MMA Roundup- Rampage, Carwin, Tim Sylvia

This week’s MMA Roundup features former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champions, as well as a man who hopes to win one of those titles this summer.  In addition, the injury bug bites an upcoming UFC event (ruining one of my personal favorite fights in the near future) and much more.

Rampage Will Fight…For Now

By now, we all know that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will be facing fellow TUF 10 coach and former light heavyweight champ Rashad Evans this spring.  However, this does not mean at all that Rampage is planning on resuming his career as an MMA fighter for long.  While Rampage’s statement that he never really loved fighting is no surprise to those who have followed his career- he’s always been primarily focused on fighting in order to make money- some of his other quotes do not bode well for a future run at the light heavyweight title.

“I am done with the UFC, they can’t ask any more favors from me, nothing. I just want to finish my contract and get out of there, do my own thing,” Jackson is quoted as saying.  If this is truly the case, we won’t be seeing much more of Rampage in the UFC, and probably anywhere, as it’s doubtful that Rampage would opt for Strikeforce or to go back to Japan, if his acting services are in as much demand as he says they are.

Sure, it sounds bad between Jackson and the UFC for now.  However, let’s not forget that we have seen supposedly insurmountable differences get tossed aside in the interest of business many times before in this sport (Tito Ortiz, anyone?).  If the money is right, and Jackson isn’t yet ready to be the movie star that he wants to be, he’ll be fighting for awhile.

Shane Carwin Weighs In on Frank Mir’s Comments

Among the many who have given their opinion on Mir’s controversial comments about killing Brock Lesnar in the octagon is Mir’s next opponent, Shane Carwin.  Carwin told MMA Bay that “any athlete wishing death upon a competitor is either a terrible human being or mentally unfit to fight,” although he clarified later on in his blog that he doesn’t think that Mir truly wants to kill Lesnar, at any rate.

Regarding Mir, Carwin did say that “it makes no sense why [Mir] would want to make comments that might damage a lot of the good HE has participated in adding to this sport over the years.”  Of course, I gave my view on whether people are too paranoid about the possible effects of one fighter’s comments earlier this week.  Carwin, who has seen the sport grow rapidly from a fighter’s perspective, has a different opinion on the matter, which is understandable.  He has a lot at stake when it comes to the acceptance of the sport and its continued growth, after all.  I still do believe that we are well past the point where one ill-advised quote can do any real damage to what is probably the fastest growing sport in the world, however.

What’s interesting here is that Mir is looking past Carwin, and Carwin is obviously aware of it.  It may add fuel to the proverbial fire during Carwin’s training, but I don’t expect to see it affect the outcome of the fight.  After all, even if Mir is preparing himself for a future fight with Lesnar, Carwin is such a similar fighter that said preparation will also get him where he needs to be for this particular fight, as well.  This year should be very interesting in the UFC’s heavyweight division.

Tim Sylvia Keeps Himself Busy

One of the more polarizing champions in UFC history, former heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, is working hard to bounce back from a period in his career that he would rather forget.  Sylvia, who ended a three fight losing streak by beating little-known Jason Riley last September, now has three possible fights coming down the pipe.

The first (and most visible) possibility is at Dream 13, where an opponent is not yet known for a prospective fight on March 22nd.  Then, if Sylvia remains healthy, there’s a possible freak show-style fight against Mariusz Pudzianowski, who was the winner of the World’s Strongest Man competition five times.  Finally, June may bring a fight between Sylvia and longtime antagonist Wes Sims in Canada.  Originally, that fight was to take place in Ohio next month, but the athletic commission would not allow it, citing a gap in ability between the two.

Clearly, Sylvia is trying to stay busy and keep his name out there, but will this help him get back to the big show?  I doubt that Dana White will be impressed if Sylvia TKO’s a man whose claim to fame is flipping huge tires or hoisting huge rocks up onto a platform at great speed.  Of course, White already publicly dismissed any real chance of Sylvia coming back, so Sylvia’s got to do what he’s got to do.  Who knows, maybe he can find a regular home in Dream, or a shot to fight domestically in Strikeforce?

Quick Shots

–If I seem a little bummed today, it’s because one of my favorite upcoming fights is not going to happen after all.  Spencer Fisher has apparently injured his back and will not be able to compete on the UFC’s first Versus-aired card on March 21st.  He was slated to fight Duane “Bang” Ludwig in what most certainly would have been an entertaining fight.  Instead, Ludwig will face UFC newcomer Darren Elkins, according to MMA Weekly.

–Fedor Emelianenko will apparently not be fighting on Strikeforce’s planned CBS show this April.  Representatives from M-1 Global, the completely irrelevant promotion that piggybacks relentlessly on the world’s best heavyweight, stated that Fedor will be fighting Fabricio Werdum at a different Strikeforce event in May, instead.

Why is this the case?  Who knows?  There were rumblings of difficulties between M-1 Global and Strikeforce (which is not hard to imagine, given M-1′s ludicrous demands of anyone that employs Fedor) recently, and maybe this is related.  You have to think that it wouldn’t be Strikeforce’s choice to go into a CBS-aired show without Emelianenko on the card.

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Tags: Brock Lesnar, Dana White, DREAM, Fedor Emelianenko, Frank Mir, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Shane Carwin, Spencer Fisher, Strikeforce, Tim Sylvia, UFC