Kimbo Slice denied declining a rematch with Seth Petruzelli yesterday during a conference call to promote his TUF Heavyweights bout with Roy Nelson that airs tomorrow night on Spike. Petruzelli fired the first salvo on The Underground, calling out Slice while stating he's likely to sign with the UFC. Slice's response was blunt, brutal and to the point, saying the Silverback's Smoothie King franchise was "a sissy ice cream shop" before going as far to say he'd fight Petruzelli "bare-knuckle style."
Not one to hold back either, Petruzelli e-mailed me his side of the story:
"LOL, a 'Sissy ice cream shop.' My bad for thinking ahead of fighting and opening a franchise. Kimbo wouldn't know the first thing about opening and running a successful business. He should stick to what he knows: being a thug and hanging with icey 'class act' Mike.
"And I was told by two promoters that they talked with his manager and that he said NO, so either the promoters were lying or he is. I hope Dana will sign me back to the UFC and maybe we will see."
Slice needs an opponent for the TUF Finale in December. I'm just sayin'.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Business picking up
Yet another eventful week in Yankeeland and the MMA World - with more potential projects on tap! One thing is for certain, I'm bracing for a wild postseason ride. I'll be covering most of the Yankees' playoff games at Yankee Stadium, and was there Friday night to document Joba Chamberlain stepping up to and meeting the challenge presented to him during a stern conversation with manager Joe Girardi. All parties played down the discussion, but Chamberlain's maturity has been questioned, as have the handling of "The Joba Rules." What matters is winning, and if Chamberlain is lights-out come October, fans will find something new to complain about.
For now, enjoy the journey. The Yankees clinched a tie for the AL East title behind CC Sabathia's one-hitter over seven innings. The Yankees haven't had that truly dominant ace/stopper since 2003, one that opponents fear. They have one in the big lefty. Of course, talk radio palavers and their cult followers will obsess over Sabathia's October failures while bracing for Alex Rodriguez to strike out in a big spot. Allow me to quote the great Reggie Jackson: "With the bat (or in CC's case, the ball) in your hand, you can change the story."
In between Yankees coverage I have two new assignments for FightMagazine.com: Ben "Smooth" Henderson and Ryan Bader. The biggest fight of Henderson's young career comes next month at WEC 43 when he battles Donald Cerrone for the interim lightweight title, as current champ Jamie Varner (hand) has not been medically cleared. Cerrone has made no secret of his respect for Henderson and pure hatred for Varner.
Bader's turned up the intensity of his preparation for Eric Schafer at UFC 104, his first fight since injuring his knee back in April. Bader takes full advantage of the information age. He continually updates his Web site and keeps a Facebook page. He told me during a May interview about the importance of fan interaction and how it will help grow the sport, and at 9-0 (2-0 in the UFC), many are already pegging him a future champion. First thing first is not overlooking Schafer. I'm not insinuating a darn thing, but Brock Larson's rising star is at a pit stop thanks to his loss to Mike Pierce.
FIGHT posted a story on Strikeforce fighter Zak Cummings hours before Tim Kennedy ended his 10-0 run with a second-round knockout. Cummings was very upset with The Ultimate Fighter's selection process, Kimbo Slice in particular. From what I've seen on TUF Heavyweights, Kimbo has completely embraced the opportunity to go back to the beginning and learn how different it is from a street fighter to a Mixed Martial Artist. It's now up to Cummings to take a step back and tend to his own ship.
Wednesday night it's Kimbo vs. Roy Nelson in arguably TUF's most anticipated fight ever. Win or lose, Kimbo will compete at The Ultimate Finale in December.
A shout out to Daniel Cormier. The former Olympian knocked out Gary Frazier in his MMA debut for Strikeforce. For a man who's endured multiple trips to hell and back, Daniel is a emotionally strong and remarkable human being, one who hasn't lost his zeal to compete and live his life.
Quinton Jackson quit the UFC and reports indicate it'll be Rashad Evans versus Thiago Silva at UFC 108 January 2 in Las Vegas. There are many layers to the Rampage-Dana White spat. I'll narrow it down to three sides: Jackson's, White's and the truth.
UFC 108's main event, by the way? Anderson Silva vs. Victor Belfort. The winner of that fight meets the winner of Dan Henderson-Nate Marquardt bout, a bout also rumored for 108. No slowing down the UFC, is there?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Schultz, Larson, Bader and the Yankees
Some quick hits to begin the week while I listen to Tommy Bolin Band's Homeward Strut on Sirius Channel 16:
I went 4-3 on my UFC 103 predictions, whiffing on Rich Franklin, Martin Kampmann and Drew McFedries while getting it right with picking Dos Santos, Koscheck, Griffin and Escudero. I was surprised with how McFedries had nothing and how electric Victor Belfort is. Cro Cop proved once again that he hasn't been the same since he was knocked out by Gabriel Gonzaga, while Frank Trigg says retirement is imminent following his disappointing return to the Octagon.
Ryan Schultz, again at a crossroads, has a big fight Wednesday night in Japan. "The Lion" explained to me during an interview for FightMagazine.com what happened the last time nobody gave him a chance.
I spoke with Brock Larson this afternoon five days after his bitterly disappointing loss to Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 19. Larson knows this was a lost opportunity, especially with Martin Kampmann's TKO loss to Paul Daley, to move a few rungs up the welterweight ladder and get his coveted rematch against Carlos Condit. He's obviously frustrated, but plans on training harder than he's ever had in his entire life. Like the loss to Condit, Larson is hell-bent on becoming better from this experience.
Ryan Bader told me in an e-mail: "Every thing is going great. I am training hard and am ready to go." The TUF Season 8 light-heavyweight winner steps into the Octagon next month for the first time since April, when he tore his MCL and PCL, to face Eric Schafer on the preliminary card of UFC 104.
Los Angeles will play host to a stacked event despite Shane Carwin being pulled away from his scheduled bout against Cain Velasquez in favor of a shot at Brock Lesner. Velasquez takes on Ben Rothwell. Anthony Johnson returns from his injury to face Yoshiyuki Yoshida, and Joe Stevenson-Spencer Fisher and Gleison Tibau-Josh Neer precede Lyoto Machida's first defense of the light-heavyweight crown against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
Strikeforce continues to stock up, this time signing former NCAA and NFL star Herschel Walker. Okay, Walker is 47, but won't fight until at least early next year and will train under one of the best camps in the country, American Kickboxing Academy and Bob Cook. The odds of a prosperous MMA career may be against Walker, but I personally have never been one to dismiss anyone strictly due to age.
If you believed the Yankees had the AL East wrapped up, look again. Their lead is down to five games coming off three losses in five games while the Red Sox are winners of 10 out of their last 11. This weekend set at Yankee Stadium suddenly has some bite, especially if the Yankees sweep the Angels and the Sox fall our course, or if - gasp - New York's division lead shrinks to two or even a game-and-a-half. This is why Yogi Berra was baseball's Einstein.
I went 4-3 on my UFC 103 predictions, whiffing on Rich Franklin, Martin Kampmann and Drew McFedries while getting it right with picking Dos Santos, Koscheck, Griffin and Escudero. I was surprised with how McFedries had nothing and how electric Victor Belfort is. Cro Cop proved once again that he hasn't been the same since he was knocked out by Gabriel Gonzaga, while Frank Trigg says retirement is imminent following his disappointing return to the Octagon.
Ryan Schultz, again at a crossroads, has a big fight Wednesday night in Japan. "The Lion" explained to me during an interview for FightMagazine.com what happened the last time nobody gave him a chance.
I spoke with Brock Larson this afternoon five days after his bitterly disappointing loss to Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 19. Larson knows this was a lost opportunity, especially with Martin Kampmann's TKO loss to Paul Daley, to move a few rungs up the welterweight ladder and get his coveted rematch against Carlos Condit. He's obviously frustrated, but plans on training harder than he's ever had in his entire life. Like the loss to Condit, Larson is hell-bent on becoming better from this experience.
Ryan Bader told me in an e-mail: "Every thing is going great. I am training hard and am ready to go." The TUF Season 8 light-heavyweight winner steps into the Octagon next month for the first time since April, when he tore his MCL and PCL, to face Eric Schafer on the preliminary card of UFC 104.
Los Angeles will play host to a stacked event despite Shane Carwin being pulled away from his scheduled bout against Cain Velasquez in favor of a shot at Brock Lesner. Velasquez takes on Ben Rothwell. Anthony Johnson returns from his injury to face Yoshiyuki Yoshida, and Joe Stevenson-Spencer Fisher and Gleison Tibau-Josh Neer precede Lyoto Machida's first defense of the light-heavyweight crown against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
Strikeforce continues to stock up, this time signing former NCAA and NFL star Herschel Walker. Okay, Walker is 47, but won't fight until at least early next year and will train under one of the best camps in the country, American Kickboxing Academy and Bob Cook. The odds of a prosperous MMA career may be against Walker, but I personally have never been one to dismiss anyone strictly due to age.
If you believed the Yankees had the AL East wrapped up, look again. Their lead is down to five games coming off three losses in five games while the Red Sox are winners of 10 out of their last 11. This weekend set at Yankee Stadium suddenly has some bite, especially if the Yankees sweep the Angels and the Sox fall our course, or if - gasp - New York's division lead shrinks to two or even a game-and-a-half. This is why Yogi Berra was baseball's Einstein.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Jeter's place secure
I meant to share this much sooner, but it's been another crazy week. I Tweeted this while providing real-time updates on the YES Blog. I was on hand to watch Derek Jeter pass Lou Gehrig to become the Yankees' all-time hits leader. Jeter may not be the greatest to ever wear a Yankees uniform, but you can make a case of him perhaps being the best shortstop to have played the game. His career is far from over, which means 3,000 - and perhaps 4,000 - hits are in sight.
MMA has returned to CBS with Strikeforce's huge November 7 show, which was supposed to be in Newark, N.J., but thanks to a Miley Cyrus booking will take place outside of Chicago. Here's hoping CBS learned from the Elite XC debacle and that Strikeforce doesn't make the same mistakes.
Appearing next week on FIGHT's! Web site: Features on Ryan Schultz and Zak Cummings. The magazine was set to publish a piece on Brock Larson until Larson lost to Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 19. Larson is a great guy and I'll be calling him to chat informally this weekend. His career is far from over and his spot in the UFC remains secure, but Wednesday was definitely a step back.
My quickie UFC 103 predictions:
Franklin over Belfort: Split decision
Dos Santos over Cro Cop: Unanimous decision
Kampmann over Daley: 1st round TKO
Koscheck over Trigg: 3rd round TKO
Griffin over Franca: Unanimous decision
Escudero over Miller: Unanimous decision
McFedries over Drwal: 1st round KO
MMA has returned to CBS with Strikeforce's huge November 7 show, which was supposed to be in Newark, N.J., but thanks to a Miley Cyrus booking will take place outside of Chicago. Here's hoping CBS learned from the Elite XC debacle and that Strikeforce doesn't make the same mistakes.
Appearing next week on FIGHT's! Web site: Features on Ryan Schultz and Zak Cummings. The magazine was set to publish a piece on Brock Larson until Larson lost to Mike Pierce at UFC Fight Night 19. Larson is a great guy and I'll be calling him to chat informally this weekend. His career is far from over and his spot in the UFC remains secure, but Wednesday was definitely a step back.
My quickie UFC 103 predictions:
Franklin over Belfort: Split decision
Dos Santos over Cro Cop: Unanimous decision
Kampmann over Daley: 1st round TKO
Koscheck over Trigg: 3rd round TKO
Griffin over Franca: Unanimous decision
Escudero over Miller: Unanimous decision
McFedries over Drwal: 1st round KO
Friday, September 11, 2009
Killing time
As I return to the blogosphere after a two-week hiatus, I'm sitting in my perch in Yankee Stadium's press box waiting through an interminable rain delay. It's disgusting here, on all nights, the one when Derek Jeter has a chance to become the Yankees' all-time hits leader. Journal News beat writer Peter Abraham wrote a good line earlier today: "Not even Mother Nature will mess with Derek Jeter. Like every other girl, she’s crazy about the Captain." I guess she's in tune to the rumors of his engagement to Minka Kelly.
While tracking Jeter and the Yankees - in case you haven't noticed, their magic number for clinching the AL East is 15 - on the YES Blog, I've kept plenty busy in the MMA world too. Since I last checked in ....
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria and Randy Couture had a classic fight at UFC 102 worthy of two great warriors with Minotauro pulling off the unanimous decision. Nogueria is in line for a shot at heavyweight title, but judging from recent comments he wants a rematch with Frank Mir, but Mir vs. Cheick Kongo is almost locked in for UFC 105 in December.
Junkie ran my feature on TUF Heavyweights contestant Matt Mitrione this week. Later that day, I was clued in to a verbal agreement to Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones at the The Ultimate Finale in December. The buzz for that fight has been tremendous. This will undoubtedly be Jones' toughest fight while Hamill will have to prepare for his greatest challenge since Rich Franklin.
On tap for FIGHT! Magazine's Web site: Short stories on Ryan Schultz and Zak Cummings, the latter who is headlining the Strikeforce September 25 Challengers Series against Tim Kennedy.
While tracking Jeter and the Yankees - in case you haven't noticed, their magic number for clinching the AL East is 15 - on the YES Blog, I've kept plenty busy in the MMA world too. Since I last checked in ....
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria and Randy Couture had a classic fight at UFC 102 worthy of two great warriors with Minotauro pulling off the unanimous decision. Nogueria is in line for a shot at heavyweight title, but judging from recent comments he wants a rematch with Frank Mir, but Mir vs. Cheick Kongo is almost locked in for UFC 105 in December.
Junkie ran my feature on TUF Heavyweights contestant Matt Mitrione this week. Later that day, I was clued in to a verbal agreement to Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones at the The Ultimate Finale in December. The buzz for that fight has been tremendous. This will undoubtedly be Jones' toughest fight while Hamill will have to prepare for his greatest challenge since Rich Franklin.
On tap for FIGHT! Magazine's Web site: Short stories on Ryan Schultz and Zak Cummings, the latter who is headlining the Strikeforce September 25 Challengers Series against Tim Kennedy.
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