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Interview with Jordan Breen

von Jürgen Frigger Labels: ,

Geschrieben von Jürgen Frigger
Samstag, 17. Februar 2008

Jordan Breen is one of the foremost MMA-experts in the world and host of "The Jordan Breen Show" on www.sherdog.com. I recently got in touch with him and he granted me an interview. Here is the transcription:


1. Tell us something about yourself. Where do you come from, how old are you, how did you get into radio...?
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, age 20. The radio thing just sort of happened; I started working for Sherdog in June of 2006, and in the months that followed, I did a few radio appearances on Beatdown and stuff like that. For whatever reason, people liked me, and the powers that be thought it'd be a good idea to give me my own show. Why, I have no idea.


2. Ring or Cage? Big octagon (UFC), small octagon (Cage Rage), round cage (HD NET fights)?
Ideally, something like Frank Shamrock's Shootbox platform where it's just a big ass giant mat. However, the reality of things is that we can't just have our prizefighters competing on some infinite, ever-expanding mat surface. So, I'll take a huge ass cage. Round, octagonal, dodecagonal, triacontagonal, I really don't care. The ring and cage will always have their drawbacks, but I don't know if there's anything more enraging than watching a fighter try to finish a prone foe, and have the guy laying on a ring apron, avoiding his punches, and then take a timeout to reposition them. Repositioning in itself is idiotic, so the cage allows for a more flowing and synthetic fight in that way.


3. Who are your favourite fighters? Who are the best p4p fighters today and all-time?
I don't really root for fighters, just not the way I am. I find it hard to understand how someone can throw their livelihood behind whether Vitor Belfort wins or loses. All that said... Danny Lafever.
Pound-for-pound, MMA I think is in a weird area. The most naturally talented fighters I've ever seen in this sport are KID Yamamoto and BJ Penn, but I wouldn't hold either as a great pound-for-pound fighter right now because they haven't done a ton with that talent. Hopefully that changes. For now, I'd regard Anderson Silva and Quinton Jackson at the top of the heap for pound-for-pounders, really the only two guys who are kicking ass, taking names and cleaning out their division, which is the truest measuring stick of pound-for-pound greatness.
All time? Tough to say. MMA really didn't hit the modern era till around 1999 or 2000 or so, and anyone before that was more of a pioneering spirit than a truly accomplished great fighter. Because guys before that didn't exactly have well-developed competition to fight, it's a hard question to assess. I think there are far fewer guys who have had sustained, successful careers against top competition. If I had to single out a few guys, Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva, Matt Hughes, Takanori Gomi and Hayato Sakurai. But there are a ton of guys who have the potential to join that list, from Rampage to GSP to Penn to even Henderson if he grabs a few big ones in the near future.


4. Which rules would you like to change and why?
The unified rules are pretty damn good, but the obvious glaring weakness is the lack of knees to the head on the ground. I don't think I need to explain myself, everybody knows they belong in the sport.
I know a lot of people hate elbows. And you know what? I hate people who hate elbows. Seriously. People always cry about elbows causing cuts, probably because their favorite fighter laid flat on his back and got his face axed open. If you actually look at how many times an elbow strike has created an unceremonious, and undesirable end to an otherwise good fight, it's virtually non-existant. In 2008, not believing in elbows is like not believing in evolution. It's an instant signifier that you're retarded and your opinion doesn't matter.
Also, this isn't a rule per se, but still a piece of the same puzzle, and that's 10-10 rounds. The North American and even European ideology that "draws are bad" is too prevalent I think. The ten-point must system has some warts, but it works for MMA if you use it properly, and if there's a dead even round, there's no need to just pull a name out of your ass and give him a 10-9 round. Of course, this can lead to more draws in fights and whatnot, but that's something I myself can accept if it cuts down on guys winning 29-28 decisions where they "win" two toss-up rounds, and get their ass kicked in another round. And by that same measure, more 10-8 rounds, too, where appropriate. These measures, if used be competent judges, I think can offer a lot to MMA.


5. If you were Dana White what would you change regarding UFC-policy: fight cards, payment, public appearances, contracts... (pick whatever you want to comment on and more)?
In terms of fight cards, Zuffa are doing a great job. Naturally, there are gonna be some cars weaker than others but the overall product on the whole is fantastic. Five years ago, you could never dream of a world like this. Seeing fans get excited about undercard fighters and following their progress over months and years is what prizefighting is about, and it's something fans were denied in the past with a scant number of cards.
Of course, it's easy to say "Oh, I would've signed Fedor" or "I would've got Gomi." I think that's a little presumptuous. If I were Dana White, of course I'm going to try to ensure the best talent is always in the UFC, but you can't slam dunk every deal.
Payment is fine. The myth of the starving fighter is grossly overblown, and if anything, Zuffa are overgenerous. After taking enormous financial losses last year to run their European operation, they're dropping 50K+ bonuses for undercarders who can pull off a nice submission. That's more than fair. Are some guys underpaid given their talent? No doubt. But the system on the whole is fair.
If there was something regarding UFC policy I would change, it would be the fanatical control Zuffa refuse to give up on their production rights. It's what killed the HBO deal and hurts their bargaining with networks. "Face the Pain", Gladiator Man, and Mike Goldberg are non-essential parts of the UFC, no matter what Zuffa tell you, and for them to sacrifice a well-polished aesthetic and a greater presence on television over making sure they control who says what on air is ridiculous.


6. How would you evaluate the German MMA-scene? What fighters do you know, who show potential? How would you estimate the MMA potential in Germany?
I think the European MMA scene on the whole is fantastic, really. Germany is behind a little bit, and I know there's some political opposition to the sport, but given what a vibrant and successful boxing locale Germany has become, I really think there is potential for MMA to grow considerably. If Germany could get a flagship MMA show, maybe on the scale of KSW in Poland, I think the results could be fantastic.
The best German fighter out there right now is Daniel Weichel, and by a good margin. There are other guys out there with a lot of potential though. Dennis Siver still has lots of room to improve. Martin Zawada has enormous natural physical skills. I also recently saw Andi Asangarani, and he looked like a killer.
The problem is - and this goes for almost all of Europe, really - guys just don't have the access to top training in Europe right now. I'm of the belief that when a guy like Weichel or Zawada starts breaking out and showing his potential, he's got to bite the bullet, and go stateside for training. A lot of European guys are getting the idea, you see more guys like Dan Hardy going to Legends MMA or Per Eklund and Mikko Rupponen going to TQ Temecula. More guys need to follow suit, because the resources just don't exist yet to convert potential into success in Europe.


7. Of the Sherdog-radio crew, who do you like to work with the most? Who is the most professional (in general, not MMA-related)? Who is the funniest? Who is the most competent regarding MMA?
In terms of who I like to work with, I've done shows with everyone on the radio staff, and I enjoy them all. I love doing the roundtables and having everyone on at once. But in terms of partnering up, working with TJ is always fun, and he makes the job very easy since he's a radio pro. Also, believe it or not, the two times I've filled in for TJ on Beatdown and done radio with Josh Gross, I really enjoyed myself there, as well.
Most professional, I had to give love to TJ because most people don't really recognize how hard his job is, what he puts up with on a daily basis, and stuff like that. Everybody figures MMA radio is easy, you just plug in your microphone and talk about MMA. That's not quite the case, and TJ does a pretty damn good job all things considered.
The funniest, believe it or not, is Josh Gross. Behind the scenes, Gross is a killer on the comedy tip.
The most competent regarding MMA? Not Greg Savage.


8. Favourites:
I don't think I could ever pick an all-time favorite band, book, movie or show. Musically, all depends on what I'm feeling from day to day, week to week. I've got Chromatics' "Night Drive" in my Car Right now. Book, is tough. Just in the realm of novels, I think the novel I've read the most in my life is "The Stranger" by Albert Camus. I don't know if it is my "favorite", but I could pick it up and read it cover to cover at any time. Cinematically, I could list tons of favorites, but the last movie I saw that really grabbed me was No Country for Old Men, which was fantastic. TV show, I recently bought the sixth and seventh seasons of Tales from the Crypt on DVD, so for right now, I'll make that my answer.
My favorite sport? MMA and boxing, obviously. And kickboxing, MT, sub grappling. But I like most sports, really. Depends on what time of year it is. A couple weeks ago, I'd have said tennis when the Aussie Open was happening. With football season done, and hockey season not quite heating up, I'd say basketball right now. But the Super 14 starts in a week or so, so maybe rugby.
Pro wrestler I think I'd go with Bret Hart and Ric Flair. I don't really care about pro wrestling anymore, but guys like Hart and Flair, if I'm ever feelign nostalgic, I know I could choose any of their old fights, and be satisfied with my trip down memory lane.

Sonntag, Februar 17, 2008 | 1 Comments

Jordan Breen Exklusiv-Interview

von Jürgen Frigger Labels: ,


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Geschrieben von Jürgen Frigger
Sonntag, 17. Februar 2008


Ich hatte neulich die Möglichkeit den Sherdog-Radio Moderatoren Jordan Breen zu interviewen.



GnP: Gib uns bitte einen kurzen Hintergrund über deine Person.

Breen: Ich komme aus Halifax, Nova Scotia, Kanada. Ich bin 20 Jahre alt und begann im Juni 2006 für Sherdog zu arbeiten. In den Folgemonaten tauchte ich einige Male im Sherdog-Radio auf, welches anscheinend positive Reaktionen hervorrief und erhielt anschließend meine eigene Show, die "Jordan Breen Show".


GnP: Ring oder Käfig?

Breen: Idealerweise etwas wie Frank Shamrock's Shootbox Plattform, eine riesige Matte. Da diese jedoch über keine Begrenzung verfügt, eignet sich ein Käfig besser. Egal ob rund, oder eckig. Ring und Käfig haben beide Nachteile. Beim Ring jedoch ist besonders gravierend, daß Kämpfe ständig unterbrochen werden müssen, wenn die Begrenzung des Rings überschritten wird. Die anschließende Repositionierung gestattet dem angeschlagenen Kämpfer eine Verschnaufpause und unterbricht die allgemeine Action unnötig. Ein Käfig bietet einen fließenderen Kampf.


GnP: Welche sind deine Lieblingskämpfer? Welche sind P4P objektiv die besten, heute und aller Zeiten?

Breen: Ich fiebere niemals mit einem Kämpfer mit, ist nicht meine Art. Um die Frage zu beantworten: Danny Lafever.

P4P aktuell: Anderson Silva und Quinton Jackson, die beiden einzigen Kämpfer, die im Moment überzeugend namhafte Gegner besiegen und ihre jeweilige Gewichtsklasse beherrschen. Das sehe ich als Maßstab für eine P4P-Wertung an. Kid Yamamoto und BJ Penn sind die Kämpfer mit dem größten natürlich Talent, die ich jemals gesehen habe. Heute würde ich sie aber nicht zur Spitze zählen.

P4P aller Zeiten: Fedor, Nogueira, Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva, Matt Hughes, Gomi und Hayato Sakurai. Die Frage ist jedoch schwierig zu beantworten, da MMA noch ein junger Sport ist und die Pioniere des Sports wenig ernsthafte Gegner hatten.


GnP: Welche Regeln würdest du ändern und warum?

Breen: Die "unified rules" sind ziemlich gut. Offensichtlichste Schwäche ist das Verbot von Kniestößen zum Kopf eines am Boden liegenden Gegners. Ich weiß, viele Leute hassen Ellbogen und weißt du was? Ich hasse Leute, die Ellbogen hassen. Sie heulen immer über cuts, vermutlich weil das Gesicht ihres Lieblingskämpfers gerade mit einer Axt eingeschlagen wurde. Tatsächlich gibt es kaum Beispiele von Ellbogen, die Kämpfe auf unwürdige Art und Weise beendeten. Wer im Jahre 2008 noch nicht an Ellbogen glaubt, der glaubt nicht an Evolution. Es bedeutet, daß du ein Idiot bist und deine Meinung egal ist.

Das wertungssystem kann für MMA funktionieren, würde man es richtig benutzen. In den USA glaubt man nicht an 10-10 Runden. Somit kommen oft kontroverse 29-28 Ergebnisse heraus. Lieber eine ausgeglichene Runde 10-10 werten und mehr Unentschieden in Kauf nehmen, als umstrittene Ergebnisse zu riskieren.


GnP: Wärest du Dana White, wie würdest du die UFC verändern?

Natürlich gibt es einige schlechtere Verantstaltungen, aber insgesamt leistet Zuffa herausragendes in der Zusammenstellung der Events. Es ist einfach zu sagen, "ich hätte Fedor und Gomi bekommen". Ich halte das jedoch für anmaßend. Ich würde einfach mein Bestes geben, so viele gute Kämpfer und Talente wie möglich zu bekommen. Die Bezahlung der Kämpfer ist in Ordnung, wenn überhaupt dann zahlt Zuffa mehr als nötig. Besonders wenn man Bonuszahlungen bedenkt. Ich würde die fanatische Kontrolle ändern, die Zuffa über ihre Produktionen ausübt. Die Politik verhinderte den HBO-Deal. Mike Goldberg ist auch nicht gerade ein essenzieller Bestandteil des MMA. Die Kommentatoren sind Marionetten der UFC.


GnP: Wie bewertest du die deutsche MMA-Szene?

Breen: Ich denke, die europäische MMA-Szene als ganzes ist fantastisch. Deutschland hinkt etwas hinterher und ich weiß, daß es einige politische Opposition zum Sport gibt. Bedenkt man wie erfolgreich Boxen in Deutschland veranstaltet wird, glaube ich an ein deutliches Wachstumspotenzial. Eine große MMA-Show in Deutschland, in der Größenordnung von KSW in Polen, könnte sehr erfolgreich sein.

Der beste deutsche Kämpfer ist Daniel Weichel im Moment, mit großem Abstand. Weitere Talente sind Dennis Siver, der noch einiges Potenzial hat, Martin Zawada, welcher über enorme körperliche Fähigkeiten verfügt, und Andi Asangarani, den ich erst vor kurzem sah, hat mich mächtig beeindruckt! .Das Problem - und das gilt für ganz Europa - ist, daß die Kämpfer keinen Zugang zu hochklassigen Trainingscamps haben. Wenn einer wie Weichel an die Spitze gelangen möchte, so muss er in den USA trainieren.

GnP: Erzähle uns bitte etwas über deine Sherdog-Kollegen.

Breen: Ich arbeite mit allen gerne zusammen, am liebsten gleichzeitig. Mit TJ de Santis macht es immer Spaß, er macht die Arbeit einfach. Er ist auch der Radio-Profi bei Sherdog. Der witzigste ist Josh Gross, kaum zu glauben. Privat ist er ein Komiker.

Sonntag, Februar 17, 2008 | 0 Comments

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