By Joe Ferraro

It was a memorable weekend for yours truly, as it was filled with exceptional MMA events, as well as an experience that I won’t soon forget. As the sport of Mixed Martial Arts continues evolve on a global scale, I was lucky enough to see it happen in my own province, with the first wave of judges being certified in Ontario.

Legendary MMA Referee and Pioneer, Big John McCarthy brought his C.O.M.M.A.N.D.Toronto, where a variety of participants got a taste of how difficult it truly is, to pass. Without proper preparation, no amount of MMA knowledge and experience can guarantee you certification. course to the city of

Two long days of intensive education and discussion, culminated with three tests on the final day to prove “would be judges” could name over 100 different MMA techniques, positions, takedowns, reversals, sweeps and submissions, a written test on the Unified Rules of MMA, and how they pertain to judging, as well as a practical exam, whereby all of your newfound knowledge had you test an obscure MMA bout from an even more obscure promotion. The bout was as close as one could imagine, but there was only ONE result, one winner, and only one way the score cards should have read.

In the coming days, I will post a video of my experience, as well as whether I joined the small percentage of those who actually became certified. I passed Big John’s Reffing course, so do be dually certified as a Judge as well, would be a great personal accomplishment.

One bonus from this weekend’s course, was that it fell on the same weekend as UFC 119: Mir vs Cro Cop. Many of us were lucky enough to watch the show with John, his wife Elaine, Assistant Instructor Jerin Valel as well as River Cree Athletic Commissioner (and high standing member of the Association of Boxing Commissions) Dale Kliparchuk.

The event was labeled by a segment of the MMA fan base as “garbage” and not worthy of ordering. My experience has taught me that these types of descriptions usually mean I’m in for a great night of fights. These insulting remarks by the fan base usually rile up the fighters, who want to prove that offending them in this manner, just means their opponent will pay. With the exception of the main event that is.

What we saw from Frank Mir, was an anomaly. He is generally a guy who works for the finish, and while he did land a knockout blow on Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic, it came after a rather lethargic performance by both guys for over two and a half rounds. While it was the only knockout of the evening, the UFC sent a message to Mir by not giving him the “Knockout of the Night” bonus. Mir could have been $70K richer today, but instead, is going to be reviewing how and why he performed the way he did.

Many are calling for a rematch with Shane Carwin while I’d like to see him face his original opponent Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Problem is, Big Nog will be out until mid-2011, so Mir’s options can also include Roy Nelson and Gabriel Gonzaga.

As for Cro Cop, he’s now 4-4 in the UFC. He’s defeated Pat Barry, Anthony Perosh, Mostapha Al-Turk and Eddie Sanchez, none of which are in the Heavyweight Top 25. He’s now lost to Mir, Junior dos Santos, Cheick Kongo and Gabriel Gonzaga, all guys who are in the Top 15. What’s evident here is the MMA legend can no longer defeat the upper echelon of the division. Seems to me, the ship has sailed for the Croatian (although he recently stated he will continue to fight, at minimum, two more times).

The UFC 119 co-main event saw the evolution of Ryan “Darth” Bader, who defeated Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Bader will likely face Jon “Bones” Jones next, a fight he can definitely win. Jones is, and will be the heavy favourite, but Bader can surprise the odds makers, if he can use his wrestling to take Jones down, keep him on his back, and work for a TKO stoppage, or judges decision. Any other way, favours “Bones”.

As for Lil Nog, future options for his next opponent include Rich Franklin and Randy Couture. Personally, I’d like to see him face Tito Ortiz (should Tito defeat Matt Hamill at UFC 121 next month).

The most disappointing story from UFC 119 was the terrible judges decision to award Sean Sherk the victory over Evan Dunahm. That was complete robbery. Dunham won that bout, no ifs, ands or buts, and in my own personal rankings, he moves up a spot. I believe he “defeated” a former UFC champ, and thus deserves to be rewarded.

While Sherk proved he can hang with the young lions of the division, I’d like to see a rematch. If not, Kenny Florian is a good test for Dunham, while Sherk vs Gomi would make for a great lightweight showdown.

The welterweight battle between Matt Serra and Chris Lytle, was frustrating to watch. Serra’s chances of defeating Lytle on the ground are far higher than beating up Chris in the stand up realm. Why he elected to go for the riskier win, in the name of an exciting bout, is unfortunate for his MMA record: which now shows the result of that strategy.

The opening bout of the broadcast between Melvin Guillard and Jeremy Stephens showed that Guillard, when he wants it, still has it. He’s with Greg Jackson now, so we should continue to see him reach his potential, but as for Stephens, his game plan was suspect. As I said on last week’s episode of MMA Connected, there is no point in standing with Guillard. His weakness is the ground game, so why play with fire, and stand and trade with him?

As seen on Rogers Sportsnet, C.B. Dollaway proved me wrong. I firmly believed he had no shot at submitting Joe Doerksen, and my goodness was I wrong. His modified guillotine had the Canadian trapped with next to no option for escape. Also on the network was the evolution of Matt Mitrione, who continues to improve his MMA game, by taking out the slugging “Mexicutioner”, Joey Beltran.

Two other bouts were shown on free Tv as well, as Sean McCorkle broke Mark Hunt’s arm in sixty three seconds, while Thiago Tavares defeated Pat Audinwood with a guillotine in the first. It remains to be seen how far the undefeated McCorkle can go in the UFC’s heavyweight division, while Tavares’ victory over Audinwood doesn’t do much for the Florianópolis, Brazil. He has never reached his potential, especially after many of us were blown away in 2007, when he defeated the rough and rugged Jason Black in his UFC debut.

The rest of the card saw Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia’s TJ Grant return to the winning column with a decision victory over Julio Paulino, while Waylon Lowe defeated Steve Lopez via split decision.

Misc MMA News and Notes

•       If you are in Montreal this weekend, be sure to check out the Paradise Warrior Retreat at Tristar Gym in Montreal. You’ll get chance to learn from various MMA royalty like Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, Greg Jackson, Kenny Florian, John Danaher, Phil Nurse and Firas Zahabi.

    •       One of Chael Sonnen’s trainers, Xtreme Couture’s Neil Melanson sides with Sonnenzero tolerance policy. regarding his positive test for a PED, while the rest of the fighters from the gym or on the opposite end of the spectrum – some want a

    •       At the end of his post fight interview with Joe Rogan, Matt Mitrione fired his agent Malki Kawa, who also represents the likes of Jon Jones and Thiago Alves. Seems there was a mix up in communication.

•          MMA Payout has published the final piece in a series of articles depicting who is the UFC’s biggest draw.

By Joe Ferraro

The news of Chael Sonnen being served a notice by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), that he tested positive for “raised levels of testosterone” has resurfaced the debate of performance enhancing drugs (PED’s) and it’s effect on the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.

Sherdog.com was the first to report the news on Sunday, September 19th, sending shockwaves through the industry, on a day where folks were preparing for UFC 119 fight week. Instead, much of the MMA blogosphere’s focus is on Sonnen, the CSAC and the sport’s leading promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship.According to SI.com, Sonnen “was apparently concerned enough about the possibility that he would render a positive test that he told CSAC executive director George Dodd he used an illegal performance enhancing drug”, during a pre-fight conversation, that likely took place on Friday, August 06th, at the UFC 117 weigh ins. This, in and of itself, raises a variety of questions, ranging from the safety of the sport’s athletes, namely Sonnen’s opponent, Anderson Silva, to the policies and procedures of the CSAC and the UFC.

If the CSAC knew, ahead of time, that one of the licensed fighters “may” test positive for a PED, why was he allowed to fight? Perhaps the simple answer is that even if they tested him the moment they found out, the results would not be made available for a few weeks. Without “proof”, they cannot prevent him from competing. The same positioning will likely be taken by the UFC, who, without a concrete positive test, cannot and surely would not, pull a main event fighter out of a title fight. Let’s face it, the build up for UFC 117 was epic and removing Sonnen from the card would not have happened.

So this brings into question the pre-fight testing. To my knowledge, most commissions test main event fighters, especially those in title fights, weeks before the bout, and immediately after. Was Sonnen tested beforehand, and if so, when, and were the original results negative? It should also be noted that Chael did state that he was fighting a virus in the final days leading up to the bout, and perhaps did take some sort of medication that may have set off his concern that he “might” fail a test.

I am far from a medical expert, and do not claim to know if any pharmaceutical products designed to fight a cold or flu can elevate one’s testosterone levels, but according to Dr. Johnny Benjamin, a “medical columnist…consultant and a noted combat-sports specialist” for MMAJunkie.com, Sonnen may be in some hot water here.

Dr. Benjamin puts aside the dodgy reputation of the CSAC and points to the fact that the testing facility they use is “the best of the best”. He stated “the lab in question is the UCLA’s Olympic Analytic Lab used by the U.S. and World Anti-Doping agencies. They test both an A and B sample just to check themselves. They happen to be more than 99 percent accurate.” Sonnen is in for quite the fight now, and better retain the services of an experienced attorney in this case. If we learned anything from the 2007 case of Sean Sherk, even if he is able to prove the CSAC and the lab are wrong, he may still end up losing his appeal (which he must file within thirty days of receiving the notice).

The UFC has been fairly quiet about this, minus the statements made by Dana White to Yahoo sports, which hint that the organization will not penalize Chael any more than whatever fine and suspension he receives from the CSAC. For most, this positioning has a portion of the MMA world enraged, but hang on; the UFC is a promoter, and not a governmental agency that sanctions and regulates MMA.

I concur with a recent piece written by Luke Thomas of BloodyElbow, who stated:

“Everyone can suggest that White and the UFC need to do more, but the solution is not simple. They are in a very tough, unenviable position. They cannot alienate key allies in the name of satisfying demands for more stringent testing. The answer, however it can be produced, is to get the commissions to strengthen themselves. Going over their heads only complicates the matter and removes what the UFC has been saying about itself for more than a decade: we ran towards regulation, not from it. Taking matters into their own hands is a de facto way of running away from regulation. That is not the solution to this very real problem.”

But then there’s my good friend, Kelsey Philpot from MMAPayout, who sees an opportunity here for the UFC to take the lead on the fight against PED’s, even if the price for testing or hiring a third party to do so, seem expensive. Philpot believes that “the benefits outweigh the costs in the medium to long term; and it eliminates some of the UFC’s operating risk.”

And where is Chael Sonnen, as well as his management in all of this? My multiple requests to his manager have gone unanswered and I definitely understand why, but some sort of positioning could help the matter. It’s a very delicate situation that the brash and confident fighter that we have all become accustomed to, must now deal with, ironically, by biting his tongue.

It’s just a matter of time before Sonnen and his camp speak out on this matter, and the same can be said for the UFC. We are just days away from the UFC 119 pre-fight press conference, and you can rest assured that the media in attendance will quickly change the topic from the organization’s first stop in Indianapolis, to this ongoing drama of Chael Sonnen’s failed PED test.

I will also be speaking with Dana White on Friday, via satellite, so be sure to check back here, all week, for all the latest on this curious case.

UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs Palhares is officially in the history books, so let’s take a look at some of the stories that the UFC’s visit to “The Lone Star State” has produced.
The organization announced an attendance of 7,724 earning a live gate of $595,900, a standard for typical “Fight Night” events.

The main event saw Nate “The Great” Marquardt emerge victorious, albeit with some controversy, versus Brazilian Jiu Jitsu leg lock specialist, Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares. For those that missed it, Marquardt was able to successfully defend an ankle lock attempt by Palhares, who complained to the referee that Nate slipped out easily, forgot to protect himself, consequently eating a barrage of fight finishing punches by his American opponent.

Palhares retracted his accusation, and has learned a valuable lesson, one which all competent referees speak about prior to the beginning of a fight: “Protect yourself at all times”.

It should be noted that Marquardt, and his coach Greg Jackson, not only asked numerous Texas State officials to check Nate for “grease” before the fight, but referee Herb Dean also checked after the fight. Marquardt did not have any grease on him whatsoever, so the tainting of this victory should be dismissed.

The co-main event saw the emergence of what many are calling “the lightweight Jose Aldo”, as Brazilian Charles Oliveira submitted Efrain Escudero in the third round, with a standing rear naked choke. The youngster propped himself atop Escudero’s back, while Efrain was standing, and yet was still able to secure the tap out.

Oliveira is the real deal, make no mistake about it. One thing we should note about him, is that in two UFC bouts, he has submitted both opponents. But what may be discounted and what I believe we all should be paying attention to, is what UFC President Dana White always talks about, when referring to his roster of fighters. White has an adage that holds true, when he explains that fans must give fighters the time to adapt to fighting in the UFC’s octagon, under the bright lights, and as guys get comfortable, we then can truly see them reach their potential. One can just imagine how bright of a star Oliveira will be, once he truly gets “comfortable” in the organizations 155 lbs weight class.

The Jim Miller / Gleison Tibau fight showcased the American’s improved striking, but also showed Tibau’s excellent takedown skills. Miller continues his rise up the lightweight ladder, and should be a formidable challenge to it’s top contenders with a few more victories under his belt. The caliber of competition for Jim will only get tougher, so look for the UFC to start showcasing the New Jersey native vs some higher ranked fighters shortly.

In the opening bout of the broadcast, Cole “Magrinho” Miller proved why he is such a stud in the division, taking out Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson via rear naked choke in the second round. Miller stunned Pearson in the first round, and you could see Ross beginning to deteriorate as the fight progressed. He was having a difficult time finding his range, and just when you thought he had figured it out, the round came to an end.

During the next frame, Miller tagged him and successfully finished him off. “Magrinho” is going to be a handful for many fighters, and now that he’s learned the power of speaking out, look for the organization to potentially fast track him up their internal rankings, in hopes to make him a challenger to Frankie Edgar’s title.

Other winners included Yves Edwards, Kyle Kingsbury, Dave Branch, Rich Attonito, Anthony Waldburger, and Brian Foster. If you read yesterday’s “The Edge” column, we went seven for ten on the evening.

Forty thousand dollars in bonuses were handed out to Kyle Kingsbury and Jared Hamman for “Fight of the Night”, Brian Foster for “Knockout of the Night”, while both Cole Miller and Charles Oliveira earned “Submission of the Night” honours.

UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs Palhares Full Results

•    Nathan Marquardt defeats Rousimar Palhares via TKO 3:28 of Round 1
•    Charles Oliveira submits Efrain Escudero via RNC @ 2:25 of Round 3
•    Jim Miller defeats Gleison Tibau via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
•    Cole Miller submits Ross Pearson via RNC @ 1:49 of Round 2
•    Yves Edwards defeats John Gunderson via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27,30-27)
•    Kyle Kingsbury defeats Jared Hamman via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
•    Dave Branch defeats Tomasz Drwal via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
•    Rich Attonito defeats Rafael Natal via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
•    Anthony Waldburger defeats David Mitchell via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
•    Brian Foster defeats Forrest Petz via TKO (punches) @ 1:07 of Round 1

By Joe Ferraro

With UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs Palhares upon us, it’s time to analyze each fight and determine who has “the edge?” Which fighters, on paper, hold the keys to winning their bouts and truth be told, whose fight is it “to lose?”

There are many times we see a bout, that on the surface, is obvious for one athlete to win; a superior wrestler who should dominate the skillful striker, who although great on his feet, is simply no match for his opponent on the ground. But, for some inexplicable reason, the wrestler decides to stand and trade with the striker, eventually getting knocked out in the process.

By analyzing some of the key attributes and skills that fighters must bring to the table, and comparing which one has “The Edge”, we can therefore determine who “should” emerge victorious.

But as the old adage goes – a fight is a fight, and anything can happen.

With that being said, let’s take a look at UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs Palhares:

Main Bouts (Live on Rogers Sportsnet):
Nate Marquardt (186) vs. Rousimar Palhares (186)
Striking: Nate Marquardt
Wrestling: Nate Marquardt
Submissions: Rousimar Palhares
Stamina: Nate Marquardt
Elite level experience: Nate Marquardt
Other Intangibles: Nate Marquardt
The Edge: Nate Marquardt

Final Thoughts: This is Marquardt’s fight to lose. He should avoid the ground game with Palhares at all costs. It matters not that Nate is a high level grappler and can “likely” survive on the mat with Toquinho, but the smart strategy is to keep Rousimar on his feet, where Nate has “the edge.”

Efrain Escudero (159) vs. Charles Oliveira (154)
Striking: Efrain Escudero
Wrestling: Efrain Escudero
Submissions: Charles Oliveira
Stamina: No Edge
Elite level experience: Efrain Escudero
Other Intangibles: Efrain Escudero
The Edge: Efrain Escudero

Final Thoughts: Similar to my thoughts for the main event, there is no reason Escudero should chose to engage with Oliveira on the mat. Keep him standing, and he will emerge victorious. If he goes to the ground with the Brazilian, he will be playing with fire and will likely get burned.

Jim Miller (155.5) vs. Gleison Tibau (154)
Striking: Jim Miller
Wrestling: Jim Miller
Submissions: Equal
Stamina: Jim Miller
Elite level experience: Gleison Tibau
Other Intangibles: Gleison Tibau
The Edge: Jim Miller

Final Thoughts: As good as I think Tibau is, I believe Miller is slightly better. If the American can dictate the pace and force Tibau to fight at his level, he will tire out the Brazilian and likely finish him off in the third, or cruise to a decision victory.
Ross Pearson (156) vs. Cole Miller (156)
Striking: Ross Pearson
Wrestling: Cole Miller
Submissions: Cole Miller
Stamina: Cole Miller
Elite level experience: Cole Miller
Other Intangibles: Cole Miller
The Edge: Cole Miller

Final Thoughts: On paper, this is Cole Miller’s fight to lose, but as Gray Maynard told me once: “paper doesn’t fight paper”. Ross Pearson can win this fight, and can do so quickly. Like Marquardt and Escudero above, he should simply keep this fight standing, stick and move and work for the knockout. Patience is key – if he buys his time, the knockout will come.

Preliminary Bouts (Non-Televised):
Yves Edwards (155) vs. John Gunderson (156)
Striking: Yves Edwards
Wrestling: John Gunderson
Submissions: John Gunderson
Stamina: John Gunderson
Elite level experience: Yves Edwards
Other Intangibles: Yves Edwards
The Edge: Yves Edwards

Final Thoughts: It’s American Top Team (Edwards) vs Xtreme Couture Vegas (Gunderson) on Edward’s home turf. While Yves may be in the twilight of his career, he will have the hometown advantage tonight, and the fact he is returning to the UFC after competing for the last four years outside of it, look for him to capitalize on this final opportunity with the big show.

Jared Hamman (205) vs. Kyle Kingsbury (206)
Striking: Jarred Hamman
Wrestling: Kyle Kingsbury
Submissions: Kyle Kingsbury
Stamina: Kyle Kingsbury
Elite level experience: Similar
Other Intangibles: Kyle Kingsbury
The Edge: Kyle Kingsbury
Tomasz Drwal (185.5) vs. Dave Branch (186)
Striking: Tomasz Drwal
Wrestling: Dave Branch
Submissions: Dave Branch
Stamina: Dave Branch
Elite level experience: Tomasz Drwal
Other Intangibles: Dave Branch
The Edge: Dave Branch

Final Thoughts: This bout can go either way, and while “The Edge” may go to Branch, I’m leaning towards Drwal in this one.

Rich Attonito (185) vs. Rafael Natal (186)
Striking: Rich Attonito
Wrestling: Rich Attonito
Submissions: Rafael Natal
Stamina: Rich Attonito
Elite level experience: Negligible
Other Intangibles: Rich Attonito
The Edge: Rich Attonito

Final Thoughts: American Top Team’s Rich Attonito should avoid hitting the mat with Renzo Gracie Black Belt and Instructor, Rafeal Natal. Keep him standing, be patient and win the fight. Natal is dangerous once he gets a hold of fighter’s limbs, ala Palhares, so it’s best if Attonito stands and bangs.

David Mitchell (170.5) vs. Anthony “T.J.” Waldburger (171)
Striking: Anthony Waldburger
Wrestling: David Mitchell
Submissions: David Mitchell
Stamina: Anthony Waldburger
Elite level experience: Anthony Waldburger
Other Intangibles: David Mitchell
The Edge: David Mitchell

Final Thoughts: Waldburger, a purple belt in BJJ, has not competed in over a year, and will be facing a stern test in Mitchell, who is a wrecking machine. This one may be over quick.

Brian Foster (170.5) vs. Forrest Petz (170)
Striking: Forest Petz
Wrestling: Brian Foster
Submissions: Negligible
Stamina: Forrest Petz
Elite level experience: Forrest Petz
Other Intangibles: Forrest Petz
The Edge: Forrest Petz

Final Thoughts: This will be an explosive affair, and quietly, can secure “Fight of the night” honours.

Note: Other intangibles include “quality of training partners”, “in prime of career”, “facing a fighter in twilight of career”, “opponent injured recently”, “facing a fighter who is making their octagon debut”, “facing a fighter who is taking the bout on short notice”, etc.

By Joe Ferraro

Widely regarded as one of the best prospects in Mixed Martial Arts today, Heavyweight Todd Duffee has been cut by the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The news comes as a shock to many, but apparently, the writing was on the wall for quite some time.

Leading up to his last bout with the organization, Duffee took aim at the MMA media and the UFC stating he was “over hyped”, and when it came to the fans perspective of he (and other MMA fighters), he told Pro MMA Radio “…in the fight game there’s just a different dynamic between the fighters and the fans. It’s a real love hate relationship. You either saved America, or you’re the scum of the world.”

It got worse from there, as just days before that UFC 114 bout (on May 28th) vs Mike Russow, Duffee took another public shot at his employer.

When the UFC tweeted “Dunno which is more awesome – @todd_duffee’s former title or his job at Dairy Queen”, the youngster took exception, and promptly responded with “@ufc yo find a new way to promote me i don’t find my misfortunes as funny as you might. your sense of humor sucks.” The countdown to Todd Duffee’s release officially began.

Coming into the fight, Duffee was a heavy favourite and many expected it to be another showcase of his knockout power, as well as the evolution of his MMA game. But someone forgot to tell Russow, as the veteran pulled off an incredible come from behind victory. After being dominated from the opening bell, even suffering a broken arm, he knocked out Duffee in the third round, which sent the MMA world into a tail spin. The loss for Duffee may have been but another bullet point for the UFC to use as another example to release the Las Vegas native.

But they continued to move forward with him, as he was then targeted to face Jon Madsen at UFC 121 in October, but then pulled out, citing a knee injury. It came as a strange coincidence, as Duffee had accepted a movie role for the sequel to “Never Back Down”, which films from September to November. Another twist to the story was when Duffee tweeted “looking for weekend job in Denver tired of being completely broke ne suggestions?”. There is no doubt in my mind, that the UFC saw this as another slap in the face and added it as another bullet point to their case for cutting Duffee loose.

There is much more to this story that has been brewing for quite some time, behind the scenes, and it reached a boiling point earlier this week.

With the proverbial axe coming down from the UFC, many around Duffee are staying tight lipped, keeping their comments to a minimum, with Todd’s Twitter account no longer active. With many others trying to piece together what the final straw was that broke the UFC’s back, Alex Davis, Duffee’s manager informed Sports Illustrated Josh Gross that “Well, I’m not sure exactly what the problem or problems were. I tryed [sic] hard to avoid, but Dana wasn’t listening. It unfortunate, but Todd’s an asset and he will keep on fighting He is a young kid and gets lots of attention.”

My own personal experiences with the twenty four year old have been nothing short of stellar. He was always available for an interview and his own sense of humour always guaranteed us at Sportsnet a very good time. He even took time during UFC 114 fight week to set up an interview, in his hotel room, to talk about his career, his bout vs Russow and being the cover boy for Muscle and Fitness.

While it’s sad to see Duffee released by the organization, it’s tough to argue with all the writing on the wall. Todd should be fine though; he’ll be picked up by Strikeforce soon, if not by organizations like Bellator, Shark Fights or the MFC. Will he ever be back with the UFC? My answer is “Yes”.

Misc News and Notes

•       Today marks the two year anniversary of the sad passing of one of MMA’s favourite heroes, Evan Tanner. Check out some great videos of the man, here.

•       The Anderson Silva / Chael Sonnen rematch is expected to take place on the UFC’s January 01st show or their Super Bowl weekend event, pending “The Spider’s” recovery from his rib injury.

•       Expected to also compete against one another on the UFC 125 card are Brandon Vera and Thiago Silva.

•       Kenny Florian has hired a wrestling coach and is expected to return to the octagon in the New Year.

•       Joe Lauzon is expected to face George Sotiropoulos at UFC 123 in Detroit, while J-Lau’s opponent Gabe Ruedigar, is also expected to be on the card, and is rumoured to be facing off against Paul Kelly.

•       Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove tweeted his next bout will be on The Ultimate Fighter Season 12 Finale, vs Demian Maia. Canadian fans can catch the fight in HD, exclusively on Rogers Sportsnet.

•          The Shine Fights event relocation has taken another twist, as the Virginia State Athletic Commission says the organization failed to meet a variety of basic requirements for promoting an MMA event within their jurisdiction.

By Joe Ferraro

Legendary Mixed Martial Arts Referee Big John McCarthy will bring his “Certification of Officials For Mixed Martial Arts Development Course” (COMMAND) program is Toronto, Ontario Canada this month!

McCarthy’s wife, Elaine, who overseas the operations of the course stated  ”With Ontario just announcing that it will be legalizing MMA in 2011, we have been inundated with requests to put on a course in that area.” And to meet the demand, she will supply what many have been hoping for in the province. A true certification course that will help lay the foundation for the sport to get off on the right foot.

McCarthy also announced that  ”On Friday, September 24 we will be hosting a 1-Day Informational Seminar (non-certification) on the history of MMA and how to get involved as an official with the athletic commission (Inspector, Judge and Referee). On Saturday, September 25th through Sunday, September 26th we will be hosting a 2-Day JUDGING certification course.”

Having taken and been certified as an Official under the COMMAND course, I can attest to how difficult it is to pass the course. Having passed this course, I immediately focused on figuring out how to someway, somehow, take the COMMAND Judging Course. And to be able to get the chance to take it in my own backyard is a thrill, but believe me, I’m going to be ready for an arduous process.

I say this not to scare people away, but hope you will take my word and take the time to do your homework. If you think you can simply walk into this course and pass it, just because you have been watching MMA for years and / or have trained, even competed, in the sport, take my word for it: you are setting yourself up for failure.

All of the course information is on the COMMAND website, but all of the answers can only be found in how much time you allocate to preparing yourself before you step foot inside the classroom. I highly recommend you study the various MMA positions, takedowns, submissions and more. They are on the site – look them up, write them down. Then do it all again.

Above all, would be participants should realize that first impressions can pave the way for fruitful relationships, especially when your “boss” is watching, as McCarthy has informed that the top of Ontario’s Combat Sports Political Food Chain will be present.

“Mr. Ken Hayashi, the Executive Director for the Ontario Athletic Commission, is planning to attend both courses and introduce himself to the course participants.”

Now for those who are unable to attend this month’s judging course and would rather attend the referee course, Elaine stated that “COMMAND will look at hosting a Referee Seminar at a later date. Spaces are limited and are guaranteed on a first registered, first reserved basis.”

Also, “You can find information on both courses by visiting our website at www.mmareferee.com.”

Below is the information for both courses:

One Day Informational Course (Non Certification)

INSTRUCTORS: Big John McCarthy & Jerin Valel

COST: $150.00 Per Student

WHEN: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH

TIME: 9:00AM – 5:00PM

WHERE: Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Toronto International Airport Meeting Room: ALPINE I Terminal 3, Toronto AMF, P.O. Box 3000 Toronto Phone: (905) 672 7000

ONE DAY INFORMATIONAL COURSE SYLLABUS

History of MMA
How to get involved as an official
What are the duties of an Inspector?
What are the duties of a Judge?
What are the duties of a Referee?
Question and Answer Session
For Registration Details, General Information, and Frequently Asked Questions, Please visit website at www.MMAreferee.com

Payment is by Credit Card only in USD – For Payment Arrangements Please Call our COMMAND Staff at: 661­775 0365

Two Day Judging Course (For Certification)

INSTRUCTORS: Big John McCarthy & Jerin Valel

COST: $500.00 Per Student

WHEN: Saturday Sept 25th, 2010 through Sunday, Sept 26th, 2010

TIME: Day 1: 8am to 9pm Day 2: 9am to 6pm

WHERE: Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Toronto International Airport Meeting Room: ALPINE I Terminal 3, Toronto AMF, P.O. Box 3000 Toronto Phone: (905) 672 7000

Two DAY JUDGING COURSE SYLLABUS

History of Mixed Martial Arts
Ethics and Professionalism
Responsibilities working within an Athletic Commission Reviewing the Unified Rules Judging Criteria Techniques of MMA Concentration, Keeping the crowd out of the equation Review & Questions Testing Results For Registration Details, General Information, and Frequently Asked Questions, Please visit website at www.MMAreferee.com

Payment is by Credit Card only in USD – For Payment Arrangements Please Call our COMMAND Staff at: 661 775 0365

**Please plan on extremely long days as there is a lot of material to cover in a short period of time. We strongly recommend traveling on separate days from the actual seminar days. It is imperative that participants attend every hour of the course in order to have the optimal chance of passing. The primary goal of the course is knowledge transfer, however, those interested in certification should be aware the pass rate is approximately 40%.

This course is recognized by the ABC (the Association of Boxing Commissions)