Our latest MMA Twitter mailbag delves into the potential for a relationship between the UFC and ESPN, the possibility that Tito Ortiz will return to the Octagon, the whereabouts of Ricardo Arona and still more about what's going on with Fedor Emelianenko after Affliction Trilogy was canceled.The mailbag is below.
MMAjunkieDann: Think you might be surprised RE: Skipper. More there than just simple visit. I think we'll find out more at July 31 presser
This came in response to my tweet saying people shouldn't read too much into the fact that ESPN executive John Skipper attended UFC 100.
I first learned that Skipper had attended UFC 100 on July 16, when I heard UFC President Dana White talking about it on Dan LeBatard's radio show. I checked with someone at ESPN who confirmed that Skipper was there, and that ESPN is keeping its eyes on MMA, but added that Skipper attends sporting events all the time and that his attendance at any single sporting event isn't necessarily a sign of anything.
So that's why I didn't write anything at the time, and that's why I was surprised a week later when I started to hear from people in the MMA community who think a UFC-ESPN partnership is imminent. I don't think it's going to happen, but White did promise something big at his July 31 press conference, so we shall see.
HakaLaw What's the deal with Dana White just Tweeting "Welcome back Tito?"
White suggested on Twitter that Tito Ortiz was back. But in a radio interview shortly afterward, White would say only that it's "a possibility." Personally, I think we will see Ortiz back in the Octagon. The UFC and Tito can make more money together than they can apart -- and anyway, I don't think White was ever really 100% opposed to Tito returning to the UFC. The people White really despises -- like Matt Lindland -- he just ignores. I think White had fun with his feud with Ortiz, but now that Ortiz is finally healthy and ready to fight again, White recognizes that Ortiz can be a valuable asset to his company.
mizzark: Any news on whether Ricardo Arona is signing with any promotion?
Arona, the former Pride star who hasn't fought in more than two years, is finally supposed to get back into action on September 12 against Marvin Eastman on a Bitetti Combat card in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Amazingly, Affliction considered Arona as a possible opponent for Fedor Emelianenko after Josh Barnett failed a drug test. That would have been a disastrous decision; MMA fans would have scoffed at the matchmaking, and Fedor would have destroyed Arona.
odedh82: M-1 Russian site reports a problem with the legality of Barnett's test, and say the fight might still be on.
I saw a translation of the statement that Fedor's promoter, M-1, made about possibly challenging Barnett's test. I suppose anything is possible, but I don't see it happening.
beewsee: Great call on Fedor vs. Fabricio Werdum possibly happening on Aug. 15th. I wonder if they would switch that to the main event?
I love Gina Carano vs. Cris Cyborg as the main event of the upcoming Strikeforce show, but in the unlikely event that Strikeforce gets Fedor on the card, I think a Fedor fight has to become the main event. I don't think the best fighter in the world should fight on an undercard.
Want to be part of our next MMA Twitter mailbag? Post a question or comment on Twitter.com, and be sure to start it with @MichaelDavSmith.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michael David Smith with regards to Ricardo Arona it was nice of you to point out Affliction considered him to replace Josh Barnett but when you say it would of been disastrous and that Fedor would've destroyed him you left a couple things out.
#1 why didn't you also point out that Arona and Fedor fought once already which resulted in a controversial decision win for Fedor that a lot of people thought he lost or are you unaware, because that doesn't sound like someone getting destroyed, and
#2 if Arona replacing Barnett would've been disastrous then tell me what you'd call replacing Barnett with a canceled event and a closing of your MMA promotion as a whole?
Oh and I forgot to mention saying Dana White has fun with Ortiz and recognizes him an asset to the company is easy to say now that Ortiz is back with Zuffa, but the truth is Dana White still can't stand Ortiz, still thinks he's dumb, and only brought him back so that no one else could promote him.
If Ortiz is matched up with any top notch 205lb. talent he's going to lose easily.
Ortiz vs. Coleman or Ortiz vs. Bonnar are a couple fights he could win.
in the Arona - Fedor fight, that went to decision, striking on the ground was illegal.. or there were some other resrictions, that favored jiu jitsu fighters like Arona in that organization.
LOL, you don't even know what the rules in the fight were, and I'll make the safe assumption you've never seen the fight.
So I ask you why are you even commenting?
There is just a little too much Fedor adoration in this mailbag.
Fedor is good sure (even though it's hard to estimate just how good)...he's not the best in the world...
He could prove to be top 3-5 at heavyweight....but number 1? I doubt it. Possible, but not very likely.
Stop trolling. It's embarrassing.
I am not trolling, I'm making a serious comment that "Fedor People" don't like to hear. It's YOU who are the troll if anything, in that you try to tear down anyone who says anything other than Fedor would destroy (fill in the blank)
I don't like the childish words used by MMA fans like "nuthugger" because it comes across as juvenile and lame, but seriously guy, lets just say you like the dude too much and over estimate him to the point where you have to hate on people who think he's not the best. I've said he's probably pretty good, just not the best. What's wrong with that assessment?
And why are you also busting on stockrex for saying something that's true? You may disagree but it's not like he's saying something completely outlandish, and if YOU'VE seen the fight (objectively) you would also understand that it is somewhat controversial...just look it up in forum discussions, and you'll see he isn't the only one.
You may disagree with that view, and that's cool, you are absolutely entitled. But...you really shouldn't talk so much crap about other people opinions without knowing more about them, and particularly when they have a valid point.
DANA WHITE NEW THE WHOLE TIME OF THE STEROIDS BEFOREHAND THATS WHY SAID ALL HE DID HE NEW THERE WOULD BE NO FIGHT
Anybody think there will be any chance Dana and the UFC will bring women into the Octagon?
Aside from Ring Card Girls NO!
They know the average UFC fan is much different from the average MMA fan and for the most part it would not be well received by the UFC fan.