Welcome to this week’s edition of MMAterial Facts, where we feature articles from around the MMA community.
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This week’s MMAterial Facts:
Photo: Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
– Fowlkes: How White’s Love of Boxing Led Us Here (MMA Fighting)
“White: It was [Fox Sports Media Group Chairman] David Hill. I went in and said, listen, USA’s Tuesday Night Fights and ABC’s Wide World of Sports, we all used to watch those, all of us who were big boxing fans. I didn’t miss Tuesday Night Fights ever. Every Tuesday night I was on the couch. But when I was younger, I remember my uncles all getting around the TV and watching Wide World of Sports. When we told them the fight was going to be the heavyweight championship, they said, ‘Do that, just do the one fight, the heavyweight championship.’ It makes sense. That’s really the way it went down. It was David Hill’s call.”
– Protest & presser at UFC HQ scheduled for Saturday at 11 AM (Fight Opinion)
“On Saturday, Nevada survivors of sexual assault, concerned parents and Las Vegas casino workers will gather outside UFC’s headquarters at 2960 West Sahara Avenue. They are demanding that advertisers and FOX Sports “drop the UFC” until the UFC makes it evident to the public that it no longer tolerates violent, sexist and homophobic language, and adopts and enforces a code of ethical conduct similar to those that exist in other professional sports.”
– Interview with Pablo Garza (MMA Mania)
“With the way I finished my last two fights, people want to think that I’m going to go out there and do something insanely crazy and all that stuff. I’m just gonna go out there and try to win the fight, you know what I mean? If I do something spectacular in the process, that’s bonus points but I don’t purposely go out there and think like, “Alright, maybe this time I’ll try like a back flip or something.”
– Frankie Edgar Will Likely Defend UFC LW Title Against Henderson-Guida Winner In Japan (MMA Convert)
“Two respected MMA media outlets are reporting that Frankie Edgar will cross the Pacific to defend his title next February when the UFC returns to Japan. And word is UFC on FOX 1′s Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida will likely determine his opponent.”
– Here’s the tremendous UFC on FOX weigh-in that you need to see (MiddleEasy)
“By this time tomorrow, we either will have a new heavyweight champion or can solidify that Fedor has been dethroned as the greatest heavyweight of all time. One of those scenarios will 100% take place within 24-hours, and that should fill all of you with incredible anxiety. I’ve been so tensed throughout the day thinking about this fight that I’ve only consumed two things since yesterday, and both of those things begins in ‘vienna’ and ends in ‘sausages.”
– Pros Favoring Velasquez Heading Into ‘UFC On Fox 1’ (FightLine)
“When it was initially announced that Cain Velasquez would make the first defense of his heavyweight belt against Junior dos Santos, the early betting lines favored dos Santos to win, as the memory of his thrashing of Shane Carwin was still fresh in everyone’s mind. With time though, public opinion in general shifted in Velasquez’s favor, with the majority of pundits, fans and fighters alike picking Velasquez to beat dos Santos.
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FightHubTV’s Marcos Villegas recently polled a few California-stationed MMA fighters over who they see going home with the belt tomorrow night and their opinions reflected that majority. “
– Junior Dos Santos and the Five Most Impressive UFC Contender Runs in Recent History (Cage Potato)
“You see, unbeaten runs aren’t common in the UFC. This isn’t the world of boxing, where fighters are fed 20 journeymen before they get thrown to the lions. And that’s precisely why the MMA community purrs over such immaculate resumes. So which UFC fighters built up the most impressive win streaks en route to their first title shot? These five come to mind…”
– UFC on FOX Breakdown: The Main Event (Five Ounces of Pain)
“Its status as MMA’s weakest and at times, most embarrassing division is well-earned. Its oxygen consumption equals that of every other weight class combined, and cardio is often thrown out the window before Bruce Buffer is done with his fighter introductions. However, every now and then, the heavyweight division offers a bout that captures the imagination of fight fans like no other.”
– Celebrities for “UFC on FOX” Red Carpet Event Announced (5thRound)
“FOX promised to host a star-studded red carpet extravaganza to kick off their MMA debut, and they weren’t kidding. This Saturday starting at 4PM PT, FUEL TV’s Nicole Dabeau will greet actors, athletes and other notables as they enter the Honda Center in Anaheim, California to watch Cain Velasquez defend his UFC heavyweight crown against Junior dos Santos.”
– Interview with UFC on Fox co-headliner Clay Guida (LowKick)
“Ben Henderson is pretty much the same (as Anthony Petts), great on the feet and solid on ground. I won’t go into detail, but I want to finish this fight. To me, a big win earns a title shot. I want to win big so that there is no question about my title shot. Everyone hyped Melvin Guillard as the obvious next shot, but then he lost in the first-round to Joe (Lauzon). So, I figure with a big win, then it’s my turn for that title shot.”
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“It’s amazing really. To come from a wrestling background that doesn’t really have a professional circuit, other then the Olympics or the WWE, it is amazing to think that now I’m on PPV and will be on Fox. It’s just unreal and awesome. Plus, I meet so many people that just want a picture or to say hello – the fans are usually really cool. I feel that I have been a great ambassador for the UFC, and I hope to continue that trend.”
– UFC 1-75 summed up in Tweets (TheFightNerd)
“Scrawny Brazilian beats all with complex hugging and squeezing moves,
including boxer with one glove and Ken Shamrock. -UFC 1 in tweet form
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Pat Smith kills a ninja, but is scared of Royce Gracie being on top.
-UFC 2 in tweet form
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“If you’re coming on, come on!” says Canadian with epic mullet. -UFC 3
in tweet form”
– Dana White: UFC on FOX a ‘”Dream Come True“(BleacherReport.com/MMA)
“Lorenzo [Fertitta] and I sat down and we talked about a lot of different fights we can make. This one made sense,” White says. “Not only with the heavyweight championship of the world, but the fight between these two athletes. These guys are monsters, man. When have you seen either of these guys in a boring fight that was just horrible? The answer is never.”
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