Random John fact: My three favourite beers are Guinness, Magic Hat, and cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Everyone be careful this weekend and try not to drink too much. Drink just enough! :-)
AND THE NEW ATTENDENCE RECORD IS…
Besides Randy Couture’s title victory (which people are still talking about), it would appear that UFC 68 broke the North American MMA attendance record. The 19,079 fans in attendance that night in Columbus (who paid $2.7 million to be there) broke the previous record of the 18,265 people who showed up for a Strikeforce show a year ago. There are some technicalities like how Strikeforce had a higher paid attendance, but 19,000 people is 19,000 people, so there.
That said, this was only the North American record. The worldwide total attendance record for an MMA event was set at Tokyo Outdoor Stadium on August 28, 2002, as a Pride and K-1 co-production drew over 70,000 fans.
If Couture vs. Tim Sylvia can draw 19,000 people, I hope they have some larger arenas lined up because imagine what Couture vs. Mirko Cro Cop, and Cro Cop vs. Chuck Liddell can do. I can only pray that one of these matches will be in Philadelphia, now that Pennsylvania has legalized MMA. My crew has all been told to start saving a few sheckles and to decide how much they are willing to pay.
P.S. Little ol’ WrestleMania 22 only drew 17,500 people. Enjoy that Kane vs. Giant Khali match.
I got all of the numbers from MMAWeekly, which is where I steal most of my news from.
GRIFFIN OUT, DAVID HEATH IN. WHO?
As we reported yesterday, Forrest Griffin is off of UFC 70 due to a boo boo staph infection. After trying to work out something with Keith Jardine (injured) and Jason Lambert (recovering from UFC 68), the UFC named David Heath as Griffin’s replacement. Heath has a perfect 7-0 record, and will be taking on another undefeated fighter in Lyoto Machida (9-0). I’m not that familiar with Heath, but Machida boasts a win over BJ Penn and is one of Rich Franklin’s only two losses.
THE RETURN OF RICH FRANKLIN’S TEAMMATE
Sherdog.com sat down with lightweight fighter (and Rich Franklin’s training partner) Jorge Gurgel. Gurgel had blown his ACL the day before a fight with Danny Abbadi last September and has been recovering since (he won with a decision), but is set to return to the octagon on the July 7th card that he said is supposed to be from Brazil. He had also mentioned something about UFC Iowa on June 30th, but I can’t imagine them having a show a week before a major PPV and a week after the MMA finals.
Gurgel has a 10-2 record and is supposed to have a sick BJJ game (nine of those decision were tapouts). He had lost a unanimous decision to Mark Hominick at Ultimate Fight Night 5 that many people thought he should have won (including him apparently).
The lightweight division is going to be an interesting one to watch. You have Ultimate Fighter 5 starting next month. Sean Sherk defends his title for the first time this July against Hermes Franca. A week or so before that, TUF5 coaches BJ Penn and Jens Pulver will be fighting to see who is next in line for a title shot.
QUESTION
Who would you rather: the UFC ring card girls or the IFL ring card girls?
