Sporting Goods

Friday, September 2, 2011

Debut UFC on Fox card will be heavyweight title [Updated]

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is pulling no punches as it steps onto its most significant television platform yet.

The fight organization announced Friday it will use its heavyweight championship between champion Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos as the only bout of its debut on Fox television Nov. 12 at Anaheim's Honda Center.

Tickets will go on sale Sept. 9 at the arena.

"This was a no-brainer, the fight that was right in front of our face," UFC President Dana White said. "We wanted to go on with our best foot forward."

Unbeaten former Arizona State wrestler Velasquez (9-0, eight knockouts) and Brazilian Dos Santos (13-1, eight knockouts, three submissions) were scheduled to fight Nov. 19 on a pay-per-view card at San Jose's HP Pavilion.

White said it "took about three and a half minutes to get both deals done," for what the promoter said will be "the most-watched MMA event in North American history."

"They know how much this means to the sport, the UFC, and their careers personally."

[UPDATED, 11:51 a.m., Sept. 2]: The UFC event landed on the same night that boxing's top pound-for-pound fighter, Manny Pacquiao, will fight Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez on pay-per-view at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. White, who's engaged Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum in back-and-forth criticism recently, said he doesn't care how the boxing match fares in pay-per-view buys, although he likes Pacquiao and says he's "torn."

As for his own fighters' move off pay-per-view, White confided "they're being paid" additionally "just fine" to compensate for the loss of pay-per-view upside. [END UPDATE].

The UFC and Fox last month announced a seven-year deal worth $100 million annually that will place four fights a year on the network, while also airing the organization's popular "The Ultimate Fighter" reality television series and other live fights on its cable network, FX.

White promised to give Fox big cards and called the return of Velasquez from a near-13-month layoff following a right shoulder injury (torn rotator cuff) versus the powerful Dos Santos "the most prestigious match-up possible."

Velasquez's last fight was Oct. 23, 2010, at Honda Center, when he scored a first-round technical knockout of then-champion Brock Lesnar. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Dos Santos has defeated respected heavyweights Mirko Filipovic, Gabriel Gonzaga, Roy Nelson and Shane Carwin (the last by unanimous decision in June).

"Both guys have power," White said. "You saw what Cain did against Brock. Obviously, his game plan is to take down Junior Dos Santos, which no one has yet. If [Velasquez] can take it to the ground, it'll be interesting."

White said the hour-long broadcast, scheduled to start live at 6 p.m. Pacific time, will feature pre- and post-fight shows tailored to address the "millions who will be tuning in [to the sport] for the first time. We need time to set up 'The UFC's on Fox,' and all that."

Fox will assume some production duties from the UFC, which White has been reluctant to relinquish in the past.

"This guy [Fox Sports Chairman David Hill] has forgotten more about production than I'll ever know," White said. "We want their input and we want to work hand in hand."

"Dana and the UFC have been great partners to us for many years," said Tim Ryan, president of Honda Center. "As host to the first UFC event in California, we're excited to be part of another landmark night for the sport. We couldn't ask for a better match-up, having watched firsthand as Cain won the UFC heavyweight title here at Honda Center in October, and know Nov. 12 will be an unforgettable night in Anaheim."

White said he is "working on" a replacement pay-per-view headliner in San Jose Nov. 19.

MORE:

L.A. Times August MMA Rankings

The importance of UFC's Fox debut at Honda Center

-- Lance Pugmire

Photo: Cain Velasquez. Credit: Handout.

Debut UFC on Fox card will be heavyweight title

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is pulling no punches as it steps onto its most significant television platform yet.

Tickets will go on sale Sept. 9 at the arena.

"This was a no-brainer, the fight that was right in front of our face," UFC President Dana White said. "We wanted to go on with our best foot forward."

White said it "took about three and a half minutes to get both deals done," for what the promoter said will be "the most-watched MMA event in North American history."

"They know how much this means to the sport, the UFC, and their careers personally."

[UPDATED, 11:51 a.m.]: The UFC event landed on the same night boxing's top pound-for-pound fighter Manny Pacquiao will fight Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez on pay-per-view at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. White, who's engaged Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum in back-and-forth criticism recently, said he doesn't care how the boxing match fares in pay-per-view buys, although he likes Pacquiao and says he's "torn."

As for his own fighters move off pay-per-view, White confided "they're being paid" additionally "just fine" to compensate for the loss of pay-per-view upside. [END UPDATE].

Fox will assume some production duties from the UFC, which White has been reluctant to relinquish in the past.

"This guy [Fox Sports Chairman David Hill] has forgotten more about production than I'll ever know," White said. "We want their input and we want to work hand in hand."

White said he is "working on" a replacement pay-per-view headliner in San Jose Nov. 19.

-- Lance Pugmire

HBO takes a closer look at the Mayweather-Ortiz fight

HBO's landmark 24/7 series turns its eye to the upcoming Victor Ortiz-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight with a series of episodes devoted to the bout. You can watch a recap of episode 1 above. Episodes 2 and 3 debut Sept., 3 and 10, respectively, and the finale debuts Fri., Sept. 16 at 9pm ET/PT on HBO. It all leads up to their live pay-per-view fight on Sat., Sept. 17.

--Houston Mitchell

US Open 2011 Diary – welcome to the bagel shop

Even Novak Djokovic had to laugh at his own brilliance

Thursday in New York

Terrifying form

When a tennis player is in one of those ‘I can do no wrong moods’, it’s hard to see how they can lose a point, let alone a game or a match. Which is the situation that Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic find themselves in at the moment. Both S and Nole have been all too happy to visit the Flushing Meadows bagel shop, dropping just three games on their way to the third round – Serena two in her opener, one in her second, Novak one in his opener (admittedly helped along by Conor Niland’s stomach troubles), and two in his second.

Djokovic’s dominance over Carlos Berlocq was so ridonkadonk that he hit a hotdog to set up match point. This does not happen in the real world.

It can’t last of course. Or can it? Either way, woe betide those poor souls who come next.

Passing through

Also cruising along were Roger Federer in 77 minutes, Caroline Wozniacki in 63 minutes (Arantxa Rus, you let me down), and Francesca Schiavone in 53 minutes. Restoring order with every game or set that they don’t drop. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Marin Cilic, Jelena Jankovic and Tomas Berdych also advanced.

Stars and stripes

Yesterday marked the passage of five American women through to the third round at Flushing Meadows, the most since 2004 (when eight made it through). And, much more tellingly, three of the five are below the age of 21. Introducing Serena’s successors…Christina McHale, Irina Falconi, and now, 18 year-old Sloane Stephens. The punchy teenager didn’t even stop to muse on the fact that Shahar Peer might be too much for her, and will instead meet Ana Ivanovic in the third round.

The ones that don’t make sense

Gael Monfils lost to juan Carlos Ferrero in five very strange sets.

La Monf is a particularly curious case. Yes, JC Ferrero (not related to the chocolates, as someone did in fact ask), can defy his age to produce some vintage mosquito play, but still. These are matches that Monfils, who has talent screaming from his afro, should be winning. Except he doesn’t. Head-banger.

Richard Gasquet also went out to Ivo Karlovic in four.

And then there was one

Five players in the first round was pretty great, considering that it’s not Wimbledon. Three in the second round was greater. But now, as per usual, there’s just one. Not for want of trying on the part of Elena Baltacha, I’ll quickly add. She lead Svetlana Kuznetsova by a break at the start of their second-rounder, before the mercurial Russian got it together, and was ultimately that bit more consistent.Food for thought for Bally, who has had her best year in the Slams, all second rounds, at the grand old age of 28.

“Matches against world-class players like her teach you a lot about your game and where you need to improve,” Baltacha wrote in her BBC column. “My US Open might be over but I’m determined to finish the year strongly to give myself the right platform for 2012.”

But it does mean that Andy Murray is Britain’s last remaining player in the singles competition. Praise Peter for the doubles… Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins, and Jonny Marray and Jamie Delgado are all in second round action today.

More on Venus

Venus Williams has been talking a bit more about being diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome.

“I’ve been told it’s going to take three to six months for all the medication to sink in,” Williams told the New York Times, adding that she received a diagnosis last month. “Looking back, it’s affected my career in a huge way… A lot of times I’ve had to pretend I felt good when I felt terrible.”

The tennis world is behind her.

Have a read of some more thoughts on the US Open sick bay syndrome.

Soundbite

“Not much trouble on serve/baseline when it’s like that obviously tough 4 opponent. I just think I was superior today”

Vintage Roger Federer

What’s coming up this evening

Andy Murray v Robin Haase (approx 8.45pm UK time)

Robin Haase is a very sweet-natured Dutchman with a lovely smile. But let that not delude you that he can be swimming shark, his huge serve and groundstrokes meaning that Murray can’t afford to stand at the back of the court and swat.Will be a good test of where Murray’s return game is at.

Maria Sharapova v Flavia Pennetta

Inconsistent in her first round, dominant in her second – what will the third round bring from MaSha? Pennetta is one of the most naturally-gifted athletes on the WTA, so it won’t be easy. But when Maria gets the banshee wail going…

Rafael Nadal v Nicolas Mahut

Can the marathon man do anything to upset Rafa? Or will this be a chance for the defending champ to ease his way back into form.

Irina Falconi v Sabine Lisicki

Why? Because Falconi has a great name and Lisicki is one of the hardest hitters out there. Should be interesting.

Andy Roddick v Jack Sock

Old takes on new in this all-American duel. Roddick needs to stamp on Sock from the beginning. But can he?

Also in action

Juan Martin Del Potro (v Diego Junqueira), David Ferrer v James Blake, David Nalbandian v Ivan Ljubicic, John Isner (v Robby Ginepri), Sam Stosur v Nadia Petrova, Vera Zvonareva (v Annabel Medina Garrigues), Julia Goerges v Peng Shuai.

The daily click

Djokovic on song. In case you missed it.

2011 N.F.L. Season Previews

A look, via links, of the N.F.L. season previews written by Andy Benoit for The Fifth Down. If you’ve missed them, the analysis and level of detail are impressive.

NFC East

NFC North

AFC East

NFC South

AFC South

AFC North

Extra point: Unfortunately, Andy won’t be able to complete the previews this year because of a death in the family. Here is donation information for a scholarship fund. Toni Monkovic

Is US Open sick bay syndrome just a freak occurrence, or something more?

Petra Cetkovska became the 14th player to withdraw or retire from this year's US Open

There are some strange goings on at Flushing Meadows. The tally of injured, ill, or indisposed creaked up to 15 on Thursday, more if you count the already absent Kim Clijsters and Lleyton Hewitt, and all in just four days of competition.

At the time of writing, the following had left the heart of Queens not entirely well: Petra Cetkovska (withdrew), Radek Stepanek (retired), Venus Williams (withdrew), Robin Soderling (withdrew), Yanina Wickmayer (retired), Louk Sorensen (retired), Conor Niland (retired), Jamie Hampton (retired), Kei Nishikori (retired), Ayumi Morita (retired), Misaki Doi(retired), Frank Dancevic (retired), Karol Beck (retired), Marinko Matosevic (retired), Lara Pous-Tio and Carla Suarez Navarro (retired).

Such a litany has leant an aura of sick bay syndrome to the year’s fourth and final major. While the likes of Andy Murray are avoiding the locker room and watching their food like a hawk for fear of the lurgy rubbing off , players must be going into their matches never quite sure if they’re going to be handed an easy pass, or not. Is there something wrong with their opponent? Or are they completely fine? A bit like waiting for the ref’s whistle to blow.

And even if it should eventuate that the person on the other side of the net is injured, or struggling, as we know all too well, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll win. Remember what happened to Viktor Troicki, playing a one-legged Murray in Paris? He armaggeddoned completely.

Fellow British No 1 Elena Baltacha touched on this when she faced a cramping Jamie Hampton in her first match in New York.

“Sometimes it’s hard when you know someone’s injured or something like that happens and they can’t really move that great,” she said. “Somtimes your game can just completely go. So I really tried hard to concentrate and stay there and keep that control and get ahead as much as I could.”

Some of the injury-related revelations, such as that of Venus Williams, are serious indeed. Big V explained that she is suffering from Sjögren’s syndrome, a chronic autoimmune disease in which people’s white blood cells attack their moisture-producing glands. For an athlete, that is very bad news indeed. Even worse news is that she presented similar symptoms as long ago as 2007, so who knows how long this particular bedevilment has been lurking.

Others, such as Conor Niland, whose stomach was doing somersaults on him as he tried to play the best player in the world on the biggest court on the world, will be fine in a few days. His body just played a mean trick.

But the increasingly large procession of players through the medical centre yet again highlights the battering that tennis inflicts on the human body. Because ultimately, no matter the drive, desire, and death stare, if the body says no, that’s it.

It’s something Tim Henman pointed out recently, while discussing Roger Federer’s 30th birthday. According to Henman, one of the reasons Federer is still playing to such a high level, and will continue to do so, is because his body has let him. Whether that’s because of his sensible scheduling, or the way he plays, all grace and guile, or just luck – a smidge of all three, I would wager – Federer has been remarkably injury-free. The Swiss won his 225th Grand Slam match last night, second only behind Jimmy Connors on 233.

His body will catch up eventually, like it did for Andre Agassi, who spent his final year on the tour aged 35 sleeping on the floor rather than in a bed because his back was so bad. At that point it’s more than time to wave farewell.

Of course, style of play is not the only culprit. You could play like a turbo-charged Rafael Nadal for every second of every match, and if you only had to play for five tournaments a year, the chances are, you wouldn’t get injured. Even if you played like Gael Monfils, who managed to hit a ball while flat on his back yesterday.

And so it is that the debate about the length of the season rears its Medusa-esque head once again.

The tennis calendar has been disected and discussed almost as much as Fred Perry and 1936. Is it too long? Are there too many hard court events? Where should things like Davis and Fed Cup fit in? When do players ever get to take a break?

It is a punishing schedule. Start the year in Australia, in the heat, dip in and out of Asia, if you feel like it. Then to America, for the two hard court Masters, then to Europe for the clay and Roland Garros. Then, quick-step and bend the knees to Wimbledon, for some grass. Then back to the States and the hard courts before dropping in on New York, and then, more hard courts, in Asia and Europe, before finishing off in either London or Istanbul. And then do a whole load of weights and sprints before doing it all over again. The ATP powers that be may be lopping two weeks off the end of the season next year, but they also have to fit in the Olympics as well.

All of which means that by this time of the year, with eight months gone and still three to go, it’s no surprise to see more than a few players wilting like tired spinach.

But, on the other hand, look at Novak Djokovic. The perfect counter-argument. After barely a week off in between 2010 and 2011, much of which was spent celebrating and manicuring his shaved head, the super Serb has pit-stopped through all those events, winning all but one of them. He has played 61 matches to date this year, lost just two of them, and apart from the odd knee niggle and shoulder tweak, looks a picture of health. Perhaps it’s the great anti-gluten move.

So, what to conclude? Have too many colds, sore limbs and dodgy takeaways all happened to collide in the first week of this Slam? Or is there more to it? We’ll find out as the days go by.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

U.S. Open: American Mardy Fish cruises into third round

Mardy Fish, 29, is playing in his 11th U.S. Open. He's never gotten further than the quarterfinals. It is, Fish says, something that disappoints him about his career. It is the place where he thinks his game is best suited, and yet success hasn't come.

Fish won his second round Thursday over qualifier Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Fish had the same effortless winning style in the first round as well, advancing 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 over Tobias Kamke of Germany. Fish, who is modest and never one to overestimate his level of play, said he hasn't gotten much sense, yet, of how well he is playing.

"I haven't really been tested that much," he said. "I can't do anything about that. I can't do anything about who I come up against. Just happy to move on."

Jaziri, 27, was the first Tunisian player to have reached the third round of a Grand Slam event in the open era, and the U.S. Open was Jaziri's first tour-level event other than Davis Cup. So Fish was clearly the class of the matchup.

"I think I'm playing well," Fish said. "I'm very confident right now. That guy is in the second round for a reason. He's won four matches in a row [including qualifying]. But, yeah, he's in a position that he's never been in before. I guess I took advantage of that."

Next up for Fish will be big-serving South African Kevin Anderson who upset 29th-seeded Michael Llodra of France 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.

Venus Williams exits U.S. Open because of autoimmune disease

-- Diane Pucin in New York

Photo: Mardy Fish returns a shot during his second-round match against Malek Jaziri at the U.S. Open on Thursday. Credit: John G. Mabanglo / EPA