Get To Know: Gina Carano

It’s one of the largest paradoxes in mixed martial arts today: the “face of women’s MMA” has no job. That’s right: she’s as employed as the bum on the corner curb. Just a month ago, Gina Carano was pointing and jabbing her way to a seventh win. Now, she’s job hunting like Kimbo Slice and the rest of Jared Shaw’s motley crew.

Carano began on small shows and quickly, within a three fight span, made her way from local stages to EliteXC showdowns. It was there – partially due to her good looks, but more due to her innate ability – that Carano started turning heads. She won fight of the night honors in her first EliteXC bout and went on to produce some of the most watched fights in MMA television history.

It is unknown where Carano will end next, but what is known is that the imprint she has made on MMA is indelible. Not just a factor in the realm of women’s MMA, she has challenged the public’s conception of what MMA fighters should be. Even the UFC has taken note, entertaining ideas of a women’s division. Even if they decide not to implement a division, the mere fact that Carano has introduced the discussion is groundbreaking.

In the last year, Carano was the fastest rising search on google and the third most searched person on Yahoo!. It’s clear that whether in the cage or not, Carano will be making waves in the news.

Couture Vs. Lesnar Presents Compelling Storylines

The fight between Hall Of Famer Randy Couture and relatively-green Brock Lesnar combines numerous storylines that are sure to pull in all types of MMA fans, hardcore and casual. For Couture, this fight means everything. He has tons to lose: his legacy, his world title, his standing in the UFC. If he wins, it means relatively nothing for his storied MMA career. Despite what the odds might tell you (they are even), this is Couture's fight to win. Yes, his wrestling will now be matched by a younger, stronger, and purer wrestler, but Randy is expected to win this fight.

Cut to Brock Lesnar, to whom this fight means everything. But unlike Randy's quest, which begins with him sitting proudly atop the division, Lesnar has everything to gain. If he loses the fight, who can fault him? Three fights in the UFC and already he's taking on one of the greatest champions of all time. This is the benefit of facing top-flight competition. If you lose, it's no big deal. If you win, it could mean the world. And if Lesnar wins at UFC 91, it will be mean the culmination of his blossoming career. He will have become a champion in less than three bouts, he will have dethroned Couture, and he most likely will have etched a permanent place in UFC history. Need any hint as to who the UFC is rooting for? Just check out Dana White's recent stint on CNBC. Or take a look at who has been included in the first set of UFC action figures. Brock's the answer to both questions, and he is the UFC's future. Once a Kimbo-esque renegade, Lesnar has truly transformed into something worth writing home about.

On November 15, 2008, fans should be treated to one of the greater wrestling spectaculars of all time. The UFC media machine will be pumping hard to get this one the largest gate of all time, and if you'd like to suggest they won't, be my guest. I won't buy anything less than an attendance record.

I expect to see Lesnar work Couture over early, winning the first two rounds with his size and strength. By the third, though, I think you'll see Couture figuring out just how to beat Lesnar. His experience should come into play in this bout as Couture will adapt his plan to Lesnar's particular strategy. I have it tied 38-38 going into the final round, and that's as far as I'm comfortable predicting on this one. The old adage is to never bet against Randy Couture and while I'm tempted to buy that yet again, Couture's never seen anything like Brock Lesnar.

UFC 87 Preview

There's no tip-toeing around the fact that UFC 87 is one of the most star-studded cards the MMA world has been treated to all year. The main card, specifically, provides both compelling match ups and a variety of weight class battles. For example, the five televised fights will represent all but one weight class (205 lbs.). Throw in a title fight, an ex-WWE wrestlers, and two of the world's top lightweight talents, and you have all the makings for an absolutely blockbuster night.

It will all start with a bout between Demian Maia and Jason MacDonald. The Brazilian and the Canadian are both submission wizards, having each won submission of the night honors on two separate occasions. On this night, however, only one will be able to win the award. Obviously, you can expect this fight to fly to the ground, where each man thinks he is the better fighter. It should be Maia, the former ADCC champion who ends up taking charge. The Base Pick: Maia, submission in round 2.

The next fight on the card, Manny Gamburyan and Rob Emerson, should be just the opposite. Gamburyan, the formerly injured TUFer and judo star (Parisyan's little cousin), can hang on the ground, but he likes to pound it out with the best of them. Emerson recently won a split decision against Nakamura, but was obviously the better fighter, at least in this blogger's humble opinion. This should stay on the feet with little action until a judo throw ends Emerson's night early. The Base Pick: Gamburyan, TKO in round 1.

What to do with Lesnar vs. Herring? The sexy pick is Lesnar, who should be much improved and much matured since his loss to Frank Mir. The smart pick, however, is Herring, who has had over 40 professional fights. To Lesnar's credit, he's agreed not to take easy fights. It's a credible ethic, but one which will ultimately see him being defeated again. The Base Pick: Herring, unanimous decision.

In one of the most anticipated lightweight bouts of the year (second to Penn/Sherk), Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta do battle in a match of the most evenly paired opponents in recent history. The odds about even on this one, and each man has about as many ways to win as the other. If it goes to a decision, it'll be Huerta. Florian's only chance is to apply a submission sometime during the three rounds. By the way, these will be the quickest and most exciting three rounds we've seen all year. The Base Pick: Huerta, unanimous decision.

The night could have ended with Florian/Huerta and fans would have been satisfied. But to our collective enjoyment, we get a welterweight title fight as well. Jon Fitch will be the toughest test Georges St. Pierre has had since the first time he faced Matt Hughes. Fitch is competent on the ground, on the feet, or wherever the fight may take him. However, GSP is probably just a little bit better in all those categories. Fitch will need to pull a Serra if he wants this one. Sorry, Jon. The Base Pick: St. Pierre, TKO in round 1.

What Does Rampage's Arrest Mean For MMA?

Within hours of Rampage’s latest tragedy, the MMA world was abuzz, discussing the largest victim of all – itself. Once everyone knew that Rampage wasn’t hurt nor did he hurt anyone else, the discussion inevitably turned to the unwanted publicity’s effect on the sport. Chris Leben had been sentenced to 90 days in jail, but he’s what Evan Williams is to Jack Daniels. Leben drew a blog post here and there, but there was no media firestorm and non-MMA outlets weren’t covering the story. But this is (was) MMA biggest star, its biggest mouth, and its biggest champion. When the biggest mouth goes down for the count, you can expect to hear something.

The actual effect on Rampage will be little, if anything. Early reports had Dana White posting bail for ‘page, so you know he can’t be too mad. You can expect that Rampage will be downplayed as the legitimate star that he is while all of the legal stuff gets settled out, but when he’s cleared, expect to see his “troubles” included in the hype video for his next fight. In his absence, pending a win at UFC 88, you can plan to see Liddell like you saw him before he lost the belt to Rampage. On every billboard, on every magazine, and on every special. It’ll be like he never left. Forrest should also get a nice opportunity to continue his rise to stardom, and it should be easier without the immediate rematch.

Now, onto the real question: what does this do for MMA? Hopefully, not much. And since Rampage didn’t injure anyone, wasn’t drunk or high, and didn’t run once he stopped the car, it might be able to be parlayed into more of a misunderstanding. Without a doubt, there will be those who denounce MMA and its stars, suggesting that this is the kind of behavior the company promotes. However, I don’t expect that attitude to grab any sure foothold. Other stars like Liddell and Forrest will shine in Rampage’s absence, showing the true colors of the sport and its fighters. The key for the UFC, and really MMA in general, is to show that this was an isolated incident.

If Gary Shaw and other promoters use Rampage’s difficulties to help draw negative attention to the UFC, they will only be hurting themselves. For the majority of fans, the UFC is MMA, and if you can convince them that the UFC isn’t a good product due to its sometimes-criminal stars, then you’ll be pushing them away from the product entirely. Other promotions need the UFC to do well in order for them to have a chance to do well, if that makes sense.

It’s unclear exactly how this will affect the sport as a whole, but one point is certain: we don’t need this type of attention again.

Why MMA Doesn't Need NY's Legislation

While the MMA world seemingly took a huge hit to its expansion with the announcement that the NY legalization bill had been shelved, the effects might not be quite as destructive as thought. It would certainly be nice to have New York and Madison Square Garden under the auspices of the UFC's booking department, but is it necessary? I believe that the UFC (and MMA in general) does not need the state of New York to be successful. Nor do I believe that the UFC will suffer in spite of not being able to host shows in The Big Apple.

First, the UFC has recently expanded its brand to Ireland, Canada, and England. Future plans put shows in Hawaii, Brazil, Germany, and the Philippines. With the burgeoning global feel of MMA, does the UFC really need or want to stay at home? There are bigger fish to fry and larger markets to be won than the already conquered metropolis of New York.

Next, any MMA aficionado will tell you that the Northeast has never typically done well when hosting MMA events. The UFC hasn't been to Atlantic City in over three years. When they did go, at UFC 53, they pulled down a live gate 1.5 million dollars less than the previous event's take in las Vegas. Why would the UFC demand a market which has so often fallen short. Even if MMA was allowed in New York, it's doubtful that the UFC would stop in more than once a year.

It's also possible that New York has found its niche in the MMA business -- advertising. The largest Times Square billboard has been the upcoming UFC event for quite some time now. The people of New York certainly enjoy their MMA, or at least that's what the advertisement budgets tell us. However, they might not have the cash flow necessary to attend events. The city's median household income is less than the state of New York and less than the U.S. average. New Yorkers should be advertised to in the hopes that they will buy the PPV, not attend the event.

Along with that rationale comes the fact that most of the money made from MMA events comes from PPV buys and advertising, which gets paid no matter where the show is held. Considering our numbers regarding Northeast shows (1 million dollar estimate), the marketing put into a New York City show might nullify the live gate.

If New York doesn't want MMA, then we don't want them. You could have Chuck Liddell and Quinton Jackson fight in a dirty basement and it would do just fine. The location is not nearly as important as the product, and as products go, ours is one of the best.

Anderson Silva's Challenges At 205

Recently, the shocking announcement was made that Anderson Silva, longtime king of the middleweight division, would try his hand at light heavyweight. A move to 205, however, is not expected to be permanent. And that’s a good thing for Silva. As much success as he’s found at 185, 205 is very different animal, with many more challenges and bad style match ups for The Spider. It’s possible that Anderson will have success and if anyone can do it, it will be him – but it won’t be an easy road to walk down. Here are some names that could give him troubles:

Chuck Liddell: The Iceman could potentially be a bad match up for Silva because of Liddell’s counter-punching prowess. Silva defeated Rich Franklin twice as a result of Franklin pressing the action. When Franklin attempted to bang with Silva, Silva was simply able to outpoint Franklin to the win. Chuck won’t do that. He’ll wait, and when Silva comes in, he’ll have a thudding right hook flying towards him.

Lyoto Machida: Who isn’t Machida a tough match for? The only man as technically sound and classically trained as Silva, Machida could use his unorthodox style to eek out a decision over Silva. I doubt that this would end by anything other decision, considering the carefully aggressive style of both fighters. Think about it, when was the last time Machida or Anderson got rocked because they weren’t being careful?

Wanderlei Silva: A match up of the Silva’s would typically favor Anderson, but it’s never smart to cancel out Wanderlei. Franklin is a tough dude for sure, but Anderson’s never hit anyone with a knee who has a chin like Wandy. I could see Anderson getting winded at the 15-minute mark from having thrown so many combinations at The Axe Murderer. Look at UFC 79, where Chuck bombarded Wanderlei for 15 minutes to no avail.

Thiago Silva: While maybe not as well-known as the other fighters on the list, Thiago could pose problems for Anderson based on his sheer speed and athleticism. Possessing a very similar build to Anderson Silva, Thiago should be able to match anything that Anderson would do on the feet.

That being said, I believe that Anderson will walk right through Forrest Griffin, Keith Jardine, and Rashad Evans. Only time will tell us where Anderson’s journey goes, but it’s sure to be as competitive as it is entertaining.

Is Matt Hughes Done?

Georges St. Pierres’ second destruction of Matt Hughes in as many years seemed to confirm what the MMA world had long suspected. In short, Hughes is done. Once the poster boy of the UFC and the welterweight division, especially, Hughes had made his name with wins over Frank Trigg, BJ Penn, Sean Sherk, Royce Gracie, and yes, even GSP.

His UFC 43 submission loss to BJ Penn was largely seen as a hiccup, and one which Hughes avenged soon thereafter. In between the Penn loss and subsequent Penn win, Hughes ran roughshod over the entire division, racking up five straight wins.

The best fighter to never have a nickname seemed primed to beat St. Pierre in what would be their second match up. Unfortunately for Hughes, even the best laid plans don’t always pan out. However, those who watched the fight at UFC 65 were too quick to attribute the TKO win to GSP’s ability. Yes, the Canadian was brilliant and he did execute a great game plan. But, there was something else. Hughes was not himself.

Matt was sluggish and did not appear to have confidence in his abilities. In the past, he would often press his opponent against the cage or look for an early take down. Instead, Hughes seemed complacent and happy enough to wait for St. Pierre to make a move.

Hughes then took on Chris Lytle, and while he did win a decision, it should not have been that close. The old Matt Hughes would have embarrassed Lytle and finished him in one. After all, this is the same man who once finished GSP in one round!

Matt had another chance to avenge a loss at UFC 79 when Georges St. Pierre agreed to fight him on short notice. Just like their meeting at UFC 65, Hughes seemed tentative – maybe even more so – and was simply outmatched once again. It was St. Pierre who was the aggressor, and predictably, it was St. Pierre who was the victor.

Not since Hughes’ UFC 63 match up with BJ Penn have we seen the killer instinct displayed throughout his long title run. Critics even found fault with his early rounds against Penn and suggest that one must go back as far as UFC 60 to find a great performance from Matt Hughes.

It’s one thing to be past your prime and lagging a little in ability. However, it’s another to disgrace your legacy with lazy performances every time you step into the octagon.

New Coaches Announced For TUF 8

Before the seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter, Dana White booked one of the most gregarious and popular fighters, Rampage Jackson, to be one of the coaches. One of the choice reasons for doing so is that the country’s talent pool is severely waning. Just compare some of the early winners (Forrest, Rashad, etc.) to this year’s favorite (C.B. Dolloway). The point is: the well has run dry. And so, it made complete sense that Rampage was booked in an effort to boost ratings.

For the next season, the eighth installment, logic tells us that the talent pool will be even shallower. The logical thing for the UFC to do, as a result, would be to book coaches even wilder than Rampage. It’s probably impossible to find someone quite as hilarious, but the coaches should be well spoken, talented, and American. Not one, but all of these things.

Instead, the UFC inexplicably chose fighters that, together, represent what one coach should be. You know its trouble when Frank Mir is the more qualified of the two coaches. He is American and well spoken, so he should be able to connect to the fans. That is, if they give him a chance to begin with. Mir is not one of the more popular fighters in the sport and many new fans don’t remember his successes more than three years ago. He may be well spoken, but what if no one listens? His talent is also still at question. Shortly after winning the heavyweight title from Tim Sylvia, Mir was involved in a bad motorcycle accident. His return saw him out of shape and on the wrong end of a knockout loss. While he has started to rebound with the Lesnar victory, Mir has not yet shown himself to be ready to take on top-flight competition.

Even worse, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has been chosen as the second coach. Yes, Nogueira is one of the most talented fighters in the world – but as a coach, that’s about all he has going for him. As far as I know, he speaks just enough English to ask for a bathroom. In front of skeptical and tough American viewers, they will not give him the time of day. They will turn the tv off or rip him apart in the forums. Will he even appear in front of the camera? Probably not – after all, what would he say? A Brazilian outsider will not relate in the least to even the greenest of TUF fans.

With these men chosen as coaches, the UFC only aims to put an end to its originally groundbreaking series – and maybe, that’s just what needs to happen.

What's Next For Kimbo?

What began as a sociology experiment has somehow morphed into legitimacy right before our eyes. It was supposed to be a circus side show, but has turned main event. Of course, the topic of discussion is none other than Kimbo Slice. One of the most polarizing figures in MMA, Kimbo has done everything right. He’s respectful to the sport, he trains hard, he works with the legends to improve his game, and most important, he wins.

Love him or hate him, Kimbo wins his fights. Yes, they’ve been against less than stellar competition, but as bad as the opponents have been, that’s how impressive Kimbo has looked. Earning two first round knockouts, Kimbo seems primed to start climbing up the ladder of MMA heavyweights. I would have said EliteXC heavyweights, but there really aren’t any to speak of. There’s not even a champion at Kimbo’s weight in the organization. And so, it’s necessary for Kimbo to move on to bigger and better fights.

As simple (and tantalizing as that sounds), it’s not likely to happen. To Dana White and the Ferttitas, along with many in the mainstream media, Kimbo represents the worst of MMA. However, this is a shortsighted view that ignores that he used to represent the worst of MMA. Now, he’s training and working as though he’s one of the best. The media and onlookers are not likely to ignore Kimbo’s roots in exchange for enjoying his potential fights against top competition.

And so, we wait. Kimbo technically fights, but not the fights we want to see. And certainly not the fights he needs to be fighting in order to improve. He’ll sit on the proverbial bench of the sport until he moves on to another organization with stronger heavyweights or until some challengers are brought into EliteXC. With both those options unlikely, Kimbo will instead chug along against medium-flight competition until the UFC cannot deny his presence.

The Ultimate Fighter 7 Mixes It Up

On the surface, the biggest change to this season of The Ultimate Fighter appears to be the addition of 16 more fighters, bringing the total to 32. However, the most significant change isn’t the number of fighters as much as it is how they will be showcased. The first two episodes will feature a whirlwind of action, as every single fighter will be forced to enter battle from the start. In past seasons, it would take a few episodes to get into the action. By that time this season, half the original cast will be gone.

The upside to this idea is that it means (hopefully) that the lesser deserving fighters will be weeded out early, leaving only those who want and deserve to be there. The 16 initial fights spread across two episodes also has the possibility of pulling in new fans who might have been previously disenchanted by the slower pace of the opening episodes.

Unfortunately, the negatives of opening the season in this manner outnumber the positives. First, it’s entirely possible that some of the better fighters could be ousted before they even see the house. Previously, the better fighters got some formal training from the legendary coaches before they were thrown into the octagon. Now, they’ll be forced to showcase their abilities from the start, ring rust and all.

Even worse, the UFC has promised us “highlights” of the first 16 fights. This might be sufficient for the casual fan that doesn’t understand the flow and pacing of a mixed martial arts fight. But for veteran fans, or even those who have been around since TUF 1, this highlight format will be wholly unsatisfying.

The idea behind the new format is to open with 16 exciting fights, one after another. It’s a nice concept, but if fans can’t enjoy the entire fights and top contenders get knocked out early, the change won’t have been worth it.

Once the season gets past this opening hurdle, it should resemble many of the other seasons, containing a vast continuum of fighter experiences. The usual 0-0 fighters will be there, but you’ll also get a fair share of IFL and World Fighting Championship guys. It’s far too early to pick favorites to win, but a few to at least keep an eye on include Brandon Sene (IFL experience, Gracie Black Belt) and Gerald Harris (IFL experience, 4-1 MMA record).

I’ll be back in touch throughout the season to update the progress of the fighters and, of course, our two coaches.

What's Next For Anderson Silva?

With Anderson Silva’s sweeping and not-so-surprising win over Dan Henderson at UFC 82, any remaining shred of drama among the 185 pounders has been extinguished. Both Henderson and Rich Franklin, thought to be Silva’s biggest potential challengers, have each proven insufficient. Meanwhile, Silva’s cleared out the majority of the lesser contenders meaning that…well…there’s no one left for him to beat.

If Dana White wishes for Silva to stay at his natural weight, his potential opponents are few and far between. Paulo Filho is the obvious choice, but since he trains with Silva at Black House, both men have stated that they are not willing to fight. Matt Lindland could be a tough test, but his contract dispute with the UFC is far too storied to be resolved in time for Silva’s next fight. The only viable middleweight option has to be Yushin Okami, who holds a DQ win over Silva. Yes, Okami has been impressive as of late, but he also has a loss to Rich Franklin. We all know what Anderson Silva did to Franklin. Using sound logic and basic mathematical principles, it seems obvious what would happen to Okami.

It’s possible that Silva could be bumped up to light heavyweight, but in that case, White would have to offer The Spider a near-immediate title shot. Does the UFC really want either of its champions having a loss on their record? Sure, it would probably be one of the biggest draws of all time, but the result would be a disconfirmed champion.

Same goes for the idea that Silva should cut to 170 and take on Georges St. Pierre. This provide a HUGE draw – probably bigger than if Silva took on Rampage – but can the UFC marketing team rebound from one of these guys losing? Probably not.

If I’m Dana White, I do my best to bring in some MW talent and book Okami in the meantime. I’d even consider signing Ryo Chonan (the guy who infamously heel hooked Anderson Silva) to a one fight title shot contract.

If I’m Anderson Silva, I do the only think that makes sense – retire.

Eating Right, Fighting Better

When guys like Chuck Liddell, known for his trademark gut, are having every meal prepackaged by a nutritionist and working out 4-5 times a week, 2-3 times a day, you know something is up in the world of MMA nutrition and fitness. Put another way, if a guy works as hard as Liddell on nutrition and still looks like Liddell, then what is Georges St. Pierre eating? Air and vegetables?

Personal trainer to the MMA stars, Mariano Mendoza, operates under a “eat good, fight great” mantra. He has his clients eating 5 small meals a day, primarily composed of proteins, starches, and fruits. His strategy is designed to help fighters stay healthy and lose their weight over a long period of time, not the 10-15 pound cutting routine that can cut down on energy and productivity in the cage.

This seems like an excellent formula considering some of the trouble that UFC stars have had in the past when they combine over cutting with overtraining. Frank Trigg, former welterweight competitor, was notorious for this routine and many speculated that it led to his string of losses.

While eating healthily is a consistent strategy when cutting, fighters may eat fatty foods and extra carbs following the weigh-in in an attempt to be significantly larger than their opponent. At UFC 81, Brock Lesnar weighed in at 265 compared to Frank Mir’s paltry 255. After the weigh-ins, Lesnar commented that he expected to get up to 300 pounds for the night of the fight. He seemed to put on this weight, but perhaps he should have been spending less time eating and more time training – Lesnar was submitted with a knee bar early in the first round.

As far as supplements are concerned, they an obvious (although generally unspoken) addition to a fighter’s “diet.” While a few fighters, such as Forrest Griffin, will do advertisements for their favorite brand of creatine, most keep the discussion on the down low. We asked Sean Sherk about his supplements and while he wouldn’t provide specifics, he did say that when the sanctioning body (NSAC, CSAC, etc.) come out with banned substances, he goes through the ingredients of his supplements one by one Interestingly enough, the UFC sells supplements right in their online store, promoting Xyience, their long time sponsor.

Between a healthy balanced diet and limiting weight gain following the weigh-in, all that today’s modern fighter really needs to worry about is staying legal with the commissions. If he can juggle all that and look like an extra from the movie 300, he deserves to be fighting among the greats.

MMA Styles Collide In Battle Of The Best

Although Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Kyokushin Karate, and other high-level forms of martial arts have found their way into the UFC (and into the repertoire of numerous title holders), there are two basic skills that are represented in every champion: boxing and wrestling. Not all champions possess both, but any fighter worth his weight knows the ins and outs of at least one. So, which one is better?

Arguably, the UFC started out as a “wrestling” organization. With Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, and Dan Severn winning most of their battles on the ground, brawlers and boxers found little success in the early stages of the fight game. Take Art Jimmerson, for example, who was so confident in his boxing ability that he calmly strode to the ring in UFC 1 wearing just a single boxing glove. Royce Gracie, who took the boxer down in a matter of seconds, quickly submitted him in the first round. Matt Hughes, Tito Ortiz, and their ilk continued the tradition, using their strength and wrestling ability to execute a variety of submissions from all possible angles, including the Rear Naked Choke and the Guillotine.

A noticeable shift in prevailing styles occurred with the advent of fighters such as Chuck Liddell and Tim Sylvia, known for their punching power rather than their prowess on the ground. Adept at staying on the feet and avoiding half the fight game (grappling), these fighters who debuted during the time when MMA was just picking up steam, only helped the momentum with their trademark knockouts.

However, current MMA trends represent a mixture of both styles that gained use and popularity over the course of the last few years. Georges St. Pierre is extremely dangerous on his feet, employing a variety of punches, back fists, and kicks. Meanwhile, he is just as tricky on the ground, having recently submitted Matt Hughes. Other champions, such as Anderson Silva, follow a similar pattern of being talented anywhere the fight takes them.

While we aren’t in a period of strict grappling or striking dominance, there is a certain pattern among fighters. The smaller fighters and lower weight classes seem to rely more heavily on grappling. BJ Penn and Sean Sherk, for instance, would much rather take a fight down than keep it standing. Meanwhile, the bigger guys in the larger weight classes, such as Tim Sylvia and Quinton Jackson, would prefer to keep it standing.

Of course, there are anomalies to this example. Marcus Davis, a welterweight, is known for his knockout power whereas Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, both heavyweights, have many wins via submission. Although there are precedents as to whether fighters use a boxing or wrestling base in their fights, the old adage of mixed martial arts rings true in this discussion -- the sport is unpredictable.

Ultimate Fighter 2008: Almost Mainstream. Too Tame For Ya?

Fans are eagerly anticipating another exciting season of "Ultimate Fighter" to be broadcast on Spike T.V. With Dana White at the helm again, it should be another wildly successful season, giving fans and critics alike plenty of material for future debate.

The two coaches for season seven are Forrest Griffin and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
These two experienced MMA fighters are excellent choices to coach the hopefuls. Their legendary exploits fit them for the coaching duties better than anyone. Forrest Griffin won the coveted title of " Ultimate Fighter, in Season 1". Jackson currently holds the light heavyweight world title. These guys don't pull their punches, and will concentrate on skill and morale development among the contestants. They are also scheduled to fight each other in 2008.

There will be sixteen contestants in season seven. These middleweight contestants will film their initial efforts starting in January. The series will air in April, with the finale being broadcast live in July 2008.

Will it be a vicious bloodbath?

UFC's early reputation as " Human cock-fighting, " as Senator Mc Cain described it, was perhaps an accurate description at the time. We're not used to seeing such a display of unrestrained one-on- one violence, except outside the pubs at times!
Here are the top ten moves that got Ultimate Fighting banned from so many States: -

1. Fighters were allowed to head –but opponents. This move can cause serious damage to both fighters.

2. Hair pulling gives an attacker an unfair advantage, by giving him total control of the opponent's head. This move works instantly for dogs, livestock and humans.

3.Using the elbow in a downward jab. The power of this move can incapacitate the victim.

4. Going after a downed opponent who is being examined by the referee. There needs to be a momentary cessation of hostilities while the referee makes his determination.

5. Ignoring clear indications that a contender is afraid to fight. If a contestant won't meet the opponent's eyes with his own, this is clear body language for, " I fear you." Some fighters use this method to cause their opponents to do one of two things:

He may be prompted to beat the shrinking fighter mercilessly and with clear intent to incapacitate him.
He may strive not to hurt him, giving the supposedly terrified opponent an unfair advantage.
Any organized fight in our society must take place between two evenly matched and willing contestants.

6. Contestants are not allowed to attack an opponent during a break. We like to think we're " civilized", and can adhere to pre-arranged rules. Breaking this rule offends our sensibilities greatly.

7. All attacks upon a downed opponent are now fouls. This has banned the shocking sight of fighters kicking the heads of men who have been knocked down. Fighters must never knee or stomp downed opponents' heads.

8. It is no longer permitted to pull, twist or otherwise dislocate the opponent's fingers or toes. Not only is the pain of this move excruciating, but it frequently results in permanent damage. The surgical insertion of screws , pins and plates can never completely return the dexterity of the small joints.

9. Opponents are not permitted to throw each other out of the ring. The use of the octagon with its enclosed sides has virtually eliminated this problem, but the octagon is not always used in every venue.( Interestingly enough, the UFC has been able to "Trademark" the geometrical shape of the octagon. Todd Meacham, a competitor of UFC lost his fight to entitle him to use the octagonal shape in his ultimate fighting activities with the Total Fighting Alliance. He claims that the octagon is a generic shape which has a history of use in the Mixed Martial Arts field.)

10. The final turn-off for the viewing public is the display of behaviors which appear to be completely unsportsmanlike. These include spitting, pinching and twisting skin, ignoring the referee, using foreign objects in the ring, " rabbit punching" and elbow striking.

With the elimination of these brutal aspects of the fighting experience, there is the possibility that the general public may take another look at the sport. But even if they don't , this sport has enough fans now to keep it in the public eye. Anything with the amount of exposure that the UFC is now getting is guaranteed to be around for a long time to come. The UFC is here to stay. Check your T V Guide.

"TUFF" Women Fighters Rebut Karo's Comments

On a recent episode of Mark Cuban's Inside MMA television show, Karo Parisyan was more than candid in his estimation of women in mixed martial arts. As you can guess, what he said wasn't exactly popular and it probably didn't help that he referred to himself in the third person. "Look, I know all the women are going to hate Karo Parisyan now, but the cage is not for women," he said. "Can't they do one thing that guys do and they don't? Just one? Give me a break. They do weightlifting. They do wrestling. Not MMA, please. It's too brutal for women," Karo continued.

In Virginia Beach, at least, there's a few women who would take exception to Karo's viewpoint on women being involved with combat sports. They're part of "TUFF," which is an acronym for Tidewater Ultimate Female Fighting. In this fighting organization, women of all ages, ability levels, and walks of life compete in a non-striking form of ultimate fighting.

Consider it a women's form of ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) -- on the night chronicled by the Virginian Pilot, a local newspaper, 13 of the 14 fights ended with a submission maneuver. Gary Pekoe, the owner of TUFF, attempts to make the distinction between what TUFF is and what it is not."We are not fluffy, roll-around, erotic, Jell-O, mud wrestling," he tells the 20 or so spectators before the matches begin. "We are also not full-contact, break-noses, snap-wrists wrestling."

He freely admits he included "ultimate fighting" in the group's name because it created a cool acronym. But he doesn't allow the rough stuff you see on Ultimate Fighting Championship shows that seem to run continuously on cable. "No punching, elbowing, arm chokes, joint locks," Pekoe says. "We've taken Ultimate Fighting and mixed martial arts and stripped them back down to where the girls won't get hurt."

Although the girls aren't being put in the hospital with injuries or suspended by the state's athletic commission for injuries, they do take some knocks. They range from ex-bouncers to former Russian gymnasts. Some are strong, most are trained in some form or another, but all are tough. Ivy, a former MMA fighter, reports that her nose has been broken three times. Where's Karo Parisyan now?

Ivy, the former fighter and trainer to many of the girls, sums up the adventure that is Tidewater Ultimate Female Fighting. "This is real fighting. The goal in the end is for there to be a winner -- and a loser. We're not trying to establish who's the world's best here. You want to get on that mat and get the ultimate workout and, hopefully, you'll have a learning experience."

Traditional Martial Arts Plead No Contest to MMA

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a sport which brings together all disciplines of traditional martial arts ranging from judo, Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu, to boxing and wrestling. MMA athletes are pitted against one another to determine who the best overall fighter is, regardless of form. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is currently the most popular organization that unites these fighters in various tournaments categorized by weight, much alike boxing.

Practitioners of these various forms of martial arts are brought together in a ring. Fights are decided via knockouts or submissions. In cases where such situations do not occur, judging will take place by a panel and winners elected based on a points system.

Which is better - MMA or traditional martial arts? This has been a subject of debate ever since the rise in popularity of the former. Advocates of either form have engaged in never-ending discussions on the topic. It is an open-ended question that has strong support on both sides, and it deserves a closer examination of their merits.

In essence, MMA is an umbrella of traditional martial arts. The sport itself also features bouts where competitors are often encouraged to push the limits in an effort to win at all costs. Different sets of rules are implemented in each organization, and this provides fights with varying degrees of extremity. Traditional martial arts, in comparison, are usually competed within strict rules which protect the participants.

As MMA rapidly develops as a sport, competitors have increasingly become multi-disciplined fighters. No longer can you succeed with just one combat style and raw unbridled aggression. While you may not necessarily be an expert of every field, it requires study and understanding of your opponents’ array of skills, as every MMA fighter seeks to find any weakness that might exist in their opponents. Being skilled in different martial arts also allows one to switch styles during a fight to achieve a result.

With the variety that exists in MMA, traditional martial arts obviously pale in comparison. For example, you do not get to see judo in boxing matches.

This evidently leads to MMA being a more exciting spectacle. Fans get to see matches filled with different fight styles and at a higher tempo and intensity. The lack of rules in certain MMA events, especially those without government sanctions, will further facilitate competitors resorting to extreme tactics such as neck and head hits, which have otherwise been outlawed in legitimate UFC events. While certain traditional martial arts like Muay Thai boxing can sometimes match this, you will rarely be afforded this opportunity at other traditional martial arts competitions. Unless via the fighters’ negligence.

To allow fans the luxury of such colossal confrontations that satisfy their hunger for violence and gore, MMA athletes undergo tremendous training regimes. These include intense conditioning and demanding exercises, coupled with the need for practical knowledge of different aspects of martial arts such as grappling and striking. The fighters’ dedication to their craft is peerless, and not even the strict regiments of traditional martial artists can match the high standards required. The fact that every match could mean the fighters’ last also necessitates such physical conditioning.

While traditional combat styles often require full concentration and dedication to a single specific style, MMA fighters need to be versatile and all-rounded. You may find a top boxer enjoying success due to his raw punching ability, despite weak footwork. Such an athlete can easily be found out in MMA, with opponents targeting his unsound ground game. Thus, a champion mixed martial artist is often touted as the complete fighter, a winner on both the mat, and the stand up aspects of the game.

The format and marketing of MMA tournaments also requires that the fighters serve as entertainers. While traditional martial arts such as judo and tae-kwon-do focus on finding the top fighter of the art, MMA fighters know that to survive in the industry not only requires outstanding fight skills, but an ability to work the crowd as well. Without fan support, there would be little if no money in the sport, especially when fighters are putting their lives on the line.

Overall, the demands of MMA in both the physical and mental aspects, coupled with the need to be an entertainer despite all the occupational hazards present in the job, point to levels of requirement much higher than that of any traditional martial arts. MMA is everything about traditional martial arts, and much more.

The Champions of MMA

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.