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The Free Speech Monster lives.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Nick Diaz and the Decline of MMA
In modern times that fighter has proven to be Nick Diaz, and, barring a disingenuous agenda, no one can honestly deny that his fight history fulfills such a billing.
A fighter such as Nick Diaz is the physical manifestation of the truly independent and rugged, the type who will see a job is done, blood and bruises be damned, with not a single moment of pouting self-pity through the adversity of the battle at hand. And, more often than not, such a mentality has led his hand to be raised in victory when the dust of the fight has cleared.
In more traditional times, Nick Diaz would have been rallied around by young and old of all creeds and colors as his fighting spirit was given tribute for the inspiration it provided. Children would have called him “Hero” as their fathers and mothers smiled at the notion of their sons and daughters developing the same uncompromising will of determination that Diaz shows every time he steps into a fight.
A fighter such as Nick Diaz is the physical manifestation of the truly independent and rugged, the type who will see a job is done, blood and bruises be damned, with not a single moment of pouting self-pity through the adversity of the battle at hand. And, more often than not, such a mentality has led his hand to be raised in victory when the dust of the fight has cleared.
In more traditional times, Nick Diaz would have been rallied around by young and old of all creeds and colors as his fighting spirit was given tribute for the inspiration it provided. Children would have called him “Hero” as their fathers and mothers smiled at the notion of their sons and daughters developing the same uncompromising will of determination that Diaz shows every time he steps into a fight.
But somewhere along the line things have distorted. No longer is a man such as Nick Diaz revered for his tenaciously independent traits, rather, he is disrespected for them. People now see a person who has no interest in bowing to a corporate master and they scoff and scorn with contempt for their fellow man that refuses to be assimilated into the corporate Borg they have so willfully embraced. The flame of righteous rebellion has lost its status as a badge of courage, replaced by a groveling love for the chains of corporate control.
Fighters such as Nick Diaz are quickly becoming an antiquated idea in the mind of the collective, and are being replaced by poster boys of a primmed and delicate design, precisely tuned for their given purpose of serving their company master’s goal of increasing his own profit margin.
Fighters such as Nick Diaz are quickly becoming an antiquated idea in the mind of the collective, and are being replaced by poster boys of a primmed and delicate design, precisely tuned for their given purpose of serving their company master’s goal of increasing his own profit margin.
No longer do the corporate CEO thugs and mobsters wish to promote champions of righteous guts and glory, preferring instead controlled commodities, gelded of their independence and cast from the sheepish mold of A Brave New World.
And it seems those who have been traditionally tasked with keeping in check those natural impulses of a corporate dictatorship run wild, the people, have become perfectly excited at allowing to take place this destruction of what a fighter used to be, what a fighter should be.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Nick Diaz: A fighter who actually fights
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| Nick Diaz: Strikeforce Champion and #1 WW |
So after notching his ninth consecutive victory and going undefeated since 2007, will Nick Diaz finally get the respect he deserves and be ranked as a top three welterweight in the world of MMA?
Its possible, though whats more likely to happen is that the Zuffa obsessed media will continue to diminish his accomplishments while under ranking him to a baffling extent. Currently Diaz is ranked at #7 by MMA Weekly and the consensus-driven Bloody Elbow, and at #9 by the borderline mentally ill shills of Sherdog.
A person of intelligence may deduce that if a fighter as accomplished and skilled as Nick Diaz is ranked so low, then those above him must be that much better, and what a monstrous welterweight scene that would make for if true. Unfortunately, especially for the reputations and integrity of those sites mentioned, that’s not really the case. Take the UFC’s Thiago Alves’ recent history of having won only one fight since 2008, and suffering two defeats in that time, and compare it to Diaz’s previously mentioned unbeaten streak going nine strong since 2007 and it becomes downright puzzling why the major media outlets all have him ranked as a top five welterweight, with those silly people from Sherdog again ensuring their place at the forefront of the shill-pack by ranking him at #3.
So, going 1-2 in over two years will get you a top three ranking? Wow, that one win must have been over a true God-like legend of the sport for it to carry such weight, right? Well, actually… no, not at all. Thiago Alves decisioned the then 14-5 John Howard at UFC 124, who himself was coming off a defeat to unranked Jake Ellenberger. Apparently this trumps by leaps and bounds the accomplishments of Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz.
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| Nick Diaz fighting... are you taking notes, Jon Fitch? |
All sarcasm aside, following every event it becomes more and more blatantly obvious that aggressive bias controls the rankings of the MMA media. When Dan Hardy, who is 0-2 since 2009, is being ranked above Nick Diaz, as he is at Sherdog, its time to put down the kool-aid, splash some cold water on your face, and recognize shills for what they are. Fighting under the UFC banner does not grant one special acclaim, and no amount of twisted logic or purposefully obtuse journalistic trolling can justify ranking Diaz outside of the top three, and a strong case can be made that he deserves the number one spot, as the current consensus number one Georges St. Pierre has done nothing as of late but reinforce his reputation as an ultimate wrestler who is scared of a fight. MMA is a fight sport, and fighters who do just that, fight, should be rewarded for the risks they take in high profile fights. Laying on or pawing a limp jab at an opponent for five rounds is simply not as remarkable as performances like the ones Nick Diaz continuously puts forth.
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| Nick Diaz finishing an opponent... are you taking notes GSP? |
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Top Turkeys of 2010
Used as an idiom the term “turkey” refers to one who is a loser, a failure, a dud. So as the year 2010 drifts into history’s past, we will take a moment to reflect on some of the bigger flops of the previous year, highlighting their misadventures in the world of MMA.
- Gold Medal: Chael “The Criminal Turkey” Sonnen -
For Chael Sonnen 2010 started off so well, he had just capped a three fight win streak with a dominating victory over Nate Marquardt, earning him a shot at Anderson Silva’s middle weight belt. Although the turkey in Sonnen just couldn’t allow him to use this momentum for positive purposes, and instead he would quickly begin to establish himself the premier villain of MMA. In an interview with Pro MMA Radio during the build up to his championship bout with Anderson Silva the super-callous Sonnen, unbounded from even the most basic forms of human empathy, would actually mock and deride world renowned cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong as a drug fiend and cancer fraud, saying, “Lance Armstrong cheated, he did drugs, he gave himself cancer… he made himself the victim and then went out and profited like fifteen point some million dollars from this ‘hey poor me’ campaign.”
With this Sonnen revealed himself as a despicable human being, but he wasn’t through trashing his own reputation as he would just days later on Jim Rome’s radio show out himself as a bold faced liar when he denied having ever said anything about Lance Armstrong, sticking to his phony story even after Jim Rome confronted him with the audio of his exact words.
"Lance Armstrong cheated, he did drugs, he gave himself cancer..."
-Chael Sonnen
Come fight time Chael Sonnen had already been exposed as a person lacking any semblance of a conscience, but now it was time for him to prove to the world that his turkey tactics were just as prevalent in the cage. Labeling Silva a “dirt bag” and promising to “retire” him, Sonnen’s harsh pre-fight trash talk would blow up in his face as during the final round Sonnen would tap to a submission for the eighth time in his career, reinforcing his inability to grasp even basic submission defense. A turkey in his personal life, a turkey in his professional career, the embarrassment continued to mount when following his spectacular failure in the fight Chael Sonnen tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone, serving as yet more proof to who the real “dirt bag” is.
By this time any man with even an ounce of dignity would surely shut his mouth and retreat from the public eye, right? Not this turkey, not by a long shot.
Through multiple public embarrassments Sonnen’s loud mouth would only increase as he cemented himself an elite Zuffa shill by openly ridiculing some the sport’s premier fighters in Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem while also professing his unflinching love and fanatical loyalty for his boss, Dana White. Sonnen has shown himself to be quite the brave talker, although when confronted by Wanderlei Silva, the lion quickly turned lamb as he was cowed into submission, not by joint locks this time, but through sheer verbal battery.
He thus far been proven a low life, a loud mouth, a liar, and a cheater, so how could this ultimate turkey get worse, you ask? Well, how about a nice dose of white collar criminality.
The cherry atop this shame sundae came just days into 2011, but nevertheless must be included on this 2010 list due to the immense magnitude of its repercussions, when Chael Sonnen pleaded guilty to money laundering and defrauding thousands of dollars from real estate ventures. He is expected to face multiple years of probation with his UFC career in jeopardy. In addition to being a lying mouthy choke artist who can’t back his trash talk, Sonnen is an admitted white collar criminal fraudster. Chael Sonnen would do best to quiet his loud mouth and permanently withdraw from the public eye. His reputation as the ultimate turkey of MMA is irrefutable, and there is no coming back from such complete and total failures, not only as an MMA fighter, but as a human being.
- Silver Medal: Brock “The Paper Tiger Turkey” Lesnar -
2010 can be described for WWE wrestler turned MMA wannabe Brock Lesnar as nothing but a shattered illusion. The year started with smoke and mirrors swindling many into believing the hype of Brock as the prime example of a new breed of heavyweight monster, but it ended with Lesnar left battered and without his championship belt, questioning whether or not he would continue in MMA.
In his first fight of 2010 against Shane Carwin this supposed monster of heavyweight MMA was spanked and slapped throughout the entire five minutes of the first round, nearly being stopped with punches on multiple occasions. Though its true that being beaten does not reveal a lack of heart, it is also true that taking punishment in such a pitiful manner does not become a champion. It wasn’t until the one dimensional brawler Shane Carwin expended his three ounce gas tank that Lesnar was able to secure a poorly applied arm triangle choke which forced Carwin to tap. After the fight the myth of Lesnar was broken beyond repair in the eye’s of all but the most ardent fan boys and media shills. A phony fighter with a glaring inability to absorb punishment had been proven beyond any unbiased doubt. This would be the beginning of Lesnar’s free fall from grace, as his next challenger would fully capatalize on the many weaknesses revealed in the Carwin fight.
Relatively unproven prospect Cain Velasquez made short work of Lesnar and finished him inside of the first round with absolute ease. During the short fight Lesnar showed the composure of a scared chicken as he flailed, twisted, and turned in a failed effort to avoid taking more punishment, ultimately ending the fight by frantically yelling “NO, NO, NO, NO” in verbal submission to strikes before the referee called the fight, hardly the reactions of even an average fighter, let alone a champion. This wild and desperate plea for his beating to relent stands in stark contrast to Lesnar’s self proclaimed status as the “toughest S.O.B. around” following the Carwin fight.
Dave Meltzer reported that after being flogged by Velasquez Brock Lesnar was questioning his future in MMA. This entirely unproven neophyte once undeservedly touted, and in some cases still so by shameless media whores, as one of the world’s finest was nearly run out of the sport following a beating, showing a complete lack of fighting spirit, a complete lack of pride. Velasquez left Lesnar with a scar under his left eye which will serve as a permanent reminder that full contact combative sports is no place for a man with the fight and fortitude of a neutered puppy, or, in this case, a scared turkey.
- Bronze Medal: Shinya “The Weeping Turkey” Aoki -
2010 was to be the year Shinya Aoki established himself as the undisputed #1 lightweight in the world of MMA. His first fight of the year saw him fighting on American soil for the first time as he challenged Gilbert Melendez for the Strikeforce lightweight championship belt, a fight which would determine the world‘s best lightweight. What resulted was five rounds of Melendez domination, as Aoki offered absolutely no signs that he belonged in the same cage as Melendez. After the fight Aoki would return to Japan a defeated man, left beaten and sobbing tears from his swollen eyes, a far cry from his over the top antics and disrespectful behavior following his submission of Mizuto Hirota just a few months prior, a fight in which he flipped Hirota off after breaking his arm and subsequently claiming he was “fine with breaking it.”
In the following months Aoki would somewhat redeem himself by stringing together three victories in a row, however, it was during the final day of the year 2010 when Aoki would undoubtedly earn himself the title as one of 2010’s top turkeys.
On Dynamite!! 2010 Shinya Aoki was tasked with fighting Yuichiro "Jienotsu" Nagashima, a cross dressing K1 kick boxer, in a special rules bout which would see alternating rounds of K1 and MMA rules. During the first round of the fight, which was under K1 rules, Aoki, a man who has actually openly expressed disdain for fighters who refuse to take risks, put forth one of the most cowardly displays in combat sports history as he flopped, ran, shot for illegal takedowns, and nearly hopped over the ropes to avoid the attacks of Nagashima. He did everything but fight as he drained seconds off the clock. His shameless embracement of cowardly tactics being so blatant that they drove the typically respectful Japanese crowd to shower him with boos, though ultimately they worked as Aoki survived the K1 round and successfully made it to round two, the MMA round. After immediately shooting for a double leg Aoki was meant with a Nagashima knee to the head and instantly his misery was put to an end as he lay unconscious on the mat during the round he was supposed to dominate.
After the embarrassing in-fight display Aoki was so showered with jeers and mockery that he erased his twitter account, revealing that even online this turkey runs from fights.
- Gold Medal: Chael “The Criminal Turkey” Sonnen -
For Chael Sonnen 2010 started off so well, he had just capped a three fight win streak with a dominating victory over Nate Marquardt, earning him a shot at Anderson Silva’s middle weight belt. Although the turkey in Sonnen just couldn’t allow him to use this momentum for positive purposes, and instead he would quickly begin to establish himself the premier villain of MMA. In an interview with Pro MMA Radio during the build up to his championship bout with Anderson Silva the super-callous Sonnen, unbounded from even the most basic forms of human empathy, would actually mock and deride world renowned cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong as a drug fiend and cancer fraud, saying, “Lance Armstrong cheated, he did drugs, he gave himself cancer… he made himself the victim and then went out and profited like fifteen point some million dollars from this ‘hey poor me’ campaign.”With this Sonnen revealed himself as a despicable human being, but he wasn’t through trashing his own reputation as he would just days later on Jim Rome’s radio show out himself as a bold faced liar when he denied having ever said anything about Lance Armstrong, sticking to his phony story even after Jim Rome confronted him with the audio of his exact words.
"Lance Armstrong cheated, he did drugs, he gave himself cancer..."
-Chael Sonnen
 |
| Chael Sonnen claimed he would retire Silva, he did not. |
By this time any man with even an ounce of dignity would surely shut his mouth and retreat from the public eye, right? Not this turkey, not by a long shot.
Through multiple public embarrassments Sonnen’s loud mouth would only increase as he cemented himself an elite Zuffa shill by openly ridiculing some the sport’s premier fighters in Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem while also professing his unflinching love and fanatical loyalty for his boss, Dana White. Sonnen has shown himself to be quite the brave talker, although when confronted by Wanderlei Silva, the lion quickly turned lamb as he was cowed into submission, not by joint locks this time, but through sheer verbal battery.
He thus far been proven a low life, a loud mouth, a liar, and a cheater, so how could this ultimate turkey get worse, you ask? Well, how about a nice dose of white collar criminality.
The cherry atop this shame sundae came just days into 2011, but nevertheless must be included on this 2010 list due to the immense magnitude of its repercussions, when Chael Sonnen pleaded guilty to money laundering and defrauding thousands of dollars from real estate ventures. He is expected to face multiple years of probation with his UFC career in jeopardy. In addition to being a lying mouthy choke artist who can’t back his trash talk, Sonnen is an admitted white collar criminal fraudster. Chael Sonnen would do best to quiet his loud mouth and permanently withdraw from the public eye. His reputation as the ultimate turkey of MMA is irrefutable, and there is no coming back from such complete and total failures, not only as an MMA fighter, but as a human being.
- Silver Medal: Brock “The Paper Tiger Turkey” Lesnar -
2010 can be described for WWE wrestler turned MMA wannabe Brock Lesnar as nothing but a shattered illusion. The year started with smoke and mirrors swindling many into believing the hype of Brock as the prime example of a new breed of heavyweight monster, but it ended with Lesnar left battered and without his championship belt, questioning whether or not he would continue in MMA.In his first fight of 2010 against Shane Carwin this supposed monster of heavyweight MMA was spanked and slapped throughout the entire five minutes of the first round, nearly being stopped with punches on multiple occasions. Though its true that being beaten does not reveal a lack of heart, it is also true that taking punishment in such a pitiful manner does not become a champion. It wasn’t until the one dimensional brawler Shane Carwin expended his three ounce gas tank that Lesnar was able to secure a poorly applied arm triangle choke which forced Carwin to tap. After the fight the myth of Lesnar was broken beyond repair in the eye’s of all but the most ardent fan boys and media shills. A phony fighter with a glaring inability to absorb punishment had been proven beyond any unbiased doubt. This would be the beginning of Lesnar’s free fall from grace, as his next challenger would fully capatalize on the many weaknesses revealed in the Carwin fight.
Relatively unproven prospect Cain Velasquez made short work of Lesnar and finished him inside of the first round with absolute ease. During the short fight Lesnar showed the composure of a scared chicken as he flailed, twisted, and turned in a failed effort to avoid taking more punishment, ultimately ending the fight by frantically yelling “NO, NO, NO, NO” in verbal submission to strikes before the referee called the fight, hardly the reactions of even an average fighter, let alone a champion. This wild and desperate plea for his beating to relent stands in stark contrast to Lesnar’s self proclaimed status as the “toughest S.O.B. around” following the Carwin fight.
- Bronze Medal: Shinya “The Weeping Turkey” Aoki -
2010 was to be the year Shinya Aoki established himself as the undisputed #1 lightweight in the world of MMA. His first fight of the year saw him fighting on American soil for the first time as he challenged Gilbert Melendez for the Strikeforce lightweight championship belt, a fight which would determine the world‘s best lightweight. What resulted was five rounds of Melendez domination, as Aoki offered absolutely no signs that he belonged in the same cage as Melendez. After the fight Aoki would return to Japan a defeated man, left beaten and sobbing tears from his swollen eyes, a far cry from his over the top antics and disrespectful behavior following his submission of Mizuto Hirota just a few months prior, a fight in which he flipped Hirota off after breaking his arm and subsequently claiming he was “fine with breaking it.”
In the following months Aoki would somewhat redeem himself by stringing together three victories in a row, however, it was during the final day of the year 2010 when Aoki would undoubtedly earn himself the title as one of 2010’s top turkeys.
On Dynamite!! 2010 Shinya Aoki was tasked with fighting Yuichiro "Jienotsu" Nagashima, a cross dressing K1 kick boxer, in a special rules bout which would see alternating rounds of K1 and MMA rules. During the first round of the fight, which was under K1 rules, Aoki, a man who has actually openly expressed disdain for fighters who refuse to take risks, put forth one of the most cowardly displays in combat sports history as he flopped, ran, shot for illegal takedowns, and nearly hopped over the ropes to avoid the attacks of Nagashima. He did everything but fight as he drained seconds off the clock. His shameless embracement of cowardly tactics being so blatant that they drove the typically respectful Japanese crowd to shower him with boos, though ultimately they worked as Aoki survived the K1 round and successfully made it to round two, the MMA round. After immediately shooting for a double leg Aoki was meant with a Nagashima knee to the head and instantly his misery was put to an end as he lay unconscious on the mat during the round he was supposed to dominate.
After the embarrassing in-fight display Aoki was so showered with jeers and mockery that he erased his twitter account, revealing that even online this turkey runs from fights.
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