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| Canada Bound: Dinner with Forrest Griffin and Patrick Cote (Part II Posted: 19 Apr 2008 07:39 AM CDT
Adam Wagner is a writer for MMAmania.com. He is in Canada as part of the UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ Ultimate Fight Train experience. He'll blog about his whirlwind trip throughout the weekend, providing an inside account of what it's like to be in Montreal (and Toronto) when the UFC comes to town for the first time ever. Enjoy. There are two things that I've learned thus far in Canada:
This I pondered as MMA Fight Gear's Justin Curtin sped off down the road with Forrest Griffin, Patrick Cote and Cote's girlfriend, Marie, to have dinner. There go my interviews, I thought, which could have happened something like this:
It's been a weird, wild ride thus far, that's for sure. And I've still only had three hours sleep. But let me rewind. At 2 p.m., we all met down in the lobby of our hotel and cruised on over to The Score building in downtown Toronto. The Score Television Network is a Canadian cable sports news channel that's headquartered in the Holiday Inn hotel at 370 King Street West. The Score also offers a sports channel on Sirius Satellite Radio called Hardcore Sports Radio (Channel 186, I believe). Justin Curtin and Sean McManus had set up television and radio interviews for both Forrest and Cote, one at a time. When Sean, Cote, Marie, my girlfriend Paige and I all arrived, Forrest was already in the green room recording his television piece. So the rest of us followed Cote into the Hardcore Sports Radio wing of the building and got to sit in on his live interview. The interview went well and provided Cote with the opportunity to plug the Fight Train, lay to rest the rumor that he injured himself playing hockey (that's actually the professional hockey player who shares the same name, fyi) and talk about his upcoming fight on July 5 against Ricardo Almeida. In just about 15 minutes of questions, Cote doesn't back down. He said he knows exactly how to beat Anderson Silva and plans to take the fight straight to him, if he's ever given the opportunity — a chance he feels he could get if he beats Almeida in convincing fashion. Cote said that he believes the only fighter who has tried this approach against Silva thus far has been Chris Leben; but always the brawler, Leben probably didn't approach this strategy in the smartest way. Ah, hindsight, you are always 20/20. Cote also announced that he will be providing the ringside announcer duties at UFC 83 on French pay-per-view, as well as conducting a post-fight interview with GSP, regardless of the outcome of his fight with Serra. He thinks that, once again, all the pressure is on St. Pierre, who will be fighting in front of his hometown crowd. You can hear the entire interview, along with Cote's picks for Rich Franklin/Travis Lutter, here. With Cote's radio portion over, we headed back into a holding room just outside the green room, where Forrest had recently wrapped up his television interview and was still sweating from the intense lights. The heat of the room was nearly unbearable, despite the fact that we were next door to the room actually housing the lights. While we waited for the lighting techs to reset for Cote's on-camera interview, we all chatted about Vegas, sponsors and booze. But no matter the subject, the conversation continually returned to the Montreal fans and how UFC 83 might possibly turn into sheer bedlam. "Montreal is going to burn down, win, lose or draw," Cote suggested, especially with Game six of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens/Boston Bruins Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series taking place the very same night. Canadian fans are hardcore, he assured us. "There will definitely be fights in the stands," Justin added. I tried to prepare myself for carnage. Afterwards, when we were waiting on Forrest to finish his radio interview, Paige and I joined Cote and Marie for a quick stroll up to the CN Tower. Note to Toronto tourists: The closer you get to the CN Tower, the cheaper the hotdogs. And man, are they something. By the time we got back to the Score building, Forrest and Justin were ready to jet, only MMAmania.com's own Sean McManus had previously left to take care of even more last minute details for the Fight Train (these guys work non-stop; it's 11 p.m. as I write this, and Sean is still out there working to finalize the decals for the train). Six people. Four spots in the car. And everybody's hungry for dinner. You do the math. Paige and I volunteer to wait behind, despite the fact that I still haven't gotten my interviews for Mania. No worries, I think, we'll get them later tonight, or else on the train tomorrow. The crew heads over to Tappo Wine Bar & Restaurant in the Distillery District, while Paige and I hustle a cab and join them 20 minutes later. Once again, traffic in this city is just nutty. Dinner was fantastic, and after appetizers we were joined by Sean, Sean's wife and Justin's wife, rounding out our party. Conversation ran the gambit, from the quality of Charles McCarthy's jiu-jitsu (it's good, but his MMA jiu-jitsu could use some work — there's a difference); to UFC Fight Night 13's Nate Diaz/Kurt Pellegrino fight; to crazy female fans who stalk Cote (Forrest's reply was tongue-in-cheek envious, "Hey, that doesn't happen to me!"); to how the producers of "The 25 Tuffest Moments of All Time" wouldn't allow Forrest and Stephan Bonnar to both have their hands in their pockets at the same time — the result, btw, is unintentional hilarity, as Bonnar doesn't know what to do with his hands throughout the entire show. Watch it again if you get the chance. Finally, we settled on the topic of fame in general and how people approach you on the street. Note to fans: When you see a fighter in the gym, don't bother him. He's at work. He doesn't come to your work and talk to you when you're trying to do your job. You are working, and not surfing MMAmania, right? Crashing now. Gotta get up at 5:00 a.m. to catch a Fight Train. Must remember to get flame-retardant suit for when Montreal erupts. *** For Part I of Adam's UFC 83 experience click here and for Part II go here. |
| Michael Bisping waxes middleweight debut and division (Video) Posted: 18 Apr 2008 04:34 PM CDT For what it’s worth he looked to be in fantastic shape this afternoon during the UFC 83 weigh in. Let’s see how he handles the drop, as well as “Captain Miserable” tomorrow night. That was one intense staredown. |
| Countdown to UFC 83 with MMAmania.com’s Jesse Holland on MMARated.com radio (Audio) Posted: 18 Apr 2008 03:37 PM CDT
MMAmania.com senior writer, Jesse Holland, was recently back ranting on the radio, speaking with Ariel Helwani of MMARated.com to discuss UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2." To listen to the audio segment right now click here. Holland and Helwani covered the main card bouts in great detail, providing one last look at the historic foray of the UFC into Canada for the first time ever. Here are the highlights:
There’s lots more right here. Check it out when you have some time and feel free to rip Jesse a new one in the comments sections below. It's fun. |
| UFC 83 weigh-in results for Serra vs. St. Pierre 2 in Montreal Posted: 18 Apr 2008 01:50 PM CDT
Wow … talk about a reception for UFC Welterweight Champion, Matt Serra, during the official weigh-in for UFC 83: "Serra vs. St. Pierre 2" this afternoon. It was a downright hostile crowd at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, which is not surprising considering Serra’s opponent — and hometown star — Georges St. Pierre, as well as his “disparaging” remarks heading into this event. I just can’t fathom what it’s going to be like tomorrow night when the fight actually takes place. “If you’re pissed right now, wait until Saturday night,” Serra shouted over the crowd. Something tells me the Mounties should crack out the riot gear just in case that prediction is accurate. Meanwhile, Michael Bisping and Charles McCarthy head a head-bumping, obscenity-swapping staredown. And there’s clearly no love lost between Jason MacDonald and Joe Doerksen. Amazing stuff. At any rate, here are the complete UFC 83 weigh-in results:
*Note: Fighters are allowed to weigh one pound more than the division limit in non-title fights. The televised portion of the pay-per-view (PPV) event begins tomorrow (Saturday, April 19) at 10 p.m. ET. We will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of the main card action at this time. UFC 83 quick results, however, will begin to flow earlier than that here at MMAmania.com at about 8:00 p.m. ET with the prelim fights. Tomorrow is going to be insane — it's going to be absolute pandemonium inside the Bell Centre. Remember to hit us up for all the latest results coverage before, during and after the action. |
| Matt Serra vs George St Pierre 2 odds for UFC 83 Posted: 18 Apr 2008 12:48 PM CDT Here are the latest betting odds for the UFC 83 main even courtesy of BetUS.com:
Here’s a quick example of possible bet outcomes: If you bet $100 on Serra (at +350) you win $350. If you bet $100 on St. Pierre (at -500) you win $20. For the sake of comparison, Serra was the heavy underdog (-700) in their first encounter back at UFC 69: “Shootout” in April 2007, which “The Terror” won via shocking technical knockout. Those who took a chance on him were rewarded handsomely. And not much will change this time around at UFC 83. For more UFC 83 betting lines — and to place bets now before the action starts (and the lines tighten up) — head over to BetUS.com. We’re going to be unable to provide our traditional betting column this time around; however, remember that BetUS.com offers a FREE $75 play for those who sign up. It’s free cash, which you can turn into even more free cash with the right bets. At any rate, remember if you are going to bet only play with what you are willing to lose. Good luck. |
| Canada Bound: MMAmania.com Touches Down in Toronto (Part II) Posted: 18 Apr 2008 12:12 PM CDT
Adam Wagner is a writer for MMAmania.com. He is in Canada as part of the UFC 83: “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ Ultimate Fight Train experience. He’ll blog about his whirlwind trip throughout the weekend, providing an inside account of what it’s like to be in Montreal (and Toronto) when the UFC comes to town for the first time ever. Enjoy. Wow, what a weekend, and it's only 11:30 in the morning on Friday. Woke up at 3:00 a.m. to make a 6:00 a.m. flight from D.C. to Toronto. Gotta Fight Train to catch. Landed early, and after dragging my cramped suitcase (literally bursting with MMAmania t-shirts) through customs, we met up with Sean McManus and Justin Curtin. As most of you know, Sean is a contributing writer to MMAmania.com and serves as Director of Media Relations for MMACanada.net and Director of Marketing for MMA Fight Gear. He's the one responsible for getting MMAmania.com involved with co-sponsoring the Ultimate Fight Train. Justin is Owner of and Director of Operations for MMA Fight Gear, and the entire Fight Train concept — from inception to implementation — was his brainchild. He got VIA Rail involved and from there the idea took off. Before it was all said and done, a wide range of sponsors jumped on board, including Fight! Magazine, TapouT, BetUs.com, The Score, The Toronto Sun, Molson Canadian and of course MMAmania.com. The train leaves Saturday morning from Toronto and will take some diehard Canadian UFC fans to Montreal's Bell Centre for UFC 83: “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2.” Our hosts: Forrest Griffin and Patrick Cote. Speaking of which …
Shortly after we landed, as we were getting acquainted with Sean and Justin, Forrest arrived. He took the redeye from Vegas (apparently he prefers it that way). I was working on three hours sleep and felt exhausted, but when I saw Forrest, I suddenly felt lucky. I hate redeyes, and Forrest said he spent the whole flight reading while everyone around him slept, including the little old lady next to him who wrestled for control of the armrest (she won, btw). "She woke up with her arms flailing, I thought she was having a nightmare. I didn't realize I had spilled my water all over her legs. It was dark," he said. Yes, some bloggers interview fighters about their upcoming matches or their training camp. I like listening to stories about little old ladies and the bastard who took control of the aisle seat. "If you're gonna sleep, don't sit in the aisle," Forrest says. My thoughts exactly. After we packed up the cars with our luggage, Justin and Forrest took off to check in at the Delta Toronto East. Sean, myself, and my girlfriend Paige all went back inside to await Patrick Cote's arrival. It gave me a chance to learn more about how this Ultimate Fight Train concept came together. When I was describing what I would be doing this weekend to friends back home, they said, "So who's picking you up from the airport?" For simplicity sake, I'd just say, "Sean, he's the Canadian me," meaning that he is also a contributor to MMAmania.com, but focuses primarily on Canadian MMA news. Truth is, Sean's involvement in the MMA community reaches much further than my own. The work that Justin and Sean, as well as the other fellas involved with MMA Fight Gear, put into making this event a success is truly admirable. If these two are any indication of what Canadian MMA fans have to offer, the UFC ought to head back north for a lot more events … and soon! After exchanging all my hard-earned American money for Canadian currency (and losing out a bit on the exchange rate), we shot over to another terminal and picked up Patrick Cote and his girlfriend. I've met a few fighters since starting this gig, and they are often not what I expect from watching them on television. Patrick's a big dude for 185, and he and his girlfriend are very down to earth. They flew in from Montreal just to get on the Fight Train tomorrow morning and head right back home. That's about it so far. We've checked into the hotel, ordered room service and I sat down to work while Paige took a quick nap. Next on the agenda is a media tour for Forrest and Patrick, for which I'll be tagging along although I'm unsure as of yet in what capacity. After that, it's dinner and hitting the hay early. We have to be at the train station between 6 and 7 a.m. Looks like it's going to be another one of those mornings. I'll be sure to check back in after the media tour — hopefully with an MMAmania.com exclusive interview or two — and will be blogging about this trip the rest of the weekend. Oh, and the answer to my first question:
Like a million bucks. Even though my plane unexpectedly arrived first, so technically, we were picking him up. As Sean says, "Cheers." *** For Part I of Adam’s UFC 83 experience click here. |
| Posted: 18 Apr 2008 09:50 AM CDT
That’s probably his best bet, considering his next foe is more than likely fighting this weekend at UFC 83: “Serra vs. St. Pierre 2″ at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. There are six middleweight match ups booked for the pay-per-view (PPV) event, including the showdown between Rich Franklin and Travis Lutter. Either Franklin or Lutter would be a nice next fight for Henderson. What do you think, Joe Silva? |
| Dana White: ‘Everyone wants to see Chuck vs. Rampage again’ and much, much more (Video) Posted: 18 Apr 2008 09:33 AM CDT Here’s a discussion about UFC 83 and expansion:
Here’s a discussion about Tim Sylvia, Fedor Emelianenko and more UFC 83: Here’s a discussion about Chuck Liddell vs. Rampage Jackson 3, other fight scenarios and more UFC 83: (Thanks to MMAmania.com reader “john” for the assist.) |
… is anyone’s guess at this point. In fact, the former Pride FC dual champion doesn’t even know what weight class he’s slated to compete in next, according to the | You are subscribed to email updates from UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner |
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