Hey, check it out, I'm sorry if I come across as a jag, and Dave, you did print my writings to you before, but with a statement saying that I probably was joking around and continued with your comments added in - which is why I have refrained from commenting for quite some time now, but today, I couldn't take it anymore.
Dave, I respect you and your work more than anyone else, and believe me, I can prove it.
Long story short, Fedor vs Hendo was the biggest and most obvious double-cross in the history of combat sports.
The first round win by Dan Henderson over Fedor Emelianenko was a disgrace, and has cemented my view of Zuffa, Dana White, and the entire contingency and fan base thar supports that operation.
In my younger years I had done quite a bit of streetfighting - for the love of it. Being a short kid (and later, a short man) a felt this need to " be the baddest " or whatever. I think they call it Napoleanic Syndrome, but I digress. As such, I was a part of a group of kids who learned ever martial art as possible and combined them all and practiced as a group and had competitions in what would today be considered a " backyard fed, " but back in the mid 1980's, we were some sort of a problem to the community, because we did what we aimed to do, and get this, each of us had a signed waiver/disclaimer, so no one could be sued. Yes, I thought of all this and had a violent federation going on with a lot of support and had riled the community up. Later, in High School, I had done research papers on violence and was very supportive of it - but like I told the people at CNN and Fox News (when discussing the enormous amount of violence in Chicago) that I want it to be controlled. I do not want kids fighting just for the sake of it, but I do want it controlled, monitored, and resolved efficiently, and as a stepfather in a Northwest Side of Chicago community, I have contributed to breaking up more fights than I had ever dreamed I would have.
My point is that I am a well known " expert " on violence. I have coached quite a few people in submissions and have coached quite a few kids as well, so I know what I'm doing and I know what I'm seeing. Having been in the wrestling business (but never having made it) for 20 years now (my first match was on July 17th of 1991, and I opened that show with the second match being the first ever match for the guys who would go on to train CM Punk, Danny Dominion and Ace Steel), I know the difference between " work " and " shoot. "
The whole deal is this, Fedor was not anywhere near losing that fight. I'm not trying to take away from Henderson, whom I applaude and have been a supporter of, but come on, that fight was simply the modern ( and MMA ) version of the " Montreal Screwjob. " This is a terrible black eye on a sport that has been - in the view of many who used to support and follow UFC - a ruination of the business by Zuffa.
Perhaps Fedor was done, but at the time Herb Dean (the referee) stopped that fight, NO WAY in " heck " was Fedor close to being finished. That fight had some more rounds to go and what happened was robbery pure and simple. Take it from someone who's been hit way harder than that, and made to look way uglier than the bad eye that Fedor suffered - this night was ridiculous. It may signal a Dark Age for MMA, and one which may result in people wondering if the popularity of the sport was a fad.
Stanley Joseph (Stan Pain)
Chicago, IL
(773) 572 - 7799
PS - If you were to print this in the feedback section, do leave the number, as I'd like to get people's opinions. Thank you for your time
