| Date: 12/04 | 1:45 AM |
| Views: 1,608 | |
Some sad news to report to start off this update, news which first broke on Oliver & Mike's Tough Talk #7. MMA suffered its first death in the United States as a result of a fight at a sanctioned and licensed show. Sam Vasquez was only 35 years old and leaves behind a wife and a seven-year-old son. Vasquez had been in the hospital since October 20th, a night where he was fighting on a Renegades Extreme Fighting show in Houston, Texas. A hard right in the third round from opponent Vince Libardi put him down and he never recovered, suffering one setback after another before eventually being moved to hospice care to make his last days more peaceful. Dave Meltzer wrote an a great article for Yahoo! Sports about the whole situation and I encourage you to check it out. Unfortunately MMA is a combat sport, and like all combat sports (boxing, MMA, kickboxing, et cetera) death is always a possibility, but there are definitely some things about this situation that will come under scrutiny. Vasquez' opponent the night he got KO'd was 14 years his junior, and Vasquez hadn't taken a single fight in the 13 months prior to that night's show. If that sounds like a gross mismatch, you're not the only one who has had that thought in the last 24 hours. Our prayers and condolences go out to Vasquez' family and friends.
To be sure that's a down note for a MMA news update but perhaps this whacky tidbit will raise your spirits - the Boston Herald reports that Chuck Liddell is getting "life coaching" lessons from none other than late night infomercial guru Tony Robbins. I seriously hope Liddell is not paying Robbins for cliched euphemisms like "be true to yourself." If anything Liddell needs to NOT be true to himself against Wanderlei Silva, because that hasn't worked out so well in his last two fights against Rampage Jackson and Keith Jardine.
Sean Sherk's postponed hearing with the California State Athletic Commission takes place today. If history is any indication, the fighters who appeal their suspensions end up having them reduced, and those who honestly own up to drug or steroid usage tend to get the max. AngryMarks.com will keep an eye on the situation to see which way the Commission swings, and whether or not UFC will strip 'The Muscle Shark' of his UFC lightweight championship.
Speaking of suspensions FightOpinion.com reports that Dennis Hallman (whose fighting style, no lie, was billed as "Cowboy Karate" at an IFL show I attended) tested positive for both drostanolone and nandrolone according to the CSAC. He's not the only recent positive - Alexander Crispim, who appeared on the recent Strikeforce show along with Hallman, was busted for being on desoxymethyltestosterone. Both were given one-year suspensions.
Last but not least 'Mr. International' Shonie Carter takes the piss out on Dana White here. I guarantee it's an entertaining read.