Nick Diaz?s attorney doesn?t take kindly to calling his client a liar

Nick Diaz's disciplinary hearing in front of the Nevada Athletic Commission for allegedly failing a post-fight drug screen after his loss to Carlos Condit on Feb. 4 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas in the main event of UFC 143 figures to be a doozy.

The hearing isn't scheduled yet, though it's expected to be sometime next month. If things remain as contentious as they have been between Diaz attorney Ross Goodman and the commission this week, tickets are going to be harder to come by than those for the Final Four.

Goodman has taken an aggressive stance and asserts that Diaz has not tested positive for a banned substance. Goodman argues that Diaz did not test positive for Delta-9-THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, but rather for marijuana metabolites. Those metabolites are an inactive ingredient in marijuana and are not on the World Anti Doping Agency's banned list that Nevada uses, Goodman said.

Goodman is clearly going to fight the case bitterly, and on Thursday, he railed against statements made by the public information officer for the Nevada attorney general's office.

Yahoo! Sports on Monday and Tuesday reached out to Christopher Eccles, the Nevada deputy attorney general who represents the athletic commission, seeking comment on points Goodman raised. Under a new policy instituted by attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto, however, her deputies are not allowed to speak to the media as they have in the past.

As a result, public information officer Jennifer M. Lopez returned the call for Eccles and later released a statement. Via email, Lopez said, "Not only did Nick Diaz violate the law by testing positive for marijuana metabolites, but he also lied to the Commission on his Pre-Fight Questionnaire when he swore that he had not used any prescribed medications in two weeks before the fight."

It is unusual for a spokesperson for an attorney general's office to call a person who will soon have a hearing in front of a state regulatory agency a liar.

Her statement probably wouldn't have been given much notice, though, had she said Diaz must have been mistaken when he checked no to a question asking if he'd taken any prescription medications in the preceding two weeks prior to the Feb. 3 weigh-in.

But saying outright that Diaz lied put Goodman even more in attack mode. He came out swinging on Thursday and insisted that Diaz did not lie when he checked no when he said he had not taken any prescription medications in the preceding two weeks.

The Nevada law that deals with medical marijuana doesn't regard it as a prescription drug. No doctor is able to prescribe it because it is a controlled substance.

Chapter 453A.210 of the Nevada Revised Statutes lays out the requirements to obtain a registry card for medical marijuana. To get the card, patients must comply with the following regulations:

(1) The person has been diagnosed with a chronic or debilitating medical condition;
(2) The medical use of marijuana may mitigate the symptoms or effects of that condition; and
(3) The attending physician has explained the possible risks and benefits of the medical use of marijuana;
(b) The name, address, telephone number, social security number and date of birth of the person;
(c) Proof satisfactory to the Division that the person is a resident of this State;
(d) The name, address and telephone number of the person's attending physician; and
(e) If the person elects to designate a primary caregiver at the time of application:
(1) The name, address, telephone number and social security number of the designated primary caregiver; and
(2) A written, signed statement from the person's attending physician in which the attending physician approves of the designation of the primary caregiver.

"Nowhere in there does it say that the attending physician is prescribing marijuana," Goodman said. "And so, for obvious reasons, before you speak and call someone a liar, you think you'd do a little bit of due diligence and understand what the Nevada law actually says."

Diaz manager Cesar Gracie said in a 2009 interview with MMA Fighting that "Nick has a prescription for marijuana in California. He has had a prescription for the last couple years, so it's a legal drug for him. He has the prescription for ADHD [Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder], and he says it helps him."

But Goodman said it is all irrelevant. He said no reasonable person regards marijuana as either a prescription drug or an over the counter medication.

"It's not like you walk into the pharmacy and start looking around on the shelves and hope to pick up a bag of marijuana," Goodman said. "That's ridiculous. No reasonable person would believe that medical marijuana falls under the category of over the counter medications."

Curiously, though, in his response to the commission, Goodman himself made a big deal about a prescription. He referenced NRS 484C.210, which deals with prohibited substances. Goodman bolded a section which said "if the person who uses the substance has not been issued a valid prescription ... "

Diaz may ultimately be forced to accept a lengthy suspension. He was suspended for six months in Nevada in 2007 for failing a marijuana test. On Jan. 31, boxer Matt Vanda had a hearing after testing positive for a second time. Vanda was suspended for a year and fined 40 percent of his purse.

If Diaz goes down, though, he's not going to make it simple on the commission. This isn't going to be a case where the fighter hangs his or her head, is lectured to by the commissioners and then apologizes profusely and meekly accepts the punishment issued.

Goodman will make certain of that.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/nick-diaz-attorney-doesn-t-kindly-calling-client-215030731.html

Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi 

?The Ultimate Fighter: Live? debut talkback thread

A new era of the UFC's reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter," dawns tonight as the show moves to FX and starts airing live. Starting at 9 p.m. ET, tonight's episode will run for two and a half hours. As has happened in previous seasons, fighters will have to win a bout to get in the house. Every one of those fights will air live tonight.

The live shows also means that Cagewriter won't be able to recap shows ahead of time. Instead, I'll open a thread on Friday afternoons, and Cagereaders can discuss the show here as well as Bellator bouts. If you prefer to talk about it on Facebook, I'll open a thread there, too.

I'll be at Bellator's fights in Hammond, Ind., tonight, so look for plenty from their first fights of the season. Follow Cagewriter on Twitter for plenty from the fights. And as always, thanks for reading Cagewriter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ultimate-fighter-live-debut-talkback-thread-213741451.html

Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz

Thailand sport climbing: can you help?

Since an old friend told me about his climbing trips to Thailand it’s been one of my boxes-to-tick. Climbing by the beach and then relaxing in the blue seas sounds too good to be true. I’m about to find out - I’ve decided to do it later this year… Photo kindly shared by HalonaCoast on Flickr I’m [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rock-climbing-blog/~3/38U5UCpl448/philsheard

Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe

Time has come for UFC and Rampage Jackson to part ways

(Updated with comment from UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta at 7:47:42 ET on March 13, 2012)

There is a simple solution to the Quinton "Rampage" Jackson mess that, for some reason, is apparently being overlooked.

Cut him.

The UFC ought to sever ties with its mercurial former light heavyweight champion as quickly and completely as possible.

There is no good being done for any side in this equation by forcing an unhappy Jackson to fight the final bout on his UFC contract.

It certainly won't do Jackson any good to hang around. He's apparently had it with the UFC and has complained about the opponents matchmaker Joe Silva has picked for him to fight, his pay, and the seeming lack of gratitude UFC officials have shown him for fighting while injured.

Speaking to Bas Rutten on HDNet's "Inside MMA," Jackson said he is displeased that the UFC is matching him with wrestlers who don't want to fight. Four of his last five opponents were wrestlers, but there's more to the story than just the UFC putting him in against wrestlers.

On May 29, 2010, he lost to Rashad Evans in a battle for the No. 1 contender's spot at 205. He came back at UFC 123 on Nov. 20, 2010 with a win over karate expert Lyoto Machida in a battle between former champions looking to get back into the mix.

Next up, at UFC 130, was wrestler Matt Hamill on May 28, after a series of potential other opponents fell through. Beating Hamill earned (got?) Jackson a title shot against wrestler Jon Jones at UFC 135 on Sept. 24. After being submitted by Jones, the UFC put Jackson in against wrestler Ryan Bader on Feb. 26 at UFC 144 in Japan.

Jackson missed weight by five pounds in Japan, pointing to a knee injury suffered in training. He could have pulled out, but was so desperate to fight in Japan that he remained on the card. That was his choice, but now we're supposed to shower him with thanks because he did what nearly every one of his peers do every time they compete and went out and fought hurt?

Please.

Cutting Jackson would be the wise move for all parties, because Jackson clearly doesn't want to be around, he's no longer a particularly exciting fighter and all the attention being paid to his complaints takes attention away from those who could use it.

UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta said the company would not cut Jackson and said it would like to match him in the summer with former champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. He said he disagrees with Jackson's complaints, but said "he's entitled to his opinion."

"He has one more fight on his contract and our position is that he's contractually obligated to take a fight and fulfill his obligation, just as he'd expect us to fulfill our obligation," Fertitta told Cagewriter. "He is, to some extent, still a draw. An interesting fight we'd like to make, one we've talked about, would be him and Shogun. I think that would be an interesting fight. They're both coming off a loss, they have a history and they have both expressed interest in the fight in the past. That would round out things in an interesting way."

Jackson did a lot for the UFC and deserves to be recognized for that. His knockout of Chuck Liddell at UFC 71 on May 26, 2007 is one of the seminal moments in Zuffa history and won't soon been forgotten. His fight with Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92 was breathtaking.

He was one of the stalwarts of the PRIDE Fighting Championship and should be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame based upon his achievements in the two organizations.

That, though, is for the future. For the present, Jackson is complaining about his lot in life, which is particularly galling considering his recent performances.

It's time UFC president Dana White ended the circus and cut Jackson.

Maybe that will make him happy.

Jackson only wants guys who will engage him in a slugfest and he wants to be hailed as a conquering hero for doing it. So maybe nothing will make him happy, because that's not life in one of the hottest divisions in MMA.

Perhaps Jackson will be energized fighting for Bellator or some other promotion. Perhaps he'll get back to being the fighter he was when he was an absolute can't miss.

It's debatable, but there is one thing that absolutely, unequivocally not:

The fight with Rua would be fascinating, but the time has come for the UFC to sever its ties with him.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/time-come-ufc-rampage-jackson-part-ways-223818298.html

Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida 

Dana White?s video blog goes explains TUF and McCall/Johnson draw

Dana White's latest video blog answers many of your questions about the latest season "The Ultimate Fighter," including how last season's premiere was very different from the rest of the season will run. You'll also see that the UFC championship belts are sharp.

It also takes you behind the scenes in Australia, including the Ian McCall/Demetrious Johnson debacle. The two are expected to rematch at the TUF finale in June. You'll get to see White tell McCall and Johnson separately about the draw.

As always, plenty of NSFW language when White is involved.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/dana-white-video-blog-goes-explains-tuf-mccall-135113490.html

Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah  Terrance Aflague

Time has come for UFC and Rampage Jackson to part ways

(Updated with comment from UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta at 7:47:42 ET on March 13, 2012)

There is a simple solution to the Quinton "Rampage" Jackson mess that, for some reason, is apparently being overlooked.

Cut him.

The UFC ought to sever ties with its mercurial former light heavyweight champion as quickly and completely as possible.

There is no good being done for any side in this equation by forcing an unhappy Jackson to fight the final bout on his UFC contract.

It certainly won't do Jackson any good to hang around. He's apparently had it with the UFC and has complained about the opponents matchmaker Joe Silva has picked for him to fight, his pay, and the seeming lack of gratitude UFC officials have shown him for fighting while injured.

Speaking to Bas Rutten on HDNet's "Inside MMA," Jackson said he is displeased that the UFC is matching him with wrestlers who don't want to fight. Four of his last five opponents were wrestlers, but there's more to the story than just the UFC putting him in against wrestlers.

On May 29, 2010, he lost to Rashad Evans in a battle for the No. 1 contender's spot at 205. He came back at UFC 123 on Nov. 20, 2010 with a win over karate expert Lyoto Machida in a battle between former champions looking to get back into the mix.

Next up, at UFC 130, was wrestler Matt Hamill on May 28, after a series of potential other opponents fell through. Beating Hamill earned (got?) Jackson a title shot against wrestler Jon Jones at UFC 135 on Sept. 24. After being submitted by Jones, the UFC put Jackson in against wrestler Ryan Bader on Feb. 26 at UFC 144 in Japan.

Jackson missed weight by five pounds in Japan, pointing to a knee injury suffered in training. He could have pulled out, but was so desperate to fight in Japan that he remained on the card. That was his choice, but now we're supposed to shower him with thanks because he did what nearly every one of his peers do every time they compete and went out and fought hurt?

Please.

Cutting Jackson would be the wise move for all parties, because Jackson clearly doesn't want to be around, he's no longer a particularly exciting fighter and all the attention being paid to his complaints takes attention away from those who could use it.

UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta said the company would not cut Jackson and said it would like to match him in the summer with former champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. He said he disagrees with Jackson's complaints, but said "he's entitled to his opinion."

"He has one more fight on his contract and our position is that he's contractually obligated to take a fight and fulfill his obligation, just as he'd expect us to fulfill our obligation," Fertitta told Cagewriter. "He is, to some extent, still a draw. An interesting fight we'd like to make, one we've talked about, would be him and Shogun. I think that would be an interesting fight. They're both coming off a loss, they have a history and they have both expressed interest in the fight in the past. That would round out things in an interesting way."

Jackson did a lot for the UFC and deserves to be recognized for that. His knockout of Chuck Liddell at UFC 71 on May 26, 2007 is one of the seminal moments in Zuffa history and won't soon been forgotten. His fight with Wanderlei Silva at UFC 92 was breathtaking.

He was one of the stalwarts of the PRIDE Fighting Championship and should be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame based upon his achievements in the two organizations.

That, though, is for the future. For the present, Jackson is complaining about his lot in life, which is particularly galling considering his recent performances.

It's time UFC president Dana White ended the circus and cut Jackson.

Maybe that will make him happy.

Jackson only wants guys who will engage him in a slugfest and he wants to be hailed as a conquering hero for doing it. So maybe nothing will make him happy, because that's not life in one of the hottest divisions in MMA.

Perhaps Jackson will be energized fighting for Bellator or some other promotion. Perhaps he'll get back to being the fighter he was when he was an absolute can't miss.

It's debatable, but there is one thing that absolutely, unequivocally not:

The fight with Rua would be fascinating, but the time has come for the UFC to sever its ties with him.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/time-come-ufc-rampage-jackson-part-ways-223818298.html

Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade 

Five to watch at NCAA Division I wrestling championships

The NCAA Division I wrestling national championships start on Thursday in St. Louis, and it will undoubtedly feature future stars of MMA. Randy Couture, Mark Munoz, Urijah Faber, Phil Davis, Ben Askren, Chael Sonnen, Tyron Woodley, Daniel Cormier, Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard, Josh Koscheck, Brock Lesnar and so many more familiar names from the fight world once wrestled in this tournament. MMA fans should tune in, so here's what you need to know.

Penn State has the ability to repeat as champions. They won the Big Ten title last week, but will have plenty of challengers. Minnesota won the dual meet championship earlier this year. Missouri won the Big 12 and was the only team in the country to qualify a wrestler at every weight class. (Ed. note -- GO TIGERS!) Cornell won their sixth straight EIWA title. Perennial powers Oklahoma State and Iowa will also be expected to challenge for a team trophy.

The 2012 field isn't as star-studded as some of the top wrestlers, like Mizzou's Dom Bradley, took a redshirt to focus on making the U.S. Olympic teams. Well known wrestlers like Anthony Robles and Bubba Jenkins from Arizona State and Jordan Burroughs from Nebraska have graduated. However, there are plenty of wrestlers to watch during the tournament.

Kyle Dake, Cornell: When Dake was a freshman, he wrestled at 141 lbs. and won a national championship. His sophomore year, he moved up at 149 lbs. again took home the title. This year, he is a junior and at 157 lbs. His goal is to keep the streak alive.

Ian Miller, Kent State: The freshman has taken the MAC by storm this season, going 28-3. He won the MAC at 149 lbs., and already has 11 pins and nine major decisions (winning by 8-14 points).

Frank Molinaro, Penn State: When you picture a wrestler in your mind, you are most likely picturing Molinaro. He's looking to become a four-time All-American and win his first championship in St. Louis this weekend and is the favorite at 149 lbs after winning the Big Ten title with a technical fall (winning by 15 points or more) in the finals.

Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State: The same school that produced Munoz, Cormier, Mo Lawal, Johny Hendricks and Shane Roller has another star in the making with Oliver, the returning national champ at 133 lbs. He won the Most Outstanding Wrestler award at the Big 12 tournament for plowing through competition and racking up bonus points. (Wrestlers earn their teams bonus points for winning by pin, technical fall or major decision.)

Zack Rey, Lehigh: As the returning champion at heavyweight, expectations will be high for Rey, who is known for having insane strength. He lost to American's Ryan Flores in a sudden victory match at the EIWA final, so he'll be on the lookout for revenge.

See a complete list of qualifiers and brackets here. The finals will air live on Saturday on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET. Other rounds will air on ESPNU, so check local listings. Also, follow me on Twitter for updates from the tournament.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/five-watch-ncaa-division-wrestling-championships-192840972.html

Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade