I apologize for the blog not being up as soon as the show was over last night, that’s my fault. The UFC sends me a DVD each week of that week’s episode; so I watch the show on either Monday or Tuesday and then Wednesday morning I give my blog to the UFC for their website. So sometimes I forget that the show is even on on Wednesday nights.

First some questions:

What was the final score of the bowling game?

I don’t really know, I just know that I would have had to roll like two strikes in a row to beat Matt Serra.

Does the show feel anticlimactic now that you aren’t fighting Serra next month?

No, it’s still interesting to see what the guys did around the house and I’ve got two guys in the semifinals now. So, no, I wouldn’t say it’s anticlimatic. It’s just interesting to see how they cut the show up and edited it.

One of the big concerns on last night’s show was Tommy’s cut, but to me it wasn’t a big deal. Tommy’s cut was definitely bad, but they gave him the most amount of time between fights as they could and I knew that the Athletic Commissions’ number one concern is safety. So I knew that if they let him fight it would be okay, because they would never have cleared him if the cut was that bad.

About Team Serra’s pranks in the house, I did know about it, just from the guys coming back and telling me. I thought some of it had to do with Serra just not being a good coach. He should have been telling his guys that they needed to relax.

I didn’t know anything about Ben Saunders being sick until this week’s show. So I don’t know how much they played up on that or what. It could have had nothing to do with the outcome of the fight or maybe it had everything to do with it.

But still, Tommy’s just so tough. Who would have thought that guy would have gotten out of all those submissions and done so well? It just shows how tough he is and his ‘never quit’ attitude. Tommy’s training with us right now because he fights at the finale, like every other fighter from the show (except for two as I mentioned last week).

For the semifinal picks, I knew what I wanted and I knew that I could get the match ups I wanted. Everybody had been talking about how good George was and how good Mac was and that the UFC was wanting both of those guys in the finals, so I knew I didn’t have to say much to get that. -Matt

I’m going to fight Georges St. Pierre on December 29th. I’ve got a couple reasons why I’ve made this decision and I will share those at a later time. I’ve asked for this to be for an interim title and if Matt Serra can’t fight in a year, then this would just be the title fight; but I don’t know if that is going to happen right now. I will keep you all posted.
-Matt

EDIT: This WILL BE for the interim title, so it will be a 5-round fight. -Matt

As of now, Matt Serra is out of the fight because of a herniated disc in his lower back. I believe Serra is actually hurt, so I don’t think this is just a ploy not to fight. Before my Royce fight, I had three bulged discs that I was able to repair enough to fight. As everybody knows you never go into a fight 100%. So, I’m just going to continue to train until I find out what’s next. -Matt

First some questions from last episode:

I thought we were not supposed to know who was in the finals of the TUF until the final episode. I saw a blog on Mac Danzig’s website saying he was back in LA training full time for the finale December 8th. Any truth to that?

All the fighters from the show, except for two, are fighting in the finale. So his comments don’t give away the outcome. They’re all practicing, they’re all training, they’re all getting ready to fight.

If you had had to pick the quarterfinal fights with the same pool of fighters, what would have been your picks?

If it was me, I would have put my guys against Richie and Rude-Boy. I would have put Matt Arroyo and George together, and then Ben and John.

John Kolosci lost his fight last episode and he decided to drink afterwards, then started breaking stuff in the house. But that’s what happens when you drink too much. He had a big opportunity and he lost and he was just upset, which I can kind of understand.

I thought that was terrible that Serra would choose not to corner his own guys. It’s just a terrible coaching philosophy. It was obvious who he wanted to win. He wasn’t even supposed to be cornering Matt Arroyo and he was coming up with a game plan for him. I think it was disrespectful to Troy and just created a bad training environment.

About the bowling, I went to them when I heard that we were doing a coaches challenge and the only thing I asked of them was not to bowl. So it’s just amazing that that’s the only thing I asked not to have and that’s what I got. I’m just not a bowler, I’ve bowled maybe four times in my life. I left right afterwards. What I was disappointed about was the fact that my guys didn’t get anything. The cash to me was nothing, it was the cash my guys could have gotten, that’s what hurt.

They show Arroyo and Hightower deciding not to come train with my team, that didn’t bother me; but they did come in to our practice before their fight, at least one of them did. Hightower wasn’t going to get a good gameplan from Serra, so he definitely needed to come over. Arroyo was getting a good game plan from Serra, so he didn’t really need to come over.

Troy and Arroyo’s fight went just like I thought it would.

After his fight, we weren’t really overly impressed with George’s ground game or anything to be honest. He didn’t want to get hit by Hightower, there was no doubt about it. -Matt

First off, some questions about last week’s show:

I thought I might have seen Tommy tap early in the first round when War Machine had him in that choke.

My answer to that would be that that ref definitely had the best view during the fight, so he would have stopped it if there had been any tap. If anyone saw it, it would have been him and he never said a word.

Tommy seems really strong, do you think his strength is equal to yours?

Tommy’s definitely a very strong guy; but with my technique and my knowledge, I could definitely cut that strength and get in a better position. Tommy is strong, but I’m not saying that he’s stronger than me or I’m stronger than him.

If you pay close attention you’ll see my brother at the weigh ins. Mark was there training with the guys at the time. So, that was him if you were wondering.

The reason why I wanted Hightower and Troy on my team was because I felt that Serra threw them to the wolves. I knew that Matt wasn’t going to help them with a game plan, because he wanted Arroyo and George to move up. I wanted to come up with my own gameplan, so they could possibly knock them out.

Serra’s comments about his guys not wanting to train with me didn’t bother me, either. He’s going to say anything to get under my skin. I was going to corner one of them, so it was definitely in their best interest to come talk to me ahead of time so they weren’t just going in there blind. I was annoyed when Hightower and Arroyo took me and my coaches aside to talk to us. I guess I understood where they were coming from, but seriously I’m above and beyond that.

Mac is definitely his own person. Mac’s just different, but who’s not different? He likes nature and that’s his thing and that’s just great. He’s standing up for what he believes in and I like that. His fight went exactly like I thought it would. I thought Mac would win any and all situations.

Next episode with the coaches’ challenge is very interesting, so make sure not to miss it. -Matt

Matt recently became the first sponsored athlete ever for Century, LLC, the world’s largest martial art supplier, when he signed a 2-year sponsorship and merchandising agreement.

Their relationship first began when Matt attended the MAIA Supershow in Vegas two summers ago when he was there to sign autographs for Dollamur Mats. Matt had been looking for someone to partner with to do a training video. As part of that search, Matt met their management team and toured the Century headquarters. Matt was impressed enough with their vision and facility that he chose Century as the company to produce and distribute the “Matt Hughes Story” DVD series.

Shortly thereafter Century signed a deal with the UFC to become the exclusive provider and maker of UFC equipment. After partnering with the UFC, Century’s staff began exploring the idea of sponsoring their first athlete of any kind. With Matt’s reputation and a great relationship having already been established, signing Matt was the next step. As part of the signing, Dan Bower, Century President, said, “We have worked with Matt previously on his DVD-The Matt Hughes Story, and felt he was the perfect spokesperson to represent Century.”

Following the signing of the agreement, Matt Hughes commented, “I found Century to be an innovative and progressive company and I am excited to have the opportunity to be the first MMA fighter to join the Century team. If I need something they are always there to take my call and help in any way they can. It is rewarding to work with good people and that is what they are at Century. ”

About Century:
Based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Century is the world leader in martial arts products and the largest manufacturer and distributor of individual contact sports equipment. Century has sold products to support martial arts, mixed martial arts, boxing and kickboxing throughout the world for over 30 years. One may contact Century at (800) 626-2787 or visit www.centurymartialarts.com.

First, some questions about earlier episodes:

Last week, J-Rock made a mention of “Matt Hughes’ Witchdoctor.” Who is the “Witchdoctor?”

The Witchdoctor’s real name is Steven Friend and he’s a close friend of mine. I actually met him while I was coaching during Season 2. He is a chiropractor and he is big into the energy that flows through the body and how it can be blocked and how that’s bad. He gets the name “Witchdoctor” from Dana White. Dana is a big believer in him; but he doesn’t understand what he does, so Dana nicknamed him “Witchdoctor.” There are a few people in my life that if I have a spiritual question I will go to and he is very high on that list. He is a Christian and a former pastor.

Why do the fighters on the show complain so much about being away from home for six weeks, when troops stationed overseas are sometimes away from their families for months or even years at a time?

Yes, it’s a very short period of time compared to the military; but these guys are cooped up in that house all day long. They’re totally isolated, they don’t get to read anything or watch TV or even call home. They really provoke these guys to get under each others’ skin. It could be like the military, I dont know since I’ve never been there; but I’m sure there is a difference. I’m not trying to downplay the sacrifices our troops make by any means. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I’m a big fan of the military. But, this show is really designed to get these guys to not like each other.

In tonight’s episode, you saw me being a little rough with Tommy during practice. First off, I want to say when I was rolling with Tommy it was actually the week before. So that scene was actually from before J-Rock’s fight. They’re making it look like I rolled with Tommy that hard just before he fought, which never would have happened. Plus, they keep keying in on me saying that I wanted “emotion, emotion.” I said a lot of other things, but they kept showing that for some reason. What I was getting at was that this sport is all mental. By “mental” I bring up the second Trigg fight when I was kneed in the groin and the second BJ fight when I was caught in that submission. I could have easily just given up in both of those fights, but it never crossed my mind.

In coaching, not everybody’s the same and I think Serra ran his team as if everybody was the same. That’s just not the way it is. I think if War Machine has been on my team, I could have turned him around a little bit and not just thrown my hands up in the air and said that he was a nutcase. I think I could have helped him a little bit. Obviously Jon was weak in the mental department; but to be honest Tommy was the better fighter. So I don’t think Jon’s mental weaknesses had anything to do with him not being able to finish that choke hold or his arms getting so tired from trying the choke, Tommy was just the better fighter. That goes to show you that Tommy was super mentally prepared for that fight, because so many fighters, after having their opponent get them in the rear naked choke and having blood running down their face, would have quit and Tommy didn’t.

I don’t really care about Matt Serra’s “Matt Hughes impression.” It just goes to show you that during his practice times that he was obviously worried about me and entertaining his guys. When we practiced the last thing on my mind was imitating him. So I just chalk that up to him showing who he is.

I’m super excited that I finally got another guy into the next round. I finally get another win, so it put me in a good mood. I think that Serra has six guys in there and I’ve got two quality guys in there. -Matt

All the proceeds from the sale of these cards go directly to the Tim Fix Scholarship Fund.

Click HERE to purchase cards

Tim, along with Joe Bee, were Eastern Illinois University wrestlers and college roommates of Matt Hughes. Both Tim and Joe died in a tragic drowning accident at EIU in May 1996. Tim’s parents created a scholarship fund in their son’s memory to benefit college students. Each year, Tim’s parents give out from fifteen to twenty $500 scholarships. The students are selected not necessarily by their academic performance but by whom Tim’s parents feel their son would have chosen to receive the scholarship. To date over $100,000 has been raised and distributed. This is the 7th year the cards have been sold. Tim’s aunt, Sue Shanahan, an artist and illustrator, creates each year’s card in memory of Tim and Joe. The cards are $20 for a package of 10. They can be purchased by going to www.SueShanahan.com.

Your support is greatly appreciated.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS LEGENDS COMING TO A TREE NEAR YOU!

Round 5 releases the first official MMA collectible figures for Christmas ‘07.

Markham, Ontario, November 2, 2007 – Round 5 announces the release of the first official MMA collectible figures coming this holiday season. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has rapidly become one of the largest markets in professional sports. In response to this growth, Round 5 has just released the first official line of collectibles. In-house viral marketing initiatives have shown enormous anticipation surrounding the release. The collectibles are set to launch in over 1000 different stores this holiday season, including Spencer’s and Toys “R” Us Canada. They will also be available internationally online.

“This first series showcases the most exciting championship fighters to date, in their most well known poses,” said Barron Lau, Marketing Director of Round 5. He continues to explain, “Series 1: Champions, will include fan favourites; Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Tito ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ Ortiz, Matt Hughes, and Randy ‘The Natural’ Couture. We are honoured to be releasing these collectibles at a time when the sport has achieved so much success.” Each collectible figure is expertly sculpted, pose-able and select characters even include accessories such as Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson’s signature chain.

Interest in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts has grown dramatically over the past several years, surpassing both boxing and professional wrestling in popularity and Pay-Per-View sales in some areas of the world, to currently become one of the fastest growing sports around. Spike TV’s General Manager, Kevin Kay, sums up the impact, “The ratings are further proof that the tide in American sports is changing. Young men (ages 18-49), prefer the incredible action and athleticism of MMA to more traditional sports.”

“Due to the mainstream rise in popularity of professional MMA, the response from our website has been tremendous. These collectibles will be the hottest sellers for the upcoming Christmas season.” said Damon Lau, CEO of Round 5.

The collectible figures are sculpted by famous McFarlane artist and owner of INU Art design studio, David Cortes. He is best known for sculpting comic-related and mainstream characters like Hellboy, Spawn, and the Incredible Hulk. Cortes takes great pride in the level of detail and likeness captured in the 6” tall caricature-style figures.

About Round 5
Round 5 is the MMA industry’s fastest growing worldwide collectible figure company. Committed to developing intricately detailed figures, Round 5 strives to remain true to the sport of MMA and its personalities. Headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Round 5 sells manufacturers product and distributes through retail locations and its official online store found at www.round5mma.com. Additional information can be found at the website.
Click the logo below to view the promotional video:

Click HERE to pre-order your figure today!

First some questions:

Did you do guided Bible studies everyday or was it just the one shown in episode 2?

I wouldn’t say we did any guided Bible studies, my main reason for handing out the Bibles was to give those guys time to read. I never really gave a Bible study, I just wanted to introduce the book to those that maybe have never read it. And those that do enjoy reading it were going to get the opportunity to continue reading it.

How do you think you would have handled the Joe Scarola situation if he had been on your team?

Well, I really don’t know what i would have done; but I do think I could have kept him on the show.

First off, I know I got bleeped this week, but what I was saying was definitely not the “f-word.” I’m human and I get mad just like everybody else, so I’m really not worried about that one slip.

One thing I want to say about tonight’s episode is that J-Rock fought a good fight; but the one thing bad about ‘production’ is the fact that I can talk good about J-Rock’s fight for 59 minutes and then say something critical for a minute and all they show is that one minute. At the end of J-Rock’s fight I was frustrated. I believe J-Rock was a lot better than he showed in that fight, so that was what got me down.

I didn’t really know what to think after his fight, but to be honest I was getting used to not winning the fights so it wasn’t making it any worse. At this point, I was just thinking that I’ve got one more guy. Tommy is a guy that I wanted to hold back until the very end, because he’s a lot like me and I think I have a lot I can show him. So actually I’m just trying to be realistic and thinking that I’ve still got one more guy that I can try to get into the next round.

As far as what’s going on at the house with Team Serra, I didn’t know anything about that so there’s really nothing I can say.

-Matt