MMA Coverage » MMA Personalities

Inside the Mind of Mayhem

Ben Fowlkes — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 06:00:20 +0000

Filed under: Strikeforce, FanHouse Exclusive

It's just after 6 p.m. in an upscale steakhouse in Houston and already Jason "Mayhem" Miller is yelling at me. Maybe it's not so much at me. More like near me. More like near everyone in the room, and people are starting to notice.

"It's stupid, all these people who are so worried about communism if we get free health care," Miller says, his voice rising far past what most people would consider an indoor volume. "What if the fire department made you go through the same steps as the non-socialist health care system?"

Businessmen in ties glance up from their prime rib dinners at the next table. Any thought they may have had of asking Miller to keep it down vanish when they see the source of the commotion - a rangy, cauliflower-eared 29-year-old with a nose that looks as if it's been broken just for fun on more than one occasion, gesturing spastically as he becomes more agitated.

"Imagine, you call them up and they're like, 'Do you have fire insurance?' And you're saying, 'Uh, my house is burning down right now.' 'Are you PPO or HMO? 'The house is on fire!' 'What's your policy number?' 'Okay, it's, uh, 97JK39W2.' 'What's your group ID?' 'AHHHHHH! MY HOUSE IS GONE!'"

He erupts into his trademark laugh, an almost cartoonishly maniacal cackle that suggests he might be on the verge of either torturing James Bond or simply flipping the table over on a whim. It's the kind of laugh that makes me briefly wonder whether this whole dinner idea, where I would sit down with Miller to learn a little about what makes this enigmatic fighter tick, was really such a brilliant notion.

Palace of Auburn Hills to Host UFC 123; Rampage vs. Machida to Headline

Mike Chiappetta — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:47:48 +0000

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, News

UFC 123 is headed to Auburn Hills, Michigan.

That's the word from UFC president Dana White, who told MMA Fighting that the finalization of a deal to bring the Nov. 20 event to The Palace of Auburn Hills in the Detroit suburb closed on Wednesday morning.

Ken Shamrock Signed to Fight Johnathan Ivey on Oct. 16

Ray Hui — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:47:46 +0000

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, News

Ken Shamrock's next fight has been signed and it will be against Johnathan Ivey for the USA MMA promotion on Oct. 16 in Lafayette, La.

MMAFighting.com learned Wednesday from sources close to the event the Shamrock vs. Ivey headliner as well as the co-main event, Ricco Rodriguez vs. Mike Perez.

Trevor Sherman Hopes to Keep Training James Toney in MMA

Michael David Smith — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:47:45 +0000

Filed under: UFC

After a two-decade career as a professional boxer, James Toney looked like a fish out of water in his mixed martial arts debut on Saturday night, and UFC President Dana White said after Randy Couture overwhelmed Toney that the UFC was done experimenting with professional boxers.

But Trevor Sherman, the man who trained Toney for MMA, said he doesn't want Toney to quit the sport, even if he has to fight in a second-tier MMA promotion.

"I still love James," Sherman said. "I hope he doesn't stop doing MMA, and if the UFC does release him ... trust me -- there's plenty of interest."

Wanderlei Silva Recovering, Hoping for February Return vs. Leben or Belfort

Mike Chiappetta — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 05:45:50 +0000

Filed under: UFC, News

Wanderlei Silva's surgically repaired right knee is still healing, but it didn't stop the MMA legend from attending this past weekend's UFC 118, nor has it stopped him from dreaming big about the future.

Silva, who still has significant rehabilitation ahead of him, said that if all goes well, he hopes to be back competing in the octagon in February or March.

"I feel good," Silva said during UFC 118 weekend. "I had surgery and in the last year I've repaired my face and my knee. I want to fight six more years, until my 40s."