The EvilMaster Report - Articles - Zimbio

World Extreme Cagefighting looks for younger edgier MMA crowd

Mon, 20 Mar 2007 20:34:00 GMT

posted by TheEvilOneMMA

By Neil Davidson

(CP) - Younger, faster and edgier.

That could be the slogan of the World Extreme Cagefighting circuit as it bids to build its brand under the new ownership of Zuffa Inc., which runs the UFC. Looking to expand its foothold in mixed martial arts, Zuffa bought WEC in November. Despite the shared parent, the circuit is being billed as a totally separate entity from the highly successful Las Vegas-based UFC which has already achieved heavyweight status with tentacles reaching across the Atlantic and plans to go to Canada and Mexico.

UFC president Dana White regularly says, only half-jokingly, that he has world domination on his mind. He has already bought out the rival World Fighting Alliance, stripping the organization of its marquee fighters. There are rumours he plans to buy Pride Fighting Championships and pick clean his Japanese rival as well.

But there is more than one way to build a business.

Honda may make a great car, but it's not about to restrict itself to one model. It's the same for the UFC, which is looking for another vehicle to showcase the booming combat sport of mixed martial arts.

The plan for the WEC is go after the younger end of the MMA 18-to-35 demographic.

Live shows feature a DJ playing music between fights. And the beat could be just as fast inside the cage.

The WEC has no heavyweight division, but has all the other classes and showcases the bantamweight (135 pounds) and featherweight (145 pounds) divisions that the UFC does not have. The lighter fighters tend to be the Energizer Bunnies of MMA. And their action is intensified in a WEC cage that is more intimate than its UFC equivalent - 25 feet across compared to 30.

Founded in 2001, WEC put on 24 cards prior to the Zuffa purchase. No. 25 was in January, with the new ownership shifting the venue from California to Las Vegas and the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The next is Saturday, again at the Hard Rock with Canadian John (The Natural) Alessio taking on Carlos Condit for the vacant WEC welterweight crown in one of three title fights on the card.

Short of taking in the live shows, MMA fans will have to wait until June to see the new-look WEC for themselves on the U.S. cable network Versus. And Canadians may have to wait even longer - the current TV deal with Versus is only in the U.S. although WEC is talking with potential Canadian carriers.

Zuffa, which bought the UFC in 2001, knows it takes time and money to build a brand. The Versus deal is a major part of that WEC rebranding.

"WEC was a great product. It's one of the reasons we bought it," said Peter Dropick, a former Arrowhead Pond executive who was brought in as the new WEC's vice-president of operations and production.

"But I think they worked within their means. They didn't necessarily have the resources, staff or finances to grow it outside of what they had. We're really making changes to the overall business operations. And the biggest change was securing a national cable network with Versus."

WEC had been on HDNet, the network co-founded by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Dropick estimates it reached maybe five million homes, compared to 71 million for Versus - the NHL's TV network in the U.S.

The UFC's current cable deal is with Spike TV, which boasts 91 million households. While pay-per-view shows may feature the marquee fights, the UFC has artfully used Spike to showcase its product and fighters through magazine shows, live fight nights, highlight programming and the successful Ultimate Fighter reality show.

WEC plans to follow that road map down the line. And Dropick says the current TV interest in MMA is "tremendous."

"It's booming right now. Everyone wants the programming. I think some of these smaller (circuits) will weed themselves out and the right ones will keep rising to the top."

WEC was founded in 2001 by Scott Adams and Reed Harris, who have stayed on after the Zuffa buyout. Adams serves as matchmaker, while Harris is co-general manager.

A friend of Chuck Liddell and fellow former Cal Poly State wrestler, Adams got into the gym business with Liddell after graduating. He also got into fighting (posting a submission win over Ian Freeman at UFC 24 in March 2000).

He moved into training fighters and then promoting them. Now he looks for new talent while helping set the fighting menu for WEC.

WEC currently has some 35 fighters under contract and Adams expects that stable to grow to 40-50 after Saturday's show.

Current WEC champions include bantamweight Eddie Wineland, featherweight Urijah (The California Kid) Faber, lightweight (Razor) Rob McCullough and light-heavyweight Doug (Rhino) Marshall.

And while both WEC and UFC insist they are standalone ventures, some familiar names have featured for both. Joe (Diesel) Riggs has returned to WEC after a string of six fights in the UFC, three of them losses and the last a devastating knockout by Diego (Nightmare) Sanchez. Riggs fought at WEC 9, 12 and 15.

Alessio has also fought in both the UFC and WEC, but now calls WEC home.

"The WEC has always been a good organization," the 170-pounder said in an interview. "They treated me really well before, but now that Zuffa's stepped in it's made it that much better. Everything's run smooth and on time, just like it should.

"The fighters get treated really well. Everything about it makes you proud to be a professional fighter."

Other WEC fighters are on the same page.

Faber has fought in other circuits such as King of the Cage, Gladiator Challenge and even Montreal's TKO but says WEC outshines the competition.

"Oh man, it's night and day," Faber said enthusiastically. "I've competed in organizations all over, about five different organizations, and the WEC is incredible. It's going to be the top organization in the world in my mind within the next year or so."

If Faber, Dropick, Adams and the rest of WEC can outdistance the UFC, they should turn their attentions to world hunger, the Middle East, cancer and the common cold next.

But everyone needs a goal.

"We do have a high bar, they're the best in the business, no questions asked," Dropick said. "It's a high bar but we can get there. We have some of the best talent in the business in terms of fighters as well as our staff - very bright people.

"It'll take some time, it's not going to happen overnight, but we can get there and we'll compete with them absolutely."

The new-look WEC is already ahead of schedule, according to Dropick.

"I think we'll be profitable quicker than we initially thought, if our projections hold true," he said. "There is a business plan in place, we've set all our projections.

"But I think we'll surprise ourselves early on."

(Source)

Elvis Sinosic is a sad man

Thu, 25 May 2007 13:36:00 GMT

posted by TheEvilOneMMA

Remember just a few years back when Elvis Sinosic was young and full of the energy of being a Part of The Vibe? Remember when he was the undisputed favorite of the fans of this then-niche sport? He had just beaten Jeremy Horn and the MMA world was seemingly his for the taking.

And what could be better? He was in his 20s, loved by the fans and a hot commodity for the promoters.

"It's good to be the King," he'd say.

A lot can happen in a few years.

Sinosic is now in his mid-30s and is nothing more than The Opponent. His tenuous existence in the MMA world is now defined by the brutality of the beatings he takes. He is a tired, pathetic shell of the energetic fighter he once was. A pug whose sole purpose is to show up, take the beating and paycheck, get out of town. He is there to help build some up-and-comer's win-loss record. Elvis has lost more than he has won and the show is over.

Yet, like so many others who have gone before him, Sinosic is trying desperately to hold on to whatever he can. It's just sad.

"It's good to be King," he still says. "I'm here to fight the best, and I want to get a shot at the title."

The snickers among press row at UFC 70 during round one of the Sinosic vs. Bisping fight were audible. One Sherdog veteran reporter was heard to say, "Man, why can't that guy just let it go? He's going to end up being killed in the cage on day."

Sadly, this appears to be the case. Sinosic is so addicted to the adulation of the few fans who remember when he wasn't a mere punchline, when he wasn't the Brooklyn Brawler of the UFC, that he will risk life and limb to perpetuate the myth that all is well with his "kingdom."

Surely the people who pay exorbitant fees to learn jiu jitsu at his academy have noticed. Surely there has to be some measure of shame in facing these people. Surely at some level, well beneath the transparent idiot's grin he wears, Elvis must realize that he has become nothing more than an aging circus freak, noted for his ability to absorb beatings of all shapes and sizes, in this sideshow of a sport that he has failed miserably in.

In Elvis, we can all see that side of us that we're not proud of. That side of us that wants to deny our humanity, that we are all aging, that we must move on from youthful pursuits, that what was once exciting is now merely a method for stalling the maturation process.

Elvis, go watch the movie, "Everybody's All-American." I think you'll recognize yourself in it.

- Evil

Evilmaster Commentary: Elvis Sinosic

Sun, 23 Apr 2007 16:53:00 GMT

posted by TheEvilOneMMA
Elvis Sinosic has become the UFC's Brooklyn Brawler

"Hey it's that guy who sucks but can take a serious beating!"

That is a direct quote from one of my friends as we watched UFC 70 together. Everyone recognized him as the jobber brought in to take an asswhipping and give the fan favorite an easy win.

So it has come to this? MMA (or the UFC's version of it) now has it's own Brooklyn Brawler. Elvis Sinosic, too stupid to stop himself from being the fight game's running joke, showed up and took another horrific beating. And it was all for the enjoyment of the Average Joe sitting at home laughing at him.

Why, Elvis? What are you trying to prove? Are you trying to show us that you are too stupid to care? I just don't get it.

Elvis, just stop. We all laughed at you and you seemed to not mind and it was all okay. For a while. But enough is enough. This joke has gone on so long that it's just sickening at this point.

Elvis' last six UFC fights? All losses. Hell, Elvis is now best known for donating pints of blood to the UFC canvas.

That's my position. Thanks for reading.

- Evil

UFC

Stars of Sport and Screen Take in IFL L.A.

Mon, 20 Mar 2007 10:16:00 GMT

posted by TheEvilOneMMA

The stars were out for Saturday night's IFL event in Los Angeles, with celebrities from the world of television, movies, and the mixed martial arts world in attendance. The UFC's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and announcer Joe Rogan took in the action, as did jiu-jitsu and MMA legend Royce Gracie. Current Pride champion and 2008 IFL coach Dan Henderson also came to see the IFL's stars, as the L.A. Anacondas took out Frank Shamrock's Razorclaws

But fighters weren't the only IFL fans on Saturday. Actress Amy Smart and Playboy model Joanna Krupa also liked what they saw at the L.A. Forum. So did Ethan Suplee of "My Name is Earl" and Cam Gigandet of "The OC".

Several others enjoyed the non-stop action, as the Sabres and Condors thrilled the packed house with their match-up. To see more pictures, check out IFL.tv's multimedia section.

(More Pictures)

IFL Weekend Wrap-up

Fri, 31 Mar 2007 20:28:00 GMT

posted by TheEvilOneMMA
By Ben Fowlkes

Life is tough when you’re on top. It seems like as soon as there’s a champion, everyone is waiting to see them fall. Just ask the Quad Cities Silverbacks.

Last year they went undefeated in the IFL and demolished the Portland Wolfpack for the inaugural World Team Championship. They got the accolades and the championship rings, but as coach Pat Miletich has often said, keeping a world title is much more difficult than winning it.

Entire article HERE.