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By Anthony De Franco  February 8, 2010, at 8:27 pm  I am still amazed by how many people think that strategy is a big part of mixed martial arts. How much money does Greg Jackson have to make before people realize that having a good corner is just important as being well prepared for your fight.
Just ask Mark Coleman. Coleman brought former Randy Couture confidant Shawn Tompkins to the cage with him, and Tompkins gave him some TERRRIBLE advice. Here’s what Josh Gross of SI.com had to say about it:
“Coleman made Couture’s night easy when, at the advice of his trainer Shawn Tompkins and the despite the fact it has never been his path to victory, he chose to stand and trade.”
“…Shortly into the bout, Coleman carried the attitude of a confused athlete, one who was thinking instead of fighting.”
“Between the first and second round, Coleman looked up at Tompkins as the Canadian offered instructions on how to keep distance and how to fire off combination. I’m fairly certain he would have loved if Tompkins told him to run out there and take a shot on a double-leg. If you’re going to go out, go out at what you do best.”
Who besides Tompkins could possibly believe that Coleman had any chance standing and trading with Couture? Over the last few years, Couture has drilled his boxing to the point where it is on par with his wrestling. He has some of the best head movement in the game. As supposed to Coleman, who had no head movement.
What a joke.
By Anthony De Franco February 8, 2010, at 1:00 pm Starting in October 2009, a partnership with MMA Warehouse will allow us to highlight some of the best Mixed Martial Arts gear that they have on their website. Here’s all the newest stuff.
For the week of 2/1 – 2/8
Tyson Griffin TapouT Signature Shirt – 35.99
Griffin looks like he’s going to take on Evan Dunham at UFC 115 and try to avoid the fate that Efrain Escudero suffered. At the very least he should try and keep his arm.
Kimbo Slice “305″ Signature Shirt – 27.99
Slice is confirmed to be fighting Matt Mitrione at UFC 113. I never thought I would say this, but I’m rooting for Slice. I don’t think he’s gotten a fair shake from a lot of people. Plus, Mitrione is kind of a dick.
UFC 110: Cain Velasquez “Team Velasquez” Walkout Shirt – 39.99
Velasquez gets thrown into the fire against Antonio “Minotauro” Noguiera in just two weeks. Anyone else pumped for the end of these UFC cards that have been gutted by injuries?
UFC 109: Randy Couture Affliction Walkout Shirt – 43.99
How good is Couture? It’s scary. It’s always good when a wrestler in rear naked choking people. Don’t be shocked if Couture is in the title picture, and soon.
UFC 109: Nate Marquardt TapouT Walkout Shirt – 35.99
Nate broke a lot of hearts, including mine, when he lost to Chael Sonnen, but you’d have to be crazy to think that he won’t be back.
UFC 109: Mark Coleman Cage Fighter Walkout Shirt – 29.99 (Short-Sleeve), 39.99 (Long Sleeve)
Does Dana honestly expect us to believe that he won’t capitalize on the hype that Tito Ortiz and Mark Coleman put on the other day? When Ortiz loses to Liddell again, we’ll see Tito and Coleman.
By Anthony De Franco February 8, 2010, at 11:29 am It’s been no secret that WEC poster boy Urijah Faber has long wanted a rematch with Tyson Griffin. Griffin defeated Faber when they were both in Gladiator Challenge. Some time ago, rumors were running rampant that Griffin would drop to 145 and the two would get it on.
Tyson quickly debunked those rumors citing the fact that he had added too much extra weight since fighting at 145. Now, Faber is willing to put on some weight to get another shot, according to MMA Junkie.
“I’ll be around here for a while, and I’d love to get that fight again,” Faber said at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
“(It’s the) same with going up in weight. I’m not trying to mow through the weight class; I’m trying to fight superfights that fans want to see. At this point for me, I’ve had 26 fights, and I just want to do big, exciting fights. Go up? Go down? It’s all good.”
As before, Faber admitted his frame is not ideal for fighting at lightweight.
“I wrestled in college at 113 pounds for five years,” he said. “I know I could go to [135 pounds] if I wanted, but I’ve also been trying to put on weight for the last six years, so I feel most comfortable at [145].
“I would feel really comfortable at [155], but I would be at a disadvantage size-wise with my body structure and everything, and I’d be just about right at [135].”
While Faber would be at a huge size disadvantage at lightweight, it would be a huge fight for the UFC and certainly would bolster the popularity of the WEC. However, Faber needs to get past Jose Aldo first at the WEC’s Pay-per-view debut.
By Anthony De Franco February 8, 2010, at 10:23 am There was a time in which WCWP’s Matt Soldano chided myself and Jason for being the “only people who watched the UFC.” This should make him cry. Here is a little piece of news from sports video game site Pastapadre:
In sales news UFC 2009 Undisputed has passed 3.5 million resulting in it becoming a “Platinum Hit” on the 360 and “Greatest Hit” on the PS3. That makes it the second best selling sports title domestically behind Madden which is extraordinary for the first year in a new franchise. NBA 2K10 has passed 2 million in worldwide sales which is a significant number as well.
That’s right. The first iteration of the UFC’s new franchise just outsold the greatest basketball game of all time, which 2K10 is, and it’s really not an argument.
While it doesn’t mean that MMA has surpassed basketball as a sport, it does show a little something.
By Anthony De Franco February 8, 2010, at 9:23 am It’s good to be Randy Couture. Not only is he still more of a man than I will ever be at age 46, but he is the top earner on the card for UFC 109. The Natural continues a trend of guaranteed money for the top guys in the UFC, as he made 250,000 with no win bonus.
Seeing Matt Serra at the top of this list is a lot more surprising to me. His 150,000 payday seems like a lot of money for a guy who would have been in danger of being cut had he lost that fight.
Here is the complete list from MMA Junkie:
Randy Couture: $250,000 (no win bonus)
def. Mark Coleman: $60,000
Chael Sonnen: $64,000 (includes $32,000 win bonus)
def. Nate Marquardt: $45,000
Paulo Thiago: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus)
def. Mike Swick: $43,000
Demian Maia: $62,000 ($31,000 win bonus)
def. Dan Miller: $15,000
Matt Serra: $150,000 ($75,000 win bonus)
def. Frank Trigg: $30,000
Mac Danzig: $40,000 ($20,000 win bonus)
def. Justin Buchholz: $8,000
Melvin Guillard: $28,000 ($14,000 win bonus)
def. Ronys Torres: $4,000
Rob Emerson: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus)
def. Phillipe Nover: $10,000
Phil Davis: $10,000 ($5,000 win bonus)
def. Brian Stann: $17,000
Chris Tuchscherer: $20,000 ($10,000 win bonus)
def. Tim Hague: $7000
Joey Beltran: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)
def. Rolles Gracie: $15,000
Attendance: 10,687
Gate: $2.27 Million
By Anthony De Franco February 8, 2010, at 4:47 am Mark Coleman remains a legend of the sport. He is still the grandfather of ground and pound. He is still one of the toughest dudes in the history of the sport. While he was defeated by Randy Couture at UFC 109, how many people can say that they stepped into the cage with one of the best of the history of the game at 45? That’s balls.
Coleman’s shirt is another Cagefighter shirt like the Gray Maynard Fight Night 20 shirt that keeps the ads on it. I don’t really get it, but in this case, there is still a reason to buy it. This may be the last time we see Mark Coleman in the cage. If your a fan, this is a hell of a souvenir.
MMA Warehouse has it for 29.99.
If longsleeve is more your speed, it’ll run you 39.99.
For more UFC 109 shirts, Check out The 3rd String Store.
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