UFC Fighter Ivan Menjivar to Run for Public Office in Quebec

UFC bantamweight and longtime MMA veteran Ivan Menjivar announced today that he intends to run for public office in Quebec.  The 30-year-old Menjivar, who was born in El Salvador but has resided in Canada for most of his life, will be seeking a legislative position with the National Assembly of Quebec, under the "Parti de la Classe Moyenne du Quebec" (translation: Party of the Middle Class of Quebec, or PCMQ) in the Anjou-Louis-Riel district.

Said Menjivar via Twitter:

Je suis fier de porte ma candidature pour la circonscription Anjou-Louis-Riel.  Comme member du Parti de la Classe Moyenne du Quebec!  (Loose translation: "I am proud to carry the nomination for the Anjou-Louis-Riel district as a member of the Party of the Middle Class of Quebec!")

À touts mes amis facebookys s.v.p passe le mots: je suis candidat pour le PCMQ pour Anjou-Louis-Riel merci.  (Loose translation: "To all my Facebookys please pass the word: I am a candidate for the PCMQ for Anjou-Louis-Riel.  Thanks.")

Menjivar further stated that his platform includes addressing the war on corruption and the ethics of political parties, as well as the improvement of the health care system and access to a family doctor.

A brown belt in jiu-jitsu and member of the famed Tristar Gym in Montreal, Menjivar has long been known as a competitor who is unafraid of facing tough challenges, and can count among his past opponents such MMA stars as UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre, former UFC featherweight champ Urijah Faber, and former UFC welterweight champ Matt Serra.  Menjivar made his UFC debut at UFC 48, which took place on June 19, 2004.  Since returning to the Octagon after a nearly seven-year hiatus, Menjivar has won four out of five fights. 

Menjivar is not the first accomplished mixed martial artist to run for office.  Other notable pugilistic politicians include: top middleweight contender Chael Sonnen, who ran for a position in the Oregon State Legislature; former top middleweight contender Matt Lindland, who also sought a position in the Oregon State Legislature; and retired UFC welterweight Chris Lytle, who ran in the Indiana State Senate race.  None were successful.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-fighter-ivan-menjivar-run-public-office-quebec-190556392--mma.html

Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio

Jon Fitch, Nate Diaz, UFC 150: The Morning News Roundup ? 8.8.12

As the saying goes, it's all about the Benjamins ? which, if my handy "Biggie Smalls Street Vernacular Dictionary ? Volume 2" is accurate, means it's ultimately all about money.  Money is what fighters get when they take the biggest fights, sign the fattest contracts, and build up the most hype for whatever bouts they have scheduled for that week.  And hey, that's not a bad thing.  Fighting is a job, and the UFC is the top employer in the field, so why not make that wampum while you can?  Anyway, all this should clue you in on what today's morning news roundup is about: money.

  • UFC welterweight Jon Fitch really wants out of his rumored bout against Brazilian Erick Silva at UFC 153 ? or at least, he would much rather have a rematch with Hawaiian fighting legend B.J. Penn.  Case in point: the disingenuous-seeming trash-talk Fitch is spewing.  I don't think Penn is a coward, most (if not all) of the world doesn't think Penn is a coward, and I seriously doubt Fitch truly thinks Penn is a coward.  But Fitch knows a fight with Penn could have a bigger bottom line, so here come the harsh words!

 

  • UFC lightweight contender Nate Diaz is holding a pen, and the tip of that pen is hovering over a new contract that UFC president Dana White has unfurled and flattened on the table.  Seems like a no-brainer that he sticks with the UFC, no?  I mean, where else is he going to go?  The Strikeforce lightweight champ is his buddy, and for him to go to Bellator, he'd have to sit on the shelf for a while.

 

  • The media call for UFC 150 was yesterday and MMAWeekly's got the audio.  Personally, media calls are all the same to me ? the same spoon-fed hype and storylines, the same questions, the same faux-excitement.  They're just something that's done to drive media (and, subsequently, fan) interest, which presumably fuels pay-per-view sales.  The only time media calls are interesting is when PRIDE FC champ Fedor Emelianenko and his manager Vadim Finkelstein are on the line and we hear goats and water splashing and all sorts of weird stuff in the background (which actually happened once).

 

  • The folks at the UFC are helping erect a LGBTQ community center in Las Vegas, N.V., which is a pretty altruistic thing to do if you ask me.  MMAJunkie's got the quote from UFC executive Reed Harris:

"The UFC supports many worthwhile causes, and the Gay and Lesbian Community Center's goals of supporting human rights and offering programs for health and wellness are important causes that the entire UFC organization supports," Harris told MMAJunkie.com.  "We are pleased to be able to show support for an organization that offers health and wellness programs and seeks to better our community."

This little tidbit has nothing to do with money, but it's a good deed that deserves some recognition.

That's all for now.  Now, please, just leave me alone.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/jon-fitch-nate-diaz-ufc-150-morning-news-122124512--mma.html

Gilbert Aldana  José Aldo  John Alessio  Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida 

Breaking Rules with Frank Shamrock, Luke Rockhold, and Tim Kennedy - Strikeforce

What's an MMA promotion without a villain? Veteran fighter Frank Shamrock gives a crash course in evil to two of the sport's nicest guys: Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy.

Source: http://mmalice.com/strikeforce/breaking-rules-with-frank-shamrock-luke-rockhold-and-tim-kennedy-video_b09d5144c.html

Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe

Dana White?s VLOG, Demian Maia, Joe Lauzon: Morning News Roundup ? 8.1.12

What you see on television during a UFC broadcast is pretty cool, but what goes on backstage, away from the lights and the cameras, is so real and fascinating that it's practically another beast entirely.  I've been credentialed for 17 UFCs, and though the last one I went to was UFC 55 (back in 2005), the access to the area behind the curtain - where the fighters are either mentally preparing themselves for combat or dealing with its after effects, and where the emotion is a thousand times more true and raw - was totally and completely money.  I say all this because leading off today's news roundup is UFC president Dana White's latest video blog, which is the opening salvo in hyping UFC on FOX 4, but contains some sweet behind-the-scenes stuff on UFC 149. 

 

  • Go here for White's first UFC on FOX 4 video blog.  Things to note include: UFC commentator Joe Rogan rapping with Ryan Jimmo and White coming by to congratulate Jimmo on his ultra-fast KO victory (and White blaming the referee for not being able to stop the fight faster, thereby preventing Jimmo from setting a new record); Matt Riddle giving opponent Chris Clements some post-fight kudos and looking like Shaggy from Scooby-Doo; a very bummed Brian Ebersole; and, former featherweight champ Urijah Faber, battered and bruised and in pain, but still a great sportsman and heaping praise on the man who just beat him, Renan Barao.

 

  • Brazilian Demian Maia is looking good so far in his new weightclass, so the middleweight-turned-welterweight gets a step up in competition for UFC 153 (which will take place in Brazil in October).  His opponent: Rick Story.   If you'll recall, Maia defeated Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 148 when Kim gave up due to a rib injury incurred earlier in the bout; methinks Story ain't going out like that.  Nope, not at all.  Maia is in for a fight.

 

  • According to Dana White, whoever looks the best in victory at UFC on FOX 4 on Saturday night gets the next shot at the light-heavyweight champ down the line.  Well, you can count Joe Lauzon out.  Said the lightweight fighter via Twitter:

So, @danawhite said whoever wins most impressively Saturday at #UFConFox gets a shot at @JonnyBones... I'm preemptively forfeiting my shot. 

You know, we laugh, but if this were PRIDE in Japan, Lauzon could very well end up having to fight Jon Jones.

That's all for now.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/dana-white-vlog-demian-maia-joe-lauzon-morning-135632101--mma.html

Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi  Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah 

Lyoto Machida, Shogun, Joe Lauzon: The UFC on FOX 4 Postscript

Now that the dust has settled on UFC on FOX 4, it's time for measured, analytical observations derived from the data gleaned from watching a bunch of high-level fighters try to take each other's heads off. Wait, did I say "measured, analytical observations"? Ha.  I've been told my post-fight stuff is best described as "jibba-jabba", so maybe you should be the judge.

  • When it came down to trying to "impress" their way into a shot at the UFC light-heavyweight belt, former champ Lyoto Machida sure did it with his slick KO of TUF winner Ryan Bader. You know who did the exact opposite of "impress"? Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Sure, Brandon Vera fought hard and fought better than we've seen him do in ages, but Shogun looked nothing like the guy that wrecked Forrest Griffin and Machida in their rematch. If anything, Shogun looked? old.  All those wars have taken their toll.
  • [Kevin Iole: Machida stands out, earns title shot at UFC on Fox 4]

  • Where does Bader go from here? A definitive loss to Tito Ortiz and now to Machida has put him firmly in the realm of "I Shall Never Be Champ". Should Bader consign himself to be the official gatekeeper of the 205-pound weight class? He's tough, skilled and dangerous, he's just not there yet in terms of challenger for the belt, and it's possible he'll never get there.
  • Two judges had it at one round apiece for Joe Lauzon and Jamie Varner going into the third round of their fight, while one judge had Rounds One and Two for Varner.  What that means is, if Lauzon had never gotten that submission, but kept up the intensity, he would've likely taken the split decision.  What THAT means is that even on short notice, Varner was able to deliver the goods against a pretty damn decent opponent.  There will always be a place for Lauzon in the Octagon, as evidenced by the obscene amount of Fight of the Night dough he's gotten over the years; however, there's a spot there for Varner, too.  Whatever corner he's turned in his career seems to have made him someone worth paying attention to.
  • [Related: Heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos calls out noisy rival]

  • I said before that Mike Swick scoffed at the concept of "ring rust" with his performance against Damarques Johnson, and I still stand by that statement. In fact, I'd hazard to guess that Swick's next venture into the cage will be even more impressive, as he will be even further re-acclimated to competition. In other words, yo, Swick's next opponent ? watch out!
  • Cole Miller is now 0-2 as a featherweight, but I thought he gave Nam Phan a heck of a fight. He just fought someone who was probably slightly better than him on the ground (jiu-jitsu black belt vs. brown belt), and who was definitely more seasoned with their hands. Miller should give the 145-pound weight class another shot. That insane height and reach advantage has got to pay off eventually.
  • Whatever was holding Josh Grispi back is still there, preventing him from realizing the potential we'd seen when he was rocketing up the ranks. With the loss to Rani Yahya ? in a bout that hardly seemed competitive ? Grispi should be sent back to the minor leagues to iron out what's wrong. He's got all the talent in the world, he's just not pulling the trigger.
  • Oli Thompson looked perfect for the next Bellator heavyweight tournament.  I hope they can find him a slot in it.

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Jeff Passan: The 10 best contracts in baseball
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? Adrian Wojnarowski: Kobe Bryant open to ending career in Europe

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/lyoto-machida-shogun-joe-lauzon-ufc-fox-4-142138047--mma.html

Matt Andersen  Alex Andrade  Jermaine Andrè  Yoji Anjo  Tank Abbott

Frank Mir, the Strikeforce Crossover, and Who Should Be Next

Former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir has done us all a great service by agreeing to meet Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand-Prix winner Daniel Cormier in the Strikeforce cage this fall.  After all, the other opponents rumored to have been under consideration ? Tim Sylvia, Josh Barnett (again), KJ Noons sitting on Ryan Couture's shoulders ? weren't really options at all, and who else is there on the Strikeforce roster to challenge Cormier?  The answer is no one, and with Mir shucking the bonds of the UFC for a one-time-only crossover bout, we get to have a match-up that's compelling on paper and will likely be very fun to watch. 

However, the move doesn't address the other glaring holes that need to be filled in the roster of the House That Scott Coker Built.  Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez has beaten everyone that matters in his division, middleweight champ Luke Rockhold is without a worthy foe, and gosh darn it, you can only spread Keith Jardine so thin.  So who else should the UFC send over to fill Strikeforce's ranks?  Sure, the dough and exposure is nowhere near as great compared to what you get for fighting in the Octagon, but look at Nate Marquardt.  The ex-UFC welterweight waltzed in, put up a heck of a fight against Tyron Woodley, and is now the owner of a shiny new belt.  For the fighters, there is certainly value in crossing over.  Here, then, is a list of fighters on the UFC roster who could be prime candidates for taking the Strikeforce fieldtrip.  It is by no means complete ? please, feel free to add to them in the comments.  And if you disagree with my suggestions? picture me sad.  So very sad.

 

  • Evan Dunham ? At one time, the word on the street was that the brass wanted B.J. Penn to take on Melendez in Strikeforce.  But Penn is too much of a viable pay-per-view commodity, and it would've been senseless to waste him on the subscription-based channel Showtime.  Evan Dunham, though, is another story entirely.  The jiu-jitsu specialist had a pretty good win streak going before he was outpointed by Sean Sherk at UFC 119 and smashed by Melvin Guillard at UFC: Fight for the Troops 2, and his well-rounded skills could conceivably give Melendez fits no matter where the fight goes.

 

  • Clay Guida ? Fast, frenetic, and fun when he wants to be (i.e., when he's not running away for five rounds), Clay Guida could definitely make Melendez miserable in the cage.  Besides, what's left for him in the UFC?  It would take Ben Henderson, Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz all slipping on banana peels and breaking their legs before Guida could come close to tasting championship glory.

  • Gray Maynard ? As a former "wrestling man-blanket" turned "dangerous slugger", Gray Maynard could stuff Melendez's takedowns, squash his jiu-jitsu, and hit "El Nino" so hard his pet parrot dies.  Also, what else is the UFC going to do with Maynard?  If Edgar reclaims the lightweight championship from Henderson, watching Maynard and Edgar go at it once more is about as palatable as a plate of dirt. 

 

  • Thiago Alves ? Once upon a time, Thiago Alves was in contention for the UFC welterweight title.  Those days are gone now, but that doesn't mean that Alves isn't skilled and dangerous enough to make waves among Strikeforce's welterweights.  Maybe, maybe Woodley could hold Alves down for three rounds.  Maybe not, though, and Alves is just capable enough to beat him and beat Marquardt and take the belt.

 

  • Jon Fitch ? UFC welterweight king Georges St. Pierre mauled him, Johny Hendricks KO'd him, and he drew with Penn.  However, other than that, Jon Fitch's run in the Octagon has been flawless.  Boring, but flawless.  Do you think Marquardt can prevent Fitch from hugging him to death?  I don't.  And I'd wager that once Fitch stepped into the cage to face Woodley, the two would stare at each other for a full fifteen minutes, unsure of what to do.

 

  • Chris Leben ? UFC middleweight stud Chris Leben is good for about two or three fights a year before his annual steroid suspension forces him to sit on the sidelines, so why not let him do those bouts in Strikeforce?  In terms of skill set, he's got enough grappling to keep Rockhold from really hurting him.  As for his striking? yeah, no way could Rockhold eat one of those concrete fists and survive.

 

  • Vladimir Matyushenko ? Look, it's not like any of the Strikeforce light-heavyweights can hold onto the belt for any length of time, but it's boring watching the same three guys fight for it over and over again.  Put Vladimir Matyushenko in there against Mike Kyle, Gegard Mousasi and Rafael Cavalcante and let's see where it goes. 

 

Jim Genia gets his tweet on here.  Giddyup.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/frank-mir-strikeforce-crossover-next-191308784--mma.html

Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida  Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves  Andre Amade 

Breaking Rules with Frank Shamrock, Luke Rockhold, and Tim Kennedy - Strikeforce

What's an MMA promotion without a villain? Veteran fighter Frank Shamrock gives a crash course in evil to two of the sport's nicest guys: Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy.

Source: http://mmalice.com/strikeforce/breaking-rules-with-frank-shamrock-luke-rockhold-and-tim-kennedy-video_b09d5144c.html

Andre Amade  Dean Amasinger  Jimmy Ambriz Matt Andersen  Alex AndradeÂ