by Matthew Blankenship, JarryPark.com Contributor

Random thoughts on busy weekend in combat sports…

* Friday night’s ShoBox card featured two come-from-behind victories. In the first fight, Carlos De Leon Jr. defeated James McGirt Jr. in the seventh after being saved by the bell at the end of sixth. Meanwhile, the main event featured Edgar Santana escaping with a majority decision over Josesito Lopez after suffering two knockdowns in the eighth. An overall good card worth viewing if you can catch it again.

* YAMMA Pit Fighting made its debut Friday night. That’s about the only positive thing that has been said about the card. The show did seem to prove some points though:
1. This tournament format won’t work in the US. It’s hard to argue anyone is a decisive winner when all they’ve won is one measly round.
2. In case it wasn’t clear before, Butterbean should retire right now. His fight against Pat Smith was one of the most depressing bouts I’ve ever seen.
3. On second thought, Mike Goldberg isn’t that bad of an announcer.
4. The YAMMA Pit produced the exact opposite of what they were hoping for. They should just rename the pit to Jake O’Brien’s Lair O’ Fun.

* Saturday’s HBO boxing card featured two violent displays of punching power. Antonio Margarito battered Kermit Cintron when a final thudding body punch ended their fight in the sixth round. While Miguel Cotto dominated Alfonso Gomez dropping him three times en route to a doctor’s stoppage before the sixth round began. It looks as though Cotto and Margarito will now meet in July in what looks to be a bloody unification war.

* HBO aired another solid Countdown show and I couldn’t be any more pumped for Calzaghe/Hopkins. Definitely worth checking out.

* Over on Showtime, fight fans were treated to an amazing fight between Glen Johnson and Chad Dawson. Dawson won a unanimous decision over Johnson much to the chagrin of those in attendance. Much credit should be given to Johnson for a tremendous showing at the ripe old age of 39. I thought Dawson won but by a smaller margin than on the judges’ scorecards. Elsewhere, Antonio Tarver defeated Clinton Woods via Unanimous Decision. It seems that Tarver and Dawson will meet in a unification bout this fall.

* The Strikeforce on NBC debut show also aired on Sunday Morning. Not sure if this was the case in the rest of the country but my telecast was troubled with terrible audio problems throughout the whole episode. (Ed. Note: The show never aired in New York City. Just a black screen for 30 minutes.) However, despite the audio problem, I thought the show was really good and made Strikeforce look like a big league fight organization. The episode showcased two solid fights: Cung Le vs. Brian Warren and Duane Ludwig vs. Tony Fryklund. Along with the fights, they aired a great package on current Strikeforce middleweight champion, Cung Le. A solid debut indeed.

* Also this weekend, K-1 held their World Grand Prix and provided some great fights. The highlights included:
1. Semmy Schilt being the first man to KO Mark Hunt. For being such a big fighter, Schilt is actually quite graceful and his spinning ack kick was perfect.
2. Badr Hari absolutely crushing Ray Sefo was almost painful to watch.
3. The second round of Noda-Vondracek was a total slugfest and a pleasure to watch. Vondracek’s refusal to go down was remarkable to watch.

By Alan Counihan, JarryPark.com Contributor

An interpromotional feud, when done right, can be a thing of beauty. New Japan vs. UWFI, New Japan Juniors vs. NOAH Juniors and ROH vs. CZW are all examples of this. These feuds sparked the interest of the fans, created heated atmospheres, elevated younger stars and utilized established stars better than ever. There is a believability and legitimacy brought about by an interpromotional match that rarely occurs in a regular bout. Invaders are hated more than the average heel and the home company defender is beloved more than the average babyface. It’s a simple formula that many have butchered but those who haven’t have produced some memorable and exciting feuds that will be remembered for years to come.

The latest example of such a feud is the one occurring between Zero1-Max and New Japan. The two sides have been battling since the beginning of the year with an intense hatred simmering with each passing show. Throughout this storyline, the smaller Zero1 has showcased their biggest guns since day one. Ikuto Hidaka, Takao Omori, Kohei Sato and champion Masato Tanaka have all taken post at the front lines backed by younger stars Munenori Sawa, Osamu Namiguchi and Shota Takanishi.

New Japan, on the other hand, have used this feud as a means of giving focus and direction to some their mid-card talent. The best example of this is the use of Koji Kanemoto, a veteran of interpromotional wars past. Kanemoto has been at the forefront, sparking much of the hostility in the beginning and making his impact felt on Zero1 shows regularly. Kanemoto has been backed by the likes of Manabu Nakanishi, Ryosuke Taguchi and a collection of fiery younger wrestlers including Yujiro, Hirasawa and the impressive Tetsuya Naito.

The majority of altercations have taken place on Zero1 turf. Of course on that territory Kanemoto and his teammates are despised while Tanaka and his partners are adored.

However, this feud’s most memorable match actually took place in New Japan. It featured the strong Zero1 team of Tanaka and Hidaka taking on the team of Kanemoto and Naito. This was one of the only matches in this feud that didn’t involve Kanemoto bullying people around and getting tons of heat instead the focus was on the youngster who was by his side. Naito, in the “away” matches was following his partners lead and thriving in a heelish role. Meanwhile, at home, against two established outsiders, he was in for a beating and boy did he get one. He sold every kick, forearm and submission like death and gained so much sympathy from the crowd. He finally got to make a big comeback which resulted in a rocking Korakuen Hall. Of course, he fell in the end to a vicious sliding elbow from Tanaka but he was truly elevated in defeat.

For the most part, the matches on Zero1 turf have been quite stellar. On 4/6 the sides split two big singles matches. Kanemoto defeated Ikuto Hidaka, Zero1’s second in command, and Tanaka defended his belt against Nakanishi. Along with a fiery six-man tag featuring the younger wrestlers, these matches contributed to a show that really gave the feud momentum leading into what could be the blow off – Masato Tanaka vs. Koji Kanemoto on New Japan turf.

Personally, I cannot wait to see this match as these guys have been the central characters throughout this angle and have had heated altercations in many tags. This big singles match was inevitable and we should expect nothing but greatness from these two. It’s safe to assume that the best is yet to come.

by Matthew Blankenship, JarryPark.com Contributor

This weekend has left a lot of fight fans with a real tough decision: double welterweight title clashes on HBO or double light heavyweight title clashes on Showtime? Well, let’s see what each card has to offer and then make an educated decision.

The HBO event features, without a doubt, two highly contested fights in one of boxing’s best weight classes. In the main event, Puerto Rico’s WBA Champion, Miguel Cotto (31-0), faces “The Contender” alumnus, Alfonso Gomez (18-3-2), in a scheduled 12-round affair. The undefeated champion is returning after a great battle with “Sugar” Shane Mosley where he showed that beyond his bullish strength, he can also box better than most people give him credit. His opponent, Gomez, looks to continue his journey to the title since leaving “The Contender” reality show (he defeated Arturo Gatti in the seventh round last July as well as Ben Tackie this past October). Both fighters are brimming with confidence as they continue their rise to the top of the 147 lbs division.

The opening bout of the televised card features Kermit Cintron (29-1, 52 KO) looking to avenge his only loss to Antonio Margarito (35-5) in a title fight scheduled for 12 rounds. After losing to Margarito via knockout in an April 2005 showdown, Cintron came back stronger than ever en route to capturing a title. Margarito, on the other hand, is looking to add another title to his resume. All signs point to the winner of this point facing Miguel Cotto assuming he defeats Gomez (and most would assume so).

Over on Showtime, a light heavyweight doubleheader will look to thrill and captivate with a main event featuring IBF light heavyweight champion, Clinton Woods, against IBO light heavyweight champion, Antonio Tarver. This fights marks UK’s Clinton Woods second foray into the United States and he’ll hope to have a better showing this time around as his first fight on this side of the pound was a TKO loss to Roy Jones Jr. in 2002. It’s safe to say that Tarver is facing his first credible opponent since his loss to Bernard Hopkins and will look to prove that he still has what it takes to be a champion. Basically, both fighters have a lot to prove tomorrow: Woods that he belongs at the top and Tarver that he STILL belongs.

In the co-main event fight, undefeated WBC light heavyweight champion, Chad Dawson, will defend against journeyman Glen Johnson. Dawson is a slick young fighter looking to continue his path to becoming Undisputed champion. Dawson has all the tools to make this a lopsided affair. Meanwhile, Johnson has good enough power and will look to put Dawson on his back but don’t hold your breathe on that one. All four fighters have a chance to shine tonight with the winners likely facing each other in a unification bout this coming Fall.

So, which show should you watch? The HBO card has two highly contested bouts featuring fighters in the prime of their respective careers. Meanwhile, the Showtime card has two bouts showcasing a couple of fighters in the twilight of their career. I’d go with the HBO card live and Showtime on Tivo. Overall, Cintron-Margarito is the must-watch fight of the night as it will surely be full of fireworks. Here’s hoping Cotto calls out Floyd Mayweather Jr. too.

Predictions:
Cotto def. Gomez via TKO in Rd 9
Cintron def. Margarito via TKO in Rd 10
Woods def. Tarver via UD
Dawson def. Johnson via UD

I was going to write some nice little intro on how Phil Baroni is gearing up for his fight against Murilo “Ninja” Rua on CBS but I think it would be wise to just get into our interview. Let me just quickly say that I have never conducted an interview quite like this one…and that’s a good thing. And away we go:

Ariel Helwani: How did it feel to get back in the ring after a long layoff?
Phil Baroni: I felt like shit after about four minutes. I was out of shape (and) I didn’t train for seven months. (It’s) nobody’s fault but my own. Oh well, I made a mistake. Fuck it, I’ll take it out on Ninja. Poor Ninja.

Ariel Helwani: Were you happy with your performance against Hose?
Phil Baroni: What the fuck do you think? Was I happy with my performance against Hose? What are you retarded?

Ariel Helwani: There has been talk of a rematch in the works…does that interest you?
Phil Baroni: Fuck yeah it does. I’ll fight anybody anytime, especially that guy. No hard feelings, Kala (Hose) is a nice kid. But I owe him an ass-kicking. And that Icon belt ain’t too shabby. Fuck, I love Hawaii…sign me up.

Ariel Helwani: You’re next fight is against Murilo Ninja Rua on CBS. Did you ever think, when you started out in this sport, that you would get a chance to fight on a network like CBS?
Phil Baroni: No, nobody did. Not the fighters anyway. Back then you weren’t fighting to become rich or famous. You did it because you loved it. You wanted to compete (and) prove yourself.

Ariel Helwani: Who’s the better fighter Hose or Rua?
Phil Baroni: Come on man, who do you think? Rua. Ask Rampage or Henderson who’s better. Those guys won questionable split decisions against Rua. Rua has fought the best in the biggest shows and held his own. Hose is a tough kid but he still has a lot to prove. He needs to rematch me and show his fans and the world he is for real. Its my job not to let that happen. There are too fucking many tough middleweights already (ha ha). We don’t need anymore.

Ariel Helwani: Who would you like to fight after the Rua fight?
Phil Baroni: Man, I already told you, I’ll fight anybody. Anderson Silva because he is considered the man and that’s what I want to be.

Ariel Helwani: What did you think of Frank Shamrock’s performance against Cung Le?
Phil Baroni: I think he won the first round. I think he hurt Cung in the third (round). Watching the fight I kept thinking to myself: “how the fuck did I lose to that guy.” I’m so much better than him.

READ THE REST OF THIS INTERVIEW AT MMARATED.COM

by Matthew Blankenship, JarryPark.com contributor

Current WBA, WBC, and WBO World Cruiserweight title holder, David “Hayemaker” Haye, recently told the Southwark News (UK) that he wants to try his hand at mixed martial arts after the age of 30. The 27-year-old Haye, who recently beat Enzo Maccarinelli in a title unification bout at the O2 Arena in London, England, has already stated his intention to move up to boxing’s heavyweight ranks to “clean up that disgraceful division.”

Furthermore, he also said that he would like to retire from boxing at the age of 31. That’s when he would like to make the move to MMA.

If Haye stays true to his word (and we all know how that goes) this could be huge for MMA and, more specifically, the UFC.

Sure, it’s a few years away but it’s certainly a step in the right direction in the ongoing MMA vs. boxing argument. Haye is a promoter’s dream: A savvy trash talker, a KO artist, and a fighter who possesses a marketable look. No one David Haye’s caliber in the boxing world has every entertained the thought of competing in MMA.

Haye believes that he would only need a year of solid MMA training before he has ready to fight on the big stage. And you know what? I believe him. Here’s why:

READ THE REST OF THIS POST AT MMARATED.COM

(FULL DISCLOSURE: I HAVE RECENTLY ACCEPTED A POSITION AS ONE OF THE POLLSTERS ON WAMMA’S RANKING COMMITTEE.)

The World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts was founded in November 2007. But, really now, what are they all about? What are they trying to accomplish?

Many MMA fans have asked these questions in the last five months and now its time to seek some answers.

So, MMARated Radio invited WAMMA’s President and CEO, David Szady, and its COO and Executive Vice President, Michael B. Lynch, to talk about WAMMA’s goals and what they have accomplished thus far. We even found out about an MMA legend that is now on board with WAMMA (hint: he’s quite the Natural).

Some other talking points:

* What was the impetus behind WAMMA
* What kind of reception have they received thus far
* Is the UFC on board?
* What kind of discussions have they had with Zuffa?
* Why should the UFC work with WAMMA?
* Is there really a need for an organization such as WAMMA?
* What are WAMMA’s goals?
* What have they been able to accomplish thus far
* Which big name fighter is now affiliated with WAMMA
* How will they help protect the health and safety of the fighters
* What kind of uniformity will they look to bring to the sport.

All that and, trust me, much more. A very interesting interview.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE

As I mentioned earlier, I was a guest on Fight Network Radio yesterday afternoon. Host Mauro Ranallo and I spoke about some interesting MMA and wrestling topics including:

* The rumored Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia bout

* The post-Wrestlemania WWE landscape

* The HBK-Batista storyline

* The story involving steroids being found in the former home of WWE wrestlers 

(By the way, the above photo of Kelly Kelly has nothing to do with any of these issues but she was Knox’s “girlfriend” for a while on ECW so I thought it would be a propos and more interesting than a photo of Mr. Ole Anderson Jr. What a weird pairing that was. Sort of like Lita with Essa Rios way back when.)

Ariel Helwani – 04/08/08

Listen to Mauro Ranallo and John Pollock weekdays from 3-4 p.m. EST on Fight Network Radio on Sirius channel 186 or via Hardcoresportsradio.com.

It’s a great time to be a heavyweight in the UFC as that particular division is as wide open as ever. Randy Couture? Gone. Tim Sylvia? Gone. Mirko Cro Cop? Gone. Andrei Arlovski? Maybe gone. Fedor Emelianenko? No Chance. Josh Barnett? You must be kidding.

So, that pretty much leaves champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and everyone else fighting for second place. One of those fighters is Heath Herring, however, he’s already lost to Minotauro three times, most recently in July at UFC 73. Nevertheless, should “The Texas Crazy Horse” continue to build on his most recent victory against Cheick Kongo at UFC 82, one has to wonder if he’ll receive a fourth crack at Nogueira. Herring certainly hopes so.

MMARated Radio spoke to Herring about the topic of facing Nogueira again and much more:

* His victory over Kongo

* His thoughts on his UFC career thus far

* Is he happy in the UFC?

* How many fights are left on his contract?

* Should he receive a fourth shot against Minotauro?

* The infamous Yoshihiro Nakao kissing incident

* Does he regret it?

* His thoughts on Spike using the kiss footage to sell his UFC debut

All that and much more from a very candid Herring.

Fiveouncesofpain.com is partnering up with MMARated.com to launch the ultimate user-generated mixed martial arts contest entitled “MMA Uncensored.” For the first time ever, MMA fans will get a chance to share their personal MMA-related media with the world and actually win money for it!

Snapped a funny photo of a UFC champion at a bar? Send it in. Shot footage of a a fighter interacting with fans? We want to see it. The user that submits the most intriguing photo OR video will win a $500 cash prize.

Here’s how it works:

* Log onto MMArated.com

* Create a profile

* Upload your photo or video with the title “MMAUncensored”

That’s it.

The deadline to submit your content is May 8th and you can submit as much media as you wish so log onto MMARated.com and start uploading!

ENTER NOW!

Welcome to week one of the MMARated.com’s cultural and media rankings. Each week we’ll weigh in on who’s hot and who’s not in the world of mixed martial arts. Take a look…

MMARATED CULTURAL RANKINGS – 04/08/08

READ THE REST OF MMARATED.COM’S CULTURAL AND MEDIA RANKINGS HERE