Goran Reljic

('Khaaaaaaannn!')

Wilson Gouveia’s rise through the UFC middleweight ranks was slowed last May when Octagon newcomer Goran Reljic staged a come-from-behind victory via second-round TKO.  For Gouveia the loss was the direct result of a very specific mistake on his part, and one he’s vowed to learn from but never to repeat as he heads into his UFC 95 bout with Nate Marquardt.

CagePotato.com: Thanks for talking with me, Wilson.  How is your preparation coming for the fight with Nate Marquardt?

The training has been very intense.  I’m taking this fight very seriously.  I think it’s going to be the most important fight of my career so far.  Right now I feel very good.  I’m in great condition, no injuries, just ready to go.

Are you doing anything specifically to prepare for him?

Not really, to tell the truth.  In all my fights I try to be prepared for everything.  With Nate it’s no different.  He’s a pretty well-rounded fighter.  He’s good at everything.  I have to try and be prepared for the worst-case scenario.  He’s a good wrestler.  He’s got better takedowns than me.  I’ve been training a lot of jiu-jitsu off my back, a lot of stand-up.  

I think he’s good in everything, but I don’t think he’s great in anything.  I think his jiu-jitsu is good, but it’s not amazing.  His wrestling, I think, is his greatest strength.  But even with that, I don’t think he’s the best wrestler in the UFC.  His striking is good, but if you watch his last fight with [Martin] Kampmann, he spent like ten or more punches to put him away.  I really don’t need ten punches to put someone away.  I just need one.

You were on a good roll in the UFC until your loss to Goran Reljic.  What do you think went wrong for you in that fight?

(Does Aquaman get laid? You better believe it.)

Yesterday MMA Fanhouse located a story from a Croatian newspaper that detailed undefeated UFC middleweight Goran Reljic's heroic rescue of two men who had accidentally driven their car into the Adriatic Sea (it happens, okay?). Apparently Reljic had been asleep when he heard the crash, then jumped in the ocean, smashed the car window with his fist, and pulled the two men out. Oh yeah, and he did it despite the back injury that caused him to pull out of a bout with Thales Leites at UFC 90. Just to make things more interesting.

This, it seemed, was an uncommonly brave act. Except that it wasn't so uncommon. At least not for Reljic. According to a story on UFC.com today, it wasn't the first time he had saved someone from the death trap that is the Adriatic:

"Actually this is second time that I know Goran saved a life in the water,” [Reljic’s manager, Zoran Saric] recalled. “Two years ago, he jumped into a wild storm near the cliffs in the Adriatic Sea, where a person was swimming and trying to get out the water, but the waves and current were so strong that they were pulling the person back in. I have no idea how Goran managed to pull that person out of the sea, but he did it."

The section of that quote I'd like to highlight is "this is the second time that I know." That's fairly open-ended. For all we know, Reljic does this all the time.

In fact, I did a little research, and on nights when Reljic has a fight, statistics show that drowning deaths in the Adriatic Sea increase by 175%. Okay, that's not true at all. Like I'm about to do any research. Come on. But the point is, if you're planning on dicking around anywhere in or around the Adriatic Sea, it's best to check the UFC schedule to see if Goran Reljic will be free that day, just as a precaution.

($225,000: Enough to buy a new pickup truck and a healthy white baby.)

Official salary and bonus numbers for UFC 84's fighters have been released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Here's how the guys stacked up:

B.J. Penn: $250,000 ($125,000 to show, $125,000 to win)
Wanderlei Silva: $225,000 ($150,000 to show*, $75,000 for Knockout of the Night)
Tito Ortiz: $210,000
Lyoto Machida: $100,000 ($50,000 to show, $50,000 to win)
Wilson Gouveia: $93,000 ($18,000 to show, $75,000 for Fight of the Night)
Rousimar Palhares: $85,000 ($5,000 to show, $5,000 to win, $75,000 for Submission of the Night)
Goran Reljic: $81,000 ($3,000 to show, $3,000 to win, $75,000 for Fight of the Night)
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou: $80,000 ($40,000 to show, $40,000 to win)
Thiago Silva: $50,000 ($25,000 to show, $25,000 to win)
Rich Clementi: $40,000 ($20,000 to show, $20,000 to win)
Dong Hyun Kim: $40,000 ($20,000 to show, $20,000 to win)
Sean Sherk: $35,000
Kazuhiro Nakamura: $20,000
Ivan Salaverry: $20,000
Shane Carwin: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)
Yoshiyuki Yoshida: $12,000 ($6,000 to show, $6,000 to win)
Terry Etim: $10,000
Keith Jardine: $10,000
Christian Wellisch: $10,000
Jon Koppenhaver: $8,000
Antonio Mendes: $4,000
Jason Tan: $3,000
* Wanderlei Silva's guaranteed $150,000 salary doesn't depend on a win bonus.

Overpaid: Wilson Gouveia. Looking back on UFC 84 a year from now, is the two-round almost-war between Gouveia and Goran Reljic going to be remembered by anyone? Yes, Reljic's relentless left head-kicks were pretty, but Gouveia should have eventually figured out that they were coming. (For us, the presence of Mirko Cro Cop in Reljic's corner was the early tip-off.)

Underpaid: A lot of people — particularly Shane Carwin, whose Knockout of the Night bonus was robbed from him by Wanderlei Silva. The way I saw it, Carwin's single-punch, mouthpiece-ejecting KO of Christian Wellisch was more deserving then Wandy's slightly more prolonged ground-and-pound TKO of Jardine, and Carwin could probably use the money more. Other than that, what the fuck is up with the UFC's newcomers making three, four, and six thousand dollars to show? Goddamned slave wages. The UFC made $3.7 million off of "Ill Will"'s gate; they could certainly afford to establish a minimum base salary of $10,000 for their fighters if they wanted to.

Get 'em while they last...

BJ Penn vs. Sean Sherk

Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine (Knockout of the Night)

Rousimar Palhares vs. Ivan Salaverry (Submission of the Night)

(Wilson Gouveia in at UFC 84.)

Some fight cards saw additions today, one scheduled for May and the other just three weeks away.

-UFC 84: MMA Junkie reports that the newly signed Goran Reljic will start his work for the UFC on May 24th against Wilson Gouveia. Reljic is a Croatian light heavyweight who is a BJJ specialist and occasionally trains with Roger Gracie in the U.K. The Croatian fighter signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC last month and will try to improve on his 7-0 MMA record. Wilson Gouveia is 10-4 and is riding a four fight win streak. He most recently pulled off an out-of-nowhere KO of Jason Lambert during UFC 80.

-Strikeforce at the Dome: This Tacoma, Washington event is being hyped as Bob Sapp's cagefighting debut - because he's actually fighting in a cage. Clever. Regardless of the walking punch-line Bob Sapp, there are some solid up-and-comers and veterans on the card. And now two more bouts have been added. Sherdog is saying that Jorge Masvidal and Ryan Healy will meet on February 23rd at a catch-weight of 160. Ryan Healy is 9-2-1 and likes to sling it. Jorge Masvidal is 12-2 and is riding a six fight victory wave. In a match-up of two fighters trying to right their ships, welterweights Brad Blackburn and Ray Perales will also square off. Blackburn is 10-9-1 and is seeking to get back on track after a spotty IFL record. Ray Perales is 9-13, but is 2-1 since snapping a five fight losing slide.

Stay tuned for updates on fight card additions for the many events slated in the coming weeks.