GueRRillaRadio.com ~ origins

Who is your daddy and what does he do ?

About us: I'm going to use this group to answer a lot of frequently asked questions. I'm gonna' keep it real simple (for you American Idol fans). First off, GueRRilla is actually spelled correctly (contrary to many of the junior high graduates who have challenged it !) Guerrilla Radio is a term that many people know only from the intense Rage Against The Machine song of the same name. However, contrary to some common misunderstanding, Guerrilla Radio is a concept that goes back to the invention of radio. It was only natural that upon the birth of radio (extensively in the 1920's and 30's), guerrilla fighters across the globe saw the incredible power within radio as a means to communicate long distances with likeminded fighters. This new ability quickly became a thorn in the side of any Guerrilla opponent, as the communication provided by radio served to "even up the sides" that had been heavily tilted toward the non-Guerrilla. Again, to correct some common misconceptions, the idea that so-called Guerrillas are more often than not the bad guys in any conflict, this notion is absolutely incorrect. The best example of this is the American Revolution (yes, I understand there was no radio in 1776, smartass). The Americans absolutely were Guerrilla fighters long before there were terrorists in Iraq turning the Bush Mission Accomplished into a boondoggle (i.e. F*ck-up). Guerrillas and their underground radio played a positive role in many South American conflicts, no matter which side of the CHE debate you choose to take (Despite the movie he was a murdering bastard - not just my opinion).
But the most pronounced example of "righteous" Guerrilla Radio came during WWII when the Philippine resistance to Imperial Japan used radio to remedy an overwhelming disadvantage in firepower and numbers. The Filipino Guerrillas really put Guerrilla Radio on the map, using its organizing abilities to save many lives and stand up to countless atrocities.
But all this is ancient history you say ?! Well that may be so, but it is a significant history, and one of the most noble chapters in the history of radio. Obviously, when the web address for GueRRillaRadio.com became available to me less than a year ago, I jumped at the chance to own it and bring it back to life. I had been actively planning and building an internet radio site since 2005, but I was suprised when the site name became available (at a price). In my own biased opinion, there is no more powerful or valuable name in all of internet radio (the only 3 exceptions being RADIO.com, InternetRadio.com and PirateRadio.com) The purchase price for RADIO.com right now (to give you some perspective) is well over $1,000,000.00, and possibly as much as 3-5 mil. Trust me when I say I paid substantially lower (think a few Benjamins, not Gold Bricks). Still, I count myself incredibly lucky to have landed the name when I did. The fact of the matter is that the GueRRillaRadio.com web address had been basically silent (un-used) and gathering dust since the internet's worldwide explosion in the early 1990's. And although we were clearly not the first owners of the name, we are absolutely the first and only internet radio station to broadcast at the address. Hence the tag line (and our claim to fame), the ORIGINAL GueRRillaRadio.com .

As far as the music goes, this is where it gets interesting. It is my personal promise that you will never hear a playlist/rotation like ours anywhere in the world. Without giving away the recipe, I can tell you that we are anchored rather permanently in Heavy Rock. But aside from that, there are no rules. To give you an example, we play TOOL and RAGE back to back with the MISFITS, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and RAMONES. We're likely to follow all that with HENDRIX, or the BOSSTONES, ALICE in CHAINS, SYSTEM of a DOWN, GODSMACK, RHCP, SABBATH, etc. That's likely to get mixed up with the EASY STARS reggae cover of FLOYD's Dark Side, not to mention 15-20 different versions of Whole Lotta' Love ranging from the DREAD ZEPPELIN dub version, to a live take by Susan Tedeshi and Dereck Trucks. Wash it all down with 311 and Queen. To say the least, we are unconventional. Hence the promise: you've never heard a rotation like this. By now you may be asking "Why?" Good point. Answer: because we can, and because nobody else will. Also: because it works. The beauty of the internet is the freedom. It is essentially the Wild West. We are here to find the gold !

Re: GueRRillaFight.com ~ Upon further inspection, you may notice the tandem site within a site we call GueRRillaFight.com (www.GueRRillaRadio.com/MMA). First off, chill with your "bandwagon jumper" criticisms about our decision to "cash in" on the hottest trend in sports, that being Mixed Martial Arts. The fact is that we have been following the sport intensely for at least 3 months ; ) and we are quite expert in spotting a "Gogoplata" and a "Peruvian Necktie" when we see them. Actually I've been personally obsessed with MMA and the UFC since early 2002. Only recently have I decided to put my money where my mouth is. I am currently a novice training in Krav-Maga. Essentially, it is an Israeli self-defense system reknown throughout the world. For newbies it amounts to 90 minutes a day, 3 days a week doing "bootcamp" style cardio and self-defense. It is an absolute bitch, but I'm in love.

I will resist the temptation to create a separate GueRRillaFight.com group for now, but lookout for it down the road if you have the same obsession. For now, this is this, and that's that. And if you actually read this diatribe all the way through, you have entirely too much time on your hands! Good for you ! You are exactly our target audience. I will close by simply saying thanks for joining my group. Please do me one more favor, and have a quick listen to GueRRillaRadio.com . The mini-player allows you to surf your brains out without losing the music. AND finally...... the online store will be a go today or tomorrow. Some nice long sleeve T-s for this 5 degree windchill bullsh*t ! ~ www.GueRRillaRadio.com/shop

All the best my fellow crack addicts. W!SE

LISTEN UP NY

LISTEN UP NY, THE UFC FIGHTS FOR THE TROOPS -12.10.08 GueRRillaFight.com
Contrary to some of the rumblings over the past few weeks about the marquee level of the participants at the FIGHT FOR THE TROOPS, this free card was one of the best of the year from the Zuffa boys. And that’s not even taking into account the beauty of the gesture to some unsung but deserving heroes. One could complain that with all the talent in the UFC stable, why not at least one more big name grudge match to really sweeten the pot for the cause and the card. However, sometimes in MMA the names don’t really matter as much as the atmosphere and we’ll have to assume that something in the air at Fort Bragg produces pumped fighters and brutal knockouts and stoppages. There were plenty in Fayetteville tonight!
If we didn’t know better, we’d have said that the main event match-up for KOSCHECK was a hand-picked gift, beautifully wrapped and presented as payment for stepping in with a monster like Alves on short notice back in October. But as we know, this fight was set prior to the circumstances which led to Koscheck fighting twice in a six week period. This shoots down the conspiracy theory, but it was fun while it lasted ! The additional paycheck sure doesn’t hurt KOS, but his true gift was a stylistically lopsided match-up tonight. We have to admit, we were fooled by the unanimously generous odds- they had Josh a mere 2.5 - 1 favorite on average across the board. In hindsight, the odds-makers (and analysts!) look a little foolish here. Koscheck went from fighting a lion (in Alves), to fighting a lamb, but I’m sure he is happy with the early holiday gift. The reason this was barely a fight: Yoshida hangs his hat on a seriously impressive Judo diploma. But within a minute of the first round, it became apparent that Yoshida had no plan for getting close enough to KOS in order to employ those Judo skills. A takedown against Josh was never in the cards, so all that remained was the stand up game. And on the feet the fight was no fight at all. Yoshida looked positively timid and almost terrified of Koscheck’s hands, which admittedly seem to improve with every outing. End result: Koscheck’s best highlight reel KO to date.
There were several other mercifully “quick” endings, pardon the pun. Mike Swick did a lot to help his own cause (i.e. getting a shot at GSP), by living up to his nickname and demolishing Jonathon Goulet in well under a minute. While we can’t help but think of Olympic swimming every time we see Swick in the Octagon, there’s no doubt his looks and build are deceiving. Maybe this is a blessing for Swick, as his opponents find it hard to conceive that a killer stands across the cage, one that looks like an accountant. Hey, it works for Florian ! But the truth about Swick is his nasty right hand. He throws some quick combos, that much is verified. But the automatic delivery of third and fourth punches (out of a five punch fight ending combo) are the truth. In particular, the second right to land, which essentially ended it, was a near perfect (and perfectly chosen) 6 inch short right. That was nasty. And it’s what makes him a fan favorite. One more impressive win at 170 lbs. and Swick is likely to get his shot. An exciting style that pleases fans doesn’t hurt his chances at all.
We have to acknowledge some other exciting finishes put in by Steve Cantwell, Ben Saunders and Steve Bruno. But we want to revisit a topic now that we’ve given previous sermons on: The UFC in NYC. Any east coast fan of MMA (especially New York / New Jersey) has over the past 15 years looked forward to the day that top notch MMA (i.e. the UFC) arrives at MSG. Some of you may be aware that the UFC is lobbying incredibly hard to make that happen, especially over the past 2 years. The opportunity for Dana White and Zuffa’s legal reps to make their case to New York State has been locked up for many months, according to government scheduling. But in January of 2009, the opportunity to make that case once again arises. GueRRillaFight.com believes strongly that at some point in ’09 the sport will be legalized in NY. But it could well be an unnecessarily long, drawn out, boring fight (boooo). There is too much money at stake (estimated at many mega-millions per event for NYC), and the sport has become too legit, for a handful of state officials to hold back the tide. But they sure could make it an ugly mess on the way to legalization and sanctioning. So may we dare just make this one suggestion: Ahem… Dear State officials, if the patriotic and obviously big-hearted people that run the tremendous charity associated with the USS Intrepid (which happens to be docked permanently on Manhattan’s West Side) are proud to associate themselves with the UFC and the sport of MMA, what are fans to make of the silliness of the taboo with which NY State continues to associate the sport? Does it make any sense for a state (and Manhattan in particular) to praise men and women of the service at virtually every pro ballgame (not to mention each year on the 9/11 anniversary), yet in the same breath to deride the organization which does more than any other for the military? Does any professional athletic organization have a better relationship with the US military than does the UFC? Clearly treating MMA as illegitimate is no longer sensible when the men and woman who fight to protect the nation are being taught MMA for their own protection as well as for the nations! The argument against has become absurd. Is there anything objectionable whatsoever regarding the event held in North Carolina tonight? Does that state have any regrets for their association with the UFC or MMA? Does North Carolina have any regrets about the distraction so obviously enjoyed by the thousands of troops in attendance? Just sayin’. http://www.guerrillafight.com/

FABER FALLS, FILHO CRASHES

11.05.08 10:30 PM ~ GueRRillaFight.com

What exactly the future holds for the WEC is now any one's guess, as it's two biggest stars came crashing to earth all at once tonight. One of the "losers" is too good to remain down for long, the other may be out for the count.

If you're gonna' lose your title after a string of victories like Urijah Faber had put together, you might as well lose it with an ill conceived, wildly thrown flying elbow. At least it looked cool, and the result is a certain highlight reel knockout. Urijah Faber was just on the wrong side of this highlight reel stoppage... a rare occasion. Over the coming days and weeks there will be a lot of speculation about Faber and this fight. The questions will be thus: Has Faber's fame and enjoyment of the limelight caught up to him? Had he lost focus somehow since his battle with Jens Pulver (who was also on the receiving end of a highlight reel knockout tonight!) ? Did Faber not believe Mike Brown would be that strong, or that good? Has Faber's drive lessened for lack of perceived "threats" in his weight class? All fair questions. But most of those questions can be put to rest fairly quickly. For one thing, Faber looked as ripped as ever, and as quick as ever. The physical issue is a non-issue. Was Urijah at his fittest mentally? That's a question only Faber and his camp can answer. One thing is for sure, the blows that ended the fight were absolutely solid. The only obvious failing for Faber was the wild, winner take all flying elbow attempt that walked his chin smack into the wall Mike Brown had waiting for it. The interesting thing about the wild elbow attempt is what it reveals about Faber, and what it likely means for his ongoing status in the Zuffa fold. Faber went for broke while hurt ! If you need to, go back and watch it again slowly. Brown had Faber rocked, and Urijah's reaction was go for broke, with every intention and expectation of pulling it off. That elbow was meant to kill. It was meant to end the fight right there. It's crazy for anyone to have that kind of confidence, but it tells you what Faber is capable of. All of the tools physically, and bravery to the point of danger. Faber will be back, and it will be interesting to see how many fights the organization makes him wait for another shot at Brown. The truth is that they should fight each other again next. Two reasons for this. First, Faber is unquestionably the number one challenger now (in terms of proven ability), but also because Brown was quite visibly hurt (and badly) as he left the octagon. Unless Brown broke a rib raising his belt to the crowd, then Faber hurt him bad somewhere in the three minutes of fury which was this title fight. Brown was easily the strongest opponent Urijah has faced, and apparently he hits the hardest too. But with the changes likely coming in Urijah's strategy after this fight (likely to be insisted upon by Faber's team - and wisely so), a more conservative Faber is likely to be favored in the re-match.

As Urijah has been gaining fame he has been enjoying the fruits of his labor. He's not the self-described "boring, stay at home guy" that Forrest Griffin is. Virtually everyone in the MMA game has seen Faber living large in Vegas. Does that mean that Faber has been abusing himself and its catching up? You never know who is doing what, but Faber looked in great shape tonight, and also fast as hell. Maybe he just met a better man tonight.

On the other side of that coin, one would not be crazy to wonder if Paulo Filho's new found fame has lead to a life of excess. One would actually be crazy to assume that Filho has not acquired some kind of a substance abuse problem somewhere along his ascent to the upper tier in the MMA world rankings. As alluded to by commentator Frank Mir (who might know a thing or two about these things), Filho looked absolutely confused throughout the last half of the fight. That is completely aside from the fact that the man was a full five pounds over at weigh-in (for a title defense !). Can Filho's bizarre behavior be ascribed to a grueling attempt to make weight? We'd have to accept that possibility, but this seemed to be more than that. After just the first round Filho seemed all too easily resigned to the idea of letting his unblemished record go without any resistance at all. All around it was a real poor display from the Brazilian who many were saying might be the only challenger for Anderson Silva. Guess what ? No one is gonna' be saying that anymore. This guy is going to have slid right off the "top twenty" radar by tomorrow, and it will be interesting to see just how Zuffa responds to this. After all, it was widely assumed that the UFC would have to do everything in its power (and its piggy bank) to keep Filho on board the UFC/WEC train. Dana White may actually be relieved by this turn of events, in that a fighter who was likely to demand some serious cash in return for beefing up the UFC middleweight division has exposed himself to be either very overrated or a major headcase before he got big dollar promises. We wish Paulo Filho well and a speedy recovery from whatever ails him. The sport of MMA is obviously better off with the deepest talent pool possible. But this young fighter was being scouted for the "bigs" last night, and in the words of Robert DeNiro "YOU BLEW IT !" www.GueRRillaFight.com

ONE DAY AS A LION

-- Let us start by saying that we are deeply apologetic for being late to this party, but whoa, its still early, and what a freaking party! The new music from Zach De La Roche, (aka, the voice of RAGE) has been out since mid-July (if we have ours facts halfway straight at this point), but we discovered it... well, sad to say, yesterday! Shame on us, you'd think we'd gone up a mountain for the summer, but we insist we'll make it up to you (we are currently playing the 5 song Ep to the absolute bone). Where were we when this came out? I guess it's a case of the pros and cons of established musicians going quasi-underground and releasing music on their own terms (i.e. extremely low key). The danger is that a side-project like this gets little to no push on radio, and relies entirely on word of mouth. And the pros? Well, it relies entirely on word of mouth! That can sometimes be the best scenario. We like the new sub-trend in music, which is being pioneered and probed by many established musicians: that of the studio and the Internet as an artist playground. If this kind of disc is the result, then bring it on, and burn down the rest of the establishment. The formula clearly works for De La Roche, as the quality here rivals any disc in his career, with the possible exception being the first RATM release. Some Rage fans will consider this heresy, and that's fine. But Zach's lyrics here are clearly some of the best of his career, and it appears that the total slop, free for all recording process (a very live sound), and "improv" as a rule strategy in the studio is exactly what the doctor ordered for the "Voice of Rage". The sound is a twist on RATM in many ways, but what stands out in terms of the sound alteration is two-fold. First, Zach sings on this record. There are some parts vocally where, ironically, De La Roche channels Chris Cornell ! This vocal aspect is a welcome addition, and adds a flavor that Zach has clearly been bottling for a decade. Also dominating the beautifully strange sound replacement on this EP is the fact that all guitar and bass seems to have been replaced (entirely!) by Zach himself on keyboards. Don't think high pitch heady light synth sounds a la STYX. Rather, think filthy dirty, zero frills, super heavy on the bass - keys reminiscent of early heavy groups like Iron Butterfly, Deep Purple, even later day Hendrix and his Band of Gypsys. A similar retro-keys sound has been adopted successfully most recently by Wolfmother, on their well received debut. Difference here is that unlike Wolfmother, the keys on "Lion" are always out front, and very prominent is the aggressive growl of the street organ's lower octaves. In this aspect, One Day As A Lion is similar to the White Stripes, and the lesser known (but critical favorite) The Black Keys. Both of these groups are "2 man bands" (ok, sorry Meg). Simple guitar/drums/vocals, and that's it. De La Roche essentially does the same thing here, swapping super sloppy, bass heavy guitar, with an equally crude keyboard sound. The result is astounding. If you've been looking for a little relief from today's so-called heavy music, which is
dangerously close to wearing out the "barking dog" vocal trend, yet at the same time you need a record that "hurts" your brain (in a good way), look no further. As mentioned above, the icing on this cake is the near lyrical nirvana that makes the majority of today's scribblers look hopeless. This is a guerrilla record if ever there was one. The disc, as pleasant surprises goes, reminds us of other side project one-offs, such as Madseason, Mother Love Bone, A Perfect Circle (ok, thats a 2-off). Let's hope there is more water in this well. We are dying of thirst ! -- http://www.guerrillaradio.com/

ANDREI THE GIANT KILLER

-- If you're like us, the addition of Andrei Arlovski to tomorrow's free CBS/Elite MMA card came as both a pleasant surprise, and a game changer. Honestly, we've been following these CBS things more so because they're free (if it's free it's for me) than for any other reason. A handful of good fighters and old favorites like Phil Baroni also sometimes make it interesting, but considering ourselves somewhat cultured in this MMA game (an irony if ever there was one --Lol), we've not had much excitement from these cards other than the pure and insanely beautiful spectacle of Gina Carrano kicking the garbage out of very real and nasty opponents. The usual reason for our disappointment is just how much CBS hangs it's MMA hat on a circus atmosphere and shot fighters. We will not write off Kimbo Slice altogether, as many fighters (including great ones) have eaten well from having nothing but athleticism and a lethal right hand. But Dana White has called this right from the start (and he's in a position to call Ferguson out on this). In so many words, White said "I'll take a look when he beats somebody". Thus far, wins over Tank Abbott and other journeymen have not been enough for White, nor are they for us. Kimbo has some miles to go before legitimacy. He can high-tail it down that road Saturday, only if he roughs up a "well-done" Ken Shamrock as badly as Tito Ortiz has. If not, then what are Kimbo's realistic chances of competing for a REAL belt? Not very good considering Ortiz' own shot at a title are fading fast.

-- So then Arlovski... now this is interesting, how CBS slipped this addition in under our noses. It's fantastic and weird all at the same time. It's fantastic because it is a glimmer of hope that we will one day see top-tier (dare we say 5 round championships) fights on free TV. It hasn't happened yet, and could be disastrously promoted. But if handled well, it is a fan's dream come true. Arlovski is the real deal. Even if the odds end up being 4-1 against Arlovski in the inevitable Fedor match up, Arlovski is in every one's top 6-7 heavyweights in the world, and in many lists top 3. So the strange thing about tomorrow is just how smart the addition is to the card, while at the same time the "under-promotion" of the Arlovski addition is just mind-boggling. The obvious answer is that CBS/Elite rightly figures that die-hards will hear about the fight and make their way to CBS tomorrow, and that it makes no sense to hype Arlovski as a main attraction thereby undermining the company's investment in Slice. All too obvious, especially given the fact that Arlovski remains "on loan" from Affliction, while Ferguson is still a CBS/Elite "asset". Oh who cares? Are we over-thinking this? Whoever tunes in tomorrow does so for their own reasons, and that's that. My reasons are Arlovski and Carrano. What's yours? -- http://www.GueRRillaRadio.com/MMA

UFC 88 - THAT EMPTY FEELING

GueRRillaRadio.com/MMA -- 9.07.08
Let us start by saying that we are in the category of die-hards that feel $40.00 per event is a bargain for even the most disappointing of UFC cards. But this was just one of those nights. There was the essentially boring matchup of Henderson and Palhares, to the seemingly lackluster performance from Matt Hammill. Then there was the main event which simultaneously shocked and disappointed virtually everyone in attendance (the sole exception of course being Mrs. Evans). This was one of the most forgettable UFCs in memory. In the cases of both losses from Palhares and Hammill, the disappointment stems from a severe strategic mistake – no willingness to take chances by either underdog. In particular Matt Hammill’s decision to abandon his wrestling strength and play into Rich Franklin’s still world class stand up game was baffling. With all the talent available to the Zuffa crew (AKA – the UFC), an ongoing point of criticism is the matchup decision making, which has been particularly poor of late. While the superiority of the talent pool, as well as the “show” quality remain undisputed, it is becoming increasingly frustrating for fans when several match-ups on any given card turn out in retrospect to have been bad ideas. While no one sitting at home had any idea that Palhares was going to offer nothing on the feet, it was the responsibility of the UFC to know that, and also to know that Dan Henderson was not going to be brought to the ground by this or any other middleweight. As Palhares was pure defense on his feet, it made for a boring fight. Likewise, for different reasons, the Franklin- Hammill fight was nearly as dull. In our humble opinion there was a seeming total lack of real desire on the part of Hammill, as well as a sort of mercy extended on the part of Franklin (either a true tentativeness due to the weight jump, or a wonderful example of how friendships makes for bad match-ups). And none of the aforementioned is actually the real reason why UFC 88 left its entire audience (both in attendance and at home) with a real empty feeling.
The real trouble came when an absolutely astounding one-punch knockout of Chuck Liddell by Rashad Evans left the Atlanta crowd and the Pay-Per- View audience with little more than a knot in their stomachs. Seriously, when was the last time that a main event with a highlight reel knockout left the crowd in attendance virtually silent? If you were watching last night, you know well the chill that goes up the spine when an absolutely shrill and shrieking voice of one woman is all that can be heard in the audience at a previously raucous show. That voice was from Mrs. Rashad Evans. And while no one would fairly say that she was wrong to be so vocal in her deserved excitement, the pure nuisance that was her screams is only symptomatic of a much deeper issue. The larger issue is the inherent schism that is growing parallel to the success of MMA as an alternative big league sport.
We have dealt with this topic before, and likely will again, as long as it looms large over the sport. We’re talking about the propensity for the sport to “jump the shark”. Happy Days analogies aside, it is the most crucial undercurrent in the MMA game, as it is the knowledgeable fans that have brought the sport to where it is, and it is the mass exodus of the die-hards that is most dangerous for the continued success of the UFC and its offspring. Put simply, when the knowledgeable fans check out, all that’s left are the “Johnny’s Come Lately” and the “Bandwagon Jumpers”. In theory, not too long after, the credibility of the sport is gone too, and all that’s left is a “reality” version of the WWE. If you think I’ve lost my train of thought, hang on, here is how last night’s main event comes into play--
After the first round Rashad’s corner could be heard saying “keep running, keep moving, it’s pissing him off, he’s getting pissed”. And that was true. Of course this was part of the game plan, and Rashad and his team deserve “mad props” for a perfectly executed strategy. But that’s also where the problem lies. While Rashad has never been a fan favorite, due to his frequent lapses into some very odd forms of showboating (last night’s Red Foxx imitation after the KO is classic Rashad). But for MMA purists, Rashad is a very frustrating case. His pure athleticism and wrestling skill are world class, and they are reminders of the dominant role wrestling has in the history and philosophy of the martial arts (not to mention wrestling’s place in modern day MMA). Rashad is on the one hand as genuine a combatant as has ever entered the octagon, and on the other hand, to die-hards, he is the devil. Not literally, but his win last night is going to have very strange ramifications for Evans, as he may end up losing popularity rather than gaining from a huge win. Liddell’s own obvious disgust with Evans game plan, both during the fight and after he woke up from it was real and understandable. There is something contemptuous about Evans pre-fight hype. About how he would stand and trade with Chuck in order to make for an exciting fight. Evans went so far as to proclaim he had successfully done just that, in the post-fight interview. But did he? Listen, despite Evans sometimes antics, he is a genuinely good guy with a heroic “come from nothing” story, and no one could blame him for not wanting to sit in front of a legend with plenty of TNT left in the right hand. But let’s be clear, Evans didn’t do that. His actual strategy of running from Liddell in the ring now looks well chosen, and the pre-fight mind games which mixed taunts and complete misdirection about his intention to “trade punches” was just evil genius. But was it honorable? Listen, we’re not suggesting anyone should feel bad for Chuck Liddell. (We’re quite sure he wouldn’t want it anyway). He’s made a small fortune on his ability to knock people unconscious, and it was his own doing that he played into Rashad’s hand by becoming very annoyed, very frustrated and very careless. He also either overestimated his own chin, or underestimated the power in Evans own wild looping right hand. But you have to feel for the guy for this reason – he made the fight. In other words, what kind of fight would this have been, had Chuck mirrored Evans and waited for him to be the aggressor? The answer is, there would have been no fight worth watching, and a riot may have broken out by unsatisfied fight fans. We’re trying to say, the more MMA (the UFC in particular) becomes a spectacle rather than a pure sport, the more the pressure and disadvantage is shouldered by the fighter with the bigger name. There was an inordinate amount pressure on Liddell to make this a fight. And he felt the pressure because it became obvious in the first minute of round one that Rashad was in no rush to engage. Shame on Liddell for letting this get to him, and for losing his cool. But can you blame him? This is the problem with a sport that is evolving from pure sport into pure spectacle. The perceived “show” becomes an influence on the outcome. And that is not a good thing. I’m not so sure that a Chuck Liddell locked in a cage with Rashad Evans without the bright lights, without the pressure to entertain the crowd, without the expectation of a highlight reel knockout of his own, with winning as the sole objective, would walk into a right hand from a wrestler not known for big right hand knockouts. This is the problem with fighters as celebs, with fights as spectacles rather than sport. And this is exactly why die-hards have no love for Rashad Evans. This is the danger-zone for the UFC. But is this where the real fans check out?? Well, not exactly. Thankfully we are a safe distance from the point of “no going back”. But the UFC and MMA in general should take the hint from last night’s audience and the surreal reaction to an incredible knockout -- near complete silence (except for one happy wife).
-- GueRRillaRadio.com/MMA

GueRRillaRadio.com -- Newsletter #4 -- 9.06.08

GueRRillaRadio.com        --    NEWSLETTER #4      --  9.06.08

Just a quick one this time. Heads up for the next major MMA event: UFC 88 is tonight and it should be a great one. A good card top to bottom, with at least 3 premier level fights featuring names like Liddell, Franklin and Henderson. Visit our MMA page for links to info on all  the top tier fighters-- with particular emphasis on 88’s combatants. Also highlighted is the recent news of Randy Couture’s long-awaited return to the Octagon against Brock Lesnar.

In the world of music, heads up for the return from Metallica, as their new album drops like an anvil (hopefully a heavy one!). GueRRilla continues to be swamped with submissions for airplay from underground and breaking bands worldwide. Recent standouts include Driving James, Marshall Price Docksud, Vallenbrosa, Dressed in Black and Blue, John Neilson, Bloodpunch, Code Rouge,  and Lawless INC.  We’re still getting raves from listeners from previous submissions from Day 13, Nale, Mike Borgia, Gloomball and Jaw. We want to thank all the musicians for their genuine interest and support, as well as our audience for their opinions and requests.

As always, to discontinue this newsletter, just reply to this e-mail and type STOP in the subject line. Those of you brave enough to continue along with us, please use our contact page to add any friends you think might enjoy our little radio station. It’s a small thing, but it helps us tremendously.

As always, the best of luck in everything,

joe

GueRRillaRadio.com