Some thoughts on Brian Foster, Royce Gracie and Fedor (among other things MMA) on this Ultimate Wednesday.
It's another Ultimate Wednesday tonight on Rogers Sportsnet, so as we all get prepped for a great evening of MMA content on the network, I thought I would take some time to answer a portion of the many questions many of you have thrown my way. I will also endeavor to comment on some of the major headlines from the world of MMA.
Most of you have found various ways of reaching me, but the vast majority use my Twitter account. If you have a question, comment or concern, feel free to message me there at anytime. I can be reached at twitter.com/showdownjoe.
First and foremost, make sure you are in front of a TV tonight, as our content tonight is stellar. We will be airing a one-hour episode of "UFC Wired," the third episode of "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team Dos Santos," a special 30-minute presentation of MMA Connected, featuring "A day in the life of Mark Hominick," as he walks us through his preparations for the biggest fight of his career, as well as the debut episode of "UFC Primetime" featuring Georges St-Pierre and Jake Shields.
Start times vary on all four stations, so check your local listings to make sure you catch each episode.
In the meantime, the world of MMA continues to churn out a variety of headlines, many of which have caught my eye, as well as yours, so let's tackle a few of them.
Our thoughts are with Brian Foster.
On Tuesday night, I had a conversation with UFC welterweight Sean Pierson, whose thoughts are also with Foster, his previous opponent for UFC 129 who was forced to withdraw from their scheduled tilt after a pre-fight medical found a hemorrhage on his brain. Having personally lost a family member, who died at the age of 30 from this issue, I echo Pierson's sentiments and wish Foster a speedy recovery. If you would like to do the same, you can contact him via his Twitter account at twitter.com/BrianFoster170.
On Tuesday afternoon, Pierson accepted a fight with Jake Ellenberger as a replacement for Foster.
The coaches for TUF 14?
Much has been made about who may be selected as coaches for season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter. The prime candidates are Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen, but the latter has a plethora of issues to deal with first. While he did recently receive two years probation, a fine and had his real estate license revoked (stemming from a money laundering charge), he still must appear before the Nevada State Athletic Commission to address comments he made during his testimony in front of the California State Athletic Commission, to address a post-fight test that showed he had elevated levels of testosterone.
As much as I enjoy Sonnen's public persona, one has to wonder if he is simply too much of a headache for the UFC right now. And if so, how much is that pain worth it, financially. Like it or not, Sonnen's stock is one interview away from skyrocketing. No matter how low you may perceive it to be, a verbal outburst by the middleweight contender will have all ears tuned in. He has the ability to command attention and to the UFC, that means money. And when you are in the business to make money, there will always be ways to use a bad apple like Chael Sonnen.
Gracie says yes, White says no
In another story that has us wondering who we should believe, UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie continues to tell various media publications that he will be fighting at UFC Rio in August. This situation has gone from rumour, to maybe, to contract negotiations, to a pending announcement. As we recently saw on an episode of "MMA Connected," I asked UFC president Dana White if Gracie would be added to the card in August, to which he answered "No." Who should we believe? Will Royce fight in his motherland or will the UFC pass on the legend's retirement fight inside the Octagon?
The case of weight between Fedor vs. Henderson
This is one story that keeps changing daily. First we hear that Fedor has finally realized that in this day and age, he is best suited to compete at 205 pounds, in the light heavyweight division, and that the rumours were true that "The Last Emperor" would be taking on Strikeforce champion Dan Henderson. Next thing we know, the bout is at a catchweight of 220 pounds, and it will obviously not be for the title. All this posturing and negotiations can make one's blood boil.
Fedor should fight at 205 pounds. He can make the weight. He can be dominant at the weight. He can regain the status of the mythical legend with a run at 205. It was proven twice he can no longer hang with the big boys in the heavyweight division, so his answer is to stay at 220 pounds, but fight a former 185-pound fighter in Hendo, just like he did in April of 2007 vs. Matt Lindland.
Compounding this issue is that Hendo may not counter back with the fight to take place at 205 pounds, as he has always wanted to fight Fedor at any weight. With the bout technically being Henderson's last on his current contract, he may want to go out with a bang, to up the ante in renegotiations with a win, or perhaps walk away from the sport with a loss to the Russian.
In a perfect world, Fedor drops down, fights Hendo for the title, and may the best man win.
Miscellaneous news and notes
* All the hate mail regarding my rankings is not going to change my positioning on Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez. While both guys are some of my favourite fighters to watch, Diaz has not competed against a top-10 fighter since 2007 and must face guys in the top-10 to move up my rankings. As for Melendez, he is at minimum top-5, at best top-3, and I agree with "El Nino" -- the time has come to unify the titles.
* Team MMA Connected's experience at the MFC in Windsor was top-notch. The organization and casino ran a stellar show and proved why they have been successful for so long.
* Many promoters in Ontario and across Canada are requesting we cover, or at least show up at their events. The reality is that we cannot be everywhere at the same time, but we will endeavour to do our best to be at as many events as we possibly can. Lest we forget, the TV show is only half an hour long, and it's a national show, not a regional one. If an event in Ontario will not have appeal in Vancouver, and vice versa, it will be difficult to profile, feature and cover. As time goes on, my goal is to increase this coverage, and all we ask for is your patience.
* With all of the devastation in Japan, you can now help support relief efforts in "the Land of the Rising Sun" by purchasing Tokyo Five's "Japan Endure Tee" here.
