QUOTABLES: Frank Mir - "I don't think Alistair Overeem will do as well in the UFC as a lot of fans would like him to do"

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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"I was taken back by [the UFC purchasing Strikeforce]. I was like, wow, this has been in the works for months and I think they kept it under pretty good wraps. I don't think it was out there too much. No longer do we have to hear about, 'well this guy never got to fight this guy, or this guy never got to fight that guy.' With Strikeforce and UFC being under one, you know, Strikeforce being under the UFC banner, now every top 10 heavyweight in the world is all together now. Now there's no reason why we can't fight each other. And, again, what I said earlier about you're only as good as your competition. I never would want to be the king of a small pond, you know as they say the big fish in a small pond, you know? That bugs me. I like the idea of being like, 'that guy is the best and he's fought everybody' and that's just the way I look at it.

I still think Fedor is a great fighter. All fighters have slumps, all athletes have times in their career where they're not doing as well. Fedor just kind of ran into the problem that I always felt he would have ran into if he fought in a cage, which was that he's not a very big heavyweight. I've always admired him. That's weird that you say you admire somebody and your way of showing it is you want to punch them in the face but that's fighting I guess.

With all the guys [in the UFC] with the wrestling ability, I don't think [Alistair] Overeem will do as well as a lot of fans would like him to do. I think, obviously, the guy's won at K-1. You can't say enough about his stand-up, he's a great fighter. He has a pretty wicked guillotine, at least at light heavyweight he does, I haven't really seen him establish it too much since he's put the weight on. But he has some submissions off his back and move around. But he's been fighting in boxing rings and stuff and now going to fight in the cage, which he's had fights in cages, but you get some of the guys like a Velasquez or a Carwin or Brock and they change levels on you and they push you against the cage and they rip you down. So I think Overeem is going to have to deal with the cage now and when you're a striker, it's an issue."

-Frank Mir discusses the UFC's purchase of Strikeforce and comments on Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem in a video interview (transcribed by MMAMania.com.).

Penick's Analysis: Frank's right about Overeem, and that is what is going to be the biggest test for him when these crossover fights begin to happen. Overeem had difficulties at light heavyweight against fighters that could put him on his back, so the key to his future success will be how well his takedown defense has improved and whether he can keep his fights standing long enough to blast his opponents with his extremely dangerous striking game. The "big fish in a small pond" comment is also a very valid point, and something that will be a major change once an eventual merge happens. Guys like Gilbert Melendez and Nick Diaz will go back into the deep waters and hopefully will fight opponents much more suited for their skill level. Some fighters will fall, some will thrive, but we'll eventually finally see what the best of Strikeforce can do in the much deeper divisions in the UFC.

[Frank Mir art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_9143.shtml

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Video analysis: Iole sets the record straight on MMA vs. boxing salaries

With each passing day, MMA is getting closer to the interest shown towards mainstream sports. With that comes more transparency and a deeper look at everything that concerns fighters including their salaries. It was week reported last week by ESPN the Magazine that Brock Lesnar was the highest earner in 2010 at $5.3 million. If that's the true figure, it seemed a bit short of Manny Pacquiao's $32 million. Those are the top dogs, but what does that mean for boxers and MMA stars in the two-through-30 range?

This money talk in MMA even prompted HDNet's Inside MMA to get into the issue a few weeks ago about Nick Diaz. The suggestion was made that Diaz needed to leave MMA to get the money he deserves. Kenny Rice said Diaz might make as much in one boxing match as he's made in 16 of his 32 MMA fights combined (1:08 mark).

That was odd assertion considering Diaz just made $325,000 in his last two fights. Is that fair for a guy who's roughly the 15th biggest star in MMA?

Yahoo!'s MMA/boxing expert Kevin Iole checked in with us to explain how there's no middle class in boxing and that it's highly unlikely Diaz would fetch anything close to 175k for a boxing match.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Video-analysis-Iole-sets-the-record-straight-on?urn=mma-wp1483

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Now you can apply online to fight in the UFC

Like many companies, the UFC has turned to an online hiring system. Job applicants are asked to submit their resumes online for jobs in marketing, operations and fighting. Wait, really?

Yep. You can apply to be a fighter through its online system. Fill out its application with your details, your manager's details, your weight class and your online fighting profile -- through sites like Sherdog or Wikipedia -- and verify that you have at least five professional fights, and voila! You're in its system. Fighters will be evaluated and hired on a rolling basis.

If you don't want to be a fighter, you can still have fun commenting on the people who are putting their dreams on the line. Yes, every fighter-wannabe's profile is viewable, and even has a comment board.

Though this seems like a publicity stunt for the UFC -- and it may be -- it could still also find some talent that may have slipped through the cracks. They can also see if a fighter is popular enough to sell tickets before they ever offer a contract.

Would you apply? Tell us in the comments or on Facebook.

Thanks to Bloody Elbow

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Now-you-can-apply-online-to-fight-in-the-UFC?urn=mma-wp1491

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QUOTABLES: Anderson Silva says a fight with Georges St. Pierre "must happen someday" in the UFC

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

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"I really have no interest in getting revenge against Yushin Okami. We already fought. He lost. He got knocked out. Let's move on. But really, I'm in here to fight the best, and if he's credentialed to fight me, and he's up there to get a title shot, then he deserves it, and we've got to do it...

Georges St-Pierre is one of the best. He's shown that he's a great athlete, and I really train hard everyday to fight the best. I do believe it's a superfight, and it's a fight that must happen someday.

It really is a great superfight. I'm just happy that I know people are looking forward to watching this. I think this fight will make the fans happy. It's something they've been waiting for, and Georges St-Pierre is one of the best. I'll be very happy to give this pleasure to all my fans."

-UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva talks to Mike Straka on HDNet (transcribed by MMAJunkie.com) about his upcoming title fight with Yushin Okami and wanting to fight Georges St. Pierre.

Penick's Analysis: While I don't think the MMA world will end if this fight doesn't happen, I'd still love to see it, and it's great that Silva wants to be a part of it. St. Pierre really would need to overhaul everything he has built at welterweight to put the mass on to compete as a middleweight, and there's no telling how that would or wouldn't affect his game. It would be one of the biggest fights the UFC has ever put on if they get it together, but even if both St. Pierre and Silva win their next fights we can't get our hopes up on the fight happening. St. Pierre has to decide whether he can make that overhaul or not, and if he can this is a fight that could happen as early as the beginning of next year. The ball's in his court after Saturday's fight with Jake Shields.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_9150.shtml

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UFC 129 Post-Fight Press Conference Video

by Michael David SmithDana White will speak at the UFC 129 post-fight press conference Saturday night in Toronto.After the action at UFC 129, the UFC 129 post-fight press conference will follow after the event, which we'll show live right here at MMAFighting.com.

At the UFC 129 post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White will announce the winners of the Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night and Knockout of the Night bonuses. And winning fighters will talk about their fights.

It starts about 30 minutes after the main event ends (likely around 1 AM ET), and the video is below.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/04/30/ufc-129-post-fight-press-conference-video/

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Bellator 42 Predictions

by Michael David SmithFor the second consecutive Saturday night, Bellator has the mixed martial arts spotlight to itself, as Bellator 42 is the weekend's only major MMA card. The big question facing Bellator is whether the match-ups they've put together will result in the kind of exciting card that will get fans buzzing, and create a little momentum for the promotion heading into the home stretch of its fourth season.

Bellator 42 took a hit when Paul Buentello suffered an injury and had to pull out of his fight with Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad, so whatever attention this card can garner will come from the semifinals of the light heavyweight tournament, and the promotional debut of Ronnie Mann.

Here are the basics on Saturday night's card:

What: Bellator 42

Where: Lucky Star Casino, Concho, Oklahoma

When: Saturday, the MTV2 broadcast starts at 9 PM ET.

Predictions on the three main card fights below.

 

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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/04/23/bellator-42-predictions/

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Jake Shields: Ready To Go To War With GSP at UFC 129 - UFC 129

*** Watch Complete 1/2hr HD Episodes on http://www.MMAheat.com ***MMA H.E.A.T.'s Karyn Bryant spends a few minutes with Jake Shields at Xtreme Couture in Toronto, and gets his thoughts on the upcoming title fight against Welterweight Champ Georges St. Pierre. Jake talks about his preparation and training regimen, why he's wanted to fight Georges for so long, and he let's us know his reaction to Georges' statement that he is the toughest challenger the champ has ever faced. Jake also discusses the "Skrap Pack," his team that includes Strikeforce champs Gilbert Melendez and Nick Diaz, as well as UFC fighters Nate Diaz and Daniel Roberts. And he also let's us know how he feels about the media attention he's been receiving in the days leading up to the fight.Be sure to visit http://www.MMAheat.com for more interviews and archived episodes of our 1/2 hour TV show. Nós falamos Português! * We're on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MMAheat * Follow MMAheat on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MMAheat * Follow Karyn on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KarynBryant

Source: http://mmalice.com/ufc-129/jake-shields-ready-to-go-to-war-with-gsp-at-ufc-129-video_078abd3a6.html

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How a fighter celebrates the royal wedding

It's safe to assume that most MMA fighters didn't get up to watch the royal wedding, but Strikeforce champion Marloes Coenen did. Though the Dutch fighter isn't a subject of the British Monarchy, she did get into the wedding of Prince William and the new Princess Catherine, donning a fantastic hat. Not this fantastic, but still pretty fantastic, especially considering that it's a top the head of a woman who beats people up for a living.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/How-a-fighter-celebrates-the-royal-wedding?urn=mma-wp1744

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