Yardbarker: Dana White

UFC Octagon Girl - 11th Sexiest Job in Vegas! (courtesy of E! Entertainment)

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:18:27 -0500

One of the hottest UFC Octagon Girl videos ever!

UFC: Silva vs. Irvin Live Play by Play

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 18:33:03 -0500

We love MMA, and today is like Christmas for us at the Sports Muffin. Head on over after the jump to keep track of the night's events through our live play by play. You have any questions or comments about any of today's fights? Get in on the action by emailing us at thesportsmuffin@gmail.com. If you give us your first name (or nickname) and where you're writing from, we'll get your questions and comments into our live blog.

A monumental night of fighting

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:56:20 -0500

July 19th 2008, may go down as one of the biggest days in the history of mixed-martial arts. Both Affliction and the UFC are putting on shows tonight and arguably the top two fighters in the world will be in action.

UFC Public Service Announcement

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:56:31 -0500

Just thought I'd get this info out there for all the West Coasters who plan on watching the UFC fights tomorrow (Saturday) night. Some cable companies - including Comcast - list the fights as being tape delayed and airing at 9 p.m. Turns out, this is NOT true! The fights will be airing LIVE at 6 p.m. PT. So there you go - hopefully you won't turn on the TV at 9, and find that you missed all or most of the fights (which is what I would have done if someone hadn't emailed this information to me). Enjoy Anderson Silva killing a man.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO QUINTON "RAMPAGE" JACKSON?

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:12:29 -0500

by E. Spencer Kyte, Bugs and Cranks

At the start of the month, he was the undisputed UFC Light Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Two weeks later, he's slamming into cars, going on high speed chases, getting arrested and now is undergoing a mental health evaluation.

The MMA-haters out there are going to somehow make this about Rampage having taken one too many shots to the head for sure, but there is no way that is possible. Forrest Griffin barely hit him in the head during the last fight - he did some damage to his leg, but not his head.

It's reported that Dana White flew out to Cali and bailed Jackson out following his arrest and it's very understandable why.

Jackson is easily one of the most recognizable and charismatic stars of UFC and his name was very much in the news following his high-profile fight with Griffin. Also, all eyes are on both UFC and Affliction right now as Saturday's dueling cards draw closer and while UFC's free show on Spike offers the best pound for pound fighter in the business, the Affliction card offers the one man UFC couldn't secure (Fedor Emilianenko) and a loaded card from top to bottom.

As an avid MMA fan and a huge Rampage follower, here's hoping that he's back to doing stuff like this in the near future and we don't have to endure any more of this.

Dana White's First Interview Since Rampage Incident(Audio)

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:37:46 -0500

From KLOS in LA.

About 5 minutes in the interview, someone calls in and asked him about the incident.

(Props WERLV)

Dana White's First Interview Since Rampage Incident(Audio)

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:37:46 -0500

From KLOS in LA.

About 5 minutes in the interview, someone calls in and asked him about the incident.

(Props WERLV)

Expect chocolate strawberry for Anderson Silva, chocolate foot for James Irvin on UFC Fight Night 14

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:43:55 -0500

This is the big fight for basic cable TV broadcast that Dana White put together to counter the biggest card of the year, Affliction : Banned. Does it match up? No, not even close, but it's worth a preview. Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin is about The Pound-4-Pound King of MMA Anderson Silva going up one weight class on short notice to challenge bigger (size-wise) boy James Irvin at 205 lbs. This is also about seeing whether James Irvin can back up his big talk. I don't think Irvin will back up his audacity in the Octagon, and after he has been knocked out, Irvin will be tasting the chocolate-covered foot of Anderson Silva. At the same time, Silva will be getting some chocolate-covered strawberries, delivered straight by UFC Octagon beauty Edith LaBelle. James Irvin is an exciting fighter who knocks out foes with hard punches and knees. If it was Patrick Cote moving up to light heavyweight to fight Irvin, I would predict a knockout win for Irvin. However, this is Anderson Silva we're talking about. Anderson Silva is an incomparably superior fighter to James Irvin in three main respects : 1. Silva simply moves better : He can switch feet, he can circle, he can move forward and zigzag while he's striking. With that alone, he will win most fights, especially in his prime. 2. Silva is a better groundfighter : It is the Muay Thai that gets Silva the attention, but he's a pretty damn good groundfighter as well, as the submission win over the naturally bigger Dan Henderson attests. In the unlikely chance that this fight goes to the ground, Silva has an even bigger advantage. 3. Silva has more striking weapons : James Irvin is a puncher type of fighter who will get into the clinch and throw some knees. He goes for Superman punches and occasionally the flying knees. However, Silva is better at each punch, kick, knee or elbow than Irvin ever will be, and is better by geometric proportions in combination. Irvin will be taking different strikes will be coming at so many different angles at such a rapid rate that Irvin will not know what hit him. Irvin may have the one-punch knockout power and the size advantage, but speed kills, and when that speed is complemented by superior footwork and technique, it usually results in a can of whoop-ass. Anderson Silva over James Irvin via TKO in Round 3.

Rampage Jackson's Next Step: Bankruptcy?

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:39:50 -0500

1. Overview : In less than two weeks, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has gone from the top of the world to inside a jail cell and out. As such, Rampage has : A. Lost his UFC light heavyweight title. B. Lost his freedom and possibly his driver's license. However, compared to what may happen next, A and B are nothing. Because if he doesn't watch out, Rampage has a good chance at : C. Losing his money. 2. The Brain Infection : Rampage is clearly letting the fame and bling get to his head. Two years ago, he was fighting in the World Fighting Alliance, which has since been bought out by the UFC. Then, in UFC 71, Rampage knocked out Chuck Liddell to become UFC light heavyweight champion, and proved his mettle once again by successfully defending his title against Dan Henderson in UFC 75. His consecutive wins against two of the world's greatest fighters sent him to the top of the world. Rampage's colorful personality and exciting fighting style always gave him a marketability. Now he had the big wins in the Octagon to prove it. As part of the fastest growing competitive sports organization in the league, Rampage's growth potential was nearly unlimited. However, it is only when you stay grounded and focused that you continue your success. 3. Don't be fooled : Losing his title against Forrest Griffin in UFC 86 didn't start Rampage's fall from grace. In fact, it was just a byproduct of something that was evident long before. When he was not underestimating his upcoming opponent, he was flaunting his "wealth" : ( On the surface, Jackson might come off as a spoiled star. Consider the $20,000 he spent on his Adronicus Mastiff puppy. Or the $110,000 Audi R8, complete with signature "Rampage rims," parked in the driveway of his rented log cabin. ) Rampage claimed he was "still the same guy," except three things : ( "I just dress differently, got more money and drive different cars." ) When he wasn't spending lavishly, he conjured illusions of grandeur, comparing his status to Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. : ( "I'm hoping for '$30-million-Oscar-De-La-Hoya cheese,'" he said. "I think if MMA was at the same level as boxing, why not be one of those $30-million fighters? If I was boxing right now, and I was a champion the way I fight, I'd be making that money. I think I'd be one of the De La Hoyas or [Floyd] Mayweathers." ) 4. The Remedy : What Rampage Jackson needs right now is a class in money management and a wise advisor in professionalism. Players in the NBA and MLB, guys who make money that make Rampage look like a homeless man, go broke due to their poor financial skills. Even NFL players, the lowest paid amongst major leaguers, make more money than Rampage. As the saying goes, infantrymen win battles; logistics win wars. If Rampage loses his title, then he can get it back by adjusting his training regimen. If Rampage loses his driver's license and has to spend some time in prison, he can get his freedom back with good behavior. However, once he throws all his money away on stuff that don't matter, he will wither away his entire support base (food, trainers, equipment, access) that made his stardom possible. You don't have to have the most money to be champion; but you do have to allocate the dough to the right places. You will definitely not become champion if you are starving. You will not be physically ready nor will you have the psychological and emotional morale necessary to become an elite fighter. 5. Our Best Wishes : Here's to hoping that Rampage heeds the lesson. We don't want him to become like the Raging Bull Jake LaMotta, all fat and slobby, doing his standup comedy routine in some seedy club somewhere.

Meet The New Sound Of The UFC

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:30:54 -0500

MMARated.com recently caught up with Hard 8 front man and guitarist, K8, to talk about their new partnership with the UFC, being fans of the sport and what type of music MMA fans can expect to hear from them.

Rampage arrested

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:27:54 -0500

As you all know by now, Rampage Jackson was arrested Tuesday afternoon in California on felony evading, hit-and-run and reckless driving charges. Jackson was possibly involved in up to three separate traffic collisions. Dana White reportedly traveled to California to post the $25,000 in bail for Jackson.

Matches that NEED to happen: Rampage-Griffin 2

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:12:10 -0500

One of the great things about MMA is the endless list of possible fights. Even if two fighters aren't in the same organization, you can still stack them up and have a relatively good idea of how the fight might go or who would win. I decided I'm going to play match-maker and start a series on In the Cage of matches that need to happen. Some, like the first installment, will be re-matches, some will be fights that may happen in the future and others will be fights that will likely never happen for one reason or another. The first fight I will talk about is a re-match between current UFC Light-heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin and the man that he beat for the title, Rampage Jackson.

Affliction Wants to Work with UFC

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:42:12 -0500

Tom Atencio comments on Dana White's attacks against himself and Affliction.

History: What is MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)?

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 11:48:44 -0500

The history and evolution of MMA to current date.

Dana White is afraid of Lyoto Machida

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:46:54 -0500

I've been accused several times of being a Dana White mark and writing for him. Although I am a fan of White and what he's done with the UFC, that is hardly the case. I have criticized him several times, most notably for being tight with the UFC's wallet when it comes to paying his fighters.