UFC MMA Fight

UFC to Hold Event in Afganistan in January 2011

The UFC has always been a long time supporter of the United States military and therefore is moving forward with plans to hold a full event on a U.S. base in Afghanistan.

UFC President Dana White confirmed at UFC 114 that they are currently in negotiations with key government officials as well as various military contacts in order to make that happen.

White says it’s going to be a “stealth mission” “We’re going to zoom in there, put on a fight and get the hell out.”

Although there is no official date of this event as of yet, they are shooting for somewhere around January of 2011.

ESPN2 to Feature MMA

After airing episodes for the first time this May, ESPN2 will continue to televise ESPN.com’s produced and distributed weekly MMA Live series through August, 2010.

ESPN2 will continue to provide the first airing of the weekly MMA Live series Fridays at 1 a.m. ET (Thursday at 10 p.m. PT) with the ESPN.com version, featuring additional content, available shortly after the ESPN2 telecast.

According to a report on MMAFighting.com, UFC lightweight Kenny Florian will return to the broadcast booth for WEC 49: Varner vs. Shalorus on Versus.

Florian has been serving as an analyst for the aforementioned MMA Live show on ESPN2 and ESPN.com, and also filled in for Joe Rogan at UFC 83 and UFC Fight Night 19, and for Frank Mir at WEC 41.

MMA Sporting Adventure

As MMA trends toward a more sporting aspect, it will be interesting to see how it’s popularity changes, if at all.

More elite wrestlers are flooding the sport, this is certain.

The second half of the year presents us with two matchups encapsulating this symbolic battle: Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen and Mauricio Rua vs. Evans. The two champions, however, represent elite athleticism in tandem with an entertaining style (In Silva’s case, when he actually fights).

No matter who wins those fights, however, this debate isn’t likely to be settled any time soon.

But there are certainly reasons why, though they may be more famous, fighters like GSP and Evans will never be as beloved as Wanderlei Silva or Chuck Liddell.

UFC Undisputed 2010 Game

It’s not a sport filled with wrestling rejects, but a sport that involves athletes with special training beating the hell out of one another.

THQ and the UFC noticed the rising popularity for the sport and delivered their first installment of UFC Undisputed last year.

After making a good debut, THQ makes its return to the octagon and makes a few well needed adjustments in UFC Undisputed 2010.

Career Mode will probably be the mode you play most and seems to be the mode that THQ focused on the most.

The focus of Career Mode is to take your created character up the ranks of the sport, eventually leading to the UFC, a title shot, and the hall of fame.

Is MMA at a Crossroads of Sporting vs. Spectacle?

While no rational mind could fault Evans for using the strategy that earned him the decision, I find it fully understandable that many feel let down in the wake of the fight.

There are those, however, who were perfectly fine with the fight. I believe we’ve found the MMA fan base at a crossroads—one between sport and spectacle.

MMA, the UFC especially, has experienced remarkably rapid growth by standing squarely in the center of this crossroads for the better part of a decade.

Good athletes participating in highly charged and brutal affairs garnered the sport’s reputation for excitement.

MMA had picked up the fallen torch left after the demise of boxing’s heavyweight division in the 90s.

UFC 114 Hyped Event a Winner

The hype generated between rivals Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Rashad Evans paid off with UFC generating big bucks last weekend.

UFC 114 took place Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas also aired live on pay per view and attracted a sellout crowd of just over 15,000 fans.

The exact figures will be released later this week by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The UFC has declared the event an official sellout.

It is believed that much of the events success was due to the fierce and violent trash talking that both headliners campaigned with.