Did Bud Light Bust Patrick Cote's Knee?

by Kid Nate on Oct 28, 2008 2:45 PM EDT in News Comment 32 comments

Now tell me that the slippery sponsor's decal didn't jack up Cote and ruin the fight.

I don’t know the process for how the UFC puts it’s advertisements onto the mat. I do know that many fighters often complain that the ads often have different grips, and you often see dudes stalk across the octagon only to go banana heel one they hit a decal. At UFC 89 the Gears of War 2 advertisement seemed to cause several fighters some issues, including Brandon Vera and Keith Jardine. This isn’t the only time we’ve seen it … it’s just the most recent incident that I can specifically remember.

Can you imagine another sport where athletes could be hurt because of the way advertisements are presented? In MMA it’s worse than others … a simple slip in other games means a botched play and some embarrassment. In MMA it could result in the other fighter jumping you and punching your lights out. So even if there isn’t a rash of fighters blowing their knees out on these things, it still needs to be addressed.

The UFC really needs to find a way to make the sponsor decals less of a hazard to the fighters. As we saw Saturday night, if a headlining fighter gets hurt and spoils the main event, its not good for business.

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its been a problem in boxing for years, guys slipping on them. i dont know why no one has’nt been able to solve this problem.

by bdw on Oct 28, 2008 2:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Amen. I was just going to say the same thing.

http://eliotmarshall.com/

by BJJDenver on Oct 28, 2008 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Same here...

it’s a HUGE issue and always has been. You’d think with the technology in the world right now that we wouldn’t have to use decals that aren’t the same texture as the rest of the canvas.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Oct 28, 2008 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didn’t realize it was an issue, but the linked gifs definitely show that its a problem.

by Razreshat on Oct 28, 2008 2:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I always knew Bud Light was no good.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by themachiavellian on Oct 28, 2008 3:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Miller Lite FTW!!! :D

by xFenixKnightx on Oct 29, 2008 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Very interesting!

Nice catch, Nate. This not only quiets the “Silvas leg kick messed up Cotes knee” thing, but also points to the real culprit. Something should definitely be done if this is a known issue :(

by mythbuster on Oct 28, 2008 3:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think it “quiets the ‘Silvas leg kick messed up Cote’s knee’ thing.” The slip here was in the second round, the buckling wasn’t until the third. There was a huge kick to the knee either before the slip (which could have played a role in causing the slip) or after the slip, and the time between the slip and the buckling leaves a lot of room for uncertainty about how big a role either the slip or the kick played in the eventual buckle. Or something like that.

by Kierkegaard on Oct 28, 2008 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the NFL

they had a similar situation with astroturf, or whatever it was called, didn’t they? the new “field turf” doesn’t seem to be a problem.
did they ever prove that astroturf hurt players?

-- I've misplaced my pants.

by garth on Oct 28, 2008 3:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Could they digitally insert the decals?

by toxic on Oct 28, 2008 3:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

damn yo

I wanted to say this. Similar to how some soccer matches superimpose sponsors on the field or CBS NFL programming puts the down and distance on the field via computers or black magic.

"I'm a man who discovered the wheel and built the Eiffel Tower out of metal and brawn. That's what kind of man I am." - Ron Burgundy

by monkeyfightclub! on Oct 28, 2008 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

This is genius. Dana, are you listening?

"It's like a flying knuckle sandwich." --Rogan
"And many men have eaten it." -- Goldy

by thetakeover on Oct 28, 2008 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I believe GSP also slipped on a decal right before Serra started beating the crap out of him. This is an issue the UFC really should have already addressed.

by Michaelthebox on Oct 28, 2008 3:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Would love to see a GIF. Smoogy?

"It's like a flying knuckle sandwich." --Rogan
"And many men have eaten it." -- Goldy

by thetakeover on Oct 28, 2008 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

PIne tar is the answer… pin tar on the feet.. so you do not slip. HAHA that is an interesting possibility though. Could they not put some kind of traction something or another over top of the mat if this is a serious problem.??

by www.thesportsdump.com on Oct 28, 2008 3:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Seriously?

Give me a fucking break. It’s a fight! The decals could have more slip than others but it gives neither fighter an advantage and it sadly pays the bills for the UFC. If this is what post fight analysis is coming to, I’m going to have to find a new sport. Suck it up and move on. It’s a decal, I’d say someone’s sweaty ass lying on the floor for three minutes of a round or someone bleeding like Lytle vs Kos would be the same thing.

And for Fightlinker to say it just botches a play in another sport, what about hockey? Ice condition varies from rink to rink and multipurpose rinks are the worse. We’re talking rutts, soft ice and actual pieces missing. That can lead to alot more injury then getting punched out. There won’t be a ref to come in to stop a defense man from smashing your grill into the boards if you lose and edge and land on your ass.

Like c’mon, decals? I’d say Anderson Silva planting his gumby leg in Patrick Cote’s face would be a much bigger hazard.

Man, that’s fucking weak!

"Men like me are like comets, destined to be consumed by lighting up their century"

- Napolean

by Kris McKillop on Oct 28, 2008 3:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's completely reasonable and logical.

Fighting surface matters, just like the type of green matters when golfing or what kind of surface the tennis court is on. The fighters have enough to worry about; they shouldn’t have to worry about slipping too. A better decal solution would help eliminate some variables that can effect a fight.

by pud333 on Oct 28, 2008 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

TROLL

"It's like a flying knuckle sandwich." --Rogan
"And many men have eaten it." -- Goldy

by thetakeover on Oct 28, 2008 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think it affects one fighter more than another, but it is a danger to both guys.

http://eliotmarshall.com/

by BJJDenver on Oct 29, 2008 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gives a whole new meaning to Octagon Control…

by iiowyn on Oct 28, 2008 4:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Is it really that hard?

I can’t imagine that it’d be that hard to either put a clear cover on the mat that the decals go under, or just make the decals grippy. I’ve seen way too many slips on ads to not think it’s a problem.

by Amish on Oct 28, 2008 4:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

Kirk Johnson/Javier Mora (boxing) had an incident where Mora stepped on his foot, which caused Johnson to jack his leg up. This was changed to a No Contest.

by JCS_FM on Oct 28, 2008 4:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bud Light Decal by Ankle Lock!

by MMASuPreMaCy on Oct 28, 2008 5:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Several fighters have said that the painted parts of the canvas actually provide more traction than the plain fabric parts.

Several months ago one (possibly Joe Lauzon but I can’t remember) said in his post fight interview with Rogan that he waited until he was on the painted part in the middle to shoot for his take down because it provided more grip. Rogan replied that they should cover the entire Octagon floor in the paint then IIRC.

You’ll also often see fighters or their coach pour some water on the ground in their corner before the fight starts. The water absorbing into the cloth gives it some grip.

Did anyone bother to actually ask fighters that have been in the Octagon about it before blaming the UFC and demanding changes?

by Scotty87 on Oct 28, 2008 5:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think you are right to point out the accounts of fighters being a reliable source since they have been in the cage and FightLinker has not. I think the key is making the fight surface the same. paint or canvas, if its the same then fighters become more sure footed because they know what they are stepping on. Not that ads are bad, but it removes a risk of something freakish happening because of something that can be fixed.

by szucconi on Oct 28, 2008 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely not...

In the gif in which he falls, his right foot everts…causing a valgus force to his right knee…the medial collateral ligament is attached to the medial meniscus and is stressed in valgus…this has ZERO to do with the advertisement.

Wags

by DocWagner on Oct 28, 2008 6:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

can u say that...

in regular people talk? sounds like you know what you’re talking about, but me no understand.

by nandez44 on Oct 28, 2008 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He said his right foot turned to the outside, which caused pressure to the inside of his knee. The MCL (hey there’s other ligaments besides the ACL in the knee!) is attached to the cushion in between the shin and thigh bone (and there’s even shit besides ligaments!) and that shit gets fucked when there’s pressure on the inside.
Personally, I think the first gif in question is just as important. But I would actually need to hear Cote’s description of the pain he felt there because I’m not that good.

by Simco on Oct 28, 2008 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why not just use a type of hologram? Like footballs first yard line in yellow.

by Tommy7 on Oct 28, 2008 8:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

In regular people talk...

His foot (bottom) went “out”,causing the medial or “inner” part of the knee to quickly go “in”. The knee, in relation to the hip and foot, was relatively “inward” placing tension on the inner aspect of the knee and pulling the MCL apart and the medial meniscus with it.

It was a quick, random, yet poorly positioned foot (and then up the kinetic chain) that caused his knee to buckle.

Watch the gif, watch the right knee and foot.

First ONLY watch the foot.
Then ONLY the knee.
Then watch them together.
It is not the advertisement, it is simply the everted foot causing a huge amount of force in the valgus knee…POP!!
Often times the ACL goes with this, it is called a “terrible triad”.

Let me know in anyone in INDY needs a fight doc.

Wags

by DocWagner on Oct 28, 2008 9:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs