Showdown on MMA: Truth lies in the middle

To say it has been a tumultuous month of July for the MMA world is an understatement, but while many issues have been resolved, others have spawned some new questions. Let’s a take a look at but a mere sample of what’s happening, with many of these scenarios showcasing why it’s often prudent to read between the lines.

UFC light-heavyweight division set for a rankings shuffle?

With the recent news that Tito Ortiz has stepped up to replace Phil Davis vs. Rashad Evans at UFC 133, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” went from near unemployment to being on the cusp of earning a title shot. He must first defeat Evans before another crack at championship glory will be offered, but one can just imagine how different the 205-pound weight class may look come September 25th.

That is the day after UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage.

Between now and then, Ortiz will face Evans, Mauricio (Shogun) Rua will take on Forrest Griffin at UFC 134 on Aug. 27 and champion Jon Jones will defend his title for the first time vs. Quinton (Rampage) Jackson on Sept. 24.

Based on my current light-heavyweight rankings, Jones (No. 1), Shogun (No. 2) and Evans (No. 3) are the heavy favourites over their opponents. But this is MMA, and upsets are far more frequent than many care to believe. So we all may wake up in late September with Jackson as the new champion, Griffin as the No. 1 contender and Ortiz defeating two top-10 fighters in the span of less than five weeks.

Three sides to every story

On the outside looking in is Lyoto Machida, who, depending on who you speak with, is in the UFC’s bad books. It was “The Dragon” who was first pegged to replace Phil Davis at UFC 133, and according to UFC president Dana White was all but signed. That is, until Machida’s representation asked for a higher level of compensation, what is now being referred to as “Anderson Silva type of money,” to which White adamantly refused.

On the flip side, Machida recently stated that he did accept the fight, did ask for more money, but it was based on the fact that he was asked to accept a bout on short notice vs. a high-level fighter. He was also apparently asked to immediately travel to the U.S. to complete his training, something he was unable to do, as many of those within his camp would not be able to secure the proper paperwork to travel in time. Quite frankly, he may have believed the risk was not worth the reward, even if it meant he would be catapulted to the top of the “title shot line” with a victory over Evans.

They say there are two sides to every story, and my experience has taught me that there are actually three. There is the facts presented by Party A, the facts presented by Party B, and usually, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

With this new rift in Machida’s relationship with the UFC, where does this place him among the match-making team? We’ve all seen in the past what happens to fighters who draw the ire of the UFC brass. Has Lyoto done the same? Will his next bout be vs. one of the aforementioned seven fighters, or will he toil in the oblivion that is the UFC’s “don’t call us, we’ll call you”?

Marquardt willing to fight, but has no cage

Nate Marquardt’s suspension has been lifted by the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission. He also got off without being fined.

Marquardt is now a free agent, and unlike the good-natured, mild-mannered athlete we’ve seen in the past, he has fired back at many of the fighters who took shots at him when he was down.

The top of his list is B.J. Penn, with the two of them going back and forth on Twitter. To be honest, it is quite entertaining. I recommend you check it out.

Marquardt is also paying attention to the likes of Dan Hardy, Paul Daley, as well as Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren and Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard. The latter actually put together a brief video enticing Marquardt to step up and that there should be “no more excuses.”

It’s all fine and dandy for each one of these fighters to call out Marquardt, but it’s far easier said than done.

For Penn and Hardy, who are employed by the UFC, it’s a scenario that may not unfold anytime soon, as White stated Marquardt has run out of chances with the organization. For Daley, a bout vs. Marquardt in Strikeforce is virtually impossible, as the organization is owned by Zuffa.

So Bellator seems like a viable option, right? With Askren and Lombard chomping at the bit to tangle with one of the sport’s elite? Not so fast.

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney recently stated that at this moment Marquardt is not a good fit. Marquardt’s representation smiled, and politely disagreed, hinting that the right compensation will likely need to be agreed upon. Remember my adage that there are three sides to every story?

As discussed during my radio show Thursday night, this scenario will get interesting over the next few weeks. Can Team Marquardt reconcile with the UFC? Will Bellator pony up what Marquardt is asking for, or will Marquardt have to take a pay cut? Is there another promotion out there that will be willing to step up, while still offer the mass exposure that the top-tier organizations can give him? Stay tuned.

Miscellaneous MMA notes

— “Finally”: Lethbridge, Alta.’s Jordon (Young Guns) Mein has signed on with a big organization as Strikeforce recently announced the welterweight has been scooped up, and will be making his debut in October.

— “Frustrated”: That’s how I felt when I got the news that Canadian featherweight Antonio (Pato) Carvalho has been forced to withdraw from his UFC debut vs. Yuri Alcantara at UFC 134. Antonio’s run of bad luck continues, but karma will eventually be on his side. In time, we will all see him shine inside the Octagon.

— “Stepping Up”: That’s what UFC featherweight Javier Vasquez has done, joining me in a new project that will help get the word out that all MMA referees and judges must be certified before being licensed and allowed to work an MMA event.

— “Toronto”: The destination of choice for two of the sport’s leading promotions in late 2011 and early 2012. Stay tuned.