Ken Flo positive comments on the Carpenter

KenFlo seizes on a point that seems clear; no matter whether Clay "The Carpenter" Guida wins or loses, he is and will remain a fan favorite.

Guida and Florian are both classy guys who seem to generate the attraction of fans by being professional, dedicated, and entertaining. Both are strong symbols of UFC MMA, and should be, win or lose, fan favorites for many years.

Terrific Interview with Fedor

How can one not like and appreciate this Russian Champion?

Koscheck/Hardy would be the promising card

The Rear Naked Post always seeks out photos of the best recent rear naked choke submission wins. Thanks, Tracy Lee. Josh Kos' recent choke submission against the tough Anthoney Johnson proves he's ready to step up the ladder.

Is Kos ready for GSP? Is anyone? For my money, and in the Rear Naked Post's opinion, Dana and the UFC should make the Hardy/Koscheck fight happen before either of these guys gets a shot at St. Pierre.

It's not that Hardy and/or Kos don't deserve the chance at George St. Pierre, but both of them are similarly situated in the UFC hierarchy, and Hardy should have to fight someone like Kos to prove that he's ready to face one of the best kilo for kilo fighters in the world.

Flying Fedor

What might be going through Brett Rogers' mind at this exact moment?

Guida and Florian to Meet at UFC 107

It looks official that Illinois' Carpenter will meet Ken Flo at UFC 107 in Memphis December 12. Word is getting around that the two have verbally committed to the fight, with the written contracts to be signed shortly.

Clay, a classy, thoughtful ambassador for the UFC and MMA, brings tenacity, wrestling, G&P and good striking to the equation. Kenny has fine skills, good striking and good BJJ.

I saw Ken Flo in Philly and wondered why he repeated his attempts to takedown BJ Penn. His takedowns looked like afterthoughts, and suggested he didn't have a proper gameplan for BJ. With Clay, Ken Flo will need at least his "A" game, and if he thinks he'll wrestle/takedown with Guida, he might abandon that thought today. I like Kenny, he's smart and also a good ambassador for the sport, but I see Clay wearing Kenny down and even beating him with standing strikes.

UFC Fans and Fighters to Flourish in UK/Ireland

Less than six weeks after reaching a UK and Ireland television agreement with ESPN, the UFC announced Tuesday that UFC programming will land on network TV in the UK.

The UFC has signed a deal with FIVE, one of only five terrestrial networks in the UK and has a reach of over 30 million viewers. Part of deal will also call for programming on FIVE's sister channel, FIVE USA, which focuses on hour-long American dramas such as the CSI and House.

Airing on the free channel is a new weekly highlight show called UFC: Main Event on Sundays at midnight and FIVE USA will carry The Ultimate Fighter 10: Heavyweights on Saturdays three day after the US broadcast.

"This is a huge step for the UFC in the UK," UFC UK President Marshall Zelaznik said in a statement. "We are delighted to partner up with FIVE - who are trailblazers in their approach to both sports and programming - and bring the best bouts and the world's greatest fighters to the largest possible audience. We know we are going to create a whole new generation of UFC fans on FIVE."

Live UFC pay-per-view and UFC Fight Night events will continue to air in the UK on ESPN, which like in the US, is a paid subscription channel.

Fedor demonstrates the extreme power of his rear naked choke, and compares his choke pressure against that of a Burmese python. The snake comes in a poor second.

M-1 Swapped Big Money for Half Control

Credit Fightline.com

The Real Offer The UFC Presented Fedor

The UFC’s courtship of Fedor Emelianenko, which has been ongoing for nearly two years, ended again at the end of last month when the Russian heavyweight signed with Strikeforce. Ever since Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, purchased Pride FC in March 2007, the UFC has been in hot pursuit of Fedor.

A lot of rumors have circulated about the offer that the UFC presented to Fedor. According to Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer newsletter, both sides met on July 28th. Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta were present at the meeting, as was Fedor’s manager Vadim Finkelchtein, while Fedor listened in on a phone line and never said a word.

As reported last month, the UFC deal leaked to the internet by CBS Radio MMA host Carmichael Dave was for six fights at $30 million. According to Meltzer, that number is not accurate. The UFC presented Fedor with a three-fight deal, thinking that the fewer fights would be more enticing for Fedor as opposed to a longer term deal. The actual number was a $2 million guarantee per fight, plus a sliding percentage on PPV buys, so Fedor’s per-fight take could have reached $5 million. While there was no $30 million offer, if he won the championship and the sport continued to draw the numbers it’s doing now, he could have earned more. However, it is unclear if he could have been cut after a loss, a clause common in UFC contracts.

Most of the rest of the points are consistent with the Carmichael Dave report. Fedor was offered an immediate title shot with Brock Lesnar, with M-1 Global receiving a cut of the Lesnar – Fedor PPV (which would likely be the biggest PPV in MMA history) on top of Fedor’s salary. With the sliding percentage he was presented on top of the $2 million guarantee, if that show did 800,000 buys (which would be a huge disappointment), Fedor would come out with a $3 million payday. However, if the show did a more realistic number like 1.5 million buys (which is a little less than what UFC 100 drew), he’d pocket more than $5 million, the biggest one-night payoff in the history of the sport, in addition to M-1 Global’s take.

Fedor would also be able to don the M-1 Global logo on any of his attire and on his banners, and would be allowed to compete in combat sambo, a point of contention in their negotiations in 2007.

As reported before, the deal was turned down – like in 2007 – because M-1 Global wanted to be 50% co-promoters of and show headlined by Fedor, which means getting 50% of the profits after Fedor’s cut. The negotiations ended shortly after M-1 Global refused to budge on that point.

“We will work only on co-promotion conditions,” stated Vadim Finkelchtein, president of M-1 Global, after the meeting with White and Fertitta. “I don’t understand the policy of the UFC. The UFC won’t be able to control the whole world. The market is so big. . . The UFC proposal doesn’t give us a chance for us to do what we want to do.”

Evil Hitler Wrong about Everything...except....

Adolph Hitler was the incarnation of evil and foul behavior. Well, except for Brock Lesnar at UFC 100. But, zee Fuhrer makes some good points about Fedor. Still, Hitler should have been blown up at RASTENBURG in 1944.

Behind the Scenes at UFC 100

Great behind the scenes views. Dana White may not have the hardest job in the world, but he's got the world on his shoulders managing so many facets of the UFC.

Why we study the Rear Naked Choke

Kenny Florian on the Hendo-Bisping KO

I agree that you keep fighting until the ref stops the fight, but as Hendo was dropping in flight, he had to know Bisping was finished. The next shot was, as Hendo said, "to shut his mouth." Only glad that Bisping walked out under his own power.