Miguel Angel Cotto is hours away from entering a Las Vegas ring an almost three-to-one underdog against Manny Pacquiao in their catch-weight bout at 145 lbs. To the Puerto Rican’s chagrin, it seems many find it a foregone conclusion that the night will end with Pacquiao earning a knockout victory at his expense. In fact, Pacquiao himself is reportedly so confident that he has scheduled a concert performance directly after the bout, where he will sing material from his own two record albums at Mandalay Bay.

Unfortunately for the Filipino’s supporters, I think Pacquaio will be singing the blues instead of his beloved ballads, as heard here (painfully) on Jimmy Kimmell Live…

Why? Perhaps we’re simply due for an upset in boxing. Or, perhaps there’s something else at work. In my article last month, The Only Winner, I described both Cotto and Pacquiao as “what the fight game should be all about.” What I left out, because it didn’t seem relevant (and because it shouldn’t be) is what they aren’t. Miguel Cotto is not a lounge singer, an actor, or a politican; and neither is Manny Pacquiao. The difference, illustrated by Pacquiao’s bizzare scheduling, is that only one of the two seems to know this.

Don’t believe me? As in all things in life, you can ask George Foreman:

“When I faced Ali, Frazier and Norton both had beaten Ali, and I had knocked them out pretty easily. So when I faced Ali, I had that confidence, and you think I surely can beat this guy. So I know the feeling, and I think that will happen to Pacquiao.” George Foreman, to BoxingScene.com

Much is also being made of how Cotto’s recent performances include close bouts with the likes of the little-known Joshua Clottey, while Pacquaio was scoring dominating knockout victories over household names like Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. But those of us who have watched Clottey in action are well aware of his prowess, and that even the likes of Antonio Margarito don’t look terribly good against him. In fact, that very same Margarito may be more relevant to this bout than one would first assume. His now-controversial win over Cotto remains the only blemish on Cotto’s record. Think about that. Cotto’s only loss came at the hands of a full fledged welterweight… hands that were likely dipped in plaster which he was caught with in a later bout against Shane Mosley. Can Pacquiao, who remains basically a blown up junior lightweight, be able to do the same? I’m not so sure.

Further, Pacquiao’s last two big wins are etched in our minds, but really, how relevant are they here? Cotto will be the undeniably first world class welter to fight Pacquiao, and possibly the only world class fighter over 130 lbs. on he has faced. Many of us were never been sold on Hatton as a top guy and we all know the dehydrated zombie that lumbered around the ring vs. Pacquiao last year bore no resemblance to the Oscar De La Hoya who sat at or near the top the boxing world for years.

What is more etched in my mind than either victory? During the broadcast of Pacquiao’s victory over Oscar De La Hoya, HBO’s Jim Lampley quoted from Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach as saying Team Pacquiao’s foray into the welter division is only for this fight. His exact quote: “We aren’t fighting Margarito.” Ah, there’s that name again. Roach would later recant, but maybe he was right the first time. In this bout has made a furor over weight issues, calling into question the professionalism of both Cotto and his trainers. Is this his honest opinion, or is bluster… or even desperation?

He could have every reason to be desperate, and it won’t take long to find out. We’ll know right away in the opening rounds if Cotto can handle Pacquiao’s speed enough to establish a jab and begin a body attack. If he can’t, if Cotto leaves himself open to straight lefts and uppercuts as he did early in his encounter with Zab Judah, the pundits could well be proven right with an early KO for Pacquaio. But if Cotto can (and with Cotto’s eventual wins over the likes of Judah and Shane Mosley in mind, the bet here is that indeed he can) expect Cotto to stop Pacquiao late or earn a lopsided decision victory.

It will be a victory for a man who has been badly underestimated… and it might just be a victory for good taste in music, too. If I’m at a victory party tonight, I’m a lot happier hearing one of the salsa tunes that Cotto favors for his ringwalks (here he uses Marc Anthony’s sublime salute to Puerto Rico, “Preciosa”) than any more of Pacquiao’s warbling. But hey, suit yourself — and enjoy the fights.

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Pictured: Five time World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Saulo Ribeiro enjoys a break during his Fife, WA seminar on 18 October 2009

Part One: Saulo Ribeiro on his love for the art of jiu-jitsu — and preparations for his student Diego Sanchez’s bout against BJ Penn next month

If a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Hall of Fame were to be created, there is no doubt that one of the first honored would be Royler Gracie’s most decorated disciple, Saulo Ribeiro.

The native of Manua, Brazil has recorded a staggering record five first place finishes at the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships, two at the Abu Dhabi World Submission Championships, and a gold medal at the world no-gi jiu-jitsu championships. Having retired after the World Submission Championships in Barcelona last month, Ribeiro continues to attract attention as a top-flight trainer whose MMA standouts include Diego Sanchez — who contends for the UFC lightweight title next month against Ribeiro’s fellow world jiu-jitsu champion BJ Penn. Ribeiro’s instructional book, Jiu-Jitsu University, is also hailed as the best of its genre.

It’s been a diverse career by any measure. But after conducting a seminar in the Seattle area, when Ribeiro is asked about his life — from his early days training in the Amazon, to his stellar competition days, to his current role as trainer — the same words flow over and again, in a strong Brazilian accent:

“For me it’s a blessing.”

Ribeiro was hosted by Marcelo Alonso of the Carlson Gracie Team, who runs two jiu-jitsu academies in the Seattle area. As when Ribeiro’s instructor Royler Gracie arrived in June, any rivalries between the two camps were quickly set aside. “It went great. The variety of people here, different schools, they really understand the spirit of what we’re trying to accomplish here. Marcelo’s mentality of bringing people of different schools is great because it unites jiu-jitsu. We’re here for jiu-jitsu. As much people as we can convince of the beauty of the art… it’s wonderful.”

“I always liked the different styles,” he continues. “I belong to Gracie Humaita but I admire and respect all the kinds of styles. You’ve got to respect the guys who put it on the line to try and be the best. Marcelo at that time carried the flag of Carlson Gracie. As a competitor, a leader, a teacher… I saw the respect and the love that the old man had for him. The way he treated him, he’d kiss him. I’m like, man, this guy must be something special. I saw the way he fought and it’s like… this guy’s good. For sure. When I got to know that he came to Seattle, I know in America they have a real one, a legit one. Now, eleven years later, I got the opportunity to come here and teach a seminar, get to know him as a person. For me, yeah, it’s a blessing.”

Ribeiro recalls the early days of his training with a smile. “I’m from Manaus, Brazil. I started with same teacher as Ronaldo “Jacaré” Sauza; we started in judo. I trained for years, then I was 15 when took my first lesson in jiu-jitsu with one of Royler’s students (Fábio Monteiro). I remember the first day I got submitted with like five triangles and I thought I’ve got to do this! I was good for judo ground, but in jiu-jitsu I was just a beginner. Then, my journey began. I got hooked. It was a humbling experience. Then when I moved to Rio, I had the blessing of being put under the wing of Royler… he was not the guy who taught me more jiu-jitsu but the guy who taught me more about values, about morals, respect. I had the opportunity to learn jiu-jitsu from all the big names, very fortunate for that.”

“It’s life changing,” he gushes about his beloved art, about which he claims he owes virtually everything in his life. “You have that guy who came into the academy as a white belt, a year later is a completely different person… physically, mentally. I think jiu-jitsu has a lot to bring to the American community.”

One American who Ribeiro has taken under his wing will enjoy the spotlight at UFC 107, as Diego Sanchez takes on BJ Penn for the UFC lightweight title. Regarding their training at Ribeiro’s San Diego academy, Ribeiro smiles: “It’s awesome. Diego, when I met him, was just a raw fighter; without identity. Loved the ground, but don’t know who you are. Today he knows who he is. He is an MMA fighter and also a jiu-jitsu specialist. That’s what he becomes. He trains the gi, he respects and loves the sport. I would never train nobody who don’t do jiu-jitsu. That’s my work. I’m here to help the jiu-jitsu community. If the guy wants to test himself in MMA, then we’ll go there. We are not an MMA academy. We don’t teach MMA. That’s what has to be really clear. A lot of fighters look at us, say oh I want to train; we say no, we don’t train MMA guys. We train jiu-jitsu guys who want to take it to the next level… and if they want that MMA challenge, then yeah, we’ll go there. We accept the challenge. But the requirement, they’ve got to train jiu-jitsu. If they don’t train jiu-jitsu they’ve got nothing to do with the place.”

According to Ribeiro, getting used to applying grappling technique with the added handles of a jacket is crucial. Any student, he says, “is going to have accept right away that the escapes and the movement is not just going to happen. You’ve got to be able to understand leverage and not just strength. That’s the biggest thing with an MMA guy. I cannot convince him of that until he puts on the gi. He’s going to rely on the scramble and that’s not what we want from them. He’ll understand what his body is capable of. The only way to do that is to put him in the gi.”

“Royce (Gracie) already proved in the beginning, if you isolate the martial arts, jiu-jitsu is going to win. Now, everybody does jiu-jitsu. Now, it’s not about the art, it’s about the individual.”

“I tell Diego, to become a legend, you’ve got to beat a legend. Then if you don’t (win), you’re back to the end of the line. Do you want to go back to the end of the line? So let’s take care of business. If your mentality is the other way, you’re going to lose.”

Coming Soon, part two of this interview — Saulo Ribeiro on the prospects of jiu-jitsu and submission wrestling in the Olympics, why the Brazilian congress has sent him a commendation, and the joys of asking Wanderlei Silva to punch your brother (!)

Special thanks to Marcelo Alonso for helping set up this interview, and also to Brett Atchley of MMA Worldwide for providing his photography.

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Tonight, MMA fans will be treated to UFC 104, or day 154 of the Machida era if you prefer, emenating from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California at 10 pm EST.

It’s always a pleasure to watch “The Dragon” at work, but tonight’s undercard is weak, and it has been made even less relevant as several fighters missed weight yesterday. On the plus side, the co-main features two of our only hopes for elite American MMA heavyweights who pass drug tests.

It’s not the best of the year, but… it ain’t bad either.

As always, I offer predictions on the night’s top four bouts and my predictions are for entertainment purposes only. Thanks to Tracy Lee of Combat LifeStyle for the weigh-in pic.

Main Event, for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (champion) vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua Despite what Marc says, I don’t see any advantage for Rua other than possibly size. No way is he catching Machida with a lumbering lead left hook as he did in his knockout of an over-the-hill Chuck Liddell. I expect the quicker and more precise Machida to pick his shots and pick Rua apart. Maybe it will go a while, if Machida feels any sympathy for his countryman a la Anderson Silva. But, maybe not. Remember Machida’s last bout against a Brazilian went only one round. This may be the most one-sided light heavyweight title defense since the late Evan Tanner (RIP) was tossed aside by Tito Ortiz. My pick: Machida by T/KO, round two.

Co-Main Event: Ben Rothwell vs. Cain Velasquez (heavyweights) Both these guys have slipped under my radar when I gave up on the heavyweight division a while back, but they’re actually quite good. Rothwell enters this bout with a 30-6 MMA record as a classic Militech-trained all-around fighter with a wealth of experience, including a competitive bout against Andrei Arlovski earlier this year. The former NCAA All-American wrestler Velasquez has used a slick ground-and-pound — aided in his training by the likes of Dave Camarillo — to earn his 6-0 MMA record. It’s a tough call here and I think the (-350) betting line is insane. Velasquez indeed strikes me as the better athlete; but at 239 lbs, he’s giving up a lot of weight to a guy who is said to cut 20 lbs. to make the heavyweight limit. Still, I think Velasquez will be able to get his takedowns and top control here, continuing his progress towards a heavyweight title shot. My pick, Velasquez by decision.

Spencer Fisher vs. Joe Stevenson (lightweights): Two good, but not great, lightweights go at it here. Fisher is the better striker and also has a solid ground game which has earned him several wins by triangle choke. But if the better wrestler Stevenson plays one this smart, he should be able to take Fisher down repeatedly and work his game. Fisher is tough and probably too adept at submissions to be finished. My pick: Stevenson by decision.

Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida (catchweight of 176 pounds): Johnson has looked impressive of late but it’s down the drain now as he unconciounably missed weight by seven pounds yesterday. He will run over the overmatched Yoshida here, but forfeit a portion of his purse, and a lot of respect, regardless. My pick: Johnson, KO via head kick, round one.

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All the fighters, pundits and fans have weighed in on this Saturday’s title fight in Los Angeles pitting champ Lyoto Machida against Mauricio Rua, and the verdict is that Machida will have his hand raised. Whether it’s a case of the masses simply overrating the unorthodox “Dragon”, or being oblivious to the dangerous skills Rua possesses I don’t know, but what I do know is that on Saturday night Mauricio Rua will re-claim his spot as the best light heavyweight on the planet.

Mauricio Shogun Rua is the toughest opponent Machida has ever faced. During his last four bouts, Machida choked out Sokoudjou(who has since been exposed as a border-line top twenty LHW), beat a lame Tito Ortiz, whilst nearly getting submitted in the third stanza, Ko’d a fighter in Thiago Silva who has heavy-hands and not much else, and put Rashad Evans to sleep in a fight where the skilled wrestler Evans never made any effort to clinch or take the fight to the canvas. Shogun brings a diverse skill-set that will pose several problems for the champ.

For years Shogun has been mis-labelled as a striker. While Rua does have solid stand-up skills, this is not where he has been his most successful, and is not where he is going to win the fight against Machida. Shogun’s strength is his devastating ground and pound. It was the key to his victories over Rogerio Nogueira, Alistair Overeemx2 and was successful early against Forrest Griffin before a lack of cardiovascular conditioning did him in. This is an aspect of his game that has become even more dangerous in the UFC, as he is now allowed to elbow his opponents to the head on the ground.

In order to excecute his ground and pound, Shogun must be able to take Machida down, something he has been successful at doing against his first three UFC foes. If his cardio is where it should be, and he can come at Machida from different angles, and get him up against the fence, whilst not letting Machida get settled into a rhythm, the champ will be in trouble.

The only way Mauricio Rua loses this fight is if his cardio is not at a top level. It has been responsible for his only two true losses in MMA competition to Babalu and Forrest Griffin.

Shogun has better wrestling, better jiu-jitsu, better ground and pound and more heart than Machida has ever showed in a ring or cage, yet the champ is a massive betting favourite, and people are already annointing him the next Anderson Silva, and he hasn’t even defended his title yet. 

So, when Dana White is putting the belt around Rua’s waist on Saturday night, remember, you heard it here first.

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The upstart MMA promotion Bellator Fighting Championships has announced that it will be back in 2010, with shows airing live on Thursday nights on FOX Sports Net. Taped highlight packages will air in the wee hours of Sunday mornings on NBC, and Bellator has also reached an agreement with Telemundo for Spanish-language distribution.

“Since our launch earlier this year, there has been an overwhelming demand from MMA fans nationwide for us to broadcast our events live and through a widely available platform,” Bellator founder Bjorn Rebney said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have signed this groundbreaking agreement with FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo, which will bring our unique and exciting brand of tournament-based MMA events to a dramatically expanded audience of both English- and Spanish-speaking fans.”

Bellator will continue its tournament format, so at the end of each season it will crown new tournament champions, just as it did in its first season with Joe Soto, Eddie Alvarez, Hector Lombard and Lyman Good. The first event of Bellator’s second season will air live in prime time on Thursday, April 8, 2010 on Fox Sports Net. The second season will run for 12 straight weeks, and then Season 3 is scheduled to begin on August 12, also running for 12 straight weeks.

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October 16, 2009: The October 2009 Independent World MMA Rankings have been released. These rankings are independent of any single MMA media outlet or sanctioning body, and are published on multiple web sites.

In addition to the numerous MMA web sites that publish the Independent World MMA Rankings, you can also access the rankings at any time by going to www.IndependentWorldMMARankings.com.

Some of the best and most knowledgeable MMA writers from across the MMA media landscape have come together to form one independent voting panel. These voting panel members are, in alphabetical order: Zach Arnold (Fight Opinion); Nicholas Bailey (MMA Ratings); Jared Barnes (Freelance), Jordan Breen (Sherdog); Jim Genia (Full Contact Fighter, MMA Memories, and MMA Journalist Blog); Jesse Holland (MMA Mania); Robert Joyner (Freelance); Todd Martin (CBS Sportsline); Jim Murphy (The Savage Science); Zac Robinson (Sports by the Numbers MMA); Leland Roling (Bloody Elbow); Michael David Smith (AOL Fanhouse); Joshua Stein (MMA Opinion), Ivan Trembow (Freelance); and Dave Walsh (Total MMA).

Note: Joachim Hansen, who was previously ineligible to be ranked due to 12 months of inactivity, has regained his eligibility to be ranked as a result of his recent return to competition.

October 2009 Independent World MMA Rankings
Ballots collected on October 13, 2009

Heavyweight Rankings (206 to 265 lbs.)
1. Fedor Emelianenko (30-1, 1 No Contest)
2. Brock Lesnar (4-1)
3. Frank Mir (12-4)
4. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1, 1 No Contest)
5. Shane Carwin (11-0)
6. Brett Rogers (10-0)
7. Randy Couture (16-10)
8. Alistair Overeem (29-11, 1 No Contest)
9. Junior dos Santos (9-1)
10. Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1)

Light Heavyweight Rankings (186 to 205 lbs.)
1. Lyoto Machida (15-0)
2. Quinton Jackson (30-7)
3. Rashad Evans (13-1-1)
4. Anderson Silva (25-4)
5. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (18-3)
6. Forrest Griffin (16-6)
7. Gegard Mousasi (26-2-1)
8. Dan Henderson (25-7)
9. Thiago Silva (14-1)
10. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3)

Middleweight Rankings (171 to 185 lbs.)
1. Anderson Silva (25-4)
2. Nathan Marquardt (29-8-2)
3. Dan Henderson (25-7)
4. Yushin Okami (23-4)
5. Jorge Santiago (21-7)
6. Vitor Belfort (19-8)
7. Demian Maia (10-1)
8. Robbie Lawler (16-5, 1 No Contest)
9. Chael Sonnen (23-10-1)
10. Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-1, 2 No Contests)

Welterweight Rankings (156 to 170 lbs.)
1. Georges St. Pierre (19-2)
2. Jon Fitch (19-3, 1 No Contest)
3. Thiago Alves (16-4)
4. Jake Shields (23-4-1)
5. Josh Koscheck (13-4)
6. Matt Hughes (43-7)
7. Mike Swick (14-2)
8. Paulo Thiago (11-1)
9. Carlos Condit (23-5)
10. Marius Zaromskis (12-3)

Lightweight Rankings (146 to 155 lbs.)
1. B.J. Penn (14-5-1)
2. Shinya Aoki (22-4, 1 No Contest)
3. Eddie Alvarez (17-2)
4. Kenny Florian (11-4)
5. Tatsuya Kawajiri (25-5-2)
6. Diego Sanchez (21-2)
7. Gray Maynard (8-0, 1 No Contest)
8. Frankie Edgar (10-1)
9. Joachim Hansen (19-8-1)
10. Mizuto Hirota (12-3-1)

Featherweight Rankings (136 to 145 lbs.)
1. Mike Brown (22-4)
2. Urijah Faber (22-3)
3. Jose Aldo (15-1)
4. Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2)
5. Leonard Garcia (13-4)
6. Bibiano Fernandes (7-2)
7. “Lion” Takeshi Inoue (16-3)
8. Wagnney Fabiano (12-2)
9. Raphael Assuncao (14-1)
10. Mackens Semerzier (4-0)

Bantamweight Rankings (126 to 135 lbs.)
1. Brian Bowles (8-0)
2. Miguel Torres (37-2)
3. Takeya Mizugaki (12-3-2)
4. Masakatsu Ueda (9-0-2)
5. Dominick Cruz (14-1)
6. Akitoshi Tamura (14-7-2)
7. Joseph Benavidez (10-1)
8. Damacio Page (12-4)
9. Rani Yahya (14-4)
10. Will Ribeiro (10-2)

The Independent World MMA Rankings are tabulated on a monthly basis in each of the top seven weight classes of MMA, from heavyweight to bantamweight, with fighters receiving ten points for a first-place vote, nine points for a second-place vote, and so on.

The rankings are based purely on the votes of the members of the voting panel, with nobody’s vote counting more than anybody else’s vote, and no computerized voting.

The voters are instructed to vote primarily based on fighters’ actual accomplishments in the cage/ring (the quality of opposition that they’ve actually beaten), not based on a broad, subjective perception of which fighters would theoretically win fantasy match-ups.

Inactivity: Fighters who have not fought in the past 12 months are not eligible to be ranked, and will regain their eligibility the next time they fight.

Disciplinary Suspensions: Fighters who are currently serving disciplinary suspensions, or who have been denied a license for drug test or disciplinary reasons, are not eligible to be ranked.

Changing Weight Classes: When a fighter announces that he is leaving one weight class in order to fight in another weight class, the fighter is not eligible to be ranked in the new weight class until he has his first fight in the new weight class.

Catch Weight Fights: When fights are contested at weights that are in between the limits of the various weight classes, they are considered to be in the higher weight class. The weight limits for each weight class are listed at the top of the rankings for each weight class.

Special thanks to Eric Kamander, Zach Arnold, and Joshua Stein for their invaluable help with this project, and special thanks to Garrett Bailey for designing our logo.

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Vadim Finkelstein is a name that many MMA fans have learned over the past few years, especially within the last few months and Fedor’s epic contract negotiations with the UFC then the signing with Strikeforce. M-1 Global has shot into the minds of MMA and combat sports fans with all of this, never mind the M-1 vs The World series that airs on HDNet. M-1 Global has a big co-promotion coming up with Strikeforce, with M-1 fighter Fedor Emelianenko taking on Brett “Grim” Rogers on CBS.

Our passion may be kickboxing, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get excited over stuff like this, so we had to get to the root of matters and talk to the man himself, Vadim Finkelstein.

K-1 LEGEND: Has M-1 Global lived up to your expectations so far?

Vadim Finkelstein: Basically, I’m satisfied with the evolution of M-1 Global. The organization, in the format you can see today, has been functioning less than 2 years. The last year we had many experiments. A new system for the fighters moving up the ladder will be introduced starting from the next year’s season. It will be a more robust Olympic-like system.

K-1 LEGEND: What are your plans for M-1 Global and who do you see as the top prospects to reach possible Fedor levels?

Vadim Finkelstein: We have a lot of fighters in our stable that are very promising. I don’t want to point anyone in particular, don’t want to leave others out. Every country participating in our M-1 Challenge tournaments has some up-and-coming talents. Just to give you an example, Shane del Rosario, Dave Jansen, Lucio Linhares are all M-1 veterans who signed with major promotions by now. As I said previously, we’ll introduce a new fighters’ selection system, so you’ll be able to see the best athletes in action more often. As for Fedor, hes unique, so far I haven’t met anyone who could replace him eventually.

K-1 LEGEND: Do you see Strikeforce providing the level of competition worthy of a fighter like Fedor?

Vadim Finkelstein: Of course I do. Strikeforce has many talented top heavyweights. Not less, than in any other promotion. The first one will be Brett Rogers at Strikeforce/M-1 event on November, 7.

K-1 LEGEND: It seems like the deal between M-1/Fedor and UFC fell through because M-1 wanted more than UFC could offer. Do you think it’ll ever be possible to see Fedor in a UFC ring without a co-promotion?

Vadim Finkelstein: I think, that at this point of time it’s impossible. Fedor is part of M-1, he’s the shareholder of the organization that represents his own interests. Listen, Fedor became who he is today without having to compete in the UFC. It was the UFC that came to us, not other way around. We were willing to negotiate. We wished to have Fedor fight the best UFC athletes, but in the context of  interorganizational collaboration. UFC won’t co-promote, while all other MMA and boxing organizations do. UFC tries to drive other competitors out of the MMA industry. But the thing is, we don’t intend to take UFC’s business, take its sponsors or whatever. We were prepared to cooperate according to the business rules sharing not only benefits but costs as well.

K-1 LEGEND: While I understand this has more to do with Apy than it does you, what exactly happened with Gegard Mousasi and why did he believe he was offered a contract by the UFC? There are many conflicting stories and it’d be nice to have something to put the rumors to rest with.

Vadim Finkelstein: Well, I believe the UFC has never made an official offer. Moreover, it was simply impossible. By that time the deal with Strikeforce was successfully signed after 3-4 months of negotiations.

K-1 LEGEND: What future fights does Fedor have in mind? The best fight outside of Rogers in Strikeforce is easily Alistair Overeem, is that still a possibility?

Vadim Finkelstein: Anything’s possible. We don’t dodge anybody. Time will tell but Fedor is ready to fight whoever. Of course, I personally would like to see Fedor fight Josh Barnett. The whole world was anticipating this battle. Barnett earned his merits not only in the USA, but in Japan, too. Unfortunately, he gave us tons of headaches and problems with that Affliction debacle. We even consider filing a lawsuit against him.

K-1 LEGEND: How is Fedor preparing for his fight against Brett Rogers and what are the thoughts going in on Rogers? Rogers is still a sort of unknown at this point to a lot of newer fans.

Vadim Finkelstein: Fedor believes his opponent is a top fighter, a knockout artist. One should overestimate his opponent. Fedor respects him as a fighter. He’s in a serious training camp now preparing diligently for the November, 7 fight.

Special thanks to Michael Mazur of M-1 for arranging this interview.

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Nick talked to Black Belt magazine recently, where he talked about being a Martial Artist and how MMA really isn’t his thing. Nick likes to be a martial artist, but feels the world of MMA to be rather cumbersome; full of steroid abuse and cocky attitudes with nothing to back them up. What is interesting is Nick’s view on Frank Shamrock, who has become quite a proponent to the Martial Arts way, as he sees Frank as one of the guys who showed the MMA world that athleticism and training in a few different styles can put you on top of the heap. He also sees Frank as one of the guys that introduced MMA into the bodybuilder look and helped push steroid abuse. As with everything Diaz, this is quite an interview.

Your brother Nate fights for the UFC and you used to fight for them. Do you give him advice about how to handle things?
Yeah, I do. I give him the heads-up about what they do. He understands that they’re not completely all for you over there. You have to watch out and be ready for what you’re doing. It’s geared to that sportier athlete.

I’m at war. As far as I’m concerned, this is warfare and I’m a ninja warrior and I’m taught to kill in the most efficient way possible. That’s the sort of mentality I’m going in there with.

I don’t want to sit next to you and have a conversation and lunch and have an interview together and talk and shake hands. I’m like, Fine, if the media wants to talk to me or see me or ask me questions, they can hear about whatever.

The UFC thinks [marketing] is good for the sport, but we don’t need to worry about that anymore. I’m sorry—I just don’t believe that we do. It’s not like we’re marketing Crystal Pepsi—this thing’s here to stay now.

I’m sorry that it scares people and that they’re not mature enough to understand that violence is a part of life. It’s just the way it is and it’s not my problem. That’s just the way I feel.

I don’t mean to be bad for the sport. I’m sorry if I’m bad for the sport. I don’t necessarily love this sport, either. I love jiu-jitsu and martial arts and competition, but mixed martial arts and what it is today, I don’t necessarily love it. It’s just not an easy job. And people like to point their fingers a lot and think it’s a ballgame and they think it’s an easy job, and it’s not that easy. I need to look like this killer to my adversary. I need to have that mental edge and I will have it. It’s the most important thing if I’m going to be fighting.

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Anyone excited about next month’s fight between Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao got a treat yesterday as Pacquiao vs. Cotto: Face Off, a fantastic interview segment between the two conducted by Max Kellerman, popped up online. In fact, it’s a treat for anyone who just enjoys a bit of class and respect being shared between two proud sons of their native countries. (Yes, Puerto Rico is really a commonwealth of the US, but you know what I mean.)

If you’re anything like me and find yourself forgotting what sportsmanship looks like sometimes, please enjoy…

Many have been critical of Pacquiao camp’s insistence that this bout be contested at a catch weight, while still wanting Cotto’s welterweight title be on the line. This gambit represented a change for the Filipino icon that had successfully gone up in weight so many times he had been hailed this generation’s Henry Armstrong. This time, should Pacquiao win, the boxing world finds itself with a champion at welter unwilling to fight at welter. On the surface, it just didn’t make sense. Only a “sweetening of the pot” from promoter Bob Arum ended the issue. As they say, CREAM…

Then again, go back a bit further. When the bout was first announced, I found it a difficult one to call and still do. Neither has fought anything like the other. But watching this, I begin to wonder if maybe deep down, they’re mirror images.

Watching this interview, I forget any controversy. Throw the belts in the trash and forget the purses. November 14 will see a pairing of two pound for pound entrants –who are class acts besides — giving their all to prove themselves and bring honor to their homelands.

With that in mind, I think it’s safe to call both winners. Cotto’s remark at the end of the interview sums it up well: “the only winner in this fight is the fans.”

These two are what the fight game should be all about.

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Tomorrow night, Kazushi Sakuraba makes his return to the ring for DREAM in Japan.  It’s a return to action that literally no one has been awaiting with baited breath.  As I point out at Heavy.com, Sakuraba is a tragedy waiting to happen.

Now the hall of famer is firmly in the Ali-Holmes stage of his career. He’s clearly no longer the man he once was, and just as clearly needs to stop fighting to protect his long term health. Yet, promoters keep dragging him back to the ring. And he goes willingly. And audiences still want to watch him fight and in an ugly business that trumps all. Everyone is responsible for the tragedies, yet no one is.

I run down Sakuraba’s back story in the piece.  He’s clearly one of the most important figures in MMA history.  It’s a shame to see him come to this.  Remember this up and coming fighters:  save your money so you can save your brain. 

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