Brett Rogers is trying to pull off one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history against Fedor Emelianenko tomorrow night on CBS. There has to be a lot weighing in on his mind. It's an incredible mental test for a gfuy with just 10 professional MMA fights. Fedor opened as a minus-600 favorite in Las Vegas. None of the smart money is buying that Rogers has any shot to win the fight. Fedor is now a 9-to-1 favorite with one-sided action coming in.
Fedor is a legend in the sport and hasn't lost since 2000, so why is Rogers the guy who is carrying the promotion? The reason is obvious. Fedor doesn't speak enough English to do television and radio interviews. So it's all been on Rogers. He did a ton of radio and newspaper spots. He also appeared on ESPN's First Take, ESPN's SportsNation and tonight he'll be seen on Last Call with Carson Daly. The ESPN appearances included a midweek trip from Chicago to Bristol, Conn.
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said it's a necessity (3:28 mark):
"Brett's been amazing. He's been a great trooper. Part of the business that people don't understand is we need the fighters to go out there and do the PR."
Coker pointed out that promoting Fedor is difficult because he lives in Russia. That's all well and good but it has to be distraction for Rogers. He does have his wife with him in Chicago which is a little unusual. Most fighters are surrounded by camp members and have little contact with their family in the days leading up to a fight. It'll be interesting to see how this all works out for Rogers. The big guy does have a confidence about him and he certainly wasn't distracted or intimidated going into the fight against a huge name like Andrei Arlovski.
It's too bad Fedor Emelianenko hasn't gotten much mainstream media coverage over the years because tomorrow night's fight against Brett Rogers really could've been pitched as a 1980's throwback promotion. Fedor resembles some of the great Soviet Olympians from 30 years ago. He's walking around the fighter hotel in Chicago with a huge entourage that includes two dudes who look like Rasputin. The world's No. 1 heavyweight is decked out in zip up jacket that simply reads "Russia." CBS color analyst Frank Shamrock says it's all part of what makes up Fedor's aura:
"One of the things he said in his interview was 'my father and mother brought me up to have a strong love of god and of country. And I fight because I want to fight for my country. I want Russia to be pround. Just that statement we were all floored. That is a very powerful force to drive you to do something."
Fedor is a total throwback:
"He came into the warmup jumping the rope and doing pull ups. He's wearing the suits from the 70's. He want to be a good person ... after he smashes you."
His opponent Brett Rogers is far from a bad dude. His story is unreal. Making little money until 2009, the 6-5, 265-pounder had to work a full-time gig at Sam's Club. He's a family man and has fulfilled every promotional media request.
With the Cold War laid to rest, it'll be interesting to see if american viewers will root for Rogers simply because Fedor is a Russian. Most MMA fans don't care about cultural lines but they'll make up a minute portion of the CBS audience.
Shamrock buils a pretty good case for Rogers pulling the upset. Shamrock says Rogers footwork is great and he's got a great shot if he keeps Fedor backing up throughout the fight. Is he just making the pitch for CBS or does he really believe it?
Make sure you listen to the end when Shamrock suggests that the best fighter on the card is actually Gegard Mousasi. Mousasi, 24, will face Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. Shamrock said if Mousasi ever faces Anderson Silva he'd beat him every time.
In a video that has been making the rounds today, things got a little feisty between the Brigham Young and New Mexico women's soccer teams. And when I say a little feisty, I mean downright dirty. They knocked each other down, threw sucker punches and at one point used a ponytail to get their opponent down on the ground.
The problem here is not the game. I'd like to see some more sportsmanship between these two teams, but the problem is that at the beginning of the highlight, ESPN equates the dirty play to MMA. Why is that necessary? Nothing about the cheap, dirty moves these women were pulling on each other had anything to do with what is done in a cage. Especially since ESPN had actually been giving this week's Strikeforce card good coverage, they should know better. For that silliness, ESPN wins the Cagewriter Facepalm of the Week.
Update: Apparently, more silly MMA references were made during "Around the Horn." That makes ESPN even more deserving of this award.
CBS has announced that they will be airing Showtime’s Fight Camp 360: Fedor vs. Rogers on select affiliates in advance of the fight, starting this evening:
As a preview to MMA’s return to broadcast television on CBS this Saturday, Nov. 7 with STRIKEFORCE/M-1 GLOBAL: FEDOR VS. ROGERS (9:00 PM, Live ET/delayed PT), CBS affiliates and owned stations will broadcast an encore presentation of the SHOWTIME series FIGHT CAMP 360°: FEDOR vs. ROGERS starting today (check local listings for times).
The series offers fight fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the lives of the world’s Number One ranked MMA heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko and his opponent, undefeated, American Brett Rogers, who will square off in Saturday night’s primetime main event. FIGHT CAMP 360°: FEDOR VS. ROGERS originally premiered on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 9:30 PM ET/PT on SHOWTIME and is now being made available for broadcast on CBS affiliates nationwide.
CBS stations carrying the Showtime special include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Denver and Miami.
Payout Perspective:
A last minute promotional effort on the part of CBS to generate more interest in the fight. However, it’s only going to be broadcast in select markets, so check your local listing for more details.
If you missed the show, full versions are available online in many places.
When talking to Roxanne Modafferi, it's hard not to get excited about MMA. She exudes a bubbliness about the sport that's not often seen among many of the jaded fighters. If you weren't excited about her scrap on Saturday night with Marloes Coenen, you will be after spending 15 seconds talking to her.
"I'm so happy, I talk about it [with a smile on her face] my favorite move is a triangle choke and it goes like this."
Her fight will be shown on the CBS card if time permits, though Strikeforce and CBS officials said that at the very least, highlights will be shown.
"It would be so cool to be on CBS," she said. "If I become more well-known, then people will be more willing to pay for me to come [and fight] because of my name. For example, with Kim Couture, if nobody knew about her, then she wouldn't get fights. But people know about her. I think this [chance to be on CBS] is less about fame, and more about if I become more well-known, I'll get more chances to fight."
Modafferi and Coenen share in a part of collegiality that is common among female fighters. She and Coenen have exchanged emails and are quite friendly with each other. Modafferi finds that women in MMA share a bond.
"I think there's two things. One is that we're in the same boat. We're striving to prove ourselves, in that we're in martial arts. That it's not 'women's martial arts' but it's martial arts that women do, too. We're all struggling in that sisterhood. And the other thing is a lack of testosterone."
But that sisterhood will not prevent her from punching her fellow fighters.
"I want to fight Sarah Kauffman. I want to fight everyone. Tara LaRosa. I really want that rematch. She said she's going to retire if she doesn't get a fight, and I want to fight her before she retires. Amanda Buckner, in Maine, no one is paying any attention to her. Shayna Baszler. Miesha Tate. Everyone's staring at her beautifully shot pictures, but I want to give her a beat down. But I'll fight whoever Strikeforce wants me to fight."
Originally from Delaware, Modafferi lives in Japan and works full time as an English teacher. She stays connected to the U.S. fight scene through the internet, and even took some inspiration and coaching from what a fellow fighter said.
"Erin Toughill once posted on FighterGirls.com that I was an arm puncher, that I didn't turn my shoulders into it, and I thought, 'Goddamnit, she's right.' I got really depressed, but that really inspired me to get a coach and get better at it."
Part of Fedor Emelianenko's charm is that he doesn't look like a killer. Because of his stoic demeanor, he's often compared to the Dolph Lundgren character "Drago" from Rocky IV. True, Fedor does appear to come from the same Russian sports machine but he's not a ripped 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds. At 6-foot, 230, he looks like your chubby next door neighbor. But result are results. He's 30-1 with the only loss coming because of a cut. His fight against Brett Rogers at the Sears Centre in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is getting coverage in the local newspapers, but is it doing more harm than good? In a Wednesday story, the Chicago Sun-Times did a nice job of explaining why Fedor is so awesome but how many people will get by this photo and blurb on the back cover to give MMA a chance?
"... but with a body like that, how can Russian Fedor Emelianenko be the best mixed martial artist in the world."
CBS will be presenting the same image on tomorrow night nationwide at 9 p.m. What will a nation of casual fight fans think when they see the Russian? The only thing that will solve negative thoughts about the physique of MMA's best fight will be a dominant performance. A slow-paced fight like the one UFC featured during the "The Ultimate Fighter" with Roy Nelson and Kimbo Slice could hurt MMA a bit in front of an audience of 2-3 million. It was disappointing to hear the UFC's Chael Sonnen say he didn't want to see the fight because it's, "two fatties swinging like bums."
He can disrespect the one-dimensional Rogers if he'd like, but it's ridiculous for a guy inside the sport to take that sort of swipe at Fedor.
Silver Star has debuted Manny Pacquiao’s “Destroyer” Collection to the combat sports world in time for his up-coming bout with Miguel Cotto on November 14th.
(IRVINE, CA) – Silver Star Casting Company is proud to introduce the Manny Pacquiao “Destroyer” collection to the brand. Built around Pacquiao’s “Destroyer” moniker, the collection will feature a signature Manny “The Destroyer” Pacquiao tee that will be available online November 11, 2009, followed by a full streetwear collection in stores internationally in Spring 2010.
A champion in six weight classes, Pacquiao is also rated the #1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world by Ring Magazine, considered one of the world’s most influential people for the year 2009 according to Time Magazine, and listed by Forbes Magazine in its annual Celebrity 100 List for 2009.
“Silver Star wanted to create a collection with one of the most admired and recognized athletes in the world,” says Silver Star owner, Luke Burrett. “Manny Pacquiao’s rise to super-stardom is proof positive that hard work and perseverance thrives in the spirit of a champion.”
Manny Pacquiao will fight Miguel Cotto in a catchweight bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 14, 2009.
Silver Star Casting Company is an “in demand” lifestyle clothing brand with an innovative style. Based in the apparel hub of So. California, Silver Star delivers trend setting merchandise to retailers nationwide. Seen on athletes and celebrities alike the brand is available through Macy’s, Dillard’s, Tilly’s, Journey’s, Pac Sun, and more. In over 3,000 doors nationally and over 45 countries globally, Silver Star has been defining and setting apparel trends for over 16 years.
Payout Perspective:
It’s interesting to see some of these graphic tee companies like Silver Star, and before it Affliction, jump into the boxing market.
There are several different boxing demographics, most of them older, so you wonder how much play the shirt will get (or if Silver Star is planning to target the younger latino or filipino base with the shirt).
With his job as a host for MTV's "Bully Beatdown," Jason "Mayhem" Miller has personally confronted bullies who torment the lives of the show's viewers. Now, he is pushing to end bullying on a broader scale, partnering with "We're Kickin' It," a national anti-bullying campaign to bring the message to children that bullying is not OK.
"I have a background where I grew up in a poor area where no kids had supervision, and I was bullied, so it spoke to me," Miller told Cagewriter.
He has brought Strikeforce aboard, including middleweight Scott Smith and heavyweight Daniel Cormier. The two spoke to children at a martial arts center in suburban Chicago and told Cagewriter why they chose to get involved.
"For me, I've got a couple of kids, and I coach junior high wrestling, and you can see there's a lot of kids who don't have the guidance," Smith said. "If we can get out there, and whether it's because we're good fighters or just adult role models, and it keeps them from bullying or picking on kids, we've done a good job."
Smith doesn't see a disconnect between what he does in the cage and a message against violence.
"Fighters are the exact opposite [of violent]. They're disciplined. We got into martial arts to learn how to defend ourselves. I'm the part owner of a gym, and the guys that come into learn how to fight so they can beat people up in bars? Those are the first guys to get weeded out. You've got to be disciplined to be a mixed martial artist."
"You don't know how to defend yourself as a kid," Cormier added. "You have to learn it. I didn't know how to defend myself as a kid until I learned how to wrestle. I finally figured out that when I wrestle, I win some, lose some, but if I can go out there and wrestle, why can't I stand up to some guy who is bullying me?"
Bullying has been in the headlines lately as a widespread problem in schools that can lead to other, bigger problems. Just this week, an Alabama school is investigating if bullying played a part in the suicide of a 12-year-old boy.
For Miller, standing up to bullying and helping kids is the goal, not the by-product, of his fame.
"I work in my life not just for monetary rewards. I want fame so at some level I can influence change. I don't look at it just as, 'Oh, I want to be famous so I can hump girls.' I want to exert my influence in a good way."
With his job as a host for MTV's "Bully Beatdown," Jason "Mayhem" Miller has personally confronted bullies who torment the lives of the show's viewers. Now, he is pushing to end bullying on a broader scale, partnering with 
