Martial Base

Frankie Edgar Interview

2009-04-19T08:19:00.002-04:00

Interview by Benjamin Zeidler

XARM Explained

2009-01-07T01:20:00.001-05:00

When I first heard of XARM, which Bloody Elbow was quick to point out is pronounced “x-arm” instead of “zarm,” I knew it would be a mess of an idea. How? Art Davie created it. The co-creator of the UFC, Davie has been itching to get back into MMA ever since he sold the UFC for just a few million dollars. Predictably, he’s been upset that three businessmen tok his creation and turned it billionaire in just over a decade. As a result, Davie is willing to try anything and everything to get back into combat sports. His ideas usually reek of desperation and XARM is no different.

For those of you who have not had the benefit of watching XARM live, here’s the primer. Two fighters (yes, fighters…many of them have real MMA experience) are hooked to an arm wrestling table. The harnesses allow them little movement. Then, hands are bound with duct tape. Little else happens before the match begins, sending the men into a hockey fight frenzy. The punching very much resembles a hockey scrum due to one hand being inactive. XARM takes a noted departure from the rinked sport, however, as the match progresses. Actually pinning the arm results in points that can be added to a decision. However, decisions are rare as the fight usually ends with a fighter kicking around or punching over the chest-level table.

I watched Moore vs. Laupua for free off of the XARM site and while it was mildly entertaining in the beginning, I quickly grew bored. The fighters were doing their best to stay out of combat in this bout, leaning back and then counter punching. The novelty wore off as the same punches were thrown over and over, with little to no effect. The announcing left much to be desired as well, with catch phrases like “he’s a man’s man” substituted for true, knowledge based play calling. The refs didn’t do much for my view of the sport’s legitimacy either, as they did not move for the length of the fight. How is the referee supposed to safely stop or correctly score a fight if he is only seeing one side of the action? XARM made EliteXC look perfect, which should tell you all you need to know.

Will this sport stick around? ESPN seems to think so, as evidenced by its recent column praising the sport. However, I don’t believe that it will have the appeal Davie expects. XARM was created to “take the boring ground game away,” but as a result, it has taken away one of the best parts of MMA stand up: the clinch. Sure, XARM creates a strict, striking only environment, but it no longer remains MMA. Davie has said that the UFC was de-volved from its original creation, but in my opinion, XARM is the epitome of de-evolution.

I would be shocked if this ill conceived lambaste of MMA survives anything more than a trial run on the game show network. With the competitiveness of MMA promotions today, Davie lacks the bankroll and the imagination to create something truly unique.

Get To Know: Gina Carano

2008-11-13T22:14:00.000-05:00

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

2008-10-05T18:16:00.003-04:00

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

2008-08-01T00:03:00.004-04:00

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?

2008-07-16T23:41:00.002-04:00

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

2008-06-25T00:35:00.001-04:00

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

2008-06-18T01:31:00.000-04:00

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?

2008-05-28T14:44:00.002-04:00

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

2008-05-16T18:41:00.000-04:00

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?

2008-04-02T18:46:00.000-04:00

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

2008-03-08T16:15:00.003-05:00

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?

2008-03-06T18:26:00.001-05:00

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

2008-02-04T22:24:00.000-05:00

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

2008-01-25T00:35:00.000-05:00

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?

2008-01-23T21:34:00.000-05:00

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

2008-01-13T16:44:00.000-05:00

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

2008-01-07T22:50:00.001-05:00

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

2008-01-03T20:52:00.000-05:00

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 Ultimate Coach (Part 2)

2007-12-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

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)

2007-12-27T00:44:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-26T22:32:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-12-23T13:36:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-20T22:40:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-12-18T19:29:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-18T18:56:00.000-05:00

The Decline & Rise of the UFC

2007-12-16T19:47:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-14T17:16:00.000-05:00

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!

2007-12-11T21:43:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-09T22:17:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-12-06T21:13:00.000-05:00

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

2007-12-04T13:41:00.001-05:00

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?

2007-12-01T11:00:00.000-05:00

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!

Starting a Martial Arts School

2007-11-29T22:53:00.000-05:00

Things may not be the same all over the country, but in my hometown, new martial arts schools are popping up almost as quickly as corner convenience stores. Unfortunately, most only last a few months and then disappear. It makes me wonder, what exactly are they doing wrong and what does it take to run a successful martial arts school?

Getting started.

Most people starting a karate school are usually doing so because they have a strong passion for the martial arts and want to have a career where they can be doing what they love. The main difference between the schools that fail and the ones that succeed is that most successful school owners look at their school as a business above all else. If you are serious about opening your own school, you need to do your research and realize that there are going to be many aspects of the business world which you may not enjoy, but that you can't neglect.

(Keep in mind that the following are just a list of tips that have been helpful to current school owners and that your results may vary.)

Location, location, location!

It may sound cliché, but yours schools location is one of the key elements to success. I recommend purchasing a local map. On the map, mark the location of schools, apartment buildings and martial arts training facilities. By plotting these locations, you will be able to get a clear picture of your surroundings and of locations that would be most suitable for a new karate school. Since kids will make up a large portion of your student base, you will want to be in an area that is easily accessible to them. A prime location would be an area that has a high concentration of schools, apartment complexes and residential housing. Once you have located these key areas, you will want check to see if there are any other martial arts schools nearby. You should try to avoid areas that have established schools already in place; I would recommend being at least 6 miles away from another martial arts school. After you have located an area that you think will fit your needs, you will want to drive around that area and try to locate buildings that are for sale or rent.

What type of buildings do I look for?

When picking a location, you want to make sure it is in a clean and safe area. Since a large portion of your students will be kids, you want to make sure that you're in an area that parents will feel safe leaving their children. You will also want to make sure that the building you select has enough space and adequate parking. Another big factor is street viability. Ideally you would like your school to be located in an area that is visible from the street. The busier the street, the better. Most beginning karate schools start out in a facility that is 700-1500 square feet and average rent usually varies from $700-$2500 per month, depending on location. Before you sign a lease, keep in mind that everything is negotiable. Most landlords will lower their rent when pressured and many will give you 1-2 months of free rent for remodeling time and often cash up-front for remodeling costs.

Timing can be key.

Although student enrollment varies from area to area, most schools report that they receive that largest amount of new student enrollment between February and June. By starting your school in January or February you should be able to capitalize on this trend. Once established, you should also allow for extra advertising dollars during these months.

How do I advertise?

Most of the larger schools swear by the Yellow Pages. Unfortunately, an effective add in this publication needs to be at least 1/8th page or larger and it's not uncommon for an established school to run a 1/2 to full-page ad. Unless you have several hundred dollars or more a month to spend on this form of advertising, I would recommend just taking their complementary ad which comes with your phone service and spending your money on the more aggressive forms of advertising. Your Yellow Page representative will tell you otherwise, but then again, it's their job is to get your money. The bottom line is that most people will pass up your small ad and call the full-page ad for Master Kim's Mega Karate Super Center. Don't be frustrated, there are other ways to advertise and even Master Kim had to start somewhere.

Low Cost Advertising Options:

Demonstrations - Team demonstrations are a great way to get exposure for you school. The best part is that they can be done for little or no money. If you're having trouble locating an audience, you should contact local schools or the Parks and Recreation office for your city. There are usually groups holding events every month and most would be happy to have you sponsor a martial arts demonstration. Just make sure you are well rehearsed and can provide an impressive and entertaining show.

School Papers - Getting mentioned in school papers and newsletters is an effective way to target younger students. You can often get in such publications by contacting local schools and offering a discount coupon or by providing a student reporter with an interview.

Flyers - This is another great, low cost advertising method. It is best to incorporate a discount coupon or free lesson certificate onto your flyer. Once you make your flyer, you can simply run off copies as needed at any copy shop. You will then want to distribute these certificates to local businesses that cater to your potential customers. For example you can go to toy stores and after-school programs for kids and fitness clubs and nutrition stores for adults.

Word of mouth - Another tried and true method of advertising is word of mouth. A way to encourage this is by offering your current students with incentives for bringing in friends. You can provide the student with a discount for every person they bring in and additional incentives for each sign up. You will be surprised how effectively this works. You can even make a contest out of it and offer monthly and annual prizes for the students who bring in the most people.

Quality and Convenience.

You should tailor individual classes for kids, men and women. When making class schedules, make sure that you accommodate each groups needs. For your younger students you should try to make classes that are available shortly after school. You may also want to add additional classes during extended vacations, such as summer break and Christmas. For your older students you should offer both morning and evening classes. Keep in mind that this hectic world of ours demands that people work different shifts. Also try to avoid running classes during meal times. It is important that your classes are fun and energy packed, but equally as important, they need to be convenient.

Getting paid. How do I insure payment?

This is a tough topic. Most of the larger schools swear by contracts, but with the swarms of new schools opening and closing, many students are very reluctant to sign a contract or pre-pay for many months of instruction. I personally believe that if you provide quality instruction at a fair price, there is no need for a contract. It is also pretty universal that most students who stop attending class, will also stop paying, contract or not.

Whether or not you decide to use contracts, getting paid is a real concern. Many school owners have found that the job of collecting payment can be almost as difficult as running the school itself. Because of this, most schools no longer accept pay as you go plans. Instead, they make their students pre-pay for several months at a time, or require that the student keep a credit card on file that can be charged on a monthly basis. Another option is EFT- Electronic Funds Transfer; this automatically transfers funds from your student's checking accounts to your own. By taking the time and effort required to set up such methods, you will help insure timely payment and bypass the headache of chasing down delinquent students.

Be prepared for the long haul.

One of the biggest reasons for a karate school to go out of business is the simple fact that the owner has run out of money and can no longer pay their bills. It doesn't matter how great of an instructor you may be, or how great your facility is, don't assume that it's going to be easy. Most schools take a minimum of six months to a year before they start to make a profit. You need to make sure that you are prepared for this and that you have enough capital to carry yourself through this time. It is also very important to keep a close eye on your bottom line. I have often seen business owners blindly spend money and simply hope there is enough at the end of each month. By keeping a close eye on your bills and receivables, you can often avoid financial trouble before it arises.

Like most things, a successful school takes time to grow, but with proper planning, hard work and a little luck, you can build it into a prosperous business that you can be proud of.

Article written by Jason Wright and provided by American Martial Art Supply.

Kids in Mixed Martial Arts

2007-11-28T22:40:00.000-05:00

Parents have been searching for ways to control and discipline their children for centuries. They’ve tried everything from corporal punishment to time outs to V-Chips in television sets. Little did they know that the answer was residing in Randy Couture’s fists the entire time. That’s right, the seemingly barbaric sport seen on SpikeTV once a month could be one of the most effective solutions for parents looking for a way to give their children focus and confidence.

Generic “Karate” classes have been a cornerstone of youth athletics for quite some time, but with the recent upturn in MMA coverage and popularity, full service multi-discipline gyms are opening up for only the toughest kids. Just kidding. These gyms are open to children of all ages and experience levels. Additionally, MMA is one of the easiest sports to learn and maintain.

However, it probably isn’t a good idea to send your child to one of these gyms if you expect him to be the next Gracie or Hughes. Martial Arts Academies that specialize in working with children tend to focus just as much on discipline, time management, respect, and other life skills as they do on traditional self defense. More importantly, MMA for kids offers an alternative to coming home from school and doing nothing, or even worse, becoming involved with drugs, gangs, and alcohol. Granted, there are schools which are more competitive that do specialize in future professional fighters, but most focus on a more holistic education.

The “distraction” of an after-school program like a MMA class will instill all of the qualities you wish for you child to exhibit while being cool enough as a sport to stand up to peer assessment. There’s a marked difference in leaving school to work on your ground and pound as opposed to developing your chess game. Involving your child in MMA is a win-win situation for the child and adult. The child is allowed to save face with friends, learn a new skill, and feel better about himself while the adult knows the child is in good hands with a productive and positive after-school program.

Some detractors of the sport have pointed out the effects of teaching children violence. While professional wrestling has been blamed with deaths of many, MMA is a different sport and one in which violence is not glorified. However, if your child is enrolled in a school of any quality, it will be set out during the first session that the moves are not be used on the parent’s bed against a sibling. The moves are real, they are dangerous, and they are only meant to be used if there is no other alternative.

Mixed martial arts has been proven to motivate children towards better grades in school, increased attention span, and more success in other sports they play, let alone the obvious benefits of regular exercise and self-defense capabilities. So don’t just sit there! Use our Martial Art School Finder and enroll your child in a martial art school today!

Krav Maga - The Only Fighting Sport You Need?

2007-11-27T07:37:00.000-05:00

Krav Maga shares its techniques with many other martial arts, including karate, boxing, savate, muay thai, jujitsu, judo, kobudo and wrestling. However, the training is very different. It is a brutal game. There are no set rules, no specific uniforms or attires and no competitions. There is also no distinction between the training for men and the training for women. The only training rules that are emphasized, by the Krav Maga instructors, are that there are no rules, and there should be injury inflicted to oneself or one’s partner when in training. The game borders on savage, and centers on crippling attacks to vulnerable body parts.

It is designed for use in real-life, dangerous conditions, for example, from disadvantaged positions, or against armed opponents, when you are dizzy or when you are up against many different opponents and the techniques focus on the maximum efficiency, to cause the most damage in these worst case scenarios. The name generally translates as “close contact” and this is often misinterpreted to be “full contact” like martial arts such as karate. However, unlike karate and other martial arts, there are no predetermined sequences of events, no set moves and no choreographed styles. Krav Maga centers around effectiveness for either attack or defense situations, and the sport emphasizes rapid learning and the motion of continuous combat.

The way, in which Krav Maga works, is for the game player to attack and defend in potentially very lethal situations. The aim of this sport is to neutralize the threat (the attacker) and escape the situation by any means possible, normally by causing the maximum amount of pain and damage possible to all opponents, as quickly and as safely as possible. It very often involves incredibly crippling attacks to the most vulnerable body parts. This generally involves performing dangerous strikes and blows to the eyes and the groin area, head butting and other efficient and potentially brutal attacks.

It encourages the improvised use of any objects that may become available in the fight. Things that are lying around in the vicinity of the attacker and defender can be used to deal vicious blows and cause some serious damage! The key components are these vicious blows and they must be dealt whilst attempting to maximize personal safety within the fight.

When indulging in this brutal game, there are five main “forces” as it were to consider. These forces are thought of as guidelines for the fighters and although they are hugely generalized, they are highly encouraged by instructors.
The first force is Presence. This is where you use your presence to gain authority over a subject. The idea is to intimidate and demand respect. Secondly, after gaining attention and authority, you use Verbalization. Use your voice to command your subject. Then comes the Empty Hand Control. This is where you search your subject, and disarm him or her if necessary. Remove all objects that could be used as weapons against you and immobilize them. Lastly, comes Deadly Force. Krav Maga is generally known for heading straight for this last force, and it is where the player will use any force necessary to cause permanent injury to a subject, or even to go as far as to cause death to your opponent.

Krav Maga is not thought of as a sport, and after knowing all of this; it is easy to understand why. It cannot even be generalized as a form of self-defense, as deliberately causing any injury or death to an attacker is illegal. Admittedly, the art of Krav Maga, if it can be called an art at all, is designed to neutralize a threat in potentially lethal situations, but the way of escaping is by inflicting great pain.

It would be highly advisable to steer clear of using these methods if affronted by an attacker, and to try other, milder forms of self-defense and sports such as karate or judo. You should take up sports that encourage some form of self-control and do not allow for a game player to inflict as much pain and suffering as is humanly possible!

GLOBAL GLIMA : PART II

2007-11-25T10:49:00.000-05:00

Thanks to a spreading familiarity with Glima; via the web and the international mixed fighting conferences, young fighters around the world are picking up Glima today. There is a growing interest to learn more about this honorable martial art. Much more can be learned about the practice of Glima today online at sites such as the Martial Arts School Finder, an excellent resource to learn about Glima as well as the other martial arts mentioned. For more about the history of Glima, you may wish to read the information at http://ejmas.com/jwma/articles/2000/jwmaart_kautz_0100.htm

“Lausataksglíma” is the more aggressive version of the sport. It differs in many ways from other styles of glima and comes in two main forms: A version for self-defense and a version for rough competition. In either all kinds of wrestling techniques are allowed but in the friendly version they executed in fashion so they won’t cause the opponent injury. In a friendly match, the winner is the one who is still standing when the other is laid out on the ground. In cases where both the opponents fall to the ground together, the match continues more like traditional wrestling, on the ground. The opponents then employ techniques intended to keep the other down while getting up one.

In any version, the uniform is the same. Each of the wrestlers wears a standardized belt around the waist and separate, additional belts on the lower thighs of each leg. These connect to the main belt with vertical straps. A fixed grip is then taken with one hand in the belt and the other in the trousers at thigh height. From this position the glima-wrestler attempts to trip and throw his opponent to the mat. A thrown wrestler may attempt to land on his feet and hands. If he is able to catch himself, he has not lost the fall - similar to the way in boxing, if a knocked down fighter is able to rise within ten seconds, the fight continues. The winning condition in this type of glima is to make the opponent touch the ground with an area of the body between the elbow and the knee. Traditionally, the judges favor technique over strength when selecting the winner of a match. It is a strategic style of fighting - with elements of planning as in chess. Please see our related articles about strategies in Martial Arts at Martial Base.

GET TO KNOW GLIMA : Part I

2007-11-22T13:31:00.000-05:00

Glima is a proud sport - an international form of wrestling with a long and exciting history. It is the national fighting style of Iceland, and dates back as far as the 12th century. Glima is still practiced today, and becoming better known internationally all the time. The word “glima” translates as a “struggle.” A common expression in modern Icelandic, to “glima” with something means to struggle with something in life, similar to the word “grapple” in English. Its name illustrates the nature of the sport, which is based on a philosophy of respectable confrontation with traditions and regulations that differentiated from boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai and other forms of more aggressive fighting. Though Icelandic, this style of fighting bears a similarity in its ethos to more traditional Asian martial arts like Karate and Judo. Glima is also an ancient combative style. There is evidence of glima dating as far back as the 12th century. Some tales of wrestling in Icelandic sagas, for instance the Younger Edda, argues for a case that this style is even older. More recently it has been made famous by International Strong man, Jon Pall – who is a native of Iceland.

This “system” of combat is categorized into eight main bragd (techniques), which form the basic training for approximately 50 ways to defeat an opponent with a “throw” or “takedown.” A unique stance for combat is one of the things that make Glima unique and easily identifiable, for those who are familiar with its rules. Two opponents must remain standing upright throughout the match. Forcing your opponent to fall to ground is considered poor sportsmanship and is frowned upon. Footwork is crucial. As in most styles of boxing, the sportsmen must remain in constant motion, usually moving in a clockwise manner. Because of this, Glima is often described as having “dance – like” qualities: due to the rhythmic movements of the wrestlers. Glima opponents step clockwise around each other (similar to a waltz). This creates opportunities for strategic offense and defense, and also helps prevent a stalemate. Interestingly, Glima wrestlers are trying to note look over the shoulder of their opponent, rather into his face. This tradition and comes from the Icelandic belief that wrestling is a sport based on contact, and therefore, the primary sense one should use is touch - as opposed to vision.

While Glima remains primarily a recreation; a fun pastime for exercise, and a gentleman's sport there is also the “lösatags” version, which is a more aggressive and abides by additional rules. The recreational exercise version is by far the most widespread and the one typically associated with the term “glima.” Some argue that to the term should be restricted to recreational fighting only, and it is this non-violent but athletic version, which is Iceland’s popular national sport. Learn more about this fighting style by using the Martial Arts School Finder at www.martial base.com/schoolFinder2.cfm

Graceful but effective: the art of Judo

2007-11-14T21:16:00.000-05:00

Many people consider Judo an ancient martial art form but are surprised to learn that it was actually founded in the late 19^th century in Japan by Kano Jigoro. Jigoro initially studied in the Tenjin Shin’yo-ryu school of Martial Arts which was established in the beginning of the 19^th century in Japan by Iso Mataemon Minamoto no Masatari. Both of these systems are derived from the more ancient school of Jujutsu in Japan.

Jujutsu itself dates to the period in Japan of the late 16^th century. The art is distinguished by not training in the use of weapons, and fighters also Judokas do not wear any body armor. These traditions of Judo are very popular currently around the world with many practitioners at the local and international level in all countries. The sport is practiced competitively through regional Judo or Jujutsu associations, international regulatory associations, and the Olympics.

Balance is regarded as very important for Judo practitioners to learn. This balance is required for evasive action, counter attack, and keeping one’s feet in the match.
Quick Movements are used by Judo Practitioners to enter areas of leverage beyond the defenses of an opponent, and to throw an opponent to the mat.
Leverage is necessary to use the force of the body in motion to reroute the opponent to the mat and apply a pin.
Pins represent the immobilization of the opponent through locks, chokeholds, and other moves similar to wrestling of Sumo.
A pin of ten seconds scores a point, while a pin of 25 seconds will win a match.
Throws are based in quick movement past an opponent’s defenses, or counter-attacks. Throws use points of leverage which are intuitively learned through repetitive practice.
Submissions occur when an opponent has been pinned or a chokehold has been applied.
Scoring is based on points awarded for throws and submissions or points deducted for penalties.

Judo and Jujutsu both value graceful moves and “gentleness” in the practice of this Martial Art. Thus there is a strong influence from the Taoist Martial Arts tradition in China such as Tai Chi. The practitioner of Judo must move gracefully through various stances to be effective. Both Judo and Jujutsu use grappling techniques to apply choke holds, locks, and pins to an opponent. When an opponent has been pinned through one of these maneuvers, the match is over. Points will be awarded based on whether the opponent was thrown, forced to the ground and pinned, or completely immobilized and subdued. Practitioners of the sport will compete in tournaments and advance by defeating opponents in this manner to challenge for championships or award medals. Judo training has also widely become popular for self defense and spiritual awareness across the world. There are teachers of Judo and Judo schools on nearly every continent and country, and competition in the Olympics, Good Will Games, and other international events is extremely competitive.

There are considered to be two stages to a Judo match: when the opponents are standing, attacking, and searching for the means to administer a throw, and the mat stage, when the opponents are wrestling on the mat. Students of Judo practice these techniques repeatedly at a Martial Arts school and then enter into competition. As such, all Judo schools focus on “grappling techniques” and throws more than striking and blows, and incorporate many aspects of wrestling in a Martial Arts format. The Judo uniform or “Judogi” has become standardized for international competition and training over the last 50 years.

Belt Levels in Judo:

White Belt
Blue Belt
Yellow Belt
Orange Belt
Green Belt
Purple Belt
Brown Belt
Black Belt

Judo is based on training through sparring, and it is necessary to enter a school with a good teacher. The beginning student will be awarded a white belt, and as he or she trains, learns the various techniques, and masters them, progresses through the degrees of discipleship to other belt colors and levels. The top respect is awarded with a black belt, and there may be up to ten levels of mastery within the black belt ranking system.

Judo is popular worldwide, and children as young as 4 or 5 years may enter into training, continuing until old age. Judo is the basis of many other martial arts, and modern practitioners combine many styles into one practice or way. To find a Judo or Jujutsu school, visit the Martial Art School Finder which has a great list of all categories and locations.

Is Aikido the Art of Peace?

2007-11-14T20:59:00.000-05:00

Aikido is another Martial Art like Judo or Jujutsu that is primarily based on grappling techniques, locks, throws, and pins. This form of Martial Arts was first founded in Japan by Morihei Ueshiba, a true visionary with an advanced philosophy of world peace and enlightenment. Thus, Aikido is often known as “the Art of Peace” in translation because it so highly values the cultivation of awareness and spiritual attainment. Ueshiba was said to have been inspired by traditional Japanese Shinto religion, with its awareness of the harmony of the elements and their balancing being perfected taken as key. Like Tai Chi, a great Aikido practitioner may never need to strike a blow, as he or she cannot be hit by the attacker. The attackers own energies are deflected and rerouted into an easy submission or immobilization. There is also an emphasis at de-arming attackers with weapons from an empty handed perspective.

AIKIDO & TAI CHI:

Though Ta’i Chi has Taoist roots in the ancient past dating back 8 to 10 thousand years, it is the ancestor and precedent for most Martial Arts systems. Aikido is similar in many ways to Taoist based Tai Chi, but takes also many influences from Judo, Karate, and the Samurai and Ninja traditions of Japan. Tai Chi does not include wrestling or striking, but its philosophy of movement and presence is found in Aikido.

Aikido has a central focus on Ki or Chi energy that is directly taken from Ta’I Chi and Taoist philosophy.
Non-resistance is practiced in a manner directly related to Ta’i Chi masters in China, who offered no attacking moves.
Aikido and Ta’i Chi masters used evasive techniques that were so effective, attackers could not strike them.
Aikido and Ta’i Chi both share a practice based on the attainment of mental clarity within motion.
Aikido training may also include the use of weapons, and the defense against weapons by an unarmed opponent.
Aikido students will train in defending against multiple opponents simultaneously.
Locks are used in Aikido for grappling in a manner similar to Judo.
Holds are used to submit, immobilize or pin an opponent in an Aikido match.
Training is conducted for means of self defense and protection rather than aggression.
Following the training leads to good health, body-mind balance, harmony of the elements, stable meditation, and realization of the Way.
Realization of the Way is the means to World Peace and ultimately, Enlightenment.

Aikido relies on training to perfect its practice like other schools of Martial Arts. Much as in Judo or Jujutsu, the practitioner of Aikido will repeat again and again responses to basic situations, so that deflecting blows and rerouting them into pins, throws, or submission of the opponent by other grips is a second nature reflex action, involving no need for planning or thinking. Moving with the spirit of the moment keeps one on the edge in the battle. Ueshiba was famous for stating that a practitioner of Aikido must “stare death in the face.” There is no place for fear and likewise no place for animosity for the practitioners of this art. Aikido practitioners will even train with multiple attackers to perfect their skills in all positions and situations. Devotees consider it a “way of life” and through it may also engage in meditation and devotional offerings at a temple.

AIKIDO PRACTICE:

Redirection of an opponent’s energy.
Throwing the opponent.
Applying joint locks and submission holds.
Mental and physical training.
Discipline and Awareness.
World Peace through realization of the Way.

Aikido, like other forms of Martial Arts, has an international governing board as well as regional councils and national associations to regulate competitions at various levels. Aikido has become popular in international competition along with other Martial Arts at the Olympics, Pan American, Pan Asian Games, and other annual events. Judges in the sport are trained and promoted by their respective leagues. Aikido has a relatively short history in the West, being first introduced to France and other countries by direct disciples of Morihei Ueshiba. Like other Martial Arts in the modern age, students draw upon interests and influences from a variety of schools to improve their movement and skills. If Aikido is still considered the “Art of Peace” among Martial Arts practitioners, it is a testament to the enduring legacy of Morihei Ueshiba whose teaching has continued across the years to be revered by followers of Aikido. To find a Aikido training school in your area, please the Martial Art School Finder which has a detailed list of all schools and locations online.

What is Sambo?

2007-11-14T20:56:00.000-05:00

Sambo was invented by the Soviets during the time just after the Revolution in Russia, and was seen as an example of the Socialist dream to reinvent traditional arts on a scientific model. Sambo is similar in many ways to Judo and Jujutsu, but is also said to incorporate traditional Russian wrestling techniques as well. The man generally credited with teaching and introducing Sambo in Russia was Vasili Oschepkov, who was also one of the first Russians to learn Judo. Oschepkov taught these techniques to Russian Special Forces and Commandos during the period between the two World Wars.

The name “Sambo” derives from an acronym in Russian which means “combat without weapons.” These techniques were used by soldiers initially and gradually formed a sport sanctioned by the Soviet Union as beneficial to the people’s movement and a shining example of Socialist advances. The Soviets promoted the sport Sambo through Eastern Block sporting events in the manner that Judo was being practiced competitively internationally. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the sport retained its popularity and tournaments in Russia, and began to have more of an international influence, as its teachers were then able to freely travel and teach Sambo abroad.

FACTS:

Sambo is one of only four forms of wrestling practiced in international competitions, the others being Freestyle Wrestling, Greco Roman Wrestling, and Judo.
Sambo is a combination of many traditional Russian wrestling styles collected from across the former Soviet Union and Asia.
Some of the best international Freestyle fighters and kickboxers study and practice Sambo.
Sambo was used by elite Soviet troops and KGB agents in the Cold War for hand to hand combat techniques.
Russia’s President Vladamir Putin is a master of the art of Sambo.

Sambo is categorized in Russia and internationality by the environment in which the martial arts practices are used. In this way, there is “Self Defense” Sambo, which is learned by individuals for personal protection in the social environment. “Combat” Sambo is practiced by Special Forces and elite troops during training for hand-to-hand battle techniques in warfare. The “Sport” Sambo is the variety found in competition in Russia and internationally. It has its own rules, uniforms, and officials that make it similar to wrestling or Judo as practiced competitively. “Freestyle” Sambo is without the rules of the sport variety for competitions that are created as a new category by the American organization of Sambo players. There is also a “Special” Sambo in Russia that is learned and taught by KGB agents, police, and army soldiers in the Special Forces. All of these varieties of Sambo are derived from the teachings of Vasili Oschepkov and are often fused with training in Judo, Jujutsu, or other martial arts. Sambo was recognized as an Olympic sport during the Moscow Olympics in 1980.

SPORT SAMBO:

Distance is measured though five categories in Sambo to prepare mans of approach and attack simultaneous with defense.
Catches seize the opponent bodily in a manner that is firm, based in motion, balance, and leverage.
Throws are conducted to drop the opponent to the mat in a manner for application of a pin.
Joint Locks are applied to an opponent for immobilization and submission.
Pins are achieved when an opponent has been immobilized and signal the end of the match.

COMBAT SAMBO:

Combat Sambo is based on close quarters combat in industrial settings.
Combat Sambo include means to immobilize attackers with knives, guns, and other weapons.
Combat Sambo uses holds and joint locks, as well as throws, for defense and submission of an enemy.
Combat Sambo includes training in defending against attacks from multiple attackers, as in Aikido.

Sambo’s rise in international popularity is generally linked with the other Martial Arts, and found in fusion styles in Kickboxing, Freestyle Fighting, and Wrestling. Professionals such as soldiers, security, and law enforcement train in Sambo for alternative methods of throwing, locking, pinning, and submission of violent adversaries. Russian trainers have passed the style on to numerous masters in other countries, and training centers can be found internationally in countries such as America, Japan, Brazil, and others. To find a Sambo training school in your area, please visit the Martial Art School Finder has a detailed list of all schools and locations.

What is the difference between Muay Thai kickboxing and traditional kickboxing?

2007-11-14T20:50:00.000-05:00

Muay Thai is known by several names. The basic translation simply means, “Thai Boxing,” but it is often referred to as “King of the Ring” kickboxing or “the Art of 8 Limbs” by practitioners and fans. Muay Thai is different from modern kickboxing in that its rules allow the use of both hands and feet, as well as both elbows and shins, to apply force against the opponent. In American kickboxing, the use of the elbows, knees, and shins is generally not allowed in the sport. Japanese Kickboxing is directly related to Muay Thai, but combines some elements of Karate and Judo in the sport. Traditional Muay Thai fighting in Thailand was used for military training, Royal Guards, as well as for self defense. This lineage of Muay Thai was passed down through Buddhist monks in Thailand. As nearly every man in Thailand would become a novice monk for a period varying from a few months to a few years, there was a general distribution of the techniques involved in Muay Thai fighting across society. Muay Thai also involves ritual, dance, and music that are based in Thai culture, and are not found in the Japanese and American forms of Kickboxing.

FACTS:

“Pradal Serey” is the name for Muay Thai in Cambodia. The name is translated “Free Fighting”.
“Tomoi” is the name for Muay Thai in Malaysia. The name is translated from a term for “elbows & knees”.
“Muay Lao” is the name for Muay Thai in Laos. It is the national fight style of Laos.
“Lethwei” is the name for Muay Thai in Myanmar (Burma). This sport allows headbutting.

Both the Japanese and American forms of Kickboxing are derived from the tradition of boxing and karate promotions and exhibitions. These are ring fighting events with an audience and admission system. Japanese Kickboxing was promoted in the late 50’s and 60’s as an alternative form of Karate fighting that had more contact and excitement for fans. Japanese kick boxers began to fuse multiple martial arts styles into their fighting and boxing techniques as the sport became more popular. American Kickboxing is related more to boxing originally, but was also fueled by promoters looking for new and unique fighting styles for public matches. As Kickboxing grew in popularity worldwide over the last 20 and 30 years, the American and Japanese Kickboxing matches have attracted some of the largest audiences and prize awards. However, Muay Thai remains the national sport in Thailand, and its popularity is unrivaled by any other sport or form of fighting and martial arts in the country.

Countries with Muay Thai Kickboxing Associations:

Thailand
Burma
Laos
Cambodia
Malaysia
Indonesia
Japan
USA
Canada
Spain
UK
Sweden
Denmark
Czech Republic
Portugal
France
Others

With the advance in promotions of Kickboxing and Muay Thai fighting across Asia and the world, various regulatory and licensing agencies have been established to govern the weight class systems and awarding of Titles. Many countries, such as Japan, America, and Thailand with large Kickboxing fan bases and promotions, will participate in International Title Matches in various weight classes such as Mini Flyweight or Super Heavyweight. The range of these classes may include upwards of 20 various divisions based on a Kick boxer’s body weight. Nearly 50 different countries have their own national Kickboxing association, but the Muay Thai is governed by a World Council based in Thailand itself. Muay Thai Kickboxing has also spread in popularity internationally following its depiction of its tournaments and matches in several popular movies and TV shows.

SCORING:

Points are awarded for the way a fighter upholds the traditional Muay Thai style, as well as for aggressiveness, and poise
Points are awarded for excellence in attacking and counter-attacking.
A maximum of 10 points is awarded to the winner of each round.
A Muay Thai Kickboxing match will last 5 rounds.
Each Round in a Muay Thai match is 3 minutes.
There is a 2 minute break between rounds.

Many kick boxers will train in Muay Thai along with other martial arts such as Karate, Judo, Capoeira, or Taekwando to mix styles in their matches. To find a Muay Thai kickboxing school or a traditional kickboxing school, please click here to use the Martial Art School Finder which has a list of all locations.

Women In MMA

2007-11-11T22:35:00.000-05:00

This morning, Fatal Femmes Fighting made an appearance on NBC’s Today Show. Last month, well known EliteXC fighter Gina Carano was among the top search terms on MMAJunkie.com. The Oxygen television network airs a show called Fight Girls. Anyway you break it down; it’s clear that women are breaking into the mixed martial arts business left and right. From their ever increasing popularity and appeal, it looks as if they’re here to stay

Although professional female fighters haven’t yet broken into the ranks of Liddell and Hughes, they’re certainly on their way. Gina Carano was the first female in a major organization (EliteXC), but these wily women have been beating each other up for quite some time. Yuka Tsuji, possibly the most famous female in the biz, has been fighting since 2001, boasting an impressive 18-1 record. She also received some mainstream exposure in the television series Jackass, in which she knocked cast member Ryan Dunn unconscious. However, these women aren’t just around for entertaining the drunken Vegas crowd and they certainly know what their doing. Learning some of the toughest MMA styles around and earning black belts in their various disciplines, these women deserve to be taken seriously.

While these professional fighters are impressive in their own right, you don’t have to be committed to 8 fights a year a grueling training regiment to learn one of the world’s fastest growing sports. In fact, most female practitioners of MMA learn the sport casually or in a class with friends. Jessie Shoap, a student of Krav Maga in the Philadelphia area, spoke with Martial Base on some of the advantages to learning a mixed martial art.

“Most of our exercises were done with someone coming up behind us or attempting to choke us" said Shoap. These exercises not only provide the women with exercise and knowledge of a new sport, they serve as a viable self-defense method. She continued, “They would mostly put us with guys, and guys that were much bigger than us. We learned how to escape from a choke up against a wall.” It may not look like much in a classroom, but the techniques employed by Jessie are some of the same ones we see being utilized in the octagon on a regular basis.

While females in MMA may never reach the status of the Liddell’s and Jackson’s, they can certainly hold their own and provide a fascinating alternative to the types of fights we’ve been seeing repeat for years. For every professional female fighter, there are hundreds who practice MMA to stay in shape and feel confident when alone. For that majority, MMA is not just a sport, but a way of life.

Add a Martial Art School Review Today!

2007-10-31T18:24:00.000-04:00

Are you a student of a martial art school and would like to share your experiences about the martial art school? Or have you attended a martial art school and have mixed feelings about the instruction or the martial art school in general. Please share your experiences and opinions about the martial art school. At Martial Base we encourage you to speak about your experiences good and bad about martial art schools in your area or martial art schools you have previously attended.

If you submit your review, you will also have a chance to win Mixed Martial Arts - The Book of Knowledge.

Click here to search the Martial Arts School Finder and add your review today ››

Krav Maga: The Newest In MMA

2007-10-29T21:50:00.001-04:00

Although Krav Maga boasts zero competition, no rules, and doesn’t even technically qualify as a sport, it still remains one of the most highly-regarded and respected martial arts today. A mix of some of the most effective styles (karate, muay thai, and boxing, just to name a few), Krav Maga utilizes its fluidity of regulations to an advantage, encouraging practitioners to use any and all methods available to win a battle. As the student gets more advanced, more complex methods of training will be introduced, from knife fights to hostage situations.

Similar in theory to other martial arts, Krav Maga has the student focus on first neutralizing the threat and then offering some offensive gain. Think of the clinch in Muay Thai as the neutralization and the knees as the offense when trying to visualize an appropriate comparison. Learning Krav Maga insists that students build up to its most lethal forms, first emphasizing “civilian self-defense” eventually followed by levels of understanding and a semi-traditional belt system. You can use our school finder to locate the school which is most appropriate for you ability level.

Krav Maga is an excellent start for any prospective student of martial arts. It offers a basic understanding of many of the more popular martial arts, making it easier for a new student to decide which he should eventually master. Additionally, the classes are intense aerobic and anaerobic workouts, giving the student a cardiovascular workout that he or she might only find in boxing.

Even law enforcement agencies all over the world have begun to adopt these methods, including the FBI, ATF, and CIA. Word of Krav Maga’s advantages have filtered down through the ranks and now are used in local law enforcement agencies as well. If you’re looking to be the next Jack Bauer or just be able to protect yourself at night, Krav Maga might be right for you.

Muay Thai Is Here To Stay

2007-10-23T03:19:00.000-04:00

These days, if you’re looking to pick up an MMA discipline, it’s hard to justify learning any other than the one employed by current Middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Muay Thai techniques have been used in MMA before (see Wanderlei Silva’s wins over Quinton Jackson), but never before Silva has a fighter used such strict Muay Thai technique to this level of success. He’s clearly the most talented Middleweight in the world and has a good chance of being labeled the most talented of all time.

His picture perfect Muay Thai technique works so well for two reasons. First, it uses more striking points (8 in total) than any other martial art. This allows for Anderson to unleash a quick knee or elbow in between his usual repertoire (or any fighter’s repertoire) of punches and kicks. Examining his last fight at UFC 77 against Rich Franklin, Silva uses long strikes to find the clinch, and then mixes knees in with his usual bag of tricks. The knees to the midsection, while damaging in their own right, also disable Franklin by disrupting his breathing, something that no other techniques can boast. Once one fighter can change the breathing patterns of his opponent, it’s usually not far from the end.

Second, the technique is almost impossible to defend against. If a fighter chooses to trade punches with a Muay Thai expert, he’ll drop him with a few quick punches or leg kicks. Anderson featured this in his fight with Chris Leben, unleashing roundhouse kicks and uppercuts like he was putting on a demonstration. His striking was so accurate, he didn’t need to rely on the clinch to lead him to victory. If the fighter wants to clinch, however, he should prepare to have a barrage of knees jammed into his midsection. Both fights against Rich Franklin are a more than clear example of this reality. The last choice is the ground, but that’s no good either as most Muay Thai experts have a working knowledge of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as well. Silva submitted the Machado BJJ Black Belt Travis Lutter for the only the second time in his long career. Submission master Matt Lindland accounted for the other Lutter submission. In Silva, you have a fighter who can grapple like Lindland, clinch like Wanderlei, and strike like Arlovski. When Muay Thai is at its best, it embodies the strengths of all disciplines.

Fighters all around the world have begun to take note and have since popularized the learning of Muay Thai, starting schools all around the country. While the United States Muay Thai Association has been in existence for the last sixteen years, it has just started to catch fire, now offering a variety of resources for the budding Muay Thai expert. A simple google search for “Muay Thai Schools U.S.” now offers 771,000 search results. In my hometown alone, I can count nine different schools, a sure sign that the art of the eight limbs has arrived, and more importantly, is here to stay.

Fedor's Martial Arts Styles

2007-10-16T18:39:00.000-04:00

On baseball fields all around America, you'll find pitchers mimicking Alex Rodriguez's swing down to every last detail. High school quarterbacks watch hours and hours of Peyton Manning tape each week, dissecting how every move and decision is made. When it comes to Mixed Martial Arts, there's only one fighter complete enough to bother copying. Do I even need to reveal his name?

Okay, so we know it's Fedor, but what is his technique exactly? To the casual fan, it just looks like a good old fashioned beat down. It's actually a little more complicated than that. A combination of Sambo, Judo, and a little Muay Thai lead this man to be called the most dangerous in the sport. Unlike other sports, where a motion or stance can be copied easily, it'll take more than that to master what Fedor does so expertly. The United States is filled with schools that will train you in these disciplines, but before you jump into the Red Devil camp, take a second and see which of the master's styles suit your abilities best.

Sambo is one of the four main competitive wrestling styles practiced internationally and varies slightly depending on which Sambo rules you are using. The basic elements, however, remain the same. The word Sambo is an acronym for the Russian phrase "Self defense without a weapon," and as such, it makes sense that the sport is mostly composed of throws, specific body control, and arm or leg locks. Fedor uses these elements perfectly in all his fights due to the fact that his striking is not as developed as many he would like it to be. Every fight that Fedor has taken to the ground has been won by the Russian, a testament to his ability in the discipline. It is designed to give smaller fighters an advantage against larger competitors, similar to the methodology behind Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The main difference between Sambo and BJJ is that Sambo uses throws whereas BJJ uses traditional wrestling take downs. While Sambo doesn't use the wrestling take downs, much of the sport is derived from wrestling, making it an excellent choice for anyone with some grappling background.

Sambo is recognized as being derived from a larger umbrella of Judo, a form in which throws and locks are again emphasized, but with certain versions where striking is permissible. The major difference is that in most forms of Judo, choke holds are legal, whereas in Sambo, they are not. Any mixed martial artist with knowledge of chokes would be smart to choose Judo over Sambo as he would be able to polish and utilize his strengths to a greater degree. Again, striking is at a minimum so if a fighter is looking to base his attack on striking attacks, he'd be smart to steer away from Judo and towards a more aggressive martial art.

Fedor's final element of martial arts training is his most recently-acquired as well. His ground work has always been superb, but his striking was suspect. How does the greatest fight of all time go about fixing this problem? He adds the most explosive striking discipline, Muay Thai, into his repertoire and mixes it seamlessly into his fights. Known as the art of the eight limbs (two hands, feet, elbows, knees), Muay Thai is the most dangerous of striking repetoires as those who master it can literally strike from any position or angle. Fedor is able to use this to his advantage when combatants are so reluctant to go to the ground with him, they choose to strike instead. Anyone with boxing knowledge and great cardio would fit well into a Muay Thai program.

No matter which of Fedor's disciplines you choose to study on your own, two facts remain. First, you can't go wrong. All are highly successful martial arts and different initial strengths will lend themselves to different styles. Second, no matter how much you train, you still won't be able to beat Fedor.

Sylvia-Vera Serves As Tantalizing Precursor To Main Event

2007-09-27T16:13:00.000-04:00

For as much hype as is swirling around Silva-Franklin (as well there should be), there is equally little being dedicated to the next most important fight on the card, Sylvia-Vera. Sylvia is still reeling from his loss to Couture while Vera is undefeated and on the fast track to a title shot. With Cro Cop's loss and Nogueira's less than stellar performance (and even worse promoting), this looks to be the bout which will feed the fans their new #1 contender. Of course, nothing has been announced (expect that at the post-conference), but I can't imagine anything else happening.

If Sylvia wins (which he isn't "supposed" to, just like Jardine and Forrest weren't "supposed" to), the fans will have to deal with Couture-Sylvia II. If Sylvia were to pull that off, it would be just about the worst thing that could happen to the UFC's Heavyweight division. Right now, Dana White only has two marketable champs, and he doesn't need that knocked down to two. In fact, I would be comfortable arguing that if Sylvia manages to beat Couture, not only will Cro Cop get a title shot, Fedor will be signed. White won't have a choice.

If Vera wins, we'll have an awesome showdown between young and old, and no matter who wins, fans should expect to see a rematch. White and the UFC have been waiting to get Vera involved in the title picture for some time now, and he'll offer a fresh face to combat the disappointments of CC and Big Nog. Look for White to build Vera into his Golden Boy, pitting him against the PRIDE HWs.

Although Silva-Franklin should be really fun, make sure to keep an eye on this bout too. It might just steal the fight of the night away from the Middleweights, and provides insight into a far more interesting and deep division.

UFC 76 Provides Further Shake Up For LHWs

2007-09-24T14:52:00.000-04:00

UFC 76 was a wild night of big upsets, big names, and big breakouts.

Big Upset: Keith Jardine over Chuck Liddell. This was supposed to be the Chuck's two wins en route to a LHW title shot. Instead, he was beaten by split (albeit uncontroversial) decision. No Bisping-Hamill screams here, The Iceman just got beat. Where does he go from here? After spending years beating up on UFC alums, he's had a real problem with PRIDE guys and younger fighters. Maybe a match up with Shogun? Who knows...it's tough to sell a Liddell fight these days. (Never thought I'd say that one).

Big Upset: Forrest Griffin over Shogun Rua. And THIS was supposed to be Rua's tune up so White could justify sending him over to Rampage for a title shot. Now what does White do? Hendo just lost; he can't justify Liddell, Wanderlei, or Rua. Major credit needs to go to Forrest here, he didn't just catch Shogun or get lucky. He soundly beat the 23 year old prodigy.

Big Name: Wanderlei Silva was in attendance, on hand to challenge Liddell once he beat Jardine. Talk about a change of plans. Instead, Wandy went home and challenged Forrest to a fight in order to avenge the loss of his good friend, Shogun. Now, that would be a fight.

Big Breakout: Jon Fitch. Fitch withstood all Diego Sanchez had to offer and won a split decision. He's starting to take down bigger and bigger names and he'll be rewarded soon. Look for him to be third in line for a WW title shot (GSP, Parisyan, Fitch).

Big Breakout: Lyoto Machida. The man who holds wins over BJ Penn and Rich Franklin, Machida spent last night dominating Nakamura (no slouch of an opponent). Considering the recent drop off of, well, everyone in the LHW, he might in line for a title shot soon. He also trains with Anderson Silva over at the Black House camp, so you know the man can fight.

UFC 76 Results

2007-09-23T15:29:00.000-04:00

UFC 76 results are in, and it was a WILD night in California.

Keith Jardine defeats Chuck Liddell via split decision

Forrest Griffin defeats Mauricio “Shogun” Rua via submission (rear naked choke) in round three

Jon Fitch defeats Diego Sanchez via split decision

Ryoto Machida defeats Kazuhiro Nakamura via unanimous decision

Tyson Griffin defeats Thiago Tavares via unanimous decision

Rich Clementi defeats Anthony Johnson via submission (rear naked choke) in round two

Jeremy Stephens defeats Diego Saraiva via unanimous decision

Christian Wellisch defeats Scott Junk via submission (heel hook) in round one

Matt Wiman defeats Michihiro Omigawa via unanimous decision

More coverage to come tomorrow!

Ultimate Fight Night 11 Results

2007-09-20T12:07:00.001-04:00

Kenny Florian def. Din Thomas via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 4:31
Chris Leben def. Terry Martin via KO (punch) — Round 3, 3:56
Nate Diaz def. Junior Assuncao via submission (guillotine choke) — Round 1, 4:10
Nate Quarry def. Pete Sell via TKO (punch) — Round 3, 0:44
Luke Cummo def. Edilberto Crocota via TKO (strikes) — Round 1, 1:45
Cole Miller def. Leonard Garcia via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Gray Maynard def. Joe Veres via KO (strikes) — Round 1, 0:09
Thiago Alves def. Kuniyoshi Hironaka via submission (verbal/strikes) — Round 2, 4:04
Dustin Hazelett def. Jonathan Goulet via submission (armbar) — Round 1, 1:14

EliteXC Heads Towards Top

2007-09-17T15:03:00.000-04:00

After putting on an extremely successful partnership event with Strikeforce last month (Baroni v. Shamrock), EliteXC once again showed it deserves to hang with the big boys last week. UFC ex-patriots Robbie Lawler and Nick Diaz combined along with fighters such as Ninja Rua and Gina Carano (the sport's most popular female fighter) to put on a show which was recognized as having superior matchmaking and an excellent production value.

And with PRIDE's buyout, the IFL offering a very different form of MMA, and WEC being technically owned by Zuffa, it's easy to see why many herald EliteXC as the only real competition. The praise is well deserved, considering that their fighters rival the WEC and they've landed an exclusive deal with SHOWTIME, which seems to not have enough programming to fill their slots. The result? EliteXC on SHOWTIME at least once a day.

While it's still way too early to tell, if EliteXC can keep signing fighters (Sokoudjou, anyone?) and marketing the package properly (as an alternative to expensive, overhyped UFC programming), they should be able to effectively develop their niche in the world of MMA.

Bisping Wants Hamill Rematch

2007-09-14T15:31:00.000-04:00

Not content to let the scorned Hamill request first, Michael Bisping has jumped the gun and asked for the rematch on his own. He cited constant critiques from the media as his reason to attempt to settle the controversy. He spoke to The Sun, and said this:

"I’m getting so much shit. I got the decision, I went through the fight and I got the win – it’s not like I went out there and got knocked out in 30 seconds. I think people need to realize that. It was a good, exciting fight and I think people are focusing on the negatives and not looking at the positives."

Bisping admitted that Hamill was improved but also noted that he doesn't need any controversy surrounding his wins. He wants them to be unanimous and definitive. And so now it will be up to Hamill, the man who said Bisping's punches didn't connect during the famed second round, to either accept and make this a certainty or wait for Dana White to declare it on his own.

It will be interesting to see whether or not this rematch takes place in Bisping's home country of England. Many cited a home field advantage for the Brit and suggested that the location played into the judge's decision. Additionally, the UFC has been using Bisping as their star in a campaign to win support in Europe. To have him lose there could be disastrous to their plans. On the flip side, if they let Bisping fight Hamill in England and he happens to win by decision, the credibility of the UFC could be challenged. White is far better off putting his Euro tour on hold just to have this in a neutral U.S. locale.

Is The Ultimate Fighter Good For The Sport?

2007-09-12T15:59:00.000-04:00

Stroll into just about any Sherdog forum, wait for a white belt to say something stupid, and then watch as the rest of the posters blast him with chants of "TUF NOOB." The logic behind this pedantic insult is that the white belt (a relatively new writer) has only been watching since the UFC went mainstream (The Ultimate Finale 1). Is it such a bad thing to have recently jumped on the bandwagon? After all, no sport can maintain its popularity without some semblance of turnover among its fans. In the eyes of veteran Sherdoggers, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) reality series has done nothing for the sport except cheapen it and make it accessible to legions of idiots.

I disagree, and I actually think that TUF has done more for the sport than almost anything else. I'd rank it right up there with the PRIDE buyout, showing live events on SpikeTV, and the UFC 40 fight between Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock. The cable television finale of the first season did a 1.9 share (HUGE) and brought us what is considered to be one of the most exciting UFC events of all time (Griffin-Bonnar). They picked a great time to put on that kind of show, as the UFC probably picked up more new fans that night than in any previous night in its existence.

The second and third seasons brought us some young guns such as Bisping and Rashad Evans, both of which have managed to make controversial waves during their thus-far short careers. Recently-embarrassed contenders Kendall Grove and Keith Jardine came from these two seasons as well. Okay, so we have big fights, big ratings, and big names...but no champions.

That's until season 4, which was designed to give a number of UFC vets who had never won a title shot the opportunity to fight a champion. Travis Lutter won among the middleweights and was expertly submitted (big surprise) by Anderson Silva. The Welterweight winner, Matt Serra, got a shot at Georges St. Pierre, and he's still champion.

We're yet to see Diaz or Lauzon (TUF 5 guys) make a huge splash, but I wouldn't bet against them. My point is that while The Ultimate Fighter has brought us some less than knowledgeable fans, it's okay because we were all that ignorant at one point or another. Some of the most renowned experts had Sylvia over Couture, so it's tough to ever say that someone doesn't know what they're talking about. Whether or not you agree with that, you can't deny that The Ultimate Fighter has brought us some talented fighters, many exciting fights, and even one of our current champions.

Which Schools Dominate The UFC?

2007-09-11T22:49:00.000-04:00

As with any sport, the way to win has developed over time. In baseball, good pitching used to rule the day whereas now, teams rely on sluggers to pound the ball to victory. In basketball, quick passes and good defense used to win championships. Now, deadly shooting and high-flying moves do the trick. The same goes for a sport like Mixed Martial Arts. I've defined the sport into three main categories during its short history, with a different school of fighting dominating the game, eventually ending at the hybridized style we see from almost every fighter today.

It doesn't take an expert to figure out that Gracie Jiu Jitsu (a slight variation on classic Jiu Jitsu), as utilized by Royce Gracie, was the single most imposing force in early UFC. This style, based on joint locks and body control, was perfect for smaller fighters facing much larger and stronger opponents. Royce highlighted the style's strengths during a fight with Dan Severn, in which he submitted the man 70 pounds his heavier. And oh yeah, between 1993 and 1994, Gracie won 11 fights by submission and won the UFC 1, UFC 2, and UFC 4 tournaments. Most of these were against strictly boxers or strictly wrestlers, and Gracie's grappling technique proved to be superior.

Gracie's grappling, with a slight twist, ruled the Middle Ages of the UFC, manifested in Miletich Fighting Systems. Founded by former Light/Welterweight Pat Miletich, MFS incorporates BJJ (thanks, Gracie family), Sambo, Judo, and Boxing for a more improved Mixed Maertial Artist who is dangerous on his feet and the ground. We saw a changing of the guard at UFC 60 as MFSer Matt Hughes was able to take down Royce Gracie and then debilitate him with a BJJ move. It was beautiful in its irony, and signified that Royce's prowess on the ground was no longer enough to win a fight. MFS fighters, including Hughes (former Welterweight champ), Rich Franklin (former Middleweight champ), and Tim Sylvia (former Heavyweight champ) helped to make this fighting system (the first true hybrid) and extremely successful one until very recently.

Look closely at the previous paragraph and you'll notice that all the MFS guys are FORMER champs. What happened? Fighters like Rampage Jackson, Georges St. Pierre, and Chuck Liddell have become so adept at forcing other fighters to fight their fight that they don't need to hybridize. Of course, GSP is dangerous anywhere, but he can also control a fight to the point where if he wants it to go to the ground, that's where it goes. If he wants to stand up, take a guess where the fight is going to end... Liddell has perfected his sprawl to the point where he never goes down. His fights always stay on the feet which serve him well until...he comes upon a another guy who doesn't want to go to the ground, and is an even more dangerous striker. I used to say that the new UFC fighter is a perfectly balanced and hybridized figher who can adapt to any situation or opponent. I'd like to correct that statement. The NEW UFC fighter is the one who is a master at his craft and can make everyone else try to match his style. See: Sean Sherk, Matt Serra, Anderson Silva, Rampage Jackson, Randy Couture. They all have something in common and it's not the fact that they're champions.

UFC 75 Results

2007-09-10T23:29:00.001-04:00

So maybe it wasn't the explosive card most expected, but it provided enough big hits, big submissions, and controversy to classify it as a quality event.

Houston Alexander vs. Alessio Sakara
Alexander continued his post-Jardine KO rise to the top with another dominating performance, this time over more-than-competent Sakara. He should start to get some legitimate contenders in his sights if he continues this run.

Marcus Davis vs. Paul Taylor
I'm going to go ahead and call this the most exciting fight of the night. The Irish Hand Grenade (Davis) took an early lead only to barely get knocked out later in the first round. He fought hard from the Brits guard, eventually ceasing the pounding and ending the fight with what later won "Submission of the night."

Cheick Kongo vs. Mirko Filipovic
Kongo flat out dominated Cro Cop in this three round decision. When striking, Kongo didn't let himself get in CC's range while delivering inside leg kick after inside leg kick. On the ground, where Kongo was supposed to be most suspect, he seemed in control, even though CC had put in weeks with guru Dean Lister. Kongo looked like the former Champion while CC looked confused, nervous, and overwhelmed.

Michael Bisping vs. Matt Hamill
Although this fight has garnered much controversy, it wasn't as close as some media outlets make it sound. Each fighter had his moments during the fight in a see saw battle that had Bisping ending strong. Personally, I had the fight 29-28 Hamill. No one agreed with me, as two judges put it 29-28 Bisping and one had 30-27 Hamill. I'd expect to see a rematch.

Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson
In the most anticipated bout of the evening, Jackson and Henderson exchanged some flurries but generally remained limited in their exertion. Jackson did win definitively, but it wasn't a bad loss for Henderson, at it was his first trip inside The Octagon. With Liddell and Hendo out of the way, Jackson can now set his sights on Shogun and Wanderlei, two guys who absolutely destroyed him in PRIDE.

Martial Arts School Finder Version 2 [BETA] has Arrived!

2007-09-09T15:03:00.000-04:00

Check out our latest release of Martial Arts School Finder. Find MMA schools, BJJ Schools, Kickboxing schools, Muay Thai schools, Karate schools, Kungfu schools, and many more in your area. Search or browse through our database of martial art schools to find one that is right for you!

Here is a list of the new features that are available:

* Browse by state and city to find your local martial arts school in addition to searching directly by address and zip code

* View martial art schools on a cluster map with clickable markers to show a martial art school's location information

* It's easier to view and navigate martial art school listings with our new and improved layout

* Get directions directly to a select martial art school

* Add your martial arts school to the School Finder

Click here to give it a test drive ››

Also, check out our new advertising programs to have your school listing at the top of School Finder search results. To learn more about this advertising opportunity and others, please click here.

UFC Fight Night 11 Features Best Of TUFers

2007-09-06T00:20:00.000-04:00

Despite the appearances of Chris Leben and Nate Quarry, two of the most disappointing TUF alums, UFC Fight Night 11 is shaping up to be a decent card with four other (physically competent) TUFers.

Kenny Florian, TUF 1 finalist and participant in an awesome bloodbath with current LW Champ Sean Sherk, will take on Din Thomas in the main event of the evening. This should be a great fight, with both guys looking for one last push in their respective careers. Both are good fighters and both have suffered some big losses in the UFC. Recently, they've been exhibiting winning ways and they'll collide on their way back to the top in a very uncertain LW division. It's anyones for the taking and these two guys are well aware of that fact.

The TUF 5 winner Nate Diaz will face his first real test in Brazilian Junior Assuncao. Even though his Gamburyan win was less than impressive, Diaz was without a doubt the most technically impressive fighter on the series. After all, his brother is Gogoplata-master Nick Diaz...what would you expect? He'll get a chance to validate his status in the UFC with a tough test here.

Two other TUF5ers, Gray Maynard and Cole Miller, both of whom displayed great promise during the series will battle at UFC FN 11, just not against each other. In an attempt to give the younger talent a push, Maynard will go to battle against unknown Joe Veres while Cole will lay the smack down on Leonard Garcia.

The TUF alums that separate themselves from the very large pack (possibly doing so at this very event) will set themselves up for some bigger fights and potential title shots in the future. After all, it was current Middleweight Champ Anderson Silva who embarrassed Chris Leben at Ultimate Fight Night 5. What may seem like a small event in between PPVs might very well be a coming out party for the next UFC Champ.

Fedor Meeting Goes Poorly

2007-09-02T21:27:00.000-04:00

A UFC source who spoke to FIGHT! Magazine contributor Sam Caplan said that the big Thursday meeting with Fedor did not go well. According to UFC Junkie, there were a variety of sources that said a deal was tentative:

A variety of reports today stated...that a tentative deal worth about $2 million per fight had been reached. However, Caplan reports that his source gave no indication that a deal was imminent.

Caplan's report, along with the little that Dana White admitted to knowing, culminate in a less than favorite report regarding the possibility of having Fedor in the company anytime soon. This is despite the fact that White acknowledged Fedor would receive an immediate title shot if he signed:

During Thursday’s UFC 75 media conference call, UFC President Dana White said that if Emelianenko signs with the organization, he could be next in line for a title shot with current champ Randy Couture. White, though, gave no indication that a deal was close, and even joked that the conference call members should “put in a good word” for him.

"Could be" in Dana White language usually means "is definite" and there are few things in mixed martial arts less definite than the deservedness of Fedor Emelianenko, a man who has beat the two fighters that can lay claim to a shot at Fedor's belt (Nogueira, Cro Cop). Couture-Fedor would probably draw one of the largest buy rates in the history of the sport and would be yet another boost for the unfazeable progress of mixed martial arts.

Finding the Right MMA Training Schools

2007-09-01T14:38:00.000-04:00

One never just starts competing in MMA out of the blue. Typically, a fighter will train several years before he ever steps into the MMA ring.

The most important aspect of starting out in MMA is locating the right place to train. First, conduct a web search and or look in the yellow pages for MMA schools in the area. If you can't find that, search for quality Brazilian jiu-jitsu schools or Muay Thai schools. You can learn some very good fighting skills to start out with. Even a season of wrestling can get you in shape and provide some critical combat experience.

If you are very serious about training in MMA, you may have to join a few different schools like myself to get the complete range of skills you need to compete. I currently train at one school for BJJ, another for Muay Thai, and another for boxing. It is up to me and my trainers to put the skills all together for MMA. At these different schools you will meet other people with various backgrounds in striking and wrestling. Seek out their advice and utilize them as training partners.

When you find a place, make sure the instructor is reputable and knowledgeable about MMA. Ask for their credentials and review their background. Also, speak and train with their students.

Right now, the MMA, BJJ or Muay Thai community is small enough so that an instructor's lineage can always be verified. If after conducting your research, you are still unsure about your potential instructor's credentials, ask for their instructor's information.

Get on the Internet and ask questions in forums found on MMA.tv. sherdog.com or www.jiujitsugear.com/forum/index.php. They can be very helpful in finding the right school or providing you other relevant information.

You want to join a MMA school that teaches you how to effectively fight from all ranges of combat. That means you will need to know how to proficiently strike, wrestle and grapple on the ground. Also, you must learn the rules of the event you are competing in.

Since getting beat is all part of the training process, a fertile learning environment where people are willing to help improve your overall skills and answer your questions is strongly recommended.

Championship belts or trophies are not a reliable indicator of whether the school is good or not. Great champions and great teachers can be two different things. It has been in my experience that schools with "tough guy" attitudes or the traditional martial arts schools who do not train for real MMA fights, are places where relevant skills are lacking. Those with big egos or people who teach old school and impractical self-defense techniques are often kidding themselves into thinking they know how to fight.

You want to be around fighters who have been in the ring and know what it is like to compete against another skilled MMA fighter. Don't be fooled by wild claims of death touches and ranks. Today's MMA champions are not concerned with black belts or ranking in martial arts systems. They are focused on earning championship belts and sport rankings.

Safety and training smart is a prime consideration when practicing techniques or sparring. Your training sessions, especially your sparring sessions should always be monitored - so nobody gets out of control or gets out of hand. Knowing how to train is just as important as learning the techniques.

Drilling is an important component of training sessions. Practicing the basics and fundamentals can be boring, but this makes the difference between good fighters and great ones. The great ones execute all the little thing perfect where the good ones just become a jack of all trades and masters of nothing. It is imperative that you carry out proper technique without having to do it at full speed or muscle your way through the technique for it to work. Nobody should get injured during drilling techniques. Listen to your instructor and know when it is time to tap out. Learn how to fall properly to avoid injuries.

Being a tough guy when it comes to resisting a move will only get you to the hospital or will take you out of training. It is also important that you let your opponent do the move on you with resistance, so both you and your partner benefit. Later, you will have your time to spar with full resistance. It is ok to tap when sparring and you should certainly tap when drilling submissions. Watch the more advanced students to see how they train and ask them for advice.

When sparring, you and your partner should be under control. You should be aware of your breathe, conscious of your surroundings and not be moving wildly or carelessly. Grunting, flailing arms or legs or employing "cheap" moves like twisting fingers or other small joints, pinching, biting, striking the groin, hard strikes, holding on to submissions or putting on submissions carelessly have no place in training sessions. As a result, you will most likely get kicked out of the school or can make you a target for retaliation.

Your training goal is to always be technical and under control when sparring. This will make you a better fighter and more aware competitor when it comes to the real thing. If you have a problem with a fellow student, be sure to talk to them about it. If that does not work, ask the advice of one of the senior students or instructors.

Author: Kenny Florian

Republished with permission from Kenny Florian. Please visit Kenny Florian's web site at http://www.kennyflorian.com

New UFC 75/76 Site Highlights Stacked LHWs

2007-08-30T15:14:00.000-04:00

In another brilliant business move by someone at the top of Zuffa, the sites for UFC 75 & 76 have been combined into a slick flash design intended to highlight the strength of the Light Heavyweight division. Both events feature LHWs as their main event as well as a myriad of LHWs on the undercard.

The power at the top of the division is obvious, with PRIDE's transfers making the old UFC 205 pounders look weak at best. Of the top 5 fighters in the division, only one (Liddell) is a UFC original. Of course, Liddell's lost twice to the weakest of the PRIDE guys (Rampage). Add in Wanderlei, Henderson, and Shogun, and this division is easily the strongest in MMA history.

Like most fans, I'm able to note the strength of the division, but usually only focus on the top. I overlook all the rest of the guys, who, if they were in any other division, would be one of the best. The Lightweight division has two or three excellent fighters. The Welterweight division has about five and the Middleweights have two (maybe three...). By my count, and with assistance of the new site, the Light Heavyweights have a whopping nine solid guys. I left out these seven, which made UFC's list of sixteen total: Alessio Sakara, Renato Sobral, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Keith Jardine, Matt Hamill, Forrest Griffin, and Houston Alexander.

Even with my omissions, the Light Heavyweight division is light years ahead of all others, even the Heavyweight division which has five solid guys. This incredible strength of talent will make UFC 75 and UFC 76 two very exciting shows, which are cleverly highlighted by the UFC marketing machine.

UFC Balance Of Power Regains Normalcy

2007-08-27T18:25:00.001-04:00

With the wins of Randy Couture and Georges St. Pierre on Saturday night, the pair finalized UFC's return to general predictability (a good thing) following a span of upsets which stretched from 68 to 71, effectively throwing three of the five title pictures in disarray. With Sherk's win (let's forget about the steroids for a moment), Couture's first successful defense of the HW title, and St. Pierre displaying his ability to shake the Serra blues, it appears that we can start narrowing the talent into some Superfights.

No need to give Gonzaga another title shot now. And after St. Pierre's dismantling of Koscheck, it's obvious that St. Pierre and Hughes are the only guys who deserve to be on the top of that division. Not Sanchez, not Kos, not Parisyan, and certainly none of the other guys who were said to be in line for a title shot. Just the best of the best. Had Koscheck won the fight on Saturday, it would've taken even more legitimacy from the division and possibly...just possibly set up for Koscheck-Serra. Instead of being forced to witness that eyesore, it looks as if we're on track for GSP-Hughes III, which is the best fight for the fighters, the fans, and of course, the sport.

Couture's huge win marks the reality of his second coming in the UFC as he has now dispatched of two contenders (Sylvia and Gonzaga) who have at times been heralded as greats, but have now been reduced to pawns. This is significant because now Couture can start wading through the real contenders, the PRIDE guys. Similar to the Koscheck-Serra scenario, I think I speak for everyone when I say we really dodged a bullet with the potential Gonzaga-Nogueira matchup. Instead, we should be treated to Couture-CC, Couture-Nog, or even Couture-Fedor. With CC's recent loss and Nog's less than stellar opening show, there really is no contender in the UFC who should be considered a favorite against "The Natural." It may be up to White to sign someone who can fill these shoes.

The narrowing of competition continues at UFC 75 with the Henderson-Rampage match, a virtual win-win for the UFC. With a Liddell and Shogun wins at 76, the UFC should be set up perfectly for a winter to remember. Silva and Franklin will kick things off with what should be a war. We will most likely see Shogun against the winner of Rampage-Henderson. Couture will almost definitely fight Cro Cop or Nogueira. And barring something amazing happening, Hughes will get another crack at GSP. It may have not been the most exciting event in the world, but UFC 74 has now set the stage for the success that is to come.

UFC 74 Updates & Results

2007-08-25T16:37:00.000-04:00

Throughout the evening of August 25, 2007, Martial Base will be providing up-to-the-minute updates for every televised fight at UFC 74. With St. Pierre rebounding from the Serra loss and Couture taking on Cro Cop killer Gabriel Gonzaga, this won't be a card to miss. Updates start at 10 PM EST.

Randy Couture defeats Gabriel Gonzaga via TKO in the third round

Georges St. Pierre defeats Josh Koscheck via unanimous decision

Roger Huerta defeats Alberto Crane via technical knockout (strikes) in round three

Joe Stevenson defeats Kurt Pellegrino via unanimous decision

Patrick Cote defeats Kendall Grove via technical knockout (strikes) in round one

Renato “Babalu” Sobral defeats David Heath via submission (anaconda choke) in round two

Frank Mir defeats Antoni Hardonk via submission (kimura) in round one

Thales Leites defeats Ryan Jensen via submission (armbar) in round one

Clay Guida defeats Marcus Aurelio via split decision

White: Fedor Won't Relate To UFC Fans

2007-08-20T00:31:00.000-04:00

Dana White, while talking about the most talented free agent (and martial artist) in the universe, said that he just wouldn't relate to UFC fans. Now whether this is simply an excuse for the lack of contract or White actually believes this, no one knows. But what is known is that the man simply recognized by his first name, Fedor, needs a place to fight. Never has one man been so dominant. Even Matt Hughes suffered a legendary defeat at the hands of BJ Penn at UFC 46. Fedor has no such blemish.

White compared Fedor's potential entrance to that of Cro Cop, citing over and over again that for whatever reason, Fedor is simply not ready:

The hard core fans who know who Fedor is are a minority. Believe me when I tell you that. My (UFC) fans don't know who he is. I'd have to build him up. You can't just say 'Fedor's here,' and open the doors and expect people to come in. It doesn't work that way.
I even had to build up Cro Cop. It's taking a while for us to do that. After we introduce him to our fans, then you can do that kind of a thing.

Okay, so there's probably something to be said for the bloodthirsty fans who come to the events just to see a knockout. But for every one of those, I'd bet that there are two fans who have taken the time to understand the intricacies of the ground game and other minutia of the sport. It is growing rapidly and newer fans will take the time to learn MMA the right way. Whether or not White thinks Fedor can relate to these fans (it obvious he doesn't), he has a duty to the fans to bring Fedor in. When Zuffa purchased PRIDE, White made it clear that his intention was to huddle the world's best under one tent. Until Fedor is under that tent, White hasn't done anything.

Eastman To Enter UFC Middleweight Ranks

2007-08-19T15:01:00.000-04:00

Former Light Heavyweight contender and current corrections officer, Marvin "The Beastman" Eastman has announced his plans to drop to Middleweight and fight grappling expect Demian Maia, despite The Beastman's current 0-3 record in the UFC.

Eastman made this announcement on his blog with the following declaration:

The smashing [continues] at 185 until I get a title fight against the belt holder in the middleweight division in the UFC. I will get there and win that belt.

Although Eastman hasn't done much as of late, I wouldn't count him out just yet. The man who holds an early win over Quinton "Rampage" Jackson would be an excellent complement to the UFC's weakest division. Following the UFC 77 bout between Silva and Franklin, there won't be an anyone who will be able to make an obvious and definite claim to a title shot. Eastman has a much better chance here than with the Light Heavyweights, which now contains just about every big name in the business. Add in the fact that Kang and Filho, two of the world's Top 5 Middleweights aren't in the UFC, and it becomes obvious that Marvin has just made the best business decision of his career.

His bout against Maia should be fascinating as well, comparing a buff and savage brawler against a slick former ADCC champ. The bout should be a throwback to older UFC's, which were a true test of skill vs. skill. The winner will not only make his respective martial art proud, but he may also be able to lay claim to the least challenged belt in the UFC.

Wanderlei Addition Makes UFC 79 Card Top Notch

2007-08-15T22:14:00.000-04:00

It's been expected for months, but Wanderlei (pictured, credit: PRIDE FC) finally confirmed that he'll be making his UFC debut at UFC 79 on December 29th. Although it's unknown who will face "The Axe Murderer," whoever it is will have his hands full: Wanderlei has been training with Randy Couture. Many are hoping that Liddell will be Wanderlei's first match up, which doesn't bode well for The Iceman. After all, who knows Liddell's style better than the man who has faced him the most amount of times? Additionally, Wanderlei holds two wins over Rampage Jackson who holds two wins over Liddell. The math isn't good.

However, Wanderlei will probably be given a warm up bout a la Shogun-Griffin, Rampage-Eastman. We'll have to wait for the Wanderlei-Liddell fight, which will probably happen after Wanderlei faces the winner of Rampage-Henderson. Dana White has said Liddell needs two wins before a title shot, so he'll beat up on Jardine, fight someone else around the the time of the Wanderlei-Rampage/Hendo bout, and then get the winner of that.

Whether or not we get to see Liddell at UFC 79 is still up in the air, but Wandy will definitely be there. His introduction, along with the Hughes-Serra title fight will make this winter card one of the best of the year. Hughes and Serra seem to have a real grudge against one another (not just this Tito Ortiz hyped drama) and should put on a war for the fans. Personally, I'm hoping to see the title belt returned to a real Champion, but I'll be happy enough if Hughes and Serra produce more than three rounds of action. A truly great card features a mixture of striking and ground work across a variety of weight classes. UFC 79, with the help of Wanderlei Silva, is shaping up to be just that.

The Ultimate Fighter Season 7

2007-08-14T22:38:00.000-04:00

Dana White recently announced the contenders for TUF 7, and two things of note stood out immediately. One, the season will focus on Light Heavyweights, not the Middleweight division which is in such dire straits. However, this is another discussion for another article. The more important aspect of the new season to discuss is the fact that the roster features generally new fighters. Most of them have only been in 4 or 5 sanctioned MMA bouts compared to the well-traveled contestants of season's past.

This is a huge mistake on White's part as he will be taking away two elements that make the series what it is. First, since past contestants such as Michael Bisping (pictured) have held title belts in other organizations (like Cage Rage), they know their way around the Octagon, are able to put on professional and entertaining matches, and have some credentials to back up all the talking. Even so, you occasionally get a fighter like Danny Abbadi who, at least during the season, looked like he had never fought in an MMA bout in his life. Now, imagine if the entire season was composed of fighter's with similar skill levels. It would be a disaster, reminiscent of a Kimbo Slice YouTube video. The fact of the matter is that fighters who know what they are doing is really what the show was created for. It was meant to give quality fighters who may have otherwise been overlooked another shot at rising to the top. See: Bisping, Evans, Sanchez. It was not meant for a bunch of brand-new fighters (some of which hold 1-0 records...no joke) to figure out if they are any good.

The second reason fighters should be a little more experienced is that it allows for more story lines to be created. I defy any other expert in the field to find me a story line for fantastically tangled than Joe Lauzon, fighting on Penn's team (who lost to Pulver), AGAINST Pulver (who Lauzon knocked out as an 11-1 underdog a year earlier). The fighter was able to do something that his coach wasn't WHILE holding a KO over the opposing coach. I'm a creative guy, but I couldn't write that if I tried. If you take away the element of history, you delete the story line that kept me watching all season long.

The UFC should receive suffered ratings as a result of this move and rebound with a season for experienced Middleweights. As long as we don't have to see Chris Leben, it'll be better than this.

Entering The World Of Mixed Martial Arts: Which Style Is Best?

2007-08-10T00:05:00.000-04:00

Many argue that the world of combat sports has evolved far beyond the boxing and its glory days. People crave more than two men only utilizing their two hands, battering each other for twelve dreary rounds. These days, people yearn for more action and with more action, there comes more technique.

The answer to this craving is the future of combat sports. It is mixed martial arts.

Mixed martial arts is a combat sport is composed of a wide assortment of fighting technique, techniques which range from striking to grappling.

In this little educational piece, I will run through the primary styles of mixed martial arts used today (note the word primary; it may not include every single art out there).

Striking

I. Muay-Thai Kickboxing

Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing or The Art of the Eight Limbs, is Thailand’s national sport. Techniques of Muay Thai usually include the feet, shinbones, fists, elbows, the clinch and knees.

Muay Thai’s worldwide popularity blossomed around the 1990s, being extremely effective in mixed martial arts fights. Muay Thai remains as one of the most popular styles of striking amongst MMA fighters today.

Muay Thai has showed great effectiveness in mixed martial arts today. Fighters who have found much success with Muay Thai include current UFC middleweight champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva, former PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and the majority of the Brazilian-based Chute Boxe Academy. Although these fighters’ styles revolve greatly around the art of Muay Thai, they have incorporated elements of grappling, wrestling, and submission wrestling in order to compete in MMA.

II. Kickboxing

The art of kickboxing differs from that of Muay Thai kickboxing. Kickboxing focuses mainly on utilizing just punches and kicks opposed to standing elbow strikes and the clinch as in Muay Thai.

The term “kickboxing” alone is usually independent of “Muay Thai” and often refers to American and Japanese derivatives of the sport.

Kickboxing of course has proven to be quite effective as well. Most notable fighters whose primary arsenal relies on kickboxing are Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Mark Hunt, both of whom fought in the K-1 organization before transitioning into MMA.

III. Boxing

Boxing in my opinion is one of the greatest styles a fighter can learn to develop their standup skills in MMA. Boxing is essentially the style of the hands, so I believe there is not a style out there that can top it as far as punching goes.

The main components of boxing include one of the most under used strikes in MMA today, the jab to set up combos, the cross, the hook, and the uppercuts. Defense includes slipping, bobbing, and footwork.

Boxing is used in MMA today by high profile fighters such as PRIDE’s lightweight champion Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi, Nick Diaz, and UFC’s former lightweight champion Jens “Little Evil” Pulver.

Grappling

I. Jiu-Jitsu

There is no question that more than 50% of the ground skills involved in MMA is contributed to by Jiu-Jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu focuses on grappling and in particular ground fighting using joint-locks and chokeholds to force an opponent into submission and ultimately tap out!

Jiu-Jitsu was said to include many “dirty” techniques and was then adopted by the Gracie family and turned into a “cleaner” combat system.

The Jiu-Jitsu used in MMA is mainly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), which came about when the Gracies went to the United States to spread their art. The Gracie family continued to develop their system throughout the 20th century and has refined its techniques, which are seen in much of the MMA matches today.

There is no doubt that BJJ is extremely effective in today’s MMA matches. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (or BJJ) became most popular when UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie won UFC 1, UFC 2 and UFC 4 with his superior ground game. Royce’s opponents were usually much larger and practiced other styles, including boxing, shoot-fighting, karate, judo, and wrestling.

However, today some of the greatest BJJ MMA practitioners include: former PRIDE heavyweight champion Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira, BJ “The Prodigy” Penn, Shinya Aoki, and a wealth of other fighters.

II. Wrestling

Wrestling is an essential skill in mixed martial arts today. A fighter can have a good background in Jiu-Jitsu, but have poor wrestling skills.

Wrestling, the oldest form of martial arts, includes a variety of techniques which include: clinching, holding, locking, leverage and one of the most important techniques in MMA, the sprawl.

Wrestling consists of numerous styles, such as: Greco-Roman wrestling, freestyle wrestling, catch wrestling, and others.

Many successful MMA champions and fighters have extensive wrestling credentials before entering a career in MMA. The most notable of fighters whom come off a wrestling background are: former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, and current UFC heavyweight champion Randy “The Natural” Couture.

However, many wrestlers in MMA have been criticized and said to “Lay-and-pray.” Lay-and-pray is a term used to describe when wrestlers take an opponent down and lay on top of them without attempts to finish the fight with “ground-and-pound” or submissions. Lay-and-prayers only seek to maintain control of positioning and smother any offense by the opponent, imposing little or no offense themselves, hoping for a decision victory.

III. Sambo/Judo

Sambo and Judo are not the most popular styles utilized in mixed martial arts but have certainly proven to be highly successful when utilized. Sambo is combat sport and self-defense system developed in the former Soviet Union, and recognized as an official sport by the USSR All-Union Sports Committee in 1938, presented by Anatoly Kharlampiev. While Judo is a combat, originating in Japan, that involves hip throws, tosses, joint locks, as well as punches and kicks. Sambo heavily resembles Judo.

Many of today’s top fighters utilize either Sambo or Judo. Fedor Emelianenko, PRIDE Fighting Championships's current heavyweight champion and consistently ranked the world's best heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter has a background in judo and is an avid practitioner of Sambo. Other fighters with backgrounds in Judo in MMA include: Hidehiko Yoshida, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Pawel Nastula and UFC’s Karo “The Heat” Parisyan.

Judo and Sambo not only has proven to be successful amongst MMA matches but is certainly exciting to watch.

So there you have it, the primary martial arts inside of mixed martial arts. I hope you learned a thing or two from this article and if you have any questions simply post a comment below!

Henderson Sheds Light On Sokoudjou's Destination

2007-08-09T23:42:00.000-04:00

In an article on July 27th, Irish Whip Fighting announced that Toast Of The Town Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou pulled out of his deal with EliteXC. This created mounds of speculation as to where the man who knocked out Ricardo Arona and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira would land. Although he trains with mostly UFC-composed Team Quest in Portland, Oregon, rumors were swirling that Sokoudjou would head to K-1 and use his well-rounded skills in the world of kickboxing. That is, until today.

In a new interview with PRIDE FC Champion Dan Henderson, Hendo revealed not only that he manages Sokoudjou, but that Sokoudjou has indeed made up his mind as to where he is going to go. In the interview, Henderson mentioned that although his relationship with the UFC was new, it was going well and he expects to end his career in the UFC.

Now, let's piece this together. The man who is managing Sokoudjou is in the UFC, is happy with the UFC, and may be a champion of the UFC come August 24th. Of course, nothing is set in stone and I doubt Henderson would want to have the possibility of facing the younger and more athletic Sokoudjou...but I'd keep my ears open for an announcement during UFC 74.

Does Bisping Deserve Better?

2007-08-09T23:19:00.000-04:00

TUF 3 winner Michael Bisping, who is now set to take on Matt Hamill at UFC 75, has routinely expressed his displeasure with this opponent, citing that he should be facing only the best in his climb to the top. The undefeated Brit had this to say on the topic:

“And if he’s hoping that I’m gonna cut corners in training he’ll be very upset when he reads this – because I’m going to Big Bear to train for a month with Rampage Jackson. That’s how keen I am to put on the performance of my life and smash this arrogant egomaniac to bits. I’ve done a complete 180 – I’ve never been so excited and motivated for a fight in my career because I am fighting a guy I can’t stand personally. No way am I losing to this egomaniac – and I am really excited to go to California to train with a fighter of the level of Rampage.”

Bisping also mentioned that he considers it a step backwards since he won The Ultimate Fighter and Hamill did not. Some have called this brash, but I've got to agree...for a number of reasons. First, Bisping is essentially the only real link the UFC has to England. They poured more money into their UFC 70 event than any other in history (as far as advertising goes) in a bid to win over all of Europe. Who was their poster boy? Bisping. Who are they planning the UFC 75 pre-fight activities around? You guessed it. Using Bisping for 2 of 6 fights and then handing him Matt Hamill is plain highway robbery.

Another undefeated TUF fighter, Rashad Evans, got to fight Tito Ortiz and immediately make a name for himself. Bisping has been stuck beating up on old UFC Legends and new guys who no one knows. Had he been offered an opponent of Ortiz's caliber, and been able to pull off a win, he would without a doubt be in higher regard among UFC matchmakers and Sherdoggers alike. Even if Bisping was given his original opponent of Ken Shamrock, he would have been able to make a statement by beating one of the true Legends (not Elvis Sinosic) and start to receive some real attention.

Since none of these decisions have gone Bisping's way, it'll be up to him to prove everyone wrong and make Matt Hamill into his own personal example.

Wanderlei Silva To Fight In December

2007-08-05T01:15:00.000-04:00

Dana White has confirmed that he's landed the biggest 205 pound free agent out there, as he announced on a Las Vegas television program, "We've got Wanderlei Silva." Despite suffering back-to-back knockouts (albeit to world-class fighters Filipovic and Henderson), Silva was still one of the most coveted names out there. He was rumored to fight Chuck Liddell at UFC 76, but talks fell through, leading White to name Keith Jardine as Silva's replacement. It seems as if all hope for the Liddell-Silva superfight was lost; that is, until now. It appears that following Liddell's massacre (I pray) of Jardine at UFC 76, he'll face Silva in December. It could happen on the same card as Hughes-Serra, which would certainly be worth the $50.

This won't be Silva's first trip to the Octagon, however. He's 1-2 in UFC bouts, with a decision loss to Tito Ortiz and a BRUTAL first round KO by the fast hands of Vitor Belfort (the "old Vitor," as sherdoggers like to say). Since then, he's torn through most of PRIDE's Middleweight division (remember, they don't have LHWs), owning two huge wins over Rampage Jackson as well as a decision over Dan Henderson. While Silva may exhibit some slight UFC jitters (see this article for others who did), he'll probably be able to settle in by the second round or so. It will be up to Liddell to not let him see that second round. While it's too early to predict anything, it is easy to see how the UFC LHW division is shaping up to be the best in MMA history.

With Silva and Liddell along with Rampage and Henderson (UFC 75 opponents), Zuffa has commandeered the four major players in MMA today. Add in Tito Ortiz, who is still a force to be reckoned with, in addition to young guns Bisping, Evans, and Shogun, and you've got years and years of solid fights. Even more convincing, the UFC has shown an international edge as of late, giving more press to guys like Lyoto Machida. I'd expect that the winner of Liddell-Silva will get the winner of Rampage-Hendo. Shogun will most likely fight whoever comes out of that war zone. No matter how it plays out, we should be looking at some awesome fights for the next year and even more exposure for the glorious sport of mixed martial arts.

Hybrid MMA vs. Traditional Styles: Which Is The Better Pick?

2007-08-04T02:09:00.000-04:00

When beginning training in Mixed Martial Arts, one must make a crucial decision. Is it more beneficial to get a well-rounded MMA experience or instead, focus in on one discipline and learn to master it? This is the essential question behind the idea of MMA and why the UFC was founded in the first place: to determine which fighting style was superior. In looking for that answer, the creators of UFC got more than they bargained for. While intially, it appeared that certain styles were dominant, over time, a hybridization took place. Do fighters benefit from mastering different techniques from various schools of thought or are they just better off knowing one very, very well?

Matt Hughes (pictured) would agree with the first choice: that a hybridization was necessary and benficial to his career. He displayed this most prominently at UFC 60 when he defeated Royce Gracie using a combination of Gracie's very own Jiu-Jitsu coupled with his extensive wrestling background. Gracie, limited in the scope of what he could handle, caved under the different looks Hughes was throwing at him and got grounded and pounded to a loss. Such is the benefit of learning multiple styles of martial arts. They can be switched on and off like a light switch, combined and separated to create the ultimate in distraction and strategy. If a fight can master a striking and a grappling technique (compared to someone in a single discipline, who is only good standing up or only good on the ground), he will have created a strategy capable of taking out any styled opponent. Nick Diaz is a great example of this as he is well-versed in both boxing and jiu-jitsu. In his fight against Robbie Lawler, Diaz elected to stand, picking his spots and eventually knocking out the Ruthless one. More recently, against Takanori Gomi, Diaz took the fight to the floor, executing one of the most difficult submissions in all of MMA, the gogoplata. Chances are, if Diaz was a master of just one of those disciplines, he would not have been able to take both fights. By learning a hybrid style, the embodiment of what Mixed Martial Arts means, a fighter can be dynamic, dangerous, and successful against opponents of any kind.

On the other hand, there is something to be said for perfecting one discipline. Royce Gracie, although defeated by Hughes, ran through every other singular discipline with his take on classic BJJ. Karo Parisyan (pictured) has brought a classic Judo background with him, and has made it work with flying colors, owning wins over Diaz and current Welterweight champ Matt Serra. Many wrestlers, such as Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, have been very successful while remaining true to their disciplines. While they may throw elements of other styles in from time to time, they will rely on and look to their wrestling backgrounds when it is time to win a fight. If a fighter can use his background in one style as a defensive mechanism in order to open up offense (see: Karo Parisyan), then he may be as successful as a fighter who is constantly switching up techniques in the middle of the fight. Switching to southpaw will often get a fighter knocked out, but switching entire disciplines can get your career ended.

This decision is an important one that every fighter must make at some point in their training. Whether one decides to take a more rounded approach to martial arts or hone in on one style, two facts remain. Fighters have won with each and fighters have lost with each. It is up to the individual practitioner of the sport to decide how hard he will train, how much he will invest, and how much he will get out of it.

Blood Feuds Make For Classic Showdowns

2007-08-02T16:31:00.000-04:00

While UFC 51: Bitter Rivals was cast as a classic match up of enemies, it turned out to be a lackluster night of fights between Ken Shamrock, Tito Ortiz, Andrei Arlovski, and Tim Sylvia. Had VP of Talent and Matchmaker Joe Silva been afforded the luxury of "fighting families" in the UFC at that time, surely he would have booked them against one another in a true display of bitter rivals. Now, with Nate and Nick Diaz together in MMA (although Nick is currently in EliteXC, not UFC) along with Manny Gamburyan and Karo Parisyan (they're cousins), both in the UFC, he's got just that. And if it wasn't enough that there are two families with fighters whose weights match up perfectly, they hate each other.

The bad blood started back at UFC 49 when Karo Parisyan beat Nick Diaz by split decision (pictured, credit: fightnews.com). Most said that this was one of the top ten UFC bouts of all time, and even more suggested that the decision could have gone either way. Ask Parisyan about the fight, and he'll say decisively "I won it." Despite this level of hubris from a man who only won a split decision, Nick and Karo maintain that they are on good terms.

This story, however, took another turn during the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter. Karo came into the locker room to see his cousin Manny Gamburyan, but when he saw Nate Diaz (the brother of Nick), he playfully grabbed Diaz's shoulder and started to mess around with him. Many people, including myself and other fighters, felt that Karo was talking down to Nate and bullying him. Of course, Nate jumped up and got in Karo's face, but the altercation was ended before it could escalate.

Yet another twist was added when the two relatives of Karo Parisyan and Nick Diaz ended up facing each other in the finals of the series. Nate Diaz won the bout in unspectacular fashion after Gamburyan dislocated his shoulder and had to stop the fight due to injury. Another fight between the families and another controversial finish. Protecting the honor of family, split decisions, and injuries add up to make this one of the most intriguing and genuine rivalries in all of MMA.

The next time Joe Silva is looking for a card on which to place guys who just don't like each other, he should move past Tito and Ken or Hughes and Serra. His best bet would be to schedule two families in two rematches and as a result, give the fans two wars. The MMA community has seen families before (Rua, Nogueira, Shamrock), but never before has such a feud been started between them. It'll be up to Nick, Nate, Manny, and Karo to end it.

Couture An Underdog, Great Pick For UFC 74

2007-08-01T17:51:00.000-04:00

As the events surrounding UFC bouts draw near, odds on the event typically settle down from their previously erratic manner. However, the odds on the Randy Couture-Gabriel Gonzaga fight have been relatively steady all along... and not in favor of "The Natural." I was surprised when I initially saw that Couture was a +105 underdog and Gonzaga was a -130 favorite (source: 5dimes.com), but I assumed that this would even out as we neared the event and we got further away from the shock of Gonzaga's win over Cro Cop. Weeks later, and I stand corrected. It seems that a Cro Cop knockout carries my cache than I thought. As such, it appears that these will be the final lines heading into the event. And if they are, my suggestion is bet, bet, bet!

Gonzaga is the younger fighter and he is getting better, but I just don't think he's anywhere nearly as skilled as Couture. Whether he fought in K-1, Shooto Brazil, or the UFC, Gonzaga has never gone past the third round. The much more experienced Couture, on the other hand, routinely grounds and pounds for 25 minutes straight. If the fight goes past the third round, expect Gonzaga to gas and Couture to come into his own. Randy Couture spent the last round of his fight against "Cardio Master" Tito Ortiz at UFC 44 smashing him into the ground and at one point, spanking him.

This would lead one to believe that if the fight is going to end, it'll have to be done in a shocking and quick manner, similar to the Cro Cop fight. Despite my belief that Couture will prevail, it should be noted that Gonzaga has NEVER let a fight reach a decision, lending more credence to the belief that Gonzaga's only shot is an early victory. However, I don't think Couture will let the fight end early and will instead confuse and frustrate the Brazilian. I expect Gonzaga to be tentative early, similar to his UFC 56 fight against Kevin Jordan, which will open himself up for an early Couture takedown (see: Couture-Sylvia). Couture must be careful here, as Gonzaga is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu wizard, but he should be able to offer effective strikes while being mindful of Gonzaga's masterful guard.

To recap, I don't see anyway that Gonzaga wins this. If "Napao" tries to finish Couture early, he'll get taken down and pounded. If Gonzaga chooses to feel Couture out a little longer, he'll get gas towards the end, make a mistake, and pay for it. As a result, this underdog money is an excellent bet. I know I'll be taking the money on Couture. I've seen him dominate and fight perfectly too many times to think that Gonzaga has a shot in hell. Of course, I said the same thing about Georges St. Pierre and Matt Serra...

2007-07-17T18:38:00.000-04:00

We have a new MMA photographer on board from the UK named Antoine Becaglia. Check out his excellent MMA action shots at http://www.martialbase.com/photos.cfm.