Battle of the Silvas, Anderson vs Wand: Why it makes sense and why Dana White has no other option.

Stuff doesn't always work out the way you want it to.

Girls, work, health, money...MMA Pay per view events from the top fighting promotion featuring the Best pound for pound fighter alive.

Deal with it.

In reality, aside from the "shadow sparring" main event, most of UFC 97 was above average (more on that Tuesday). It was Above Average with a few glimmers of awesome. Typically that would be enough to keep everyone happy. The only problem is that we were all expecting a Superhero in Black and Yellow shorts. Twice now we have been left waiting. Instead of a superhero, we see a regular old Human Being.

Why?

Is he too good? No one wants to engage standing up so nothing happens. Based on that thought alone, you could make the argument that "The Spider" is just as much to blame as his terrified opponents. Right? I mean when Thales refused to attack...Silva should have gone on the offensive...right? No sir, that is wrong.

Is he too smart?. He does not need to win in spectacular fashion, he only has to win. Thales knew he was losing in the 3rd and 4th...why not go for broke? What is the worst that can happen? The best thing would have been a lucky shot or maybe another take down. So what if he gets clipped? He was losing anyway and he knew it. He was hoping that Andersons ego was going to get the better of him and it did not. Here is the problem...Smart Champ = Boring fights highly probable.

Is Dana Stumped?. Dana has not met a problem that he has ever been afraid of confronting (and sometimes fixing) with his non PC mouth. Until now. Yes, I know he has said he was ashamed...didn't want to go to the press meeting...so on and so forth...however he seems to be unwilling to directly slam Silva. Simply saying "I don't know what's going on" and that Anderson "needs a challenge". Almost any other fighter would get full frontal Dana...Spider gets the PG version...on lithium and bong hits. Shit, this is a guy who told BJ to stop whining and get in the gym.

Does Silva Care? Dana knows that Silva is going to Boxing PPV valhalla with Rpy Jones Jr. after his UFC contract is over so he needs to cash in of his P4P gem now...RIGHT FUCKING NOW. Which brings the big question: Who does he fight next?

GSP? Maybe...certainly some day. Not if Alves beats GSP first....either way it's too far away.

Maia? No thanks...saw that movie before.

Bisbing? Henderson? Perhaps. But he will need to fight before the winner of that fight is known.

He needs a fighter that will FIGHT...a fighter not afraid to lose...a fighter like Chuck Liddell had Chuck not lost then retired...a fighter whose style spawned the nickname "The Axe Murderer". That is the only answer to the AS puzzle...Wanderlei Silva.

Either at 185 (War is declared??!!) or at 205 which would leave the door open for Maia to get his shot at the 185 belt. If Anderson wins the battle...he earns his fans respect back (and Danas) and no one could fault Wandy for losing to the best. Plus, if they did fight at 205 Wandy can still make a run at 185 after the fight...regardless of the outcome.

Write this down...print it out. That is the next fight that the UFC offer to the Spider. Don't agree? Tell me why it does not make sense.

It does make sense...you know it, I know it, everyone knows it. Including the Silva

UFC 97 Redemption; The Greatest MMA Card of all time?

Silva goes for the record book while Shogun and Iceman seek relevancy.

While UFC 97 may not be the greatest card of all time on paper...I dig it's vibe. It makes me think of an Acorn. An evil, smelly Acorn. Yes, it smells. With 12 fights with top notch MMA talent, you are bound to get more than a few gems. Gems being great fights.

Prediction = Potential. 97 has the potential to be an amazing card. In fact, it has the potential to be the best MMA card of all time. There...I said it. In fact, the best so far is a better way to phrase that.

It could be the best MMA card up to this point. No Shit.

Some reasons why...

12 fights. No further explanation required.

No Brainer: It's really fun to watch Anderson fight. By just being on the card he makes it worth buying. Plus, after the Cote fight, he is looking to establish his rightful place...leaving no question that he is the best fighter on the planet. This is his reputation...his legacy. He takes this very seriously. Look for him to address any issues pertinent to that matter...by smashing Leites right in the face. On multiple occasions. Silva wins by convincingly brutal stoppage in Round 2.

Cheick Mate: If Mr. Congo can get past Antoni...he needs to be considered for a shot or a shot for a shot. Dana wants to go to France? Wrap your head around this: A Heavyweight Championship fight held in Paris. Dude. The UFC is a global brand and imagine the press from having the fight card in Paris...every star in Europe (plus some from the US) will be there. Cheick wins by ref stoppage in round 2....goes on to the HW Title before the year 2010 is over. Write the shit down.

TUF Love: Krzysztof Soszynski is totally psyched. He will grind out a decision over "All American"

Kool and the Kang: Dennis Kang is not as psyched as Krzysztof. For Dennis Kang...this is what some would call...A Money Fight. The people that would not call it a Money fight are fools. Kang is pissed...takes it out on Prof. X, wins via sub in the first round.

Say it ain't so: Two aging legends try to prove that they are both still relevant. For right now...they are. This is the lynch pin of the fight card. If these guys bring their "A" games this will be a sick card (see over the top statement above). Write it down. However, if this fight is a repeat of Shogun/Coleman someone is out of the UFC. Chuck takes this. TKO Round 3

WEC Light Heavyweight champion: Sink or Swim. Last time we saw Cantwell he was reminding us why some people hate this sport. "what's that you say? Oh, you say you broke it?" Asshole. Look for Cane to take this in round 3 via ref stoppage.

TUF love, Part 2; Return of the Love: I hope Eliot wins. I also hope for nightly motorboats. That does not happen. Annoying pretty boy via Sub in the 2nd round.

The Return of the Crow: So Much Promise. Running out of time...another "Money Fight". Textbook. Ed Herman really needs this fight as well. Loser may be out of the UFC. Sleeper pick for fight of the night. The Crow wins via Split Decision.

He Beat Anderson Silva: His fight may not be televised. Ryo "Piranha" Chonan will walk away with a W. Unanimous Decision.

Slug fest: This will be the best fight that is not broadcast on PPV. It's a Lock...you know what fight this is without me even saying the names.

and...a few more fights. However, those were not as intriguing and spawned zero words.

97 has the potential to be an amazing card. In fact, it has the potential to be the best MMA card of all time. There...I said it. In fact, the best so far is a better way to phrase that.

Then again, it may totally suck. I'll watch either way.

Brett "The Grim" Rogers + Time = Champion

There is a reason why Gary Shaw didn't want Kimbo to fight him and there will be a time that Dana White will need him.

Not today...not in a few months but in a year or two he will fight in the UFC and he will contend for the belt. No doubt about it. You know it, I know it...everybody knows it. We just have not realized it yet.

He is Huge...even for a HW
He is a Good Interview...especially for a HW
He is Undefeated
He is Cocky
He is Charismatic
He has a great nickname

Granted...he really has not fought anyone in the "A" tier yet. So what...neither had Brock.

Strikeforce will have Werdum fight Overeem...Overeem will win. If he passes the drug test (he is looking much bigger than before...no?) he will then fight "The Grim". Should be a killer fight.

If Brett can get past the next can they give him and then Overeem (or Werdum) he will find himself the Strikeforce HW champ...undefeated at 11-0. Parrallel to that Brock Lesnar will still be champ and they will fight. Don't believe me? Screw you. Write it down and prove me wrong if it doesn't happen.

Bottom line is that I dig The Grim...it's fun to watch him fight. No emotion, hard to take down and hard to hurt. I would really love to see him fight Brock. So would Dana...so it shall be.

Write it down.

Junie Brownings Brother just as stupid as big bro...Lead paint chips possibly prevalent during childhood

Sad article Here

Sad Video Here

I guess the MMA world needs over the top, insecure, alcoholic clowns.

Can't wait until he loses.

Cyborg...please don't ruin this face.

As reported on MMAWEEKLY.COM (Excerpts):

Carano maintains a solution will be reached that will put her back in action in the near future.

“I just had to weigh some options,” she explained. “I’m making these decisions, so nobody else is going to make these decisions for me. I have to make them, and so we’re going to get something figured out and I’ll be fighting.

“I pray about it and see what would be a good move for my career, and I just know that no matter what, any fight from here is going to be a big fight, and a tough one. Maybe it’s the calm before the storm.”

The current storm on the horizon is Christian “Cyborg” Santos. The fearsome striker made her wish to fight Carano known again at Strikeforce’s press conference announcing the upcoming “Shamrock vs. Diaz.” Santos is scheduled for the April 11 card against submission specialist Hitomi Akano, and a win could position her for a summer showdown with Carano.

“It’s gonna happen,” said Carano of the much-anticipated fight. “Actually, the only person I can think about right now. My focus is on her, and I don’t really want to fight anybody else but her. Let’s do it.

I'm really not crazy about the ladies fighting...sorry it just doesn't do it for me. Having said that, I am not against others enjoying it if that is what they like. So my plea to Christian "Cyborg" Santos (maybe the scariest women I have ever seen on TV) is...please....please do not mess up Ginas face.

One of the great things about this sport is that there are several different ways to win...many of them have nothing to do with punching or kicking someone in the face. Slap a leg lock, arm bar or choke on her...give her a liver shot that buckles her...anything but don't bust up her kisser.

I know that it's not a rational request but it's a request nonetheless. She is the hot girl that fights and that's cool...what would not be cool is to be the "once hot" girl who fights who now has a sideways nose. Maybe this is why I don't like the chicks fighting.

I mean, when a guys face gets destroyed (Rich Franklin etc...) no one cares...Guys faces were meant to be destroyed. But the face if Gina Carano...not meant to to be busted up. She is the face of ladies MMA...BECAUSE she is hot and she is good. However, without the hot she may not only be poster girl for the sport but she may also become a constant reminder of how brutal the sport can be and the damage that it can cause.

Brutal damage on a guy is a badge of honor, brutal damage on a girl is disturbing.

Bobby Lashley is a Lucky man...right?

Time will tell what long term effect his fight with Jason Guida will have on his MMA career. At face value...he did win the fight. That should be enough to move a step closer to the "Big Time" shouldn't it?

Clearly former WWE start Lashley is a physical specimen...complete with a sponsor-worthy face. Additionally, he does have a legitimate Collegiate wrestling career. Typically, those two attributes are enough to at least "fast forward" into a MMA career. Of course, he would need to beat his fair share of cans on the way to legitimacy. However, if he did put together a string of 6-7 victories without a loss, he could be in line to cash in and have some meaningful (and lucrative) fights.

As everyone saw on Saturday night, that path is sometimes easier said than done. Up against a sub .500 journeyman fighter in Jason "The Carpenters Fat Brother" Guida, Lashley looked less than impressive. Although he got the "W" he was not able to finish Guida and he was sometimes not able to take him down. His performance was lackluster and did not display the talent that is needed to be signed by a major promotion. In fact, he was lucky that he did not lose. Guida secured a fairly tight guillotine in the last round that could have ended the fight.

Either Jason Guida is a much better fighter than his 17-20 record shows or Bobby Lashley has years to go before he can even come close to Brock Lesner money...maybe it's a little of both.

Regardless, it was a good night for Guida. He took the fight on a weeks notice and went the distance with a guy that was supposed to destroy him. Bobby Lashley, on the other hand, took a step back in his quest to cash in on MMAs popularity.

If he had tapped in the third, he would most likely have to pick up boxing like Kimbo. Having said that, a boring decision really did not serve him that much better.

Bobby...get back in the gym and train harder.

Hating Tito Ortiz is getting very old

You could make a case that Tito Ortiz, more times than not, gets an unfair shake when MMA fans discuss him and his career. While I feel that most critics are not keeping the big picture in mind, I also can't help but wonder if he is responsible for some of this negative attention.

DISCLAIMER: I am referring to his skill as a fighter only. His skill as an announcer is god-awful...entertaining in a odd way but terrible nonetheless. So that that out of your mind while reading.

The fighter who helped carry the UFC torch through a challenging time is now the butt of several jokes while his skill in the ring has been called into question by the MMA Illuminati. I think people need to take a closer look and cut him some slack.

Over the last five years Tito is 5-3-1. Granted, two of those wins were over a washed up Ken Shamrock. However, he also beat Patrick Cote, Forrest Griffin and Vitor Belfort. All three loses were from two of the most dominant fighters in the weight class...Chuck Liddell and Lyoto Machida (who admits to almost going unconscious from Titos triangle at the end of the fight). Add to that a draw (that could have easily been a win) against the undefeated LHW Champ Rashad Evans and you have the last five years of Titos fight record...all with a badly injured back.

It is also worth pointing out (to those who are not aware) he did not pick his fights...Joe Silva and Zuffa did. He can't help it if they wanted to cash in on the rivalry (and they did) between him and Ken Shamrock.

The last five years are really not that bad.

In fact, it's very similar or better than other featured UFC fighters during the same time frame. So why the extra harshness for Tito?

Is it a "live by the sword...die by the sword" situation? Is the brash "Bad Boy" whose grave digger celebration and incessant trash talking getting what he deserves?

Is it is the Dana White Effect? Many have learned the hard way what happens when you cross Mr White...something that Tito has done on a regualr basis?

Is it that the fraternity of fighters does not accept him and has cast him out as a leper? Hard to believe as Tito has always been a champion for fighters rights...making more money etc...

Or maybe he is just a very easy target at the low end of a very rough and unforgiving totem pole. Is it just too easy to hate Tito Ortiz?

If that is the reason, it's a stupid one.

Charles "Mask" Lewis (RIP) had many detractors who criticized him and his brand as being "bad for the sport"...in fact, they even used that as a tag line in an advertisement. However, once the finality of death took him away...all you heard was the indisputable positives of his life and contributions to the sport. Don't you think Mask would have loved to hear how
important everyone thought he was...when he was alive?

Consider this when thinking of Tito. I am not suggesting that you throw any pity his way...he certainly does not need it. However, keep a counterbalance in mind when trashing his career. It's easy to Pig Pile on Tito and talk about his big head or his porn star wife or his fading skills.

However, we shouldn't forget what he did to help the sport that we all love get to this place. At the risk of sounding over-dramatic, what if he were to die tomorrow? Clearly he would be
remembered as a pioneer. Why not think of him in those terms now?

Just don't let him announce another fight card.

Tom Atencio and Affliction continue to make stupid moves

Strikeforce has learned to compete with the UFC and still maintain the Goliaths respect (at least in public and at least for the time being) Affliction failed "Not Pissing off Dana White 101"...in fact they skipped the class, burned the book and held a rally outside of the school.

As Fiveouncesofpain.com originally reported (excerpts):

Affliction Entertainment is currently engaged in preliminary discussions regarding the possibility of promoting its third-ever event on Saturday, July 11. Such a booking would put the promotion in direct competition with the UFC’s historic UFC 100 pay-per-view event.

Several fighters and managers have been approached by Affliction officials about the possibility of accepting restructured contracts in order to compete on the show.

Meetings are expected to take place within the next several weeks regarding a possible television partner for the proposed event. If enough fighters were willing to accept a reduced rate to compete on the show and if a deal with a suitable television partner could be reached, the door would then be open for Affliction to go head-to-head with UFC 100.

One source also indicated to us that the possible July event for Affliction could be the company’s last MMA show, with the popular lifestyle clothing label looking to “go out with a bang” by going up against UFC 100.

When contacted by FiveOuncesOfPain.com for comment, Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio said he could neither confirm or deny our report.

Great Idea...grab all your talent and have them burn the UFC bridge while...earning less money? If any fighter agrees to that then it's their own fault.

Granted...the UFC is the worst offender of counter programming. However, that does not make it wise to return the favor out of spite to "go out with a bang".

At some point in the future, I hope that the Affliction business plan is reviewed at a University somewhere in the course "How not to compete with the UFC"

Stick to making t-shirts Tom

State of Maine: Land of Lobters and Cagefights

As reported by the Seattle Times:

One of the world's top mixed martial arts fighters asked lawmakers to support regulating the full-contact combat sport in Maine, as dozens of other states already have done.Marcus Davis of Bangor, who claims the world's No. 8 ranking in the 170-pound weight class, was among several to back Rep. John Tuttle's bill to license and regulate these events.

In Maine, Tuttle, D-Sanford, called mixed martial arts "the fastest growing sport in the nation" and said two of the state's cities — Bangor and Portland — could serve as venues for the sport if it becomes recognized.

A co-sponsor, Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham, said "there's an opportunity, there's an interest, there's a fan base" for the sport, but no "guiding structure to let this happen in Maine."

The committee did not vote on the bill and will review it again on March 27.

This is a slam dunk. UFN Portland, Maine. Summer of 2010.

Bill Goldberg is the worst MMA announcer ever

After catching a rerun of Elite XC (Lawler v. Rua) it is clear to me that Bill Goldberg did some major damage to the retarded beast that was ProElite V1.0. More to the larger issue and undeniable fact: Goldberg is (was?) the worst MMA announcer ever.

Way worse than Tito. At least with Titos incompetence as an announcer there is also some humor...I mean there is some entertainment value attached to his gems of wisdom.As well documented by Cagepotato.com:

"Well, like I said, you show your hand-speed time and time again Vitor, 185 pounds, lady and gentlemen, let's give Vitor Belfort a round of applause, an awesome 105 pounder, you just beat the number two guy in the world, buddy, you're on top of the world tonight!"

"Wow! That’s all I got to say. Vitor at 185 pounds. I don’t know. I see him beating the, uh, what was it, Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart because you have two great boxers, and, man, that was amazing. That was the old Vitor Belfort that we all want to see. Him at 131 years old. He’s back for vengeance."

I mean...that s*** is funny in a very Michael Scott sort of way.

But with Goldberg...there is just...agony. There is nothing funny about inappropriate yelling, forced camaraderie and uncomfortable lack of MMA knowledge. It's the trifecta of annoyance...nothing funny about it.

Keep him away from the Mike that is near the cage and no one gets annoyed.

Frank Shamrock is a role model

As MMAJUNKIE.COM reported:

Frank Shamrock is looking to cast a crew of deserving fighters into a new reality show project. The March 21 Team Shamrock tryouts will provide a chance for a group of young fighters to become overnight stars. "March 21 we've got a massive tryout coming up," Shamrock said. "We've got guys coming in from all over the world. We're also filming it and producing a reality show in conjunction with it."

Shamrock said the winner of the tryouts, being held at the San Jose Athletic Club in San Jose, Calif., will get a chance to train with the former UFC and Strikeforce champion and be the subject of a new reality show.

OK...not a terrible idea. It's not original but it's not terrible. No one can blame him for being an enthusiastic if opportunistic entrepreneur. No, but you can blame him for saying something like:

"We're looking to take on guys and guide them professionally because there's a huge lack of professional guidance in the industry," Shamrock said. "And we're looking for eight guys to really become our talent and to follow them around as they go through this journey."

So...the problem is that there is a lack of professional guidance in the indusrty and the solution is...Frank Shamrock?

Let's be open and honest...he has a long list of bad decisions, a super-cheesy-game-show-host persona and a 2-2 record in the last 3 years...right, any young fighter would certainly gain from his professional guidance. Please.

Having said all of that...I am going watch that show and so are you.

Jason "Mayhem" Miller is the new MMA PR Rep

First off...I am going to watch this show. Even though it has the potential to be bad...REALLY REALLY bad. It's a risk I'm willing to take...Mayhem is a funny bastard and I would probably watch it even if it were hosted by Tito Ortiz. In fact, at this point, I would watch a group of MMA fighters paint a house.

At face value, this looks like a good thing for MMA. MTV is a great springboard for reaching the tween/teen/college crowd. In addition, any current MMA fans will still be a fan regardless of how bad it is.

However, this could be a"new fan repellent" if it stinks. People that are not fans currently or those on the fence could see this as a reflection of the sport and if that reflection is unsightly...they will judge and move away quickly.

Yes I know...TUF sometimes does the same thing. The only difference is that with TUF everyone on the show are actually fighters striving to move up a level. This show just has a "bully" fighting an MMA fighter...seems fair.

Plus, it seems clear that TUF has actually increased the number of MMA fans. That may not be the case with this show...I mean...it's MTV. If you think that the sport doesn't need new fans then you are foolish.

There is a direct correlation between number of fans a sport has and the amount of money that the athletes of that sport can make. There is also a correlation between money that an athlete can make and the quality of the athletes playing. The last jump is the easiest...the better the athlete the better the fights and the healthier the sport becomes.

To continue to grow, MMA needs new fans.

So, the reality is that Jason "Mayhem" Miller (and MTV editors...yikes) may hold a certain amount of sway of how many incremental fans the sport acquires over the course of the shows life.

I have my fingers crossed, you should too.

Lyoto Machida, Cage Fighter with Elusive Tendancies

What would happen if Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida were to
fight himself?

Clearly there would be the potential for a very boring fight. It certainly would not have the pace of a Guida v Guida or a GSP v GSP.

Now, For the record, I love watching him fight and I think he will be a legitimate contender for years. I also like the fact that his base is Karate and that he DIDN'T wrestle in college. Having a diverse mix of top fighters is better for everyone and in that regard, Machida is a breath of fresh air.

He is perceived as a "boring" fighter by some fans...8 of his 14 fights have gone to the Judges scorecard. People like seeing fights finished...plain and simple. However, there is also a group that find his style intelligently elusive...a progression in the evolution of the Mixed Martial Artist.

A big part of Machidas game is waiting for his opponent to strike and then mounting his offense as a counter. In some cases, he just skips the counter strike part altogether...simply moving away from his opponent. As "elusive" as he is...he is also very deft in picking apart the holes in his opponents defense and has the ability to mount a devastating offense (Silva UFC 94, Ortiz UFC 84, Franklin 2003 Inoki Festival etc...) when given the opportunity.

Problem is...if both fighters have the same strategy and they are both waiting for a punch to be thrown from the other guy...that could a while for some action. Even when/if the punch is thrown...the "Other Machida" could simply move away and not counter.

Not exactly a crowd pleasing combination. With that said 2 of his last 3 fights have been finished...choking out Soko and knocking out Thiago Silva with a vicious, last second punch.

Styles make fights and that's why his last fight against Thiago Silva was such a great match up...Silva is a very aggressive striker facing someone who loves to react to strikes. His upcoming title fight against "Sugar" Rashad Evans has the same potential.

What will happen when he faces a fighter with a similar strategy? Who knows...that's one of the reasons why this sport is so amazing...a infinite number of possibilities and outcomes all while being very unpredictable.

A the end of the day, he is a great fighter who has not lost an MMA match while facing "A" grade competition.

It's hard to argue with that.

Welcome to the UFC Mr. Condit

Ricardo Almeida and a few recent TUF grads including the venerable Junie "please think I'm crazy" Browning. PLUS the kick off of the lastest TUF season...USA vs. UK. All of this for the low price of nothing...totally free.

Sign me up.

NSAC...as Spike Lee Says...Do the Right Thing

GSP is a better fighter than BJ Penn.

If they fought 100 times GSP would win 95 of those fights. He is bigger, stronger, quicker and has much better cardio. That fact is not sitting well with BJ "The Prodigy" Penn. So upset was BJ that he latched on to a lapse in judgment by GSPs corner and rode it all the way to a formal complaint.

While I will agree that there is some good that can come from this...Vaseline needs to be handled with more care...the fact that GSP would have won that fight regardless needs to rise above everything else.

Keith Kizer and the rest of the NSAC need to put a procedure in place to avoid this from happening again but they should not overturn the victory or fine or suspend GSP. To do so would validate the ego-centric rants of the king of all Sore Losers = BJ PENN.

GSP > BJ

Video Game Envy...

EA wants to play too...

As reported by kotaku.com

Electronic Arts has long been rumored to have eyes for a mixed martial arts title. IGN got to the EA Sports chief at a launch event and asked, obliquely, if that was so.

Phrasing the question as "which sport he'd like to see EA Sports tackle next," Moore said that, while they're "incredibly excited" about Fight Night, boxing is fading into the distance.

"Boxing, for me, sadly feels like it's the past of fighting and Mixed Martial Arts feels like it's the future of fighting. So when we look at where people's attention is going, that's something we keep a very close eye on."

THQ has the license for an Ultimate Fighting Championship game until 2011, but there are, conceivably, ways to go ahead with an MMA title without UFC branding, just like there are football games out there without NFL licensing. Whatever the case, Moore's comments were pretty direct that mixed martial arts will be part of his division's next big leap.

EA Sports Mixed Martial Arts Title in the Works? [IGN via GoNintendo]

First off...Moore is right. Boxing is a dying sport and MMA is the next evolutionary step of combat sports.

What's more....Zuffa has control over the fighters in Undisputed FOREVER...yes that forever...as in always. It's called perpetuity which is latin for "by the balls". If ANY company wants to make a UFC game with any of those fighters...Zuffa gets a piece. Like him or hate him, Dana White is not stupid. I still can't wait to play this game.

Run Forrest Run!

There is a lot riding on the upcoming THQ videogame...UFC undisputed. THQ has hit rocky times financially and the UFC have not entered the game market in almost a decade. This will either help to save THQ and help to continue Mr Whites dominance of the MMA landscape OR it will push a THQ into deeper waters and well...Zuffa will still be dominant.

One component...what fighter will grace the cover has been decided:

From IGN.com:

March 13, 2009 - THQ and Zuffa today announced that Forrest Griffin has been tapped to appear on the worldwide cover of UFC 2009 Undisputed. Griffin is a former light heavyweight champion after winning his UFC contract on Spike TV "The Ultimate Fighter" reality show in 2005.

Canada will see a special cover that will only be available to Canucks. It features Georges St-Pierre, a Quebec native. St-Pierre is currently the welterweight champion and was recently named Canada's Athlete of the Year for 2008.

By the looks of what is out there...I think both companies are all set...I can't wait to play this game and then have my 10 year old son beat me.

For more on the production of the game and its features go to THQ's official UFC Undispited web site

For the original IGN story, head over to IGN.com

Rember the name...Jon "Bones" Jones

Training...it's not just for fighters anymore

Once upon a time if you were hitting a punching bag or training in a gym with a punching bag...you were there for one purpose; To Fight.

Not anymore.

The South County Times online reports:

"We call it a fun boot camp," said Finney, owner of Finney's Kickboxing and Boxing, one of the premier training gyms in St. Louis. The gym specializes in teaching novices and professionals alike the fine art of boxing, kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

"Out of more than 300 of our members, only 10 percent are professional fighters and at least 40 percent are women," Finney said. "Most people don't want to fight, but they want to train like a fighter."

"What draws people here is the extensive cardio training they get, along with strengthening their core, while at the same time learning important techniques and timing of how to protect themselves," Finney said. "There is no other place in St. Louis you can go to get this kind of high-level instruction with a professional fighter as your trainer."

This is great for two reasons. Number 1: Less fat people...we have far too many in this great land of ours. Number 2: Better fighters...The more athletes (of all ages) that are exposed to the benefits of training as a fighter, the higher the likelihood that a few will choose that path.
Better athletes = better fighters. Better Fighters = Better Fights. Better Fights = More Fans. More Fans = Sustainable Growth.

We are witnessing the evolution of the sport. From Tank Abbott to GSP and beyond.

MMA needs Nick Diaz

Reported by MMAJUNKIE.COM

While Diaz responded that he was planning on fighting regardless, he later told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he took exception to Shamrock's address of his personal choices. "I don't really give a rat's ass (if Shamrock doesn't approve of me using marijuana)," Diaz said. "So does Michael Phelps. He's an eight-time [expletive] world champion Olympian, the best Olympic champion of all time. That's a little incentive to get with the program, don't you think?

I love it...Diaz urging everyone to "get with the program" and start smoking weed....so we all win gold medals?

I don't care what anyone says...Nick Diaz is good for MMA.