In an article appearing in the Sunday edition of the Boston Herald, UFC lightweight title contender Kenny Florian stopped short of accusing Roger Huerta cheating in their Aug. 9 clash at UFC 87. However, in quotes he made to the paper, he teeters on the edge of accusing Huerta of resorting to unfair competitive tactics:

“When I had him down on the ground I thought I was going to put him away but he was pretty slippery,” Florian said. “To me, he felt suspiciously slippery. I know the difference between sweat and other things. I didn’t see him do anything (illegal), but I thought it was a little weird for me to be sliding off his back like that.”

It is definitely possible that Huerta greased himself up, however, you’d think that an official would have noticed something during the pre-cage entrance pat down? It’s also possible that Huerta was sweating a lot.

We usually just focus on hard news here at 5 Oz. and avoid gossip. But sometimes the news is slow and sometimes there are just certain things too good not to pass along.

Let me preface this post by stating that I find gossip pertaining to the lives of celebrities to be mundane, trivial, and inconsequential. Yet I am uncontrollably drawn to it. I admit it, I read PerezHilton.com because I do want to know which random dude hooked up with an Olsen Twin last night; whether Amy Winehouse is alive or dead; and why Tori Spelling pulled out of the “Beverly Hills 90210″ re-make (because 90210 might be one of the greatest television shows ever made).

So I found myself drawn to an MMARated.com headline indicating that Roger Huerta and “friend” and UFC ring girl Arianny Celeste were no longer on speaking terms:

AH: What did you think of Roger Huerta’s performance against Kenny Florian?

AC: It was OK.

AH: And what about the rumors that you had falling out with Roger. Are those true?

AC: I wish the best for everybody including him but we are no longer on speaking terms. We are no longer friends.

AH: Wow. What happened?

AC: No comment.

AH: Why are you not on speaking terms?

AC: No comment

AH: Some have speculated that Roger and (”That 70’s Show” star) Laura Prepon have a budding relationship. What are your thoughts on that?

AC: I don’t know anything about that.

AH: Interesting. Well, how’s your love life?

AC: I’m in love with work.

Whoa. Am I the only one blown away by this? Usually when a romantic relationship goes wrong the standard answer is “We’re no longer seeing each other but we’re still friends.” But not here. Nope. Arianny says they aren’t even friends! Not only that, she says Huerta and her aren’t even speaking! I’m dying to know what exactly happened. Roger must have done something messed up.

Credit goes to Ariel on this one. He could have kept the conversation off the record and tried to exploit a vulnerable woman much like Fletch did with Gail Stanwyck in “Fletch.” But Ariel kept his journalism hat on and went right for the story. Asking not once, but twice as to why Huerta and Arianny no longer are on speaking terms.

Ariel gets some heat sometimes for asking non-hardcore MMA questions to fighters. Personally, I am glad there is a guy out there asking this kind of stuff. As much as I wish it weren’t the case, I really would like to know what Andrei Arlovski thinks of reports that Tim Sylvia was rumored to have been involved with his ex-girlfriend.

Last night’s UFC 87 event from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. proved to be yet another strong showing from the UFC with very few negatives involved with the promotion and production of the show.

The event saw two of the promotion’s biggest stars walk away victorious in fights that went to the judges yet whose outcomes were never truly in doubt.

Lesnar, the former NCAA and WWE heavyweight champion, got off to an explosive start against Heath Herring, blasting him with an overhand right early in the fight that floored the former PRIDE veteran. Lesnar, who once spent training camp with the Minnesota Vikings, then exploded like a defensive end coming off the edge on a blitz and went in for the kill.

An over-zealous Lesnar landed out of position and was unable to finish Herring during the opening seconds of the fight. However, what proceeded was three rounds of dominance, with Lesnar showing he could take Herring down at will. When it was over, Lesnar evened his UFC record to 1-1 while improving his overall MMA record to 2-1. It is unclear who he’ll face next, but Lesnar showed all the ingredients of a future heavyweight champion during the unanimous decision victory.

While former NCAA wrestler Jon Fitch proved he was the number two ranked welterweight in the world last night with a gritty performance, UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre proved there is a strong gap between number one and two. Despite having no formal wrestling background in high school or college, St. Pierre proved to be Fitch’s equal on the mat.

On the feet, Fitch was no match for St. Pierre’s superior athleticism. Despite showing a strong chin and an amazing will to fight with less than his full faculties, Fitch was out-pointed in the standup aspect for virtually the full 25-minute duration of the contest. It was St. Pierre’s utilization of a stiff left jab, reminiscent of how B.J. Penn peppered Sean Sherk during their UFC 84 title fight in May, that appeared to have done the most damage. However, the standup exchange was not one-sided, as Fitch landed his shots as well, managing to open up St. Pierre in the process. But when the bout was done, it was evident by looking at the faces of both fighters that Fitch clearly sustained the most damage.

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UFC 87 is now in the books and it was one of the best shows, if not the best show, all year. Georges St. Pierre defended his title against an incredibly game Jon Fitch, Brock Lesnar proved his worth against Heath Herring, and Roger Huerta failed to do the same against a technical Kenny Florian. Let’s get right into breaking it down.

Georges St. Pierre is on another level at 170 lbs.

Jon Fitch proved tonight that he is a man’s man and has zero quit in him. His tenacity, recovery speed, and aggression were all extremely admirable. What he also showed is that no one, and I mean no one, in the weight class has what it takes to contend with St. Pierre’s overall game. Standing or on the ground, St. Pierre is dominant. If he can’t finish you with his strikes, he will take you down. If he can’t take you down, he’ll work you over on the feet. He is as multi-dimensional of a fighter as there is in all of mixed martial arts right now and that includes the current consensus pound-for-pound king, Anderson Silva. No one in the weight class has a prayer right now to beat him. Not Thiago Alves, not Jake Shields, not Karo Parisyan, nobody. B.J. Penn is the only fighter with a sliver of a chance and with Penn’s in-ring challenge after the fight, it’s looking like we’ll get to see that superfight sooner than later, hopefully in December.

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Dave Meltzer, in the latest edition of The Wrestling Observer, says that the UFC and Roger Huerta are “far apart” regarding contract negotiations. Huerta has one fight left on his contract after the upcoming fight with Kenny Florian this weekend. If he doesn’t renegotiate soon then there’s a very real possibility of missing out on a title shot should he win on Saturday. MMA Mania has the exact wording from Meltzer:

“Huerta, who has one fight left on his contact after the Florian fight, is far apart with UFC on terms for a renewal. Huerta, who has gotten a new agent, was asking for six-figures guaranteed per fight as well as points on the PPV, in negotiations that haven’t gone well for some time. That’s a better deal then [BJ] Penn, so he wasn’t going to get it. The UFC position is that they groomed Huerta and pushed him hard and were careful of his opponents, with the exception of Clay Guida….”

It’s really unbelievable to me that Huerta could possibly be asking for more money than B.J. Penn makes. Penn is not only the current lightweight champion but one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world with victories over some of the best in the game. Penn has earned the kind of money that he’s making right now. With the exception of Clay Guida, who is truly a lightweight gatekeeper, who has Huerta beaten to command that type of money? The answer is no one.

Now, should he beat Florian on Saturday then we might be singing a different tune. Florian is a great fighter who is on a roll and improves each and every time out. Right now, in my eyes, he is the number one contender for the title. A win over Florian for Huerta would go a long way in commanding top-dollar from the UFC and cementing his spot at the top of the lightweight division.

Huerta continues to talk about receiving a title shot, but if he’s not close to another deal then there’s no real possibility of him fighting for the title even if he wins. The UFC has made it abundantly clear that if you have one fight left on your contract then you are not fighting for the title even if you are the number one contender. They want fighters who are going to stick around and defend the title, not guys who are going to fight for the title, possibly win it, and then vacate it because they’re looking for more money. Huerta is stuck between a rock and a hard place right now and the only way out is to beat Florian on Saturday and that’s an extremely tall task.

In recent months we’ve heard a lot of speculation that certain high-level fighters in the UFC weren’t happy with their contractual status within the promotion. However, despite all these rumblings and rumors, there was absolutely no hard evidence to back up all the talk. It was hard to decipher whether there were truth to the reports, or if there was simply a campaign of misinformation taking place.

Well, FIGHT!’s Neal Talfinger has finally gotten a UFC fighter to go on the record about his unhappiness with the UFC. And the first fighter outside of Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture to speak out is a fighter that has been branded by some pundits as a “golden boy” of the UFC, Roger Huerta.

The following is an excerpt from the current issue of FIGHT!, which is available on newsstands now:

Huerta is one of a growing number of Zuffa-contracted fighter who feel that there is a disconnection between the company’s success and the way fighters are compensated. Huerta’s disillusionment with the UFC began when he did press tours for his employer in Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, and London and received a $50 per diem for his troubles. It sounds like a a good deal until you factor in time away from training, friends, and family, days often stretch twelve hours or more, and an exchange rate of one UK pound for two American dollars. “Why do you think I don’t do PR for the UFC any more?” he asks.

He’s also unhappy with the terms of his current contract, but to Huerta, the press tours underscore a larger point: by and the large, Zuffa does not treat its contracted fighters with sufficient loyalty or respect. He argues that many UFC fighters barely make enough to cover their training expenses. He brings up teammate Keith Jardine repeatedly, incensed that a main event fighter is working for ten and ten- $10k to show and 10k to win - while his opponent regularly makes ten times as much.

Huerta’s expression hardens and becomes more animated as talk turns to endorsements. The common counter-argument for complaints about fighter pay is that fighters often make more from endorsements and sponsorships than they do for competing. But Huerta has soured on the system after receiving lowball offers from companies who expect fighters to jump at the chance to endorse products. He rails against a Fortune 500 company for offering a deal to build him as a spokesman that included unpaid work. “Are you serious?” Huerta ask. “I know Dale Earnhardt Jr isn’t doing appearances for free.”

“The truth is, I don’t really care if I fight in the UFC or somewhere else,” Huerta says. The fighter says he understands that Zuffa has to keep an eye on the bottom line, but he wants to work, “For a company that is as loyal to me as I am to them.”

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After getting kneed, taken down, and choked out by Kimbo Slice in Atlantic City this week, boxer Ray Mercer is done with mixed martial arts, according to the following article that appeared on ESPN.com:

Ray Mercer tried his hand at mixed martial arts this weekend. The result? He’s sticking with boxing.

The former WBO world heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist lost to noted street fighter Kimbo Slice in Atlantic City, N.J., this weekend in a fight that lasted just 1:12. Mercer submitted to Slice’s guillotine choke hold.

“I walked right into his trap,” Mercer said, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. “It was like I put my head in his armpit and said, ‘Go ahead, choke me.’ From now on, I’m sticking to boxing. I can’t get choked out in boxing.”

Mercer, 46, hasn’t fought in the boxing ring since losing in seven rounds to Shannon Briggs in August 2005 in Hollywood, Fla.

I think that there’s one boxer who finally understands MMA. Boxing is only one aspect of fighting while MMA incorporates just about all aspects. It’s really the only combat sport out there that tests the best of the best in each isolated combat sport whether it be traditional martial arts from East Asia, Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, kickboxing, Muay Thai (which I guess is a traditional East Asian martial art but I think it deserves its own category), and even boxing!

Hey, I was a boxing fan even before I followed MMA and still enjoy and appreciate boxing. However, I’m sick of all these boxers who think their sport is the be all end all of combat sports because it’s not, it’s just one fraction of the whole combat equation.

Reports indicate that Kimbo Slice defeated Ray Mercer via choke in less than two minutes at a card promoted by Cage Fury Fighting Championship last night in Atlantic City. After the fight, Tank Abbott issued a challenge to Kimbo. During post-fight press conferences it was announced the two would fight each other in September. Reports also indicate that there were over 7,000 people in attendance last night.

Adam Morgan from FightOpinion.com has written a tremendous commentary about Felix Martinez’s Cage Fury Fighting Championship’s decision to not only book a bout between “street fighting legend” Kimbo Slice and former pro boxer Ray Mercer.

Morgan takes the CFFC to task for promoting the Slice vs. Mercer fight with ad inserts on Slice’s street fight YouTube clips. The UFC also isn’t spared for their decision to book Noah Thomas vs. Marlon Sims during the televised portion of the live TUF 5 finale.

 I was going to leave my thoughts on this whole situation, but why should I when I agree 100 percent with everything that Adam says:

http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/06/05/street-fights-the-new-way-to-promote-mma/#comment-27458