It’s Already February 5th, 2010…
…so I’d better get off my ass and contribute something here.
The challenge of updating my ‘blog’ has been a mystery to me so far, thus my irregularity with it. On one hand I am often guilt ridden and feel I ‘should’ force myself to be disciplined with it and write something everyday. This would be the reliable and ‘professional’ approach. But I have this little voice inside my head that has the unique instinct to know when I should, or should not move forward or pursue an endeavor. This hunch (hopefully) keeps my contributions fresh and interesting, in those rare moments (like this one) when they do happen. That may sound like a spin doctoring justification of laziness or reason to play video games all day because they ‘enhance one’s ability to make quick decisions’. Shall I insert the obligatory “LOL” HERE or save it for a more inopportune scenario?
Since I got out of the daily fight “news” grind back in the 1990’s when I was editor of the Kickboxing Ring Report (website and magazine), I have picked my moments to write online. Oh sure, until about a year ago I was writing regular columns and previews for BudoVideos.com of upcoming fighting events, and having a ball doing so. Would that qualify me as sneaking back into being prolific? Hardly. But I was always attracted to quality as opposed to quantity anyway. If I cannot write with feeling or at least glimpses of my personality traits, flaws or otherwise, then what’s the point really? With internet mass media being such a pervasive thing these days with up-to-the-second breaking stories and interviews, and ‘occasional’ recycling and/or parroting of “news” content on countless sites of mostly high quality, I feel I have nothing to add to the current rat race…as a “journalist”, when there are so many spirited and inspired people out there doing such a band up job. So, I’ll wait…
But I have other things quietly cooking. To tip my hand, and possibly dwell upon what would seem to be the obvious, I do plan on returning with a radio show, magazine and eventually a TV show. When, you might ask? You’ll know, trust me on that – I’ll SPAM it everywhere that won’t get into (political) ‘trouble’ for posting it. And since talking/communicating is a thing that I have (happily?) fallen into as an occupation, these aforementioned multiple media areas should be frontiers of both familiarity and hopefully unpredictability. The interview process is something I have always enjoyed, whether I am the “er” or the “ee”, especially when I can do it my way, unedited. My desire has always been to take things to the next level as far as awareness…and entertainment. I’ve always believed that intelligence and fun belong in bed together…
And now for the obligatory public service announcement – I will return to Showtime Networks with Strikeforce Challengers on Friday, February 26, 2010. We will be broadcasting live from San Jose, CA. I will be calling the show with the sensational Mauro Ranallo and one of the all-time great masters of MMA Pat Miletich. There has been quite a stir online about the high quality of the match ups on the Strikeforce Challengers shows and this one is no exception. If you don’t know the names of some of these athletes beforehand you surely will afterwards:
Trevor Prangley vs. Karl Amoussou, Sarah Kaufman vs. Takayo Hashi, Luke Rockhold vs. Paul Bradley, James Terry vs. Tarec Saffiedine, Raul Castillo vs. Yancy Medeiros
Don’t miss this epic enstallment of Strikeforce Challengers on Friday, Feb. 26th, airs live at 11:00 PM (ET/PT)…only on SHOWTIME!
2009
What an incredible year this was. Showtime joined forces with Scott Coker and Strikeforce. The UFC and WEC continued to turn out high quality mixed martial arts, as did Dream in Japan. I was able to make the trek to Beijing, China and witness firsthand “The Art of War” MMA extravaganza. And I finally made time for a teensy bit of actual training…
Looking ahead to 2010, I will continue my work with Showtime Networks on Strikeforce Challengers, and on occasion Strikeforce, and expect a busier itinerary as a result. I can’t wait -- BRING IT! Also, I will be working to make a radio show and a TV show a reality. The latter is a bit more challenging and may take a while, but I remain committed -- it WILL happen!
Unlike 2008, where “7th Sun” released our first album, titled “From The Beginning”, which is available on Rhapsody, Amazon and of course iTunes, music took a back burner the last 6 months of 2009 for me. As much as I want to, I just can’t do everything (but believe me I’ve tried, hahaha). “That being said”…I plan on forming my own band in the not too distant future. “Quadros” will make it’s debut in 2010. When? Couldn’t tell ya…probably when you least expect it! But I can guarantee that it will be FUN!
But speaking of DRUMS, below is a little video my homie Evan Shoman shot two weeks ago at the TapouT World Headquarters moments before the christening of the Charles “Mask” Lewis theater:
And the “offical” TapouT video…of the same. Does it look like we’re having fun?
Happy New Year EVERYBODY! SQ
Quadros Joins Dec 19th Broadcast Of Strikeforce: Evolution
“I will be working the big year end Strikeforce extravaganza, titled “Evolution,” in San Jose, CA on Saturday, December 19th. The event will be broadcast live on SHOWTIME and will feature former middleweight champion Cung Le versus crash-and-burn king Scott “Hand of Steel” Smith, the long awaited Strikeforce title rematch when lightweight king Josh “The Punk” Thomson puts his belt on the line against former champ Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez, Olympic silver medalist wrestler Matt “The Law” Lindland tangling with two-time jiu-jitsu world champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, the Strikeforce debut of “King Mo” Lawal and much, much more. So check it out…only on SHOWTIME!”
SQ
The Need For A 235 Pound Weight Division In MMA
As a continuation on the discussion I had with Bas Rutten, Kenny Rice, Jamie Varner and Todd Duffee, when I was a guest on “Inside MMA” on October 16, 2009, of creating a 235 pound weight division, I must say that I am adamant about the sport creating this weight category. Look at it this way: imagine if they dropped the WW and MW divisions and there were only three weight divisions, like in the old days-155, 205 and over 205. That’s a 50 lb jump from 155 to 205, 10 lbs less than the jump from the current LHW division to the current HW cap. Lots of little guys would get clobbered if we went back to that. There was no WW or MW divisions back then, so WHY did they create those divisions? Because fighters became more skilled and everyone found out that…SIZE MATTERS. So the jump from LW to WW is 15 lbs, from WW to MW 15 lbs, from MW to LHW 20 lbs and from LHW to HW…60 lbs. Do you see any glaring inconsistencies? Back in the days of Kimo vs. Royce Gracie or Keith Hackney vs. Emmanuel Yarborough it didn’t matter, but in today’s sport of Brock Lesnars, Shane Carwins and Antonio Silvas it does!
Fight Professor To Appear On HDNet’s “Inside MMA”
Showtime Networks MMA commentator/analyst “The Fight Professor” Stephen Quadros will be a guest on HDNet’s “Inside MMA” on Friday, October 16th. The episode will air at 9PM EST and is rebroadcast during the week (check your listings for times in your areas). Other scheduled guests that evening are UFC heavyweight Todd Duffee and WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner.
Quadros is excited about the event:
“Inside MMA hosts Kenny Rice, Bas Rutten, Ron Kruck and I all have great history together: Bas and I called the action for Pride Fighting Championships pay per view broadcasts for three years (2000-2003), Ron and I worked on the original WEC broadcasts on HDNet and we all worked together with the IFL shows on Fox Sports Net. So it’s sort of a reunion! I’m thrilled to be on the show with my esteemed friends and colleagues. We have so much to talk about!”
Don’t miss “The Fight Professor” on “Inside MMA” this Friday, Oct. 16th on HDNet!
Quadros Returns To Showtime w/Strikeforce Challengers on September 25th
Mister Q will return to Showtime Networks to call the action (with Mauro Ranallo and Pat Miletich) on another installation of the popular Strikeforce Challengers series on Friday, September 25th from Tulsa, Oklahoma’s SpiritBank Event Center.
American military hero and rising mixed martial arts (MMA) star Tim Kennedy (10-2) will return to the cage to battle undefeated Zak Cummings (10-0) in the main event. In other action, K-1 legend Ray “Sugarfoot” Sefo will take on UFC veteran Kevin “The Shaman” Jordan, unbeaten Tyron “T-Wood” Woodley clashes with former Tito Ortiz protege Zach “The Lisbon Outlaw” Light and finally a potentially dynamic battle between two local fighters with undefeated records – Travis “The Dark Knight” Calanoc against kickboxing hotshot Thomas “Thunderkick” Longacre.
See the latest installment of Strikeforce Challengers on Friday, September 25th (check your listings for times)…only on SHOWTIME.
MMA “Versus” Boxing
(yawn…)
The topic of MMA “versus” Boxing seems to be a popular subject lately. Are people really serious about this? I keep waiting for the ‘punch’ line (intended). A debate of this type is silly. What’s next, NASCAR versus NHRA, NFL versus NBA, 1980s punk rock versus 1980s heavy metal, apples versus oranges…? “I’m going to go out and ‘defend‘ MY sport?” Sure you are…by creating attention (A.K.A. publicity) for the other sport that subconsciously threatens you. Smart move (do I really have to put the word ‘sarcasm‘ here?).
(INSERT RODNEY KING QUOTE HERE)
I love both sports. Yes, I watch UFC, Strikeforce and any high other quality MMA. And yes, I will be watching Floyd Mayweather box against Juan Manuel Marquez, and then Showtime’s super-middle weight tournament and any other great boxing match. But that’s just me…
Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)
About two weeks ago I completed Metal Gear Solid 4 on my Playstation 3 console. What a fantastic experience! Kojima really knows how to tell a story. The graphics were incredible and the game was non-stop without being repetitive in the slightest. I felt like I had traveled the world, all the while competing in a stealth/shoot ‘em up decathlon!
I did take me a couple of months to battle my way to the end, mainly because I’m relatively new at video gaming and I don’t play as often as is necessary to become ultra-proficient. Still I really enjoy gaming. I can’t wait for the next Metal Gear Solid game (I might even fork out for MGS Portable Ops for my PSP)!
Now I just have to get through Grand Theft Auto 4…and then there’s Resident Evil 5, inFAMOUS and…
Labor Day Raves and Rants
Today is Friday, September 4th.
It’s true; I have not been very consistent with these blog entries. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been distracted, disinterested or am simply waking up from a three-year case of self-imposed writer’s block. (Insert the glorious and obligatory “LOL” HERE). My apologies for the neglect. Whatever the case, its catch up time…
Recently I have witnesses some great things happen within the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). Anderson Silva and BJ Penn were able to reverse recent criticism by dominant performances over worthy opposition (middleweight belt holder Silva showboated his was to a 3-knockdown, first round stoppage of former light-heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin and Penn defending his lightweight title by shutting down a game and worthy challenger in Kenny Florian.
Although I am eager to see a rematch between Anderson Silva and Dan Henderson (Hendo pulverized up and coming UK star Mike Bisping with a coma inducing overhand right), it seems a reasonable reality that the Brazilian all-time great has reached a no-win situation in his mercurial career similar to that of the great Mike Tyson in the late 1980s-early 1990s: his bouts have become predictably one-sided. Henderson did lose their first clash by RNC (rear naked choke) in round two, but he seemed to have the blueprint for victory in round one when he controlled “The Spider” on the floor.
The only other viable and deserving contender on the horizon for Silva would be another rematch: Nate Marquardt. Nate shattered popular linear thinking that previously unbeaten Damien Maia was the top contender for the belt by crushing the jiu-jitsu supremacist in 21 seconds the first round with a right hand that was strangely reminiscent of something Henderson put Bisping to sleep with!
Although Marquardt has had some big, inside the distance wins recently (Jeremy Horn, Martin Kampmann, Wilson Gouveia). I feel Henderson should be the next to challenge for two reasons: 1) he is in the public eye because of the exposure from coaching on “The Ultimate Fighter” TV series and 2) his tenure in the business is established with bigger wins over higher level opposition (KO of Wanderlei Silva, beat Murilo Bustamante twice and defeated Rich Franklin). But I think it would be a waste to have Henderson ‘qualify’ with another hoop jump by battling each other. If Silva defeats both again THEN they can have that fight, which would at that point be for relevance…and survival.
BJ’s dilemma is a bit different. He’s kind of cleaned out the UFC division at this point. Although I do like the prospect of Diego Sanchez stepping in the attempt the belt grab, if Pen chews him up and spits him out the way he has done every other UFC lightweight challenger in recent memory, the answer for future deserving contenders will lie outside the company…in Japan. It’s like a reverse Fedor Emelianenko effect: Penn has cleaned out the competition in one league (the UFC) only to find a new crop of stars rising in another, that he most likely will never face because of exclusivity clauses in his present contract (Dream: Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Joachim Hansen, JZ Cavalcante, etc.).
But Speaking of Japan…I was utterly impressed by Marius Zaromskis (Lithuania) when on July 20, 2009 he won the Dream Welterweight Grand Prix with two head kick knockouts, in one night, over Hayato Sakurai (Japan) and finalist Jason High (USA). I had the pleasure of calling the action on a number of Zaromskis’s fights while I was with England’s Cage Rage organization and can attest to this man’s excitement and athleticism.
And the “world” just keeps on turning…
Al Bernstein Mentions “The Fight Professor” In His Latest Column
Hall of Fame boxing broadcaster Al Bernstein has some interesting thoughts about the cohabitation of boxing and MMA at:
http://www.saddoboxing.com/10341-mma-boxing.html#more-10341
