What are the high points of this video from NBC Sports? It isn’t the footage of BJ Penn and Sean Sherk delivering various beatdowns, though that’s pretty awesome. Instead it’s lines like this from Joe Rogan: “Sean Sherk does not like being belittled, he does not like being insulted.”

Which makes him different from every other human being I’ve ever met? I guess there are those people with some weird fetish who like to be told how worthless they are, but even they must get sick of it from time to time.

Don’t worry, though. Dana White has a gem of his own in here: “B.J. Penn will fight you for free in your backyard if you think you’re better than him. And if by some crazy chance you beat B.J. Penn, he’ll show up and knock on your door every day to fight you again to prove that he’s better than you.”

Man, that must get annoying for Matt Hughes.

Oh, and the “fight for free” part? Yeah, Dana. Maybe if you repeat it often enough it will come true.

There are few things Tito Ortiz likes better than talking about himself. All you have to do is ask and he’ll tell you all about his tremendous impact on the sport, his extraordinary ability, his legendary cardio — he’ll even start referring to himself in the third person if you’re lucky, which is a classic move for any egomaniac, just ask Rickey Henderson.

But lately Ortiz’s rhetoric seems to be outlandish even by his standards. First there was the “I feel like a slave” remark. Then he told MMA Mania that Georges St. Pierre was “very disgusted” with the UFC, which is kind of uncool if St. Pierre didn’t want that to be made public. But in a recent interview with MMA Madness things got weirder still when Ortiz began talking about his troubles with the UFC and his future outside the organization:

MMA Madness: Have your fans stayed loyal with your impending UFC retirement or have you seen some drop off the bandwagon?

Tito Ortiz: Actually, I’ve seen my fan base increase. They’ve seen the true colors of Dana and they’ve seen that I’m not the only one saying something. Many fighters - Randy [Couture], Tim [Sylvia] - are talking about what Dana has been doing. Fans want to support me no matter where I go.

…

MMA Madness: Which organizations are you interested in?

Tito Ortiz: Definitely EliteXC. Affliction seems to be building up well. And they just started with DREAM in Japan. Any organization that will respect me and promote me as the champion that I am.

I’m sorry, did he say champion? Of what?

Don’t get me wrong, Ortiz was a great fighter who really helped the UFC through some difficult times. He takes the sport seriously, seems to be a surprisingly successful businessman, and has an uncanny ability to remain relevant in this sport. But a champion he is not.

That’s no criticism of his skills, it’s just a statement of fact. He does not currently hold a championship title in any organization. If he means former champion, fine, he is that. If he’s trying to use the word “champion” as some kind of synonym for “really good” — the way you might refer to your college buddy Moose as a “champion” beer-pong player — fair enough, I’ll even go along with that. But that’s a dangerous game to start playing, for obvious reasons. Next thing you know half the light heavyweight division is referring to themselves as champions and demanding to be treated as such.

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Heads up, “Crush/Conviction/Beautiful Disaster” fans — Gina Carano will be featured on today’s ESPN E:60, which airs at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. A sample clip is above; after the jump is a recent American Gladiators promo where Crush reveals she prefers pizza to sushi, and can’t watch love scenes because she’s single and it’s hard to see other people in love. Awwww! :’ (

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This has already been getting some play on the forums, but for those weak bastards who haven’t joined yet, betting odds for UFC 84’s three marquee match-ups have been released. Shall we take a look?

BJ Penn (favorite) vs. Sean Sherk (underdog)
Our buds at BetUS have Penn as a -230 favorite (you’d have to bet $230 to win $100 back) with Sherk riding the +180 underdog line (a $100 bet would score you $180). Setting aside BJ’s current hype as one of the most talented fighters in the world, he really does hold an advantage over Sherk in every aspect other than conditioning; his standup is better, his submissions are much better, and he’s not going to let Sherk lie on top of him the entire fight. But Sherk’s undeniable talent and accomplishments are preventing oddsmakers from calling this any wider than it already is. If you want to make a high-percentage wager on the Prodigy, do so at BetUS. If you’re going for the longshot, throw down a bill on Sherk at PinnacleSports, where they’re giving the Muscle Shark a juicy +232 line.

Lyoto Machida (favorite) vs. Tito Ortiz (underdog)
BetUS says -220 for Machida and +175 for Ortiz, a slightly closer line than Penn/Sherk, owing partly to the fact that Machida still doesn’t have a win against a top-10 light heavyweight under his belt — not that Ortiz is top 10 anymore, but he could easily be Machida’s toughest challenge to date. Will the Dragon still stomp Ortiz? Yeah, pretty much. Ortiz may be a better wrestler, but that’s about it. Lyoto seems to come from the Anderson Silva school of well-rounded badasses with very few holes in their game, and he’s probably a lot more focused than the stretched-in-all-directions Ortiz, who can hopefully schedule some workouts between reality show appearances, t-shirt company management, sex with Jenna Jameson, and bitching about Dana White whenever there’s a microphone in the room. Pinnacle has Machida at a far more attractive -185, while Ortiz nut-huggers can squeeze a tiny bit more value out of their misguided bet at BetCris, where he’s +180.

Wanderlei Silva (favorite) vs. Keith Jardine (underdog)
Here, folks, is the only smart underdog bet of the lot. BetUs has Wandy as a -185 favorite with Jardine the ‘dog at +145. Look, we know the Axe Murderer was a killer in PRIDE — but he needs to win a couple in the Octagon to convince me that he’s just as fearsome over here. Take away the use of soccer kicks and knees to the head on the ground, biased refs and judges, matchmaking that had him go up against opponents that were tailor-made for his style, (*cough*steroids*cough*), and the confidence that comes from never losing, and we’re not even talking about the same guy anymore. Silva won’t be doing any axe-murdering at UFC 84 — he’s going to be fighting not to lose, and will come out a much more cautious, tentative version of himself. Meanwhile, Jardine is surely working on another great game-plan with Greg Jackson, knowing that if he pulls off another big win his title shot will be waiting. Great risk, great reward, etc. Pinnacle and Sportsbook have Jardine at a solid +150. I don’t think there’s enough value in a bet on Wanderlei, but if you disagree, Pinnacle and Bodog have him at a more reasonable -160.

(BG)

There are three basic types of MMA fans, in my experience: those who love pro wrestling, those who are more or less indifferent, and those who hate it unequivocally. Of course there’s some middle ground, but not much.

Pro wrestling is a lot like hot dogs in that sense. Either you can ignore the obvious problems and enjoy it, or you can’t – and by the time you’re an adult you’ve probably made up your mind where you stand on the issue.

But something is happening in the tenuous link between pro wrestling and MMA. Promoters on both sides are starting to see the potential for profitability by incorporating aspects of the other. Brock Lesnar found a big payday when he left the WWE for the UFC, while the Undertaker now dons MMA gloves and finishes fights with something resembling a gogoplata. Nobody tell Nick Diaz about that, by the way. It will only make him mad.

It’s nothing new for MMA fighters to decide they might be better served financially if they left real fighting for scripted competition. Ken Shamrock, Don Frye, and Josh Barnett (to name just a few) have all heard that particular siren’s song. But recently more pro wrestlers are starting to consider MMA as a career choice. Kurt Angle toyed with the idea, and Bobby Lashley is said to be doing the same.

The question is, does this represent a natural evolution, or a blurring of the lines between two very different sports? Is it a good idea for MMA to welcome more pro wrestlers into its ranks?

Consider the pros: wrestling has an enormous fan base. They pack arenas on a weekly basis and enjoy a type of fan loyalty that borders on fanaticism. It’s not far-fetched to think that a Brock Lesnar or a Bobby Lashley might get some of those fans to give MMA a chance, and when they do they might discover that real fighting is pretty entertaining too. More fans means bigger shows, which means more money, which – as the Notorious BIG reminds us – means more problems.

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Sean Sherk isn’t what most would call a fan favorite. Sure, he has his hardcore contingent of supporters, but even when he reigned as the UFC lightweight champ he faced criticism from detractors who found his style of fighting less than enthralling to watch. That criticism reached a fever pitch after a positive steroid test following his title defense against Hermes Franca last summer, which resulted in Sherk being stripped of the title.

“The Muscle Shark” has repeatedly professed his innocence on the steroid charge, filing an appeal with the CSAC and taking repeated polygraph tests to try and clear his name. Now the former UFC lightweight champion talks with Cage Potato about the steroid accusations, his attempts to prove his innocence, and the war of words with current title-holder B.J. Penn, as they prepare to meet in the Octagon at UFC 84.

CagePotato.com: So how’s training going? As we near the fight, are you backing off the really hard training?

Sean Sherk: No, I’m still training hard up until two days before the fight. Still doing everything I normally do, all the cardio, all the hard workouts. That’s the way I’ve always done it for over thirty fights. That’s the way we did it in wrestling and so that’s the way I’m used to doing it.

I imagine by this point you’re pretty sick of being asked about the positive steroid test.

No, I’m used to it. I kind of expect it now.

In that case, let’s get right into it. You’ve maintained your innocence throughout this whole thing. If you didn’t take steroids, what do you think caused the positive test?

I can’t say exactly why it came up positive, but I know that there were definitely some problems with the testing procedures at Quest Laboratories. The way they did their testing, there was some carryover in the machine from previous tests before they tested my sample.

That seems like a pretty big problem to me right there. If there’s carryover in the machine, should you use that machine to do that test? I wouldn’t think so. Their chain of custody was completely shot. They had no chain of custody. Those were the two main issues.

I tested all the supplements I was taking and I did find contamination in one of them, a testosterone booster. I don’t know if that caused it or not, but I was surprised to find contamination in a supplement like that.

Has that made you paranoid about taking supplements in general?

Oh yeah, for sure. I cut the amount of supplements I was taking in half. I was taking about 25 different supplements and I cut that in half. I still feel the same, so I didn’t really need to be taking all those supplements to begin with. I’m just hoping that by cutting my supplements I can decrease the risk of this happening again.

I didn’t know you could go into a store like a GNC and buy something that would have illegal stuff in it, but I guess you can. I was stunned. I didn’t know that. I’ve also started doing my own pre-testing, which I’ll do before every fight now just to be sure.

Even as you maintain your innocence, the court of public opinion in MMA seems to be largely against you. What do you think you could do to clear your name that would satisfy your detractors?

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If you’re planning on attending UFC 84 in person, there are at least two after parties scheduled with big names attached as hosts: You’ve got the UFC’s #1 ring girl Arianny Celeste making an appearance at Hawaiian Tropic Zone, and Dana White (no photo available) hosting the official “Ill Will” jammy-jam at Privé. In case you’re having trouble deciding, we’ll run it down for you.

Arianny’s party has an open vodka-bar for ladies until midnight (i.e., awesomely drunk girls); Privé offers no such hookup. Both clubs will surely feature hot bartenders, but the ones at Hawaiian Tropic Zone will all be wearing bikinis. When Arianny eventually shows up and makes her way to the velvet-roped VIP section, she’ll probably be rolling in with Edith Labelle, and their hot friends, and any fighters they’re friendly with (and Ariel Helwani, probably!). When Dana shows up just before closing time, he’ll be in a sour mood from whatever Tito’s post-fight t-shirt slogan is, and he’ll be trailed by the TUF 7 castoffs who followed him in just to kiss his ass. On the other hand, everybody wearing an Affliction shirt will be denied entrance at the UFC’s official afterparty, which could significantly decrease the douchebag ratio.

Questions?

“Ross Pointon by heel hook” sounds like an MMA forum punchline, but on Saturday night it became all too real as Pointon put on a ghetto jiu-jitsu clinic against the dumbfounded Ross Mason. Here’s the video, which ends with the 6-10 Pointon requesting — nay, demanding — that he be given a championship belt. After the jump: Badass middle-aged man Ian Freeman’s three-round domination of Paul Cahoon.

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You heard it here first, even if some of you didn’t believe us. The UFC and Spike TV today officially announced UFC heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and former title-holder Frank Mir as coaches for season eight of The Ultimate Fighter. Production is scheduled to begin in late May, and the full cast — eight lightweights and eight light heavyweights — is expected to be announced in September.

Of course this means Mir will be the next challenger for the heavyweight strap once the show ends, assuming tradition is any indicator. Since the UFC hasn’t changed much else about the show (aside from, you know, weeding out the “pussies and posers”), it’s reasonable to assume the coach-versus-coach pay-per-view climax will also stay intact.

Some in the MMA media have criticized the decision to name Nogueira, who can be less than electrifying in interviews, and Mir, who has been up and down since returning from a motorcycle injury, as coaches. But as the UFC struggles to develop new talent in the heavyweight division, while simultaneously trying to introduce their soft-spoken Brazilian champion to an American audience, this decision could really help them do both.

Nogueira is no “Rampage” on the microphone, but he does have a wealth of knowledge about MMA and jiu-jitsu, so he could easily be portrayed as the learned veteran who observes much and says little. Kind of like Yoda, but with a better butterfly guard.

As for Mir, he’s likable enough when he shows up in shape and ready to fight. He has excellent jiu-jitsu skills and great agility, so a showdown between Mir and Nogueira has the potential to be an intriguing style matchup.

This also means the heavyweight title will be out of circulation for a while, but considering the state of the division right now that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After the departure of Couture and Sylvia, and with Arlovski rumored to be fleeing for Affliction, the heavyweight class is arguably the UFC’s weakest right now. Taking some time to hype their champion and a number one contender — all while guys like Brock Lesnar, Brandon Vera, and Cain Velasquez get a chance to show what they can do — might be the best move for the UFC going forward.

And if you’re wondering what vindication tastes like, we assure you that it’s so very, very sweet.

Monte Cox is a busy man. With his own MMA organization, Adrenaline, set to put on their first show on June 14th, and with many of the high-profile fighters that he manages facing some interesting career decisions, he’s in no danger of getting bored.

Cage Potato got in touch with Cox earlier today to discuss rumors that Ben Rothwell would be facing Andrei Arlovski in the upcoming Affliction event, and after a little prodding we got much more than we expected from MMA’s super-manager, as he discussed a range of topics, from the chances of success for Affliction to the problems plaguing MMA organizations on the whole.

CagePotato.com: So Monte, what can you tell me about Ben Rothwell and Andrei Arlovski?

Well, they’re both heavyweights.

Thanks. Are they going to be heavyweights who fight each other in this upcoming Affliction show?

The only thing I can say is Rothwell is going to fight in Affliction. It’s up to them who he fights. I’d love it to be Andrei, but they’re the ones who ultimately get to make that decision. They had at one point talked about having Ben fight Aleksander Emelianenko, and then of course they talked about Andrei, but I don’t know what his contract status is. He was supposed to be free from his UFC contract on May 1, but I honestly don’t know if it will be Ben and Andrei fighting in that show. [Affliction] is supposed to have a press conference in the next week or two to announce some of that, but I honestly can’t say at this point.

It seems like having guys like Rothwell and Tim Sylvia signed to Adrenaline, your organization, and having them also fight in Affliction makes it difficult for you to schedule your events.

A little bit, but I said from the beginning that we were going to be a different type of organization. One of those main differences is we allow our fighters to fight other places. If one of our guys gets a good opportunity somewhere else, then we don’t want to keep him from that. It doesn’t help anyone.

The rumors have been flying about how much Affliction is spending on this first show. Since you manage a couple of the guys who are fighting in it, what can you tell us about the amount of money they’re spending? Some estimates have it at $6 million. Do you think that’s accurate?

I really can’t say what they’re paying out. The only people I know about are my guys, but if everything I’ve heard is correct they’ll have one of the biggest fighter payouts in history.

Is that a cause for concern about their long-term viability? How long can they keep shelling out that kind of money?

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