A quick fix to a slow-growing problem?

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting

By Chris Huntemann, Columnist

Much has been made lately about UFC bringing back old faces and signing new ones, with former WWE wrestler CM Punk making the biggest splash. He announced live during UFC 181 earlier this month that he signed a contract with UFC.

The signing of Punk is on the heels of the UFC bringing back famed rebels-without-a-cause Nate and Nick Diaz, and was followed by the company bringing back Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, who left under less-than-pleasant circumstances in 2013, to put it mildly.

Punk’s signing was met with derision by multiple fighters, while Nate Diaz’s return was marred with a missed open workout, missing weight, continued complaints about his pay and a three-round beating by Rafael Dos Anjos. His brother Nick seems to be faring slightly better, landing a main event fight with former middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 183 in late January and staying out of trouble since his most recent arrest.

Not much is known yet about Jackson’s return to the UFC, as it is being contested in court by Bellator MMA and its parent company, Viacom. But the signing of a former pro wrestler with zero MMA experience, brothers who are accomplished fighters but also certifiable pains-in-the-asses and another accomplished fighter who has displayed numerous instances of questionable behavior outside the cage, suggests the UFC may be scrambling for something – anything – to increase fan interest.

Oh yeah, and the UFC is also being sued by former fighters over claims the company has created a monopoly in MMA and doesn’t fairly compensate its fighters. Are all of these occurrences related? It’s possible.

Pay-per-view buy-rates for the UFC are down, no question about it. UFC 177 – which was supposed to feature a rematch between TJ Dillashaw and Renan Barao for the bantamweight title but changed at the last minute after Barao had to withdraw from the bout – received one the lowest buy-rates in recent memory.

What could the UFC do to bring in more fans besides signing pro wrestlers with no experience (though they don’t seem to be alone – Bellator is apparently courting former WWE wrestler Alberto Del Rio and has entered the Brock Lesnar sweepstakes) and bringing back controversial former stars who may have lost a step? The answer is simple, yet complicated.

The buy-rates for UFC PPVs are likely proportionate to the quality of the card being offered. Cards that seemed “stacked” with multiple fights featuring popular fighters (like UFC 181 earlier this month, that featured two title fights and fighters like Anthony Pettis, Gilbert Melendez and Robbie Lawler) still fare pretty well.

But, due to what I believe is an increase in demand for programming from FOX and the presence of UFC Fight Pass, the company has to put on more and more live cards and stretch its roster thin in order to meet this demand. As a result, many live fight cards are headlined by fighters who would normally be on the undercard on PPVs and are supported by fights that wouldn’t even make it on to broadcast.

In layman’s terms, the UFC product as a whole feels very watered down, a sentiment shared by fans:

Haven't missed a UFC PPV since UFC 40 and UFC 149 was one of the worst ever! These weak watered down card HAVE to stop. #UFC 149
— Colin Hollett (@colinhollett) July 22, 2012

#ufc149 this Faber vs Barao fight blows the load UFC PPV's are getting watered down
— Manny (@MannyKicks) July 22, 2012

@danawhite Hey Danal, is the next @ufc ppv gonna be better than that last watered down POS event???
— Timebomb (@Timebomb_101) September 8, 2014

So while reducing the number of live cards is the simple answer, the trade-off for having your product on a platform like one of the big four networks is playing your role to help fill that network’s programming.

So maybe this is the new reality for UFC. Fight cards that feature only one “marquee” bout and several fights featuring unknown fighters. Bringing back fighters that may have lost a step but still bring name recognition. Signing professional wrestlers or other athletes that have no MMA experience, but can bring new viewers with them. While UFC has a future in 2015, it’s very much an unknown one.

Chris Huntemann writes about mixed martial arts in the state of Maryland. He also contributes his thoughts to our site on the UFC, Bellator, and World Series of Fighting. Check out his blog, or follow him on Twitter: @mmamaryland.

Are The Diaz Brothers a Train Wreck Waiting to Happen?

By: Rich Bergeron

The UFC's Diaz brothers continue to offer their bosses one figurative "Stockton Slap" after another. From their now infamous refusal to sit through interviews and press events to their obnoxious, narrowly-framed demands for more money and better opportunities, Nick and Nate Diaz present a serious problem for the UFC brass. They cannot be reigned in, and punishment is futile.

Although I am only a recent convert to MMA fandom, I've watched plenty of fights featuring these two talented brothers. I've caught a few of their interviews here and there as well. At times they gained and lost my respect, taking rebellion to a pointed extreme and exposing their crude nature in a way that only taints the image of the whole sport. Nick sets a bad example for his younger brother in this regard with his long list of offensive actions. He's no role model, but so many people still love this scrappy and mysterious madman. He drives drunk, he smokes weed, he skips press tours, he flips people off, he talks trash to his opponents in the cage, and he continues to refuse to get with the program.

At first, Nate Diaz was humble and willing to remain in the UFC's good graces after his successful stint on The Ultimate Fighter. As if watching his brother struggle with meeting media commitments and staying motivated to fight had a profound impact on Nate, his recent interactions with management have been much more abrasive.

He bit the hand that feeds him repeatedly over the course of the week leading up to his UFC on Fox appearance Saturday night, even coming into the weigh-in heavy. He slept in instead of participating in an open workout, walked out of a pre-fight interview before answering the first question, and criticized the UFC's new Reebok deal and their signing of CM Punk to a fight contract.

"I could to be fired tomorrow. I hope not. I want to work for the UFC forever," Nate said at a recent UFC media event. "But I also would like to be treated like, you know, we're not caged animals. I feel like we're professionals." He went on to explain that "kissing ass" isn't going to help any fighter out there who wants to benefit from new programs like the Reebok deal.

It all only adds more insult to the injury Diaz caused his employers when he raked them over the coals in the press over the past few months for not paying him and other fighters enough. Even Dana White admitted seeing Diaz win Saturday night would make matters more difficult. White told FOX Sports 1, "I don't know what to do with him if he wins. There's a laundry list of problems there."

Rafael Dos Anjos improved to 23-7 with a one-sided beating of the younger Diaz brother, but even the ass kicking didn't humble Diaz. He spent the last few seconds of the fight slapping and smack-talking Dos Anjos. Instead of just proclaiming himself the best in the division, Dos Anjos proved his mettle by dominating Diaz and respectfully called for a title shot. 

Nick Diaz is surprisingly much more reserved than his younger brother these days, but the two still have one thing in common: a problem with financial stability. Both have the skills to turn to the fight game for an income, but both seem equally reluctant to continue on the fight path. Consider Nate's comments in a recent ESPN piece:

"I don't think I'll ever get the work and damage I've done to myself back -- and if I keep going, it's just going to get worse. So, what the f--- am I doing it for?"  

Nate also admitted to fighting Saturday because he needed the money, which is also why his older brother Nick is coming out of retirement to be the first fight on Anderson Silva's comeback trail. Some of Nick's most memorable interviews include him wondering aloud why he even bothers to fight. They both seem inherently discontent with their respective choices to turn fighting into something they now have to rely on to get by.  Both also have obvious issues with anxiety and possibly some deeper behavior problems that may be genetic in nature. Certain people just don't have shut off switches.

Though both brothers have made statements and taken actions I could never agree with, they also bring up some very legitimate and crucial points when they get their jaws flapping in front of a microphone. At times like these, they show a different side to their personalities.

Remember when Nick Diaz retired Frank Shamrock? Rather than rub Frank's nose in the loss, Diaz barked at Frank to get up and finish his career on his feet, even giving him a hand and pulling him up from the ground. It was one of the classiest tributes I've ever seen one fighter make to another even though Diaz flipped Shamrock off at the weigh-ins rather than shake his hand that day. There are also countless times I can recall seeing Nate or Nick all banged up in a fight and somehow continuing to just walk through punches. This is why they both have such a huge fan base despite their outlandish behavior and lofty overconfidence.

So, while these brothers may in some ways be severely misunderstood, the reality is they both became the way they are as a result of their experiences under the UFC umbrella. As much as it might seem disrespectful and wrong for them to be so vocal, their popularity is in many ways bolstered by that bravado and willingness to step forward and stand up for the fighter perspective.

I wish they had cleaner language, a better relationship with the media, and more respect for their opponents. I think maybe then their message would be taken more seriously. Though sometimes I can't imagine why anyone would really look to the Diaz brothers as genuine role models, I am equally impressed with their ability to piss off Dana White while also forcing him to employ their services at the same time.

For their part, the Diaz brothers really can't be faulted for their gritty and grating attitudes if you consider how White became so famous in the first place. Like the kid in that old 80s anti-drug commercial caught by his dad with a stash of weed, the Diaz brothers can always claim, "I learned it from watching you, Dana!" 

As much as their careers are bound to end badly with very little fanfare, these brothers will always be cult classics. Like that line of cars that always stacks up when there's an accident on the side of the highway, the fans of the Diaz brothers continue to wait patiently for the next F-bomb to drop. As long as this dastardly duo continues to treat the fight game as an easy paycheck and expect to be treated like royalty everywhere they go, they will have a hard time creating a solid future for themselves when fighting is no longer an option.

Don't Miss Four Big Fights Live and Free Tomorrow Night

Four Huge Fights Live & Free Tomorrow Night on FOX Lightweight champion Benson Henderson defends the title against Nate Diaz, plus Shogun Rua battles Alexander Gustafsson, BJ Penn returns to face Rory MacDonald and Mike Swick takes on Matt Brown! Live at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on FOX! Watch the prelim action on FX starting at 5pm ET / 2pm PT Who Will Make It to the Finale? See the Semifinals Tonight on an All-New TUF It's teammate versus teammate in the semifinals tonight on an all-new episode of The Ultimate Fighter! Team Nelson's Jon Manley and Colton Smith face off in the Octagon, and Team Carwin's Neil Magney and Mike Ricci will go toe-to-toe to see who makes it to next week's live finale in Las Vegas! UFC Makes Stops In Sao Paulo and London in 2013 - Tickets On Sale Now! The Octagon returns to Brazil on Saturday, January 19th at Ibirapuera Arena in Sao Paulo, headlined by a middleweight clash between Vitor Belfort and Michael Bisping! Then, on Saturday, February 16th, the UFC comes back to London, this time heading to Wembley Arena for a battle between Renan Barao and Michael McDonald for the interim bantamweight title!

UFC on FOX: Henderson vs Diaz on FOX - Saturday, December 8 - Seattle, WA UFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs Pearson on FX - Friday, December 14 - Gold Coast, Australia The Ultimate Fighter Finale on FX - Saturday, December 15 - Las Vegas, NV

Jake Shields signs with Paradigm MMA Management for full-service representation

November 26, 2012

(Irvine, CA)  Jake Shields, a professional MMA Fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has signed with Paradigm MMA Management for full service representation.   Jake is a former Strikeforce World Champion, holds a professional MMA record of 27-6-2 and is widely regarded as a top contender at welterweight.

Jake lives and trains in San Francisco, California with top fighters such as Gilbert Melendez, Nate and Nick Diaz and is coached by Tareq Azim.  Jake said that he was excited to sign with Paradigm and about the opportunities that lie ahead.  Shields went on to say:

“I am extremely dedicated to my career, improving as a fighter and once again becoming World Champion.  I feel that the support of Paradigm’s team will allow me to best accomplish my personal and professional goals.”

Paradigm President Audie Attar said the company is ecstatic to have the opportunity to work with a world champion like Jake. Attar went on to say:

“Jake is a household name in the sport of MMA, he’s battled through a lot of adversity in his career and is poised to make a huge come back in the welterweight division.”

UFC Returns To Seattle - Tickets On Sale This Week

Henderson and Diaz Battle For The Lightweight Title In Seattle - Tix On Sale This Week Lightweight champion Benson Henderson defends the title against Nate Diaz, plus former champ BJ Penn returns to take on rising contender Rory MacDonald, Shogun faces Alexander Gustafsson and Mike Swick battles Matt Brown! UFC Fight Club presale starts Wednesday, October 3 at 10am PT - join today for first access to tickets!

TICKETS ON SALE THIS WEEK UFC: Henderson vs Diaz Saturday, December 8  KeyArena - Seattle, WA  UFC Fight Club Presale Starts Wednesday, October 3 - 10am PT Join today for first access to tickets! UFC VIP Packages On sale Wednesday, October 3 - 10am PT Purchase UFC Newsletter Presale Starts Thursday, October 4 - 10am PT Presale Password: WASHINGTON Purchase Public On-Sale Starts Friday, October 5 - 10am PT Purchase

UFC on FX: Browne vs Bigfoot on FX - Fri. Oct. 5 - Minneapolis, MN UFC 153: Silva vs Bonnar on Pay-Per-View - Sat. Oct. 13 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Coalition Fight Music Partners with Shark Sports Management

(Sacramento, July 3rd) Coalition Fight Music announced earlier today the group has finalized a strategic partnership with Shark Sports Management. The new agreement will allow the Atlanta based sports agency to offer CFM's services to the companies growing list of MMA clientele. Specific services include producing custom walkout tracks for SSM athletes in addition to developing exclusive "comic book style" artwork for t-shirts, posters and various other forms of fighter merchandise.

Shark Sports Management Owner Tim Holman says: “We look forward to this new sponsorship relationship between SSM and Coalition Fight Music, it will allow both companies to expand our brand awareness and recognition while providing our clients with the variety of services that CFM has to offer.”

Tony Savo CEO/Producer of CFM says: “Shark Sports Management has a solid reputation of creating financial opportunities for the fighters they represent and a legacy of supporting our returning troops transitioning into MMA careers. CFM couldn’t be prouder to partner with them and we look forward to a very prosperous relationship.”

The deal is part of a growing trend of next generation sponsorships CFM has been pushing within the MMA community to increase fighter brand awareness, connect with fans and tap into additional revenue streams. Coalition is well known by sports pundits around the globe for profit sharing proceeds from digital downloads, TV/film soundtrack placement, as well as broadcast and streaming royalties with fighters they support.

In the past year, the band has sponsored Nick & Nate Diaz, Jake Shields, Jens Pulver and several British prospects. In addition, the group is an official co sponsor of Europe’s most noticeable promotion UCMMA. Shark Sports Management represents NFL and combat sport professionals and has several fighters currently in XFC, LFC (Legacy Fighting Championships), Bellator, and UFC

For more information contact Tony Savo statecyde@gmail.com or call (916) 756-5653

Coalition Fight Music on twitter: @KingsOfFM

Shark Sports Management on twitter: @SharkSportsMgmt

Coalition Fight Music Signs UFC Legend Jens Pulver

(Sacramento) Coalition Fight Music announced today the group has finalized a sponsorship package for former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens "Little Evil" Pulver. Pulver joins a growing list of high-profile celebrity fighters the band has backed including Nick and Nate Diaz as well as former Strike Force Welterweight Champion Jake Shields.

Terms of the deal include an official walkout track "Where Would I Be" (Jens Pulver Mix) available now on amazon.com in addition to exclusive artwork of the PRIDE veteran and fan favorite for t-shirts, posters and other merchandise.

Jens Pulver says: “I fought to change my name, I fought to break the cycle. Where would I be if I held on to the pain of child abuse… where are you?”

Tony Savo says: “Me and the boys couldn’t be prouder, Jens is an icon to millions of fight fans around the world. Championship fights, ground breaking documentaries, even video games, Jens has done it all and now he’s reppin the (CFM) bird”  

Widely regarded within the mixed martial arts community as the “kings of fight music” CFM made a name for themselves by profit-sharing with professional fighter’s revenues generated by custom walkout songs the group develops. Earlier this year the band made headlines when they announced they had locked a new telecoms deal for MMA with Samsung Mobile. For more information visit www.coalitionfightmusic.com and support Jens by downloading “Where Would I Be” (Jens Pulver Mix) http://www.amazon.com/Where-Would-Jens-Pulver-Mix/dp/B0086KUA6U

The Reincarnation of Judo in MMA with Luke Harris

Middleweight contender puts skills at test against Joseph 'Leonidas' Henle at MFC 34

By MFC Staff

Until very recently, judo never seemed to get its rightful place alongside other martial arts and tactics such as wrestling, striking, Muay Thai, and of course jiu-jitsu.

But many stars in mixed martial arts are demonstrating how valuable a weapon judo can be. One of them proponents is Luke Harris, who will certainly see his skill set put to the test at MFC 34: Total Recall when he faces Joseph “Leonidas” Henle in a featured middleweight matchup.

“Wrestling is certainly a cornerstone of MMA, but judo is kind of meld between wrestling and jiu-jitsu,” explained Harris, a black belt in judo who also boasts a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

“Judo is a style that can work very well against wrestlers. And now we’re seeing more judokas competing in MMA at a higher level – people like the Nick and Nate Diaz and Ronda Rousey. But you still have to work on every aspect. No one skill is going to be enough.

“Right now, judo is a little bit of an unknown and it can be very effective so you’re going to see more and more of it.”

Harris (9-1) and Henle (7-0) will lock horns at MFC 34 taking place on Friday, August 10 at the Mayfield Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. The HDNet (soon to be rebranded AXS TV) Fights card will air live beginning at 10 p.m. ET/8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (check local listings for channel designation).

Modification is a key word in Harris’s fight vocabulary. It not only describes what must be done with his judo talents when it comes to mixed martial arts combat, it’s always the perfect way to describe his overall approach to game planning for each new opponent. There’s no one specific area that the Edmonton, Alberta, fighter is focused on when it comes to strategy for battling Henle. It’s more a matter of refining and adapting.

“I’m always modifying certain things,” explained Harris. “I dedicate a percentage of training on each area like striking, strength and conditioning, jiu-jitsu, and then just modify that percentage to whomever I’m fighting.

“For Henle, I’ll probably take the percentage of wrestling up a bit but I’m not going to discount the ground work either. He’s got a submission win over Constantinos Philippou so I can’t negate the jiu-jitsu, and I have to still keep working on wrestling and stand up.”

Harris utilized his judo to near-perfection in last bout, making short work of veteran Edwin Dewees at MFC 33. After taking a Dewees right hand to the face, Harris locked up his opponent and then ferociously put him on his back with a throw akin to an old-school wrestling hip-toss. From there, Harris put his submission skills to work and quickly forced a tapout via a guillotine choke.

“You definitely learn about yourself with each win ... you just believer in yourself more and it adds more confidence,” noted Harris. “That fight went as planned, not that I wanted it to go that fast but just the way it went. I had hoped to take him into deeper waters and drown him, but the opportunity was there and I took it.”

That win was Harris’s ninth straight – all coming via first-round submission. In those victories, Harris has averaged an in-ring time of 2:01.

While making quick work of his foes has become a routine thing for Harris, he isn’t expecting such an easy task ahead of him in Henle. And while the victory over Dewees did win over some of his critics, Harris hasn’t paid much mind to the negative comments. A win against Henle, however, would go a long way to muzzling the naysayers even more.

“Honestly, I’m never too concerned about what people say. I take it the same way Mark Pavelich takes it when people talk about him. If you’re in a successful spot, you’re going to earn a lot of critics.

“I kind of look at it like watching ‘TMZ.’ If you’re going to be a celebrity or the face of an organization or a front-runner, people are going to talk about you and some it is going to be negative.

“I do this because I love it. I love to train every day. I don’t care what those people say. I care only about the people around me and that’s it.”

Tickets for MFC 34: Total Recall are on sale now and are available exclusively through the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024.

Four Huge Fights Live Tomorrow Night On FOX

Nate Diaz and Jim Miller Headline A Huge Night of Fights Tomorrow on FOX Lightweight contenders Nate Diaz and Jim Miller battle for a spot in the upper echelons of the 155-pound division, plus welterweight sluggers Josh Koscheck and Johny Hendricks go toe-to-toe in the Octagon! Also, heavyweight knockout artists Pat Barry and Lavar Johnson face off, and middleweights Rousimar Palhares and Alan Belcher collide - UFC on FOX Live tomorrow night at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on FOX See Tomorrow Night's Prelims On Fuel TV and Facebook Before the action hits FOX, see the prelim fights starting at 4pm ET / 1pm PT on facebook.com/UFC(Like the UFC to see these fights for free) and at 5pm ET / 2pm PT on Fuel TV The Preliminary Round Comes To An End Tonight On An All New Ultimate Fighter Live Team Faber's back in control as Andy Ogle looks to keep their winning ways alive against Team Cruz's Mike Rio in a battle for the last quarterfinal spot. The Ultimate Fighter Live tonight at 10pm ET/PT on FX - follow the action with the TUF Live bracket on UFC.com Subscribe to UFC Magazine Today Look for the new issue on newsstands, featuring covers with Jon Jones and Jim Miller Tickets On Sale Now For UFC Fan Expo This July In Las Vegas UFC Fan Expo returns to Las Vegas July 6-7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center

UFC on FOX: Diaz vs Miller on Fox - Sat. May 5 - East Rutherford, NJ UFC on Fuel TV: Korean Zombie vs Poirier on Fuel TV - Tues. May 15 - Fairfax, VA