For this post I am focusing on the clusterf@$% that is the UFC's light heavyweight devision. While there are no problems with the indisputable (by his last performances) champ, Rampage Jackson, the contenders below him nipping at his heels is what makes the situation so confusing.
Let's start with Keith Jardine. Jardine recently pummeled Forrest Griffin into the canvas, only to receive a even more vicious punishment at the hands of Houston Alexander. Jardine is offered a fight with Chuck Liddell to once again establish himself in the UFC. Like most strategies effect in the UFC (Serra) this backfired on them as Jardine fought a hard 3 rounds to emerge the victor over once champion and now back to back loss holder, Chuck Liddell. So during this Houston Alexander is on a warpath which claims Alessio Sakara, knocking him from contention. Forrest was at the time looking for a way back to fame from the Jardine fight and offered to fight against Shogun Rua, who was making his debut. Forrest stunned the world by defeating Shogun, who holds a win over Rampage Jackson, making things just that more confusing. Meanwhile, Houston Alexander was just exploited by Thiago Silva, another member of Team Chut Boxe, dropping him from contention.
This would be fine and dandy, but now we have Wanderlei Silva entering the mix to take on former champ and UFC poster boy Chuck Liddell. Wanderlei holds 2 previous wins over Jackson, who holds 2 wins over Liddell. The winner of this fight will be catapulted back into contention, which makes the entire situation more confusing considering the extremely healthy amount of talent that the LHW division is bulging with. Assuming Wanderlei does win, it makes an interesting situation between him and Shogun, who is still a contender.
All in all we have Wanderlei trying to establish himself, Chuck trying to prove he's not over the hill, Forrest Griffin beating Shogun and both deserving to be in contention, Thiago Silva who's proving to be well rounded by smashing Houston who beat Jardine who beat Chuck and proved that he belongs in the contention and last but not least we have Jackson who is at the top of the pack with two people who hold a combined 3 losses against him trying to take his belt. This is the most complicated weight class there is.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
UFC 78 Recap.
Alot has happened this weekend in the UFC. Two of their rising stars have suffered defeats because of it. Winners of the Ultimate Fighter Seasons 2 and 3, Michael Bisping, and Rashad Evans squared off in the octagon, leaving the decision to the judges, who scored the bout to Evans, via split decision. While Michael Bisping did not really wake up until the second round, like he has been known to do in previous fights, he was taken down repeatedly by Rashad, though neither fighters were able to connect with big shots or cause much damage to each other at all.
Houston Alexander on the other hand, has now tasted defeat in the octagon, and must be bittersweet to someone who was simply running through the division until now. Thiago Silva managed to avoid the early storm by Houston by clinching him against the fence and tying him up, and then proceeded to take Houston down and finally expose his abilities on the mat, or lack there of, should I say. Silva established a full mount position which Houston could not escape, Silva soon rained down heavy punches which left the ref no choice but to step in and rescue Houston. If I was Houston Alexander at this time, i would be drilling mount escapes repeatedly until they are second nature.
Otherwise, Ryo Chonan fought a hard fight against Karo Parisyan and though lost via decision, definitely proved he belongs in the UFC and has looked better than other PRIDE fighters that had made the transition into the octagon. The fight was not exceptionally exciting but showcased the talent of the two competitors.
Houston Alexander on the other hand, has now tasted defeat in the octagon, and must be bittersweet to someone who was simply running through the division until now. Thiago Silva managed to avoid the early storm by Houston by clinching him against the fence and tying him up, and then proceeded to take Houston down and finally expose his abilities on the mat, or lack there of, should I say. Silva established a full mount position which Houston could not escape, Silva soon rained down heavy punches which left the ref no choice but to step in and rescue Houston. If I was Houston Alexander at this time, i would be drilling mount escapes repeatedly until they are second nature.
Otherwise, Ryo Chonan fought a hard fight against Karo Parisyan and though lost via decision, definitely proved he belongs in the UFC and has looked better than other PRIDE fighters that had made the transition into the octagon. The fight was not exceptionally exciting but showcased the talent of the two competitors.
FIGHT VIDEOS *May Not Last*
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Sunday, November 11, 2007
EliteXC Recap.
Following in the year of upsets KJ Noons effectively picked apart Nick Diaz's offense, and delivered damaging punches which cut Diaz at the end of round 1, effectively ending the fight. Diaz is prone to cuts and was extremely dissapointed by the outcome, raising his middle fingers as he exited the cage, upon hearing the news. Diaz insisted that he could see and that he should be able to continue, but the doctor felt he couldn't. It seems since Takanori Gomi inflicted so much damage to Diaz during their fight, that perhaps Diaz is now more susceptible to eye injuries thanks to a broken orbital bone.
The other headliner fight, Kimbo Slice Vs Bo Cantrell was most disappointing. Kimbo effectively used the cage to corner Bo, checked a leg kick well, and delivered a combination followed by a forearm which struck Cantrell behind the ear. Cantrell collapsed and immediately started tapping the mat, as Kimbo delivered some follow up punches until Cantrell was saved by the referee. This was supposed to be a test for Kimbo, but now he is left with as much credibility as when he went in. We know he's a hard worker and Bas puts all his faith in the world in him as a trainer, but he still hasn't really proven anything to establish himself in the organization. I am most disappointed in Cantrell, he simply just gave up, immediately. I honestly feel bad for Kimbo for having to fight someone with such little heart.
Here are all the fights.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Oldies but Goodies.
For those who do not know, Strike Force is about to hold the first sanctioned tournament in the United States on November 16th. It is scheduled to be a 6 man tournament featuring Cung Le, Paul Buentello, Luke Stewart, Joe Riggs, Bobby Southworth, and Falaniko Vitale. Seeing as how history is going to be made and the potentiality of tournaments making a comeback i have been recently watching some fights from tournaments of the past, and some older fights in general. Here are some fights that took place a long time ago and are still some incredibly match ups.
Gonzaga Vs. Wedum - Jungle Fight. This fight is even more interesting now seeing as how both fighters are schuled to meet for a second time in the cage at upcoming UFC 80.
Part 1.
Part 2.
Part 3.
Part 1.
Part 2.
Part 3.
Monday, November 5, 2007
EliteXC - Diaz and Kimbo.
Diaz gained popularity from being a successful and entertaining fighter during his public debut on "The Ultimate Fighter" but was recently propelled into the limelight after defeating Takanori Gomi who at the time was being billed as the most dominant lightweight fighter ever. Diaz and Gomi made histroy, giving an exciting battle which has yet to be bested, as fight of the year. Diaz won that fight, but due to the NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commission) the result was overturned to a NC (No Contest) after it was found that Diaz had, within 3 weeks of the event smoked Marijuana. (Meanwhile other fighters are allowed to keep their victories while testing positive for performance enhancing drugs, such as steroids.) This has led Nick Diaz and many of his fans to believe that there is a conspiracy against him, but that is a story for another day. Below is the link for the Gomi fight, for those who have not seen it.
Kimbo Slice will also be debuting at EliteXC, as his first fight (an exhibition against former boxing heavyweight champion of the world, Ray Mercer) was not really considered an official fight, and his record remains 0 - 0 - 0 in the Sherdog database. For those who do not know who Kimbo is, he is a street fighter from Miami who gamed infamy over the internet for dismantling his opponents in unsanctioned backyard bare knuckle fights over the internet. He will face his first true test as a mixed martial artist, when he faces Bo Cantrell on this Saturday. Cantrell having achieved a record of 10 - 10 in his career, is not necessarily a stepping stone for Kimbo, as Kimbo has just recently started his career in MMA (at a late age, i remind you).
Slice has been training under the legendary Bas Rutten, who has been showering him with praise due to his ability to learn and his work ethic. Many people doubt Kimbo, but I think he will pull off the victory against Cantrell. However, the future is indeterminable for someone his age, who is just starting the sport.
FIGHT VIDEOS
Takanori Gomi V.S. Nick Diaz
Kimbo Slice Highlight
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
M-1 Global. Now Officially featuring Fedor.
Yesterday, Monday October 22, 2007 was a monumental day in the world of Mixed Martial Arts. The #1 most sought-after free agent, and widely believed by many to be the greatest fighter alive, Fedor Emelianenko announced his signing with M-1 Global. Fedor did this at the press conference M-1 Global Held in New York. The second "surprise " to take place at the conference, was the announcement of the CEO and beneficiary of the fledgling organization. The CEO is none other than Monte Cox, MMA trainer and well known identity in the sport.
The most important issue surrounding the signing of Fedor is exactly who he will be competing against, or the level of competition. Much speculation has come to the fact he may be fighting lower ranked fighters, therefor he will lose his #1 spot. However, it has been announced that Fedor's contract with M-1 Global will allow him to fight for other organizations, which allows him to fight the champions of other organizations, more importantly, the UFC. The president of M-1 Global, Maxwell Mitchell stated that they would intend to offer the UFC champion fighting Fedor a hefty 1,000,000, should he win.
This is definitely a best case scenario. As they say, it is always darkest before dawn, and some light is finally beginning to appear. Hopefully, if Randy Couture settles his contract disagreement and returns to the UFC, the dream match which many have been longing to see can take place.
The most important issue surrounding the signing of Fedor is exactly who he will be competing against, or the level of competition. Much speculation has come to the fact he may be fighting lower ranked fighters, therefor he will lose his #1 spot. However, it has been announced that Fedor's contract with M-1 Global will allow him to fight for other organizations, which allows him to fight the champions of other organizations, more importantly, the UFC. The president of M-1 Global, Maxwell Mitchell stated that they would intend to offer the UFC champion fighting Fedor a hefty 1,000,000, should he win.
This is definitely a best case scenario. As they say, it is always darkest before dawn, and some light is finally beginning to appear. Hopefully, if Randy Couture settles his contract disagreement and returns to the UFC, the dream match which many have been longing to see can take place.
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Thursday, October 11, 2007
A Dark Time for the Heavyweight Division.
Rumors of Fedor Emelianenko, (the most wanted free agents and arguably greatest fighter in MMA history) have been made more official in stating that he has decided to sign with Russian M-1 fighting, rather than the UFC. Alot of speculation is insisting that his managers are "corrupt" and are looking only for themselves, as Fedor will most definately not be fighting any top - 10 competition or any ranked fighters.
When you're the #1 ranked heavyweight in the world, you need to keep proving it. Fedor hasn't fought any top 10 competition in years and is still regarded as the best, however with his signing of M-1, he is throwing away his top spot for the luxury of money, and has lost the respect of many of his fans, me being one of them.
As if this wasn't bad enough news, the UFC heavyweight champion and practical face of the sport, Randy Couture announced this morning that he is resigning from all his positions in the UFC, including commentary and being the Heavyweight champion. Couture had recently come out of retirement to win a stunning victory over then champion Tim Sylvia, and defended his belt for the first time against a much younger Gabriel Gonzaga. Randy shocked the world by dominating Gonzaga, however also breaking his arm in the process while blocking a kick.
After hearing about the news of Fedor's signing with a low level organization, Randy decided to resign as champion, seeing as how Fedor was the only person Randy had any desire to fight, so it could be found out who the #1 heavyweight fighter in the world really is. Also, Zuffa's fighter payment, which is now being discovered to be incredibly unfair and biased to particular talent motivated Randy to leave, as he felt he wasn't being treated properly, considering his incredible accomplishments as a 44 year old athlete. (Not to mention he is the oldest champion ever, and is the only person to hold belts in two weight classes.)
This is a dark day in Mixed Martial Arts. We lose a champion, and see another give up opportunities to fight the best so he can make money and fight cans to pad his record. I have lost all my respect for Fedor Emelianenko. Randy however, i admire for his honesty and for having legit reasons to leave the company. I wish him the best of luck in any of his future ventures.
When you're the #1 ranked heavyweight in the world, you need to keep proving it. Fedor hasn't fought any top 10 competition in years and is still regarded as the best, however with his signing of M-1, he is throwing away his top spot for the luxury of money, and has lost the respect of many of his fans, me being one of them.
As if this wasn't bad enough news, the UFC heavyweight champion and practical face of the sport, Randy Couture announced this morning that he is resigning from all his positions in the UFC, including commentary and being the Heavyweight champion. Couture had recently come out of retirement to win a stunning victory over then champion Tim Sylvia, and defended his belt for the first time against a much younger Gabriel Gonzaga. Randy shocked the world by dominating Gonzaga, however also breaking his arm in the process while blocking a kick.
After hearing about the news of Fedor's signing with a low level organization, Randy decided to resign as champion, seeing as how Fedor was the only person Randy had any desire to fight, so it could be found out who the #1 heavyweight fighter in the world really is. Also, Zuffa's fighter payment, which is now being discovered to be incredibly unfair and biased to particular talent motivated Randy to leave, as he felt he wasn't being treated properly, considering his incredible accomplishments as a 44 year old athlete. (Not to mention he is the oldest champion ever, and is the only person to hold belts in two weight classes.)
This is a dark day in Mixed Martial Arts. We lose a champion, and see another give up opportunities to fight the best so he can make money and fight cans to pad his record. I have lost all my respect for Fedor Emelianenko. Randy however, i admire for his honesty and for having legit reasons to leave the company. I wish him the best of luck in any of his future ventures.
4 Organizations to look out for.
You may realize that on this blog i tend to focus on the organizations which perpetuate the growth of Mixed Martial Arts. Typically people tend to disregard anything relating to the promoters (look at the state boxing is in) and tend to simply focus on the fighters. I however know this is a very crucial time in the short history of MMA, and that the reigning top tier org's are now really getting a run for their money. Like in football with the merging of the AFC and NFC, there are numerous organizations merging and making shared contracts with fighters, bringing giants together.
If you have been reading this page, you will notice that the UFC (with their recent acquisition of PRIDE) is the top dog in the MMA world. Their roster is deep in almost all weight classes, and despite controversy regarding their LW (Light Weight) division and its current title holder, Sean Sherk as well as Ultimate Fighter Reality show (which is considered to be a serious hinder to the weight classes and fight making), they are riding high currently.
My last post dwelled on the rising organization, Hero's produced by K-1 Kickboxing. It seems a few other organizations are riding on the coattails of Hero's however, and i will list them below and why they are a threat to the supremacy of the UFC*:
1. IFL - The International Fight League has recently made some new TV deals and is establishing its place in MMA culture. They have a good roster of fighters, however the team aspect and the coaches (which are all MMA legends by the way) is what really makes this organization and its approach to mixed martial arts interesting.
2. ProElite - The entity behind numerous organizations such as ShoXC, EliteXC, King of the Cage, SpiritMC, and Combat Sport. They also have recently acquired Cage Rage and have strong partnerships with Strikeforce.
This massive collection of organizations has established an incredible
talent pool featuring some of the most interesting and desired fighters
in the sport today. Some of their most famous fighters are: Nick Diaz, Ninja Rua, Robbie Lawler, Charles "Krazy Horse" Bennett, Joey Villasenor, Mayhem Miller, Frank Shamrock, Cung Le, Paul Daley, and Duane "Bang" Ludwig.
3. StrikeForce - With the partnerships with ProElite and its surrounding companies, this company is offering "super-fights" between organizations and has a good talent pool including Gilbert Melendez, who is arguably the most dominant lightweight fighter on the planet. With the resent addition of Renato "Babalu" Sobral, their heavyweight division now has a little bit more depth, but the fans are still left with some desired talent. This company may be able to establish itself as a credible top-tier competitor with its deep ties to ProElite.
4. Hardcore Championship Fighting - Recently this organization was completely unknown, but some life has been pumped into it with the recent additions of Aleksander Emilianenko and Antonio Rogerio (Lil Nog') Noguiera. Also the organization has established a shared contract with Strikeforce, allowing fighters to switch cages and bring together big fights. For a new company they are definitely taking the right steps into becoming a force in the Mixed Martial Arts world.
If you have been reading this page, you will notice that the UFC (with their recent acquisition of PRIDE) is the top dog in the MMA world. Their roster is deep in almost all weight classes, and despite controversy regarding their LW (Light Weight) division and its current title holder, Sean Sherk as well as Ultimate Fighter Reality show (which is considered to be a serious hinder to the weight classes and fight making), they are riding high currently.
My last post dwelled on the rising organization, Hero's produced by K-1 Kickboxing. It seems a few other organizations are riding on the coattails of Hero's however, and i will list them below and why they are a threat to the supremacy of the UFC*:
1. IFL - The International Fight League has recently made some new TV deals and is establishing its place in MMA culture. They have a good roster of fighters, however the team aspect and the coaches (which are all MMA legends by the way) is what really makes this organization and its approach to mixed martial arts interesting.
2. ProElite - The entity behind numerous organizations such as ShoXC, EliteXC, King of the Cage, SpiritMC, and Combat Sport. They also have recently acquired Cage Rage and have strong partnerships with Strikeforce.
This massive collection of organizations has established an incredible
talent pool featuring some of the most interesting and desired fighters
in the sport today. Some of their most famous fighters are: Nick Diaz, Ninja Rua, Robbie Lawler, Charles "Krazy Horse" Bennett, Joey Villasenor, Mayhem Miller, Frank Shamrock, Cung Le, Paul Daley, and Duane "Bang" Ludwig.
3. StrikeForce - With the partnerships with ProElite and its surrounding companies, this company is offering "super-fights" between organizations and has a good talent pool including Gilbert Melendez, who is arguably the most dominant lightweight fighter on the planet. With the resent addition of Renato "Babalu" Sobral, their heavyweight division now has a little bit more depth, but the fans are still left with some desired talent. This company may be able to establish itself as a credible top-tier competitor with its deep ties to ProElite.
4. Hardcore Championship Fighting - Recently this organization was completely unknown, but some life has been pumped into it with the recent additions of Aleksander Emilianenko and Antonio Rogerio (Lil Nog') Noguiera. Also the organization has established a shared contract with Strikeforce, allowing fighters to switch cages and bring together big fights. For a new company they are definitely taking the right steps into becoming a force in the Mixed Martial Arts world.
Other Orgs. Worth Mentioning
ROTR (Rumble on the Rock)
Shooto
*I did not include the WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting) in my list, due to the fact that they are owned by the UFC, despite their popularity.ROTR (Rumble on the Rock)
Shooto
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Tuesday, October 2, 2007
K-1 Heroes. The new pride?
K-1 Hero's is quickly establishing itself as the new rival to the UFC. With pride being bought and its inevitable death having already taken place, it only makes sense that a competitor would come along. With a talent pool that is gaining depth, they offer A-Class fighters such as Sakuraba, Royler Gracie, Caol Uno, Melvin Manhoeff, Alistair Overeem, Segei Kharitonov, Gesias Calvancanti, Yoshihiro Akiyama, and very importantly the addition of Denis Kang. Ever since Gesias Calvancanti recently called out the (then reigning) pride lightweight champ Takanori Gomi , an enormous buzz has been created. Assuming Gomi switches to K-1, i feel that new discussion war will be started. MMA history is going to repeat itself, and Hero's will become the new pride. Get ready to wonder who has the best fighters all over again.
UFC or Hero's?
Monday, September 24, 2007
Rio Heroes Free Bareknuckle Fight Card 9/25/07
Rio Heroes, the worlds only bare knuckle fight league is offering their next fight card, their lightweight championships for free, steaming online via their website www.rioheroes.com at 7 PM EST.
Heroes offers competition similar to the original UFC. There are no time limits, no rules, regulations and most importantly, no gloves. This is simulated street fighting at it's finest, only available live from Brazil. These kinds of unsanctioned fights are completely illegal in the United States and many other countries.
Rioheroes previous events are also available on their website.
Remember, there are NO RULES except the sticking of fingers in orifices, biting and groin attacks. Not for the squeamish as this is the most extreme Mixed Martial Arts fighting available today.
Heroes offers competition similar to the original UFC. There are no time limits, no rules, regulations and most importantly, no gloves. This is simulated street fighting at it's finest, only available live from Brazil. These kinds of unsanctioned fights are completely illegal in the United States and many other countries.
Rioheroes previous events are also available on their website.
Remember, there are NO RULES except the sticking of fingers in orifices, biting and groin attacks. Not for the squeamish as this is the most extreme Mixed Martial Arts fighting available today.
UFC 76 Results.
The recent trend of upsets is continuing in the UFC as Forrest Griffin triumphed over Shogun Rua, Jardine won a split decision over Liddell and Jon Fitch also pulls a split decision over Sanchez. My fight predictions for the three headliner fights were all wrong, including the Anthony Johnson fight. This means for this UFC card, my predictions were 5/9. The Results for the entire fight card are below.
Keith Jardine VS Chuck Liddell. Winner - Jardine
Forrest Griffin VS Shogun Rua. Winner - Griffin
Jon Fitch VS Diego Sanchez. Winner - Fitch
Matt Wiman VS Michihiro Omigawa. Winner - Wiman
Ryoto Machida VS Kazuhiro Nakamura. Winner - Machida
Tyson Griffin VS Thiago Tavares. Winner - Griffin
Jeremy Stephens VS Diego Saraiva. Winner - Stephens
Christian Wellisch VS Scott Junk. Winner - Wellisch
Rich Clementi VS Anthony Johnson. Winner - Clementi
Keith Jardine VS Chuck Liddell. Winner - Jardine
Forrest Griffin VS Shogun Rua. Winner - Griffin
Jon Fitch VS Diego Sanchez. Winner - Fitch
Matt Wiman VS Michihiro Omigawa. Winner - Wiman
Ryoto Machida VS Kazuhiro Nakamura. Winner - Machida
Tyson Griffin VS Thiago Tavares. Winner - Griffin
Jeremy Stephens VS Diego Saraiva. Winner - Stephens
Christian Wellisch VS Scott Junk. Winner - Wellisch
Rich Clementi VS Anthony Johnson. Winner - Clementi
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Upcoming Fight Card: UFC 76 "Knockout"
The Rundown
Also on this card is the debut of the Chute Boxe Academy's ace in the hole, and Pride Superstar; Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (16-2-0). For his first fight in the UFC, he will be pitted against fan favorite Forrest Griffin (14-4-0) who has recently been propelled into the limelight due to his success on The Ultimate Fighter reality television series.
Finally the last "headliner" fight features Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez (17-1-0), who is coming off his first loss of his career as he fights against Jon Fitch (14-2-0), who is currently on a 13 fight win streak.
My Fight Picks
Chuck Liddell VS Keith Jardine
Personally, with this fight i feel that the UFC is feeding Chuck Lidell a can with a name to crush. Both fighters are coming into the fights having been knocked out in their most previous bouts. Seing as how Jardine was knocked out in the first round by Houston Alexander, who has been making waves in his division, i feel that Houston should be the one fighting Liddell.
Nevertheless, My Prediction for the Winner is Liddell by 1st round KO/TKO
Shogun Rua VS Forrest Griffin
I believe Shogun is entirely too resourceful to find himself in trouble by Forrest. Although it has been made public that Shogun is going into this fight without a gameplan, and Forrest has been studying tapes of his fights and establishing a solid strategy, Shogun has never really used gameplans before and its worked out fine for him. Without headstomps and soccer kicks, i feel like Shoguns finishing ability may be hindered, but i dont see Forrest Griffin getting past round 2. I'm giving him leway with that, considering Shogun has some cage-rust, and has never fought in the octagon, let alone not fighting in a cage since 2003, where he accumulated his only real legitimate loss to Renato Sobral via Guillotine Choke.
My Prediction for the Winner is Shogun Rua by 2nd round KO/TKO
Diego Sanchez VS Jon Fitch
This is an interesting fight because both fighters involved DO NOT want to lose under any circumstances. Jon Fitch has won every fight he has been involved in, in the UFC and is currently (like i said before) on a 13 fight win streak. Diego Sanchez has tasted defeat for the first time at UFC 69 where he was handed a decision loss to rival Josh Koscheck. Diego does not want to lose again and wants to prove that his lackluster performance at 69 is not something we should get used to seeing. Diego no longer has the pressure of being an undefeated fighter and has alot to prove to the audience. Jon Fitch is coming into the fight on a win streak which may add pressure for him.
My Prediction for the Winner is Diego Sanchez via 1st round KO/TKO
Undercard Fight Predicitons.
Matt Wiman VS Michihiro Omigawa - Round 2 Submission for Wiman.
Kazuhiro Nakamura VS Ryoto Machida - Round 2 KO/TKO for Machida.
Tyson Griffin VS Thiago Tavares - Round 2 Submission for Tavares.
Diego Saraiva VS Jeremy Stephens - Round 1 KO/TKO for Stephens
Christian Wellisch VS Scott Junk - Unanimous Decision for Wellisch
Rich Clementi VS Anthony Johnson - Round 1 KO/TKO for Johnson
Pride Fighting Championships.
It all started at the Tokyo Dome in 1997. The idea to have a dream fight between Rickson Gracie and Japanese pro-wrestler Nobuhiko Takada. The fight was ended by Rickson within the first round due to an armbar, and showed that real fighting was here to stay, both in America and now in Japan.
During it's life before being recently purchased by the Zuffa corporation, Pride Fighting Championships held more than sixty martial arts events, including tournaments and open weigh bouts, when regulation in the states was already prohibiting such events. It was these reasons, along with having different weight classes as the UFC and other state-based martial arts organizations and less strict rules, allowed Pride to become the only real threat and rival organization to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Pride fights took place in a ring, rather than a cage, which benefited grapplers and wrestlers. Also the main difference between the UFC and Pride was that in Pride, elbows of any kind were prohibited, however kicks, stomps and knees to the head of a downed opponent were legal. This added another level of excitement to the fights, because fans were now able to see these moves be performed as use of a takedown defense, also it made for some spectacularly brutal finishes.
Being the second biggest MMA organization in existence, fans often (and still do) debated on which organization really had the world's best fighters. The fan base of mma was split down the middle, harboring UFC fans and Pride fans. Since the acquisition of pride by the Zuffa corporation. We have been able to see that both companies had contracted the world's best fighters, and neither is the clear winner. Many pride fighters are starting successful careers in the UFC as we speak, and before the company was sold, visa-versa.
The Cage VS The Ring
Like I had stated above, the main difference between the UFC and Pride was the stage for which the combatants met. The UFC competitions took place inside an eight sided cage, trademarked "The Octagon" while Pride chose to have the fights take place in a boxing ring.
The main differences between the cage and the ring is that they can favor different styles of fighting, and tactics can be implemented using the surroundings themselves. The cage favors wrestlers and fighters who like to use the clinch to press their opponents up against it, leaving them nowhere to go. Also since the cage cannot interfere with the fighters like roped in a ring can, the fight doesn't have to be restarted in the center of the mat, giving the opponent on t op a large upper hand and the opportunity for much more dominant positioning. Using the cage to your advantage is commonly referred to "Cage Tactics" and is a large factor in mixed martial arts. (When taking place in a cage of course).
The ring provides a slight advantage to grapplers. The reason why that is, is because when the fighters get pressed too far into the ropes, the referee will often choose to restart the fight (in the same position) in the center of the ring. This allows the fighter starting off with the better position, to further establish his/her dominance Also it gives the fighter on the bottom a chance to escape, since the ropes are no longer limiting their mobility.
These differences only further enhanced the speculation between who had the best fighters, and provided each organization with its own flare. During it's lifetime PrideFC always had the best production value of any event of its kind, and will always be remembered as an amazing stage for martial artists to participate on.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The Basics.
Hello there, this is my Mixed Martial Arts blog. For those of you who do not know much about the sport of mixed martial arts (or MMA), this would be the post designed most for you. Here I will inform you of the history of the sport and the rules involved, both at the conception and modern day mma.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship was created in 1992 by Art Davie, Rorion Gracie, and John Milius to discover which fighting style was essentially the most effective in a one on one combat encounter. Also, with the involvement of Rorion Gracie, it is speculated that it was a large stage for which Gracie Jiu-Jitsu would present itself to the modern world, as it was still largely unknown outside of Brazil, where it was created by the Gracie family.
The first tournament took place, had practically no rules besides no eye gauging and no biting, also there were no time limits and should a fighter win, they would progress to the next round and have to fight again that same night. Safety was not exactly top priority for the fighters, as these fights were only commissioned in a few states, and they did not seek regulation.
During this time, most martial artists only practiced one style of fighting, and usually claimed it to be the best. Since everyone was essentially a one-dimensional fighter, the cage would be a fitting scenario to discover which style was actually the best. The result? Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
Royce Gracie won the first, second and fourth UFC tournaments. Coming into the first tournament at just 170 pounds, he was the smallest competitor and considered to be the underdog. However, he proved that technique can be better than strength and that you do not necessarily have to harm your opponent to beat them, when you can simply submit them or put them to sleep. Also it demonstrated that a striker (boxer's, karate practitioners) would be rendered useless when taken to the ground, and once out of their element could not fight against a grappler's art. This created a shock-wave in the martial arts world and had many people changing their training regiments to include a grappling art like Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling.
Jiu-Jitsu is a submission grappling art focusing on joint manipulation and choke holds to render the opponent unable to continue fighting, or unconscious. After seeing how a striker could be taken down and submitted almost instantly, the competitors all had to start training the arts of grappling as well as striking. This mixture of styles ultimately led to the martial artists competing today and the sport of Mixed Martial Arts as we know it.
Originally, the UFC was based upon "vale tudo" standards, which means "no holds barred." This implies that there are no rules, restrictions to how the fight is won and there is no time limits. However, when this was displayed to the general public, there was an outcry that the competitions were much too violent and Sen. John Mccain claimed the sports was "human cockfighting." It was at this time that the UFC started to implement time limits and forced the competitors to wear 4 oz. gloves (as opposed to boxing's 12 oz.), which were basically designed to protect the knuckles of the wearer.
These rules were nice for the time, but still were not enough for regulation to occur. After the UFC was purchased by Zuffa, the sport really began to grow. Many rules were implemented to protect the fighters and maintain safety at all times. The current rules as they appear on the UFC website are listed below, in their entirety:
Weight classes:
Lightweight - over 145 lbs. to 155 lbs.
Welterweight - over 155 lbs. to 170 lbs.
Middleweight - over 170 lbs. to 185 lbs.
Light Heavyweight - over 185 lbs. to 205 lbs.
Heavyweight - over 205 lbs. to 265 lbs.
Additional Weight Classes in MMA, but not featured in the UFC:
Bantamweight - 135 lbs. to 125 lbs.
Featherweight - over 135 lbs. to 145 lbs.
Bout duration:
All non-championship bouts shall be three rounds.
All championship bouts shall be five rounds.
Rounds will be five minutes in duration.
A one-minute rest period will occur between each round.
Fouls:
1. Butting with the head.
2. Eye gouging of any kind.
3. Biting.
4. Hair pulling.
5. Fish hooking.
6. Groin attacks of any kind.
7. Putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on an opponent.
8. Small joint manipulation.
9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head.
10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow.
11. Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea.
12. Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh.
13. Grabbing the clavicle.
14. Kicking the head of a grounded opponent.
15. Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent.
16. Stomping a grounded opponent.
17. Kicking to the kidney with the heel.
18. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck.
19. Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area.
20. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
21. Spitting at an opponent.
22. Engaging in an unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to an opponent.
23. Holding the ropes or the fence.
24. Using abusive language in the ring or fenced area.
25. Attacking an opponent on or during the break.
26. Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee.
27. Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the period of unarmed combat.
28. Flagrantly disregarding the instructions of the referee.
29. Timidity, including, without limitation, avoiding contact with an opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece or faking an injury.
30. Interference by the corner.
31. Throwing in the towel during competition.
Ways To Win:
1. Submission by:
Physical tap out.
Verbal tap out.
2. Technical knockout by the referee stopping the contest.
3. Decision via the scorecards, including:
Unanimous decision.
Split decision.
Majority decision.
Draw, including:
Unanimous draw.
Majority draw.
Split draw.
4. Technical decision.
5. Technical draw.
6. Disqualification.
7. Forfeit.
8. No contest.
The Birth of Mixed Martial Arts.
The first tournament took place, had practically no rules besides no eye gauging and no biting, also there were no time limits and should a fighter win, they would progress to the next round and have to fight again that same night. Safety was not exactly top priority for the fighters, as these fights were only commissioned in a few states, and they did not seek regulation.
During this time, most martial artists only practiced one style of fighting, and usually claimed it to be the best. Since everyone was essentially a one-dimensional fighter, the cage would be a fitting scenario to discover which style was actually the best. The result? Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
Royce Gracie won the first, second and fourth UFC tournaments. Coming into the first tournament at just 170 pounds, he was the smallest competitor and considered to be the underdog. However, he proved that technique can be better than strength and that you do not necessarily have to harm your opponent to beat them, when you can simply submit them or put them to sleep. Also it demonstrated that a striker (boxer's, karate practitioners) would be rendered useless when taken to the ground, and once out of their element could not fight against a grappler's art. This created a shock-wave in the martial arts world and had many people changing their training regiments to include a grappling art like Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling.
Jiu-Jitsu is a submission grappling art focusing on joint manipulation and choke holds to render the opponent unable to continue fighting, or unconscious. After seeing how a striker could be taken down and submitted almost instantly, the competitors all had to start training the arts of grappling as well as striking. This mixture of styles ultimately led to the martial artists competing today and the sport of Mixed Martial Arts as we know it.
The Rules
Originally, the UFC was based upon "vale tudo" standards, which means "no holds barred." This implies that there are no rules, restrictions to how the fight is won and there is no time limits. However, when this was displayed to the general public, there was an outcry that the competitions were much too violent and Sen. John Mccain claimed the sports was "human cockfighting." It was at this time that the UFC started to implement time limits and forced the competitors to wear 4 oz. gloves (as opposed to boxing's 12 oz.), which were basically designed to protect the knuckles of the wearer.
These rules were nice for the time, but still were not enough for regulation to occur. After the UFC was purchased by Zuffa, the sport really began to grow. Many rules were implemented to protect the fighters and maintain safety at all times. The current rules as they appear on the UFC website are listed below, in their entirety:
Weight classes:
Lightweight - over 145 lbs. to 155 lbs.
Welterweight - over 155 lbs. to 170 lbs.
Middleweight - over 170 lbs. to 185 lbs.
Light Heavyweight - over 185 lbs. to 205 lbs.
Heavyweight - over 205 lbs. to 265 lbs.
Additional Weight Classes in MMA, but not featured in the UFC:
Bantamweight - 135 lbs. to 125 lbs.
Featherweight - over 135 lbs. to 145 lbs.
Bout duration:
All non-championship bouts shall be three rounds.
All championship bouts shall be five rounds.
Rounds will be five minutes in duration.
A one-minute rest period will occur between each round.
Fouls:
1. Butting with the head.
2. Eye gouging of any kind.
3. Biting.
4. Hair pulling.
5. Fish hooking.
6. Groin attacks of any kind.
7. Putting a finger into any orifice or into any cut or laceration on an opponent.
8. Small joint manipulation.
9. Striking to the spine or the back of the head.
10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow.
11. Throat strikes of any kind, including, without limitation, grabbing the trachea.
12. Clawing, pinching or twisting the flesh.
13. Grabbing the clavicle.
14. Kicking the head of a grounded opponent.
15. Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent.
16. Stomping a grounded opponent.
17. Kicking to the kidney with the heel.
18. Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck.
19. Throwing an opponent out of the ring or fenced area.
20. Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
21. Spitting at an opponent.
22. Engaging in an unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to an opponent.
23. Holding the ropes or the fence.
24. Using abusive language in the ring or fenced area.
25. Attacking an opponent on or during the break.
26. Attacking an opponent who is under the care of the referee.
27. Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the period of unarmed combat.
28. Flagrantly disregarding the instructions of the referee.
29. Timidity, including, without limitation, avoiding contact with an opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece or faking an injury.
30. Interference by the corner.
31. Throwing in the towel during competition.
Ways To Win:
1. Submission by:
Physical tap out.
Verbal tap out.
2. Technical knockout by the referee stopping the contest.
3. Decision via the scorecards, including:
Unanimous decision.
Split decision.
Majority decision.
Draw, including:
Unanimous draw.
Majority draw.
Split draw.
4. Technical decision.
5. Technical draw.
6. Disqualification.
7. Forfeit.
8. No contest.
Referee may Restart the round:
If the fighters reach a stalemate and do not work to improve position or finish
CONCLUSION
That's it for my first post. My next one will describe the birth of the UFC's top competition from Japan, Pride Fighting Championships, and the differences between the organizations which fueled a rivalry and speculation to which organization really had the worlds best pound for pound fighters.
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