Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton Jackson, Countdown to UFC 86

Photo of the Day: Marco Ruas vs. Paul Varelans

Marco Ruas lands a low kick against Paul "The Polar Bear" Varelans at UFC 7, September 8, 1995. Ruas defeated Varelans via TKO to become the UFC 7 tournament champion.

Amir Sadollah, Destined For Greatness

Amir has a 1-0 record in his professional MMA career and that lone victory has earned him the title of Ultimate Fighter. He'll probably be the first and only fighter to claim this distinct honor.

Season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter reality show started with 32 fighters. Some of them stood out with multi-colored hair, others had crazy tattoos and black polished toe nails. Amir stood out by simply being himself; a quirky, self deprecating, non-trash talking, tough S.O.B.

In an environment where testosterone ignited house thrashings occur every season, Amir managed to somehow quietly steal the show from the more boisterous fighters. In a crowded field, Amir's self-effacing personality was refreshing to watch.

He was the complete opposite of the fighter he was supposed to face in the finale, Jesse Taylor. After successfully making it to the finale, Jesse got kicked off the show when surveillance video showed him going on a drunken rampage at a Vegas casino. He was reportedly heard yelling at patrons: "Do you know who I am? I'm an Ultimate Fighter!"

Amir's biggest weapon was giving his opponents a false sense of security

Amir was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Richmond, VA. Prior to fighting, he was a surgical technician, which probably means he rolled patients into the operating room, shaved them down, and passed the scalpel.

His fighting style is an eclectic blend of Muay Thai and Russian Sambo reinforced with an array of Brazilian Juijitsu submissions. In the finale, Amir submitted C.B. Dollaway with an armbar, the very same submission he used to defeat Dollaway during the show.

Amir's biggest weapon was giving his opponents a false sense of security. He stealthily flew under the radar, but that's all over with now. He's a certified, six figure, Ultimate Fighter. No more surprises. Future opponents will be wary of his front kick and unorthodox ground game.

But now that he's won season 7, Amir can afford to brag and yell at random strangers: "Do you know who I am?! I'm an Ultimate Fighter!"

He can, but he won't. He'd much rather prove it in the octagon.

Top Videos of Regular People Getting Punched, Kicked & Choked Out by Professional MMA Fighters

Whether they spit, gurgle, or snort, it's all fun and games until someone gets choked out. Here are the top videos of regular people getting choked, punched & kicked by professional MMA fighters.

#4. Chuck Liddell Punches Dude on Radio Show


#3. Frank Shamrock Chokes Out Random Guy on Radio Show.


#2. Forest Griffin Kicks the Shit Out of Some Guy in Glasses, Breaks Leg!


#1. Randy Couture Chokes Out Pretty Girl on a Radio Show. Trippy Look on Her Face!



Honorable Mentions and Bonus Videos

Kimbo Slice punching some random street guy. This was before Kimbo went pro.


As pointed out by Matt Serra in Season 4 of The Ultimate Fighter, Marc Laimon is not a professional fighter. Nevertheless he is a renowned Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor. Here is Marc Laimon choking out Pretty MMA Girl, Joann. Note how her body jerks and twitches at 1:48.


Although Joe Rogan is not a professional MMA fighter, he does hold a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Here is Joe Rogan choking out random guy on radio show.

UFC 2009 Undisputed Video Game Trailer

Four MMA Moves in Under 90 Seconds

Here are four MMA moves from History Channel's Human Weapon. See how many of these techniques you can spot during The Ultimate Fighter Finale.

1. Double Leg Takedown
2. Shoulder Throw
3. Shoulder Lock (Kimura)
4. Achilles Leg Lock

Photo of the Day: Brett Cooper vs. Dusty Arden

Brett Cooper lands a right hook across the mouth of Dusty Arden at Pure Combat's "Bomb's Away" fighting event.

Will People Tune in to Watch Women's Mixed Martial Arts on Television?

Women in the U.S. have fought for the right to vote and equality in the workplace. Women have come a long way, but unfortunately they continue to face sexual discrimination.

We're way beyond the June Cleaver era, where tending the house and children was the extent of women's roles in society.

After all, it's 2008 not 1958.

But today, women are fighting (literally) for equal rights in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.

Some people are not comfortable with women being involved in a combative sport. They say it's too violent for women or they're not as skilled as the men. Then there are juveniles who quip sexists remarks.

Women fighting on television is not very common. It fact it might very well be a societal taboo. However, that all may soon change.

Last month on EliteXC's Primetime event on CBS, audiences got a small taste of women's MMA when they watched Gina Carano take on Kaitlin Young.

Gina had created a buzz for herself on NBC's American Gladiators. Fans from that show crossed over to CBS that night to see her fight. Gina easily defeated Kaitlin while displaying a myriad of technical skills in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiujitsu.

Gina is considered, the "face of women's MMA" because she's attractive, tough, and highly marketable.

But there are arguably better female fighters. For every mention of Gina Carano, there is also Tara Larosa and Shayna Baszler, two women who'd like nothing more than to defeat Gina in order to propel their careers.

Gina is scheduled to fight later this year and she can pave the way for other female fighters. Personally, I look forward to EliteXC's ambitious plan of putting on an all female fight card. They are tapping into a niche that hasn't been nurtured or exploited yet.

But the question remains: Can Gina single-handedly carry women's MMA to the point where it's accepted into mainstream programming?

It's too early to say, but it'll depend on whether she continues to win and how EliteXC packages women's MMA. I say in about a year we'll have the answer.

Six Ways to Prepare a Fighter For a Post Fight Interview

I love watching Mixed Martial Arts events. Whether I'm there in person or watching bouts on television, it's an exciting experience. Even before a fight begins, there's an anxious anticipation. The nervous excitement grows when the fighters begin their walk to the cage. With the fighter's walk-in music blaring and fans joyously cheering them on, it makes for one festive celebration.

Once the formalities of fighter introductions and glaring stare downs are over with, it's time for a fight. And even once the fight is over, waiting to hear the almost always humble comments from the winner is fun.

Perhaps it's just me, but I always notice the little things that go on around the show. I notice facial expressions, fans in the front row and some of the fighters' peculiar habits and idiosyncrasies. But I cannot be the only one who has taken notice of some post-fight interview details that I think are pretty obvious.

For example, and this happens fairly often, why is it that the cornermen scramble to get a sponsor's t-shirt on the fighter? Sure, I understand they're celebrating, but shouldn't someone be in charge of the sponsor's t- shirt and/or cap so that the fighter doesn't have to fumble around putting it on?

And really, how many times have you seen an interview where a fighter forgets to take out his mouthpiece? I've actually seen post fight interviews where fighters talk halfway through their interview before they realize they still have their mouthpiece in. I don't blame the fighters because I'm sure they were really focused on their fights and very excited to win, but someone in his corner should be quick to take the mouthpiece from him. Notice the picture above, how Joe Rogan motions to Mike Swick to take out his mouthpiece.

In another example, during the recent UFC 85 event, I couldn't believe Chuck Liddell, former UFC light heavyweight champ, had to rush out to get winner, Matt Wiman, his sponsor t-shirt. For crying out loud, this is the former light heavyweight champ.

This looks awkward, clumsy, and unprofessional.

The same thing happened in the main event, after Thiago Alves defeated Matt Hughes. The cornermen scrambled at the last minute and awkwardly put on the sponsor's T-shirt on Thiago. And mind you, there was plenty of time beforehand.
Hardcore MMA fans continue to harp on the poor production of the debut of EliteXC's Primetime event...even to this day. And yes, I do agree, that event was flawed and needs improvement, but the UFC has been around 15 years. You'd think they'd smooth out these little details.

So I hope this rather seemingly trivial matter reaches all mixed martial arts cornermen.

Here are the six steps, I believe, will properly prep a fighter for his post fight interview. After all, this is a fighter's moment of glory and he has to look his best.

1. Congratulate your fighter.

2. Take out fighter's mouthpiece.

3. Provide water.

4. Wipe blood/sweat from fighter's face and body.

5. Take care of cuts and stabilize any other injuries.

6. Place sponsor's t-shirt/cap on fighter and briefly remind him of sponsors to thank.

This will make for a smooth professional post fight interview.

See also: The Importance of Post Fight Interviews

Watch the Devastating Effect of a Powerful Knee Strike

Here's a one minute video clip from National Geographic's TV Show, "Fight Science", demonstrating the destructive power of a Muay Thai knee strike.

Funny Video of the Day: Ultimate Cat Fight

Oldie, but goodie. This is very cute and well edited.

Brutal UFC Fight From the Early Years

Below are some video clips featuring one of the most brutal fights to have ever taken place in Ultimate Fighting. The date is May 17, 1996 and the event was "UFC 9: Motor City Madness" at the Cobo Arena in Detroit Michigan. The fighters: Don Frye and Amaury Bettiti.

In my earlier post, I included current UFC Fight Rules. This fight took place back when the UFC was a bit lax in protecting fighters and enforcing rules. There were no rounds or any weight classes either. Bitetti weighed in at 185lbs, while Don Frye weighed well over 200lbs. I might add that this was before Zuffa, LLC bought the UFC.

Fighter Backgrounds

Don Frye wrestled for Arizona State, holds a 2nd degree black belt in Judo and was a former pro-boxer and firefighter. Coming into this event, Amaury Bitteti is an accomplished Brazilian Jiujitsu black belt having won several Juijitsu and Vale Tudo tournaments.

No Closed Fist Striking Allowed, Under Penalty of Arrest

At the time, Arizona Senator John McCain, started a letter writing campaign against Ultimate Fighting. However, Detroit courts allowed the event to take place under modified rules.

One very significant rule stated no closed fisted strikes will be allowed under penalty of arrest. All fighters were warned of this rule, but as you'll see, referee "Big" John McCarthy did a poor job of enforcing it.

It's interesting to note what the fighters wore. You'll noticed Don Frye is wearing four ounce fingerless gloves and wrestling shoes while Bitteti is bareknuckle and barefoot. In early UFC events, fighters often broke their hands when striking an opponent's skull. To minimize the likelihood of this injury, fighters today have their hands taped and wear four ounce fingerless gloves.

As I stated earlier, there was a no closed fisted strike rule, meaning fighters were only allowed to strike with open palm slaps. So upon reviewing this video, I wondered why Don Frye wore gloves. Frye's hands were protected, Bitteti's hands weren't. Advantage: Don Frye.

Frye and the UFC broke the law that day, but fortunately no one was arrested and more importantly no one was seriously hurt. The fight was entertaining, sure, but clearly one fighter was given the edge. What do you think?

If you click play and get an error message, try refreshing the page.

Look for fence grabbing (illegal today) in the early seconds.


Elbows to the back of the head are not allowed today.


Knees to a grounded opponent and elbows to the spine. Ouch! Bitteti could not defend himself intelligently as the odds were stacked against him. He took an unnecessary beating.

Ultimate Fighting Rules

UFC Rules

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.

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.

The Craziest Week in MMA History!

Mixed Martial Arts has reached a turning point. Just this past week alone there was a whirlwind of activity. First we had the network debut of EliteXC: PRIMETIME on CBS, some great fights from the WEC the following day, Donald Trump getting involved in MMA by partnering with Affliction, and today we have a very solid fight card in "UFC 85: Bedlam."

It's an exciting time to be an MMA fan. The future growth of the sport is going to be phenomenal!

Now I know MMA fans are very passionate. I know I am. I wouldn't be writing about it otherwise. To me, there's no other sport as exciting. In fact, it's the only sport I watch. I simply don't have the time to devote 2+ hours to a baseball or basketball game everyday. That's just too much. I much prefer to anticipate a good fight card about once a month. But I have to admit, I will be checking out the NBA Finals. The Laker/Celtic rivalry is too good to pass up.

But I digress.

As I was saying, MMA fans are passionate and there was a huge outcry from the millions of MMA fans that watched the EliteXC: PRIMETIME event last Saturday.

Some fans enjoyed it, others hated it. Personally I think the notoriety of the event is what made it special. But one thing for sure, it got a lot of press coverage and it got people talking.

What's interesting is that I was talking to some friends who hadn't watched an MMA event before and the CBS show was their first.

One thing they all mentioned was the women's fight between Gina Carano and Kaitlin Young. They were fascinated watching two girls beat on each other. They've never seen anything like that and it definitely piqued their interest.

UFC 85: Bedlam

Today is an interesting day because "UFC 85: Bedlam" takes place this afternoon at the O2 Arena in London. I was debating whether I should buy this PPV. The last UFC event I watched at 3pm EST was the one held in Ireland last year and I was so disappointed with the fights, not to mention I'm not used to watching a live UFC event in the middle of the day.

But I'm convinced this afternoon's UFC 85 card has some solid match-ups, so I'm definitely watching this event. And though I'm not a big fan of Matt Hughes, it's still a pleasure to watch him fight and he'll have his hands full against Thiago Alves. It should be a barn-burner.

Photo of the Day: Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young

Gina Carano lands an overhand right against Kaitlin Young during the debut of the EliteXC: PRIMETIME event on CBS.

Adam Gibson's Martial Arts

Star Wars Actor Strikes Back in Mixed Martial Arts Debut

No, it's not Harrison Ford, but still interesting nonetheless.

27-year-old Amanda Lucas, daughter of Star Wars director, George Lucas, has been quietly honing her skills in Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

She made her MMA debut last Saturday at the Princesses of Pain event in Auckland New Zealand.

Lucas, who appears in the Star Wars prequels, represented the U.S. team, who took on a fight team from Australasia. Because the event was filmed for a new reality series, fight results were not made available to the public.

Related Link

Gina Carano is Television's Most Fittest Star

Nevermind that Gina Carano didn't make weight for her bout last weekend. Our beloved couch potato journal, TV Guide, still considers Gina, TV's Most Fittest Star.

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Tito Ortiz on The Howard Stern Show

Tito Ortiz appeared on The Howard Stern Show this morning. It's his third appearance in the past year. He talked about his new book, This Is Gonna Hurt: The Life of a Mixed Martial Arts Champion.

Howard asked Tito about his feud with UFC President Dana White, but Tito refused to acknowledge Dana's existence.

Howard then asked if there are any gay fighters in the UFC, Tito said, "Definitely...I think the UFC President may be gay. Oh wait, he's married [laughs]."

Tito talked about his messed up childhood, being raised by parents who were heroin addicts, living in motels and trailer parks, and having to sell marijuana to put food on the table.

He also revealed that he plans to retire at age 36, is dabbling in Scientology and that he and girlfriend Jenna Jameson, are considering having a baby.

When asked which is the best martial arts for MMA, Tito said wrestling. True to Howard Stern's style, he asked Tito if anyone's penis ever slipped out of their jockstrap during a fight. Tito responded, "No, thank goodness!"

EliteXC vs. Sex and the City

So I watched the debut of EliteXC's Saturday Night Fights on CBS. After watching the event, all I could think about was James Thompson's cauliflower ear. It looked like a dumpling. The way it flapped about was fascinating.

The next day, I took my girlfriend to see the Sex and the City movie. She's a huge fan of the series and unfortunately her girlfriends couldn't make it, so I accompanied her.

The movie was about a lifestyle I didn't relate to. Glamour, shoes, Prada bags and so forth. I'll admit, I did tear up during a couple of scenes, but it was due to the constant yawning. To be fair, I'm not saying it's a bad movie, it's just not my cup of tea.

Needless to say, I was pretty bored and it doesn't help that I have the attention span of a gerbil. So to keep my mind from going numb, I thought about something cool...like ninjas. Unfortunately that didn't help.

Finally I settled on a thought. The only comforting thought: James Thompson's cauliflower ear. Ah, finally something to keep me grounded.

Suddenly, the EliteXC event wasn't so bad.

However, it was frustrating not to see a definitive conclusion to the last three fights. It felt like reading a suspense novel through the final chapter, only to find out the last page was ripped out. CBS is not doing us any favors. It may be free television, but I still value my time.

There was one silver lining, Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young. Gina put on a fight clinic. All the moves that Frank Shamrock detailed at the top of the show, Gina put them to action. From front kicks to gogoplatas (I think that's what it's called), to rear naked chokes.

A touching moment after the fight was when Gina gave Kaitlin a congratulatory kiss on the head.

It wasn't a perfect MMA event, but fans should keep watching. Hopefully EliteXC and CBS will have ironed out the wrinkles by the time their next show airs.

But just in case, go watch a chick flick first.