Tag: Michael Bisping (Page 2 of 2)

      Sonnen’s suspension upheld

      May 19, 2011 /

      nullThe road to getting back inside the octagon just got a whole lot tougher for Chael Sonnen.

      On Wednesday, the California State Athletic Commission voted 4-1 to uphold an indefinite suspension against Sonnen that will keep him from returning to competition for the foreseeable future. Josh Gross of ESPN.com has all the details.

      The suspension, issued April 19, came after the commission’s legal counsel felt Sonnen may have perjured himself during testimony at an appeal hearing in December related to his ban for elevated levels of testosterone following a UFC middleweight championship fight against Anderson Silva on Aug. 7. The commission also addressed whether Sonnen’s guilty plea in January — to money-laundering charges related to his real-estate business for which he was sentenced to 24 months probation, a $10,000 fine, and loss of his real-estate license — brought “discredit” to the state as a licensee.

      The indefinite suspension runs through June 29, when Sonnen’s license in California expires. Sonnen will be placed on the MMA registry used by regulators to monitor medical and administrative suspensions. He is free to apply for licenses in other jurisdictions, but California requested that other commissions contact it in the event that Sonnen requests a license.

      The trial has the attention of most everyone in MMA as Sonnen was still coming off his near win over Anderson Silva last summer, as he won four-straight rounds against the champion before being submitted late in the fifth round.

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      Fighters, News, The Ultimate Fighter, UFC

      Top 10 Middleweight Rankings

      April 20, 2011 /

      nullThis week I turn my rankings to the middleweight division.

      Really, the field is Anderson Silva and everyone else.

      Still, here is my take. If you need to go back and find my pound-for-pound, heavyweight, or light heavyweight rankings, click on the links.

      1. Anderson Silva (28-4) – Silva is my top fighter in any weight class, let alone middleweight. “The Spider” is like an artist in the cage. He rarely throws a strike that doesn’t land and he doesn’t waste energy while fighting. Everything he does has a purpose and thought to it. Chael Sonnen may have found a small hole in his game with his takedown defense, but he still managed to submit Sonnen and then bounce back with a devastating front kick to Vitor Belfort in the first round of his last title defense. Up next is Yushin Okami, had poses the right skill set to give Silva problems.

      2. Chael Sonnen (25-11-1) – Sonnen is almost here by default. The other top guys in the group have either lost to him, or lost to someone that he has beaten. Sonnen is a grinder and a tremendous wrestler, but he has a clear weakness in his submission defense. Eight of his 11 losses have come by submission. Sonnen is also coming off a long layoff from a steroid suspension and legal issues. We will see if he can get back to being the fighter that nearly dethroned Silva.

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      Fighters, Strikeforce, UFC

      The 5 books that need to be written in MMA

      April 18, 2011 /

      nullAs MMA has grown in popularity a common occurrence amongst the fighters has been to write books.

      The latest is Brock Lesnar, who is set to release “Deathclutch: My Story of Determination, Domination, and Survival,”on May 24.

      Lesnar joins the likes of Chuck Liddell, Matt Hughes, Randy Couture, B.J. Penn, and Forrest Griffin as fighters who have come out with books, all of which have been best sellers.

      Look for this trend to continues as the sport continues to progress. Here are some ideas I have for potential books featuring mixed martial artists.

      “You Can’t Handle My Rhythm,” by Georges St. Pierre – The UFC welterweight champ finally breaks down his walls and talks about his “rhythm” and what makes him one of the best fighters in the world. While the hard cover edition may not be a hot seller, GSP’s self-spoke audio book will be a must own.

      “Clay Guida: My Life as a Rock Star,” by Clay Guida – The UFC lightweight showman talks about his hair, his tattoos, and his undying love for the Carpenters and Millwrights union. Tie in the book release in a promotion with a new version of “Rock Band” that features walkout songs of the UFC, and the book is sure to sell quickly.

      “How to Cope with Trash Talk,” by Michael Bisping – In this book, the UFC middleweight talks about finding your Zen and not letting opponents get to you with their trash talk. Tips include bottling up your rage and fun ways to kill time after you get suspended from fighting due to losing control in your post-fight celebration.

      “Decisions, Decisions” by Jon Fitch – Fitch discusses his ability to continually win in the octagon without ever finishing opponents. This book includes an autographed mouth piece to help prevent grinding your teeth.

      “Urine For A Treat,” by Lyoto Machida – The karate master provides a great recipe book for meals that compliment his morning glass of urine. (Hey, he admitted to it)

      Fighters, UFC

      Sonnen a TUF 14 coach & other ideas to help the series

      April 4, 2011 /

      nullThe debut of The Ultimate Fighter 13 wasn’t quite the ratings boom that the UFC or MMA fans in general were expecting.

      The debut of the new season pulled between 1.4 and 1.5 million viewers, which isn’t bad, but it still wasn’t what was expected given Brock Lesnar’s drawing ability.

      And, there is already talk of who is going to coach the next season. ESPN is reporting that the UFC is targeting middleweights Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen.

      While Sonnen is an interesting character who will be fun to watch, I don’t know that his trash talk will draw in anyone outside of the hardcore UFC fans. Bisping has already done the show and is somewhat of a villain in the UFC, but again, he isn’t much of a draw.

      My guess is that the UFC is looking for controversy to increase ratings—Bisping and Sonnen will most likely do just that. But, if Brock Lesnar can’t bring fans into the series, maybe nobody can. On a side note, how many fans will begin to lose interest in the reality show before the next season even airs?

      It isn’t surprising that a show may be running its course through 13 seasons, but I still think there are some options the UFC could explore to help the series and its longevity.

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      Fighters, News, The Ultimate Fighter, UFC

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