Bloody Elbow: FanPosts

MMA Injuries: Joe Proctor's Stability Shoulder Surgery

2013-05-23T02:08:12Z

On April 23rd, UFC lightweight fighter Joe Proctor had surgery on his shoulder. He tweeted a post-operative picture that date, indicating that the surgery went well. He had previously injured the shoulder in training and was pulled from his bout scheduled for UFC 159. Little was known about the surgery until earlier this month, when he tweeted the following.

@scottyeadon I got stability shoulder surgery
— Joe Proctor (@JoeProctor) May 4, 2013

This tweet suggests that shoulder instability was the reason behind the surgery. When the shoulder is unstable, the head of the humerus bone can slip in and out of the socket. This occurs when the capsule and ligaments that provide stability to the shoulder joint become loose or torn. It is unusual for someone to have surgery after a single episode of shoulder dislocation, so if Proctor's surgery was indeed performed to correct an unstable shoulder, he has probably had repeated episodes of instability. A chronically unstable shoulder would be incompatible with successful combat sport competition at an elite level. Surgery to stabilize the shoulder can be done arthroscopically (or minimally invasive). While I do not know if this is the type of surgery that Proctor had, here is a good video showing such a procedure for an unstable shoulder.

The rotator cuff muscles are the critical dynamic stabilizers of the shoulder. These muscles work in conjunction with the shoulder joint ligaments to stabilize the extremely mobile shoulder joint. As Proctor recovers from the surgery, he will ultimately have to work on rebuilding proprioception of the shoulder joint. Proprioception refers to the body's ability to sense movement within joints, and to sense joint position. The proprioceptive system is made up of special nerves in the muscles, capsule and ligaments around joints. These "receptor" nerves can sense tension and stretch, and pass this information to the brain for processing. The brain then signals the muscles surrounding a joint to contract or relax in order to produce the desired movement. I have previously posted on the concept of proprioception as it relates to the shoulder. That can be found at the MMA Injury blog.

@scottyeadon I got stability shoulder surgery
— Joe Proctor (@JoeProctor) May 4, 2013

T.J. Grant; or, a Visit from the Unknown

2013-05-22T21:35:30Z

"It's the unknown that draws people." - E.A. Bucchianeri

Mixed martial arts fans are inherently attracted to the unpredictability of the sport.

And who can blame them?

There is something special about witnessing a last-second submission or a major upset. Spontaneity loses its luster on replay, like a deli sandwich never tastes the same as a homemade one. It's as if in that singular moment the fans were invited to the unveiling of an inside joke, a once in a lifetime moment.

However, the fan's appeal for the unknown disappears when it comes to the name of a fighter.

Every month the UFC unveils a card, and there is always at least one name fans question; a collective groan of the word "who?"

This was the case when UFC President Dana White announced Gray Maynard, former lightweight contender, would fight T.J. Grant for the number one lightweight contender slot at UFC 160.

T.J. Grant? Who?

If you were one of the many who uttered that question, don't be ashamed.

T.J. Grant has fought on the preliminary card in all of his 10 UFC fights, a staggering statistic when you think about the amount of evanescent no-names that appeared on UFC main cards.

But Grant's exposure doesn't match his talent.

The Canadian made his promotional debut at welterweight, winning a split decision over Ryo Chonan at UFC 97. Over the next year and a half, Grant traded wins and losses. Finally, after a loss to Ricardo Almeida at UFC 124, Grant considered a move to lightweight. And, with a 3-3 record at welterweight, Grant could use the career spark.

The cut to 155 pounds did just that, producing a three-fight win streak against Shane Roller, Carlo Prater and Evan Dunham.

However, it wasn't until his upset of Matt Wiman at UFC on Fox 6, that Grant's name started to be tossed around the upper echelon of the lightweight division.

So, that being said, does Grant actually deserve such a lofty opportunity?

Yes.

Let's take a brief rundown of the UFC lightweight ranks.

Gilbert Melendez just lost a controversial split decision to champion Benson Henderson. Anthony Pettis, someone most believed would get the next title shot, decided to move down to featherweight in an attempt to challenge champion Jose Aldo.

Although Josh Thomson, the No. 4 lightweight, knocked out Nate Diaz, he has only had one fight in the octagon. Donald Cerrone is coming off a TKO loss to Anthony Pettis. Nate Diaz lost by knockout to Josh Thomson. No. 8 lightweight Jim Miller recently loss to Pat Healy, the No. 9 lightweight, who tested positive for marijuana. And, finally, the No. 10 lightweight Rafael Dos Anjos fought Evan Dunham May 18.

So once all of the highly publicized names of the lightweight division have been sifted through, it seems quite obvious Grant not only deserves a fight for the contender slot, but might be one of the the only individuals still standing to claim it.

"It's the unknown that draws people." - E.A. Bucchianeri

Mixed martial arts fans are inherently attracted to the unpredictability of the sport.

And who can blame them?

However, the fan's appeal for the unknown disappears when it comes to the name of a fighter.

Every month the UFC unveils a card, and there is always at least one name fans question; a collective groan of the word "who?"

This was the case when UFC President Dana White announced Gray Maynard, former lightweight contender, would fight T.J. Grant for the number one lightweight contender slot at UFC 160.

T.J. Grant? Who?

If you were one of the many who uttered that question, don't be ashamed.

T.J. Grant has fought on the preliminary card in all of his 10 UFC fights, a staggering statistic when you think about the amount of evanescent no-names that appeared on UFC main cards.

But Grant's exposure doesn't match his talent.

The cut to 155 pounds did just that, producing a three-fight win streak against Shane Roller, Carlo Prater and Evan Dunham.

However, it wasn't until his upset of Matt Wiman at UFC on Fox 6, that Grant's name started to be tossed around the upper echelon of the lightweight division.

So, that being said, does Grant actually deserve such a lofty opportunity?

Yes.

Let's take a brief rundown of the UFC lightweight ranks.

Dos Santos vs Hunt: Looking at UFC 160′s Co-Main Event

2013-05-22T16:18:24Z

UFC 160 goes down this Saturday, live on pay-per-view from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event is a familiar matchup, pitting defending champ Cain Velasquez against Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva in a rematch of their UFC 146 bout, where Velasquez dominated Silva. The co-main event will most likely determine the next challenger for the heavyweight title, and features former champion Junior Dos Santos taking on surging knockout artist Mark ‘The Super Samoan’ Hunt.

Hunt comes into this fight on a four-fight win streak, having knocked out Chris Tuchscherer, beat Ben Rothwell by decision, and TKO-ed Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve. Hunt was the K-1 World Grand Prix Champion in 2001, and has seen a career resurgence after being submitted by Sean McCorkle in his UFC debut. He has his work cut out for him against ‘Cigano’ however.

Dos Santos comes in to this fight on the heels of his only UFC loss, which came at UFC 155 where he lost the heavyweight title to Velasquez. Dos Santos has beaten a multitude of present and past top 10 heavyweights, including Velasquez, Frank Mir, Shane Carwin, Roy Nelson, Mirko Cro Cop, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Stefan Struve. Only two of Dos Santos nine UFC wins have come by decision, and only two of his seven finishes in the octagon have come outside of the first round.

Fightmetric striking stats show that Dos Santos lands an average of 5.51 strikes per minute (SLpM), whereas Hunt lands only 3.58 strikes per minute. Now, anyone who has ever seen Mark Hunt land a punch knows that he normally isn’t afforded the opportunity to land volume, due to his opponents’ tendancy to get knocked out by his punches. Dos Santos is slightly more accurate on the feet, coming in at 48% versus Hunt’s 45%. Hunt does absorb stirkes less often, with a strikes absorbed per-minute average of 1.88, compared to Dos Santos, who eats 2.78 strikes per minute. It’s also interesting to note that Hunt has only been finished by KO one time in his 16 mixed martial arts contests, by Melvin Manhoef in 2008. In fact, six of his seven losses have come by submission, which is something that Dos Santos has to be taking into consideration. Although Cigano has only racked up two wins by submission, he is a black belt in brazilian jui-jitsu under Yuri Carlton, and we may finally get to see some actual jui jitsu from Dos Santos.

Both fighters attempt an average of less than one takedown per fight, and Cigano defends 74% of takedowns attempted on him, and Hunt defends 70%. They also each attempt less than one submission per fight on average.

Both of these guys have one punch knock out power and both have faced heavy handed opponents in the past. Dos Santos comes in having beat a higher quality of competition, but he will have some difficulty putting Hunt away if he chooses to keep it standing, which is most likely where this one will be fought. It’s going to take a sustained effort, but look for Dos Santos to finish Hunt late in the fight, or take a unanimous decision to earn another shot at Cain Velasquez and the UFC heavyweight title.

Bellator Summer Series... Losers Welcome

2013-05-22T13:43:37Z

Bellator kicks off it's 2013 Summer Series on June 19th, and for the first time we will see Bellator drop the 8 man tournament format to run 4 man tournaments in the Heavyweight, and Light-Heavyweight divisions. Bjorn Rebney the Bellator CEO has taken some pleasure in pointing out that guys like Frankie Edgar, and Chael Sonnen were coming off of losses when they were given their most recent UFC title shots. He likes to talk about how fighters in Bellator have to earn their shots... OK. I'd like to see someone ask Bjorn why seven of the eight fighters in the HW, and LHW Bellator Tourneys this summer are coming off a loss, 6 by stoppage.

Heavyweight Vitaly Minakov is the only fighter who could come out of these tournaments and go into a Bellator title shot on more than a two fight win streak. What have these fighters done to even earn their way into a Bellator tournament? How is recycling the losers from previous Bellator tournaments immediately into another tournament any way to justify a worthy title challenger? It isn't, wouldn't it make sense for these guys to have to win at least one fight against some fresh talent to earn their spot... but that would make Bellator take it's eye off the prize which is getting King Mo a title shot by the most certain route possible.

HW: Rich Hale, and Vinicius Queiroz both lost in the last HW tourney. Ron Sparks lost by KO in 40 seconds at his last fight to Eric Prindle back in Oct 2011.

LHW: King Mo, Seth Petruzelli, Jacob Noe, and Babalu Sobral all were stopped during the last season LHW tourney.

HW: Rich Hale, and Vinicius Queiroz both lost in the last HW tourney. Ron Sparks lost by KO in 40 seconds at his last fight to Eric Prindle back in Oct 2011.

LHW: King Mo, Seth Petruzelli, Jacob Noe, and Babalu Sobral all were stopped during the last season LHW tourney.

Who wants to buy my Ricardo Arona denim jacket?

2013-05-22T13:03:39Z

I've talked about this jacket on Bloody Elbow in the past and now, with a baby on the way in a matter of days and money for baby things being more valuable than a jacket that sits in my closet, I've decided that I'll try to sell it today. Rather than sell it on eBay, I'll sell it directly to the community here...you know, if anyone is interested.

I bought this back in 2003 (I think) and I think I only wore it maybe 15 times in all these years. No rips, tears, stains, patches are still bright and sewed securely to the denim. Size XL.

Based on offers I've turned down over the past two years (that I probably should have accepted), I'm asking $150 for the jacket. I'm not going to give you the hard sell, but it's not exactly something that is easy to find at this point and is a pretty badass shout back to the PRIDE era.

Ask any questions in the comments, if you want to buy it, just say so and I'll contact you and set it up.

Plus, check out the awesome "never use drugs" patch.

I bought this back in 2003 (I think) and I think I only wore it maybe 15 times in all these years. No rips, tears, stains, patches are still bright and sewed securely to the denim. Size XL.

Ask any questions in the comments, if you want to buy it, just say so and I'll contact you and set it up.

Plus, check out the awesome "never use drugs" patch.

Mark Hunt; and, a UFC Dream

2013-05-22T12:39:59Z

"E toa e le loto, a e pa le noo. (Strong in heart, but broken in the back. Of a man whose will is stronger than his body.) - A Samoan proverb

Mark Hunt will fight Junior Dos Santos in a title eliminator at UFC 160 in Las Vegas, Saturday.

Let me repeat, Mark Hunt will vie for a chance at a heavyweight title fight, Saturday.

That's right, the Mark Hunt.

The one who in 2010 boasted a record of five wins and seven losses. The fighter who in September of that same year lost to Sean McCorkle, a veritable no-name, extending his losing streak to six. A man who was one of the only mixed martial artists who was asked by UFC officials to accept a sum of money instead of a contract.

Everyone had all but given up on the "Super Samoan."

But, then came a walk-off knockout win over Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 and a unanimous decision victory over Ben Rothwell at UFC 135.

Fans and critics reveled in the flash of Hunt's former striking ability, but largely believed his career was still on the decline.

And, then Hunt knocked out Cheick Kongo.

The MMA community seemed torn between lauding his efforts and scratching their heads. It wasn't so much the finishing punch Hunt delivered to Kongo at UFC 144, it was the manner in which he fought. Hunt appeared to have drastically honed his head and foot movement at the age of 38.

Was there was something left in the former K-1 Grand Prix champion? Or were the MMA gods giving the world one last show?

Those questions seemed to be answered at UFC on Fuel TV 8, when Hunt knocked outStefan Struve with a left hook in the third round.

The winning streak, now at four, took on mythical qualities.

Fans and critics, alike, begged Dana White and the UFC for him to get a title shot. Videos were made. Articles were published. A hashtag (#rallyformarkhunt) was born.

So here we are, days away from the biggest fight in Hunt's career, and it only seems right for the MMA gods to pull off yet another miracle. Another shock. Another knockout. The MMA community wants it and, above all, Hunt deserves it.

But perhaps Hunt won't conjure the spirits of MMA. Maybe he won't need them. Maybe he can win on his own.

Because, in essence, there is no such thing as MMA gods. There never was.

There is just a man with a dream and an undying will to live it.

"E toa e le loto, a e pa le noo. (Strong in heart, but broken in the back. Of a man whose will is stronger than his body.) - A Samoan proverb

Mark Hunt will fight Junior Dos Santos in a title eliminator at UFC 160 in Las Vegas, Saturday.

Let me repeat, Mark Hunt will vie for a chance at a heavyweight title fight, Saturday.

That's right, the Mark Hunt.

Everyone had all but given up on the "Super Samoan."

But, then came a walk-off knockout win over Chris Tuchscherer at UFC 127 and a unanimous decision victory over Ben Rothwell at UFC 135.

Fans and critics reveled in the flash of Hunt's former striking ability, but largely believed his career was still on the decline.

And, then Hunt knocked out Cheick Kongo.

Was there was something left in the former K-1 Grand Prix champion? Or were the MMA gods giving the world one last show?

Those questions seemed to be answered at UFC on Fuel TV 8, when Hunt knocked outStefan Struve with a left hook in the third round.

The winning streak, now at four, took on mythical qualities.

Fans and critics, alike, begged Dana White and the UFC for him to get a title shot. Videos were made. Articles were published. A hashtag (#rallyformarkhunt) was born.

But perhaps Hunt won't conjure the spirits of MMA. Maybe he won't need them. Maybe he can win on his own.

Because, in essence, there is no such thing as MMA gods. There never was.

There is just a man with a dream and an undying will to live it.

Jacob Volkmann plans to 'expose' the UFC

2013-05-22T07:59:01Z

Ed Kapp: How did your introduction to MMA evolve into what it is today?

Jakob Volkmann: Well, I didn’t realize there was that much politics in martial arts, especially in the UFC. That was kind of frustrating. It’s not who is the best; it’s more of a political kind of BS.

EK: What do you mean by that?

JV: You’ve got to know the right person, have the right manager in there. And your style determines if you stay in, too. The guys that stand and bang are the ones who are still fighting for the UFC. The ones that take the fights to the ground and focus more on the technique on the ground, they’re not in there because apparently the fans don’t like that. That really bothers me because the UFC made the interest of the sport more of a stand-up fight because that’s what they put on the main card and that’s what the fans saw. They started liking that more than the ground game. That’s what really bothers me.

EK: Why were you released?

JV: I was released after a loss against Bobby Green, which I should’ve never lost. It was kind of a fluke loss, going into the fight sick. I lost and then after that, they cut me. I was 6-2 at lightweight and they still cut me. That was back in February.

EK: Were you expecting to be released?

JV: No, no. I said in a few interviews that I did expect it, but I was just playing with the media. I had no idea.

EK: Are you at all bitter about how things worked out with the UFC?

JV: Very bitter. They always claim that they treat the fighters so well. Yeah, they treat the top five per cent of the fighters well — the ones that are on the main card all the time. They don’t treat the rest of them very well. The healthcare plan is horrible, with a $1,500 deductible per injury — the catastrophic-injury insurance is not even really good insurance. There’s no retirement fund, there’s no signing bonus. You start off at six-and-six, you’re really not making too much money because you’re self-employed, so you’re paying the self-employment tax and you’re paying the regular tax and income tax. So you’re paying twice as much in tax. They claim they’re treating the fighters well, but they’re not, realistically.

EK: Do you feel that’s a misconception among fans?

JV: Of course … People always tell me, "You’re rich — you’re on TV!" Are you kidding me? I made $54,000 two years ago, paid $9,000 in taxes, so that leaves me with $45,000. This last year, I made $50,000 and paid $8,000 in taxes. That leaves me with $42,000 — that’s barely above poverty. I have three kids and a wife I’m supporting.

EK: At the end of the day, what are you hoping to accomplish with the World Series of Fighting?

JV: I’m trying to make the fans realize what the UFC is really like — I’m going to expose them as much as I can. But also my goal is to win in World Series and try to stay undefeated. Obviously it’s to win. The short-term goal is to win. The long-term goal is, as soon as they come out with that belt, I’d like to get that belt.

Full article here.

- - -

So...thoughts?

Ed Kapp: How did your introduction to MMA evolve into what it is today?

EK: What do you mean by that?

EK: Why were you released?

EK: Were you expecting to be released?

JV: No, no. I said in a few interviews that I did expect it, but I was just playing with the media. I had no idea.

EK: Are you at all bitter about how things worked out with the UFC?

EK: Do you feel that’s a misconception among fans?

EK: At the end of the day, what are you hoping to accomplish with the World Series of Fighting?

Full article here.

- - -

So...thoughts?

Hitting the right Targets

2013-05-22T02:17:38Z

A Freestyle wrestling event in Los Angles to stir up interest for the sport is a great idea. Celebrities, and some of the best athletes amateur wrestling has to offer were there to show their support for amateur wrestling. In addition it was the debut of a much improved rule set... but the event was missing one thing... the right demographic.

Hispanics are the fastest growing segment of the United States Population. Between 2000 and 2011 the Hispanic population in the United States grew by 48%, to around 52 Million people. In Los Angles county, 48% of the population is of Hispanic decent. So naturally team USA was wrestling Canadians, and Russians during this event, after the Iranians backed out at the last minute. Maybe they were still mad about the roll Hollywood played in "Argo." Anyone who has seen a USA vs. Mexico soccer game, or a popular Mexican boxer knows that Mexican fans can be among the most passionate in the world when it comes to supporting their country, and the sports that they love. Unfortunately it would not make sense to have the Mexican team compete against a powerful US, or Russian team on the mats today. Mexico has only had 3 Olympic wrestlers combined in the last three Olympic games, and have not won a single match. Two of the Three were actually born and raised in the USA, but used their parents heritage to qualify for the Mexican Wrestling team.

"Beat the Streets" is a great idea, but if you are trying to sell a product to a large, and growing ethnic group, it would be good if there was some Hispanic representation on the mats. Who could help sell this beside the current Mexican Wrestling team? Cain Velasquez, and Henry Cejudo are two well known wrestlers that come to mind. Both are children of Mexican Immigrants, had outstanding Amateur wrestling careers (I know Olympic Gold is much better than NCAA All-American, but both were successful) and are proud of their heritage. Another name comes to mind... Alberto Rodriguez, or as you might know him, Alberto Del Rio, the WWE Wrestler. MMA fans might know that he has a 9-5 record in MMA, and was head kicked into oblivion by Cro Cop back in Pride once. But he also once finished 3rd in the Junior World Championships in Greco Roman Wrestling, and was on track to participate in the 2000 Sydney Olympics before the support, and funding for the Mexican team dried up. Now he is one of WWE's biggest stars, and has a TV outlet for his voice, and message several times a week if they could get him on board with the campaign. From Brock Lesnar to Kurt Angle, WWE has capitalized on many amateur wrestlers over the years to bring in fresh talent for their roster, so they have some incentive to help the cause.

An improved Mexican wrestling team, would benefit USA Wrestling with a passionate, and close regional rival. Can you imagine the atmosphere in downtown LA, or Mexico City if there was a competitive match between Team USA, and Team Mexico, it would be electric. It will not happen over night, but USA wrestling should take some of the high profile opportunities it has to not only Save Olympic Wrestling, but potentially expand the sport among a growing demographic. It would also show that USA Wrestling, and the wrestling community is looking at the population trends, and how the sport can grow over the next 10-15 years.

Can the UFC Outright Ban TRT?

2013-05-21T23:00:20Z

The Below is cross-posted from the CanadianMMALawBlog.

For those of you not up to speed on the topic, the use of TRT is generally prohibited in sanctioned MMA as the use of testosterone replacement agents runs afoul of anti-doping regulations. There is a concern, however, that athletes are abusing a Therapeutic Use Exemption, and getting around this prohibition to gain an unfair advantage.

In Canada and the US, regulated MMA usually falls under various State and Provincial Athletic Commissions. These often adopt or largely mirror the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances. This, as a starting point, makes the use of TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) prohibited in sanctioned MMA. The loophole, however, arises by something known as the TUE (Therpeutic Use Exemption). You can click here to read the general guidelines for obtaining such an exemption.

The TUE, in theory, exists when a ”medication an athlete is required to take to treat an illness or condition happens to fall under the Prohibited List, a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) may give that athlete the authorization to take the needed medicine.“. Such exemptions can and have been given by various athletic commission for TRT use in MMA. (You can click here to read a persuasive medical argument as to why the TUE for TRT should not be used in the MMA context.)

While there are various solutions to TRT abuse, such as more comprehensive athletic commission testing, given Dana White’s voiced concerns that using TRT is “cheating” and that he is “100% against TRT” a question worth asking is why doesn’t the UFC, or other MMA organizations for that matter, outright ban the use of TRT?

Article VIII of the UFC’s standard fighter contract deals with “fighter’s conduct” and prohibits the use of “controlled or banned substances“. This section can, in theory, be expanded to specifically prohibit the use of TRT in any circumstances. The stumbling block, however, lies in Human Rights Legislation.

In BC, to take one example, the Human Right’s Code prohibits discrimination in employment based on “physical disability“. Such language is standard fare in Human Rights legislation across Canada. If a sporting organization disallowed therapeutic use exemptions, they would likely run afoul of the protections offered by the Code. One needlook no further than Oscar Pistorius to appreciate that medical accommodation, provided it does not give a competitive advantage, is the new normal in sport.

Appreciating that this would likely bar the UFC from imposing an across the board TRT ban, the solution likely lies in testing. One can hope that Athletic Commissions won’t allow the wool to be pulled over their eyes when it comes to reviewing TUE applications. Subject to budgetary concerns, Athletic Commissions can also impose more vigorous testing. Budgetary concerns are a reality, however, and this leads to the last and probably best solution – organizational testing. There is nothing stopping the UFC and other MMA organizations from contractually mandating athlete testing. They can be as vigorous as they want it to be. If the UFC wants to weed out TRT abuse the power is in their hands.

The Below is cross-posted from the CanadianMMALawBlog.

The Karate Chronicles: Vitor Belfort's Real Secret Weapon

2013-05-21T22:14:06Z

After Vitor Belfort visited a mighty and victorious kick upon Luke Rockhold at UFC on FX 8, the MMAsphere was agog. Voluble debate and bloviation fixated on whether Vitor's Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) treatments had aided his victory. Since numerous other high-profile UFC fighters, like Chael Sonnen, Frank Mir, Rampage Jackson and Dan Henderson have recently fought while on TRT, the attention given to Vitor's regimen was remarkable.

The furore was presumably because fighters on TRT so rarely win any fights, that seeing one actually do so was like a unicorn sighting. When a man bites a dog, and all that. But lost in the maelstrom of pontification was the more intriguing question, which for some reason nobody bothered to ask: how in the world did Vitor Belfort become so good at kicking?

Vitor's first-round KO of Rockhold was his second consecutive KO by spectacular high kick, the first being a second-round destruction of Michael Bisping. This 'new Vitor', with his arsenal of breathtaking high kicks, represents a fascinating transformation.

17 years ago, the young Vitor was ahead of the one-dimensional fighters of his day because he could both grapple and box. He represented the new (at the time) breed of MMA fighter, a species I like to call the 'grappleboxer.' This is a fighter with a base grappling background (usually wrestling or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) who added basic boxing to his arsenal and thus became relatively well-rounded. For a generation, the grappleboxer dominated MMA, and Vitor was renowned throughout his career as a ferocious if limited boxer.

The grappleboxer however, was always an endangered species. While MMA grappling was world-class due to the normal tendency of fighters to train in wrestling, BJJ and to a lesser extent Judo, MMA striking remained a travesty of sloppy looping punches, ungainly kicks and a severely limited arsenal of offensive strikes.

Because most fighters limited themselves to basic boxing and rudimentary Muay Thai, the overall level of striking competence remained well below that found in striking-focused martial arts like Karate, Dutch Kickboxing and Taekwondo. The few strikers from these backgrounds like Lyoto Machida, Ben Henderson, Anthony Pettis and Georges St-Pierre, easily kicked and punched their way to the top, making grappleboxers look impotent in the process.

It was thus inevitable that to gain an edge, a new generation of MMA fighters would raid the traditional striking martial arts for new techniques to raise their game with. In a wildly popular post here on BE, I argued that this was both necessary and inevitable. If a BJJ black belt makes you an excellent grappler, a Karate black belt will make you an excellent striker.

Vitor Belfort agreed. He began studying Shotokan Karate in earnest with Brazil's top Karate practitioners, and his Wikipedia page lists him as having earned a purple belt. His coaches include Brazilian Shotokan Karate phenomenon Jayme Sandall, Vinicio Antony, and K-1 Karate veteran Francisco Filho, who was reportedly in his corner for the Rockhold fight.

Vitor's Karate training has benefited him in two main ways. The first, due to Shotokan Karate's focus on patient timing and devastating counter-attack, is that he has become a much more clinical and patient fighter. 'Old Vitor' was renowned for launching a devastating blitzkrieg on his opponents in the first round, a habit that often saw him gassed and vulnerable if he couldn't achieve an early finish. However, he confounded the analysts during the Bisping fight by fighting at a measured, patient pace, conserving energy until he found his opportunity and took it.

Against Rockhold, he was similarly patient. Despite Rockhold slipping and falling twice early in the fight, Vitor did not swarm or rush to the attack. Instead, he patiently waited for the right opening, and devastation by spin kick was the result.

The second benefit of his Karate training is obviously in expanding his arsenal of techniques, specifically by including Karate's signature high kicks with which he achieved his last two spectacular victories:

When Karate-based striker Uriah Hall terrorised his TUF 17 housemates like a slasher haunting a cabin in the woods, it heralded the arrival of a new generation of striker and the doom of the basic grappleboxer. Vitor's spectacular victory further emphasized the coming of a new and exciting era in MMA striking. After the spin kick heard round the world, Bellator fighter David Rickels tweeted:

I'm signing up for karate classes... All these dam windmill kicks n shit!! #smh #muaythai
— David Rickels (@TheCaveman316) May 19, 2013

He won't be alone. Enjoy these videos of Vitor training with his Karate coaches:

I'm signing up for karate classes... All these dam windmill kicks n shit!! #smh #muaythai
— David Rickels (@TheCaveman316) May 19, 2013

He won't be alone. Enjoy these videos of Vitor training with his Karate coaches:

UFC 160 Prelims Preview: Finish Him!

2013-05-21T18:49:40Z

I'm actually pretty psyched about some of these prelims, mostly for the extreme probability of big time violence. Thompson-Burrell should be particularly fun. Stephen Thompson is easy to make fun of, but I'm glad MMA has guys like him. Anyway, be sure to check the link and stay tuned for my main card breakdown soon (HUNTO!!!!)

http://mma-movement.com/ufc-160-prelims-preview-finish-him/

The main reason I’m writing this preview is that I’m really excited to talk about the JDS-Hunt fight (We’ve secured a visa for Mark! Hallelujah!), as well as the return of Cain Velasquez. As I started really studying these prelims, though, something stuck out to me, and that is this: I think most, if not all, of these fights are going to end in highlight reel fashion. You have the return of Jeremy Stephens, who will surely be aggressive and surly coming off of his first career knockout loss. You have Stephen “Wonderbread” Thompson fighting for the first time in forever against a greenhorn from Philly who passes the “I wouldn’t want to meet this guy in a dark alley” test. You have George Roop, who never met an overhand right he didn’t try to eagerly run face first into. You even have Dennis Bermudez making his return, even though he should have retired after his fight with Matt Grice. How could you possibly top that? I’ll shut up now and get to my breakdown, but we’d better have plenty of doctors and maybe even a priest on hand for this collection of fights, just in case.

Jeremy Stephens vs. Estevan Payan

If “Estevan Payan” sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because of this:

(Check the link for the video, even if you already know what it is. Just do it.)

And if not, well, you’re welcome. What’s strange is that, when this fight was announced, I immediately remembered Payan as the guy who KO’d Reyes with the spinning backfist, not the other way around. History isn’t about what happened; it’s about what we THINK happened. Maybe I just subconsciously thought “There’s no way the UFC would sign the guy that face planted like that.”

Speaking of face planting, UFC mainstay Jeremy Stephens is coming off of his first career knockout loss, which came at the hands of Yves Edwards. Stephens got into one of his wild and wooly exchanges, and Edwards dropped him with superior speed. What was strange is that usually Stephens has an admirable chin, and Edwards just lambasted him. Is this a sign that Stephens is becoming shopworn? Possibly. But I don’t see him having too much trouble with Payan, who should serve as adequate cannon fodder for the right hand of Stephens. Jeremy by knockout.

Brian Bowles vs. George Roop

Brian Bowles is one of those guys that can do it all. Good wrestler, good hands, early ’60s Beatles haircut. Everything. The problem is that he fights so seldom that every time he gets a fight announced, I think “Brian Bowles is still fighting? I had no idea!”

This dude is just woefully inactive. At 32 years old with only 12 professional fights, you have to think that he’ll only be fighting for a limited amount of time, and it’ll be a bummer to have to see him waste one of the fights in a promising career against a human scarecrow in George Roop.

Look, I can appreciate the things that Roop brings to the table, but this is one of those fights that I can already see in my mind’s eye. Roop will leave his head straight up in the air like he always does, Bowles will close the distance and land an overhand right, and that’ll be the end of it. Roop just isn’t good enough. Bowles by knockout.

Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway

Bermudez returns to the octagon coming off a victory in a fight that, to me, was the fight of the year so far. Dennis and Matt Grice just beat the tar out of each other. One of my biggest mistakes this year was deleting that fight from my DVR after only two viewings. I could have (and should have) gone for about five more.

Anyway, he takes on Max Holloway, who is coming off of a narrow decision victory over Leonard Garcia.

This fight is black and white. If Bermudez wants to stand and trade, he’s going to put himself in peril. Both men have dangerous hands, but Holloway’s are a bit more polished, and to say his striking defense is better would be an understatement. If Bermudez comes in wanting to grapple, he significantly increases his chances of success. Holloway’s takedown defense has improved, but once he’s on his back, he’s still at a disadvantage against much of the featherweight division.

Bermudez is the more well rounded fighter, but he’s also the guy who is more likely to get into unruly firefights. His heart cannot be denied, as he made a spirited third round comeback against Matt Grice after being batted around the octagon for two rounds, but I think Max Holloway puts his hands on him here and either TKO’s him or cruises on points. Holloway by decision in a back and forth one.

Colton Smith vs. Robert Whittaker

I’m sorry, but I can’t even pretend to be psyched about these dudes fighting each other. Robert Whittaker is solid, but Brad Scott made him look like a god amongst men. Those are the kind of things that happen on TUF Finale cards. Colton Smith is an awful striker, and his name is Colton. Whittaker by decision.

Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Stephen Thompson

The snooty bad guy from every eighties teen movie gets his third go round in the UFC, this time with rough and raw Philly product Nah-Shon Burrell. This fight is a true clash. Thompson has fought a million karate matches and has been a martial artist his whole life. Burrell is just a naturally gifted fighter from Philadelphia who probably has lots of fights that will never show up in the Fight Finder, for obvious reasons.

Burrell is still pretty green, but he could absolutely rock Thompson’s world with his boxing. I see Thompson getting back on track here, though, as he ran into real trouble when Matt Brown took him to the ground and started throttling him with strikes. Burrell is less likely to employ that kind of strategy. Thompson will land a few flashy strikes, and might have his chin tested, but will ultimately put Burrell away with punches in the second round.

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Abel Trujillo

It’s time for people to start paying attention to Nurmagomedov. Those elbows he used to put away Thiago Tavares in January were downright evil, and it’s not like they were big winging bombs. They were just downward shots that were deadly accurate, and no steroid on the planet was going to help Tavares beat Khabib that night. On top of his cold blooded ground and pound, Khabib excels in both wrestling and the clinch game. He’s improving each time out, he’s undefeated at 19-0, and he’s only 24 years old.

Abel Trujillo, on the other hand, was the beneficiary of a late replacement opponent in his UFC debut. Not only that, but his replacement opponent was Marcus LeVesseur, who happens to be a bit of a softy. Don’t get me wrong; Trujillo absolutely lit up LeVesseur, dropping him in a punching exchange and savaging him to the body the entire fight, as Marcus fished for takedowns that never came. It’d be hard to imagine a better debut. I just see Trujillo as being a tier or two below Khabib.

A finish seems probable here, and it will come by way of a submission by Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Mike Pyle vs. Rick Story

I know Rick Story is coming in as a late replacement, but these are two guys that are heading in opposite directions. Mike Pyle has inexplicably reinvented himself as an excellent striker at the ripe old age of 37, while Rick Story has perfected his “run at guys recklessly with hopes that I can bully them, and if I can’t, I’m screwed” strategy to a tee.

I also know Story is coming off a win, but he hasn’t made any tangible improvements in his game in quite some time, and he isn’t exactly well rounded. What Demian Maia was able to do to his face was mind-boggling. Blood flew out of his nose like those blue paint packets they put in bank vault money bags.

This fight will inevitably end up on he ground, where Pyle’s gangly and experienced submission game should carry him to a tapout victory midway through the fight. If blood cartoonishly flies out of Story again, consider that a bonus. Story is still dangerous if he starts winging bombs, but give me Pyle by triangle.

http://mma-movement.com/ufc-160-prelims-preview-finish-him/

Jeremy Stephens vs. Estevan Payan

If “Estevan Payan” sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because of this:

(Check the link for the video, even if you already know what it is. Just do it.)

Brian Bowles vs. George Roop

Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway

Anyway, he takes on Max Holloway, who is coming off of a narrow decision victory over Leonard Garcia.

Colton Smith vs. Robert Whittaker

Nah-Shon Burrell vs. Stephen Thompson

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Abel Trujillo

A finish seems probable here, and it will come by way of a submission by Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Mike Pyle vs. Rick Story

Chicago area folks - take a sports writing class with me next week

2013-05-21T16:33:17Z

Bloody Elbow readers in the Chicago area - here's info on an interesting class coming up that I thought might be of interest to you. If you have ever wanted to get into writing about MMA (or any sport), this is a class being offered next Tuesday, May 28 at a great writing studio called StoryStudio Chicago. The class is taught by yours truly - should be a lot of fun and a great way to help get you started. Details are below - and fire off any questions you have. I'll be happy to answer them!

SPORTSWRITING 101
Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Do you split your time between writing and sports? Are you a writer looking to pursue a different style? Or just a passionate sports fan looking to get more involved with the activities you love? If so, this is the class for you!

This one night class will examine how to make it as a sportwriter in today's world. We'll look at how to write the nuts and bolts "Just the facts, ma'am" pieces that make up sports journalism, along with the longer form editorial coverage that brings sports writing to life. We'll also discuss the business of sports writing and how you can turn your hobby into a career.

Topics discussed will include:

-Creating simple, direct news pieces
-Writing editorial pieces that grab the reader's attention
-Getting started in sports writing
-Turning your writing into a career
-By the end of this class, students will have one completed piece, plus the beginnings of a longer form editorial piece.

Who should attend?

Adults 18 and over
All levels welcome

Dates: Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Time: 6:30pm - 9pm
# of Sessions: 1
Level: All Levels
Location: Chicago Studio, 4043 N. Ravenswood in Chicago
Course Fee: Non-Member: $50 /Member: $45

Register Now at StoryStudioChicago.com

Where are the 2012 Olympians?

2013-05-21T14:09:32Z

The 2008 US Olympic team is making it's mark on MMA. I started to notice it when I saw a tweet from Ben Askren (11-0) a few month ago, pointing out that the 2008 US Mens Freestyle Wrestling team was 23-0 in MMA. Since then wins by Daniel Cormier (12-0), Steve Mocco (2-0), and Henry Cejudo (4-0) have pushed that mark to 29-0. If you want to add in the success of Ronda Rousey (Judo, 7-0), and Randi Miller (Women's FS Wrestling, 1-0) the mark of the 2008 US Olympic team is now 37-0 in MMA. Rousey is a UFC Champion, Askren a Bellator Champion, and Cormier won the Strikeforce HW Grand Prix, so it isn't a mark that has been made just bottom feeding and compiling wins. (If I've missed someone, please let me know)

This group of Olympians is also proving to be valuable to MMA as a whole because they are providing depth to some of MMA's weakest divisions. Cormier is the only real Blue Chip prospect to emerge at HW in the last 3 years, and could be fighting for the LHW, or HW title by this point next year. Steve Mocco is less than a year into his MMA career, but his extensive background in wrestling, and Judo should help him progress rapidly. Rousey has dragged Women's MMA into the UFC, and new heights based on her personality and talent. Cejudo will be the most exciting prospect in the UFC's flyweight division's short history when he signs with UFC, and could become it's first breakthrough star. The US team isn't the only one making an impact on MMA.. Satoshi Ishii the Japanese gold medalist in Judo, is 7-2, and honestly the 2 losses can be tacked up as much to poor management, and matchmaking as anything else. He is currently on a nice 3 fight winning streak, and could be in the UFC with 1 or 2 more wins.

A quick look back at the 2004 team shows a group of fighters who did not commit to MMA as much as the 2008 team, but found some success in the sport. It is understandable that the 2004 team was not as active in MMA out of the gate, because of where the sport was in 2004, compared to 2008. Steven Abas (Wrestling, 3-0), Rick Hawn (Judo, 15-2), Rulan Gardner (GR Wrestling, 1-0), Rhadi Ferguson (Judo, 3-0), and Sara McMann (Wrestling, 7-0) have put together an impressive resume in the sport, with the final book still to be written on McMann's career.

That being said, where are the 2012 Olympians? Most of the US Freestyle wrestling team seems happy in their current sport, and competed in the recent Beat the Streets events in New York and LA. Rumors have floated that Marti Malloy, and Kayla Harrison both Medalist in Judo might try MMA, but neither seems to have happened yet. Considering the impact that the 2008 team is having, is anyone else just a little surprised that nobody from the last Olympics is making the jump yet? Guys like Mocco, and Cejudo did not make the jump to MMA until they had failed to make the 2012 Olympics, so we still may see some athletes make the jump down the line.

Explanation of Mark Hunt's visa troubles

2013-05-21T11:51:54Z

Since this whole visa fiasco with Hunt started I have been tweeting various Bloody Elbow and MMA Fighting reporters asking why his 2002 arrest had suddenly become a problem. I was curious because it demonstrated inconsistency on the part of US immigration authorities.

The arrest happened in 2002. Hunt said in an interview with an MMA site (which I can unfortunately no longer find) that this arrest had caused him to be denied a visa before, in the mid-2000s, which prevented him from fighting in a PRIDE event. However, since that time Hunt has fought in Denver (in 2011, at UFC 135), and so has clearly become able to obtain a US work visa. Now suddenly in 2013 this past arrest becomes a problem again. WTF?

Unfortunately, none of the people I asked about this situation were able to answer my question.

However, thankfully the good people over at Fighters Only have stepped up and provided the answer.

May 20th 2013
Mark Hunt has finally been granted his visa to travel to the US and fight at UFC 160 next week.

The May 25 fight had been placed in jeopardy when Hunt, who has fought numerous times in the US, was denied the right to board a flight to Las Vegas from New Zealand two weeks ago because of a 2002 arrest.

Despite that arrest having previously been looked into by US immigration officials, it had to be dragged up all over again. Part of the problem was that Hunt recently started using a new passport and his US visas were in his old passport.

On Sunday, Hunt confirmed via Twitter that he has received his visa and can now make his way to the US for the fight with former heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, which potentially has a title shot riding on it for the winner.

Hunt has previously disclosed the difficulties he has with adjusting to the time zone difference between Las Vegas and New Zealand, hence his wanting to arrive several weeks in advance to acclimatize himself.

Instead one more huge obstacle has been placed in his way as he will be fighting just days after stepping off the plane and will be very unlikely to have beaten the jet leg which accompanies such a long trip.

A small silver lining for Hunt is that at least he is now traveling business class. He recently complained about his contract specifying economy flights and was able to get it changed to something more suited to a man of his physical and metaphorical stature.

Source: http://www.fightersonlymag.com/content/news/18954-mark-hunt-gets-us-visa-at-last-headed-to-las-vegas

So, there you have it. It all came down to getting a new passport. Amazing how something so small can trip you up.

Anyway, the important thing is that Hunto is on his way now and will get his chance to earn a title shot!

In closing...

War Hunt!

#RallyforMarkHunt

Unfortunately, none of the people I asked about this situation were able to answer my question.

However, thankfully the good people over at Fighters Only have stepped up and provided the answer.

May 20th 2013
Mark Hunt has finally been granted his visa to travel to the US and fight at UFC 160 next week.

The May 25 fight had been placed in jeopardy when Hunt, who has fought numerous times in the US, was denied the right to board a flight to Las Vegas from New Zealand two weeks ago because of a 2002 arrest.

Despite that arrest having previously been looked into by US immigration officials, it had to be dragged up all over again. Part of the problem was that Hunt recently started using a new passport and his US visas were in his old passport.

On Sunday, Hunt confirmed via Twitter that he has received his visa and can now make his way to the US for the fight with former heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos, which potentially has a title shot riding on it for the winner.

Hunt has previously disclosed the difficulties he has with adjusting to the time zone difference between Las Vegas and New Zealand, hence his wanting to arrive several weeks in advance to acclimatize himself.

Instead one more huge obstacle has been placed in his way as he will be fighting just days after stepping off the plane and will be very unlikely to have beaten the jet leg which accompanies such a long trip.

A small silver lining for Hunt is that at least he is now traveling business class. He recently complained about his contract specifying economy flights and was able to get it changed to something more suited to a man of his physical and metaphorical stature.

Source: http://www.fightersonlymag.com/content/news/18954-mark-hunt-gets-us-visa-at-last-headed-to-las-vegas

So, there you have it. It all came down to getting a new passport. Amazing how something so small can trip you up.

Anyway, the important thing is that Hunto is on his way now and will get his chance to earn a title shot!

In closing...

War Hunt!

#RallyforMarkHunt

New to Bloody Elbow! NEED HELP

2013-05-21T05:32:18Z

Hello Bloody Elbow community, I have been reading BE for about a year and a half and I have noticed that the people writers and articles here are top notch. I have decided to become an active member here for these reasons. Obviously I am new to commenting, posting gifs, and things like that. I am hoping one (or a few) of the veteran community members could show me the ropes on things like BECW, gifs,and even live threads.

With that being said, I look forward to being a member here and if you have advice or comments or anything else you think i could use I would appreciate it.

-Shark

With that being said, I look forward to being a member here and if you have advice or comments or anything else you think i could use I would appreciate it.

-Shark