When Ariel Helwani interviewed Steven Seagal, I knew that Seagal's statements would generate at least 2-3 stories on MMAFighting's front page, and I wasn't wrong. The headlines would center around even more 'outrageous' statements that Seagal had made, which in this case dealt with GSP and Randy Couture, none of which were outrageous in the context of the interview. Seagal was asked for his opinion, and he gave it. He said that he appreciated GSP as a martial artist but didn't think he was "great" yet, and he said that if Randy Couture was really serious about fighting him, that he would be willing to do it. How his remarks became an open challenge to Couture is the work of this website and its writers.

Also, it looks like this was the game that Ariel was playing with his pseudo-sycophantic "Master. Sensei Seagal" thing. It looks dishonest, and it takes advantage of the good will on Seagal's part to appear on The MMA Hour.

I realize that you value the exclusivity that has come with the success of this website, but don't think that it gives you license to "create" news or put the people you interview in positions that they never intended. Seagal clearly had no intention of disrespecting GSP or challenging Couture to a fight, but that's how you wrote your headlines. Also, when you ask questions of the people you interview, make them open-ended and stop loading the questions with fighting words. Don't ask someone, "Do you think that maybe the champion considers you unworthy of a title shot?" when the champ hasn't said anything to that effect. It's creating drama rather than reporting news.

Bottom line: be a diligent, honest, and well-researched news source rather than a tabloid.