CagePotato.com - Videos

Black-Eyed Tito Ortiz Predicts Griffin Will Leave the Octagon on a Stretcher

ben — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:29:47 +0000

We're just one day away from the return of UFC legend/unbearable heel Tito Ortiz at UFC 106, and the former light-heavyweight champ promises to go out guns blazin' against Forrest Griffin: "I gotta put on a show, I gotta win, I gotta stop him, I gotta do what I need to do in my game to make Forrest quit." Though Ortiz claims to have improved his striking for this fight, he also won't be giving up his bread and butter. "Every time he kicks he's gonna be taken down. A lot of fighters don't take advantage of that when they see Forrest kick, they try to check all the kicks. The hell with that. I'm putting him on his back. Back to the old Tito Ortiz, man, my ground and pound where it's lethal...they'll be carrying him out on a stretcher."

Later, Ortiz says that he doesn't have a problem with the way that the UFC has used his name to build the careers of Griffin and Lyoto Machida, and regarding the rash of injuries and illnesses in the UFC as of late, he'd fight Forrest with a broken leg (which he clarifies he doesn't have, but still). The only thing that matters to him right now is becoming a world champion again, one match at a time. And if that gets in the way of roles in Mark Wahlberg flicks, so be it.

And yes, he's wearing the shades again. There's a reason for that...

Keith Kizer Talks Karo Parisyan's UFC 106 Withdrawal & The Trouble With Collecting NSAC Fines

bfowlkes — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:03:18 +0000

In this video with Cagewriter's Steve Cofield, Keith Kizer goes into slightly more detail about the Karo Parisyan situation, making it sound more and more like Parisyan was doing the old Matt Mitrione, trying to get out of this fight any way he could. Granted this is only one side of the story we're hearing here, but it sure sounds like the Nevada State Athletic Commission was beyond reasonable about this whole thing. Allowing him to pay the fine out of his next purse is akin to letting him work off the debt, which is more than Blockbuster is willing to do.

The most interesting moment here may be when Cofield asks Kizer whether it's usually an issue getting fighters to pay their fines. I guess I always assumed that the NSAC made you write a check right after handing down their verdict, and if you didn't have it in your bank account anymore by then they made you, I don't know, wash dishes at a local restaurant or something.

But Kizer says the NSAC is still waiting to get paid by Pawel Nastula, who popped positive for several different banned substances after his loss to Josh Barnett at Pride 32 in Las Vegas back in 2006. In all fairness, Nastula was accustomed to a different culture with regards to performing-enhancing substances, so it's kind of impressive that he was only on one steroid and three different stimulants. In Pride, that assortment used to be known as a light breakfast.

Everything You Need to Know About the WEC's Jose Aldo In Seven Minutes Or Less

bfowlkes — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +0000

WEC 44 is just a few hours from now, and as we already told you once, the Mike Brown-Jose Aldo title fight promises to be a war that you do not want to miss. Ever since Brown shocked the world against Urijah Faber, we've all had our chance to see what kind of tools that particular contractor is using to build his foundation, but what about Aldo? You may not be completely familiar with the 23-year-old Brazilian, but the good news is that it won't take you long to get caught up. In his last three WEC fights, he's spent a grand total of 6:02 in the cage, winning all three via TKO. Add in introductions and a couple of rewinds to fully appreciate his explosive finishes, and you can see it all in around seven minutes.

Take the time to enjoy the man's body of work, won't you? He'd do the same for you, or at least he would if you did anything aside from reading the internet and playing those damn video games.

Aldo vs. Mickle, and a very low-fi version of Aldo vs. Perez are both after the jump.

The Danavlog Where He Calls Steve Mazzagatti "The Worst Referee In The History of Fighting"

bfowlkes — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:25:14 +0000

It's the week of UFC 106, but coming off a trip across the pond for last weekend's show, Dana White doesn't feel like he has enough material for a new video blog. Fortunately for him, his personal videographer never uploaded the fight night footage from UFC 104 in Los Angeles, so why not just put that on the internet and call it good? Things are going smoothly at first. DW presses the flesh with some celebrities, talks to some fighters in the locker rooms, passes by ace interviewer and hopelessly unfashionable friend of the Potato Ariel Helwani (is that a flannel shirt? is it 1994?) at the 5:15 mark. But when he watches refereee Steve Mazzagatti's oddly-timed stoppage in the Cain Velasquez-Ben Rothwell fight, that's when White loses his cool just a bit.

"Mazzagatti will fuck up any fight," White says directly into the camera. "The worst referee in the history of fighting. Period. I don't care if there was a fight back in the old days, okay, the Stone Age. Mazzagatti is the worst referee ever. The guy has no business watching mixed martial arts, let alone refereeing it."

White then visited both Velasquez and Rothwell to make sure they both knew what a terrible referee Mazzagatti was, and after that he presumably called Mazzagatti's children to let them know that their father is a failure. That part must have been edited out.

In Case You Missed It — Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto (Video)

ben — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:30:00 +0000

(Props: MMA Hits. Fight starts at the 9:06 mark.)

By now, you probably know that Manny Pacquiao dominated Miguel Cotto on Saturday night en route to a 12th-round TKO victory, becoming the first boxer to win world titles in seven different weight classes, and solidifying his position as best pound-for-pound pugilist on the planet. Cotto was as game as advertised, and kept the contest competitive early on. But the knockdowns that Pacquiao scored in the third round (right hook) and fourth round (left uppercut) turned the tide of the fight for good, and Cotto spent most of the remainder of the match playing defense.

Cotto's camp nearly threw in the towel after a demoralizing 11th frame, but the fight was allowed to continue to the last round, in which referee Kenny Bayless seized on the first opportunity to stop the fight; the official time was 0:55 of round 12. Immediately after the fight, the MGM Grand Garden Arena began to chant "We want Floyd!" Ah, but does Money Mayweather want Manny? The video is above; watch and be inspired.

Couture vs. Vera's Competition: Pacquiao vs. Cotto

ben — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:19:20 +0000

(24/7 Pacquiao-Cotto, Episode 1. Props to HBO.)

Being obsessed with MMA doesn't mean we can't mark out for Manny Pacquiao once in a while. It's hard not to love the guy. He's a brilliant fighter who's somehow managed to stay humble, he has a lovely singing voice, and he's never publicly referred to our favorite sport as panty-wrestling porno for beer-drinkers. It's almost too bad that we'll be dutifully liveblogging UFC 105 tomorrow (Spike TV, 8 p.m. ET/PT), because we're curious to see how Pac-Man does against WBO welterweight champ Miguel Cotto in their 145-pound contest at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. The Pacquiao/Cotto broadcast starts at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. on HBO PPV, so hopefully you live near a kickass sports bar that will be showing both fight cards at the same time. Check out the first installment of HBO's 24/7: Pacquiao-Cotto above; Pacquiao fans, show some love in the comments section below.

So You Wanna Be an MMA Superstar?

ben — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:42:15 +0000

(Props: fightlife.tv)

The dream: Headlining a UFC pay-per-view card, knocking your opponent out in front of a roaring crowd, then making a few laps in your money silo. The reality: Endless struggle, no money, and no health insurance; some fighters are even forced to bang skanks on camera to make ends meet. This MMA shit? Not easy. Fight Life is a new documentary from actor/filmmaker James Z. Feng, in which various MMA stars describe the long, hard road to success in the world's most demanding sport. "Maybe someday out there is your day, that's what you're fighting for," says author Sam Sheridan. "And on that day, maybe you can have it all." Or maybe this happens...

Videos: WEC 44 'Brown vs. Aldo' Preview, UFC Fighters Shill for 'Assassins Creed' + More

ben — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:50:40 +0000

(Props: wec)

Heads up: WEC 44 goes down next Wednesday in Las Vegas, with featherweight champ Mike Brown defending his belt against terrifying knockout artist Jose Aldo, who has ended all five of his appearences in the WEC via highlight-reel stoppage; his last opponent, Cub Swanson, lasted all of eight seconds. But is Mike Brown scared? Nah. "He's never faced the caliber of fighter that I am," Brownie says. "It's not gonna be an easy fight of course, but if I do my thing, I'm gonna win the fight." Check out the full lineup here.

This Is Why Chuck Liddell Has Been Forcibly Retired, While Randy Couture Is Still Headlining UFC Events

bfowlkes — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:18:58 +0000

Maybe that headline isn't totally fair. In truth, this type of hard-partying with Hollywood celebs is only part of the reason why Chuck Liddell's career hit a fist-shaped wall in his late thirties, while Couture continues to thrive well into his mid-forties. Some of it is due to differences in fighting style. Some might even be due to genetics, or Couture's obsession with finding the fountain of youth through blood-testing and supplements.

But, you have to admit, at least some of it has to do with how these guys have chosen to spend their free time over the years. While Chuck is getting fall-down drunk and picking fights frat boy-style outside of parties, Couture is getting his active rest in. While Chuck is at bars, feeling too sexy for his shirt, Couture enjoys quiet evenings at home with his next future ex-wife. Different philosophies at work, really. We're not here to say that one is better or worse than another, just that one is demonstrably better for career longevity if you fight other people for a living.

'TUF 10' Episode 9 Preview: Big, White, Hairy, and Hungry

ben — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:25:48 +0000

Sneak Peek: Team Rashad Prepares For The Quarterfinals

Tonight's episode of TUF 10 will feature the season's first quarterfinal matchup, in which polar-bearish grapplers Justin Wren and Roy Nelson — arguably the two strongest fighters in the house — go toe-to-toe in a Youth vs. Experience matchup. Because they practice on the same team, each dude always has one eye on the other, though the vibe between them is generally respectful. Rashad feels uncomfortable with the prospect of training his guys against each other, because he doesn't want to look like he's playing favorites — though that ruse won't last long considering Schaub and McSweeney obviously are his favorites. Check out the episode tonight and come back tomorrow morning for group discussion...