Then and Now: What has changed in MMA since 2005?

A long term dynamic develops in every sport that sticks around for a while. A section of the fan base will inevitably compare the play of today to their heroes from yesteryear.  Whether it is the baseball fan that longs for the day where they didn’t have to worry about someone using performance enhancing drugs after every home run, or the football fan that yearns for the era of hard hitting and less complaining in the NFL. One thing is a common factor; this group wishes things would go back to

Is the UFC putting on too many cards to sustain growth of MMA?

Lately the debate has come up over the UFC putting on too many events and spreading itself too thin, resulting in a number of lackluster cards. Of course, ultimately the UFC is a business, and on paper, the more events they put on, the more opportunity there is to make money. While this may be true in the short run, is that the best strategy to sustain the popularity of Mixed Martial Arts? Or will the watering down of cards and the subsequent run of injuries serve to cause a plateau for the sport? There

Brandon Vera on possible title shot: This is like winning the lottery twice

UFC held a media conference call today in advance of UFC on FOX 4: Shogun vs. Vera which takes place this Saturday, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.Headlining is “Shogun” Rua, a former UFC Light Heavyweight champion. He won the title in 2010 but lost it in 2011 to Jon Jones. Since losing the belt, he had the 2011 “Fight of the Year” against Dan Henderson who will be fighting Jon Jones at UFC 151 in Las Vegas for the title. He is facing Brandon Vera for a match which now has title

Three legends retire: Fedor Emelianenko, Tito Ortiz and Peter Aerts

The Last Emperor, the Huntington Beach Bad Boy and the Dutch Lumberjack are hanging up their gloves. The worlds of MMA and Kickboxing will be a smaller place without them; these three champions have thrilled fans for decades and 2012 is the last time we will see any of them fight. Although this writer does not like to loosely toss around the word, “legends”, in these three cases, the word is wholly appropriate.
Fedor Emelianenko fought his last bout on June 21 with a knockout victory over Pedro Rizzo in

Forrest Griffin: I never thought I would wind up a UFC champion

At UFC 148, Tito Ortiz will step into the Octagon for the final time as a fighter. Much has been written about Ortiz’s farewell bout and his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame on July 7, but what of his opponent, Forrest Griffin? In an exclusive interview with our good friend: Bryan Levick at Fightline.com, the Georgia native discusses Tito Ortiz, Shogun Rua and his own future.
Griffin began his career in the UFC  thrilling fans in his performance during The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale, a fight