One legend dies, while another lives on

At UFC 115 in British Columbia, Canada there was a definite mixture of named veterans of the sport along with the next generation of Mixed Martial Arts fighters involved? However, when it was all said and done, it was two living legends of MMA and a potential future legend that stole the show; sadly for one, it was for the wrong reason. Chuck 'The Iceman' Liddell (21-8, 13 KO's), arguably the most recognizable MMA fighter in the world and a UFC Hall of Famer, took it on the chin, literally, again for the 4th time in his last six fights and hopefully the last time ever.

While I had predicted openly before the fight that I thought Rich Franklin (26-5, 14 KO's & 9 subs) would defeat Liddell in a decision, a surprising turn of events occurred in an exciting first round. Liddell, as seems to happen all the time now, got caught coming in by a counter short right that melted the Iceman like The Wicked Witch of the West. Liddell, who UFC President Dana White was trying to get to retire after his last loss 14 months ago, came into this fight energized, focused and easily in the best shape of his long and stellar career. Known to enjoy the nightlife in his past, Liddell showed up ripped with shredded abs, which he's never had before and early in the fight, it looked as though the long layoff would prove good for him.

Stalking his opponent in his patented counter punching style, he was definitely quicker then he's been recently even shooting in on Franklin for an early takedown and combining his punches with devastating leg kicks. How devastating, it was later found out that he broke Rich Franklin's left arm in that first round with a vicious round kick. Franklin however weathered the storm and throughout all that Liddell gave him in that first round, he had moments of his own where he connected with quick jabs and combinations. Then with just about 10 seconds left in the first round, Liddell characteristically came after Franklin with arms wide open after thinking he had him in trouble and got hit with a short counter right that knocked him down. A follow-up left to the head by Franklin with his broken arm and a second right hand to the face forced the ref to stop it as Liddell was clearly out.

So it appears quite clear that Chuck Liddell's storied career as a fighter is finally over, however shed no tears for this warrior. Dana White made it known in the post-fight press conference that he'll always have a home with the UFC in some capacity as he continues to be an ambassador for the sport. As for Franklin, the former middleweight champion (185lbs.), he seemed quite strong at light heavyweight (205lbs.) and with two wins in his last three fights over legends Liddell and Wanderlei Silva, he appears to be on his way to carving out his own legendary Hall of Fame career. When asked at the post-fight press conference if he would go back to 185lbs, he said "I would like to make a run at the 205lbs. Title".

While one legend leaves and another one continues to grow, the third legend in this equation, Mirko 'Cro-Cop' Filipovic, came back with a new found enthusiasm he hasn't shown in a long time, if ever. With only the fourth submission win in his career, Cro-Cop (27-7, 20 KO's) finished a young hungry Pat Barry with a rear naked choke late in the 3rd round of their co-main event bout. Early on it looked as though Barry (5-2, 5 KO's) may have Cro-Cop's number as he twice dropped the Croatian sensation with quick right hands. However, both times he failed to follow-up and capitalize on any damage he may have inflicted on the legendary striker, who Barry had admitted before the fight he idolized. It was quite evident as the fight continued and the momentum swayed, Barry showed way too much respect for his idol and was content just to be in the same cage with him. Next up for Cro-Cop, who knows as his UFC career currently stands at (4-3), however a more relaxed and even joking Filipovic seemed not only amiable towards the fans and his opponent, but his employer as well. Dana White said at the post-fight press conference, "I like the new Cro-Cop".

Amidst this trio of legends, there were a couple of young fighters who looked very impressive in their respective fights, one doing so in defeat. First, Evan Dunham (11-0, 2 KO's & 6 subs) looked really good as he totally dominated a tough Tyson Griffin (14-3, 6 KO's & 3 subs) by smothering him with his slick jiu-jitsu game for a split decision win. How one judge even gave a round to Griffin, let alone the fight, should be investigated. Also, Rory McDonald (10-1, 4 KO's & 6 subs), although he got finished with mere seconds left in the 3rd round of his fight with Carlos Condit, looked extremely impressive in the first two rounds. The youngest fighter currently on the UFC roster, only 20 years old, he looked seasoned well past his age. In the end Condit (25-5, 11 KO's & 13 subs), the former WEC welterweight champion (170lbs.), proved too much for the young stallion. Expect to see big things for both these young stars down the road as their talent just continues to grow with their experience.

So as a new wave of fighters continue to make their way into this generation of MMA, it's only right that we acknowledge the career and achievements of an actual pioneer of this sport. Chuck Liddell, who was headlining UFC 115 last night, made his initial appearance in the octagon twelve years ago in 1998 @ UFC 17. That's over 100 shows ago, counting Ultimate Fight Night cards. That night he won a decision over Noe Hernandez; I know Noe who? It doesn't matter because since then he's fought the who's who of MMA and up until recently, was the best of the best. However, no one is immune to Father Time and when that time comes, as we've seen so many times before, if you hang on too long the legend dies. Thanks for the memories Chuck!

A real life Vision Quest

In the 1986 movie 'Vision Quest' Louden Swayne's best friend Kuch said that the "Everywhere Spirit", a supposed Cherokee Indian God of some sort, described Louden's desire to go down in weight to wrestle the unbeatable Chute as a "Vision Quest." He defined it as "finding his place in the circle." Well, there's a real life Louden Swayne named Jimmy Spicuzza and he has his own Vision Quest, only it's not as a wrestler, but as an MMA fighter.

Based out of Las Vegas, Nevada, this young up and coming star is an amateur that is ready to turn pro and realize his true calling. I had the pleasure of not only meeting Jimmy (pictured to my left above), but watching him fight as the headliner of the most recent Tuff-N-Uff event @ The Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas Memorial Day Weekend. Tuff-N-Uff is arguably the most reputable promotion focusing on amateur MMA in the country.

Based in Vegas as well, it has been the springboard for many well-known MMA fighters and it appears Jimmy Spicuzza may be the next in this lineage it has developed. What I saw that night was a multi-faceted fighter with fast hands and a more than capable ground game. However, what impressed me most was his heart and dedication. Hear his story and you'll see what I mean.

Originally from Illinois, right outside of Chicago, Jimmy Spicuzza has been a natural athlete his whole life. As a kid he trained in Karate and during his middle and high school years he ran track, which probably explains his fast and capable hands. However, his first love and primary sport was always basketball. It was his passion and when his family moved to Las Vegas in 1991, it remained such; there was only one problem.

No matter how good he was, he wasn't very big. He told me that throughout high school he was primarily 5' 1" until right before his senior year when had a sudden growth spurt of about 5 more inches. That means unless you're as gifted as little man basketball legends Mugsy Bogues or Spud Webb your basketball playing days are pretty much over after high school. There was another problem, a lot more serious than his height that surfaced during high school.

Before his senior year of high school in 2002 tragedy struck. Jimmy's father, a huge influence on his life, suddenly passed away. This had a profound affect on Jimmy as he was not only saddened and hurt by this loss, but it angered him as well. He tried to combat the anger by focusing his energy in a more positive direction, so he attended junior college for awhile and then started his own power washing business.

It actually began to flourish for a moment, until the economy went bad, thus taking it's toll on the business. This was just more fuel added to the anger that already raged inside of him. As he told me, he was "angry at life" and like most young men with that much anger and pain inside of them, those emotions started taking him down the wrong path. He was hanging with the wrong people and began getting into trouble, which resulted in him getting into a lot of street fights.

It seemed he was fighting somebody all the time, so a friend suggested he accompany him to a gym to let go of some of that anger. From his first introduction to MMA training, he was hooked. It was as though a light switch was suddenly turned on inside of him. He said, "It was like I finally found my calling in life."

The natural athlete, who loved competition his whole life before, found another sport he could finally put his energy and focus into and that's what he has done for the last four years. How committed is he about his passion for this sport? He gets up @ 4:30AM everyday to go to work as a manager in the family cleaning business for about 30 hours a week. Why so early? Because after work he goes straight to train the rest of the day at one of three gyms he is currently training at.

He works his Muay Thai and stand-up with Master Chan @ J-Sect He trains his ground game at the gym of renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Robert Drysdale and he works his wrestling with the guys over at Roy Nelson's Country Club. He's also dedicated himself nutrition wise as well, being very strict with his diet and working with strength and conditioning Coach Korey Goodwin.

The night I saw him fight two weeks ago, he had a tough fight against a talented fighter out of Eddie Bravo's camp in California. Jimmy was very slick with his boxing throwing crisp fast combinations. He worked those hands and used them to set-up takedowns, however as you can imagine fighting an Eddie Bravo student he got caught in a tight guillotine choke. He was in it for a long minute and it looked as though that was going to be it for Spicuzza, but he weathered the storm and even gestured to the ref and his fans with the thumbs up sign that he was not tapping out.

After a tough three rounds he grinded out a hard fought, well earned split decision. How hard was it? When I interviewed him this past Monday, he just had surgery on his hand a couple of day's prior, which he had broken during the fight. I told you this kid had heart. For an amateur, this young 25-year-old has developed quite a loyal following as well.

That night there was a legion of Jimmy Spicuzza faithful, led by his two sisters, all wearing Jimmy Spicuzza shirts. Fighting @ 155lbs. after seven amateur fights he has an overall record of (5-2) and he says he's ready to make it happen and turn pro. He hopes to make a jump into a recognized respected promotion such as Tachi Palace Fighting Championship or Ring of Fire before finally making his dream come true in one of the major promotions. Once the sponsors start coming he can stop working and focus 100 percent on just being a fighter and fulfilling his 'Vision Quest'.

I want to thank Jimmy Spicuzza for granting me this interview.

Jimmy would like to thank and acknowledge the following people and businesses for their support. First and foremost his family, his training partners and his strength and conditioning Coach Korey Goodwin. Also, Clean Pro, Best of Show Contruction, The Barth Family, Sports P.T. and OTM Fight Shop.

To check out more on Jimmy go to JimmySpicuzza.com

National Pride, is it innate or inherited?

As I just finished watching Miguel Cotto (pictured) stop Yuri Foreman to win his fourth world title, I can't help but feel good as I type this column. Not only did one of my favorite fighters win, but a native son of Puerto Rico won as well. A conversation I had earlier in the day and the feeling of pride I feel every time a Puerto Rican fighter steps into the ring or cage has made me wonder, is this feeling innate or inherited? More importantly, is it wrong?

Earlier today someone had asked me whom I had in tonight's fight and I stated that I had Cotto. Before I could give my educated reasons as to why I felt this way, the person quickly responded by asking, "is it because he's Puerto Rican"? My response was, being Puerto Rican isn't why he will win the fight, but it is a huge reason why I will cheer for him. They stated they did not understand why I felt I had to cheer for him just because he's Puerto Rican. They went on to say I am an American first and my allegiance should be to USA. Of course, I went on to have this deep conversation about patriotism, during which I explained that unless you are of Native American descent, we are all Americans that have descended from another culture. I then went on to explain my allegiance to Puerto Rican fighters.

As long as I can remember, the sport of boxing has always had somewhat of a cultural divide to it. Go all the way back to the beginning of the 20th century when Jack Johnson, the first great black heavyweight had to not only battle opponents, but also racial barriers. In the '30's when Joe Louis fought Max Schmeling it was the U.S.A. vs. Germany and for many it was still black vs. white. In the 40's and 50's Italian Americans cheered proudly for champions named Graziano, Marciano and LaMotta. In the '70's when I was growing up I remember watching fighters with names such as Irish Jerry Quarry and Danny 'Little Red' Lopez, proudly displaying their heritage as they represented not only themselves, but also their native homelands. At the same time, while growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y. then in Bethlehem, PA, I remember my uncle and his friends in the neighborhood proudly backing Puerto Rican fighters such as Alfredo Escalera, Wilfredo Gomez and my personal favorite Wilfred Benitez.

Puerto Rican pride was embedded in me from an early age, not for boxing but because it was important to know where your ancestors and heritage came from. However sports, especially boxing, just help accentuate that feeling. This week sports fans from around the world are anticipating The World Cup of Soccer. Just like the Olympics it comes every four years and is all about international competition. Thus, it's only right that cultural and national pride will come to the forefront in terms of fan support. Yet, there is something different when a fighter is the representative. An over the top sense of pride tends to swell within a person. It is more than just the feeling of being the best; it seems to be a twisted sense of superiority for some reason. Not only that, emotions tend to get deeper when it comes to a fighter of your same background.

In 1978 @ 15 years of age, I cried when Wilfredo Gomez got knocked out by Salvador Sanchez. In 1999 when I was 36, I fell to my knees overjoyed when Felix Trinidad defeated Oscar De La Hoya. Just this past November I was saddened as I watched Manny Pacquiao slowly but surely decimate Miguel Cotto in front of my eyes. It's hard to explain, but it's no different than the same feelings Mexicans, Italians, Filipinos, Canadians etc. all feel when their native sons step up to do battle. It is pride through and through and you can only understand it if you have lived it and have knowledge of self and where you came from.

This same nationalism is crossing over into the world of MMA. Canadian and British fans have traveled far and wide in support of fighters such as Georges St. Pierre and Michael Bisping. Last week @ UFC 114, I heard a tremendous roar for Diego Sanchez from a large contingent of Mexican fans in the audience. I myself root for MMA fighters Jorge Rivera and Eddie Alvarez largely in part because they are Puerto Rican. Even fighters like Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson have helped to increase the number of African American fans who turn out to root on their own. It's nationalistic and cultural pride at its finest and there is nothing wrong with it.

Understand though, all because you are Puerto Rican, doesn't mean I'm automatically a fan. John Ruiz was a heavyweight champion and I never once cheered or supported him in any of his fights. A connection has to be made between the fighter and his people; one Ruiz never seemed able to make. Last week while in Vegas I met some fans from the U.K. and when I asked if they were there to support Bisping they all said they didn't like him. For whatever the reason, he didn't connect with them on that level. I guess pride isn't innate after all, but rather inherited and there's nothing wrong with that.

UFC 114 was entertaining, but expectations not met

After much anticipation leading up to UFC 114, I came back from Vegas feeling great, yet unfulfilled. On one hand, my personal time with my friends experiencing everything from the UFC Fan Expo, meeting fighters along with MMA notables and taking photos was more than I could have asked for. However, the actual fight card, in my estimation, left me wondering what happened to all the hype. What had all the makings of an exciting night of fights, turned out to be an arena filled with more boos than cheers.

The main event, which featured a lot of bad blood between two superstars of the sport, 'Suga' Rashad Evans and Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson, only lived up to the hype for three of the fifteen minutes they fought. This was not due to the fighters as much as it was the old adage; "styles make fights". In this particular case you had Rashad Evans, a superior wrestler by trade, sticking to his strength and using his bread and butter to nullify his opponent. Rampage, whose strength lies standing up and banging, had no answer for Rashad's speed. Evans elusiveness of Rampage's punches and slick quick takedowns proved the difference in the fight.

There was a tense moment in the third and final round with about three minutes to go where it looked like all of Rashad's hard work was all for naught. As he went to shoot in one more time on Rampage, he lost his balance and fell short, thus giving Rampage the break he had been looking for. Finally, able to get his hands on Evans, Jackson pounced on his opponent, trapping him against the cage and began raining down punches. Evans was clearly in trouble and when Referee Herb Dean stepped in to take a closer look, it looked as though he was about to stop it.

Luckily, he did not because Rashad weathered the storm of Rampage's onslaught and not only made it back to his feet, but eventually turned the tide and took Rampage down once again. This time he unleashed his most telling attack of the fight as he had Rampage pinned down and was smashing him flush with right hands to the face. This last three minutes of the fight brought the crowd to its feet and drew the biggest response of the night outside of the split decision win by Antonio Rogerio Nogueira over Jason Brilz.

Brilz, who took this fight with less than three weeks notice due to an injury to Forrest Griffin, was a huge underdog to the decorated MMA veteran Nogueira. No one expected he could compete with the man known as 'Lil' Nog', let alone finish the fight, however he did both while almost defeating the Brazilian at his own game. After standing toe to toe with him in the first round, the wrestler from North Dakota, caught Nogueira in a tight guillotine choke, not once, but twice in the second round. While Nog survived, he was not the same after that and Brilz clearly dominated from that point on in my eyes and in the estimation of 15,000 plus who booed unmercifully after the decision was read. Brilz may have not won the decision, but he won over the fans and more importantly Dana White, which will prove more lucrative in the long run.

In another surprising turn of events, Heavyweight Todd Duffee, who was clearly in control of his fight against Mike Russow for two and a half rounds was shocked, clocked and literally put to sleep by a Russow right hand he never saw coming. Before the fight I had stated that the book was still out on Duffee as all we had seen on him was all of seven seconds in the octagon. One has to wonder now if the giant who has a body that looks like it was sculpted out of a rock, has a jaw made of glass. Only time will tell. One other young fighter to keep an eye on is welterweight John Hathaway, who came into the UFC undefeated and stayed that way as he totally dominated Ultimate Fighter winner Diego 'Nightmare' Sanchez over three rounds for a unanimous decision win. Tall and lanky for a welterweight with fast hands and good takedown defense, he may be a name to remember.

Out of the seven fights on TV, the two on Spike and five on Pay-Per-View, six of them went to a decision. Even the Russow KO win was on its way to being a unanimous decision by Duffee until the unexpected shot heard around the arena. Many of those fights were uneventful, which drew more than a few boos throughout the night that I know ultimately that cannot make Dana White happy. Overall as a fan, my experience between the Expo and the UFC live was an entertaining one, but as far expectations for the fights went, especially the main event, I don't think they were met.

On a personal note, my thanks to all the friends and Junkie Nation I was rolling with throughout the weekend, especially Gorgeous George, Goze and 'Jenny from the Block' of MMA Junkie Radio who always make it happen.

Don't wait to pay tribute to your loved ones & friends

Hard to believe, but coming up next week on May 31st is the fourth anniversary of the passing of the late great Ryan 'The Hitman' Bennett. For those unfamiliar, especially new MMA fans, with who Ryan Bennett was, he was a major contributor and pioneer in the world of MMA. 

A former sports broadcaster, he was a visionary who loved this sport and saw the potential it had long before the growth it has experienced to this point. He was one of the first to have a website and internet radio show devoted strictly to MMA, where now you find them a dime a dozen. He also was an employee of the UFC, working as an interview and backstage reporter from UFC 33-UFC 40. 

The following is a tribute piece I wrote on June 6, 2006, one week after his passing, for an opinion column I used to write in a local newspaper. I'm so happy I now have this worldwide forum to share this tribute to someone I called and considered a friend, even though we actually never met.

How often does it happen? Unfortunately, too much. Tragedies such as accidental death and illness are a sad part of life, but what makes it even worse is waiting till they happen to let someone know how you truly felt about them. In circumstances such as death, it is all too late.

As everyday passes and I continue to get older, my mortality seems to become more prevalent in my thought process. Part of that is realizing now that life is very short, even if you are able to live a long one. Whether we live long enough to witness grandchildren or become an unfortunate victim of the aforementioned tragedy, what is most important is that we make it count while we are here.

This past week I suffered the loss of a friend. Now let me clarify the definition of friend. I did not grow up with this person, nor did we see each other from time to time; truth is, we never formally met in person, yet we spoke often over the telephone numerous times during the week. This person's name was Ryan Bennett. While the vast majority of you may not know who this man was, he was a minor celebrity of sorts.

He was, until recently, a sportscaster for an NBC affiliate in California. He then became the lead broadcaster and head of production for an up and coming cable channel called 'The Fight Network'. However, I came to know him through his daily Internet radio show called 'Soundoff' on MMAWeekly Radio, which mainly covers the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.

For more than two years I listened to Ryan's show religiously from noon to 1PM, Monday-Friday, as I worked at my desk. Over that time span, I became a regular caller to the show exchanging opinions on various topics mostly regarding the sport. What endeared me to his show, along with countless other listeners around the world, was Ryan's knowledge regarding MMA, his quick wit and uncanny ability to make you feel welcome and part of the show whenever he opened up the phone lines. It got to the point that when I would call, I didn't even have to identify myself because once he heard my voice he knew it was "Sam from Pennsylvania."

Last Thursday I sat at my desk ready to listen to the show as I always did at noon, only this time it did not come on. When I went to the website to see if the show was cancelled for the day, I was stunned to find out that Ryan was killed in a tragic car accident as he drove with his wife and four children on an interstate in Utah. He was 35 years old.

Luckily, his wife and children have survived. I wondered why this bothered me so much. I never met this man face to face, yet it hit me hard and personal. Then, I realized it made no difference that we never formally met. A bond and even a friendship had formed over time, one that went beyond radio show host and listener.

As my natural sorrow over his passing continues, I have found solace in knowing one thing. A couple of weeks ago, I e-mailed Ryan as I would do from time to time. Only this time it was to tell him that I appreciated all his efforts regarding his radio show and how happy I was for him on his new opportunity with 'The Fight Network'.

He thanked me and told me how much he appreciated my e-mail. Luckily for me, I did not wait until it was too late to let him know how I felt. So today when you come across someone that is dear to you, maybe you should consider that tomorrow just may be too late.

I want to publicly state that I feel Ryan Bennett should be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame posthumously, for his many contributions to the advancement of MMA, his part in the growth of the UFC and his unwavering support for this sport that he loved so much. RIP my friend. Easy!

First impressions are not always lasting

There is a Proverb that reads; "The first impressions are the most lasting." This simply means, try to make a positive impression when you first meet or present something to someone, because those first memories of the incident will last a long time. For me, my first impression of MMA Fighter Frank Trigg is generally the same impression most people got when they first heard him during the pre-fight promo for his first fight in the UFC back in 2003, 'who does this guy think he is? He seems like a real *#@%!'.

You can pretty much replace those symbols with any negative noun you'd like and it would fit. However, that impression of Trigg only lasted about a year for me and seven years later I know that he isn't what I thought he was; although he'll be the first one to quickly tell you that he is. That's just Trigg, which just adds to the complexity of who he really is.

Who is Frank Trigg? A professional MMA fighter, pro wrestler, decorated amateur wrestler, entrepreneur, Radio & TV analyst, reality TV star, actor and most importantly, family man; he's been a success story at every level of endeavor so far. Yet, he'd have you believe it's just the opposite; "If I can't be the best at what I do, I'm not going to do it." Those words are what drive Frank Trigg and what ultimately keep him from realizing what a success story his life and career have been so far.

Originally from upstate New York, Trigg, the product of a Bi-racial marriage, grew up in a large family as one of eight boys; well technically it was nine. This is just another example of how difficult he is to gauge. When I tried to confirm how many brothers he actually had, 7 or 8, his response to my question was simply, "yes." Typical Trigg he finally explained that he had 6 brothers and 2 stepbrothers, one of which died in an auto accident; this tragically after being drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.

With such diversity, sibling rivalry and natural athletic talent, it was only a matter of time before he started to make a name for himself, which is what he did with wrestling. Drawn to the martial arts at a young age, wrestling was just another art for him to train in. His agility and speed coupled with the heart he developed being one of nine brothers was a formula for success that would ultimately land him a scholarship to The University of Oklahoma.

While at OU he had a successful collegiate career and eventually earned his Bachelor's Degree in Public Affairs and Administration in 1997. As if wrestling at the Division One collegiate level wasn't difficult enough, while there he began Judo training under legendary instructor Pat Burris; eventually earning his black belt and second degree ranking. He also took a coaching position upon graduation and continued to wrestle, eventually becoming a finalist at the 2000 Olympic Trials. If you think that seems like a full plate, think again because in 1997 he also began his career as an MMA Fighter, which would put him on yet another successful path.

He won his first seven fights and ten of his first eleven, along the way winning the World Fighting Alliance Welterweight Championship. It would eventually bring him to the UFC where he fought twice for the welterweight championship against Matt Hughes in one of the most heated rivalries in the history of the organization. Upon losing to Hughes and current champ Georges St. Pierre, he was released and figured his fighting days were over.

He could now devote more time to his outside business interests, which included part ownership in a gym, his own urban clothing line 'Triggonomics' and most importantly his broadcasting career, which he began as a co-host on the daily Internet radio show MMAWeekly with former host and mentor Ryan Bennett. It is on that show that I started to see a different side of Trigg back in 2004, which expanded even more when he became a co-host on MMAJunkie radio later on.

That experience coupled with his knowledge parlayed into color commentating for the Pride organization as well. Also, at the urging of his then fiancee, now wife Nici, he took part in a VH-1 reality show called 'Kept'. Things couldn't be going better, and then tragedy struck again. Like his stepbrother, Ryan Bennett was tragically killed in an auto accident in 2006. This struck Trigg hard and with no daily show now to get his MMA fix, he felt a void. How would he fill that void?

Doing the one thing he did better than talking about MMA, he got back into it. Once again, he built up his name and ranking, along the way winning another title in Icon Sport. That successful run garnered him a second stint in the UFC. Unfortunately, his first two fights back were losses and he was released a second time. It should be noted his two fights back in the UFC were against a current #1 contender and a former world champion. In others words, as only Trigg would want it he fought the best.

So where is he today? While he no longer has the clothing line or the gym, he is quite busy. He's color commentating again for various organizations here and abroad such as HDNet Fights, Dream and Sengoku. He's also working as a trainer through Randy Couture and a contract he has with the NFL. He recently came back from working with the Atlanta Falcons, where he trained them using MMA tactics they could apply on the field and in their own training.

He's also busier than ever being a devoted husband and father to his three children Frankie, Kiara and Stone. Frankie is a high school wrestler and when I asked Trigg if he aspired to pursue a career in fighting he said, "No, he wants to be a sports agent and get paid to manage athletes. He figures his biggest client will eventually be his little brother, who at nearly two years of age is already showing signs he will be an athlete as well."

Extremely well read, he was nicknamed Triggipedia while co-hosting Junkie Radio because he has opinions and knowledge on just about any subject raised. When I asked him about his long-term goals, he named just one. He would like to be a TV show host ala Ryan Seacrest on American Idol. I think that with his engaging personality, gift of gab and long history of success in everything he's dabbled in so far, he has a pretty good chance. I know I won't bet against it, especially now that I've gotten to know the man and realize first impressions are not always lasting as they say.

I want to personally thank Frank Trigg, not only for granting me this interview, but also for being a friend long before I ever considered writing about MMA.

Breaking News; Trigg has just announced that he and Nici are expecting a baby boy due in October, the 4th for Trigg and the 2nd for Nici. Congrats and God Bless to Frank and Nici!

Bellator & Strikeforce shine while Shine strikes out

Don't look now UFC, but both Bellator and Strikeforce are succeeding and making noise in the world of big-time MMA. While the UFC is still the big boy on the block here in the states, Bellator and Strikeforce are the other two international promotions, which are not owned by Zuffa, that are showing they are not small by any stretch; the WEC is a Zuffa owned promotion. With a rare weekend without any live action from the UFC, although they did counter Strikeforce with a package of previous fights on Spike TV, the two promotions made the most of their opportunity on the big stage and put on two action packed entertaining cards. On the other hand, Shine Fights, a smaller promotion trying to make a name for themselves with some big names of their own, never even got a chance to throw a punch with their Boxing vs. MMA main event.

Bellator, which is currently in its second season, aired live on Thursday, as it does every week during its season. The word season may throw off MMA fans unfamiliar with Bellator, but their niche has been two seasons of running fights that are part of 8-man tournaments in four weight classes. They feature a roster of fighters in the featherweight (145), lightweight (155), welterweight (170) and middleweight (185) classes and hold tournaments in each class to determine who their champion is. With so many questions these days as to who truly deserves title shots in the other promotions, this seems like the right way to do things and thus far for Bellator it has worked. This, along with a TV contract with FOX Sports Net, has made Bellator a household name and has done the same for many of its fighters.

Their first season last year produced many exciting fights, as it seemed like every week there was a buzz about a fight in Bellator, and more importantly it created some worthwhile champions. Eddie Alvarez (pictured above), the current lightweight champion, is ranked in the top five in the world. Featherweight champ Joe Soto and welterweight titleholder Lyman Good are both undefeated through a combined 18 fights. Finally, middleweight champion Hector Lombard showed this past Thursday why he is just that, as it took him all of six seconds to dispatch of Jay Silva in a 'Super Fight' main event on the card.

The 'Super Fight' concept is another formula they have used successfully to showcase their champions while keeping them busy waiting for this year's tournament winners. The week before last, Alvarez looked very impressive in submitting MMA and UFC veteran Josh Neer in a 'Super Fight' at a catch weight of 160. They have created many young stars as well, including Toby Imada who is a veteran of 30 plus fights, but finally put himself on the map in last year's lightweight tourney in one of the more exciting fights of the year against Jorge Masvidal. In that fight he finished Masvidal in the third round with an unbelievable inverted triangle choke that would eventually garner him submission of the year honors at the 'Fighter's Only' MMA Awards. Another prospect on the rise is Pat Curran, who just a couple of weeks ago won a semifinal fight in this year's lightweight tourney against former UFC hotshot Roger Huerta. Ironically, Curran will meet Imada in the finals this year. With word spreading that Alvarez may eventually fight Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez in a cross-promotion event, Bellator seems to be pushing all the right buttons so far.

The same can be said for Strikeforce who rebounded nicely Saturday night from last month's lackluster card on CBS. It may have taken Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem two and a half years to defend his title, but it only took him less than four minutes when he did. The 'Demolition Man' lived up to his name as he demolished Brett 'The Grim' Rogers in devastating fashion. Rogers should've been introduced as The Grim Brett Rogers as that is how he looked against Overeem who was sharp with his striking game whether standing, in the clinch or on the ground. It finally looks as though Overeem may get his wish and fight 'Pound for Pound' King Fedor Emelianenko, assuming Fedor handles his business next month against Fabricio Werdum. Things could not be looking better for Strikeforce who hope to return in the fall with another card on CBS.

Finally, in what some may have been calling a "freak" show match, but others found interesting, including myself, Shine Fights was supposed to have a card this past weekend which would've featured a main event between MMA veteran Din Thomas against former two-time boxing champion Ricardo Mayorga. Unlike the real freak show last year between past his prime UFC Champion Tim Sylvia and over the hill former heavyweight boxing contender Ray Mercer, which lasted all of 12 seconds, this fight at least had some intrigue to it. Unfortunately it never came to pass as legal ramifications over Mayorga's boxing contract with Don King put a halt on the main event, thus prompting the North Carolina Commission to put a halt on the entire card. I guess we'll have to wait till the proposed fight in the UFC between Randy Couture and James Toney before we can get our MMA vs. Boxing question answered. Nonetheless, while Shine Fights may have struck out this weekend, Bellator and Strikeforce shined ever so brightly.