FIGHTSPORT 24-7

By Coffee Guy

Joe Doerksen

Before reading any further, please read our disclaimer first.

The following exclusive report was sent to us by our Zuffa informant called 'Coffee Guy':


"It appears that the visa problems plaguing Lee Murray will once again prevent him from entering the US, meaning that he won't be able to participate on the upcoming UFC 52 as was scheduled.

Joe Doerksen will take his place, and he'll be facing Patrick Cote."

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A fan's humorous parody of the UFC reality show and what appears to be its percieved strategy of appealing to the upper class homosexual demographic.

Review posted by the MMA insider known as 'Rainbowthief':


"The show opened with a recap of the Kenny Florian vs Chris Leben fight. After the fight Leben went outside and started crying again. He eventually calmed down after Randy Couture talked to him and went back inside to congratulate Florian. Back at the house, Josh Koscheck whines that he is not the one dimensional wrestler that people say he is, while Diego Sanchez said he felt odd fighting Koscheck after training with him, but was still focused on winning. Bobby Southworth said in a confessional interview that he felt bad that his shot at re-entering the competition depended on whether his training partner Forrest Griffin could fight or not.

Finally it was time for the second middleweight seminfinal: Diego Sanchez vs Josh Koscheck. The first round took place mostly standing up with neither fighter dominating, though Sanchez caught Kosheck in a guillotine choke with 1:50 left in round one, but could not finish him off. He caught Koscheck again with 18 seconds left in the round and seemed to have the guillotine tighter, but time ran out. Round two was more of the same, with Koscheck content to keep the fight standing to avoid Sanchez' submission skills. After three rounds, Sanchez was awarded a split decision victory over Koscheck that some of the other fighters complained about, even though Sanchez clearly won the fight.

In previews for the next episode, Forrest Griffin's future in the competition remains uncertain, with Bobby Southworth ready to take his place if Griffin's eye doesn't heal enough by fight time."

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UFC president Dana White, who was once a boxercize aerobics instructor, appearing to be staring at the asses of UFC fighters.

No, Dana White did not really admit to homosexuality. This is just an April Fool's joke!


Editor's note: As to Dana White's sexual preference, that is anyone's guess. He was a former boxercize instructor who seems to want to cater his 'Ultimate Fighter' reality show to the homosexual market. Knowing all that, make your own assumptions ;)

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Kazuyuki Fujita

The Japanese media is reporting that Kazuyuki Fujita may concentrate more on pro-wrestling this year then MMA.

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TKO 20: 'Champion vs Champion'
April 2nd, 2005
Montreal, Canada


Tony Fryklund vs. Jonathan Goulet
Stephane Vigneault vs. Mark Hominick
Donald Quimet vs. James Martinez
Iccho Larenas vs. Jacob Conliffe
Chatt Lavender vs. TBA
Ryan Diaz vs. Phillipe Lagace
Tyler Jackson vs. Sam Stout
Blake Fredrickson vs. Thierry Quennville
Aaron Tregear vs. Martin Grandmont



Any fighters still owed money by TKO president Stephane Patry, can contact him at:

Stephane Patry, President/CEO
TKO Communications Inc.
Tel: (450) 676-3666
TKOZone.tv

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PRIDE Bushido 6
April 3rd, 2005
Yokohama Areana
Yokohama, Japan


Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka
Gilbert Yvel vs. Ikuhisa Minowa
Murilo Bustamante vs. Ryuta Sakurai
Alexander Emelianenko vs. Ricardo Morais
Daniel Acacio vs. Daiju Takase
Luiz 'Buscape' Firminho vs. Luiz Azeredo
Marcus Aurelio vs. Daisuke Nakamura
Dennis Kang vs. Takahiro Oba

4-man middleweight tournament:
Paulo Filho vs. Amar Suloev
Dean Lister vs. Akira Shoji

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Randy Couture

UFC 52: 'Couture vs. Liddell 2'
April 16th, 2005
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, NV


Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell
Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg
Matt Lindland vs. Travis Lutter
Georges St. Pierre vs. Jason Miller
Lee Murray vs. Patrick Cote
Mike Van Arsdale vs. John Marsh
Renato 'Babalu' Sobral vs. Travis Wiuff
Ivan Salaverry vs. Joe Riggs

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A fan's humorous parody of the UFC reality show and what appears to be its percieved strategy of appealing to the upper class homosexual demographic.

UFC: 'The Ultimate Fighter Finale'
April 9th, 2005
Cox Pavilion
Las Vegas, NV


Single fights:
Ken Shamrock vs. Rich Franklin
Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Sanford
Chris Leben vs. Jason Thacker
Lodune Sincaid vs. Nate Quarry
Alex Karalexis vs. Josh Rafferty

Lightheavyweight final:
Forrest Griffin vs. Stephen Bonnar

Middlweight final:
Diego Sanchez vs. Kenny Florian

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The PRIDE Middleweight GP will consist of a 16-man field. Two fighters from each team will be allowed.

DSE/PRIDE may possibly host part of the GP in the United States, in the state of California.


Officially announced matchups:
Vanderlei Silva vs. Hidehiko Yoshida
Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson
Dan Henderson vs. Rogerio 'Minotoro' Nogueira

Unofficially announced matchups:
Igor Vovchanchyn vs. Yuki Kondo
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Youn Dong Sik
Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Ryan Gracie
Vitor Belfort vs. Alistair Overeem
Kevin Randleman vs. Winner of upcoming PRIDE Bushido 4-man tournament

Fighters who may still participate, but are unlikely for the GP:
Mario Sperry
Ricardo Arona

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Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (left)

DSE/PRIDE officially announced the following matchups for the PRIDE middleweight GP on April 23rd:

Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson
Dan Henderson vs. Rogerio 'Minotoro' Nogueira

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BY SCOOP MCTROLL

Before reading any further, please read our disclaimer first.


In the January of 2001 the ailing reality fighting contest known as The Ultimate Fighting Championship, was purchased from its founder, the SEG CORPORATION by ZUFFA LLC. Three men, Frank Fertitta III, his younger brother Lorenzo Fertitta and their brother in law, the low profile but nonetheless powerful, Blake Sartini, are the owners of ZUFFA LLC. Sartini has since resigned from Station Casino's however and his current role in ZUFFA is unknown to this reporter.



Frank III (left) and Lorenzo (right).

The Fertitta brothers Frank III and Lorenzo, take the limelight in this partnership and have recently become known to millions of people through the reality television show 'American Casino'. As the CEO and President respectively, of the Station Casinos Empire, they appear on the surface to be amiable and successful young businessmen. Las Vegas residents may know of Frank through his involvement in many charities and community projects, including Catholic Charities, Opportunity Village and the Las Vegas Chapter of the I Have A Dream Foundation. They may know of Lorenzo Fertitta from his time on the board of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, or as the chairman of the Nevada Resort Association. The two brothers donate hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to the Republican Party and they are an integral part of the Las Vegas A-list social scene. Many people have wondered just how they came to be so successful at such relatively young ages and where they came from. Our in depth report 'The Z-Files' will explore these issues and attempt to throw some light on the history of the family behind The Ultimate Fighting Championship. I hope you enjoy reading The Z-Files; it is the result of several months of research.

Part II

In 1960 Las Vegas was a sleazy paradise for the scum of society, the mob was heavily invested in Vegas, through both the covert ownership of Casinos and in the skimming scam that earned them millions of dollars. Guiseppi 'Nick' Civella was the head of the Kansas City mob and along with his brother, Carl 'The Cork', had been making a fortune through illicit means in Vegas casinos. They received a setback however when they became charter members of the infamous Nevada "Black Book", which banned them from all Vegas gaming venues for life. Their nephew, Anthony Civella would soon become the third family member to end up in the black book. This meant that they needed to find another way of getting some of the money being splashed around Vegas.

Frank Fertitta jr. arrived in Vegas in the same year and his family's reputation appeared to open many doors for him. He immediately got work in one of the Casino's and his official job was that of a bellboy. In a remarkable rate of success, Frank soon became a Blackjack dealer and then worked his way into management. Throughout the 1960's Frank Fertitta jr gained a reputation for being a street smart operator who understood the business as well as anyone could. Not bad for a guy who arrived in town a few years prior with little more than the shirt on his back, or so the story goes.


Nick's nephew Anthony Civella, another Black Book member.

The infamous Nevada Gaming Commission Black Book



During this same period, the Kansas City mob were eager to get their claws back into some of the Vegas revenue. In 1970 the FBI ran surveillance on Nick Civella through the use of wire taps and acquired enough evidence to arrest him and several other mobsters for fixing the Superbowl between Kansas and Minnesota. An associate of Civella's named Sol Landie was given immunity in return for testifying against Civella. In November that same year, Landie's home was invaded by 4 black men who forced him to watch as they stripped his wife naked and forced her to commit felatio on each one of them. Then they took turns at savagely raping and sodomizing her while forcing Landie to watch the entire ordeal. Once they had finished with his wife, they murdered Landie. Before they left, they arranged the room to look as though it was a botched robbery attempt. A few days later the 4 men were arrested and they admitted that they had been paid to kill Landie because of his testimony. Eventually, Nick Civella would serve 20 months for his part in the Superbowl scam.


By the early 1970's the Kansas City mob had struck up an association with a high profile Vegas Casino star named Carl Thomas. Thomas was soon taken under the wing of the Kansas City mob and he was used by them as a front man, a respectable cover for the mob. The Kansas City mob controlled the notorious Teamsters Union and they had been using the Teamster union members fund money for several years to fund illegal activities. Using Teamsters Union money, the mob purchased several casinos in Las Vegas, the most famous one being the Stardust. Through a strawman named Alan Glick, the Kansas City mob also purchased and sold The Fremont, the Tropicana, the Hacienda and the Marina during the 1970's.

Carl Thomas had been made the Chief Executive Officer of Glick's casinos and he quickly recommended his friend Frank Fertitta jr for a President's position. The one time bellboy was now the President of the Fremont and worked directly under the mob stooge, Alan Glick. Many of you may remember Glick's thinly diguised character 'Mr Green' in the Martin Scorcese movie 'Casino' starring Robert De Niro. 'Casino' was based on the true story of the mafia casino skimming operations at Glick's casinos. Skimming operations that, according to FBI wiretap transcripts, Frank Fertitta was involved in.


The movie 'Casino' was based on the skimming of the Fremont Casino, when Frank Fertitta jr was it's President.

In 1976 the Kansas City mobster Carl Thomas formed a partnership with Frank Fertitta jr and they started a 5000 square foot gaming venue aptly named 'The Casino', the name would later be changed to 'The Bingo Palace' and eventually 'Palace Station'. Now, Vegas executives did get paid decent salaries even in those days, but it's difficult to believe the official version that together they "scraped together" the money to start 'The Casino'. For one thing, Carl Thomas was owned by the Kansas City mob and anything he was involved in, they were involved in. There is little doubt that at least Thomas's share of 'The Casino' was backed by mob money, namely that of the Civella Brothers and their La Cosa Nostra mafia chapter in Kansas City.

Oddly, Fertitta and Thomas continued to work for the other casinos, despite now owning one themselves. As a mafia strawman, Glick was pushed to one side by the mob and they put their own guys in to run the casinos. Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal and Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, made millions for the mob by skimming the slot machine takings at the casinos. Rosenthal, who was played by the actor Robert de Niro in the movie 'Casino' (Tony "The Ant" Spilotro was played by Joe Pesci), was officially known as Glick's entertainment director and he allegedly reported to the mafia bosses in Kansas and Chicago, who between them had financed Glick with $62 million in loans from the Teamsters Union.


The real Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal

The FBI had long suspected an elaborate skimming operation was taking place at some of the four Glick owned casinos and launched 'Operation Strawman', which was a massive surveillance operation that included telephone wiretaps. It is in one of these wiretaps that Frank Fertitta jr becomes implicated in the skimming operation. In this particular scam, the management rigged the scales to make them read only a third of the actual weight of the coins. The extra money was skimmed and set aside, later being converted into paper bills. The skimming was taking place at The Tropicana and at the Fremont, where Frank Ferttita jr was the President.



The Fremont Hotel, where the mob made a killing during Frank Fertitta jr's reign.

The Tropicana Hotel, another victim of the mob's skimming.


Below is the transcript of the FBI wiretap involving Frank Fertitta jr, Tropicana Manager Don Shepard and Kansas City mobster Carl Thomas.

FBI Wiretap of the Bingo Palace Casino, Las Vegas, Nev. Feb 7, 1979.
9.00pm outgoing call:

Frank Fertitta Jr, Carl Thomas voices heard, inaudible conversation takes place between them as the number 9739-2222 is dialled from The Bingo Palace.

FEMALE OPERATOR: Tropicana

FERTITTA: Don Shepard, please (casino manager)

FERTITTA: Hello Shep.

SHEPARD: Yeah.

FERTITTA: Frank.

SHEPARD: What are you doing?

FERTITTA: I'm sitting here having a glass of wine with Mr. Thomas.

SHEPARD: Oh, good.

FERTITTA: He's telling me how smart he is and, im sitting here listening to him like an idiot.

SHEPARD: Yeah.

FERTITTA: Yeah.

SHEPARD: If you need anybody to tell you how dumb you are come on over, im pretty good at that.

FERTITTA: (Laugh)

SHEPARD: Ah, this, listen this conversation isn't being recorded is it?

FERTITTA: I, I really couldn't tell ya.

SHEPARD: Yeah. Ask, ask, a ask Carl if anybody's going to go boogie-ing tonight. I'm ready to boogie, do a little YMCA number.

FERTITTA: You're ready?

SHEPARD: Oh, yeah, shit, yeah.

FERTITTA: Jesus Christ, I don't believe this.

SHEPARD: I'm just sitting here, my legs are twitching. I can hardly wait to dance.

FERTITTA: We, were just talking about going out of town or something.

SHEPARD: Oh, yeah, well actually I should go out of town to dance.

INTERUPTION OF RECORDING

SHEPARD: Did you see me?

FERTITTA: I didn't see you.

SHEPARD: Oh?

FERTITTA: No.

SHEPARD: A quarter of it whatever.

FERTITTA: Right, so if these coins cost us say $20,000, we got $150,000 on, you know, we're going to have like $130,000 in excess cash.

SHEPARD: Yeah.

FERTITTA: You know.

SHEPARD: Yeah. We don't have that problem over here.

FERTITTA: Well, yea, you...well I don't mean excess cash, but I mean more cash than they have so, I don't think its funny here.

SHEPARD: We've got…I've got about like $80,000 stock piled.

FERTITTA: Yeah.

SHEPARD: You know or something, we, we haven't felt any crunch or anything I was just curious if you're, you know.

FERTITTA: Well we had $50,000 see, but I didn't want to make the change over here until we got them all cause $50,000 wouldn't, you know, we couldn’t make the change with 50, so, ah, we need like 150.

SHEPARD: When are you going to switch your tokens?

FERTITTA: As soon as I get them all.

SHEPARD: Yeah.

FERTITTA: I'll switch in fact I think we're supposed to have them all. Oh, Jimmy gave me a date today, but I've forgot what it was. Ah, now maybe next week or something, then I'll probably just go ahead and switch over.

SHEPARD: Okay, well listen I'll talk to you.

FERTITTA: OK


The FBI swooped on Glick's strawman empire in 1979 and arrested Fertitta's partner Carl Thomas, Glick, the Civello Brothers and about a dozen others. Despite the seemingly incriminating wiretap transcript, the FBI could not get enough substantial evidence to charge Fertitta. Despite the testimony of former Fremont Security Chief, Harold McBride, where he swore under oath that Frank Fertitta jr had been involved in the skimming operation at the Fremont, and wiretap evidence of the Civella's and Thomas that implicated him, Fertitta was never charged with the skimming at Fremont casino where he presided.

Amazingly, when Thomas first became implicated by the FBI, the ownership of The Bingo Palace was transferred solely to Frank Fertitta jr. Did this mean that Frank Fertitta was now a front man for the Kansas City mob, or are we to believe that they happily sold him Thomas's share of the casino and wished him well? It's a tough call, I know.

In 1979 the Nevada Gaming Control board ordered Glick to sell up and he did, to associates of Moe Dalitz, the man that Frank's relative, Sam Maceo had helped to get started all those years ago. Glick sold for $2 million in cash, the assumption of $92 million in debts and with another $66 million to be paid from the casino's earnings by 1991.

Although he was one of the few to escape prison, Frank Fertitta jr did not go completely unscathed in the aftermath of the skimming scandal. Fertitta was the target of a four year investigation by the Nevada Control Board but in 1989 they voted 2-1 not to initiate disciplinary action against him.

Despite this decision, Fertitta's reputation had been damaged. Some sources claim that Frank Fertitta jr knew that his mob connections could hamper any future applications for gaming licences. Whatever the actual reasons, in 1993 Frank Fertitta jr officially stepped down as the Chairman of the board and handed over to his son, Frank Fertitta III, or 'Frankie Three Sticks', as he is known in some circles. The company then became public. Station Casino's then applied for licences with the Missouri Gaming Commission to run casinos in Missouri. Many would ask if it's possible for a business that was believed to be built on mob money and mob connections to become squeaky clean simply by changing the name of the Chairman.

In 1993 the Missouri Gaming Commission called on Frank Fertitta's former employer and business partner, the convicted casino skimmer Carl Thomas. They requested information from Thomas about Frank Fertitta jr, Thomas agreed to attend an inquiry with them. Before he did this however, Thomas drove to Vegas from his home in Oregon and met with Station executives to discuss his testimony with them. Noone really knows exactly how that meeting went down or what transpired. The people that do know, arent talking. He then left Vegas to return to Oregon before heading to meet with the Missouri Gaming Commission. Before he could attend that meeting and give testimony on Frank Fertitta's background, Thomas was killed in a bizarre single car accident, it was a clear night and the road was in good condition. Thomas knew the area well. Due to Thomas's untimely death, the Missouri Gaming Commission were unable to complete their inquiry into Frank Fertitta jr and they granted licences to Station Casinos.


A Palace Station Frank Fertitta Anniversary Gaming Chip(Above)

A recent photo of Frank Fertitta (Left)

Today, Frank Fertitta jr keeps busy with his finance company, Frank Fertitta Enterprises and with his many positions in the community, including being on the board of Trustees of the University of Las Vegas and a member of the Bishop Gorman High School Development Corporation. These days Frank Fertitta jr mixes with the Governor of Nevada and is a respected member of the Las Vegas community.



Frank Rosenthal (Left), pictured with Frank Sinatra, says Thomas could have been bumped.(See below)





When asked about his former associates Frank Fertitta jr and Carl Thomas, the infamous criminal Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal, recollects;

"Carl introduced me to Frank Fertitta, as "my main guy", and his right-hand man. Frank became the President of Allen Glick's Fremont Hotel Casino at the recommendation of Carl Thomas during my temporary absence from the industry while I was awaiting the outcome my appeal versus the Nevada Gaming Commission. When I regained my former position as the CEO of all properties under the "Argent" (Allen R. Glick Enterprises) umbrella Frank and I became more interactive. Frank had gained a solid reputation as a topnotch casino executive who understood the games with a high degree of professionalism. After several private meetings and close personal observation I too agreed that Frank was well suited to operate the second largest Casino in the downtown area.

During the course of the next several years Frank with assistance from Carl Thomas forged an imposing empire. Soon thereafter Carl Thomas died when his car ran off a winding road in the mountains of Oregon, I think he could have been bumped! In 1976 Frank opened the Bingo Palace, ultimately renamed Palace Station. Next came Boulder Station, then Texas Station, Barley's and Sunset Station.

Frank was driving hard on course to become a behemoth within the gaming industry. In 1998 he purchased King 8, renaming it The Wild, Wild West. Next came the Santa Fe and Fiesta casinos. Frank acquired 49 acres near Jackie Gaughn's Suncoast, with future plans to build on other parcels at Craig Ranch Station and Martin Luther King Road. Frank decided he had enough and retired into the sunset. Some guys always seem to windup with all the dirty work. Estimated wealth $1 Billion" - Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal.


Coming soon in the Z-files III. Frank Fertitta jr and his son "Frankie Three Sticks" set their sights on Missouri. 'Lucky' Lorenzo joins the family business and the brothers sign up for Boxercise classes. Watch this space for the Z-Files III.

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The History of the family behind the Ultimate Fighting Championship

BY SCOOP MCTROLL

Before reading any further, please read our disclaimer first.


In the January of 2001, the ailing reality fighting contest known as The Ultimate Fighting Championship, was purchased from its founder, the SEG CORPORATION by ZUFFA LLC. Three men, Frank Fertitta III, his younger brother Lorenzo Fertitta and their brother in law, the low profile but nonetheless powerful, Blake Sartini, are the owners of ZUFFA LLC.


Lorenzo (Far left) and Frank III (Far right) with a friend.

The Fertitta brothers Frank III and Lorenzo, take the limelight in this partnership and have recently become known to millions of people through the reality television show 'American Casino'. As the CEO and President respectively, of the Station Casinos Empire, they appear to be amiable and successful young businessmen. Las Vegas residents may know of Frank III through his involvement in many charities and community projects, including Catholic Charities, Opportunity Village and the Las Vegas Chapter of the I Have A Dream Foundation. They may know of Lorenzo Fertitta from his time on the board of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, or as the chairman of the Nevada Resort Association. The two millionare brothers donate hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to the Republican Party and they are an integral part of the Las Vegas A-list social scene. Many people have wondered just how they came to be so successful at such relatively young ages and where they came from. Our in depth report 'The Z-Files' will explore these issues and attempt to throw some light on the history of the family behind The Ultimate Fighting Championship. I hope you enjoy reading The Z-Files; it is the result of several months of research.

Part 1

It is 1993 in Galveston, Texas and a relative to the Fertittas, 89 year old Vic Maceo has just shown how business is done in his family. The aging alleged mobster had walked into the Galveston Post Office, pulled out a .38 calibre revolver and started firing at postal worker Pete Miller, whom Maceo believed owed him money. Maceo's aim was a little off since his hey day but he still managed to hit Miller in the right arm, shattering the bones and bringing him to the ground, wincing in pain.

When the Maceos and the Fertittas ruled the town a few decades prior, this was the way disputes were settled in Galveston, Texas. In this case Vic Maceo had sold a house to Pete Miller for $45,000 in 1968 and when Miller sold it in 1991, he sold it for $180,000. Naturally Vic felt that some of the profit should have been his. Miller had once worked as a busboy at the Maceo-Fertitta controlled illegal casino known as 'The Balinese Room' and Vic C. Mateo, who was also known as 'Little Vic' to distinguish him from his cousin Vic A. 'Gigolo' Maceo, could not cope with the fact that a busboy had seemingly gotten the better of him.

As Vic Maceo attempted to make his escape in his sports car, police apprehended him. He gave himself up willingly and when approached by the police, he said in a defiant and firm voice, "When you look a guy in the eye and tell him he owes you forty grand and he tells you, 'Let me get the file,' you know that the son of a bitch is lying." As the police slapped handcuffs on him he retorted with "You don't handcuff a gentleman in this town!" Such was the power that the Maceo and Ferttita gang once wielded in Galveston


Fertitta In-Law 'Big' Sam Maceo, The 'Barber of Galveston'

It all began in the early 20th century when two Sicilian barbers arrived in Galveston from Sicily via Louisiana. Rose and Sam Maceo were soon to build an illegal gambling empire from simple bootlegging roots and become known as Papa Rose and Big Sam. Along with their relatives the Fertitta family, they would control the black economy, the organised crime and the politics of Galveston for many years. One of their more well known illegal casinos was 'The Balinese Room' but by the mid 1930's, and the time that prohibition ended, they had built up an entire city block of illegal casinos and gambling dens in Galveston. Many people feel that they created the Vegas format before Vegas ever existed. Sam Maceo organized for all the big name singers and bands of the time to appear at his casinos, including Frank Sinatra.



The Balinese Room in Galveston Texas.

A gaming chip from the illegal casino

The Maceo-Fertitta gang was responsible for funding many things in the Galveston community and despite obvious connections to the New Orleans mob; no one dared to complain about the criminal benefactors of the town. In fact those that did complain usually ended up sleeping with the fishes, according to local legend.

The Maceo-Fertitta gang wielded great power and most of the other mobsters knew better than to tread on their turf. The Chicago crime czar Al Capone had heard about the lucrative gambling and bootleg empire that the Maceos and Fertittas had built in Galveston and he wanted some of that action. He planned to at first become a partner with them and then muscle them out of the picture once he had his hooks firmly embedded. Al Capone sent his main man Frank Nitti to Galveston to intimidate the Maceos into allowing Capone to "invest" in their businesses. The Maceos received word of Nitti's impending arrival and they decided that they would flat-out refuse any offers from Nitti on behalf of Capone to take a piece of their illegal gambling pie.

They decided to call on the skills of the most ruthless member of their family's gang, Maceo In-Law, Anthony Fertitta. Nitti arrived in town and was introduced to the Maceos and to Anthony Fertitta, Fertitta told Nitti that they needed to talk and he took Nitti for a drive in his car. The two men were gone for several hours and it is not clear what events took place during that time. All that is known is that Nitti was dropped at the city limits very late that evening, he appeared to be shaken but alive and well. No one knows what took place during the car ride but when Nitti made it back to Chicago, he told Capone that the Fertittas were no pushovers and it would require an all out war to move in on their territory. Capone never pursued it any further.

Rose Maceo was suspected of many gangland killings during the 1930's. Including his first wife and her lover, but no Maceo was ever convicted of a felony.


Al Capone came off second best when he tried to muscle in on the Fertittas.

Sam Maceo, was the brain behind the Maceo-Fertitta empire and he was directly under the control of New Orleans mob boss Carlos Marcello, who later would be linked to the assassination of JFK. Sam also helped the pioneer Vegas hotelier, Moe Dalitz to get a gaming licence for The Desert Inn Las Vegas's first casino, not very long before his death. Papa Rose and Big Sam had both passed away by the 1950's and many of the remaining Maceo's and the dealers who worked in their illegal casinos moved out to Las Vegas.



The Galveston gambling empire was under the control of mob boss Carlos Marcello, who would later be implicated in the JFK assassination.


The Fertittas, who were related to the Maceos by marriage, took control of the Galveston gaming empire, where they honed their skills in the casino and hospitality fields, a legacy that would remain lucrative to the family for generations to come. Unlike the socially more adept Maceos, who flaunted their success despite its illegality, the Fertittas did not take too kindly to publicity.


The August 1955 edition of Time Magazine that exposed the Fertittas as thugs.


In 1955, a Time magazine LIFE reporter visited one of the illegal Fertitta casinos in Galveston. In an article entitled 'Thugs vs The Press', he reported the following in the August 1955 edition of Time Magazine.

" Many a mug on the edge of the big time thinks there is a formula for dealing with newsmen: intimidate or bribe. In Galveston, Texas, where vice and crime abounds, Gambling Boss Anthony Fertitta tried that formula in an effort to prevent LIFE from getting pictures of his illegal operations. It did not work.

After LIFE Photographer Joe Scherschel and Reporter Hank Suydam took pictures (with a concealed camera) in one of Fertitta's gambling houses, the boss and two henchmen followed the LIFE men to their hotel. Photographer Scherschel took his film upstairs while Reporter Suydam encountered Fertitta and his two strong-arm men in the lobby. Fertitta demanded an explanation of what Suydam and Scherschel had been doing, suddenly smashed Suydam in the face. By the time Suydam had picked himself off the floor, Fertitta had switched tactics, tried to stuff a $20 bill into the reporter's pocket.

Last week, just before LIFE published "Wide-Open Galveston Mocks Texas Laws," Gambling Boss Fertitta was tried for simple assault in the Galveston justice court. After Fertitta pleaded "not guilty" and then refused to take the stand, Justice J. L. McKenna found Fertitta guilty, gave him the maximum punishment: a $25 fine. The conviction was much more important than the small fine. In Galveston, where gang leaders like Fertitta have long tried to pose as legitimate businessmen, the criminal conviction reported on Page One of Texas newspapers helped to expose these "legitimate businessmen" for the thugs they are."


Partially in light of the adverse publicity that they began to attract and partially due to the more conservative political climate of the mid to late 1950's, the Galveston gambling empire began to slowly crumble. Many of the Fertittas also began to migrate to Las Vegas and it all finally came to a crashing halt in Galveston in 1957 when the Attorney General Will Wilson, along with the Texas Rangers, smashed the Fertitta's illegal gambling racket. The glory days for the Maceos and Fertittas were over in Texas, for the moment at least.


With no choice but to shut up shop and leave town, a mass exodus took place. With the vast experience the owners and employees had gained in Galveston by running or working in the biggest chain of illegal casinos and live entertainment restaurants in the country, Las Vegas seemed to be the natural place to migrate. A pilgrimage from Galveston to Vegas of mobsters, card dealers, croupiers, hores and gamblers began. In those days Vegas was not as heavily regulated as it is today and offered the lure of an easy buck to such dregs of society.

In 1960, a 21-year-old man named Frank Fertitta Jr would arrive in Las Vegas and find work at a Casino as a bellboy. With him are his wife and newborn son, Frank III.

The fun for him, was just beginning.


(That was Part 1 of Scoop McTroll's new series 'The Z-Files'. Watch this page for part 2, coming to FS 24-7 soon.)

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

By Scoop McTroll

Ryan Bennett (left)

We have had so many readers e-mail us positive feedback about 'The Bennett Files', that we have decided to re-open the files this Monday. But first we will re-post the original Bennett File:

Before reading any further, please read our disclaimer first.


'Where's your dignity-
it's gone just like she is.
And you're groveling about the one that got away.
You'll get no sympathy from her just crying like a baby,
like the big fat stupid baby you've become.
Where's your dignity?' -Bob Dylan


Welcome to the first installment of 'The Bennett Files', an investigative piece by Scoop McTroll on the underhandedness of most people in the MMA industry. Infamous media figure-turned-backstabber Ryan Bennett will be featured today.

As many of you know by now, Ryan Bennett lost his job as the fight interviewer of the UFC. He was replaced by Eddie Bravo, whom bennett acted buddy-buddy with, and even asked Bravo to do some technique video clips for Bennett's website.


Well, Bennett then seemingly tried to get Bravo fired by underhanedly sending the following e-mail to UFC president Dana White and co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta. What Bennett didn't count on was that one of the tech guys at the Zuffa offices then forwarded the e-mail to Eddie Bravo himself! Notice how Bennett also tried to included the comments of Bruce Buffer.

Observe the backstab firsthand:



____________________________________________________________

Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2003 08:04:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: "ryan bennett" | This is spam | Add to Address Book
Subject: UFC Broadcaster smoking weed
To: Lorenzo.Fertitta@StationCasinos.com, dwhite@ufc.tv




Gentlemen;
I know and appreciate the professional image both of you bring
to the sport. With my daily radio show and features on the UFC
I do here at NBC, I like you try to do everything I can to promote the sport.
When I read a post on the underground, I take it a face value.
It's usually a keyboard warrior talking smack. When a Zuffa employee
though gets on there and talks about his drug use, this becomes
an issue as it affects the credibility of the sport that you and
I try to promote in a professional matter daily. I personally would
be fired by NBC for doing something like this. Bruce Buffer said
it best in a recent email to me.

Maybe this is why after an historical Championship main event our
UFC Octagon interviewer calls the new Champion Randy Couture...
"Chuck"... at the end of the interview.

Unbelievably stupid and not good show biz at all! Is this the image
we wish to promote for the UFC, it's fighters and our on-camera
team? I don't think so. What's next... mentioning it on the air during a PPV event.

Disgruntled UFC team member,

Bruce Buffer

Enclosed is the the comments made by Eddie in a thread called "Attn: Eddie Bravo"

------------
From: EddieBravo
Date: 13-Jun-03 01:29 AM

Member Since: 09-May-02

1095 Total Posts




I smoke after I train pretty much everyday, BUT I do cut down alot
when I'm training for a fight.

Cutting out carbs and sugar is torturous when I'm high.

I just got back from teaching my class and I'm about to smoke a
monstrous bowl and go get something to eat

-----------------

From: EddieBravo
Date: 13-Jun-03 01:49 AM

Member Since: 09-May-02

1097 Total Posts




The munchies are real, only when I'm stoned can I eat a large pizza
by myself and then hit an ice cream shop for a hot fudge sundae.




From: EddieBravo
Date: 13-Jun-03 02:19 PM

Member Since: 09-May-02

1098 Total Posts


I spend way more money on food than weed.

peteywheatstraw,

"Grow the bangs back, and slick that @#%$ back again man."

I get more @#%$ with the new dew.

Mental,

Set up a seminar where you live and I'll take you up on that offer.

"good hydro inhibits your appetite. I know this because I'm Canadian and we get real weed here."

I don't know about that, I smoke KILLER @#%$ and I ALWAYS get the
munchies. But the next time I have to cut weight for a fight I'll
look for this magical weed.

Maybe one of you Canadian guys can send me some appetite inhibiting
chronic to help me make weight.



____________________________________________________________


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Jake Rossen

Below is an unaltered screenshot of the e-mail that former comic book reviewer/MMA internet journalist/known gambler Jake Rossen sent in to Fightsport.com, with the request that it be posted on this newspage.

His e-mail shows that he clearly made a $USD3,000 wager to Shiloh McIver, which Fightsport.com posted on this newssite on July 22nd, 2003. McIver then accepted the wager the very next day, which Fightsport.com posted on July 23rd, 2003.

Both the Rossen wager and McIver's acceptance of the wager can be viewed in the Fightsport.com archives by clicking here. Once there, scroll down to the articles for July 22nd to July 23rd.

To view the e-mail screenshot below in its entirety (recommended), click here



Discuss this at Fightsport.com

By Tape Lord

Vanderlei Silva

Hello my friends, my postal connections in the DSE/PRIDE organization are telling me that the lineup for the first round of the PRIDE middleweight GP on April 23rd will most likely be as follows:


Vanderlei Silva vs. Hidehiko Yoshida
Igor Vovchanchyn vs. Yuki Kondo
Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua vs. Vitor Belfort
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Youn Dong Sik
Dan Henderson vs. Rogerio 'Minotoro' Nogueira
Ricardo Arona vs. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson
Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Ryan Gracie or Alistair Overeem
Kevin Randleman vs. Ryan Gracie or Alistair Overeem


There is also a possibility that Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua will face either Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson or Kevin Randleman, and Vitor Belfort faces Alistair Overeem. The idea is still being thrown around, but the rest of the lineup is pretty much set, according to insiders.

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

By Coffee Guy

Fallen UFC Champion turned Journeyman, Tito Ortiz (left) with a friend.

Before reading any further, please read our disclaimer first.

The following exclusive report was sent to us by our Zuffa informant called 'Coffee Guy':


"Negotiations for a new contract between Zuffa and Tito Ortiz/Tito's management have not gone well up to this point.

Ortiz supposedly wants in the area of a guaranteed USD$350,000 per fight, and a possible winning bomus on top of that.

Zuffa is refusing to consider the deal, and is supposedly looking to re-sign Ortiz for three more fights at around USD$100-115,000 guaranteed, with a winning bonus supposedly in the area of USD$75-80,000.

The word behind the scenes is that Ortiz has absolutely no desire or plans to compete in Japan, and will consider retirement if he is not able to re-sign with the UFC.

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

HEAVYWEIGHT


1.) Fedor Emelianenko Russia
2.) Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira Brazil
3.) Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic Croatia
4.) Andrei Arlovski Belarus
5.) Frank Mir USA
6.) Fabricio Werdum Brazil
7.) Pedro Rizzo Brazil
8.) Josh Barnett USA
9.) Tim Sylvia USA
10.) Heath Herring USA


LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT


1.) Vanderlei Silva Brazil
2.) Randy Couture USA
3.) Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson USA
4.) Ricardo Arona Brazil
5.) Chuck Liddell USA
6.) Rogerio "Minotoro" Nogueira Brazil
7.) Tito Ortiz USA
8.) Vitor Belfort Brazil
9.) Renato "Babalu" Sobral Brazil
10.) Murilo 'Ninja' Rua Brazil


MIDDLEWEIGHT


1.) Dan Henderson USA
2.) Kazushi Sakuraba Japan
3.) Murilo Bustamante Brazil
4.) Evan Tanner USA
5.) Ryo Chonan Japan
6.) Anderson Silva Brazil
7.) Jeremy Horn USA
8.) Paulo Filho Brazil
9.) David Terrell USA
10.) Matt Lindland USA


WELTERWEIGHT


1.) B.J. Penn USA
2.) Matt Hughes USA
3.) Frank Trigg USA
4.) Renato 'Charuto' Verissimo Brazil
5.) Sean Sherk USA
6.) Antonio Schembri Brazil
7.) Daiju Takase Japan
8.) Crosley Gracie Brazil
9.) Carlos Newton USA
10.) Akira Kikuchi Japan


LIGHTWEIGHT

1.) Tatsuya Kawajiri Japan
2.) Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribeiro Brazil
3.) Joachim Hansen Norway
4.) Takanori Gomi Japan
5.) Yves Edwards USA
6.) Ray Cooper USA
7.) Hermes Franca Brazil
8.) Kaoru Uno Japan
9.) Din Thomas USA
10.) Genki Sudo Japan


FEATHERWEIGHT


1.) Alexandre 'Pequeno' Nogueira Brazil
2.) Jens Pulver USA
3.) Joao Roque Brazil
4.) Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Japan
5.) Rumina Sato Japan
6.) Gilbert Melendez USA
7.) Ivan Menjivar El Salvador
8.) Hiroyuki Takaya Japan
9.) Jeff Curran USA
10.) Yoshiro Maeda Japan


AFP fighter rankings can be viewed at AFP TOP 10

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Igor Vovcganchyn

The Japanese media reports that the matchup of Igor Vovchanchyn vs. Yuki Kondo may be taking place in the first round of the PRIDE middleweight GP on April 23rd.

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Vitor Belfort

Vitor Belfort commented further with the Brazilian media on his recent split with the Brazilian Top Team. Here's what Belfort had to say:


"It's not that I wasn't wanted, or that I didn't want to be there. It's just a lot of egos and disagreements made me decide I was better off on my own. I believe nobody can get me in shape better then God and myself. That's why I made this choice.

I have feelings for everyone there, and they all know that my decision to leave the team was not personal, and we will all remain friends. I wish all of them the best of luck in MMA and life, and they will always be in my prayers. I learned a lot from those guys." -Vitor Belfort

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Murilo Bustamante

Brazilian journalist Denis Martins recently interviewed Murilo Bustamante. Here's what Bustamante had to say:


DM: You are coming off three consecutive losses in PRIDE. Do you have any pressure on you for your upcoming match against Ryuta Sakurai?

Bustamante: I'm fighting in my weight class for the first time in the PRIDE ring, and I am hoping for the creation of a belt for the 185-pound division in PRIDE. I am really itching to fight again because I want to fight, and Sakurai better be prepared.

DM: What about your match against Kazuhiro Nakamura?

Bustamante: He won. It was his day, and I took this loss as my only defeat in PRIDE. You know, we fighters have a different mindset from the fans and the insiders. We know when we really lose a fight, when we win, or when a fight didn't happen. I'm not taking away from the merits of anyone. I have a conscience of what I meant here on this answer.

DM: Why don't you consider your first two fights defeats?

Bustamante: I'm sure I beat Quinton Jackson, and against Dan Henderson... the fight didn't happen. There was an accidental headbutt, and that fact harmed the fight. Well, I'm not feeling pressure because I don't think about the past, and I only think about the future.

DM: Do you have any knowledge if DSE will create a new weight category?

Bustamante: There seems to be a plan for two GP tournaments... at under 73 kg (160 pounds) and under 83 kg (183 pounds). This is my dream. When I stood in the PRIDE ring for the first time, my goal was to win a belt.

DM: You mentioned this is the first time ever in PRIDE that you're going to fight in your ideal weight category. However, have you had enough preparation time for your fight?

Bustamante: I was supposed to fight in May, and the PRIDE promoters offered me this fight in March at Bushido. I think it's okay. I have to lose the weight calmly and my body isn't suffering a lot. The most important thing now is that I'm going to fight in my weight category, and very well trained. I can't get my weight up to 93 kg (205 pounds), and I was feeling the strength of my opponent.

DM: What troubles did you face fighting in the 93 kg (205 pounds) weight category?

Bustamante: Due to my technique, I got to fight anyone. But they weigh nearly 100 kg (220 pounds) on fight day, and I weighed 91 kg (200 pounds). I don't want to be in a disadvantageous position.

DM: All BTT fighters study their opponent's overall ability. However, this time, Ryuta Sakurai isn't an easy fighter to scout, since he fought a lot of times in SHOOTO and DEEP... two events hard to get here in Brazil. How do you see Sakurai?

Bustamante: We like to study the opponent's game, because it's very important to develop strategies to face the adversary. We got some stuff of him... my team already watched it, and I'm going to watch it before I travel to Japan. However, it doesn't bother me. I have my game in mind, and I'm confident for a victory.

DM: What did your team tell you about Ryuta?

Bustamante: They told me that he has a good standup game, with knees and punches. He has a reasonable knowledge of the ground, with good keylocks.

DM: You don't have any pressure on your shoulders for this fight, but do you think this is do-or-die time? Would one more loss in the PRIDE ring end your career with PRIDE?

Bustamante: Like I said before, I'm only thinking about the future, and I never stay worried with wins or defeats. I'm ready to show my art inside the ring. I have invitations to fight in other organizations if I leave PRIDE. I fight to compete and to conquer my goal, and nothing can worry me.

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Kazuhiro Nakamura

The Japanese media reports that Kazuhiro Nakamura is preparing for the upcoming PRIDE middleweight GP by currently training in Brazil with Marco Ruas, Pedro Rizzo, and Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribiero.

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

TKO 20: 'Champion vs Champion'
April 2nd, 2005
Montreal, Canada


Tony Fryklund vs. Jonathan Goulet
Stephane Vigneault vs. Mark Hominick
Donald Quimet vs. James Martinez
Iccho Larenas vs. Jacob Conliffe
Chatt Lavender vs. TBA
Ryan Diaz vs. Phillipe Lagace
Tyler Jackson vs. Sam Stout
Blake Fredrickson vs. Thierry Quennville
Aaron Tregear vs. Martin Grandmont



Any fighters still owed money by TKO president Stephane Patry, can contact him at:

Stephane Patry, President/CEO
TKO Communications Inc.
Tel: (450) 676-3666
TKOZone.tv

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

PRIDE Bushido 6
April 3rd, 2005
Yokohama Areana
Yokohama, Japan


Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka
Gilbert Yvel vs. Ikuhisa Minowa
Murilo Bustamante vs. Ryuta Sakurai
Alexander Emelianenko vs. Ricardo Morais
Daniel Acacio vs. Daiju Takase
Luiz 'Buscape' Firminho vs. Luiz Azeredo
Marcus Aurelio vs. Daisuke Nakamura
Dennis Kang vs. Takahiro Oba

4-man middleweight tournament:
Paulo Filho vs. Amar Suloev
Dean Lister vs. Akira Shoji

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Randy Couture

UFC 52: 'Couture vs. Liddell 2'
April 16th, 2005
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, NV


Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell
Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg
Matt Lindland vs. Travis Lutter
Georges St. Pierre vs. Jason Miller
Lee Murray vs. Patrick Cote
Mike Van Arsdale vs. John Marsh
Renato 'Babalu' Sobral vs. Travis Wiuff
Ivan Salaverry vs. Joe Riggs

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Royler Gracie

According to sources in Southern California, a Royler Gracie vs. Eddie Bravo rematch will take place as one of the opening grappling matches of the upcoming ADCC championships, taking place from May 28-29.

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Adam 'Barnone' Guerra (second from left)

D-level MMA journeyman Adam 'Barnone' Guerra announced that he would like to face Sean Gannon in the UFC. Here's what Barnone had to say about it on the UG forum:


"Dana White, if you want someone to step up to compete VS this guy (Sean Gannon) id love to do it. No hard feelings just another day in the office. barnonecombat@yahoo.com" -Adam "Barnone" Guerra

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Journeyman MMA fighter Jason Miller has posted a copy of a document and a supposedly bounced check, to support his allegations that 'KTFO' did not pay him the sponsorship money he claims he was told he would recieve:





Discuss this at Fightsport.com

KTFO owner/CEO Craig Fields seems to have lashed out at journeyman MMA fighter Jason Miller and his allegations regarding KTFO's supposedly unprofessional behavior:


"Okay Jason…Everyone around me has been telling me to stay off the forum and handle this in a professional way, but I've had enough of your bullshit and your lies. Last night I got a phone call from another fighter on your team who told me that you knew you couldn't fight two weeks before the fight. TWO WEEKS and you didn't tell me! I had to find out from a third party! Why didn't you tell me Jason? Maybe because you knew that I wouldn't pay you if you weren't fighting. That's what I was paying you for... to promote KTFO during your fight. If you don't fight... there is no deal. What kind of Fantasy World do you live in Jason, where people get paid for doing NOTHING!! Please tell me, cause I'd sure as hell like to live there myself! Why the hell do you think the check was post-dated to the day before the fight... so shit like this doesn't happen. I left a message for you telling you specifically not to cash the check, that I was stopping payment on it. But you tried to cash it behind my back anyway, so you can take care of the check cashing place yourself, asshole, I owe nothing. You chose to try to get one over on me, you pay for it! You tell everyone here the check came back for insufficient funds, and then you change your story and say payment was stopped. Which one is it, Jason? Get your lies straight! It was payment stopped. I was paying you to fight... you weren't fighting... no pay... end of story. I had every right to stop that payment and you know it I NEVER told you to just keep the check or that it was a signing bonus. Which was it, Jason, did I say just keep it or did I say it would be a signing bonus? Please tell me because your lies are tripping over themselves.

What about the $500.00 I gave you as an advance with the promise that the contract was coming back signed? Never got that contract, did I? But you got the $500.00, didn’t you Jason? Where did you mention that in all your posts? What about the fact that when I met you, you were living in Marc Laimon's gym, Jason? I offered to find you an apartment so you had someplace to live. I went out and bought you $1200.00 worth of furniture and didn't ask you for any of it back, did I? Funny, no mention of that either. I offered to let you stay in the hotel room because you had nowhere to go. Oh that's right, I forgot, I was propositioning you. You know what the biggest joke of this whole thing is Jason? You're gonna love this one. Are you ready? I don't think you are. Why don't you ask your girlfriend at the time who was knocking on my hotel room door the next morning. Why don't you ask her about your allegations that I'm a homosexual? It seems that maybe you left her wanting so she came looking. The truth sucks, doesn't it.

I've had enough of your bullshit. If any of your lies were true and you had a goddamn leg to stand on, I'd be hearing from your lawyer not reading your bullshit posted all over the message boards, trying to get everyone's sympathy and support. And why is it that none of the other fighters who you say have a problem with me have posted? Oh, that's right, they're afraid I'll get mad and won't pay them. If I don't pay them and bounce the checks anyway, why would they want to continue working for me anyway, being that I'm such a scumbag anyway. None of these people know the truth, if they did, they'd know how full of yourself you really are. And do me a favor... don't ever call and harass the receptionist in my office again. You want to talk to me, talk to me; don't sit there cursing and acting like an asshole to someone who has nothing to do with it. Be a man. You know what all of your ranting and beating me up on the forums has done, Jason? Do you want to know what you have accomplished, because you definitely did change my attitude about something. I am done sponsoring fighters like you. I am done. The only new fighters I will sign will be the up and comers who really need the help. Not fighters like you who are so full of themselves that they actually convince themselves they deserve everything for nothing. I think you've actually convinced that what you’re saying here is true. I'd like to say it's sad, but, honestly, it's just pathetic.

Do all of you who believe what he's saying really think that after all of the money I have put into this company, I don't have $1,000.00 to give to Jason? Don't you think that if he was telling the truth, after all his bitching and badmouthing, I would give him the money just to shut him up and be rid of him? He's full of shit and I won't be bullied. Think about it.

Craig"

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By Tape Lord

UFC president and "2004 Turkey of the Year" winner Dana White.

Hello my friends! Welcome to Tape Lord's 'Monday Morning Mailbag'. Below are some of the more interesting e-mails I recieved as one of the editors of this newspage. Enjoy...


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPCOMING TURKEY OF THE YEAR?
Tape Lord, who has the early lead of this year's "Turkey of the Year" award?
- Phil
Bayside, NY

Tape Lord's reply: Phil, in my humble opinion, the early going has been a fairly close race between UFC president Dana White and KTFO president Craig Fields. But over the last month, Dana White has begun to distance himself from the rest of the pack. If I had to bet, I'd say that Dana White will easily win the 2005 Turkey of the Year award for an unprecedented third time in a row.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

ZUFFA DROPS BALL ONCE AGAIN
The cheapskates at Zuffa have dropped the ball once again by going cheap and fishing out these bottom barrel, desperate fighters for "The Ultimate Fighter" show. The standup skills of this group of fighters is pathetic. It's doubtful any of them could win a toughman competition.

Guaranteed that none of these scrubs will ever be a serious challenger in any major MMA show. Hopefully Lorenzo can step away from the crap table and sign some decent fighters for TUF 2.
- Jack Johnson
Las Vegas, NV

Tape Lord's reply: I couldn't agree with you more, but in my humble opinion, Zuffa will still NOT get it right if there is actually a TUF 2.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

ZUFFA DROPS BALL AGAIN?
Did you notice that during the TUF show, Zuffa aired a quick flash of Forrest Griffin with his hand being lifted and with no blood on his face? It appears as if they may have mistakenly aired a spolier.
-xshanex
Ohio

Tape Lord's reply: xshanex, I have refused to watch the TUF show, so I can not say I saw this. But I believe you, and am not one bit surprised by this seemingly most recent Zuffa blunder.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I THINK MARK KERR IS GAY
I just wanted to say that I know a guy who knows a guy who knows Don Frye, and Don Frye told this guy that he once saw Mark Kerr getting a blowjob from another man in the steam room of an Arizona gym they were training at. Do you think this is true?
-Andrew Bryant
Pheonix, Arizona

Tape Lord's reply: Andrew, while questions about Mark Kerr's sexual preference have always surrounded him, I think the truth will never be known unless you were actually there to witness such a thing. More often then not, these type of rumors end up being false, especially when the story is told from person-to-person.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I AM ADDICTED TO YVES EDWARDS!
I can't get enough of Yves Edwards! Why hasn't PRIDE picked him up yet??
- Beau Taylor
Tulsa, OK

Tape Lord's reply: I think there's a chance Yves Edwards might be invited to the upcoming PRIDE Lightweight GP. But let's get serious, Yves Edwards has proven in the past that he's a very boring fighter. In my humble opinion, that has hurt his chances of going to the big shows in Japan.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

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2003 Middleweight GP winner Vanderlei Silva

DSE/PRIDE officially announced today that Vitor Belfort, Kevin Randleman, and Alistair Overeem will all participate in the upcoming PRIDE middleweight GP on April 23rd.

The PRIDE Middleweight GP will consist of a 16-man field. Two fighters from each team will be allowed.

DSE/PRIDE may possibly host part of the GP in the United States, in the state of California.


Fighters who have been officially confirmed for the GP:
Vanderlei Silva
Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua
Igor Vovchanchyn
Vitor Belfort
Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson
Kevin Randleman
Rogerio 'Minotoro' Nogueira
Dan Henderson
Alistair Overeem
Kazushi Sakuraba
Hidehiko Yoshida
Yuki Kondo
Kazuhiro Nakamura
Youn Dong Sik

Fighters who are unofficially confirmed for the GP:
Ryan Gracie
Ricardo Arona
Hirotaka Yokoi

Fighters who DSE/PRIDE may try to sign for the GP:
Royce Gracie
Tito Ortiz
Enson Inoue

Fighters who are probable but unlikely for the GP:
Mario Sperry
Kiyoshi Tamura
Makoto Takimoto
Sanae Kikuta

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Kazushi Sakuraba

The Japanese media is reporting that Kazushi Sakuraba will face Korean judoka Youn Dong Sik in the first round of the PRIDE middleweight GP on April 23rd.

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Tito Ortiz

Commentary by 'Theaxemurderer'


Welcome to the latest edition of 'The Chopping Block', a place where I will air out all my thoughts about MMA.

Let's get started...

Tito Ortiz Is without a doubt the biggest pussy in MMA of the new millenium.

Let's look at the FACTS:


- Tito is the 2nd biggest light heavyweight in the world.

- He is afraid to join the PRIDE middleweight GP, the most prestigious event ever held, and an oppurtunity that some people would give their 'sack' for... and they are supposedly offering him big money as well. However, I think Ortiz will eventually realize that after he fights Shammy (Ken Shamrock), that Dana White will never, ever, ever give him another big pay day. Unless, of course, there is a rubber match.

Tito's the fighter of UFC in the 90's... but his short 15 minutes of fame is over in America now. And in the last 5 years after his decline, he is a free agent, and not signed by the UFC. PRIDE is offering him not only an oppurtunity to prove he is the 'best in the world', but to prove all the naysayers wrong.

- My personal opinion is that Tito is afraid of the possibility of fighting guys like Igor Vovchanchyn, Vitor Belfort (IN PRIDE!!), Vanderlei Silva, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson...

SO what it all boils down to folks, is that Tito Ortiz is a two-faced person.

When he is in the octagon and carrying the flag up the bleachers, he claims to be the best fighter on the planet, and believes it too...

But then when he comes back to reality, he bitches out to guys like Ken Shamrock (not signing to fight him), gets clocked by Patrick Cote, and of course beaten down by Vitor Belfort.

Tito lets opportunity pass him by, and that is why he will never reach even close to the true potential which he is supposedly capable of... He just closes his eyes and lets the world go past, failing to rise above the rank of 'journeyman'.

And before you think I am simply bashing him... think to yourselves one thing...

would any true fighter that you know give up a chance to fight in the PRIDE middleweight GP????

FUCK NO.

I know people who would give up a NUT or TWO to get into PRIDE middleweight GP. Getting invited is like an honor. To pass on it shows you are obviously not confident in yourself and your skills, and have no bussiness in the RING.

Stick to the CAGE Tito! You can always win lay'n'pray decisions.

Next stop... WWE.

Discuss this at Fightsport.com

Sean Gannon (left) applying a guillotine choke to Kimbo Slice.

Before reading any further, please read our disclaimer first.


In yet another in the long line of exclusives for Fightsport.com, sources in Iowa have informed this cyber reporter that the planned UFC in June has now been changed to an American location. Zuffa had originally wanted to stage the June show in Japan.

Also, rumors are swirling that the card will have a heavyweight representative from PRIDE.

Finally, sources in New England are telling me that Sean Gannon, of Kimbo Slice fight fame, will be on the June card making his UFC debut.

As usual, stick to the Jake R Report for exclusive reports that are days, weeks, and even months ahead of the rest of the MMA Media.



*This Jake R Exclusive Report was filed March 26th at 4 pm.*

*Exclusive Jake R Report, must credit Fightsport.com and the Jake R Report when discussing this story.

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Frank Trigg

Before reading any further, please read our disclaimer first.


Sources close to the camp of Frank Trigg have informed me that 'KTFO' offered Frank Trigg a chance to wear a KTFO patch on his shorts as sponsorship. Like most people involved in the sport, Trigg views KTFO as a joke. Accordingly, he demanded USD$4,000 for the patch, which KTFO turned down, and which also soured relations between the two camps.

As usual, stick to the Jake R Report for exclusive reporting you won't read anywhere else for days, weeks, and even months.



*This Jake R Report was filed on March 26th at 4 pm.

*Exclusive Jake R Report, must credit Fightsport.com and the Jake R report when discussing this article.

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Royce Gracie

The 'Times Leader' newspaper recently interviewed Royce Gracie. Here's what Royce had to say (interview by Brian Thomas):


Times Leader: How did you first hear about the Ultimate Fighting Championships back in 1993?

Royce: My brother created the show.

Times Leader: What were the expectations when you went into the event? Did you think it was going to be a one time thing?

Royce: I was right there in the same house, and we were living together when he set up the event. The way he set up the whole thing, I knew it would be around for a while.

Times Leader: When you got into it, did you think it would grow to the level that it is at today?

Royce: Yes, just because people were interested in seeing [for example] Muhammad Ali stepping in the ring against Bruce Lee, with no rules... the curiosity of the people. So, we knew it was going to grow.

Times Leader: You had some guys in the early days who liked to shoot their mouths off with challenges. Do you get a lot of that on the street?

Royce: No, I never got that, but there's a lot of Internet wars out there. They can challenge and talk trash, but never show up or do anything.

Times Leader: Did you have a lot of background on the fighters in the early days, or was it like a surprise?

Royce: Kind of like a surprise. I knew their style. Some of the them [the fighters] I knew of them... because of their ranking.

Times Leader: In UFC 1, Art Jimmerson said in a pre-fight interview: "You can't hit what you can't see." He never even hit you once. How do you feel about guys who make statements like that?

Royce: [laughing] He was talking about ME hitting him, because he was going to be very fast, and it happened to him.

Times Leader: In the early days it seemed like you and your family's techniques had almost a few years advantage... It took the world time to catch up, and now the whole world uses your family's techniques. Did you have to adapt, and did you think the world was going to catch on?

Royce: If we didn't want them to catch on, we wouldn't be teaching seminars and opening schools all over the world, so the intention is to spread the word. I'm no Superman. We're not anybody special. We just know what we are doing.

Times Leader: When you fought Kimo in UFC 3, did you get physically hurt or were you just too exhausted to continue?

Royce: Dehydration.

Times Leader: In a recent book released about the UFC, it has come to light that in UFC 3, Ken Shamrock was supposedly injured and could not continue. But in reality, Ken Shamrock actually "refused to come out of the locker room" because he found out you could not continue. What are your thoughts?

Royce: "I think Ken Shamrock is full of shit because he's never won a tournament. He was a 'made-up fighter.' He never won a UFC tournament, that's why a lot of UFC fighters got pissed they named him as "The World Most Dangerous Man", and they put him in the superfights.

Times Leader: Do you think in the early days jiu-jitsu was not respected?

Royce: Grappling arts were NOT respected at all. They were not considered to be martial arts. If you opened up a Black Belt magazine over 15 years ago, there was no judo, no wrestling, no grappling, no jiu-jitsu. Nothing! Today, you open a Black Belt magazine, there are tons of articles.

Times Leader: Family pride and family honor is more than just a saying, or more than a logo you might put on a shirt. Can you tell me how that's helped you in your career?

Royce: Everything that I am... is jiu-jitsu. From the technique and dignity of the sport, and our flag, and I'll take care of my family's name with sweat, affection, and love.

Times Leader: In your most recent fight, you proved you still have the skills to get the job done. Fighter Randy Couture seems to be on top of his game in his early 40's, and even maybe better than when he started. How much longer do you intend to keep fighting?

Royce: I was done five years ago. Man, they keep bringing me back! [laughing]

Times Leader: So what makes you come back and fight?

Royce: Challenges! Give me good challenges!

Times Leader: It has been said that behind every great man, there's a great woman. How important is it to have a supportive wife and family in this sport?

Royce: For the last three years I have NOT been home on my birthday, Christmas, or New Years. You tell me?

Times Leader: Where do you see Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting going in the next 10 to 20 years?

Royce: Becoming very popular - more shows. Fighters will get paid more. More sponsors will get involved. People now realize this is a sport.

Times Leader: In closing, what do you want to the world to know about Royce Gracie? What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

Royce: In a perfect world, I would not be a fighter. [laughs] I just fight because I know what I'm doing. Whatever you do, you might as well do it well. Simple as that!

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Vitor Belfort

Vitor Belfort anounced that he has officially left the Brazilian Top Team for a second time in his career.

According to Belfort, his decision to leave was based on the fact that he wants to keep his old manager, Jose Guimaraes, on board, but BTT rules only permit BTT to act as a manager for their fighter.

BTT manager Mario Sperry confirmed the news, and added that there are no hard feelings.

Belfort added that he will reveal, next week, which new team he will be joining. The rumor amongst the Brazilian media is that Belfort may be joining the Gracie Barra Combat Team.

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Robert Ferguson

Robert 'The Prince of Leg Locks' Ferguson appeared on HBO in a segment with pro boxer Fernando Vargas. Here's a summary of Ferguson's HBO appearance by the MMA insider known as 'antijockrider':


"Robert "The Prince of Leg Locks" Ferguson was shown putting Fernando Vargas thru a workout in preperation for his comeback fight that occured last night.

I for one am happy to see Team Freedom founder Ferg do well.

He has gone from punking out BJJ blue belts to founding Team Freedom to being an S&C coach for past and future World Champion boxer Fernando Vargas.

Vargas looked good and well conditioned last night, although a bit rusty. Conditioning was no problem. I am sure than Ferguson will be in high demand after last night.

Bottom line, Robert Ferguson will be making an upper six digit income training elite athletes while his haters in the past are still fighting in C class MMA shows for $500 lol."

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SHOOTO GIG Central vol.7
March 27th, 2005
Nagoya Public Hall
Nagoya, Japan



Class-B bouts:
Hatsu Hioki defeats Joe Pearson by TKO at 1:35, RD 1.
Naoki Matsushita defeats Ken Omatsu by unanimous decision.
Eiji Murayama drew with Takashi Matsushita.
Keisuke Kurata defeats Bancho Sakura by unanimous decision.
'Barbaro44' defeats Kenichi Hattori by TKO at 0:30, RD 1.
Takahiro Kajita defeats Hiroshi Shiba by split decision.
Hayato Sato drew with Takashi Yamamoto.
Takamaro Watari defeats Yasuji Numa by unanimous decision.

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