Chael Sonnen alleges Lance Armstrong gave himself cancer by taking performance enhancing drugs

We deleted the previous story posted at

http://www.watchkalibrun.com/2010/8/16/1625269/chael-sonnen-shane-carwin-gave

because it was a parody of Chael Sonnen's potential comments which was not conspiciously marked.  Sonnen's past comments made it seem likely that he said it too.



Reposted from Yahoo Sports:

Wed Aug 04 10:28am PDT

Sonnen stays classy, claims Armstrong gave himself cancer

By Maggie Hendricks

In promoting his UFC 117 title bout with Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen has been the picture of class. He's gone on and on about how Silva has been ducking him, how Silva may be the champion but he's the best — it goes on and on. Until now, his targets have been mostly confined to the world of MMA. That has changed. In an interview with Pro MMA Radio, he found a new target: Tour de France legend and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. Sonnen said:

Take Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong did a number of things and he gave himself cancer. He cheated, he did drugs, and he gave himself cancer. Well, instead of saying ‘Hey listen, I cheated and gave myself cancer, don't be like me.' He actually made himself the victim and then went out and profited something like $15 million dollars from this ‘Hey, poor me, let's find a cure for cancer' campaign instead of just coming clean and saying, ‘Look, here's what I did, I screwed myself up, and I hope people learn from my mistakes.' You just watch these guys and can't help but think, God, what a fraud.

It's interesting that in addition to being a wannabe politician, a realtor, a cagefighter, a trash talker and a wrestler, Sonnen has somehow found the time to become an oncologist. Clearly, he's taken the time to learn the intricacies of cancer, tumors and their causes. Sonnen must have taken the time to learn these things before stating something so reckless. Wait, he's not a doctor? And he has no business speaking about such things? So this ridiculous statement, like many of the other things Sonnen has said.

MMA Maxim's views on the matter:

Defamation includes both libel (written word) and slander (spoken words) but have become obscured as new technologies place the spoken word and transform it into a tangible medium.  The importance of this distinction is highly relevant in lawsuits but not to the average listener or reader.  The definition of defamation as stated by the Restatement (Second) of Torts, Section 558 provides:

(a) a false and defamatory statement concerning another;

(b) an unprivileged publication to a third-party;

(c) fault amounting to at least negligence on the part of the publisher; and

(d) either actionability of the statement irrespective of special harm or the existence of special harm caused by publication.

Armstrong is a "public figure" after winning so many bicycle races like the "Tour de France" multiple times.  The test for defamation for "public figures" and if the subject is "newsworthy" is generally harder to prove.  However, we will not be surprised if some defamation lawyers make some serious money with this constant trash talking of criminal allegations.  We wonder what Sonnen will say if he wins his bid to become an elected politician and is shielded by the benefit of the legislature's immunity while in session from defamation claims.  Our view: good if he is accurate for speaking the truth but horribly wrong if inaccurate.

Mark Cuban questions UFC President Dana White about denying Inside MMA press credentials

Jack Bratcher from the esteemed website www.ProMMANow.com reported this story today:

Mark Cuban questions Dana White about denying Inside MMA press credentials

 Aug 10, 2010 |

Who couldn't love these two beacons of fairness?

On the afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 7, just a few hours before the UFC 117 opening bell, HDNet chairman Mark Cuban sent the following tweet to UFC President Dana White:

@danawhite You let half ass media that dont give a shit about MMA cover the UFC, but you wont let Inside MMA w/ Bas, Kenny, Guy in, why?

It’s an honest and I believe sincere question. Those who have covered a UFC event live have undoubtedly noticed some of the most peculiar media outlets granted press credentials. Questions are asked by reporters that clearly indicate they were sent there on assignment because UFC has come to town and they or their publication haven’t the first clue what it’s all about.

It’s understandable why the UFC would grant local newspapers and television stations credentials. It helps educate the people and it also helps sell tickets. However, a lot of these local media publications are there because they have to be and once the UFC has left town, their MMA coverage stops. In fact, they have no real MMA coverage, it’s just UFC coverage.

Cuban’s question seems to be, if you (Dana White) are going to allow these guys who could care less about the sport get credentialed, why not also credential someone totally devoted to the sport like Inside MMA, who is part of a television network who has done so much for MMA, HDNet?
What good reason would the UFC have for denying credentials to the longest running MMA news program on television?

I have personally watched the majority of Inside MMA episodes since their first broadcast in Sept. 2007 and there is no way anyone can say the show is not UFC friendly, or anti-UFC in any way. In fact, they regularly have UFC fighters on the show as guests to talk about their fights.
Now, they did used to remark that Fedor Emelianenko was the number one heavyweight in the world. However, if the UFC denied access to any media outlet who ever made that claim, it’s doubtful anyone would have credentials, save Kevin Iole (that’s a joke – I love Kevin).
Is it because HDNet used to promote fights? That doesn’t seem to make sense. Is it because they broadcast other fight promotions on their television station such as King of the Cage, XFC, Sengoku and Dream? That would seem pretty silly since no one would accuse any of those organizations as being competition for the UFC.

If anything, those organizations are feeder shows and promotions that help provide careers for fighters once they leave the UFC, but it could hardly be said their operations have any negative effect upon what the UFC does at all.

Right or wrong, truthfully or untruthfully, Dana White has long been accused of blacklisting those media outlets that don’t report UFC news the way he thinks it should be reported. It’s situations like this that continue to shed a negative light on the UFC’s relationship with the media.


MMA Maxim's comments on the matter:

We strongly urge Zuffa, LLC to recognize honest balanced reporting (and the freedom of the press) and allow as many media groups as possible to cover their events.

Threats to ban anyone who makes a Fedor shirt and Inside MMA ruins your credibility. We acknowledge Dana White had a dispute with M-1 over Fedor fighting in the UFC and with Mark Cuban's HDNet over Randy Couture.  However, being emotional and threatening anyone who does not follow your will looks pathetic to fans of the UFC. The Gracie family who started the UFC embraced competition to show their jiu-jitsu could be superior for many practitioners. 


Some argue like former UFC champion Matt Hughes, that the Gracies did not always pick the best opponents to represent opposing styles but that is beyond the scope of the present discussion.  Why not challenge the best from other competitions and have the best fighter win with unbiased judging. The fighters from the UFC and WEC should challenge the fighers from Strikeforce, Dream, Sengoku, Bellator, etc. Do you not agree that would sell more tickets and avoid all this costly litigation?  We will discuss the recently filed lawsuits and counterclaims by Zuffa, LLC v. Bellator and Zuffa, LLC v. Ken Pavia soon.

Bas Rutten is a global MMA legend especially for long-term MMA fans like us.  Controlling the content of the reporting to only portray the UFC in the best possible light even if not true will be damaging.  Fans may perceive the UFC to be declining into a fake-ass soap opera called the WWE. That is advertizing not honest balanced reporting.  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in a landmark decision stated the truth is only obtained through "a competition of ideas."   We strongly agree and think the actions of Zuffa, LLC's officiers are unwarranted.  Look at the backlash against the Chinese Communist Party’s ban on any media reporting on wrongdoing in Tibet?  If you want to portray the UFC as the best MMA competition and avoid a possible anti-trust lawsuit in the future, (now that Zuffa has their own magazine reporting) stop acting like a near-monopolistic insecure business. Start embracing the collaborative global promotion of the best sport in the world which you keep admitting is growing exponentially.  The sport is inherently interesting.




As a fellow MMA practitioner and/or fan can you help promote this petition to allow MMA as a global sport so we can present it to government officials. http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/MMA


Online Petition

Anderson "Spider" Silva vs Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 on August 7, 2010 was like a spider vs a pray mantis

Anderson Silva kisses aikido master Steven Segal before his fight against Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 in Oakland, California, August 7, 2010.  Segal taught Silva his aikido moves to cross-train for the fight. (see our first post)

Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 was exactly the way we pictured it.  Sonnen was like a pray mantis insect with its powerful arms fighting a spider weaving its web and using its long eight limbs (Muay Thai strikes and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu).

Chael Sonnen's effectively used the cage and takedowns to neutralize Silva's 70 percent striking accuracy in the UFC.

Chael Sonnen's relentless ground and pound of Anderson Silva with pendulum strikes to Silva's head

Chael Sonnen's relentless ground and pound of Anderson Silva with pendulum strikes to Silva's head

Chael Sonnen's ground and pound of Silva was relentless with hammer fists and innovative strikes like an elbow to Silva's thigh with an immediate punch to the face.

Anderson Silva' failed kimura against Chael Sonnen

Anderson "Spider" Silva perfecting his triangle choke and weaving his web against Chael Sonnen in Round 5

Seconds before the match ended! Anderson Silva finishes Sonnen with a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Triangle Choke.  Ironic that Sonnen claimed before the match that getting a black belt from Nogueira was like getting it a toy from a Happy Meal.

---

According to Compustrike, Chael Sonnen set a Compustrike record with the most strikes landed in an MMA fight. Take it easy all of you Fox News viewers, hope isn't entirely lost for your self-appointed representative. Sonnen attempted 416 strikes with 289 landing in the bout. That's a percentage of 69% compared to Anderson's 29/62 strike ratio. Out of those 289 strikes landed on Ando, 270 occurred while they were on the ground at a rate of 75%

Is Title IX Shifting School Funding Away From Wrestling Programs? How will wrestling serve Chael Sonnen against Anderson Silva?

Title IX is shifting money away from wrestling because school officials feel it is not a money making sport. Wow is that myopic especially since MMA is growing exponentially and wrestlers have been doing extremely well in MMA competitions.  Chael Sonnen,  Brock Lesnar, Shane Carwin, Cain Velasquez, Randy "the Natural" Couture, Chuck "Iceman" Liddell, Dan Henderson, Sean "the Muscle" Sherk, Dan Severn, Matt Hughes, Tito Ortiz, Don Frye, Jake Rosholt, and numerous others have wrestling backgrounds.

Sean Sherk has been wrestling since he was 7, "The Muscle Shark" Sherk competed in nearly 400 matches. Sherk won the UFC lightweight title in 2006 and successfully defended it against Hermes Franca at UFC 73 as shown in this picture. 

It was this flawed view that caused us to miss an amazing opportunity to train in wrestling when we were younger. We have been scrambling to learn wrestling because we love it as another art to master in addition to our previous study of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), Muay Thai (MT), Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do (JKD), Kendo (Japanese Samurai swordsmanship), etc.

For more information on the negative effects of Title IX see:
Gender Equity in Intercollegiate Athletics: The Inadequacy of Title IX Enforcement by the U.S. Office for Civil Rights (Working Paper, No 69)

We hope private wrestling events will bolster faltering wrestling programs at schools.

This was recently reposted from Shane-Carwin.com's website :
"Everyone has a path in life. Some make their own paths in life and others are guided down a path by the influencers in life. My mom (a single mom) did her best to make sure my brothers and I had a good set of values and were influenced in the right manner. She encouraged us to Wrestle and felt that the discipline and respect that the sport would teach us would only benefit us when we get older in life.

We had a few small requirements before we could play sports. We had to have our schoolwork done, grades had to be better than average and last but not least our chores and work around the house had to get done. As I grew up I played Baseball, Basketball, Football and Wrestling. I was a really good athlete and in a small town sports stars can be viewed as heros.

As I progressed in sports it was easy to see the fan and community support was focused on Football, Basketball and Baseball in that order. Wrestling wasn't the most popular but it had really appealed to me and I knew I wanted to Wrestle in college. Once I shared these thoughts with my friends and coaches they all looked at me sideways. I was told over and over that I was a natural at the other sports and I could earn a full ride scholarship and maybe even go pro some day. There was no "pro" for wrestling and full ride scholarships were few and far between for wrestling. My Wrestling Coaches told me I could do anything I wanted, including getting a scholarship for wrestling.

I wasn't phased by the negatives, my mother had already instilled in me that if I wanted to play sports I had to contribute to supporting my family and myself. I knew I wanted to wrestle and I was willing to work for it. I wasn't worried about getting easy A's for being the star football player, having full ride scholarships or the potential fame I just wanted to be a part of the sport of wrestling.

Wrestling had filled in where my absent father failed us. It was a part of the man I was becoming and I know even though I choose the sport I also took it for granted.

Wrestlers did not have the UFC or MMA to work towards. Everyone involved in the sport are involved because they love the sport and they were driven by the passion they had for the sport. You could have spent your whole life as a part of wrestling and never make a dime. I saw it over and over and the one thing they had in common was a love for the sport of Wrestling.

Now we have a NFL (MMA) and wrestlers can go on to become millionaires pursuing the sport they love. At the same time Wrestling programs are being removed from Universities and Colleges across the country. As the sport finally begins to blossom into something more Title 9 has wrestling fighting for its life. Without the coaches and the sport I would not be who I am today. I would not be fighting for the UFC. You also wouldn't have Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and MANY MANY more elite MMA athletes that make this sport what it is today. I am trying to help fight to save the sport."



We want to include this powerful quote from a legendary martial artist, Dan Inosanto:


"We are all climbing different paths through the mountain of life, and we have all experienced much hardship and strife. There are many paths through the mountain of life, and some climbs can be felt like the point of a knife..

Some paths are short and others are long, who can say which path is right or wrong? The beauty of truth is that each path has its own song, and if you listen closely you will find where you belong.

So climb your own path true and strong, but respect all other truths for your way for them could be wrong."

MMA Fighter Roger Huerta's defense of a woman punched violently by a former University of Texas linebacker?

The quality is like the Blair Witch Project but will absolutely used in any legal proceedings against any of the parties.

TMZ reported this morning that 27-year-old Huerta -- who was once featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated -- was in front of a bar in Austin around 2 AM on Saturday morning ... when some other people began fighting.  Roger was near the scuffle ... when he saw one of the men involved punch a female who was standing near the ruckus.

Once Huerta sees the woman collapse to the ground -- he instantly tries to confront the attacker saying, "You just punched a f**kin' girl."

Moments later, Huerta takes off his shirt ... slams his hat to the ground ... and rushes after the man.

Chaos ensues and people scramble after the fighters, blocking the camera -- but seconds later ... a shirtless Huerta can be seen finishing his attack on the other man ... who is sprawled out on the street.

People rush in to aid the bloody man on the ground -- who eventually gets off the pavement -- as Huerta walks away from the battle ground.

Austin PD tells TMZ that officers were called to the scene -- but so far, no arrests have been made.

Huerta's manager tells us, "I have not spoken to Roger yet about this incident, but I can say that it's in his nature to be very protective of women."

New reports say Huerta beat down a former Texas linebacker

By Steve Cofield

The Roger Huerta street fight story gets more interesting by the day. Now SportsbyBrooks is reporting that the lightweight mixed martial artist allegedly brawled with a former University of Texas linebacker Rashad Bobino.
The 24-year-old also worked with the Atlanta Falcons before getting dumped right before the 2009 season. From SBB:

While the identity of the man who struck the woman has not officially been released by the Austin Police Department, I’ve learned from multiple sources who threw the punch.Former starting Univ. of Texas Linebacker Rashad Bobino, who last played for the Longhorns in 2008, was the individual who punched the unidentified woman from behind as seen in the TMZ.com video.

Austin police are still invetigating the brawl that allegedly began when a man slugged a women outside an Austin, Texas, bar. Bobino was listed at 5-foot-10, 238 pounds when he played at Texas. The 5-8 Huerta fights in the 155-pound division but likely walks around closer to 175 pounds.


MMA Maxim's comments

You play with the bull...you will get gorged. We have seen much smaller masters like Helio Gracie, Jigaro Kano, Dan Inosanto, and our other teachers dominate much bigger and stronger guys with martial arts. 

UFC in San Diego on Versus 2: Jones vs. Matyushenko, August 1, 2010

The UFC was the proud sponsor of Patrick Moro of PMR Motorsports on Saturday, July 31, 2010 at X Games 16. Moro's UFC 117 rally car symbolized UFC 117 fight on August 7 featuring middle-weight champion Anderson “Spider” Silva against wrestler and Real Estate professional Chael Sonnen. Silva is 26-4-0 with 15 KO/TKO wins, 4 wins by decision, and 0 draws. Silva holds several UFC records with an 11 win winning streak, 6 consecutive title defenses, and the highest total striking accuracy at 70 percent.  Silva holds several UFC records with an 11 win winning streak, 6 consecutive title defenses, and the highest total striking accuracy in the UFC at 70 percent. Silva can laugh especially after Sonnen's multitude of bashing to hype the fight.  We hope the only endless circling done at UFC 117 is by the ring girls.

UFC on Versus 2: Jones vs. Matyushenko in San Diego, August 1, 2010

 

Japanese Mixed Martial Artists: Kazushi Sakuraba, Ikuhisa Minowa, Shinya Aoki, Yuki Kondo, Masakatsu Funaki, Takanori Gomi, Antonio Inoki

As reported by Sherdog:  The UFC issued $40,000 postfight bonuses Sunday following UFC on Versus 2 in San Diego, according to multiple reports.

Takanori Gomi earned the “Knockout of the Night” bonus after flattening Tyson Griffin with a right hook in the first round. The win was Gomi’s first in the UFC, and it also marked the first time Griffin has been stopped.

“Submission of the Night” went to Charles Oliveira. The debuting Brazilian tapped Darren Elkins with an armbar 41 seconds into their prelim bout.

“When I put in the triangle, it was already done,” said Oliveira, who used the triangle to set up the armbar finish.

Brian Stann and Mike Massenzio won “Fight of the Night” for their prelim bout, which Stann won via triangle choke 3:10 into the final round. Massenzio took the first two rounds on the Sherdog.com scorecard with his strong takedowns and grappling. Stann missed multiple triangle attempts in the third before finally finishing the fight from his back.

"I don't even know if I expected it,” Stann said. “I have no one else to thank but Greg Jackson and Roberto Traven and my team.” The bonus winners took home $40,000 each.