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Kurt Angle Responds To Shamrock & Otto

January 8, 2008

A couple of weeks ago on HDNet’s Inside MMA, Ken Shamrock and Kurt Otto had some not-so-flattering things to say about Jarry Parker (catchy, eh?) Kurt Angle‘s interest in mixed martial arts. Basically, Otto said that after Angle sat in the front row at an IFL event in September 2007 he got cold feet and decided against fighting Shamrock at an IFL event. Shamrock then implied that Angle was scared to go toe-to-toe with “The World’s Most Dangerous Man.”

As always, there’s two sides of every story. Angle has been travelling all over this great earth lately so he wasn’t available for an official interview but he did tell me this when I asked why he backed out of the IFL deal:

“That’s because they tried to force a fight with me and Ken in two and a half months. (It’s) not enough time to take off from TNA and train for a fight. They rushed it…I would have never been ready. They didn’t care. He just wanted PPV buys.”

He went on to say that:

“They are only trying to push my buttons – to start another angle. My rep in MMA is that I back out. No I don’t. Usually they back out of the deal because of my price. I want giant money. Usually they say they will pay me what I want then they change it and tell me they will pay me on the back end. I want it up front PERIOD.”

At this point, I doubt we will ever see Angle fight in an IFL ring. Obviously, money talks but it appears that their unsolicited shots at him closed the door for good. And, while we’re at it, until he officially announces a deal with a promotion all the talk of Angle competing in an MMA fight should end.

Posted in IFL, Interview, Kurt Angle, MMA | 13 Comments »

From Brooklyn To Hillsboro: Michael Malice’s Strange Journey To Matt Hughes’ House

January 8, 2008

Michael Malice is the editor of overheardatcollege.com and worstemailever.com. He is the author of Overheard in New York and also the subject of Harvey Pekar’s Ego & Hubris.

So, what the hell is he doing co-authoring “Made In America” – the Matt Hughes autobiography? Good question.

A year ago, if I were forced to guess one author who would help write the first mainstream MMA autobiography, Michael Malice would probably be my last pick. Simply put, the Brooklyn native doesn’t strike me as “the MMA-type.”

But (as Malice mentioned in our interview) that actually makes him the perfect candidate to co-author this book. I couldn’t agree more.

Take a listen as Malice talks about how he crossed paths with the former UFC Welterweight champion, his experiences living in Hillsboro while working on the book and why Matt Hughes isn’t such a bad guy after all.

Michael Malice – 01/08/08

Posted in Interview, Matt Hughes, Michael Malice, MMA, UFC | 1 Comment »

Finally, Swick-Fu Returns In Two Weeks

January 7, 2008

The last time we saw Mike Swick he was getting manhandled by Yushin Okami at UFC 69. That loss was certainly hard to swallow for the 28-year-old Swick as it came in his hometown of Houston, TX, but, more importantly, it derailed his meteoric rise up the Middleweight rankings.

Nine months later, we find Mike Swick looking to prove himself all over again at a new weight class against a whole new set of opponents. Swick battles Josh Burkman at 170 pounds on the 1/23 Ultimate Fight Night card on Spike TV.

The Park caught up with Swick to talk about his upcoming fight, the loss to Okami and why he chose to move down to 170. Below is our interview:

Ariel Helwani: Why did you decide to move down 170 pounds after you experienced so much success at 185?

Mike Swick: Because it is my natural weight class. I have been debating moving down for a long time.

AH: Was this part of your career plan from the beginning?

MS: I didn’t think about weight classes at the beginning of my career – just fighting.

AH: You were just a couple of wins away from a title shot at 185, do you feel like you have to climb the proverbial ladder all over again now?

MS: I definitely have to prove myself at 170 and that’s what I hope to do.

AH: Do you have any plans on ever returning to the Middleweight division?

MS: Haven’t thought about it but I am the same size either way so I could if I decide to.

AH: How tough was it to watch Yushin Okami fight for a #1 contender shot following your loss to him?

MS: Not as tough is losing to him in my #1 contender fight.

AH: What went wrong in the fight against Okami?

MS: Everything! That loss started before I even got in the ring. I made too many mistakes leading to that fight and then in the fight. I learned from them though.

AH: Did you feel any pressure fighting in front of your home crowd?

MS: I did but more because of my fast success in the UFC. Going 5-0 and winning in such quick fashion caused a tremendous amount of pressure on me. I listened to what everyone was saying and lost focus of what I should be doing out there.

AH: Why haven’t you fought since then?

MS: I have been plagued with injuries. Trust me, I wanted to fight sooner.

AH: What are your thoughts on Josh Burkman?

MS: He is a very tough fighter who is explosive and strong.

AH: If you defeat Burkman – who would you like to fight next?

MS: Not even thinking about that now. I only focus on one fight at a time.

AH: Anything you want to say to your loyal fans?

MS: I want to thank all the fans out there for their ongoing support! Please checkout my webpage at Mikeswick.com and my Myspace at Myspace.com/mikeswick.

Posted in Interview, Mike Swick, MMA, UFC | 4 Comments »

A New Entry To The World Of Combat Sports?

January 6, 2008

I don’t know about you guys but I just spent the last few hours of my life getting introduced to this new form of fighting. To say I am mesmerized would be a huge understatement. If anyone can translate at least some of the commentary for me you will have a permanent seat in the JP Hall Of Fame.

Posted in Bug Fights | 1 Comment »

The Black Panther Stalks His Prey

January 4, 2008

I’m a sucker for trash-talking. I don’t care who the fighters involved are if they are able to throw around some good insults I will probably watch the fight. So you can imagine my excitement for tomorrow night’s IBF Light Welterweight title bout between champion Paulie Malignaggi and Herman Ngoudjo (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET/PT). Two great young fighters. Two great trash-talkers. One Montrealer (Ngoudjo). Can’t wait.

Their conference call last month should be shown to all aspiring fighters to teach them how to properly talk smack. Then, this past Wednesday in New York City, they slipped in a couple of more classic shots at the final pre-fight presser. Some of my favorites included:

“Don’t worry about remembering my opponent’s name, because come Sunday, no one will remember him anymore.” – Malignaggi

“I am going to punish Paulie. My fists will be singing in 12 different languages so I hope Paulie knows Italian since that will be one language of choice.” – Ngoudjo

“I plan on punishing Ngoudjo and I will break him down for talking so much crap. If I win by knockout, it will be in the later rounds.” – Malignaggi

“I knew I wanted to fight Paulie right after the Ndou fight. After I saw that fight, I said ‘I want this guy’ and I always get what I want. Now, I want to win, so I will win.” – Ngoudjo

My favorite of the bunch has to be this one from Ngoudjo:

“After I take his belt, we’re going to have a big party to celebrate.”

It certainly doesn’t get any better than that. For more great comments from Herman Ngoudjo take a listen my interview with “The Black Panther” himself. We talk about his upcoming bout, the controversial Castillo fight and his plans to fight Ricky Hatton once he defeats “The Magic Man.”

Herman Ngoudjo – 1/4/08

Posted in Boxing, Herman Ngoudjo, Interview | 1 Comment »

He’s Just J-Lau From The Block

January 3, 2008

If the rumors of Kenny Florian battling Joe Lauzon on an April edition of Ultimate Fight Night are true all I can say is it’s about time.

I had a heard a ton of great things about Joe Lauzon even before his shocking victory over Jens Pulver at UFC 66 in September 2006. That fight further cemented my beliefs that he would be one of the top stars of the UFC’s lightweight division but was disappointed when I heard he was casted as a member of TUF 5. While it seemed like a step down for J-Lau following the Pulver victory, I still felt he would ultimately win the tournament. In fact, in my previous blogging-life as the official TUF 5 blogger for spiketv.com, I even predicted Lauzon would breeze by the competition on the show. Things didn’t really go as planned but he did look impressive in his win over Brandon Melendez on the undercard of The Ultimate Fighter Finale – undercard being the operative word.

Then, he was “featured” on the undercard of UFC 78 against Jason Reinhardt. At this point I had to wonder why the UFC was dropping the ball with Lauzon. He couldn’t even crack the televised portion of one of the weakest UFC PPVs in recent history? What gives. Lauzon should be the type of fighter the UFC promotes to the public – not hides. I mean, he certainly doesn’t look like the average mixed martial artist and he even used to moonlight as a computer network administrator when he wasn’t knocking people out. What’s not to like?

Here’s hoping we see a whole lot more of Lauzon in 2008. Whether it’s main eventing a Spike TV card or moving up the 155-pound rankings – we need more J-Lau and we need it now.

Below is our interview with the Brockton, Massachusetts native. In it we converse about his UFC career, UFC 78, TUF 5 and a whole lot more.

Joe Lauzon – 1/3/08

Posted in Interview, Joe Lauzon, MMA, UFC | 2 Comments »

Hightower Hopes For A Home In The UFC

January 2, 2008

Coming into the The Ultimate Fighter 6 it was crystal clear as to who the favorites and underdogs were. Phoenix, Arizona’s Richie Hightower was no doubt viewed as a long shot to win the reality show. So, it was kind of surprising to see Hightower make it to the quarterfinals of TUF 6 and then put up a good a strong fight against highly-favored George Sotiropoulos. While he ended up losing to the lanky Australian, Hightower gained a lot of respect for his showing against Sotiropoulos.

His mildly successful performance on the show led some to believe he would defeat Troy Mandaloniz at The Ultimate Fighter Finale last year (fine, it was last month but I love saying things like that after new year’s – call me old school).

Despite the loss (and brutal KO) Hightower still believes he has a spot with the king of MMA. Take a listen as he discusses his unlikely road to the UFC, his experience as a reality TV star and his future plans in the sport.

Richie Hightower – 1/2/07

Posted in Interview, MMA, Richie Hightower, The Ultimate Fighter, UFC | 4 Comments »

JarryPark’s 15 Moments Of ’07 – #1: Crippling

January 2, 2008

For our entire (and now complete) countdown click here.

#1: Crippling
What: Chris Benoit murders his wife, Nancy, son, Daniel, and then commits suicide
Where: Fayetteville, GA
When: June 22-24, 2007

I will never forget the day I heard the news. I received a text message from one of the top wrestlers in the industry who I befriended on a movie set earlier in the year. The message read:

“Dear Ariel,
Chris Benoit and his family are dead. God Bless them all. Call you later.”

My body went numb. I was in total shock. I ran to my computer to confirm the tragedy and he was right: Chris, Nancy and Daniel were all dead. A few hours later, Monday Night Raw aired and, well, you know the rest.

In a year filled with so many great MMA and boxing moments we, unfortunately, end on another tragic wrestling death. Once again, 2007 saw the industry forced to deal with its general slew of deaths but this one was, sadly, on a whole other level.

There’s nothing more I can add to this story. I have been sitting here for an hour thinking of a nice way to wrap it up but I can’t. I hate thinking about it. I hate to think of all the gruesome details. I’m ashamed to admit I ever admired Benoit and, for a time, I was ashamed of the business.

Some say good will come out of this. Congress will investigate the industry and clean it up for good. Maybe so (I doubt it) but it will never be worth it. A little boy and his mother died AS A RESULT of the industry. And If you think this murder-suicide had nothing to do with wrestling well, then, there’s really nothing more I can say.

Further Enlightenment:
Chris Benoit, Family Found Dead [Slam! Sports]
Police Paint Grisly Picture Of Benoit Home [ABC News]
Doping Still An Issue In Wrestling [USA Today]

Posted in 2007 Moments, Chris Benoit, Wrestling, WWE | No Comments »

JarryPark’s 15 Moments Of ’07 – #2: Box Office Boxing

January 1, 2008

We’re not ready for 2008 just yet. We continue our countdown of the Top 15 Combat Sports Moments of 2007. The list can be found here.

#2: Box Office Boxing
What: Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather rewrite the pay-per-view record books
Where: MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, NV
When: May 5, 2007

Let it be known that the reason De La Hoya vs. Mayweather is so high on our list is not for the fight itself. That one might make our most over-hyped list. Basically, we have a rule around these parts: If a fight breaks several records it deserves some kind of a spot at the top of our countdown lists (and if this were a normal year it probably would have been #1). We’ve already made it known that HBO’s 24/7 was largely responsible for its success but allow me to fully break down the numbers for everyone:

* Its 2.4 million pay-per-view buys shattered the 1.99 million buys for Holyfield vs. Tyson in 1997 and really shattered the non-heavyweight record of 1.4 million buys for De La Hoya vs. Trinidad in 1999.

* The total revenue of the bout was $165 million beating the previous record of $112 million by Lewis vs. Tyson in 2002.

* As a result of all the millions generated, Oscar De La Hoya passed Evander Holyfield as the all-time leader in pay-per-view sales with 12.8 million buys.

* The $134.4 million in PPV revenue helped further establish DLH as the PPV king as his fights have generated $626.4 million. Mike Tyson sits in second place with $545 million.

So, the next time you’re at a bar and some drunk sitting next to you waxes idiotic on how boxing is dead just pull out this cheat sheet and stuff it in his face. Then give him a shot right in the kidneys and tell him we sent you.

Further Enlightenment:
Cinco De Mayweather [HBO]
HBO Numbers Prove Superfight Was Super Big At Box Office [ESPN]
De La Hoya-Mayweather Was Richest Fight Ever [MSNBC]

Posted in 2007 Moments, Boxing, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Oscar De La Hoya | No Comments »

Austin Aries Hopes To Be Ring Of Honor’s Brightest ‘Starr’ of 2008

January 1, 2008

After being stuck in wrestling hell (known to some as mid-card status in TNA) Austin Aries is now thriving all over again wrestling for Ring of Honor.

This past Saturday, he and ROH champ Nigel McGuinness wrestled in a potential Match Of the Year candidate at the Manhattan Center in New York City (since the match was taped for PPV I won’t spill the beans as to who won).

In case you forgot, it was Aries’ amazing matches in ROH that lead to TNA signing him in the first place. His debut in TNA came after he won an online poll to face Christopher Daniels at TNA: Sacrifice in August 2005 (Aries beat out Matt Sydal, Roderick Strong and Jay Lethal in the poll). His match with Daniels eventually led to him getting signed by the company, however, he never seemed to get a strong enough push to succeed (sound familiar?).

Efforts to repackage Aries into “Austin Starr” also failed and after getting suspended from the company in April 2007 the Wisconsin-native asked for his release.

As you will hear in our in our interview below, Aries has officially moved on from his experience in TNA and is focused on the future. Take a listen as Aries talks about the year to come and even shares his views on the state of the industry.

Austin Aries – 1/1/08

(photo courtesy of Mary Kate Grosso)

Posted in Austin Aries, Interview, Ring of Honor, Wrestling | No Comments »