Aug

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FitchThe other day I was minding my own business when I overheard a conversation between two casual MMA fans.  I was partially listening, and partially reading a book, but I almost had to perform the Heimlich maneuver on myself after swallowing my coffee in a painful manner when I heard the following statement; “I don’t know why Jon Fitch is even getting a title shot.  I mean, He’s been in the UFC for a few years and hasn’t really beat anybody.  I think Dana White just needed someone for GSP to whoop up on.”  Now, I consider myself to be quite knowledgeable when it comes to MMA, but likewise, I have no problem shutting my trap and letting others voice their own knowledge of the sport, but this is one occasion where I almost had to chime in and verbally layeth the smack down, as the saying goes.  I didn’t butt in, but I do, however, hope that the two young men in question stumble onto this article. 

Read more about why I think casual MMA fans are mistaken about Jon Fitch

Jon Fitch; really? Jon Fitch; really!

Aug

4

2. Ultimate Fighting Championship
UFCBluntly speaking, the UFC is responsible for bringing the sport of MMA to the masses, which increased its revenue, which allowed them to pay more fighters more money, which increased the talent level, which produces better fights, which keeps bringing in new and previous viewers alike, which is responsible for increasing revenue, which…get the picture? It’s a continuous cycle, and until that circle is broken by someone’s greed or stupidity, the trend will continue.

Read more about what it was like pre-UFC for MMA

Todays MMA; Top 10 Reasons for the Success of Modern MMA Part V

Aug

4

Carrying on the theme from the previous video - A Tribute to the Flying Knee - today we have Headhunters: The Top 15 Head Kicks of MMA. It is unsurprising that Cro Cop features heavily along with the most ironic moment in MMA with the Gonzaga knockout. Props go again to comrad101. Enjoy!

Headhunters - Top 15 Head Kicks of MMA (video)

Aug

4

There may be no other sport that is as confused about their training than combative sports. With the immense growth of the UFC, Pride, and other MMA associations, fighters and their coaches have embraced modern strength and conditioning. Coaches still often fall into some very common traps:

Read more about how to use kettlebells and sandbags in your training

Fighting Strength: Combining Kettlebells and Sandbags

Aug

3

4. Dana White
WhiteWhile the Fertittas are the financial backing and visionaries of the most powerful and popular MMA organization in the world, Dana White is the gas in the tank. He is where the rubber meets the road, if you will. Without him, the UFC would have become just another bad investment that we wouldn’t even remember seven years later, let alone be talking about. The Fertittas own the company, White runs it, and runs it well. One day we will look back on the name, Dana White, and put him into the same sentence with people like Paul Tagliabue, David Stern, Bud Selig, and Don King.

3. The Gracie family It is almost offensive that so many younger MMA fans don’t know the history behind the Gracie name. In the Gracieearly 1900’s a Japanese immigrant to Brazil, and Jiu-Jitsu and Judo master, named Mitsuo Maeda taught his arts to a young Carlos Gracie, who later taught his new skills to his brothers. The brothers took these fighting styles to the streets of Brazil where they refined, reshaped, and honed the techniques in to what we now know to be Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Read more to learn about the founding of the UFC

Todays MMA; Top 10 Reasons for the Success of Modern MMA Part IV

Aug

3

If I accosted a MMA fan and pointed out to them that fighters are not actors and that all that “entertainment” on your monthly pay per view is very real I’d probably elicit a very quizzical expression and a “But of course” or “Obviously.” Despite that I have progressively begun to wonder how obvious the very real and very human side to MMA is. It may be obvious when it is pointed out but when one considers what people say and their behavior then those things do not match with it being so obvious. It may be obvious when considered but it does not appear to be apparent moment to moment in the minds of many a follower of MMA.

As we have established, fighters are not actors in a pre-written movie getting paid to play a role. When the show is over it’s not a couple of laughs back stage, a hearty pat on the back for a job well done and onto the next show. To some degree there is jubilant celebration for the winner. However for every winner in mixed martial arts there must be a looser. Someone must be defeated. And I cannot think of a sport more demanding upon the looser then MMA. Not only do they loose, get paid less then the victor, but they also more often then not take a crushing beating in the process.

Read more about the very human side of MMA

MMA - The Ultimate Reality TV

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