to activists and pop-culture icons. Soon, Couture’s name will placed alongside those of Princess Diana, Oprah Winfrey and Christopher Columbus.

“Biography” is the longest-running single-topic documentary series on television and has twice been awarded the Emmy for Outstanding Nonfiction Series by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Originally produced in 1962 under longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent Mike Wallace, “Biography” profiled enough figures by 1999 that A&E spun the program off into an entire network" The Biography Channel.

Filming on Couture’s episode will begin next week and will include interviews with Couture’s two oldest children, his mother, referee “Big” John McCarthy and a host of others closest to the only five-time champion in UFC history. The list includes The Fight Network’s Loretta Hunt, the collaborator on Couture’s pending memoirs, set to be released through Simon and Schuster Inc. in June.

fufu · 09-19-2007, 11:40 PM

fufu · 09-19-2007, 11:41 PM

I fucking thought Fight Night was on thursday night...I didn't get to make any picks.

It was an awesome card regardless. Two sick knockouts.

AKIRA · 09-19-2007, 11:43 PM

Anyone watch tonight's UFC Fight Night Live? I am a little glad Din Thomas got choked out. The town hes from shined through his arrogance and BAM...reality held on tight.

I know I am from the same town, but dont show the town's attitude and LOSE.

TUF: Serra vs. Hughes was on too. I cant believe Hughes called out Serra's boy for the first fight. And I guess shit has changed, but are the fighters allowed multiple losses before getting kicked off the show?

A Black Guy · 09-20-2007, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Anyone watch tonight's UFC Fight Night Live? I am a little glad Din Thomas got choked out. The town hes from shined through his arrogance and BAM...reality held on tight.

I know I am from the same town, but dont show the town's attitude and LOSE.

I swear to christ you went to college and got dumber.

Doublebase · 09-20-2007, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A Black Guy

I swear to christ you went to college and got dumber.

lawl

**IainDaniel** · 09-20-2007, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doublebase

lawl

What are you laughing at. At least he had the opportunity to get dumber, you on the other hand, well you can't get much more stupid

Doublebase · 09-20-2007, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

What are you laughing at. At least he had the opportunity to get dumber, you on the other hand, well you can't get much more stupid

You wish you were me. Troll.

AKIRA · 09-20-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A Black Guy

I swear to christ you went to college and got dumber.

Hah! I guess I did get dumber cuz what the fuck are you talking about?

He did a good job, but when he 'jogged' away from him for humor, he got his ass handed to him. Sorry, but that looked like a port st. lucie attitude to me and it was put to the test.

Speaking of that test, who won that fight?

ReproMan · 09-20-2007, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Hah! I guess I did get dumber cuz what the fuck are you talking about?

He did a good job, but when he 'jogged' away from him for humor, he got his ass handed to him. Sorry, but that looked like a port st. lucie attitude to me and it was put to the test.

Speaking of that test, who won that fight?

Din blew out his knee and had to be carried from the ring. That's why he lost the way he did.

A Black Guy · 09-20-2007, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Speaking of that test, who won that fight?

Heh? We didn't see anything from either guy. Florian won by freak accident.

Yamasaki is a fucking douche for letting someone get hit that many times to the back of the head and base of the spine and not doing anything about it.

Good to see KenFlo taking credit for taking 45 seconds to finish a guy who just suffered a traumatic injury and wasn't fighting back at all.

TEH FINISHERRRRR!!!11!1

AKIRA · 09-20-2007, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReproMan

Din blew out his knee and had to be carried from the ring. That's why he lost the way he did.

Ohhhh thats right. Thanks for pointing out why ABG was personally insulting!

I still didnt like his attitude.

However, injuries happen in this sport. We know WHY Florian won and we know WHY Din didnt defend himself, but we DONT know if he didnt blow out his left knee that he wouldve won.

I mean, one person can say, oh if he didnt blow out his knee, he wouldve won cuz he was already winning. Another person can say, if Din didnt shoot like an idiot, he wouldnt had blown out his knee. Meaning if he fought like an idiot, he wouldve lost.

Its speculation.

If BJ Penn didnt gas, he wouldve beaten Hughes in the 3rd.
If Crop Cop wasnt gun shy, he wouldnt won his last fight.
If GSP took Serra more seriously, he wouldve put up a better fight.

Though I wouldnt disagree with any of these, it doesnt make them a certainty. I remember watching Florian the first 2-3 times and thought he was going to lose those matches, but he always ended up winning (not his first 2-3 or his last 2-3, but the first 2-3 fights I watched)

AKIRA · 09-20-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A Black Guy

Heh? We didn't see anything from either guy. Florian won by freak accident.

I agree, but it doesnt change anything. All that is is an excuse as to why he won.

Remember, I never said "i dont know how Din lossed." I knew why he lossed and I say he deserved it.

Shoot me.

OddGirl · 09-20-2007, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKIRA

I agree, but it doesnt change anything. All that is is an excuse as to why he won.

Remember, I never said "i dont know how Din lossed." I knew why he lossed and I say he deserved it.

Shoot me.

The only thing I would like to shoot you over is thinking that "lossed" is a word.

AKIRA · 09-20-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OddGirl

The only thing I would like to shoot you over is thinking that "lossed" is a word.

Holy shit, youre right! I always used "lost," but wondered if it only had one meaning...and I dont mean the show. Kinda like gray vs. grey.

In any case, thanks for chiming in for a vocab lesson and not taking part of the discussion.

AKIRA · 09-20-2007, 12:00 PM

Did anyone make any predictions on this saturdays fight? I am guessing its in this thread and not another's.

I think Griffin is fucked.

BoneCrusher · 09-20-2007, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKIRA

Holy shit, youre right! I always used "lost," but wondered if it only had one meaning...and I dont mean the show. Kinda like gray vs. grey.

In any case, thanks for chiming in for a vocab lesson and not taking part of the discussion.

AKIRA? Are you on that 8 Redbull a day nutrition plan? You are goin' like 90 mph.

OddGirl · 09-20-2007, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKIRA

In any case, thanks for chiming in for a vocab lesson and not taking part of the discussion.

Anything for you!

To add to the discussion... Din's knee is fucked and he'll be on his way home from Vegas shortly.

09-11-2007, 05:32 PM	#332
AKIRA I am Rollo Tomassee.. Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Outside the box Posts: 8,787 Photos: 3	I love this... "The show's ratings were particularly strong among men age 18-34 and men 18-49." Now that is some great writing! " "Champion vs. Champion" outpaced the previous record -- Tito Ortiz (Pictures) vs. Ken Shamrock (Pictures) III, also broadcast on SpikeTV -- by half a million viewers. " Wow, it even beat out a heated rivalry? For the most part, I was thinking this title match was just another title match, cuz Jackson isnt all that well known. Almost everyone knew about Ortiz and his hatred for Shamrock, plus they even had a show and 2 previous fights! This is some reconizable point of event.. 6' 209lbs (8/16) Bench 365 (12/3) Weighted Pullups 80lbs 3x3 (3/19) Squat 370 Deadlift after herniation 385lbs 3x3 (3/17) NASM certified 2/06 Journal

09-11-2007, 06:24 PM	#333
PreMier happy sumo Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 21,962 Photos: 2	the crowd at that arena was only 20k or so. nothing compared to prodes 60k+ that usually attended. it is growing though, and im glad they have gone intl P-side Inc. "the post-workout high is more profound than any drug-induced rush imaginable." -Dante B.

09-11-2007, 06:26 PM	#334
AKIRA I am Rollo Tomassee.. Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Outside the box Posts: 8,787 Photos: 3	Oh yeah, did anyone else think Englands crowd was impatient? So many boos... 6' 209lbs (8/16) Bench 365 (12/3) Weighted Pullups 80lbs 3x3 (3/19) Squat 370 Deadlift after herniation 385lbs 3x3 (3/17) NASM certified 2/06 Journal

09-19-2007, 11:40 PM	#344
fufu fiendish thingy Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 16,731 Photos: 8	cool fufu's 1337 Journal Your diet will set you free.

09-19-2007, 11:41 PM	#345
fufu fiendish thingy Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 16,731 Photos: 8	I fucking thought Fight Night was on thursday night...I didn't get to make any picks. It was an awesome card regardless. Two sick knockouts. fufu's 1337 Journal Your diet will set you free.

09-11-2007, 08:20 PM	#336
ReproMan SeÃ±or Member Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Stuart, FL Posts: 7,260	O2 Arena holds a little over 20k.

09-16-2007, 10:45 AM	#337
BoneCrusher Lift or Die Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Austin Texas Posts: 8,589	If you missed the EliteXC event then be sure not to miss out on the reruns. Great fights all around.

09-19-2007, 11:43 PM	#346
AKIRA I am Rollo Tomassee.. Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Outside the box Posts: 8,787 Photos: 3	Anyone watch tonight's UFC Fight Night Live? I am a little glad Din Thomas got choked out. The town hes from shined through his arrogance and BAM...reality held on tight. I know I am from the same town, but dont show the town's attitude and LOSE. TUF: Serra vs. Hughes was on too. I cant believe Hughes called out Serra's boy for the first fight. And I guess shit has changed, but are the fighters allowed multiple losses before getting kicked off the show? 6' 209lbs (8/16) Bench 365 (12/3) Weighted Pullups 80lbs 3x3 (3/19) Squat 370 Deadlift after herniation 385lbs 3x3 (3/17) NASM certified 2/06 Journal

09-20-2007, 12:00 PM	#358
AKIRA I am Rollo Tomassee.. Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Outside the box Posts: 8,787 Photos: 3	Did anyone make any predictions on this saturdays fight? I am guessing its in this thread and not another's. I think Griffin is fucked. 6' 209lbs (8/16) Bench 365 (12/3) Weighted Pullups 80lbs 3x3 (3/19) Squat 370 Deadlift after herniation 385lbs 3x3 (3/17) NASM certified 2/06 Journal

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