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Welcome to a new and revived edition of "Ask MMATorch," a feature we've run intermittently throughout the years here at MMATorch.com. We've got a new set of questions answered today, both from MMATorch Columnist Rich Hansen and MMATorch Editor Jamie Penick.
If you've got a question you'd like us to answer, send them in to askmmatorch@gmail.com, and we'll try answering them daily!
Onto today's questions!
Joel Writes: How and when is the UFC going to strengthen their heavyweight division? The division is incredibly weak and with Antonio Silva getting a title shot after Cain already killed him, Mark Hunt being in a number one contender fight, and Roy Nelson being talked about as a contender, it seems like this may be a long wait.
MMATorch Columnist Rich Hansen Answers: Well, it's not like heavyweight was really strong until last Thursday afternoon when all of a sudden all of the super-duper heavyweights got together and decided to retire from the face-smashing industry in order to become wedding planners, you dig? Heavyweight has always been the weakest division in combat sports, and always will be.
Look at it this way: You're 138 pounds, so small you make Lionel Messi look like Yao Ming. You've spent all of your formative years being picked last for every game except Magic the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons. The big kids won't let you play hockey, your mom won't let you play football, but your dad is tired of seeing you getting beaten up for your daily lunch money by neighborhood bully Scut Farkus. So he's going to put you into boxing lessons, and it goes from there.
Now imagine your name is Johnny Football Hero, you're so novel. You get to date whomever you want because you're big, you're bad, you're nationwide. You can hit a small white ball really far. You can throw a bouncy orange ball into a hoop with panache. You can tackle the ever loving hell out of people who try to hold onto a brown oblong shaped ball made of pigskin. Every college in America wants to pay to educate you, and every booster from every college in America wants to give you co-eds and cars. And they all give you promises of fame and fortune when you go pro. Mixed-martial-arts? What in the hell is that? It's the furthest thing from your radar, because you're big, bad, nationwide, and about to be filled with co-eds, fame, and fortune.
OK, so we're done in Imaginationland, and what have we learned? Really big young athletes get plucked into team sports at an early age. Small athletes don't. Not to mention that there are really not that many well-coordinated 250 lb. people out there. And what's going to change in the near-future? Not a whole heck of a lot. Until the UFC pays entry-level heavyweight fighters the same as a rookie middle linebacker gets in the NFL, and has the same high end salaries as well, why is a kid going to devote time to training for a possible UFC career? @MMATorchRich
Shaun Writes: During Josh Samman's fight with Kevin Casey at the Ultimate Fighter Finale 17 Josh seemed to spike Kevin on his head when caught in an arm bar. Isn't spiking your opponent illegal? If so did this not constitute a spike?
MMATorch Editor Jamie Penick Answers: In the case of that particular incident, it's a tough judgment call for the official to make. Technically Casey's head was spiked to the ground by virtue of the position they were in, but Samman wasn't necessarily intentionally attempting to spike him on the top of his head. Indeed, Casey's neck and back hit the mat more so than his head, and Samman was desperately attempting to break out of the armbar.
In a situation like that, there's some responsibility on the part of the fighter attempting the submission as well. Samman was attempting to shake Casey out of the armbar attempt, and by virtue of him holding onto the arm, his head was in that position with no other recourse for Samman than to drop it down. So in that case, the referee was alright making a non-call.
Ray Writes: Maybe this is a stupid question, but it seems to me like Johnny Hendricks' beard offers at least a small advantage during his fights. Wouldn't it hurt a lot more to take a shot clean to your jaw as opposed to having a 2-3 inch cushion around your entire face? Am I crazy in this line of thought?
Oh Ray, there's no such thing as a stupid question; only a stupid answer. And I'll do my part to live up to that expectation.
I really, REALLY think you have no idea how hard these people punch. Here's an experiment for you, although it's not one I recommend you actually try.
1.) Spend 12 months cultivating an awesome beard. If you are like me, unable to cultivate an awesome beard, do like Eric Cartman and glue all sorts of other body hair to your face until you have the appearance of an awesome beard.
2.) Walk into Team Takedown and repeatedly taunt Johny Hendricks about his beard. Maybe even mention how you cultivated your awesome beard.
3.) Accept inevitable challenge to fight Johny Hendricks.
4.) Get punched in face at full force, and remember the amount of pain.
5.) Once swelling is reduced and wires are removed from broken jaw, shave off awesomely cultivated beard.
6.) Once 100% healed, repeat steps 2 and 3.
7.) Compare amount of pain from second punch to first punch, and VOILA! there's your answer. @MMATorchRich
Once again, send your questions in to askmmatorch@gmail.com
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
Interested in joining MMATorch's writing team? Send idea for a theme to your column (for Specialist section) or area of interest (i.e. TV Reporter) along with a sample of writing to mmatorch@gmail.com.
