Friday, August 7 7:30 pm PT: Because some fighters have more to lose than others.
Anderson Silva: Back-to-back insomnia solutions ported Silva from professor to pariah overnight. If he finds a way to behave eccentrically against Forrest Griffin, the UFC is going to have to consider arming his next opponent.
Jeff Curran: The WEC featherweight has lost three straight bouts against stiff competition: if he can’t chamber a new career at 135 lbs. against Takeya Mizugaki, he’s probably due for the Phone Call.â„¢
PHILADELPHIA -- Kenny Florian stood face-to-face with UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn after weighing in Friday for their lightweight title match, and he came away questioning the emotion displayed by his Hawaiian foe.
“His intensity seemed forced, and he seemed a little small,” said the challenger from Dover, Mass. “I am ready to go five five-minute rounds, and we will see tomorrow night if he is ready too.”
Friday, August 7 2:36 pm PT: Dana White took questions for an hour Friday from UFC Fight Club members. Quick quotes and notes from Philadelphia by Greg Savage and Joe Hall:
• On Josh Barnett or Frank Shamrock returning to the UFC: “Josh Barnett’s going to be a tough one. … I made up with Tito; maybe I can make up with Frank.”
• On Pride fights airing on Spike: Best of Pride show will air in January. “We have to make a lot of money to make up for what we paid for that f--ker.”
• On Brock Lesnar’s post-fight behavior: “Brock is a different kind of guy. … I don’t tell anybody how to act unless they go over the line. … He’s a little rough around the edges.” Also said MMA is full of sportsmanship, but you can’t fit all fighters into one mold.
Friday, August 7 1:00 pm PT: What’s far more dangerous than a professional mixed martial arts
fight? Weighing in for one. Don’t forget to join us at approximately 4
p.m. ET today for updates, reactions and uncomfortable analysis of
dehydrated abdominal walls in the build-up to Saturday’s UFC 101 event
from Philadelphia.
4:23 p.m. ET -- B.J. Penn vs. Kenny Florian
“For the UFC light heavyweight lightweight championship,” Rogan says.
Florian is 155. No shock there. Florian looks like Florian. Penn looks
lean at 155 even. Kenny may have the bigger head. If any of this
information helps you make a more informed gambling decision, you're
welcome.
Friday, August 7 12:48 pm PT: If you're unable to watch the UFC 101 weigh-in stream, Sherdog.com has you covered with live results as the fighters take to the scales.
Friday, August 7 9:42 am PT: Anderson Silva seems much more intrigued with a future at 205 than one at 185, where he holds the UFC title.
Twice on Thursday Dana White relayed Silva’s stated interest in more matchups at light heavyweight if he beats Forrest Griffin this weekend, though the Brazilian would also defend at 185 as well. A quick roster scan for opponents, however far down the line, shows possibilities such as Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans, Chuck Liddell (should he fight again), Randy Couture (should he try 205 again). There’s also former teammates Mauricio Rua and Wanderlei Silva (though a bout with Wandy could come at 185, 195, 205 or maybe 385).
Then there’s the light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida.
Machida, unlike former Chute Boxers, is a good friend of Silva’s. He’s also an occasional training partner. Zuffa has spoken forcefully about making dream matchups happen regardless of such friendships, but could Silva-Machida really come together?
Friday, August 7 8:09 am PT: Mark DellaGrotte has emerged as one of the premier trainers in mixed martial arts. His star pupil, Kenny Florian, takes on B.J. Penn in the UFC 101 main event, but DellaGrotte is also looking forward to the 205-pound matchup between Anderson Silva and Forrest Griffin. Sherdog.com caught up with him in Philadelphia for a quick breakdown:
“I think if there’s one person that can make Anderson fight the way we want to see Anderson fight, it’s Forrest Griffin,” DellaGrotte said. “I don’t think you can get in there and keep a game plan together too long with somebody like Forrest coming at you. He’s going to push the pace.
Friday, August 7 12:10 am PT: The vitriol Dana White shot Strikeforce’s way Thursday came after he was asked about Strikeforce’s new star, Fedor Emelianenko.
White guaranteed that the deal Fedor signed with Strikeforce is not in the “same universe” as what the UFC offered him. The exact details of the UFC proposal remain unknown. M-1 Global continues adamant denial that Fedor was offered anything close to $30 million for six fights, and when you try to account for who’s saying what and then who’s talking about guaranteed versus potential money, the picture gets even murkier.
Still, the MMA world heard some figures. The question came up Thursday whether the numbers could backfire against the UFC, which is typically tightlipped about fighter pay.
Friday, August 7 12:05 am PT: To watch Anderson Silva glancing up at the giant screens that surround the Octagon venue to see the time he has remaining is an easily-ignored bit of ring strategizing.
But if you listen to Silva talk, you may begin to view it as a metaphor for the dwindling days of his career.
Silva has been vocal about his obsession with the finish line. He has four fights remaining on his UFC contract, and most expect him to either follow Roy Jones Jr. into a gymnasium unannounced or happily corral his children in Curitiba, seen only as background detail during the bouts of his friends and training partners. Already, his legacy weighs so heavily on his shoulders that he risked nothing in contests against Thales Leites and Patrick Cote.
