MMA FanHouse

Spike TV: More Young Men Watched UFC 105 Than Strikeforce on CBS

Michael David Smith — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:55:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, UFC, Strikeforce

The star power of Randy Couture and an undercard full of Ultimate Fighter winners was enough to give UFC 105 on Spike more young male viewers than Strikeforce on CBS got a week earlier, Spike TV said Wednesday.

Spike said in a press release that UFC 105 topped Strikeforce in all the young demographics that advertisers covet, and that it blew Strikeforce away in the male 18-24 demographic.

Spike also said that its 994,000 18-to-34-year-old male viewers were the most of anything on television, broadcast or cable, on Saturday night, topping regular programming that included college football on several channels.

Spike didn't match the total viewers that CBS got with Strikeforce; almost 2 million more people watched Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers as watched Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera. But Spike did show once again that the UFC is a juggernaut in attracting young men.

Spike TV: More Young Men Watched UFC 105 Than Strikeforce on CBS originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mr. T Honored to Have Rampage Jackson Reprise Role as 'B.A. Baracus'

Ariel Helwani — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:19:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, UFC, FanHouse Exclusive

So there I was, killing time in a restaurant before last week's Strikeforce media workouts in Chicago, when all of a sudden the incomparable Mr. T sits down right next me.

Clad in his familiar American flag bandana and a cut-off T-shirt, Mr. T kept to himself, and surprisingly no one bothered him.

That is until I decided to ask him his thoughts on Rampage Jackson reprising his role as "B.A. Baracus" in the upcoming A-Team movie.

"I have much love for him," Mr. T said. "I do. It's going to become a pressure thing because people are going to come up to him and say, 'Hey, you're not Mr. T.' They are going to try to get in his head just to meddle with him.

"But very rarely do they do a movie remake with the TV cast. I'm honored."

There had been some rumblings that Mr. T was offended that he wasn't chosen to play the role of "Baracus" again, but the 57-year-old vehemently denied those rumors.

"It's not even about me anymore because I'm Mr. T. Mr. T was also "Clubber Lang." ... But as far as Rampage is concerned, I like his style, his toughness. He'll bring his own unique personality to that role. Like the guy who plays "Murdock" or the guy who plays "Hannibal," Liam Neeson. I like Liam Neeson. I saw him in Schindler's List, I was like, 'Man, I like this guy.' So, I'm not mad at anybody. Like I told a guy in New York in an interview, When the movie comes out, I'm going to go see it, and I'm going to enjoy it. I'm not one of those who would say, 'Hey, it should have been me.' No, I'm too blessed to be stressed," he said.

"I would have to pity myself if I get mad at anybody."

Mr. T, born Laurence Tureaud, also drew some parallels between himself and the former light heavyweight champion.

"He wears steel chains, I used to wear gold chains. But I stopped wearing my gold as of 2005. See, as a Christian, I felt that it would be a sin against God for me to continue wearing my gold, while the people in Katrina lost everything. I felt it would be insensitive and disrespectful to the people."

Mr. T wasn't aware that Jackson had recently quit the UFC because he was offended by the way UFC president Dana White dealt with the news of him having to pull out of his UFC 107 fight against Rashad Evans. When I told him about Jackson's sudden rift with White, Mr. T spoke directly to him.

"Quinton, you hear me, brother: just keep prayerful. When you are praying to God, you won't go wrong. Ask God to give you strength and to guide you. People are going to try to say things to purposefully get you off track. You see, that is what they do: they love to build you and then cut you down.

"You can't go wrong if you stay with God because society is going to try to eat him up and mess with his head. Because if I wasn't close to God, I would be gone a long time ago."

Mr. T said he's never met Jackson, but hoped to do so after filming completed. The movie is set to hit theaters on June 11, 2010.

And while he wasn't aware that Jackson recently wrote in his blog about how much it meant to him to play the role of "B.A. Baracus," Mr. T seemed genuinely touched when he heard about it.

"Someday we will get together. I won't bother him while he's filming. I'll let him get his filming done, and then I'll see him afterwards. That's when the pressure is going to come on. People are going to try to get some stuff on him," he said.

"The fact that I am older than him, I can impart some things on him."

Mr. T Honored to Have Rampage Jackson Reprise Role as 'B.A. Baracus' originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CBS Likes Strikeforce Demographics, but Will MMA Return?

Michael David Smith — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: EliteXC, MMA Media Watch, Strikeforce, M-1 Global

The early ratings are in for CBS's Saturday night MMA show, and although the numbers aren't as good as the network did last year with Kimbo Slice, CBS executive Kelly Kahl tells FanHouse he's encouraged that CBS improved on its usual Saturday night ratings among the coveted young male demographic.

Now the question is whether MMA will improve to CBS in 2010. Kahl said it's too soon to say about that, but that a significant improvement in the targeted demographic means CBS accomplished its first goal. Kahl noted that MMA on CBS beat college football on ABC in the demographic.

The Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers fight started at 11:01 PM in the Eastern and Pacific time zones, which means it will not be counted in prime time ratings and those numbers aren't in yet. But from the numbers that are already in, TV By The Numbers reports that Strikeforce averaged 3.79 million viewers and a 1.7/6 rating share with adults 18-49. CBS beat ABC, NBC and Fox during the the 10 PM hour with adults 18-49, and it surely did even better beginning at the 11 PM hour, because that's when Fedor vs. Rogers started.

CBS, Strikeforce and some MMA enthusiasts will no doubt spin those numbers as encouraging, while other networks, the UFC and those who dislike the idea of MMA on network television will no doubt spin those numbers as lousy. My own feeling is that the numbers ought to be good enough to get MMA back on network television, but that they'll need to do a better job of marketing the fighters to people who have never watched MMA before if they're going to find long-term success on network TV.

CBS Likes Strikeforce Demographics, but Will MMA Return? originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Rogers Doesn't Want Bloggers to Think He's Boring

Michael David Smith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:27:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, Strikeforce

Brett Rogers is continuing to make the media rounds to promote his fight with Fedor Emelianenko Saturday night, and in an interview with Adam Carolla, he talked about his desire not just to win, but to entertain.

Rogers said he pays attention to what fans think of him and what is said about him on the Internet, and he said he's proud of his status as a 10-0 fighter who's won all of his fights in the kind of dominant fashion that leaves fans wanting more.
"I don't want to be -- ever -- in that category of being a boring fighter," Rogers said. "If I ever get in that category it's time to switch something up. I pay attention to the bloggers, what people say, and right now I'm in that category of people want to see what I'm going to do, and they're still curious about what I'm going to do on the ground, what my ground game is like."

Rogers certainly can't be accused of being a boring fighter, and I am curious to see what Rogers' ground game is like. I have to figure, though, that if we see Rogers on the ground on Saturday night, we're going to see him lose to Fedor. Rogers' only real chance of pulling off a monumental upset is to stand with Fedor and land a very hard punch. Nothing boring about that.

Brett Rogers Doesn't Want Bloggers to Think He's Boring originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:27:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No Quit in Frank Shamrock

Michael David Smith — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:20:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive

CHICAGO -- On a chain around his neck, Frank Shamrock wears the metal plate that held his arm together after he needed surgery to repair a bad break. Ask him about it, and he doesn't hesitate to show off the long surgical scar on his arm. The plate and the scar are sources of pride from a 15-year career as a mixed martial arts fighter.

That break came courtesy of a Cung Le kick in March of 2008, and in his only fight since then, Shamrock lost to Nick Diaz. But if you think the 36-year-old Shamrock is at the end of his career, think again.

"I'm looking at fighting for eight more years," Shamrock told FanHouse on Wednesday. "I'm in good shape, and this is what I do. I'm a martial artist."

Shamrock, who will work as an announcer for CBS on Saturday night's Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers card, said he understands he has to make some concessions to Father Time. But not too many.

"I'm not going to be the guy I was when I was in my 20s," Shamrock acknowledged. "No one is. That doesn't mean I can't keep fighting into my 40s."

As he looks ahead to his late 30s and early 40s, Shamrock says the fights he really wants are rematches. He said he'd love to avenge some of his past losses, such as the one to Le -- and he said Le, who hasn't fought since beating Shamrock and has pursued acting roles, is kidding himself if he thinks he's going to be a movie star.

Shamrock said he'd also love to avenge his disqualification loss to Renzo Gracie, and a rematch with Diaz could be in the cards again. Shamrock is also open to a fight with Dan Henderson, should Strikeforce sign the former Pride champion and UFC star.

But as Shamrock prepares to call the Strikeforce middleweight title fight between Jake Shields and Jason Mayhem Miller, he said he doesn't view himself as a good candidate to take on the winner.

"If they give the next middleweight title shot to me, it's because I have a famous name," Shamrock said. "It would be because it would bring in TV viewers, not because I've earned it."

But to Shamrock, championship belts are less important than promoting the sport he loves. Shamrock proudly displayed his book, Mixed Martial Arts for Dummies, and talked about wanting to work both inside and outside the cage at making MMA bigger.

"I'm excited," Shamrock said. "It's great to be part of the growth of the sport."

No Quit in Frank Shamrock originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brett Rogers on ESPN

Michael David Smith — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:46:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, MMA Videos, Strikeforce, M-1 Global

Fedor Emelianenko is meeting the media in Chicago today, but Brett Rogers is in Bristol, Connecticut, promoting their fight at ESPN headquarters, including the above appearance on ESPN First Take.

MMA is still at the point where any attention on ESPN is a good thing, and Rogers noted during his interview with Dana Jacobson that he was just thrilled to be invited to Bristol to spread the word. Part of Rogers' charm is that he's still so new to all this that he seems to genuinely enjoy the interviews.

As for the interview itself, Jacobson asked Rogers about his comment that jaws will drop when he fights Fedor (referencing this FanHouse interview), and Rogers said he's confident that after the fight, everyone will know his name. In reality, MMA hasn't reached the level of mainstream acceptance that everyone will know Rogers' name even if he does pull off one of hte biggest upsets in the history of the sport on Saturday night. But getting on ESPN is a step in the right direction.

Brett Rogers on ESPN originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight Camp 360: Fedor vs. Rogers Video

Mike Chiappetta — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:47:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, Strikeforce

CBS' most recent attempt to hype Saturday's Strikeforce debut is "Fight Camp 360: Fedor vs. Rogers," which is airing on Showtime and on select CBS affiliates.

The full video was also just released on online. As Michael David Smith wrote here, the video shows Fedor Emelianenko as the quiet, humble champion MMA fans have gotten to know over the years, and Brett Rogers as a soft-spoken, hard worker who rose from humble beginnings and is now intent on finding glory. One of the best moments comes when we see Rogers and his wife entering the home they bought through his work and determination. It is an "American Dream" moment that encapsulates everything he's been working towards.

If you haven't gotten a look at it, it's worth a view. The full video is below.

Fight Camp 360: Fedor vs. Rogers Video originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fight Camp 360: Inside the Camps of Fedor Emelianenko, Brett Rogers

Michael David Smith — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive, M-1 Global

On Tuesday night Showtime will debut Fight Camp 360: Fedor vs. Rogers, a half-hour documentary to promote Saturday night's fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Brett Rogers on CBS. I got an advance look at the documentary on Monday, and it's at its best when it shows the two fighters' trainers exuding confidence that their guy can win.

Fight Camp 360 shows Rogers' trainer, Mike Reilly, watching Fedor's fight with Andrei Arlovski on YouTube, and telling Rogers that he needs to control the tempo of the fight the same way Arlovski did at the start of his fight with Fedor.

"Arlovski's actually bullying him around," Reilly says. "That's what I need you to do in the clinch, too. Don't be so worried about the takedown that you don't bully him around."

Although Fedor doesn't show much interest in watching tape of Rogers' fights, his coaches do -- and they're dismissive of Rogers' skills in his own fight with Arlovski.

"He misses the first, second, third, fourth, fifth," one of Fedor's coaches chuckles while watching Rogers swing wildly at Arlovski. "He got him on the sixth one. Hands down, his head sticking out, it's hard not to get him."

Fedor's coaches say the game plan is simple and easy: "Fedor just has to be active."

But Fedor himself doesn't show that cockiness. Fight Camp 360 portrays him as a quiet, simple, spiritual man, who has no desire to go anywhere other than the church where he visits his spiritual advisor, Father Andrey, and the banya in his hometown of Stary Oskol, Russia.

"My family, parents and friends are here," Fedor says. "I like my small town. I'm happy here."

The scenes showing Rogers in his own hometown of Minneapolis are less interesting, because Rogers himself doesn't have a whole lot to say. But we do get to hear Rogers' grandma tell him she's not sure if she'll watch the Fedor fight because "I just can't stand to see you get hit." And we get to hear Rogers' wife confess that before Brett finally started making good money as a fighter this year, her attitude toward his aspiration as a professional athlete was, "This is just a dream, this is not going to come true."

That the best quotes in Fight Camp 360 come from trainers, grandmothers and wives isn't surprising, because both Fedor and Rogers are quiet, introspective people. Those qualities don't lend themselves to hyping a fight, but Fight Camp 360 gives MMA fans something better than hype: It gives them insight.

Fight Camp 360: Inside the Camps of Fedor Emelianenko, Brett Rogers originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frank Shamrock: Brett Rogers Could Pull A Fujita on Fedor Emelianenko

Michael David Smith — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:36:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, Strikeforce, M-1 Global

Fedor Emelianenko hasn't often been hurt in his MMA career, but one of the few times he found himself in trouble came in 2003 against Kazuyuki Fujita, who briefly dazed Fedor with a punch. As Fedor prepares for his next fight, against Brett Rogers on November 7, CBS announcer and former UFC champion Frank Shamrock says he sees a lot of Fujita in Rogers.

"The only person I've ever seen hurt Fedor was a big Japanese wrestler, Fujita," Shamrock said Tuesday on a call to promote the CBS show. "He did it deceptively. He was a big wrestler but he got Fedor into a punching game. And somebody with that style could catch him."

Mauro Ranallo, who will call the Fedor-Rogers fight along with Shamrock and Gus Johnson, added that the way Andrei Arlovski controlled the stand-up game in the first couple minutes of his fight with Fedor in January is the way for Rogers to fight Fedor.

"Brett Rogers needs to aggressively pursue Fedor but also be patient, somewhat similar to the way Shogun Rua did with Lyoto Machida," Ranallo said. "It's sort of an oxymoron but it's patient aggressiveness. The key is to wait for Fedor to make a mistake, because everybody does -- nobody is perfect. I don't see Brett Rogers winning this fight if it goes to the ground."

It's true that even Fedor can make a mistake (though he hasn't made many in his MMA career), and I suppose I could see Rogers landing a big, hard right hand like the one Fujita landed, but I have a hard time seeing Rogers actually winning this fight -- just as Fujita wasn't able to beat Fedor. If Rogers hits Fedor hard enough to make him stagger around the cage, that alone would be an accomplishment, but that alone won't be enough to pull off one of the biggest upsets in MMA history.

Follow MMA? Follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Frank Shamrock: Brett Rogers Could Pull A Fujita on Fedor Emelianenko originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dana White Brings Back Video Blog

Ray Hui — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:50:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, UFC

UFC president Dana White has returned to video-blogging for this Saturday's UFC 104 event in Los Angeles, releasing a new blog (NSFW, above) Tuesday morning documenting his attendance at a Tuff-N-Uff event to watch his cousin's amateur MMA debut and a ticket giveaway at a mall in Los Angeles.

White last blogged early August for UFC 101 and later pulled his entire library of blogs off YouTube. The UFC turned to spotlighting fighters instead, profiling Randy Couture for UFC 102 and Vitor Belfort for UFC 103. Cain Velasquez has been being taped for UFC 104, but White has since decided to "unretire" and join in on the action.

"I'm bringing back the video blogs, I've retired and come back more times than Brett Favre," White jokes in the introduction for the video.

Dana White Brings Back Video Blog originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New CBS Ad: Meet Fedor Emelianenko

Michael David Smith — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:22:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, MMA Videos, Strikeforce, M-1 Global

CBS has released a new one-minute commercial introducing sports fans to Fedor Emelianenko, the generally recognized heavyweight champion of MMA who is largely unknown in this country but who will fight Brett Rogers on CBS on November 7. Although it's not yet clear how often CBS will run the ad on TV, it's a good first step toward promoting the fight -- and also a reminder of some of the drawbacks to promoting Fedor.

The two biggest drawbacks are that Fedor doesn't speak English, and that the UFC owns the rights to most of Fedor's fights. That means we never get to hear Fedor speak, and we don't get to see footage of him in the ring. Instead we see video of Fedor working out, interspersed with quotes from people praising Fedor's skills.

CBS has said it will advertise Fedor during NFL games, so it's a little weird that the first quote is attributed to Jay Glazer, who covers the NFL for Fox. And it's also a little weird that two of the quotes are attributed to UFC fighters, Randy Couture and Frank Trigg.

But the bottom line is that CBS is putting its promotional muscle behind Fedor, and for MMA fans, that's a good thing. The best fighter in the history of the sport is getting a major push to a whole new audience.

New CBS Ad: Meet Fedor Emelianenko originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jake Shields, Jason Miller Vow to Hype Their Strikeforce CBS Fight

Michael David Smith — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, Strikeforce

When mixed martial arts returns to network television on November 7, the undisputed star of the show will be Fedor Emelianenko, the sport's heavyweight champion.

But Fedor doesn't speak English and isn't well known in the United States, and that means promoting the CBS show will fall in large part on other fighters on the card. Jake Shields and Jason "Mayhem" Miller, who will meet for the Strikeforce middleweight title, say they embrace that opportunity.

"Strikeforce is the right promoter to bring MMA to the mainstream," said Shields, who fought twice on CBS last year under the EliteXC banner. "It's really important to us to make this successful. I want to do my part to promote this."
Miller, whose role as the host of MTV's Bully Beatdown makes him one of America's most famous non-UFC MMA fighters, said he expects to take on a lot of promotional duties himself.

"Stick a microphone in my face and I'll riff on it," Miller said. "I want everyone to watch this fight, and if you miss it you're missing not just a great fight with me and Jake, but also the No. 1 heavyweight in the world taking on the undefeated Brett Rogers. If MMA fans don't know about this fight it's not my fault, because I'm Twittering, MySpacing and Facebooking. I'm out there. I might as well be spray painting about it on walls."

Jake Shields, Jason Miller Vow to Hype Their Strikeforce CBS Fight originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ben Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone WEC 43 Fight Available Online

Michael David Smith — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, WEC

Ben Henderson's unanimous decision victory over Donald Cerrone at WEC 43 has been labeled by some as the fight of the year, and those who missed it on Saturday night can now watch it online for free.

The WEC announced Wednesday that both WEC.tv and UFC.com are carrying the fight. It will also re-air on Versus Thursday at 8 PM ET.

"We've teamed up with Versus to make sure that fans have the opportunity to witness history again," WEC GM Reed Harris said in a statement. "As soon as the fight ended, we were inundated with calls and emails asking us when we would show the fights again. It was a night that fans in this sport will never forget. We're happy to give fans the chance to see it all over again."

The WEC did not say whether the ongoing dispute between Versus and DirecTV played a part in the decision to show the fight online, but this is obviously good news for MMA fans who have DirecTV. Henderson-Cerrone was a great fight, and now there's no reason anyone has to miss it.

Ben Henderson vs. Donald Cerrone WEC 43 Fight Available Online originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wrestler Sues School Over 'MMA Fight'

Michael David Smith — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, MMA Videos

A student at Missouri's Blue Springs High School is suing the school district after he was injured in what is being described as "a mixed martial arts-style fight" which an assistant wrestling coach cheered on.

The Kansas City Star reports that Samuel Gomez, a junior who was on the Blue Springs the wrestling team, claims that when a wrestling practice was canceled last October, wrestlers stuck around the gymnasium and had an MMA-style fight that one student videotaped and that assistant wrestling coach James Williamson watched and cheered on.

Gomez claims that he broke two teeth and had another tooth knocked out in the fight, and that his injuries required a rod to be placed in his mouth two root canals.

Gomez's lawyer told the Kansas City Star, "The school essentially refused to take this matter seriously, even when the school was provided that video. There was plenty of opportunity for the school to accept responsibility."

Although this is being described as an MMA fight, it's important to note that in reality, this wasn't an MMA fight at all: MMA fights are done under a referee's supervision, in a confined space, and with participants required to wear mouthguards. This was just two kids brawling in a gym. If a coach egged them on, he has no business coaching youth sports.

Hat tip: Bloody Elbow.

Wrestler Sues School Over 'MMA Fight' originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The Simpsons Takes on MMA

Ray Hui — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:26:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch

It's generally considered an honor to be spoofed by The Simpsons and mixed martial arts was chosen as the iconic cartoon series' latest subject of satire for an episode that aired Sunday on Fox.

The entire episode revolved around Marge Simpson training for a fight against a fight promoter to get rid of MMA or "Ultimate Punching" as it was referred to as on the program.

Former UFC champ Chuck Liddell makes a cameo as a celebrity fighter who charges $25 for an autograph.

The full episode is above. Keep an eye out for Bart's triangle choke (variation from back mount), Marge's flying armbar and Lisa's Superman punch.

Video: The Simpsons Takes on MMA originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watching Football on CBS? Look for Fedor Emelianenko

Michael David Smith — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:23:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, Strikeforce, M-1 Global

On Tuesday I wrote that I hadn't seen any commercials promoting Fedor Emelianenko's upcoming fight when I watched the NFL on CBS on Sunday, and I said I thought CBS was missing an opportunity to promote the best MMA fighter in the world to millions of viewers who have never heard of him.

But the folks at CBS tell me they're already advertising Fedor, and they expect to promote him much more in the coming weeks.

Fedor was featured in an ad during the NFL Today pregame show, and CBS executive Kelly Kahl told me we'll see more such ads this weekend, both during NFL coverage and during Saturday's huge college game between Florida and LSU. Kahl added that online videos promoting Fedor will be coming soon, and that a "who is Fedor" campaign will heat up as the fight gets closer.

That all sounds good, and I hope it pays off. Fedor is the best fighter in MMA, and I'd love to see him reach a large American audience. But as it stands right now Fedor is not particularly well known in this country, and I think CBS will have a hard time reaching as many viewers with Fedor on November 7 as it reached in last year's two shows with Kimbo Slice in the main event and Gina Carano on the undercard.

So, MMA and football fans, keep an eye on the commercials while you're watching football, and tell me what you think: Are you seeing an effective promotional campaign hyping Fedor?

Watching Football on CBS? Look for Fedor Emelianenko originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Look at Gina Carano, Randy Couture in ESPN The Magazine's 'Body Issue'

Ariel Helwani — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, UFC, Strikeforce

ESPN The Magazine's "Body Issue" is making headlines all across the sports world, and two of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts are a part of it. Gina Carano's cover photo will certainly raise a lot of eyebrows for obvious reasons, and the close up of Randy Couture's cauliflower ear will definitely force some to look away. In many ways, the photos feature visual evidence of the pros and cons of training MMA, if you know what I mean.

The inaugural issue hits newsstands on Friday, but remember, Carano's cover is one of six, so don't be disappointed when you find Serena Williams in the buff gracing the cover of the magazine at your local book store. Anyhow, enjoy an early look at the Carano and Couture photos after the jump.

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ESPN The Magazine's 'Body Issue'

Serena Williams is one of nearly 80 athletes featured in ESPN The Magazine's inaugural "Body Issue" which hits newsstands this Friday. Click through to see other top athletes' bodies.

ESPN The Magazine

ESPN the Magazines Body Issue

Serena Williams is one of nearly 80 athletes featured in ESPN The Magazine's inaugural "Body Issue" which hits newsstands this Friday. Click through to see other top athletes' bodies.

ESPN The Magazine

Gina Carano is a talented women's mixed martial arts fighter who competes for Strikeforce.

ESPN The Magazine

From left to right, Natasha Watley, Cat Osterman, Jessica Mendoza, who is eight months pregnant, and Lauren Lappin are all top players on the U.S. women's softball team.

ESPN The Magazine

American Lolo Jones is one of the top hurdlers in the world.

ESPN The Magazine

Carano, who has a 7-1 MMA record, will appear in director Steven Soderbergh's upcoming film, 'Knockout'.

ESPN The Magazine

Amputee Sarah Reinertsen has competed in the Ironman World Triathlon Championship.

ESPN The Magazine

Dwight Howard, who is the one of the top players in the NBA, won a gold medal with Team USA at the Beijing Olympics.

ESPN The Magazine

Natasha Kai is a star on the U.S. women's soccer team and plays for WPS champion Sky Blue FC.

ESPN The Magazine

NASCAR driver Carl Edwards is currently vying for his first NASCAR title in the Chase for the Championship.

ESPN The Magazine

Reinertsen has appeared on the reality TV show, 'The Amazing Race.'

ESPN The Magazine

A Look at Gina Carano, Randy Couture in ESPN The Magazine's 'Body Issue' originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gina Carano, Randy Couture to Be Featured in ESPN's 'Body Issue'

Ariel Helwani — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:39:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, UFC, Strikeforce

Gina Carano and Randy Couture will be among the 30 male and female professional athletes posing nude or semi-nude in ESPN The Magazine's first "Body Issue," which hits newsstands on Oct. 9.

Couture's cauliflower ear will be the focus of his spread and Carano will be posing semi-nude in "The Bodies We Want" photo section.

"You really get an idea of everything these guys and gals go through and the toll it takes sometimes," said Sue Hovey, the executive editor of ESPN The Magazine.

"Randy has a very interesting looking ear, known as a cauliflower ear, and I think that when you'll see it, you'll realize that this guy goes through a lot to do what he loves."

Major names from the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, NASCAR, tennis and boxing will also be featured in the special issue, which will be released once a year. And yes, private parts will be strategically covered up.

"These athletes, they were very brave because we were asking to look at some of the more visually vulnerable places on their body," said Gary Belsky, editor in chief of ESPN The Magazine.

Carano hasn't been heard from much since she lost to Cris Cyborg in August. It was announced earlier this month that she will be appearing in Oscar-award winning director Steven Soderbergh's upcoming film, Knockout.

Couture recently lost to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 102. He is scheduled to face Brandon Vera in the main event of UFC 105 on Nov. 14.

Ever since The Magazine put Chuck Liddell on its cover in May 2007, it has been consistent in shining a bit of the sports spotlight on MMA. Nice to see two of the sport's bigger names featured in this unique issue.

Gina Carano, Randy Couture to Be Featured in ESPN's 'Body Issue' originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Strikeforce, Showtime Promote MMA on YouTube, but Why Scott Lighty?

Michael David Smith — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:34:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, MMA Videos, Strikeforce

I've long said that Strikeforce needs to follow the UFC's (and Bellator's) lead in using YouTube to promote its fights, so I was glad to see that on Tuesday, a Strikeforce promo video was added to Showtime's YouTube channel. But while this particular video, featuring Scott Lighty, is well done, it still leaves me scratching my head.

Why Scott Lighty?

Yes, Lighty is a talented fighter with a 5-0 professional MMA record, but why is Strikeforce promoting him right now, when it hasn't announced an upcoming fight for him -- and when it has other upcoming fights, including a Showtime broadcast on Friday night, that could use the promotion? Why not a YouTube promotional video about Tim Kennedy or Zak Cummings, who are fighting in Friday's main event, or about Ray Sefo, who's well known to kickboxing fans but isn't well known among MMA fans, and is also fighting on Friday?

I don't know. I think the Lighty video is well produced and interesting, I just think its timing is odd. I hope we see more videos along these lines, but I hope they focus on fighters we're going to see soon in the cage.

Strikeforce, Showtime Promote MMA on YouTube, but Why Scott Lighty? originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pete Sell to Serve as Guest Security Guard on 'Jerry Springer Show'

Ariel Helwani — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:09:00 EST

Filed under: MMA Media Watch, FanHouse Exclusive

Pete Sell, who hasn't competed since his first-round loss to Matt Brown at UFC 96 in March, will make his return to a television near you on an upcoming episode of The Jerry Springer Show. "Drago" will serve as a guest security guard on the episode, which was taped on Tuesday in Connecticut, and will air in the coming weeks.

"It's going to be funny, man. I'm going to be singing "Jerry" with everybody else," Sell told FanHouse on Tuesday prior to the taping.

"I don't watch it religiously, but the running gets boring sometimes, you know, you're going on those long 45 minute to 1 hour runs, so I'll definitely have that on sometimes to laugh at the chaos that is going on there."

The Jerry Springer Show has been known to feature some intense brawls, but Sell said he isn't worried about getting hurt.

"Are you kidding? Have you ever watched it? The people over there can't fight. It's hysterical. They're scratching and biting -- it's funny. They can't pull my hair because I don't got none.

"I'll just pretty much wing it. I'll have fun."

Sell has no upcoming fights booked. The UFC cut ties with him after the Brown loss, as it marked his fourth defeat in his last five fights. His lone victory was against Josh Burkman at UFC 90 in his welterweight debut.

"Right now, I'm just really working a lot on my wrestling, trying to become more elusive with my stand-up instead of taking a few to give a few because my luck ran out with that one. I'm definitely trying to get hit less and hurt the guy more."

Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski has appeared on The Jerry Springer Show several times in the past. Below is a clip of his September 2007 appearance with then-girlfriend, model Patryca Mikula.

Pete Sell to Serve as Guest Security Guard on 'Jerry Springer Show' originally appeared on MMA FanHouse on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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