MMA FACTORY

Leave Michael alone!

2011-02-17T15:36:00.000-08:00

LOL.. Pretty Funny

2011-02-10T20:11:00.000-08:00

Pretty Amazing

2010-03-29T21:50:00.001-07:00

Shane Carwin is now 12-0 in his MMA career, a staggering number but a number that has been repeated in the past.

What has not been repeated is his unprecedented run of first round stoppages. Of course, the two most respected fighters in Carwin’s division, Brock Lesnar and Fedor Emelianenko, have had meteoric rises with superb records on the way, but both endured losses within their first five fights.

Diego Sanchez had a historic run to start his MMA career, but he won via decision once in his first 12 fights, something Carwin has yet to do.

Not only has Carwin never gone to decision, he has never even been past the first round. And not only has never been past the first round, he has never made it to the fourth minute of the first round. And not only has he never made it to the fourth minute, he averages only 1:21 of fight time in his 12 professional fights.

Carwin has shown more dominance than any fighter has ever shown in the octagon to start a career. His impressive 4-0 record in the octagon with first round knockouts of Gabriel Gonzaga and Frank Mir show that his success in the first round is no fluke.

There is more to Carwin than meets the eye.

He is not just some big heavyweight with heavy hands and quick striking. Carwin has been a superb athlete for a very long time, having placed second in 1997 and first in 1999 at the NCAA Division II National wrestling tournament. In addition to his wrestling success during college, Carwin was also a two-time All American in football.

His athleticism combined with his size make him a very dangerous opponent for anyone in MMA. His skill set and background are eerily similar to that of his next opponent, Brock Lesnar.

Lesnar was the NCAA Division I National Champion in 2000, and he finished second in 1999. While Lesnar was dominating Division I talent, Carwin was doing the same in Division II. Wrestling is a much different sport than football or basketball.

Since there are so few wrestling programs around compared to basketball or football, the difference between a Division I national champion and Division II national champion is not nearly as vast as one would immediately assume.

The limited amount of collegiate teams, along the fact that at the time, there was not much to do professionally as a college wrestler made it possible for wrestlers to attend schools where they wished to start their careers and get a great education while they wrestle on the side, as Carwin did at Western State College.

This made the competition at the lower divisions much better, because many wrestlers chose to go to Division II or Division III schools rather than the Minnesota’s or Iowa’s of the world.

Lesnar also tried out for the Minnesota Vikings after his WWE career, and could have very well been a professional football player had he tried out for a team with a bigger need at defensive tackle.

Kevin and Pat Williams were already set as the defensive tackles and have been two of the most productive in the game, and Lesnar did not want to play anywhere but Minnesota which eventually led to him not making the roster and trying his hand in MMA.

Lesnar and Carwin have both had successful college wrestling careers and are likely two of the better football players to never actually play in the NFL.

The differences between the two are so small that they are nearly unidentifiable. Both have huge hands, great athleticism, great backgrounds in contact sports, and they have made huge strides in advancing their striking games since transitioning to mixed martial arts.

Despite Lesnar holding the belt and claiming that Carwin’s is “make believe,” Carwin is the one with the flawless record. There is nothing Lesnar can ever do to take the loss off of his resume. All Lesnar can do is try to put one on Carwin’s, but if you saw Shane’s performance Saturday night then you know that it will no easy task.

Ortiz/Liddell

2010-03-29T21:46:00.001-07:00

Liddell pushed a proposed bout with longtime rival Tito Ortiz during a Spike TV conference call for “The Ultimate Fighter 11,” and said that “to his knowledge,” a third matchup with Ortiz is still happening.

Liddell and Ortiz, who serve as rival coaches this season on the reality show that begins Wednesday at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, are anticipated to meet a third time following the show’s conclusion, likely at the yet-to-be-announced UFC 115 on June 12.

However, Sherdog.com reported on March 13 that Liddell and former middleweight champion Rich Franklin have verbally agreed to face one another instead, according to multiple sources close to the bout. UFC President Dana White later denied the reports, but Sherdog.com re-affirmed through its sources that the bout is still on track. Fighters appearing on the reality show all sign rigorous non-disclosure agreements to keep the series’ plotline a secret before airing.

“I’ve heard the rumors, of course, but from what I understand, (Ortiz’) signed to fight and he’s still coming at me,” Liddell said on Monday. “He’s still going to actually show up and get his beating again. I think I earned it having to put up with him for seven weeks.”

Liddell, who called the proposed third bout with Ortiz “a tune-up fight” numerous times during the call, was asked later about the Franklin reports as well.

“I hope that’s not true,” said Liddell, who earned technical-knockout stoppages against Ortiz in 2004 and 2006. “I want him bad, so this would really upset me if this doesn’t happen.”

Ortiz and Liddell’s back-and-forth relationship has been one of the sport’s major though-lines in the past 10 years. Both were once managed by UFC President Dana White and trained together for a time. In recent years, each fighter has soured on one another, though.

“I don’t like the guy,” said Liddell. “If you listen to him, he sweet-talked me out of a fight and I betrayed him. If you want to listen to him, there are a lot of things. He’s not the brightest guy out there.”

At one point during the call, Liddell called Ortiz a “scumbag” for fabricating stories about Liddell’s personal life, which Liddell said included an alleged intervention between White and Liddell to address the fighter’s alleged alcoholism issues.

Liddell, a former UFC light heavyweight champion and hall of famer, took an extended leave from the sport following his first-round loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 97 last April -- Liddell’s second knockout defeat in a row. The 40-year-old Liddell was urged by White to retire, but instead took a spot on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and continued to hint his return to the cage.

“I was taking some time off because I thought I got hurt by shots that shouldn’t hurt me and I know the only (thing) for-- that really (helps) that is giving time -- you need to rest from those kind of things,” said Liddell.

Liddell, who once touted an eight-fight knockout streak in the Octagon, said he didn’t as much as hit a pad from April to December, but continued his grappling studies with Eddie Bravo and Scott Epstein at 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu in Los Angeles.

“I am going to mix it up a little bit,” said Liddell of his June return. “I got away from that for a little while. I coached my guys to mix it up, but I think I got away from it ‘cause I like striking so much. I’m going to continue to strike. Don’t worry about that, but I’m going to mix it up more, make people guess a little more. You know, make it a little harder on guys to get a read on me.”

Liddell, who said he’s in excellent shape and around 222 pounds currently, predicted a knockout in his next bout, though it remains to be seen if that will apply to either Ortiz or Franklin.

If it’s Ortiz, Liddell said his fellow coach as it coming to him.

“He did the worst thing he could do,” said Liddell. “He motivated me to train harder than I probably would have for the fight.”

Now this is worrying.

2009-10-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

I know this has nothing to do with MMA, but this is something that will be affecting me and millions of young adults. Take sometime and just look around you. Not everything is gonna be alright, some things take time while others never return the same. We were all told that a College Degree is the best way to land a job, but how can you land a job when your age is a factor? Give me you opinion on this.

By BusinessWeek

Bright, eager -- and unwanted. While unemployment is ravaging just about every part of the global work force, the most enduring harm is being done to young people who can't grab onto the first rung of the career ladder.

Affected are a range of young people, from high school dropouts, to college grads, to newly minted lawyers and MBAs from Britain to Japan and across the developed world. One indication: In the United States, the unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds has climbed to more than 18%, from 13% a year ago.

For people just starting their careers, the damage may be deep and long-lasting, potentially creating a kind of "lost generation." Studies suggest that an extended period of youthful joblessness can significantly depress lifetime income as people get stuck in jobs that are beneath their capabilities, or come to be seen by employers as damaged goods.

Equally important, employers are likely to suffer from the scarring of a generation. The freshness and vitality young people bring to the workplace is missing. Tomorrow's would-be star employees are on the sidelines, deprived of experience and losing motivation.

Is Brock Really Sick?

2009-10-28T09:54:00.001-07:00

2009-10-26T17:16:00.001-07:00

I'm Back!

2009-10-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone I'm finally back. I have not had anytime at all to update my blog. College has been very hectic and stressful at the same time. I will start updating my blog and also in the process of starting a new blog for guys that have no "GAME" towards women. Well I want to thank everyone who dropped by and I will be replying to everyone shortly. If you want you can shoot me and email with questions or linking at a.flih@yahoo.com.

Interview GSP

2009-02-05T08:50:00.003-08:00

BJ Interview

2009-02-05T08:50:00.001-08:00

POST UFC 94

2009-02-05T08:48:00.001-08:00

UFC 94.. Vaseline Issue?

2009-02-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is on a roll on pay-per-view, with events that did in the neighborhood of 1 million pay-per-view buys in each of the last three months -- an unprecedented level of pay-per-view success for any organization in any sport.

But when I talked to UFC President Dana White on Wednesday, he sounded more excited discussing the fights that the UFC is putting on for free on basic cable, starting with this Saturday night's UFC Fight Night on Spike TV. White said he views the Fight Nights as similar to the old Tuesday Night Fights program, which helped build some of the young boxing stars of the 1980s and 1990s, and he pointed out that after the UFC put three shows on pay-per-view in a five-week stretch in December and January, it's now putting three of its next four shows on free TV.

We also discussed UFC 94 and the controversy over welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre having Vaseline applied to his body during his win over lightweight champion B.J. Penn. The full interview is below.

You went into UFC 94 with high expectations, that it could be the biggest event you've ever done. Did it meet your expectations?
We were very happy with the weekend. It was crazy. It was one of our most hyped-up fights. This thing was so sold out that the day of the event the MGM Grand literally added like 165 seats in the $750 price range, putting seats where ever they could fit them. I've never been part of a fight like that. To be honest with you, I'm still f**king drained from it, man. I've been exhausted this week from that fight.

I know it's really the Nevada Athletic Commission, not the UFC, that is conducting this investigation, but how concerned are you about the incident with Vaseline being rubbed on Georges St. Pierre's body?
It's one of those things. His corner man -- you can clearly see -- when he puts the Vaseline on his face, he rubs his hands on his shoulders and rubs his chest and back. You cannot do that. You can't do that. It's illegal. You have to wipe your hands off. It is what it is. I'm sure the commission looks at that.

In no way shape or form do i think Georges St. Pierre went out to cheat. I think his cornerman f**ked up. That's what I think. Do I think it had a huge impact on the fight? No, I don't. But it's illegal. You cannot do it. And I think the cornerman's in trouble. That's what I think.

Do you think he meant to do it?
I don't know. I honestly couldn't answer that. I couldn't give you an honest answer. If he didn't know, how do you go in and corner somebody and not know the rules?

UFC 92

2008-11-02T21:51:00.000-08:00

The UFC has officially confirmed additional bouts for UFC 92 “The Ultimate 2008″, which takes place on December 27th in Las Vegas and features Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva.

Added to the pay-per-view televised main card are bouts featuring The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finalist CB Dollaway against Mike Massenzio and heavyweight contender Cheick Kongo against UFC newcomer Mustapha Al-Turk.

Matt Hamill vs. Reese Andy, Yushin Okami vs. Dean Lister, Ryo Chonan vs. Brad Blackburn, Antoni Hardonk vs. Mark Burch, and Dan Evensen vs. Pat Berry were all announced for the unaired preliminary card.

2008-10-28T01:44:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that welterweight Thiago Alves can actually make the 170 lb. limit. He's missed weight often because he is cutting such a significant amount down from his walking weight around 200 lbs.

Alves (16-3, 9-2 UFC) made the weight on Friday and was just too massive for Josh Koscheck to deal with. Koscheck tried takedowns on four separate occasions but Alves simply muscled his way out of them. When the fighters stood toe-to-toe, Alves' Muay Thai class shined through. He had Koscheck reeling 1:06 into the fight with a huge left. Koscheck was out on his feet after a big knee less than 30 seconds into the third. It was too much stand-up for Koscheck, an All-American college wrestler, who is still a work in progress on his feet.

Alves also did major damage with a bevy of kicks to Koscheck's lead leg throughout the fight. By the middle of the third round, Koscheck (11-3, 9-3 UFC) was nearly getting twisted around by the force of some of the kicks. The judges had it 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27. The Yahoo! MMA Experts blog scored it for 'The Pit Bull' in a clean sweep 30-27.

by Steve Cofield

2008-10-28T01:40:00.000-07:00

You'd think that the MMA media paid $500 for their ringside seats by the way they went after UFC president Dana White and his middleweight champ Anderson Silva for what appeared to be showboating for two rounds of fighting in the UFC 90 main event. Patrick Cote suffered a fluke knee injury to hand the victory to Silva early in the third round. But the story of the fight for many was Silva's behavior and lack of activity. White came on ESPNRadio1100's post-fight show and refused to say that what Silva did was on purpose:

"A lot of people thought he was playing and goofing around but that's not his personality," said White. "Guys come out sometimes and they're not in their rythym. For some reason, they can't pull the trigger and I think that's what happened to Anderson tonight."

That was about the best White could come up with to answer his own questions:

"What else am I supposed to believe? Am I supposed to believe that he came out to not throw one punch or not do anything for three rounds? I don't believe that."

He said it simply doesn't play with Silva's normal mindset:

"I've known this guy for over two years, he's anything but disrespectful."

White said he felt like he was in bizarro world when things came unraveled when Cote injured his knee:

"All I know is I wanted to put my head through the table I was sitting at. You ever watch Star Trek? I wanted to transport myself back to Vegas in my bed."

White also broke down the Sean Sherk win over Tyson Griffin and Junior Dos Santos' shocking upset against Fabricio Verdum. He also had a good theory about how his pre-fight video blogs had a major effect in Las Vegas.

By Steve Cofield

Silvas story about the fight!

2008-10-28T01:34:00.000-07:00

There's still no clear answer on what Anderson Silva was doing during his fight with Patrick Cote at UFC 90. He spent 10 minutes dancing, twirling his fists and at one point offered to help Cote off the mat. He was clearly mocking Cote and not coming clean about it after the fight is a sham.

Silva said the inactivity and clowning was his strategy:

"I never underestimate any of my opponents. That was my strategy. He was lost. He could never find me. That was the strategy, I was trying to confuse him."

Silva was defiant for a while saying he didn't ever come to play, but a few comments later during the presser, Silva's defense of his actions were unveiled as shady when he said he apologized to UFC president Dana White:

"I apologized because I trained really hard to go the full five rounds. I really feel like I owe everyone an apology. I owe you guys an apology, the fans an apology and Dana an apology."

What was he apologizing for? He stated that he was sorry that Cote got injured. Why would he have to apologize for an opponent's injury?

Dana White's excuse that Silva simply had a bad night doesn't hold water. It was clear in the five exchanges during the 10+ minutes, Silva could overwhelm Cote at any point.

The damage has been done. Silva produced the ultimate double whammy. He wouldn't cooperate with the big city media before the fight, came off as a clown during the event and finished the evening assuming that the fans and media are stupid with his flimsy excuses.

We should've known what Silva thought of the fight by the look on his face during the pre-fight presser. I wonder what someone like Matt Hughes would say about the performance? Remember that he was the guy who trashed Rashad Evans when he pulled similar antics during his early fights on The Ultimate Fighter 2. Sean Sherk was clearly biting his tongue commenting on the Silva fight during the post-fight presser.

Written by Stevie Cofield

2008-10-28T01:30:00.000-07:00

Thiago “Pit Bull” Alves confirmed his status as the next in line for a welterweight title shot with a convincing victory over a game Josh Koscheck.

It was the second straight victory over a former NCAA champion wrestler for the American Top Team standout, who scored his seventh consecutive win. Similar to his June win over two-time former champion Matt Hughes, Alves was able to stuff Koscheck’s attempted takedowns and dominate the standup with his Muay Thai game, which may be the second-best in the UFC behind Anderson Silva.

“I think I’ve earned a shot at the title,” said Alves (16-3). “I’ve worked my way up and beaten everyone the UFC has asked me to fight. Josh is a good fighter and gave me a good match tonight.”

For Koscheck, the match was the sort in which the loser gained in stature through his performance. Koscheck took the match on just two week’s notice when Alves’ original foe, Diego Sanchez, pulled out with an injury. Despite his inability to take the fight to the ground, Koscheck withstood a tremendous amount of punishment and kept fighting, scoring several moments in which he had his opponent on the run.

“He’s a strong dude,” said Koscheck (11-3). “You saw what he was able to do out there. I tried to take him down but it just wasn’t happening. I’ve got no excuses, the better fighter won tonight.”

White said Alves has earned a title shot, while acknowledging it would take some time for Alves to get the shot, given St. Pierre is fighting Penn at the end of January. Alves, for his part, said he would be open to taking another match in the interim.

Written by Dave Doyle.

Silva vs. Cote

2008-10-28T01:26:00.000-07:00

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Anderson Silva’s corner kept screaming at him to start acting like, well, Anderson Silva. UFC president Dana White said he thought he was in an “alternate universe” and wanted someone to slap him out of this bad dream.

At the end of the first round of their UFC 90 main event, Patrick Cote, after watching Silva bizarrely bow to him, shrugged in bafflement. That wasn’t even as unusual as the moment in the second round when Silva offered a hand to help Cote up off his back, rather than stomp him as you’d expect.

The Silva-Cote middleweight title fight ended in the third round when Cote blew out his knee without any contact. That was as strange, although not as much as the fight lasting to the third round in the first place.

“I was sitting there saying, ‘What the [expletive] is going on?’ ” White said.

Everyone showed up in suburban Chicago looking for Silva to deliver one of his Mike Tyson-esque destructions of Cote, the heavy underdog. This is what Silva fights are about, some violent combination of punches, knees and kicks that render opponents senseless.

“He’s a killer,” White said.

Not on Saturday. While Cote deserves credit for fearlessly standing in front of him, this was about Silva, arguably the best fighter in the world, deciding not to do much fighting.

He didn’t throw a purposeful punch for most of the first round. Rather than attack with his patented combinations, he danced, he pranced, he swayed and he even prayed. He did little hand tricks, Muhammad Ali feet shuffles and ran around in circles.

“If you don’t know him and you showed up for the first time, you’d [think] that guy was goofing around, he was acting arrogant and cocky and trying to play with [Cote] like he was a little kid,” White said. “That is not this guy’s style, that’s not his personality, that’s not who he is.”

No it isn’t. Silva, afterward, apologized for his performance yet also defended it, claiming he wasn’t out there playing and he was just throwing Cote off his game. He sounded as confused as everyone else.

The theories of what happened are endless. Perhaps he didn’t respect Cote and was unprepared. Perhaps he felt the need to deliver an entertaining show to the fans. Perhaps he was bored. Perhaps all the talk about switching to boxing or retiring outright, got to him. Perhaps he felt pressure to finish with a spectacular knockout.

Whatever it was, the solution is simple.

White needs to feed Silva opponents that’ll either motivate him to bring his “A” game or make him pay for any mental lapses.

Give him Chuck Liddell on Super Bowl weekend at UFC 94. If he survives that, give him Georges St. Pierre back at middleweight to headline the historic UFC 100 early next summer. Then have him go back to light heavyweight for a shot at whoever has the title after that.

Give him anything but what he’s gotten his last two fights, opponents that weren’t capable of hurting him and thus incapable of bringing out his best.

“I don’t know, I’ve got to think about it,” White said of Silva’s next opponent.

He would only smile at the suggestion of Liddell, the former light heavyweight champion, which means he’s certainly considering what would be a major pay-per-view draw. He did say he thought Silva wanted to return to 205 pounds for his next fight (Saturday’s was at 185).

Mostly White was searching for answers just like everyone else. Over the past two years Silva (23-4) has been his most reliable meal ticket. You put the Brazilian in the octagon and someone gets finished; often quickly and in spectacular fashion.

Until Saturday, no one in the UFC had lasted past the second round with the guy. He wasn’t just considered by many the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but the most exciting.

He was the perfect headliner for the UFC’s first card in the Second City. Cote is a tough guy who wasn’t backing down, but few outside his diehard fans thought Silva would need more than a few minutes to send everyone home buzzing about the UFC.

Instead fans were booing at the end, as much at Silva as the disappointment of Cote’s knee giving out.

“I was sitting there going, ‘No, this isn’t happening,’ ” White said.

In the end, if this is what constitutes an off night and an emotional letdown for Silva, then it isn’t too bad. Cote got a couple shots in, but not nearly enough for the fight to be in doubt. It’s why White didn’t look too interested in an immediate rematch even if Cote was healthy.

So give Silva a challenge he can’t afford to sleepwalk through. End the Knockouts Across America parade, give up on the middleweight division he has annihilated and find him some mega-fights that will bring out his best.

Chuck Liddell is waiting at 205. GSP (no matter what happens against B.J. Penn) can move up and challenge at 185. Acquiring a second title has always been Silva’s dream and should motivate if he’s still rolling after that.

“I’ll tell you this,” White said. “I wouldn’t want to be the next dude that has to fight him because he’s not happy.”

Then raise the bar and bring it on.

Written by Dan Wetzel.

diego sanchez on fighting thiago alves

2008-10-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Thiago Alves vs. Diego Sanchez

2008-10-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

Thiago Alves exclusive interview

2008-10-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

UFC 90 Preview.

2008-10-22T00:08:00.000-07:00

My vote is for Silva and Thiago Alves.

GSP Vs BJ Penn! Is it for real??

2008-10-21T23:42:00.001-07:00

Many state that my next opponent should be BJ Penn. Nothing has obviously been signed yet, but he is my number one challenger. I believe he deserves a chance to challenge me for my title, but we'll see what happens on that matter in the next few weeks...
On my end, however, I don't know if I'll be stepping back into the Octagon before 2009. I've fought four times in the last 12 months. I therefore need some rest. I like the life I lead, but I sometimes need to relax. It's not the fight as such that's exhausting; it's all the preparation that comes with it. I've made so many sacrifices to prepare myself. During training camps, I practically do not live anymore. It's therefore on a psychological level that I need to recharge.
After Penn called GSP out at UFC 87, a superfight between Penn and GSP on New Year's weekend seemed inevitable. But, after defeating Jon Fitch, Matt Serra, Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck in a year's time, it appears that GSP needs a break and it's difficult to argue that he doesn't deserve it.

From GSP's post-fight reaction to his most recent blog entry, it's apparent that Penn is hungrier for this matchup than GSP. And that's understandable considering Penn has more to gain and less to lose from the fight.

If Penn wins, he'll cement himself as an MMA great and reign supreme over two weight classes. If he loses, he keeps his lightweight title and goes back to fighting 155ers. No big deal.

If GSP wins, it's just another title defense against a fighter he has already defeated, but if he loses, he's left with another short-title run and no championship belt.

The big question to come out of this is if the GSP vs. Penn superfight is put on ice for a bit; is the UFC going to ask Penn to defend his lightweight title in the meantime? There is a lot of buzz for a Florian vs. Penn fight, but it doesn't seem as though Penn is interested in the least.

UFC 90 Details

2008-10-21T23:25:00.000-07:00

Main Event:

Anderson Silva vs. Patrick Cote

Thiago Alves vs. Diego Sanchez

Sean Sherk vs. Tyson Griffin
Fabricio Werdum vs. Junior Santos

Thales Leites vs. Goran Reljic

Preliminary's:

Melvin Guillard vs. Spencer Fisher

Gray Maynard vs. Rich Clementi

Gleison Tibau vs. Hermes Franca

Ricardo Almeida vs. Matt Horwich

Josh Burkman vs. Pete Sell

Rory Markham vs. TBA

Saturday, October 25th, the UFC heads to Allstate Arena just outside Chicago, in suburban Rosemont for UFC 90: SILVA vs. COTE...presented by Harley Davidson.

The BEST pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Anderson "The Spider" Silva returns to 185 lbs. to defend his Middleweight title, against number one contender, Patrick "The Predator" Cote...who is on a five-fight win streak.

In the co-main event, mainstays in the loaded UFC welterweight division: Thiago "Pitbull" Alves takes on Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez in a fight that could determine the next person in line for a championship opportunity.

UFC 90: SILVA vs. COTE - Saturday, October 25th, live on pay-per-view from Rosemont, IL.

Anderson Silva done with MMA?

2008-10-21T12:42:00.001-07:00

Watch out for Anderson Silva vs. Roy Jones Jr.