Cageside Seats: FanPosts

Podcast: Talking about the Arnold and WEC 47 with MMA Junkie

2010-03-10T13:09:37Z

On this episode of Cage Cast WKR is joined with Ohio native, Dann Stupp, to talk about WEC 47, the Arnold Sports Festival and the evolution of Zuffa's presence at the mega fitness event. You might know Dann as the editor-in-chief of this website called MMA Junkie.

You can download the episode here, subscribe to our RSS feed here and check us out on iTunes. The streaming version is below and you can open up a new window to listen here. Send feedback to watchkalibrun@gmail.com.

SBN coverage of WEC 47: Bowles vs. Cruz

WKR talks to Luke Thomas about the James Toney signing

2010-03-05T14:21:29Z

What a week. We had the Strikeforce news deluge, then the James Toney signing not to mention that WEC 47 is in Columbus for the Arnold Sports Festival this weekend. How in the world are we going to fit this into one show?

I have no idea how we did it but we did. First WKR talks to Luke Thomas of MMA Nation and Bloodyelbow.com before we delve into Strikeforce and WEC 47.

You can download the episode here, subscribe to our RSS feed here and check us out on iTunes. The streaming version is below and you can open up a new window to listen here. Send feedback to watchkalibrun@gmail.com.

SBN coverage of WEC 47: Bowles vs. Cruz

WKR Podcast: Talking to FilmDrunk.com about Gina Carano and "Knockout"

2010-03-03T14:16:39Z

(Watch out Gina! That's not Antonio Banderas that is Pancho Villa!)

It's Wedensday and WKR has ANOTHER podcast?! That's crazy talk! Next thing you're going to tell me that there will be another podcast on Friday. Wait, there is?

On this edition of Cage Cast WKR is joined with Vince Marcini of FilmDrunk to discuss Gina Carano's move to film, the merits of Knockout and her future in Hollywood.

You can download the episode here, subscribe to our RSS feed here and check us out on iTunes. The streaming version is below and you can open up a new window to listen here. Send feedback to watchkalibrun@gmail.com.

Dave Hess ~ Long Days And Hard Work

2010-02-19T03:36:51Z

Dave Hess ~ Long Days And Hard Work
In every fighter's career an opportunity comes along to make a name for themselves by defeating an opponent with a well-known name. This Saturday, heavyweight fighter Dave Hess will get that opportunity as he faces off against UFC veteran "Irish" Jake O'Brien in the main event of "MMA Big Show: Triple Threat." MMASpot recently sat down with Dave to discuss his origins and his thoughts on the fight.

An Indiana native growing up in the town of Sunman, Hess has been an athlete his entire life. "I grew up playing football and got into wrestling at a pretty early age. I started wrestling before high school, maybe in fifth grade. I did just about every sport the school offered, but my main focus was wrestling. And I use a lot of that in my fights too, it's helped me out a lot."

While his wrestling certainly laid the foundation for a career in mixed martial arts, Hess never trained in one specific martial art. His transition to MMA instead, was the result of knowing people already involved in the sport. "I just had a buddy, kind of a guy that knew a guy that knew a guy. He told me where their team was at. I found their website and went up there and started practicing with them." That team was Team G-Force, led by Ron Gableman. "He hooked me up with my first fight with Cage Inferno in Louisville, Kentucky."

Hess spent a great deal of his career on the amateur circuit, amassing a record of 19-2 before making the transition to professional MMA. "I didn't even know who I was fighting most of the time, not until I got there. I don't even know how many sanctioned fights I've even had.""A lot of my fights were with Caged Inferno, probably about 8 or 9 fights with them." Unsanctioned fights aside, Hess spent a great deal of his amateur career with the now defunct Caged Inferno.

Following his tenure at Team G-Force, Hess moved to Universal MMA & Fitness in Lawrenceburg, Ind., where he has trained since. Training as a professional fighter can be tough; as one must also balance family life and a job. "I'm actually an injection molder. I've got long days and I work hard, so I'm gone from 6 a.m. until 7-8 at night." To add to the fighter's schedule, Hess has three children; a 7-year-old son and twin boys, born just nine months ago.

Since going pro, Hess has earned a 3-1 record. The submission expert has won all of his professional fights by submission: Eyib Mekhridze fell to a Keylock submission at "Caged Inferno 4," Josh Burns lost to a Rear Naked Choke at "MMA Big Show: Retribution," and Bo Huitt succumbed to an armbar just 39 seconds into their fight at "MMA Big Show: Heavy Hitters." Hess regards the Burns fight as his toughest test thus far.

Full Interview: Source

__________________

Niko Vitale ~ Showing What He's About

2010-02-13T18:47:49Z

This is my latest interview, you may remember Niko from his UFC 43 and 45 bouts with Lindland, his IFL fight with Horn, or his Strikeforce fight with Trigg. Enjoy!

· Niko Vitale ~ Showing What He’s About

Hawaiian fighter Falaniko "Niko" Vitale has had an illustrious MMA career spanning more than a decade, appearing in major promotions such as the UFC, Strikeforce, Icon Sport, and the International Fight League (IFL). With 26 wins to only nine losses, Vitale has fought some of the toughest opponents in the world. In the coming months, Niko will return to fighting, after a year-long layoff, in his Shine Fights debut against Murilo "Ninja" Rua. MMA Spot recently sat down with Niko to discuss his past and his training.

Falaniko "Niko" Vitale was born in Hawaii and has lived there for most of his life. Growing up, he was constantly engaged in athletics. "I played sports all my life, football, baseball, basketball, messed around with boxing a little bit when I was 9 or 10. I wasn’t an amateur or anything but I did train." In addition to sports, Niko grew up influenced by his father's performing career. "My father was a fire dancer. It’s a Samoan fire dance called Siva Afi, a traditional dance performed by warriors back in the day. It was something that he grew up learning. I picked it up, I know how to do it. I performed twice though it wasn’t something that he really wanted me to do as a career because it’s a rough business to be in."

In high school, Niko primarily played football, a sport which he continued in college. "I went two years of college in Utah at Snow College and two years in Hawaii at the University of Hawaii. I played safety and a couple other positions. I dabbled with indoor football and arena football a little bit, but then I got into fighting."

Vitale credits his interest in martial arts to legendary fighter Royce Gracie. "My junior year in college, I saw a Gracie match. That was before the UFC came out. I saw the Gracie match and I see little guys beating up all these bigger guys and I remember I said 'This is one art I really wanna learn.' I was a wrestler in high school and I grew up watching WWF and I love grappling period." Initially, the intrigued Niko specifically pursued jiu-jitsu. "I was 22 at the time when I picked it up. I started training jiu-jitsu in 1997 and then fought in 1999."

Early in his jiu-jitsu training, Niko's primary instructor left Hawaii to move to the mainland, causing him to switch camps. "I had been a purple belt for years. When my instructor left, I joined the Jesus Is Lord team with Ronald Jhun and Ray Cooper. I trained with a lot of guys who are brown and black belts." After joining the new team, he began fighting for Hawaiian based Super Brawl. Vitale fought thirteen times for the organization, losing only a single match against Robbie Lawler.

Full Interview: MMA Spot

Watch WWE RAW, Smackdown, TNA iMPACT....

2010-02-06T02:45:27Z

I just came across this site the other day. They post up full length shows, reviews, photos, and etc. ALL THIS FOR FREE!!! They also post live PPVS! The site offers every wrestling promotion from WWE, TNA(or wannabe WCW), and ROH. I havent ever seen a site out there that offers all this stuff for free man. To tell all you fellow wrestling fans the truth, I havent bought a PPV since last years Wrestlemania because of this site. It'll save you a lot of money! Trust me on that one lol. Its allow a great site for you if you dont have cable and cant watch shows that are on cable like Raw or TNA. They have all their shows in high quality plus a detailed review of the show. But enough of me rambling on about the site. Check out the site.. Its called WrestlingStone.

www.wrestlingstone.blogspot.com

TO CHECK IT OUT: CLICK HERE

Poll

Is the site cool?

Yes!

4 votes

No!

1 votes

5 votes | Poll has closed

Mark Coleman: I could win any fight at 205 pounds

2010-02-06T01:29:29Z

If you ever scoffed at the notion of a mixed martial artist getting better with age, then look no further than this Saturday’s main event at "UFC 109: Relentless." Two UFC Hall of Famers, 46-year-old five-time UFC champion Randy "The Natural" Couture and 45-year-old former Ohio State national champion wrestler Mark Coleman, will square off in a fight where the combined age of the competitors tops an incredible 90. Couture and Coleman may be anomalies in the sports world, but the fact that these two legends can still be going strong is a testament to the work ethic and desire to compete that is prevalent in the world of mixed martial arts. The fact that two ageless veterans can headline a card during Super Bowl weekend, typically one of the biggest shows of the year for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, in a fight that has been dreamed about for years is almost unfathomable.

David McKinney: This is a fight that has been more than a decade in the making. Are you excited that it has finally come to fruition between two UFC Hall of Famers and perhaps the two best wrestlers to ever step foot into the Octagon? Mark Coleman: Yeah, this is as big as it gets for me. This is a huge opportunity for me to take a closer step towards a title shot, which is still my ultimate goal. I don’t go around picking and choosing who I fight. I do consider Randy a good friend and I don’t want to fight him for any other reason than the fact that’s he’s a Hall of Famer and a legend. This is a fight that I’ve been asked over and over again for the last ten years about when I was going to fight Randy. It’s great that I can now answer that question: February 6.

DM: I know that a lot of your fans are happy to see you back in winning form on a big stage and they really appreciate the fact that you’re still out there fighting and giving it your all. MC: That’s something that I really do enjoy. If there are ever any fans that are hesitant about approaching me, please don’t be. I enjoy all of the attention and if you want to come up and shake my hand then I’m more than happy to do so. It’s great coming from a wrestling background where you don’t really have any of that.

DM: Many people have said that you have the perfect style to defeat currently undefeated UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, even going as far as to give you the nickname "The Antidote." How do you think you would fare against Machida? MC: Well, first of all he has to get by [Maurico] "Shogun" [Rua]. But you asked the Machida question, and he’s a very solid fighter in all areas. He’s not somebody that I would just be able to throw around. I have trained with him in the past and his wrestling is very excellent. It would be an incredibly tough fight but it is something that I would take very seriously. I do feel like I match up well with him and that’s a fight that I can win. In all honesty, I think I could win any fight at 205 pounds if I put in the work for it.

DM: What does the future hold for you after this fight, win or lose? MC: Well whether I win or lose does determine a lot, but what I do know is that I will fight again. People don’t seem to understand, but I do continue to get better. I just hired a new strength and conditioning coach Josh Burns, and he’s really taken the guesswork out of my training. He’s mapped out a nice plan and I see myself getting better.

Full Interview: MMA Spot

Whatever happened to Tag Teams?

2010-02-02T15:39:38Z

I'm so against the continued use of the "Unified Tag Team" Belts. Which are just both the Raw and Smackdown belts. There was once a time that you couldn't keep track of all the Tag Teams out there. Now, you can count them on one hand. And whatever happened to naming your tag team? Oh it's Big Show and Jericho. Batista and Rey. Just recently we had MNM, Rated RKO, The Hardy Boyz, The Brothers of Destruction. The only reason DX is still called DX is to sell t-shirts. There are only 7 belts that are ONLY one brand. 3 for Raw, 3 for Smackdown and 1 for ECW. Why don't we have a lower level ECW belt? ECW European champion? ECW TV Champ? The last Tag Team champs that weren't former World Heavyweight champions were the Colons. In September. Of 2008.
There really doesn't seem to be that type of structure in the WWE anymore. Where before you got a shot at the big title you had to at least win the Tag title or the I-C belt. Now you've got guys like Batista who won the I-C belt AFTER having two world title reigns. Does anyone really wanna see these tag matches that you know the challenger isn't going to win? Are Tyson Kidd and DH Smith really going to win the belts from TWO grand Slam Champions? Nope. I like Sheamus, but why didn't he hold the ECW or the US championship for a while before he won the big one?

Ferrid Kheder ~ No Time To Waste

2010-01-26T13:54:32Z

Full Interview at MMASpot.net

Chicago-based Bellator Fighting Championships recently announced the signing of lightweight competitor Ferrid "The Hurricane" Kheder, an Olympic-level judoka who began competing in MMA in 2006. Boasting an impressive 16-5 record, with all losses coming by way of decision, this French-born fighter is looking to make a splash in the 155 pound tournament set to being April 8. MMASpot's Joe Gullo recently sat down with Kheder to talk about his judo background, his transition to MMA and his thoughts on his new promotion.

Kheder's training led him to develop a devastating low kick that consistently knocks his opponents off their feet. "I learned that from a Muay Thai fighter in Australia. Nobody does a low kick like that. in 80 percent of my fights I can take down the guy with my low kick. It's very efficient and the result of a lot of work on my feet."

Since coming to MMA, Kheder has only lost five times, all of which were by decision, and has finished 13 of his 16 victories. "I want to finish the fight. Going to a decision doesn't make any sense in MMA. If you are going to fight, you have to finish the fight. Right now my record is 16-5, but you know, if you really ask me, I am gonna tell you 13-0 because I finished 13 of my fights and have never been finished."

Since the Thiago fight Kheder has kept very busy, amassing a 11-2 record leading up to his contract with Bellator. When asked what he thinks of Bellator's format, the fighter had nothing but praise. "I like the way they made the show. It's like basketball; we see them so everybody knows when the season is gonna start and you need to b e ready. It was a bit that way in judo; you start in September and stop in June. We have time to rest and some time to train hard to be ready for the competition. I like what they do, and I think they try to pick up the best guys that have not signed a contract with the UFC or Strikeforce. We have a lot of good guys in MMA that nobody knows."

Full Interview at MMASpot.net

Damn Those Leg Kicks look mean.

Strikeforce Champion Jake Shields To Be Assistant Coach On TUF 11

2010-01-21T15:18:19Z

Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Jake Shields has agreed to be a part of Chuck Liddell’s coaching staff on the upcoming season of "The Ultimate Fighter." The highly decorated fighter made the announcement in an email to his fan club members Wednesday evening. The show begins its six-week taping session soon, and will premier on Spike TV on March 31.

The grappling ace will be a part of Chuck Liddell’s coaching staff for season 11 of the hit reality television show. Shields credits Liddell for getting him interested in the sport: "Chuck asked me a couple weeks ago and I'm always willing to help him out. Chuck was the one who originally got me into MMA in the first place. I owe him a lot but besides that I'm excited to be part of TUF and hopefully I'm able to help Chucks team get the finals."

Shields (24-4-1), a consensus top five welterweight, recently moved up to middleweight to capture the Strikeforce title this past November. In that bout he would win a lopsided decision over Jason "Mayhem" Miller, displaying a wide array of his Cesar Gracie black belt level jiu-jitsu. Among his twenty-four wins, Shields has victories over Robbie Lawler, Paul Daley, Nick Thompson, Carlos Condit, Yushin Okami, Dave Menne, Akira Kikuchi, and Hayato Sakurai.

Full article

Great addition. This season should be pretty good. I wonder why he didn't go for Bravo.

Tekken: Dark Resurrection for PSP Review

2010-01-19T14:01:28Z

The Good

Some of the best graphics to hit the PSP so far
Well-implemented ghost exchange systems
Lots of modes
Plenty of great characters
Delivers the same great Tekken gameplay you've come to expect from the series.

The Bad

It can be tricky to hit the D pad's diagonals just right.

The Tekken series has always done well in arcades, but it truly came into its own as a home release on Sony's various video game consoles. The PlayStation and PlayStation 2 have received the brunt of Namco's Tekken series, but now it's time for the PlayStation Portable to get into the act with a port of the latest arcade upgrade for the series, Tekken: Dark Resurrection. This game builds on the content and characters from Tekken 5, adding more fighters, more moves, new backgrounds, new customization options, and more. Plus, it's one of those amazing portable games that raises the bar and resets your expectations about what a portable machine can do.

The largest factor in resetting those expectations comes from the game's graphics. While the PSP doesn't pull off a polygon-perfect port of the arcade game, the characters look and move as well as you could hope. The corners seem to have been cut in the backgrounds, which occasionally sport a grungy texture or two, and in the pre- and postfight animation, which isn't quite as smooth as the fighting. Those things aside--and they don't get in the way at all--Tekken: Dark Resurrection gives off a real "this platform shouldn't be able to look this hot" vibe. On top of that, the game's loading times are pretty manageable, averaging somewhere under 10 seconds between fights, and even less if it's a rematch on the same background with the same fighters. So the visual quality doesn't come at the expense of speed, which is great.

The gameplay in Tekken: Dark Resurrection is also spot-on with what you'd expect from the series. The controls are responsive, though the occasionally tricky diagonals on the PSP's D pad took an hour or so of getting used to before we could pull off combos and juggles without trouble. If you like, you can also use the analog stick to control movement. The fighting itself is right in line with previous Tekken games, though there are three characters here that weren't in Tekken 5. Armor King returns to the lineup, and there are two all-new characters. Lili is a rich girl with street-fighting skills, and Dragunov is a Russian special forces operative who fights in a sambo style with plenty of powerful strikes. Both of the new characters fit right into the lineup and seem as deep and interesting as the rest of the cast. Also, unlike most Tekken games, Dark Resurrection starts with the complete cast of 34 characters available, so you won't have to dig through story mode multiple times to get all of the fighters.

Players who are familiar with the Tekken series will be right at home with the available modes, many of which come from Tekken 5 on the PlayStation 2. In addition to the arcade mode, which lets you unlock crazy prerendered ending videos, there are plenty of submodes, including a robust practice mode, team battles, time attack, and a quick battle that lets you pick your first opponent. There's a versus mode that lets two players compete locally over an ad hoc connection, using the same sort of lobby system that has appeared in previous PSP fighting games. You can also merge your rankings with other players' rankings, so you can have something to compare your time-attack times against.

The best part of the game is the way it uses artificial intelligence profiles. This is something that appeared in Tekken 5, but the ghost recording system and online options make it more worthwhile here. Ghosts are profiles that are meant to replicate another player's fighting style. While it certainly isn't perfect, they do seem to make for more interesting and unpredictable fights than the average fighting AI. You mainly fight these profiles in the Tekken dojo mode. Here, you move from dojo to dojo, fighting your way to the top of each one by beating these ghost profiles. The game comes with plenty of ghosts already present, but you can also record your own play to make your own ghost and then share it with your friends locally. You can also get online and download packs of ghost players for use in the single-player game, which is cool. Getting online also allows you to upload your ghosts for use by other players. It's a shame that there isn't any online combat, but considering that the Tekken series has yet to go online on any platform, it's not an altogether surprising omission.

In most of the game's modes, you earn money for winning fights. You can take those funds and use them to customize the look of your characters, much like in Tekken 5 or Virtua Fighter 4. There are plenty of pieces and colors to purchase, and they range from standard changes, like new hairstyles and glasses, to weird stuff, like a dog that clings to the back of Paul's gigantic haircut. Your ghosts carry these items, so you can give them a custom look before you send them out into the world to do your devious bidding.

The game contains a lot of solid music that plays while you're fighting, and the theater mode serves as a sound test, letting you listen to any of the music at any time. Additionally, the game has the same sound effects that Tekken 5 had, which makes the hits sound nice and hard, though the relative lack of bass on the PSP's stock speakers means they don't deliver quite as well as a set of good headphones will.

With plenty of modes to mess with and the promise of ghost exchanging, Tekken: Dark Resurrection is a long-lasting game that impressively delivers quality 3D fighting to the PSP. It makes smart additions while retaining everything that makes the Tekken series so popular in the first place. Fans of portable fighting games can't go wrong with this one.

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Ultimate Fight Night 21 To Take Place In Charlotte, N.C. On March 31

2010-01-18T18:57:24Z

While still unannounced, details surrounding UFC’s “Ultimate Fight Night 21” are beginning to emerge. Though reports broke last week that the event will be held in North Carolina, a venue and city were still up in the air. Today, MMASpot confirmed, through stadium officials, that Bojangles’ Coliseum in Charlotte will be the destination for the Wednesday, March 31 event, marking UFC’s first visit back to the city in fifteen years. The televised event is scheduled to serve as a lead-in to “The Ultimate Fighter: Season 11” which premiers on Spike TV later that evening.

UFC’s roots are deep in Charlotte, holding two of their first five events in the city. UFC 3, which featured the tournament style, no holds barred, bare knuckled, no weight classes era of the sport, was the first event held there in 1994. That event is best remembered as the night Royce Gracie and Kimo Leopoldo met in one of the most talked about UFC fights of all time.

Less than a year later, UFC would return. This time with the same tournament format, adding in the first ever “Superfight” between Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie. Shamrock had missed his chance to avenge an earlier loss to Gracie at UFC 3 and was unable to compete at UFC 4. So the matchmakers at the time removed all chance, bypassed the tournament, and booked the grudge match between the two. That fight went to a time limit draw after 36 minutes, making it the first UFC event that featured time limits for the competitors. Dan “The Beast” Severn won the tournament that night.

Full article

This is for BIX....

2010-01-18T18:40:18Z

maybe you were right old friend....after seeing what happened at Genesis maybe TNA really is lost...personally I like the 4 sided ring compared to 6 sides, but either way it's fine...I like the AJ turn and going with Flair...however...why is Val Venis going over Daniels who was in the main event last month? Hall is too fat to wrestle, so why even advertise it? Kennedy's match sucked but i'll give him another chance...where is Joe? what about Foley....or Jarrett....oh yea remember Eric Young...he is the Global Champion...silly title that it is it is still a title thought and he's never even on...? I just don't undestand...I wanna like them, I do and I enjoy the product...but wrestling in general has gotten me to the point that I have just watched some old Clash of the Champions instead...92 WCW wasn't as bad as people say...Dangerous Alliance rocked!

MMA Spot’s Best Of 2009: Knockouts

2009-12-23T15:21:45Z

1) Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping (UFC 100)

During the filming of "The Ultimate Fighter: US vs UK", a heated rivalry began brewing between coaches Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping. The build-up of the feud was put into living rooms across the country leading up to UFC 100 in July. Henderson, who had been open about his distaste for Bisping while filming, got his revenge on the biggest stage in UFC history. Henderson dominated the first round by cutting off the Octagon and making Bisping circle dangerously toward his power hand. The second frame saw more of the same, only this time Bisping would not hear the closing bell. After feigning a leg kick, Henderson landed a crushing right hand on Bisping’s chin that turned the Brit’s lights out entirely. Adding insult to injury, Henderson then followed Bisping to the ground with a diving punch reminiscent of professional wrestling, and earned what was, by far, the most brutal knockout of the year.

2) Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski (Affliction: Day of Reckoning) In what was a clash between the two top-ranked heavyweight fighters on the planet, Fedor Emelianenko proved once again that he is indeed the greatest heavyweight of all time. As story played out at Affliction's "Day of Reckoning" this past January, Andre Arlovski used his superior boxing skills to frustrate Emelianenko early on, keeping ‘The Russian Experiment’ on his heels for the first three minutes of the fight. After landing a powerful straight kick which pushed Fedor into the corner, Arlovski attempted to follow with a flying knee. Fedor had had enough at that point. While Arlovski was still in mid-air Emelianenko landed a thunderous overhand right which sent ‘The Pitbull’ crashing to the mat face first, in one of the most visually stunning knockouts in MMA history, at 3:13 of the first round.

3) Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans (UFC 98) Without a doubt, now UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Lyoto Machida had a banner year in 2009. Riding high off a devastating first round knockout victory of previously undefeated Thiago Silva, ‘The Dragon’ met Rashad Evans at May's UFC 98 and added another victim to his win column. After controlling the action in first round, dropping Evans, Machida proved that his "elusive" style did not simply mean backing away. The champion came out for blood in the second frame, absorbing no damage, while repeatedly tripping and dropping Evans. Machida ended the fight when he landed a devastating combination of punches that sent Evans crumbling, unconsciously, against the cage and to the canvas at 3:57 of the round. The "Machida Era" had begun.

All Ten Knockouts: Source

Some really good MMA went down this year, and some amazing knockouts - that's for sure. It makes my brain hurt, in a good way.

Gals Guide to MMA Has Joined SB Nation

2009-12-23T15:03:08Z

Hey everybody! We’re Gals Guide to MMA, then newest MMA blog to join SB Nation. While we originally started out to address the interests of female MMA fans, we’ve quickly developed a following of both female and male MMA fans, who come to us for our wit, expert commentary, insight, and modesty.

So if you are a lady, have a lady, hope to someday have one, or just want a glimpse into the twisted minds of these ladies, come check out our site. We bring you delightful features such as Pantydropper of the Week, Tattoo of the Week, and What Would Forrest Do?

We’re sure you won’t be disappointed. And if you are, keep it to yourself. We bruise easily.

Din Thomas Signs With Shine; Showdown With Mayorga Coming?

2009-12-15T22:57:24Z

MMA Spot confirmed today that nine-fight UFC veteran Din Thomas has signed a deal to join Shine Fight Promotions. Thomas recently made headlines when he called out professional boxing star Ricardo Mayorga in advance of Mayorga’s MMA debut this coming March. Thomas' pointed words for the slugger may have lead to the signing, and it now looks like Shine may have decided to put Mayorga’s will to fight top competition, and Thomas’ chin, to test.

Shine officials would not confirm a Thomas vs. Mayorga bout, although an earlier report from The Sporting News seemed to indicate otherwise. Shine Fights media official David McKinney did state that Thomas, who last fought at featherweight, had been signed to fight at lightweight and that the organization is looking forward to having Thomas as part of their tough lightweight division. McKinney did not disclose the terms or length of the contract, but it is likely that Thomas will make his debut for the company at their next show in March 2010.

Din Thomas' Quotes

If the fight materializes, it could easily be seen as a win-win scenario for Mayorga and the organization. Debuting in MMA against a fighter of Thomas’ caliber is nearly unheard of, not even UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar took on such a test in his first professional bout. The bout would also give the organization a pay-per-view caliber main event. Thomas (24-8) last fought on the Roy Jones, Jr. promoted "March Badness" card in the spring. He was set to fight WEC’s Javier Vasquez at "Ultimate Chaos" in June, but had to pull out of the fight after issues with Mississippi commission officials caused Thomas to be unable to make weight. Since then, Thomas has been engaged in various projects, including an acting role in the critically acclaimed independent film "Loren Cass" and releasing a comprehensive set of instructional DVDs. The 52 volume 22 DVD set "1001 Submissions" was released this past November.

On The Spot ~ Zak Cummings

2009-12-05T02:32:41Z

Springfield, Missouri’s middleweight prospect Zak Cummings recently made his Strikeforce debut where he put his perfect 10-0 record on the line against fellow up-and-comer Tim Kennedy. Cummings was handed his first ever loss that night, as part of the Strikeforce Challengers main event. However, the bout gained Cummings a lot of respect and some positive national exposure, showing his toughness and willingness to step up to upper echelon opponents.

Cummings is still a student at Missouri State University, where he’s majoring in exercise and movement science. He hopes to transfer on to physical therapy school once he graduates. Although, with his new found fame he may find time hard to come by as he prepares to help lead Stikeforce’s loaded middleweight division into the new year.

Zak trains at the Springfield Fight Club and after a 6-0 amateur record he turned pro. As a professional he has collected seven stoppage victories by TKO or submission, and holds a decision win over UFC veteran Terry Martin. Cummings’ future in the sport is bright, as the well balanced fighter looks toward getting back into the cage in early 2010 to continue is ascent to the top of the rankings.

MMA Spot: Where are you from and why did you get into mixed martial arts?
Cummings: Hometown is Springfield, MO. I wrestled all through middle school and high school then attempted to walk onto the Iowa State University wrestling squad, but I injured my knee in high school and wasn’t cleared to wrestle by the doctors. Then I came back to Springfield found Springfield Fight Club, started training MMA, and five months later had my first fight.

MMA Spot: Where do you train at and who are your coaches?
Cummings: I train at Springfield Fight Club and my coaches are Rick Wyner (BJJ/MMA), Gabe Wouk (BJJ), and Clyde Hicks (boxing/kickboxing).

MMA Spot: You recently headlined the Strikeforce Challenger Series event against Tim Kennedy, despite the loss, how was the experience and what are your thoughts on the fight?
Cummings: The experience was awesome and it was exciting to be on a card with so many great wrestlers. I was really excited about headlining the card. As for the fight I felt ready for the fight, but I felt rather hesitant in the fight and that led to Tim Kennedy being just a step ahead of me, and you can’t let that happen. Kennedy is one of those guys that is so gifted you have to be on your game or it will be a rough fight. Overall though I learned a lot and I loved it.

Full Interview

Cummings has a good attitude and he's got a lot of potential. Professional fighter and a college student, pretty impressive individual. I like the exposure the Strikeforce: Challengers cards are giving to these up-and-comers.

Din Thomas Wants First Shot At Mayorga

2009-12-04T04:10:58Z

The list of fighters lining up to welcome former pro boxer Ricardo Mayorga is growing longer and more distinguished by the day. Today, nine-time UFC fighter Din ‘Dinyero’ Thomas had some very strong words for the recent Shine Fights signee. Thomas did not hold back when sending his message directly to Mayorga, his managers, and Shine Fights matchmakers. "Ricardo Mayorga just signed to fight in Shine. I think he is afraid of me. If he does accept the fight I will put him into retirement and send him back to his fruit stand in Nicaragua. He will be wearing a straw hat, smoking cigarettes, and selling bananas once and for all. This is MMA and I will beat him standing or on the ground. I will let him pick how he wants to lose his first MMA fight." MMA Spot Article

ezekial jackson versus christopher daniels

2009-11-29T03:54:48Z

i'm wondering about this. this question isn't specifically relating to who you'd choose to build a federation around, but who would be more valuable in an already existant federation. christopher daniels is a tremendous worker who puts on great matches, and can steal the show on any PPV he's got a spot in.

ezekial jackson is just a big, nasty dude. he doesn't have the personality to be a top card draw, and he's not gonna steal any show with his athleticism, but he should be able to pretty consistently manhandle mid card talent.

Poll

who's your man?

big zeke

3 votes

fallen angel

1 votes

bryant gumble

1 votes

5 votes | Poll has closed

Dr. John Fitzgerald ~ The Blood Doctor

2009-11-28T00:46:50Z

Randy Couture was asked in a recent MMA FanHouse interview how he maintains such a good physical condition that allows him to fight twice in three months at the age of 46.

"The last couple years I've spent a lot of time getting my blood chemistry evaluated, taking the supplements and eating the things that my blood chemistry says I should be. That's been the biggest thing the last couple years, age 45 and 46," Couture replied.

So, who is evaluating Randy’s blood, and who is choosing his supplements and telling him what to eat? The answer is Dr. John Fitzgerald.

Dr. Fitzgerald, who has come to be known as Blood Doc John, works not only with Randy Couture but also other Xtreme Couture athletes such as Gray Maynard and Martin Kampmann. Along with Randy, Dr. Fitzgerald is now offering the same supplements his athletes take to the public through Xtreme Couture Athletic Pharmaceuticals, or XCAP.The partnership with Randy and Xtreme Couture all started when the doctor got a new patient named Phil Friedman, who happens to be one of Randy’s training partners.

Blood Doc John: Phil told others at Xtreme Couture the great results he got and things took off from there. What is crazy about this is that I was really burned out from seeing patients and wasn't interested in seeing patients anymore, but this relationship has been good for us both and I have a renewed enthusiasm from the fun I have had working with athletes again.

Spot: What kind of results did Phil Friedman have?

BDJ: His energy returned, resting and recovery heart rate returned to normal, he could sleep again, and his episodes of dizziness left.

Spot: How long did it take Phil to see these results?

BDJ: Four days, the adrenal glandular works very fast.

Spot: What are some common nutritional mistakes you see your athletes make?

BDJ: Too many to list. Eating junk food and drinking pop is devastating to most that choose to do it.

Spot: In your experience what are the most common deficiencies in athletes?

BDJ: Mineral deficiencies are very common. Soil is depleted of minerals from farming methods, so the food we eat is typically depleted in minerals. Athletes make the problem worse by losing minerals in sweat and not replacing them. I generally have athletes take 4 Natural Mins (XCAP) after each workout and have them take Zinc Clutch every meal until they can taste it, which means they can take less Zinc Clutch.

Spot: How much does the blood testing usually cost for a new patient and how long does it take to get the results?

BDJ: Some athletes bring me blood work and others I set up appointments for them to get their blood drawn. They pay for the lab work with cash or insurance and then pay me $300 per hour to help them. Some athletes want me for one hour and then another 30 minutes every now and then, while others ask for substantially more time.

So the cost really depends on them and what they want. Some blood work I get back in two days and some takes two weeks depending on what tests are ordered.

Spot: We’ve talked about how supplements and nutrition can effect recovery and endurance, are there strategies for increasing speed or strength?

BDJ: Yes there are. That is why we do blood work and hormone testing. There are many nutritional deficiencies that cause glandular hypofunction which lowers hormone levels. We check these and then address the cause.

Spot: With supplementation being an unregulated industry how can a person protect themselves from taking a product which may contain mostly filler or worse, be harmful to their health?

BDJ: This is very hard to do unless you really limit what company you are buying from. People are always thinking I am overly cautious because I only recommend XCAP and Biotics Research made products for pro athletes. I do this because they have a pharmaceutical license and are therefore strictly regulated. Other nutrition companies are not regulated like this.

Full Article

A lot of interesting informationin this article regarding the chemical/nutritional strategies used in training. I could definitely benefit from some, but as I sit here stuffed from Day 2 of Thanksgiving, I fear I am a lost cause.