Non-threadworthy MMA Rumors/Quotes/Tweets, etc.

[SDM]

DJ's not particularly good. Gotta trim the fat. Lots of guys at his level would take fights on short notice, so it's nothing special that he did.

[Bernman]

Dana was apparently pissed that he said he could make 170 and then he didn't.

That's silly of Dana as usual. I know you have a super low tolerance for missing weight and excuses, but realistically it was only 8 days. It's a tough task and who else we're they going to get who could have accommodated them? In spite of missing weight, he saved that fight, which was a showcase for one of their brightest prospects. He should have been maintained for doing them a solid, and if anything DMJ should be pissed 10 years down the line that he was allowed to return to the octagon less than 2 months after one of the worst knockouts in recent memory. He sucks for this level, but he still got a bit of a raw deal here.

As for Mayhem, his actions on the MMAHour were obviously not crazy. He was playing a delusional Boston Sports fan character throughout to promote a movie and play games. He just executed it at a mediocre level. He's not a trained actor like Crispin Glover or Joaquin Phoenix. It does bring up more questions about Mayhem's mental health because the underlying reason was probably to avoid talking about his real life which isn't in a satisfactory place right now. But depression doesn't mean he's crazy. It's a linear path.

[REDDzone]

I don't have issues with DJ missing weight, fwiw.

Hey, question for you, do you know why Pat Barry left rufousport?

[Bernman]

Yeah, it was because Big Ben started his own gym in Kenosha and Meathead moved back to Indiana to train full-time there. It was a domino effect with all their notable heavyweights. He was the last to fall.

I think the sub-text here is he hasn't fared as well since departing. I've noticed the same, but Roufusport isn't a feasible option anymore unless he'd do some recruiting first.

[SDM]

Miller's Kaufman/SBC impression was really poor.

I kind of feel sorry for Helwani, but I think he's a smug little douche who always has this stupid smile on his face, so I won't feel too sorry. I'm thinking that when you get someone who obviously will not deviate from a character, you play along, always. Helwani's insistence that he talk to Mayhem was kind of sad. Just play along, you sanctimonious douche, not every minute of every day has to be serious.

[Bernman]

That's very true and I thought a similar thing at the time. It was a mediocre execution of a character at best by Mayhem, but Ariel so badly wanted to change to a subject he was prepared for. He's not talented enough to improv even as well as Mayhem. He was very delayed in his responses when he tried to play along. He's the Jay Leno of MMA hosts. Then afterward he exaggerated how sad the behavior was to justify not playing along when it was really because he couldn't. I bet if Mayhem pulled that on Mauro's show people wouldn't be making as big of a deal out of this. Mauro would either laugh and play along or try to power through the topical questions he wanted to ask as part of the bit. Then afterward not act like he was so worried about Mayhem's sanity because he wouldn't be serious like Ariel needed him to.

[REDDzone]

Meh, Ariel's show is a huge hit. Everyone listens to it, fighters call in or respond on twitter all the time. He probably just didn't want to waste literally half his weekly show talking to some charicature that wasn't even remotely close to funny. Did anyone want to hear Ariel interview a character from a lame movie for an hour after being told Mayhem was on the show? I know I didn't. Fake Sonnen is at least entertaining. This isn't even considering that Mayhem was throwing things around and jumping on the table (all of which Ariel said he wasn't going to tolerate for much longer, anyway).

That said, Ariel tried to make it a bigger issue imo. He insinuated that he considered Mayhem a personal friend and all this, then talked about how "concerned" he was for him. Listen man, if I have a close friend who I truly believe is mentally ill or going through some real psychological issues like Ariel implied, I don't go on twitter and publicly say whatever Ariel said (don't want to attempt to paraphrase because I can't recall exactly), I call them up and talk to them in private.

[Bernman]

MMAHour is not MMAHour. It's often MMA 2-3 hours. It's an internet show where they have limited time constraints. How about showing you can play along well for a few minutes while Mayhem messes around. Then move on to topics on the agenda later. And if he still won't conform then play along until it's clearly run its course and wrap up early. Ariel is a solid host because he asks relevant questions to the MMA world, but that's where his talent ends.

[SDM]

To be fair, people are making a big deal out of this because Mayhem crapped the bed horrifically the last few times in a cage and was just busted for hanging out naked in a church. But this is an obvious cross-promotion tie-in that wasn't executed well. He was obviously in character, which Helwani acknowledged. How any of these people freaking out about Mayhem's "mental picture" missed out on Borat or AK, I have no idea.

[REDDzone]

I'm not advocating Ariel at all tbh. I think he's really limited and I kind of find it annoying how big of a ufc fanboy he is. I can just understand why he didn't want to play along with Mayhem for however long. I mean what do you even say to a guy as he's throwing around things on your set and stealing your Volkmann t-shirt? I don't think he should really be expected to interview him as if he's some random Boston guy named "Patrick" whose mma debut is coming up in a week.

[SDM]

It shouldn't be expected, but it's journalism/reporting/interviews and anything can happen and you need to be prepared. It became apparent that Mayhem wasn't going out of character, so you roll with it. You let Mayhem steal your $20 Volkmann t-shirt and throw your action figures around. Everyone's an adult-- if something breaks, someone will pay for it. I'd even argue that having an impulsive guest is a great thing for the show-- keeps everyone sharp. What happens if he's interviewing someone softspoken like Demian Maia and he starts going off on Jews? He has to be prepared for that. Imagine him asking to speak to the real Demian Maia...

[REDDzone]

I don't really feel the need to defend Ariel, I do think he's limited and a schill. I just don't think he did anythign wrong here.

Let me ask you this. What gave him and his show more publicity? Creating the public perception that Mayhem hit the breaking point on his show and stormed off set? Or Ariel fake interviewing a fake character from a movie with the mall cop?

[SDM]

It's not that I think he did anything wrong either... I just think he's pretty crappy as the most recognizable MMA interviewer guy person and stuff like this shows how, I guess, untrained he is. I would imagine that's because of the DIY, ass-kissy approach to most MMA interviews... too much time putting balls on tees for guys who are just thrilled to take a swing, not enough time trying to outdrive Tiger Woods, if you get that awful analogy.

Oh, definitely the bat **** crazy Mayhem thing. Which is disingenuous, but whatever. It still doesn't mean that a Patrick Boston interview done by a guy who had some ability to ad-lib and veer from scripts couldn't have been memorable, or at least, a helluva lot of fun.

I don't know. Ignore me. I'm exceptionally disappointed in the quality of MMA journalism/interviews, I think it's so far behind the progress made by other facets of the sport and dudes like AH should be put to task repeatedly (but aren't, I feel, because they have first-to-market credibility).

[REDDzone]

IMO the problem is that mma media is dominated by Canadians. Mauro, Ariel, that creepy guy who pissed off Sonnen. WTF!

[SDM]

And don't forget Halifax's favourite aborted fetus, Jordan Breen.

I'm kidding on Breen. I like him. He'd be able to ad-lib!

[REDDzone]

I like Breen too, a lot actually. Although some tings he does irritates me. One thing that sticks out: Once he basically linked being against people abusing steroids in mma with being a social conservative. As someone who is pretty much libertarian when it comes to social issues, and who is against people shooting themselves up with roids to punch others in the head...I wanted to slap him up on his spikey haired head.

Also, if he were half as smart as he thinks he is, cancer would be done for.

[Walt Cronkite]

Ariel is fine. It was obviously a character Mayhem was playing, but it wasn't a good one, so... IDK, definitely made me less interested in seeing a movie I had never considered seeing in the first place.

I've become a fan of fighters I might not have become a fan of otherwise, but I also have gotten to the point where I don't ever listen to an entire MMA hour. It's way too long and there are much more interesting podcasts worth listening to out there. Maybe not about MMA, but I'm not into the stuff enough to listen to 2.5-3 hours of Ariel trying to get guests on the phone that may or may not be worth hearing from anyway every week.

[Shaazzam]

IMO the problem is that mma media is dominated by Canadians. Mauro, Ariel, that creepy guy who pissed off Sonnen. WTF!

Heh, Landsberg is not part of MMA media. He's a narcissistic talking head that has his own show and Sonnen was on it. Think of him more as a ... Jim Rome, I guess.

And don't forget Showdown Joe!

[SDM]

And don't forget Showdown Joe!

Let's forget him, actually.

[blkout]

Ariel is fine. It was obviously a character Mayhem was playing, but it wasn't a good one, so... IDK, definitely made me less interested in seeing a movie I had never considered seeing in the first place.

I've become a fan of fighters I might not have become a fan of otherwise, but I also have gotten to the point where I don't ever listen to an entire MMA hour. It's way too long and there are much more interesting podcasts worth listening to out there. Maybe not about MMA, but I'm not into the stuff enough to listen to 2.5-3 hours of Ariel trying to get guests on the phone that may or may not be worth hearing from anyway every week.

I only listen to the ones where there's someone in the studio. Even if I can't see them the interactions are better and less awkward, for some reason Helwani doesn't laugh at any of their jokes if they're on the phone so it just winds up uncomfortable to listen to. His Paul Heyman interview was awesome.