MMA on Showtime

[OmaPlata]

I guess they showed some fights Saturday night, with Lindland fighting, a good name at least.

"Judging from television, which often gives a distorted view, I had Spinks winning, 115-113. So did two of the judges, including a German official brought in presumably to give regional balance to this team. Ironically, a Missouri judge ruled it a draw, which would have kept the title with Karmazin. But a New York judge also gave it to Spinks, and, by majority decision, the victory and the title.

It was a fight which highlighted technique and strategy, and was a delight to watch. And it was an inspiring performance by Spinks, who so many people had written off.

Showtime followed it up with the first of many showings of the preview show for the July 22 World Fighting Alliance (WFA) mixed martial arts show in Los Angeles. This was the first time that Showtime has had anything about MMA on its network, and is a good sign that this network, known for its quality boxing programming such as we had just seen Saturday night, is very interested in making a deal with a quality MMA show.

While Ortiz-Shamrock 2 was promoted by both guys claiming that they hated each other and other dialogue that seemed lifted from a WWE script, the WFA preview showcased their fighters as athletes and people, and positioned WFA as a sport and not 'sports entertainment,' like UFC and WWE.


The main event of Quinton Jackson vs. Matt Lindland, of course, was given the most attention, with footage of both men training, talking, and in their hometowns. Jackson's background from the ghetto of Memphis was candidly addressed, while Lindland's Greco-Roman wrestling credentials, including his Olympic and world silver medals, were stressed. Former pro 'wrestler' Bill Goldberg, who of course also has an extensive real martial arts and sports background, provided interesting and serious commentary, not doing any of his WCW act. (UFC gets its real fighters to act like they are in the fake 'wrestling' while WFA gets a guy best known for that to speak like a sportsman and martial artist.) The show also featured useful analysis by mixed martial arts journalists Stephen Quadros, Loretta Hunt, and Josh Gross.

It remains to be seen, of course, just how successful WFA will be. But this preview show, and getting it on Showtime, were both a good start and an indication that they are headed in the right direction.

So what, by all accounts I have seen, was the high point of this UFC? The announcement that UFC will be working with Pride on a fight in UFC between Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva.

Let's see: Pride is accused in the Japanese media of allegedly being owned and run by the Yakuza, Japanese organized crime. While Pride denies this, they are nonetheless kicked off Fuji TV, a major broadcast television network in Japan. While Fuji TV has not revealed exactly why they took such drastic action, and has even denied it was because of the Yakuza scandal, many still suspect that this was the real reason. In any case, Pride has lost this major source of both exposure and revenue.

Now, in the wake of this Yakuza scandal, the Las Vegas-based UFC decides to work with Pride.

Where is Elliot Ness when you need him?

One other note: While Showtime did its usual fine job of broadcasting Saturday night's fight, the lead promoter was Don King. The aging septuagenarian King has been putting on a number of top-notch cards of late. Whatever else can and should be said about King, would that UFC had someone in charge with just a fraction of his intelligence, media savvy, and overall promotional skills. "

[7r14ngL3Ch0k3]

If the UFC is like 'Pro Wrestling' then so is PRIDE....Its about entertaining the fans while having some of the best mma fighters in the world, fight.