Each week, our ESPN.com panel tackles hot topics in the world of mixed martial arts.
This week, crime-stopper/WSOF fighter Phoenix Jones joins our expert panel.
1. Was Al Iaquinta in the wrong for cursing at the Virginia crowd for booing his performance after a tough fight?
Phoenix Jones: No; it's how he felt [after earning a split decision over Jorge Masvidal at UFC Fight Night]. Never squish your feelings.
Brett Okamoto: I can definitely see why 'Raging Al' reacted the way he did, but here's the reality: His message was correct, but his delivery was terrible. If there is one thing you can be absolutely, 100 percent sure of, it's that a crowd will boo the result of a close fight every single time. Had Jorge Masvidal been declared the winner of that exact same fight, Virginia would have booed that, too. It's dumb, but that's how it works. If Iaquinta had taken the microphone and calmly asked why a bunch of beer-drinking fan boys were booing him -- after getting to watch him recover from a near-knockout in the first round and push action in the second and third -- I think his point would have been well-received. He took it so personally though, lacing into the crowd with expletives that made them boo him even more. It would have been a good time to challenge a disrespectful crowd on something that was legitimately ridiculous, but Iaquinta sort of blew it.
Huang: Well, it's certainly understandable; emotions run high from the fight alone -- never mind training camp, the dieting, the pressure. Losing sucks, regardless. But winning can suck, too. That said, you're still a professional and you have to act like one. Iaquinta has had the benefit of being a fan favorite because he leaves it all in the Octagon. But you don't get that benefit all the time -- you still have to maintain professionalism.
2. The Quinton Jackson saga: Who's right, who's wrong and where would you ultimately like to see "Rampage" end up following the court ruling?
Jones: I'm a firm believer that you should be able to leave any organization you want, but more important than that: You need to fulfill your contractual obligations. I think "Rampage's" lawyer should get sued for not protecting him.
Okamoto: In legal battles like this, it's not always as simple as right and wrong. But at the end of the day, you sign a contract that you don't end up being happy with, that's on you. I don't think Jackson is in a particularly strong legal position here. That's pretty much obvious from the judge's ruling. His argument isn't even that Bellator MMA wasn't paying him what he was owed, but rather that they essentially didn't provide exact pay stubs for what he was owed. I'm not sure you can bail on a multi-million dollar contract for that. I want to see fighters fight where they want to fight, where they can give their best performance, but we can't pretend like contracts don't matter, either. My guess is we'll see Jackson in Bellator before we see him in UFC.
Huang: I interviewed "Rampage" shortly after he announced he was returning to the UFC and I never got a strong answer as to why he thought Bellator didn't hold up its end of the deal. The sense I did get was it was about money -- plain and simple. With Rampage, that seems to be what it is all the time. Honestly, it seemed like weak reasoning "requested PPV documents weren't given to him by a certain deadline." What is that? He just wanted out of Bellator.
3. On a stacked weekend, which of the three is a must-see event -- WSOF, Bellator, or UFC?
Jones: Seriously, WSOF, because I'll never you let down. I promise to always be entertaining and to always throw down. To leave every piece of me in that cage every time. I'll use the money I earn to help the community. UFC and Bellator can't and won't do that.
Okamoto: I would say Bellator's event in Irvine, California is the most must-see. Lightweight champion Will Brooks is easily the best fighter entering the cage this weekend and he's only improving. He has legitimate Top 5 talent in his division. You could pretty easily argue middleweight Joe Schilling is the most entertaining fighter entering the cage this weekend, and he's in Bellator's co-main event. WSOF has its share of 'look over here' fights, but if we're being honest, the main event is not all that compelling. I like the storyline behind the UFC's main event -- a chance to see Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic avenge one of the most shocking UFC fights of all time -- and there are some other intriguing fighters on the card, but full package, give me Bellator this weekend.
Huang: I'm sorry: If Phoenix fights with his costume and let's me write a comic about him, I'll say WSOF. Otherwise, it's UFC. Hell, watching WSOF is like watching the UFC -- just with former fighters. But even UFC Fight Night events are great, better than most Bellator and WSOF events.
4.What's Mirko Filipovic's most memorable knockout?
Jones: Who cares? His fight [a rematch against Gabriel Gonzaga on Saturday] is super-overhyped. Loved him five years ago.
Okamoto: It's hard to pick one. As you may know, Cro Cop has what you might call a long resume of kicking other dudes in the head. The left-hand knockout against Bob Sapp in a K-1 kickboxing match in 2003 was wild start to finish. That entire scene looks like something out of Hollywood. HIs left head-kick knockouts in MMA, I mean, really, take your pick. They're all frightening. The one that comes to mind fastest is the Wanderlei Silva finish in 2006. In his prime though, Cro Cop was just terrifying. You could spend a full day going through video of this guy's career. And you probably should.
Huang: I'll stay out of the old Pride and K-1 days, and in doing so it seems Cro Cop's more remembered for the fights he got knocked out in than his own knockouts. Because his fight with Gabriel Gonzaga still goes down as one of the nastiest head-kick knockouts ever, and a case in which CroCop got a taste of his own medicine. Against Pat Barry, however, Barry had knocked him down twice and was on the verge of winning. (I have the gloves Pat wore that night on my desk!) But CroCop came back and caught Barry in a rear-naked choke. Barry said he had broken his hand and eventually CroCop got him. (Note: This fact was corrected. Thanks @Munabear007)
5. Which MMA fighter talked the talk and walked the walk better than anyone?
Jones: Wanderlei Silva during his Pride FC years, but obviously Fedor Emelianenko as well. He never said anything and always backed it up.
Okamoto: Seems like everywhere you turn, there she is, but my answer has to be Ronda Rousey. She calls everything exactly as she sees it, doesn't care if anyone likes it or not, and is apparently awesome at everything she does. You really can't say enough good things about Rousey right now -- she is one of the most unique, talented, charismatic, driven athletes across all pro sports.
Huang: Matt Hughes never did a lot of talking but he certainly kicked some butt. Hughes backed up the hype as being one of the most dominant fighters in the UFC's formative years. He was really the first dominant champ in the league's history and is in the Hall of Fame most deservedly.
