The Ultimate Coach (Part 2)

At first glance, Rampage's path to being named an Ultimate Coach might seem a bit odd. He struggled in PRIDE, knocked out one of the biggest stars on the planet, and then defeated the man who knocked out Wanderlei. However, the man formally known as Quinton holds no candle to Forrest Griffin.

With all of his successes in the Octagon, it's easy to forget that Forrest started his UFC journey as a TUF alum. He won the very first installment of the show with a scintillating three-round slugfest against Stephen Bonnar. The fight was so exciting that it's viewership actually increased during the fight -- people were calling their friends and telling them to watch what was happening. Many recognize this fight as one of the greatest of all time, and even more recognize it as fight that saved the UFC. If nothing else, it at least set the groundwork for the future seasons of this popular series. In other words, Forrest got himself a job that he didn't even know he was applying for.

Ever since that fight against Stephen Bonnar, Griffin's career has been up and down, but it's always been one thing -- exciting. Whether he was knocking out legendary Elvis Sinosic or losing a close but exciting decision to Tito Ortiz (called the fight of the year in 2005), Griffin has done it with a tough guy "I just want to fight" attitude. This is one of the reasons, along with his "everyman" personality, that makes him a great choice for both the show and the title shot.

However, it wasn't long ago that Griffin seemed to be out of the title picture and certainly out of sorts. At UFC 66, he was knocked out early by Keith Jardine, which handed him a second loss in three fights. It appeared that he was destined to remain in that middle class of 205 pounders. He rebounded with an expected win against Hector Ramirez. Unfortunately (or at least it seemed unfortunate at the time), he was booked against newcomer and #1 ranked LHW Mauricio "Shogun" Rua It was well known that if Rua won, he was going to be granted a title shot against Rampage Jackson. In other words, Forrest was the stepping stone. But when the bell rang, all conventions changed. Shogun looked out matched, out cardioed, and out just about anything else you could be. Forrest appeared to be cruising to a decision when, late in the third and final round, he ripped the decision out of the judges hands when he secured a deep Rear Naked Choke for the submission victory.

Forrest earned his initial TUF victory over Bonnar and there's no question that he earned the right to coach against Rampage Jackson in TUF 7. It should be an exciting season with two talented and entertaining coaches.

The Ultimate Coach (Part 1)

All of the past seasons of The Ultimate Fighter have featured some of the biggest money earners and long-time legends as coaches. Names like Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, and Ken Shamrock are just some of the stars who have coached the up-and-coming fighters in the world's premiere fighting reality show. This season, the seventh installment of the popular reality series, should prove to be different. And it all starts with one of the coaches, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

He hasn't been around that long (just three UFC fights), but his appearances have made an indelible mark on both the sport and the organization. He's not one of the biggest money earners or the most well known fighters, but when you don't lose in nearly three years, knock out Chuck Liddell, and have the best sense of humor in the sport, it's easy to rise to the top. And that's exactly what Jackson has done.

After a quick tune up against Marvin Eastman, Jackson made everyone forget about his PRIDE appearances as he made short work of then-unbeatable Liddell. Before the fight, it was easy to call Jackson just another contender, considering his embarrassing losses at the hands of Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua. The knockout of Liddell and subsequent decision of Henderson erased all doubts as to who is the top 205 pounder. It's even made MMA analysts question how the ex-Chute Boxe prodigies would far against the seemingly-changed Jackson.

We may get to see Rampage avenge those brutal losses, but not until he finishes with The Ultimate Fighter and Forrest Griffin. While he's not as well known to the sports world as an Ortiz or Liddell, it should take about ten minutes into the first episode for UFC exes to realize they made a great decision. Jackson's explosive combination of fists and personality should make for excellent coaching and even better television.

Unfortunately, the end of this reality road won't be easy. He'll be rewarded for his coaching and ratings increase with a tough match up against fan favorite Forrest Griffin, who is fresh off a win against the man who destroyed Rampage, Mauricio Rua. This will certainly be a point of discussion when their title fight rolls around.

Check back next week for Part 2 of The Ultimate Coach as we examine Forrest Griffin and his unusual path to coaching stardom.

Ultimate Fighter: From the Gutter to Pay-Per-View - Part I

Martial Arts enthusiasts have a reputation for being honorable, highly skilled and self disciplined. Their study of the Martial Arts genre of their choice leads them forward on a path of self-improvement. Their physical training requires a mental attitude of devotion to an ideal. They strive to reach their physical potential through time-honored practices and a personal commitment to excellence. However, as well as the student's competition with himself, competition with others is a natural, healthy outgrowth of his pursuit of excellence. Without competition and the honest assessment of their own weak and strong points, how would a student of Martial Arts know whether or not his performance is improving? The drive to excel comes with the inevitable drive to exceed the skill level of comparable students. This normal human desire to compete and to win is the basis for all organized sporting events. It has long been evident that there is an appeal for spectators in sporting displays of Mixed Martial Arts. The spectators are made up of people of all skill levels. Everyone enjoys seeing a competition between experts. Whether the spectator is actively involved in the sport or is a couch potato with no athletic skills, he can appreciate watching a hard-won victory, or a crushing defeat. It is not only entertaining during the match, but spectators frequently become fans of particular contenders. This fan base is the support beneath the current popularity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

What exactly is the Ultimate Fighting Championship?

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is a business, which was founded in 1993 by Art Davie and Rorion Gracie. Art Davie's background was in advertising and promotion, and Rorion Gracie is a member of the family, which has given its name to Brazilian wrestling, (also known as Gracie Jiu Jitsu.) The Gracie family has long been a multi-generational powerhouse in the Mixed Martial Arts field. Rorion's dedication to Brazilian Wrestling stems from his belief that this style of fighting is the best system for self defense in a street fight. So, when Davie and Gracie combined their skills and interests in the "Ultimate Fighting Championship," it was a real crowd pleaser that struck a chord with certain MMA fans.

The UFC sought to bring more safety and less controversy to matches which are known as No Holds Barred fights. As the name implies, this form of Mixed Martial Arts is a dangerous and sometimes deadly sport. The recent death of Texas MMA contestant, Sammy Vasquez only highlights the extreme nature of MMA fighting. The UFC takes steps to minimize the preventable dangers inherent in the staging of such fights. Despite the UFC's stringent rules, fighters take a calculated risk when stepping up to a UFC challenge.

UFC's New, Improved " No Holds Barred" Competitions.

Even though the promoters of UFC used the line, "There are no rules, " the organizers did, in fact, make it clear to contestants that certain tactics were not to be used. Contestants were warned that head butting was discouraged, along with the pulling of hair, and direct groin strikes. Furthermore, as public outcry caused an outright ban of Ultimate Fighting in thirty-six states more restrictions were introduced. There was a total ban on the gouging of eyes and on the use of teeth by the opponents. With the introduction of weight classes, the five-minute round and the inadmissibility of head and rear neck strikes, the spectacle gradually became less horrifying. All contestants had to wear gloves, also. This reduced the amount of blood spilled, drastically. With all these precautions in place, the UFC finally gained some mainstream acceptance. But it was still a young sport, and selling it to the general public was not yet possible, despite its popularity with its fans.

When the Feritta brothers and Dana White bought UFC in 2001, the entire operation was put under the control of Zuffa, LLC. Although the UFC had been driven underground by public outcry, the new owners were able to re-introduce it in a reality –show setting, with great success. The televised Ultimate Fighter series has now had 6 successful seasons, and is preparing for its 7th. It has gradually grown in acceptability and as it approaches 2008, appears to be the fastest growing sport in the United States.

Has The Violence in MMA Taken Its Toll?

The death of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Sam Vasquez on November 30 sparked renewed fears and debate about the safety of the sport. In a sanctioned fight six weeks prior to his death, Vasquez was knocked unconscious by his opponent Vince Libardi. He reportedly had a stroke in hospital, suffered multiple blood clots in his brain, and never recovered from a coma.

MMA is a sport where fighters trained in multiple disciplines of martial arts such as karate, judo, kickboxing; wrestling and boxing are matched against one another in a bid to become the best overall combat artist. The free-for-all aspects of the sport, violence and intensity have contributed to its escalating popularity. Widespread acceptance in the mainstream has increased.

The sport was also banned in many states of the U.S. in its formative years before its first official government sanctioned fight staged in September 2000. Prior to the ban, MMA featured matches with a lack of definite rules, and competitors would often resort to underhand methods such as groin kicks, punches thrown to the back of the head and throat, and hair pulling to achieve their aims of winning. Since then, the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts have been implemented and adopted in various forms by organizations. A reduction of such fighting tactics has reduced relatively. One could say the introduction of rules have increased the protection of MMA fighters from dangerous techniques.

Sanctioned bouts in reality also provide another layer of protection for the sport’s participants. Promoters are required to purchase insurance for the fighters as medical cover in case of injuries arising from the fights. Ready on-scene medical aid is also a pre-requisite for sanctioning.

Many MMA fights feature brutality and gore of a graphic nature. Bloodshed can occur, and broken bones are often the result of enthusiastic and determined competitors. This nature of the sport has lent fuel to the arguments of MMA’s opponents who demand that it be banned. Some have compared MMA unfavorably to boxing, claiming that while the latter restricts punches to the head and body, MMA allows contact with most areas on a person except the most dangerous like the back of the head and neck. Unfortunately, they also fail to point out the other alternatives to win a MMA fight such as through submissions or tap-outs. These fights can sometimes see no punches or kicks landed.

The negative comparisons to boxing do not end there. In response to boxers facing hundreds of powerful punches to the head, its promoters say thick padded gloves are worn, while MMA fighters only wore light padded ones, which are designed more for grappling than for striking. What they did not mention was that boxing gloves were designed to protect boxers’ hands, due to the ferocity and quantity of punches they throw to knock an opponent out. On the other hand, MMA fighters can resort to other techniques to achieve victory, which do not necessitate forceful impact.

As of November 2007, the Manuel Vasquez Boxing Fatality Collection1 lists 1,465 deaths in boxing. MMA has only 2 documented deaths from fights, one sanctioned (Sam Vasquez) and the other from an unsanctioned fight in the Ukraine. While MMA might not have a rabid opponent collecting such official statistic as Manuel Vasquez, the large gap in numbers does make for a telling fact.

Another argument that lends weight to MMA’s dangerous nature being over exaggerated is the fact that its fights are structured to offer minimal sustained physical trauma to participants. Matches are either 3 or 5 rounds of 5 minutes each, depending on the nature of the fight. Again, competitors are allowed to tap-out, whereas in other sparring sports a win must either be achieved via knockout or points decision if fighters last the pace.

In 2006, the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine2 conducted a survey of the injury incidence rates in MMA relative to other combat sports in the state of Nevada, and found that while it was similar to others, the lower knockout rate in comparison to boxing also leads to less brain injuries (which is a common side-effect experienced by boxers as they age).

As long as the sport continues to improve its regulation and watch out for the safety of its competitors, MMA poses less danger than a sport like boxing. MMA fighters are also known to respect their opponents’ well being in the octagonal ring, and which winning via knockout is a possibility, it is never mandatory nor the primary aim of every MMA competitor. Just as any other sport that features levels of violence, the dangers of MMA will always be subjected to scrutiny. With a concerted effort by the community as a whole to always improve these aspects, MMA should remain a relatively safer combat style than most other established sports.


Footnotes:
1.Archive of the Manual Vasquez Boxing Fatality Collection by Joseph R. Svinth (http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsart_svinth_a_0700.htm)
2.Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (http://www.jssm.org/combat/1/18/v5combat-18text.php)

MMA MySpace Layouts

Martial Base will be designing a few different mixed martial arts fighter MySpace layouts in January 2008. Please be sure to put your vote in and tell us what fighters you would like to have for your MySpace layout! Place your vote in the right-hand column of our blog.

What is the Martial Arts School Finder & How Can it Benefit My Martial Art School?

Are you eager to attract many more students to fill your martial arts classes? Looking to extend your martial arts school’s reach within the region and beyond? If you are seeking exposure, attention and increased client enrollment to what your martial art school has to offer, the Martial Arts School Finder is your ultimate online advertising solution that can provide all these, and much more.

A brainchild of Martial Base by Terry Doll, the Martial Arts School Finder offers one of the largest online directories of martial arts schools in the United States today, with over 20,000 institutions of various martial art styles listed. Now into version 2, it has extensive search and informational capabilities for all martial art schools that have chosen it as their premier advertising solution.

Anyone keen to find out more and learn any martial arts can simply browse all the martial art schools available within their state and city. They can also search for a martial art school for a particular combat style within any combination of state, city and even zip code within the United States!

The search results not only cover the basic contact details of each martial art school, they are further enhanced by:

• A Google map feature that has clickable markers to show any school’s location information;
  


• Personal reviews, where available, are also provided by students;
  


• Easily contact each martial art school directly through the new Martial Arts School Finder communication feature;
  


• Highly intuitive and user-friendly navigation layout;
  


• For non-map readers, the Martial Arts School Finder is a boon by giving directions to the school of your choice.
  

Above and beyond the basic online exposure for your martial arts school provided by such a platform, what other excellent benefits and additional features does the Martial Arts School Finder offer you?

• Dedicated Martial Arts Portal: Unlike traditional offline advertising and other online advertising portals (e.g. Online Yellow Pages) which commonly offer only basic business information, the Martial Arts School Finder is a dedicated and appealing martial arts portal for all martial arts practitioners, perspective students, and fans alike;
  


• Online Authority: Martial Base is a growing online authority on all things martial arts, including news, event and ticketing information, online store, a blog and more. All visitors are relevant and within your targeted market;
  


• Geo-targeted Advertising: Advertising solution based on your martial art school geographic location
  


• High Traffic Site: With opportunities for maximum exposure on the most popular pages, serving several thousands of page views per week;
  


• Featured Martial Art School: Professional review of your school with prominent placement such as on the Martial Base homepage;
  


• Global Reach: Online platform that extends exposure to a worldwide potential;
  


• Brand Development: Build your school’s brand through personal reviews and testimonials from previous and current students;
  


• Communication Tool: Centralized communication management of clients and potential leads (Martial Arts Virtual Lead Box);
  


• Maximum Performance: Optimized and fast platform that enables smooth and seamless navigation and site performance.
  

Martial Base also strives to provide the best advertising service available anywhere to all our clients. Not only are our advertising solutions affordable, we are dead serious in ensuring that you receive the best bang for every advertising dollar spent.

To assist our ceaseless efforts in improving our services, we have a variety of value-added services designed to greatly increase the chances of your advertising campaigns’ success. These include our in-house SEO excellence and paid programs that invest advertising revenue on focused CPC campaigns to drive highly targeted traffic to your martial art school listings. We also continually enhance our listings to include additional useful on-demand information that highlights your martial art business.

Our Martial Art School Advertising services are not restricted to any one solution. We are always open to any special ideas that you may have. We truly believe in applying a human touch to what we do, and this translates to flexibility and personalization for all clients.

As the premier martial arts online advertising solution, we pride ourselves on “trying harder” than all other online martial art school directories. Our Martial Arts School Finder not only provides breadth, it has depth in its sophisticated search results. This gives us a unique, market-leading product. Our efforts to outdo ourselves will constantly result in creative and innovative services.

We invite you to try our different advertising packages that suit your various business needs. The surge in popularity and increasing mainstream acceptance of martial arts as both a sport and lifestyle has opened up endless possibilities for the industry. Join the over 20,000 martial art schools today that have taken advantage of our relevant and unique solutions, and start to enjoy maximum returns and growth for your martial arts business with the Martial Arts School Finder!

The Champions of MMA – Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture

Within the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) arena, there are two names, which commonly crop up in most discussions – Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture. These two fighters are widely acknowledged as the most popular fighters of their generation, with Fedor gaining global recognition and formally ranked as the overall top ranked MMA fighter in the world.

Ukrainian Fedor was born in 1976 into a family, which saw all 3 sons involved in MMA at varying levels. He specialized in the martial arts of Sambo, which was a combat style created in the old Soviet Union, and Judo, for which he won medals competing in the national championships of Russia. Despite lacking in natural strength and talent in his early years, Fedor more than made up with his dogged determination to improve and mental strength.

Due to his then financial situation, or lack of it, Fedor entered the MMA industry in 2000. He was just 25 years old then and trained in his formative MMA years as part of the Russian Top Team. This relationship eventually soured after winning the PRIDE Heavyweight title, where he first fought in 2002 at PRIDE 21. At PRIDE 25 in March, 2003, Fedor finally won his first Heavyweight title as a huge underdog against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. It was a unanimous decision and entered Fedor into the history books as only the second ever PRIDE Heavyweight Champion.

Throughout his blossoming MMA career, Fedor has only encountered one professional loss while garnering 27 wins and a single no contest. This happened against Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in 2000, on the back of a controversial incident where the fight was stopped due to an early injury to Fedor. Displaying his famed resolve and unrivaled fighting skills, the Ukrainian has since then remained unbeaten in all fights, including taking his revenge over Kohsaka a few years later in 2005 at PRIDE Bushido 6. His last professional victory came in April 2007 where he defeated Matt Lindland via an armbar submission at the Clash of the Nations BodogFIGHT.

In a display of his single-mindedness, Fedor has refused to join the UFC after its takeover of PRIDE. In protracted negotiations that saw both sides locked in a war of words, Fedor accused UFC President Dana White of hypocrisy. It was also possible that UFC contract demands of exclusive rights to all fighters’ brands and images did not sit well with the 2007 World Combat Sambo Champion. This endeared him further to fans as they looked up to Fedor going up against Dana, whom many felt had continually disrespected MMA fighters. Fedor has since signed to UFC competitor M1-Global, where his next scheduled fight would be on New Year’s Eve in Japan, against the man-giant Korean kick boxer, Hong-Man Choi.

Prior to this development, the UFC had tried to sign Fedor, as part of a bid to pit him against their current Heavyweight Champion, Randy Couture. While Fedor is regarded as the most popular MMA fighter worldwide, Randy Couture is the poster-boy of the UFC. An iconic figure of the organization and the top MMA exponent in the United States, Randy caught the imagination of MMA fans the world over when he captured the UFC Heavyweight title from Tim Sylvia. This came after his return from retirement and was achieved in difficult circumstances owing to his age (Couture was 43 then).

Randy’s legend has also solidified on the back of being the only UFC fighter in history to become a champion after entering its Hall of Fame. Widely regarded to be one of the most popular MMA fighters of all time, Randy has also cemented his fame by being the only UFC fighter to win titles in two different weight divisions, as well as the only person to win five UFC championships.

Randy has all the pre-requisites of an American sports star. He served his country in the U.S. Army, was an Olympic team representative and multiple college All-American. The U.S. fans love their patriots, and Randy Couture is a man many Americans can identify with.

To illustrate his enduring popularity with MMA fans - when Randy Couture announced his resignation from the UFC in October 2007, citing disgust with his treatment by the UFC and lack of justifiable financial reward, many fans leapt to his side. Fans felt that their champion had been dealt a bad hand as he received even less money compared to other UFC contestants such as Chuck Liddell. The UFC also offered Fedor a $10 million contract, which Randy could never hope to receive, even as their champion. His decision to resign has since then, prompted many industry observers to sound the death knell for the UFC.

Both Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture display all the characteristics of world-class champions – immense physical and mental resolve, dedication to their discipline, vast inner talent, and the personalities and charisma to match. While one rules the roost in his home country and current hotbed of MMA, the other has reached the pinnacle of the sport globally. The mark of champions burns brightly on both men.

The Decline & Rise of the UFC

Entering its 15th year as the marquee organization of mixed martial arts (MMA) sports events, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has seen a dramatic surge in popularity in recent years. Emerging from 2006 as the top grossing pay-per-view (PPV) promotion generating over $200 million in revenue, beating even the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and boxing, UFC programs have a global reach of all countries via satellite.

The UFC features tournaments based on a hybrid sport which brings together top athletes from various martial arts disciplines such as jiu-jitsu, boxing, karate, Thai boxing to wrestling, in a bid to become the champion fighter.

However, with its iconic champion Randy Couture reiterating his decision to retire from the sport on CNBC’s documentary “Ultimate Fighting: From Bloodsport To Big Time”, questions have again been raised on the UFC’s ability to maintain its popularity. With other promotions waiting in its wings, will the UFC survive growing competition to remain on top?

This would not be the first time the UFC has had to face such challenges. Championing a sport once maligned as “human cockfighting”, the UFC was roundly banned in many states during the late 1990s. Yet, fast forward to 2007 and MMA has found widespread mainstream acceptance. The UFC also enjoyed another bumper year with the acquisition of competitors World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), Pride and World Fighting Alliance (WFA). The clamor for the sport to be included as part of the Olympics, has also added to its credibility.

Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of the UFC, has built a proven track record of promoting MMA events. Through widespread advertising and securing corporate sponsorships, Zuffa improved the UFC’s visibility, mainly via pay-per-view. PPV buy rates shot through the roof in 2006 and led to phenomenal growth of the company. Many were expecting more this year.

The recent Moody credit downgrade had been attributed to PPV numbers trending down. Observers have reacted negatively and accused Zuffa of greed as the quantity of the UFC PPV shows have increased with a marked decrease in quality. Whether this has led to lower overall revenues is anybody’s guess. President Dana White has steadfastly refused to divulge any official figures.

Many have also questioned the buyout of rival organization Pride earlier this year. The UFC has not produced any shows of significance since the buyout. Zuffa has also not made any strong inroads to the Japanese and overall Asian markets, on which the Pride brand was developed. Has it been a case of money flushed down the drain?

It is still too early to gauge the success of Zuffa’s buyout of Pride. They could still be trying to secure a TV deal in Japan, or it might simply have been a business decision. The acquisition effectively meant the company owns all rights to the potentially lucrative Pride brand, and eliminates one of their top competitors in the MMA field, at least for the time being.

The UFC also stands to benefit with the crossing over of the best Pride fighters to their stable of stars. This will contribute to an increase in fan base as supporters of these fighters turn their sights on the UFC. Japanese fans could also migrate to the UFC, although a void has also resulted with which previous Pride rivals like K-1 could be ready to fill.

Another less acknowledged fact is that the UFC has always worked to be in line with regulations, ever since it received sanctioning in 2001 from the Nevada Athletic Commission. Not only does it help to improve the organization’s legitimacy, it is smart business acumen to play by the rules to ensure longevity. This exact conformity revived the organization and the sport as a whole, returning them to TV screens and the public’s subconscious.

Many other competing organizations might look to increase the violence in their products as the UFC continues to form stricter rules. The more blood and gore you have, the more fans might be drawn to it. But given the choice of being in business after the next 10 years or to be banned, it should be a pretty clear decision. Witness the backlash felt by the International Fight League (IFL) when the premiere of IFL Battleground in early 2007 was roundly derided for its perceived glorification of violence. The key is to provide a continuing spectacle within the boundaries allowed, and the UFC has perfected that to a fine art.

The UFC occupies the prime seat in terms of popularity and reach, with its Spike TV deal. Its competitors such as the IFL and M-1 Global might currently be the preferred options with the most popular MMA fighter Fedor Emelianenko. This comes amidst negative publicity of the UFC disrespecting its fighters. Still, how often in sports have we seen that an individual does not make a team? Other fighters lurk in the shadows to take over, and the UFC offers the best global stage to display their talents.

The UFC might be facing a mini crisis with their top draw Randy Couture, but the path to success is often paved with temporary failures. M-1 Global, in particular, is waiting to pounce as they attempt to build partnerships with other organizations. But what other competitors have in budding enthusiasm and eye for quick profit, the UFC more than makes up for with their experience, early niche foothold, sound business fundamentals and financial resources.

The UFC will continue to rule the roost for some time yet, as recent results have shown. What might be uncertain is how long this will continue. You can never rule out other possibilities. The UFC has strong fan interest, while backed by savvy marketing and shrewd creativity. If they clean up their act with regards to fighters’ accusations of poor treatment and financial payouts, it would be unwise to discount the UFC from growing strength to strength.

How To Get Into The UFC

In today’s dynamic MMA landscape, there are a myriad of ways to successfully enter the sport. These paths are as diverse as the styles which the sport’s fighters employ. From being in the right place at the right time to being called in as a specialist, with the right skill and a little bit of luck, anyone can achieve their dreams of fighting for a major MMA organization.

Martial Base writer Ben Zeidler sat down with UFC fighter Drew McFedries to ask him about how he got his start. The beginnings are about as humble as they get. “Really, I don’t know how I got in. I had been training at MFS [Miletich Fighting Systems] for years. I was just coming out of my battle with Crohn’s disease and I was helping Sam Hoger train for Rashad [Evans] at that point, and somehow I managed to get into pretty good shape. I had a local show that was for an extreme challenge or something. My manager said “Hey, you’re doing well, lets look for more fights.” I didn’t know he’d be looking into the UFC. I was doing fights for 600 bucks, you know? He says “I got a fight for you. The guy’s name is Allesio Sakara.” I was thinking “Why would he come to Iowa?” And that’s when he told me that it was for the UFC. I asked him if he was serious…I couldn’t believe it. Here’s the kicker: he called me 17 days out so I only got 14 or 15 days of training. [I] fought Sakara [and] won that fight and it was just a great experience. I’ve never had [a] thrill ride like that. I was lucky enough to train with guys who are really good and I was just helping guys get ready for fights but I got into such good shape and the UFC opportunity came up.”

For guys like McFedries, and most of the non-household names in the UFC, simply being around some of the best trainers and consistently staying in shape is the best route to a major fighting organization. However, if you’re a specialist with existing talent in one field of MMA, you would be wise to follow the Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou route, who was originally brought into Team Quest to help Dan Henderson trains his Judo for an upcoming fight. When he was simply a Judo specialist, none of the majors were looking at Sokoudjou. But, with some Team Quest experience and Henderson’s word, Sokoudjou was a shoe-in for PRIDE FC and eventually, the UFC.

During an interview with Sokoudjou, he told us the following story: “I met him in November before his Nakamura fight. They were looking for a judo guy to help him train and they called me in and he beat me up bad. I was 240 and he was 183 and he still beat me up pretty bad. Then, they called me in again before Machida. I used to think that MMA was just a bunch of guys in their underwear in a cage, but after training with them, I really respect the sport.”

With skills like Sokoudjou or determination like Drew, any aspiring fighter can make their way to the big time.

Martial Base Christmas Give Away!

The hottest Mixed Martial Arts game is here! The newly anticipated video game World of Mixed Martial Arts has arrived and is making a huge splash with MMA fans everywhere. We have two copies available to give away which are compliments of Grey Dog Software. In order to be elgible to have a chance to receive a copy, just subscribe to our newsletter. All you need to do is enter your name and email address at Martial Base and you will be automatically entered in a drawing to receive a copy before Christmas. Winners of the game will be listed on Martial Base. Go ahead just enter your name and email at Martial Base for a chance to win World of Mixed Martial Arts video game!

Martial Arts Weight Lifting

The student of martial arts can intensify his physical workouts by adding weight training to his regimen. Likewise the bodybuilder can build grace and precision to his training by studying martial arts.

Both disciplines involve the training and strengthening of the human body. There are two kinds of competition in both regimens. Each has a tournament system, where the practitioners can compete for honor, or for prizes. There is a public competition, bringing in audiences mainly composed of family and friends. But there is also a private, competitive component to each of the training systems, which may be more important to the student than the public displays. This is the competition that the student has with himself. How perfectly can I execute the stance? How quickly can I put my body through the routine, without sacrificing quality? Can I do better today than I did yesterday? Do I need to re-examine my understanding of what is required here? Am I progressing? The answers to these internal questions will affect the student's progress, perhaps more than the public performances will.

The serious student will understand that the combination of these two regimens should not be started simultaneously. It is best to gain proficiency in one before adding the other. If the learning curve is too steep, it may discourage the student into giving up and losing the chance to benefit from the combination of these two activities.

Martial arts is a system of strengthening and training the body to promote self-reliance and to render the student capable of self defense. Weight training is a system of strengthening the body by putting increasingly heavier and heavier demands upon it. Its stylized appearance was not originally for show, but like everything else has become a spectator event. The movements of weightlifting or weight training were originally developed to ensure the safety of the practitioner. Now power-lifting stars use those stances with flair and drama. Many project their image of perfection by using oil to make their muscles glisten, and taking to keep their hair gelled into place!

Just as there are hundreds of kinds of martial arts; there are multiple branches of discipline in the weight training community. This variety stems from the fact that people have been trying to train themselves for strength and self-defense since people have lived together in community groups. Every group has its bullies!


The recommended way to combine martial arts and weight training is to alternate sessions by doing martial arts one day and weight training on the next. That way, the muscles, which are being tested one day, have a rest on the next day. One standard which is true of all weight and strength training is that the student works on achieving the move with precision, and then starts doing repetitions in sets of five, then ten and so on. Then he builds to repetitions of sets.

Another standard, which is true of all martial arts, is that the student accepts his position as humble learner, and agrees to abide by his master's rules. Thus, in both cases, the participants put aside their own ideas and open their minds to the already accepted wisdom. This is another reason why the two disciplines combine so productively. Any boastful or selfish attitudes are contrary to the overall philosophies behind each activity.

Recently, there has been great interest in the Russian weight-training tool, the kettle bell. Pavel Tsatsouline is a promoter of the use of kettle bells through his company, Power by Pavel, Inc.

Kettle bells have been a staple of Russian Society since the middle ages, where the army and Olympic athletes used them. Until recently they had not made much of an impact on the western world. But thanks to Pavel's efforts, their growing popularity has made them available wherever weight training is endorsed. These cast iron balls have a handle on them and are used by swinging them, not by lifting.. They are sold with the promise of an increase of all that is desirable in a body, (endurance, flexibility etc) and a corresponding decrease in everything undesirable, ( fat, stress etc.)

Their western popularity has prompted the manufacturing sector to make them more attractive by offering them in many different weights and at least one new color; red. There is also a whole line of Kettle bell accessories now available. Kettle bells are supposedly endorsed by chiropractic doctors because of the back strength they can help people develop.

As long as these weight-training tools are used safely they can be a productive addition to a martial arts and weight training routine.

Is MMA training right for me?

So you are one of the millions of fans around the world that has become addicted to the life of the Ultimate Fighters on Spike TV. You would love to be just like them and train to become a MMA fighter and maybe one day step into that ring and give your all for the sport you love to sit on the couch and watch. Are you sure about that!?! Before you go diving into your local martial arts school in hopes that you are going to become the next Ultimate Fighter, you need to read the following information.

MMA is mixed martial arts. This means that you are going to be learning a large variety of martial arts training and conditioning that goes far beyond anything you have ever imagined. To become an MMA fighter takes absolute dedication to the sport and a change in your entire lifestyle. Not only would you train differently, you would also eat differently, sleep differently, and live differently. Training for this sport will not only affect you but it will also affect your family and friends. Get used to not seeing a lot of your wife and kids while you are in training. If you are not focused on what you are learning, then you can get hurt in that ring.

As a student of mixed martial arts, you will need to develop and perfect the skills of several variations of the martial arts genre. These variations will include boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai kickboxing, judo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Each of these will take some time to learn and a lifetime to master them. Learning the basics is not enough, you need to be able to quickly think on your feet and be able to transfer from one style to another in the blink of an eye.

Your body is your only weapon in this sport. Therefore the way you maintain your body is essential to your ability to perform in the ring. You will notice that none of the competitors in this sport are overweight or even have a hint of body fat on them. This is not a coincidence, it was meant this way. If your body is not in the best possible condition at all times, you will not be able to make it through the non-stop battles that you would encounter here. Smoking and drinking is another set of elements that are not tolerated in this sport. These will have an adverse effect on your body and would prevent you from having the stamina to last the entire fight without taking yourself out.

You may as well get used to running a lot everyday and working out everyday too. That’s what 90% of your daily routine will be for the rest of you career. You will work until you hurt and then you will actually start to work on your training. This is the most intense workout circuit you will ever see; even the US military has nothing on this sport! If you were in high school or college sports like football, you would have to work 10 times harder to prepare for the intensity of the workouts you will do as a warm up on a daily basis to become an MMA star.

If you are serious about becoming an MMA fighter, there are several schools popping up all over the country that offer various levels of training all the way from professional athletes down to young kids that want to learn the basics in this discipline. In addition to being a great physical endurance training course, it is also an excellent moral and confidence booster for the students as the start to reach their potential. These schools vary in methods of training used as well as costs associated with the training.

Best of luck in becoming an MMA fighter, and hope to see you on a future UFC event card! Just ask yourself one more question before you enter that ring…ARE YOU READY!

For more information on Muay Thai kickboxing or mixed martial arts at a school near you, be sure to visit the Martial Arts School finder online today!

What are the Most Popular and Successful Training Techniques for

When it comes to the training techniques of the world’s most talented fighters, their training techniques are as myriad as their styles. Yes, almost all of them start at least 8 weeks before the fight and usually maintain that they are always in very good shape. Yes, most of them spend thousands a year on their training facilities and individual trainers. And yes, they all think that their methods are the best. Over the last six months, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with some of the world’s top fighters and for the first time ever, I’d like to compile their responses here into a cohesive manual for the up-and-coming MMA fighter.

Almost all of the fighters we spoke with indicated that the mental edge the hold over a fighter is a huge factor in how well they will perform. Compare Chuck Liddell and Rampage Jackson at UFC 71. Liddell was tentative and didn’t look “mean” as he did against Tito, Babalu, Horn, or even in his loss against Couture. Meanwhile, Page looked downright excited (and prepared) for the fight. Denis Kang agreed with this assessment, telling us “the mental aspect is everything you could say.”

Another popular technique of the elite is molding the training to the specific opponent. I was talking to Georges St. Pierre just the other day and he said that “you don’t train for Matt Hughes the same way you train for Matt Serra.” Other than the obvious difference in talent between the two Matts, St. Pierre was also alluding to dealing with Serra’s Jiu Jitsu against Hughes’ wrestling. When I spoke with Dan Henderson prior to his UFC 75 fight with Rampage, he was quick to admit that he was changing his training techniques to appropriately counter Rampage’s strengths. Henderson said “I’m obviously going to switch it up and do more elbows to the face and head. I brushed up on my wrestling and my standup, so it’s business as usual with some specifics in mind.

Often, similar to the ways in which fighters will train for a specific opponent, they will also train in reaction to a win or a loss. If something goes right during the fight, the winning fighter wants to make sure he will be able to replicate that performance. If a fighter gets caught by a weakness in his game, his training should mirror that deficiency. Chuck Liddell talked to us about this after his UFC 71 loss: “John has been working on my defense a little bit more…I made a mistake and got caught; it’s just a part of the game. I have gotten away with that punch for a long time, this time I didn’t.”

One of the most popular techniques which often seems to translate into wins in a holistic approach, incorporating many different styles and disciplines. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou got his MMA start by being Dan Henderson’s personal Judo coach when Henderson was preparing for a fight during his PRIDE career. Andrei Arlovski, despite having a fight booked, outlined for us the way in which he stays in top shape: “I always try to keep in shape. I take a couple of weeks off after a fighter and then go back to the gym. I get to work on technique for boxing, Jiu Jitsu, and wrestling and other things that need help.” UFC Veteran Elvis Sinosic echoed these suggestions: “I trained in all the different styles trying to find the best blend of what really works. That is why our MMA program consists of BJJ, Muay Thai, and Wrestling. All these are tried and tested arts. Their training is applied and used every time. Combined in the right way, they give you best combination for fighting or self-defense.”

Are Women Professional MMA Fighters for Real?

From the world of the Ultimate Fighter started a few years ago by two brothers that have taken a small hobby and turned it into a multi-million dollar industry comes the latest innovation in mixed martial arts fighting. Introducing Fatal Femme’s Fighting! The ladies of ultimate fighting are taking the octagon by storm! Forget about little Susie homemaker and her kitchen apron, these ladies are on the hunt and ready to make the kill. You have never seen anything like this! It’s Ultimate Fighting for women.

In recent months, rumors have started to surface about Mixed Martial Arts fighting organizations like the Ultimate Fighter talking about allowing women to fight inside the octagon just like their male counterparts. Is this actually going to happen and what is the outlook for the sport if this does happen?

The truth is that it is already happening. Since the rise in popularity of the Ultimate Fighter series making MMA so popular over the last few years, there has become the evolvement of the women’s MMA fighting sport. The Primary organization for these women fighters is called the FFF (Fatal Femme’s Fighting Championship).

Much like any other case of “we can do anything you can do,” the FFF is a replicated version of the extremely successful UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). Same ring, same rules, same action…same popularity?

There are 32 female fighters from all over the world that are competing in the same ring the men use on pay-per-view events all year long. These women train just as hard as their male counterparts in learning the skills in martial arts and the “game” associated with the ultimate fighting world.

Many of the fans of the women’s fighter claim that the women are actually more brutal in the ring than the men are in their sport. We have all seen the catfights of women rolling around on the ring floor as portrayed in professional wrestling, this is not the case with the women fighters. Pulling hair and breaking nails are not an issue in this sport! These women are out to break bones and earn a paycheck doing it.

Most people asked seem to be ok with the idea of women fighting in the MMA arena with the ultimate fighter competition. Besides, what man would miss the chance to see two grown women beat the crap out of each inside a fenced cage? There are however some concerns about this adaptation to this sport as expected. Boxing also had a brief run of women based competitions in the early 90’s but it quickly fell out of site due to a limited number of qualified participants available to compete against each other without having the same matches over and over again.

Some other concerns include the concern that this may give younger girls the notion that problems can be solved with girl on girl fighting and violence. However, why isn’t anyone ever concerned that the boys watching their dad’s fight in that same ring will have the same conclusions too? One final concern about women entering the ultimate fighting world is due in part to the professional wrestling arena. How long would it take until someone someday thinks it would be a good idea to have a mixed sexes fight in that cage? That would open a whole other can of worms in this country of ours. Could you imagine that chaos? Men getting paid to commit what would otherwise be called domestic abuse!

Will this variation to the fighting sport take shape and become a staple in the world’s sporting network? That lies in the hands of the fans and if they are willing to continue to lay out the money to watch these events in the years to come. Perhaps one day they can become the “Divas” of the UFC! Only time will tell. With some luck and actual talent, this will not be another women’s boxing flop as we saw twenty years ago.

For those women that would to learn the skills of Mixed Martial Arts and would like to find a school near you, please visit the Martial Arts School Finder online today!