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Thursday, April 9, 2009
Lindland On "Fighting Politics"
MMAInsider recently spoke with Matt Lindland, who will attend his second screening of "Fighting Politics" at the Las Vegas International Film Festival on Friday, April 10. The MMA veteran spoke about the film, his career, and Dana White.
MMAInsider: It would seem like Las Vegas would be a good location for a screening given all the fighters in town.
Lindland: I don't know. The film crowd is a different crowd than the fight crowd. I don't know what to expect. The last screening there was a few fighter and wrestling types there, but mostly it was film people. It's an art film. It's not about fighting necessarily. It's not like watching a fight film or fight tapes, it's a piece of art. I don't know how many fighter types are in to the art scene.
MMAInsider: Are you pleased with the film?
Lindland: Yeah, I think Dave (Vahey) did a phenomenal job with it. It's a really good story and I think a lot of people would be surprised about what it is, because I think there's a lot of misconceptions out there about what the film's about. I think the title and trailer really threw a lot of people off.
MMAInsider: Is that to say that the implied conflict between you and Dana White in the trailer is not what the film's about?
Lindland: I think it's more about just the reality of this sport. I think it does a great job of showing what a wonderful job Dana and the UFC have done at promoting and marketing their sport. I think Dana White would like the film. It shows what a powerful person he is in this industry. He seems a little egocentric to me--I think he would enjoy this film. He knows the film's out. I think even Dana's got a misconception about it. But I think the only reason he wouldn't like it is because he doesn't control it. He didn't produce it, he didn't have his hand in it, and anything MMA that Dana isn't in charge of, he's not a fan of. I think the sport's big enough now--thanks to Dana and the UFC--that there's enough room for everybody in the sport. I've always said what a good job Dana has done. I can't criticize his business, and if he wants me to fight for them or not, that's up to him. I've always said, 'I'm here if you want me.' I want to fight whoever the biggest prize is. I'm a prizefighter. It's kind of like a whore. We're in it to get paid.
MMAInsider: Do you understand his position more because you're a business owner?
Lindland: I understand his position. If he wanted the best athletes at the time, I was one of the top athletes and I wasn't fighting there. But I think what he meant was he wanted the best guys he thinks he can market. And that was the truth. He didn't think he could market me. If he could sell Rich Franklin, I guarantee he could sell me. I don't know why it was Rich Franklin. Rich Franklin's a good fighter, but I don't know what's so marketable about Rich.
MMAInsider: Well, there's been a lot of talk about submissions on the decrese, wrestlers becoming strikers, that the shape of the industry has changed from the need to be exciting.
Lindland: Yeah, it is an entertainment business. I don't think it was that I was an unexciting fighter. You look at my finish ratio, I either TKO'd guys, or submitted them. But it does happen. But it was a misconception that I always went to decision. I don't know where that came from.
MMAInsider: Do you think Dana will be there at the screening?
Lindland: I would love it if he would be there. It would be a great honor to have him as my guest.Labels: Dana White, Matt Lindland
posted by MMAInsiderBLOG @ 8:26 PM
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Lindland Suspended 45 days Following KO Loss To Belfort
Team Quest original Matt Lindland says he's doing fine after a brutal knockout loss at the hands of Vitor Belfort last Saturday at Affliction's "Day of Reckoning."
"(I'm doing) fine, he just got me with a good shot," Lindland told MMAInsider via text message.
According to Lindland, the California State Athletic Commission has suspended him for 45 days, after which he will be able to compete again. His fight with Belfort was the second of a three-fight contract with Affliction.
"I'll be back whenever," he wrote.
At least for now, Affliction VP Tom Atencio has indicated a return date of July for the next co-promotion between the clothing/entertainment company and boxing promotion Golden Boy.Labels: Affliction, Matt Lindland, Tom Atencio
posted by MMAInsiderBLOG @ 7:57 PM
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Lindland Taken To Hospital, Checks Out Okay
 Vitor Belfort knocked highly ranked middleweight Matt Lindland to the canvas with a strong left hand, then followed with several rights that left "The Law" out cold. He lay on the mat for several minutes, ringside medical staff taking every precaution before the Olympic silver medalist was finally able to leave the ring under his own power.
During the Josh Barnett vs. Gilbert Yvel bout, it was reported that Lindland was taken to the UC Irvine Medical Center for follow-up treatment.
"He was doing good (when he got into the ambulance)," said Lindland's cornerman, Robert Follis. "You know, he was a little bummed and knew what happened – that he got rocked – but he was coherent. He was talking. He looked good. They're just taking him in to check him and make sure."
MMAWeekly.com later followed up with another member of Lindland's camp, Heath Sims, who said that, "Matt is doing okay," and doesn't seem to be suffering from any significant injuries.Labels: Affliction, Matt Lindland, vitor belfort
posted by MMAInsiderBLOG @ 2:16 AM
Monday, January 12, 2009
Showtime Sports Matt Lindland vs. Vitor Belfort Preview
posted by MMAInsiderBLOG @ 4:58 PM
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Matt Lindland Documentary To Hit Film Festivals
 For over two years, filmmaker David Vahey followed cult MMA hero Matt Lindland around, picking his brain about life and fighting. The result, "Fighting Politics," is a story about the business of mixed martial arts and Lindland's attempt to persevere through its fickle politics.
The film draws upon a variety of fighters and industry insiders to flesh out Lindland's background as an Olympic wrestler who found himself well suited for cage fighting. Lindland's failed bid for an Oregon State Senate seat is also chronicled.
The film's trailer, viewable on the its website, www.fightingpolitics.com, paints Lindland as a fighter poised to be one of the world's best until a snafu involving a tshirt causes his ouster from the fight game's industry juggernaut.
One of the biggest characters in the story, UFC president Dana White, is conspicuously missing from the film. Vahey began corresponding with White in mid-2006 until White found out the true subject of the documentary.
"When we first texted Dana to try to get interviews, he was pretty nice," Vahey says. "When it was a general MMA documentary. As soon as we mentioned (Matt's) name, he blew up on us, saying 'nobody gives a (expletive) about Matt Lindland, and neither do I.' Saying that Dan Henderson was ten times a better fighter than he is, just going on and on about bad a fighter Matt was."
Vahey said after threats that included legal action, White issued a final proclamation that cut off all communication.
The film has been submitted to 25 film festivals between January in March of 2009. Vahey hopes it will pick up a national distributor.
"It’s really not an MMA documentary, it's really more a life story documentary," he said. "There's not a lot of blood and guts--I don't know if the MMA fans are going to like that or not. It's a documentary my mom's watched and liked, so hopefully that it will appeal to more people."Labels: Dana White, Matt Lindland, UFC
posted by MMAInsiderBLOG @ 7:08 PM
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Lindland, Liddell Head ATT Seminar
 PRESS RELEASE:
American Top Team of Coconut Creek, FL will be hosting a Super Seminar with some of the best trainers in the MMA world today!
Featuring UFC veteran and top ranked middleweight fighter Matt Lindland from Team Quest. Matt will be working specifically on takedowns, while John Hackleman of The Pit, with special guest former UFC Champion Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell will cover the striking aspect of mma. BJJ World Champion Ricardo Liborio of American Top Team will be covering the ground game.
WHERE: American Top Team - 4631 Johnson Road, Coconut Creek, FL 33073
WHEN: Sunday Dec. 7 - 10am - 1pm
COST: $100 payable at the door
This will be a 3 hour seminar covering all aspects of mixed martial arts;
ground work, takedowns, and striking!
This is an amazing opportunity to work with some of the top trainers in the game today.
This special seminar is open to all students and affiliations, beginner through advanced students will all learn from these amazing instructors!
Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity!!Labels: American Top Team, ATT, Chuck Liddell, John Hackleman, Matt Lindland
posted by MMAInsiderBLOG @ 2:20 PM
Friday, November 7, 2008
The belt is in the mail...
 The whole MMA world is well aware by now of WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho coming in an astonishing seven pounds overweight at Tuesday's weigh-in, and his lackluster bout with Chael Sonnen at WEC 36.
Because of Filho's issues with weight, the bout was knocked from its championship perch into a plain old three-round fight. Still, Filho reportedly put his belt - if not his official standing as champion - on the line against Sonnen.
After the weigh-ins, when the bout was re-negotiated as a three-rounder, Sonnen's trainer, Matt Lindland, told MMAWeekly.com, "(Filho's) cornermen told us that they would walk across the cage and hand Chael the belt if he wins. When Chael whoops his ass, I expect them to live up to their word."
Well, Sonnen didn't exactly whoop Filho's ass, as it were, but he did walk away from the bout with a unanimous decision victory. In the cage on Wednesday night, however, no one walked over to Sonnen to hand him the belt.
On his way out of the competition area, Lindland told MMAWeekly.com that Filho's corner said that they would hand the belt over in the dressing room.
Then came the post-fight press conference. What say Lindland and Sonnen? "No belt, yet."
Later that night, Sonnen was walking around the Hard Rock complex... no belt.
Contacted by MMAWeekly.com on Friday via text message to see if he ever received the belt, Sonnen responded, "No. His manager did call and said that it's in the mail."
Now that's a new one...Labels: Chael Sonnen, Matt Lindland, Paulo Filho, WEC 36
posted by MMAInsiderBLOG @ 3:03 PM
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