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UFC 101 Weigh-In Videos
Friday, August 7, 2009
Kenny Florian vs BJ Penn:
Anderson Silva vs Forrest Griffin:
Amir Sadollah vs Johny Hendricks:
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Anderson Silva vs Forrest Griffin:
Amir Sadollah vs Johny Hendricks:
Manly Matt Hughes Highlight
The former UFC welterweight champion is featured in this montage of smashing slams and subs.
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Classic Fights: Hayato "Mach" Sakurai vs Caol Uno
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Many MMA pioneers and legends have crossed paths in the history of the sport, but here's a rare case where two of them made their fighting debut's against one another.
While their careers would go on to span a "who's who" of MMA organizations, these two warriors would get their start at Shooto's "Lets Get Lost" show in 1996.
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While their careers would go on to span a "who's who" of MMA organizations, these two warriors would get their start at Shooto's "Lets Get Lost" show in 1996.
Sick Cung Le Highlight
Monday, August 3, 2009
It's a shame he's doing so much acting these days...he's an incredibly talented fighter. Dear Cung Le, please come back and defend your Strikeforce belt soon, so we can see some more moves like these!!
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Barn Burners: Sokoudjou vs Glover Teixeira
A product of the The Pit fight team (home of Chuck Liddell and trainer John Hackleman), Brazilian striker Glover Teixeira faced off at WEC 24 with Team Quest's Cameroonian judoka, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. With both fighters known for their slugging ability, fireworks were guaranteed.
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Master's Series: Fedor Emelianenko
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
From time to time here at QB, we get the chance to put together special comprehensive video compilations of some of the best fighters in the world. This is our first edition, featuring "The Last Emperor", Fedor Emelianenko.
Here's his entire professional fight career, in one catalog.
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Here's his entire professional fight career, in one catalog.
Alistair Overeem On Aflliction, Fedor, UFC
The Pride/Dream veteran and current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem talks about his current fight status, Affliction fallout, and more.
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Smooth Anderson Silva Highlight
Here's a nice clean highlight featuring all of middleweight champion Anderson Silva's UFC bouts.
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Babalu vs Mousasi Picked Up By Strikeforce, Now Title Fight
Monday, July 27, 2009
MMAjunkie is reporting that the light-heavyweight clash between Renato "Babalu" Sobral and Gegard Mousasi, originally scheduled to take place at the now-canceled Affliction "Trilogy", has been rescheduled for the Strikeforce event on August 15th.
MMA 101: The Sweep
Saturday, July 25, 2009
We're heading back to the Jiu-Jitsu world for this edition of MMA 101, featuring the grappling-reversal technique, the guard sweep.While "sweeping" may also refer to the standing techniques of taking an opponent to the ground (including trips and hook kicks), the more common usage of the term in MMA refers to the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu form of the sweep, reversing positions with an opponent while grappling on the ground. Sweeping in BJJ is used to achieve top position after being taken down or pulling guard.
Technique Demonstration:
Fight Demonstration (setup and execution at 13:30):
Affliction "Trilogy" Cancelled
Friday, July 24, 2009
Sherdog.com has confirmed that Affliction Entertainment has officially canceled "Trilogy", following news of headliner Josh Barnett's suspension for steroid abuse.
MMA Art featuring Evan Showman
Some of you MMA die-hards may have seen images of Evan Shoman's work floating around on the net over the last handful of years. Here's a personal showcase of his near-photographic caricatures (including other sports figures and celebrities) from the man himself.
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Classic Fights: Dan Henderson vs Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Having already faced his brother "Minotauro" twice (at heavyweight, no less), Dan Henderson continued his rivalry with the the Nogueiras (and Brazilian Top Team), this time facing "Minotoro" in the first round of Pride's 2005 middleweight Grand Prix.
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Fedor vs Barnett In Jeopardy; Barnett Tests Postive
Sherdog.com is reporting that #2 ranked heavyweight Josh Barnett has failed a preliminary test administered by the California State Athletic commission. A replacement is rumored to be in the works to face Emelianenko, with names like Vitor Belfort and possibly Bobby Lashley considered to fight in Barnett's absence.
King Mo vs Don Frye Confirmed for Inaugural M1 US Show
Monday, July 20, 2009
MMAjunkie.com has confirmed that Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal will face UFC and Pride veteran brawler Don "The Predator" Frye on August 28. The fight will mark the first major American show for international promotion M1 Global.
Here's a recent interview with Mo, discussing a potential matchup with Frye.
Dream 10 Fight Videos
Marius Zaromskis vs Jason High
Katsunori Kikuno vs Andre "Dida" Amade
Hayato Sakurai vs Marius Zaromskis
Melvin Manhoef vs Paulo Filho
Jason High vs Andre Galvao
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Katsunori Kikuno vs Andre "Dida" Amade
Hayato Sakurai vs Marius Zaromskis
Melvin Manhoef vs Paulo Filho
Jason High vs Andre Galvao
Barn Burners: Fedor Emelianenko vs Gary Goodridge
Coming off a scare in his first title defense against Kazuyuki Fujita, Pride FC heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko would look to leave no doubt as to his dominance in his next bout against tough-as-nails veteran Gary "Big Daddy" Goodridge. Here's their battle from Pride Total Elimination in 2003.
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Best of MMA 2008 Highlights
Friday, July 17, 2009
One of the most thorough highlights I've seen, with top clips from all the major MMA organizations! Be warned however, the soundtrack contains some rough language.
Best of MMA 2008
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Best of MMA 2008
Couture Wants First Shot at Fedor In the UFC
From a radio interview. He also talks about Brock Lesnar, his upcoming fight with Nogueira, and more.
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Rampage and King Mo Talking Trash
*Language Warning!!*
If you're easily offended by profanity or trash talking, I'd recommend skipping this one! Mo arrives at Part 6 in the playlist.
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If you're easily offended by profanity or trash talking, I'd recommend skipping this one! Mo arrives at Part 6 in the playlist.
Classic Fights: Chuck Liddell vs Tito Ortiz I
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
By 2004, bad blood had been lingering between two of the UFC's most popular fighters for quite some time. Ortiz claimed that he and Chuck had an agreement never to fight one another, as they had formerly trained together. Liddell claimed no such agreement existed.
Whatever the case, any and all friendly agreements were set aside when the two MMA superstars faced off at UFC 47.
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Whatever the case, any and all friendly agreements were set aside when the two MMA superstars faced off at UFC 47.
Jose Aldo to Face Mike Brown for WEC Featherweight Title
MMAWeekly has confirmed that WEC featherweight champ Mike Thomas Brown will put his belt on the line against Brazilian smashing machine Jose Aldo in November.
Kit Cope Talks Carano Tape, Bashes Xtreme Couture
The Muay Thai star turned mediocre MMA fighter shares some racy details regarding his ex-girlfriend, and has some harsh words for one of MMA's premier fight camps.
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UFC 100 Fight Videos
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-Preliminary Fights-
Stephan Bonnar vs Mark Coleman
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UFC 100 Weigh-Ins
Friday, July 10, 2009
Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir
Georges St Pierre vs Thiago Alves
Dan Henderson vs Michael Bisping
Barn Burners: Andrei Arlovski vs Ben Rothwell
The uncrowned king of the heavyweight division in the now-defunct IFL, Ben Rothwell sought a new level of legitimacy in taking on former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei "Pitbull" Arlovski. The result was a highly entertaining showdown at Affliction's inaugural event.
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Classic Fights: Bas Rutten vs Frank Shamrock
In the early/mid 90's, Japanese fight promotion Pancrase played host to a roster of MMA pioneers including Maurice Smith, Yuki Kondo, Ken Shamrock, Masakatsu Funaki, Guy Mezger, and many more.
Future UFC champions and staunch rivals Bas "El Guapo" Rutten and Frank Shamrock were among them. Here they face off for the third time in a bout to unify the King of Pancrase title. Rutten narrates the showdown.
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Future UFC champions and staunch rivals Bas "El Guapo" Rutten and Frank Shamrock were among them. Here they face off for the third time in a bout to unify the King of Pancrase title. Rutten narrates the showdown.
Takanori Gomi Set to Fight at Affliction: Trilogy
Cagepotato.com is reporting that former Pride superstar Takanori "Fireball Kid" Gomi is scheduled to face Rafaello Oliveira at Affliction's third event this August.
Brock Lesnar Ammo Ad
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Have you ever seen someone so hyped about ammunition? I think I'm gonna go cry myself to sleep now..
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Barn Burners: Alistair Overeem vs Shogun Rua II
Having lost their first matchup in the 2005 Pride Grand Prix Tournament, "The Demolition Man" sought revenge against his Brazilian rival at Pride 33. With both men setting a high pace early, it was virtually inevitable that this one wasn't going the distance.
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BJ Penn Talking Tough at Kenny Florian
Friday, July 3, 2009
Seems kind of soft-spoken for an intimidation video, no? Maybe that's his "inside voice"...??
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Cain Velsquez vs Shane Carwin In Works for UFC 104
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Sherdog.com is reporting that UFC heavweight contender Shane Carwin has verbally agreed to face fellow contender Cain Velasquez in October.
Classic Fights: Royce Gracie vs Kimo Leopoldo
Fresh off his tournament victories at UFC 1 and 2, the legendary Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner faced perhaps his most tenacious opponent yet at UFC 3. While one would emerge the winner of the fight, neither fighter would continue into the next round, making UFC 3 the first tournament where Royce had not emerged the champion.
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NFL Star Troy Polamalu on Being an MMA Fan
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Last year's Super Bowl MVP talks about what made him a fan of mixed-martial arts. More specifically, Fedor Emelianenko.
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Behind the Scenes at Jackson's MMA
MMA guru Greg Jackson is featured in this in-depth interview. His camp is host to a number of high-profile names, including Georges St Pierre, Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine, Joey Villasenor, Nate Marquardt, and Donald Cerrone.
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MMA 101: The Sprawl
We're getting defensive in our latest edition of MMA 101, this time featuring the counter-wrestling technique, the sprawl.The sprawl is a technique derived primarily from Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling, and is also seen in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and other forms of submission grappling. The goal of the sprawl is to stuff and avoid takedown attempts from your opponent by changing position and shifting your weight onto him.
Demonstration Video:
Fight Demonstration:
UFC Lands TV Deal In China
Monday, June 29, 2009
MMAjunkie.com is reporting that the UFC has landed a television broadcast contract in China. The deal would give the company access to 240 million potential viewers.
Barn Burners: Roger Huerta vs Clay Guida
This headliner for The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale was a war of wars, complete with mean mugging, brawling, and all-around wreckless abandon between both fighters. Enjoy.
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Jens Pulver Gets Philosophical
The always-candid WEC legend talks mortality, aging, and his future in this interesting clip.
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GSP Sizing Up Alves
UFC welterweight champ Geogres St Pierre talks about his next opponent, "The Pitbull".
Here's a bonus clip featuring GSP and Alves at a photo shoot promoting their upcoming bout.
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Here's a bonus clip featuring GSP and Alves at a photo shoot promoting their upcoming bout.
Classic Fights: Takanori Gomi vs Nick Diaz
Friday, June 26, 2009
Former world number one lightweight slugger "The Fireball Kid" took on one of MMA's most notable bad boys in Nick Diaz at Pride 33.
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Demian Maia Highlight
In honor of his victory in our recent poll concerning the best Jiu-Jitsu fighter in MMA, here's a clip reel of ground wizard Demian Maia at work. For those who have trouble understanding how Jiu-Jitsu can be so effective as a martial art, look no further.
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Minowaman- Legacy of a Can Warrior
He is a punchline. He's MMA trivia. He is an internet meme, and an underdog's hero. He's a "can" and a "card-filler", and he is commonly the "David" fighting "Goliath" in Japanese freakshow match ups.
He's Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa.
Most would render his place in the history of MMA an insignificant footnote. A chuckle-worthy aside to the many-paged tales of champions and legends that populate the bulk of MMA's greater sporting legacy. But for those few MMA aficionados who make the transition from mild amusement to genuine curiosity, browsing through Minowa's eighty-fight record yields a far greater appreciation for the man and his moxy.
Make no mistake, Minowa's not a can, and he's not a joke. In fact he's possibly the toughest son of a bitch walking this earth, and his fighting career is an unflinching snapshot of everything grand and gruesome in an era of MMA.
(click "Read More" for the full feature)
The casual fan would have every excuse to discredit Minowa as a fighter. He's Japanese, and the Japanese have had little high-level success in western promotions like the UFC. He's a some-time pro wrestler (Lesnar's success be damned), who fights in plainly generic pro wrestler shorts, and often in pro wrestler boots or shoes. He's the proud owner of a well-trimmed mullet. He's smaller than almost all of his competitors, and his striking is terribly mediocre at best. He's known as much for the intensity of his entrances as his talent in the ring. The description reads like a blueprint for MMA irrelevancy.
A typical Minowa ring entrance
But surprisingly, when the facts are laid bare, Minowa proves to be every bit as relevant to MMA as your favorite superstar fighter. Yes, read it again...I said it. Minowa matters.
Minowa has fought as much top competition as some UFC hall-of-famers and current champions. Seven of his opponents have been K-1, Pride, or UFC beltholders or tournament champions. He is also a rare enigma in fight-sport whereby one man's losses are every bit as impressive as other fighter's victories. Among his losses are respected and legendary names like Wanderlei Silva, Yuki Kondo, Semmy Schilt, "Rampage" Jackson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic, Murilo Bustamante, Kiyoshi Tamura, Evan Tanner, and many others.
That's not enough to quell your laughter? Well consider the fact that Minowa has with regularity fought men who outweighed him by as much as 170 lbs...and sometimes more. Such is the life of a Japanese freakshow fighter. Opponents Eric "Butterbean" Esch, Bobb "The Beast" Sapp, Wagner "Zulu" de Conceicao Martins, Paulo "Giant Silva" da Silva and Semmy "Hightower" Schilt outweigh Minowa by an average of 164 lbs, and are an average of ten inches taller. Minowa beat three of them. Oh, and his next opponent? 7'2", 352 lb Hong Man "The Techno Goliath" Choi. In the wake of Minowa's efforts, Couture vs Lesnar suddenly begins to look a lot less like David vs Goliath and more like a friendly catchweight bout. Fighters like Keith Hackney and Marco Ruas made names as giant tamers thanks to single bouts. Minowa has made an entire career out of tangling with and often toppling men who are literally twice his size.
Say what you want about his record or his even his skillset, but Minowa's courage to consistently face men of such imposing physical stature is something that few in the sport could hope to emulate. Even still, his courage and his competition aren't the only things that make him such a unique figure in MMA.
Setting his fearlessness aside, Minowa's numbers continue to do the talking. "The Punk" has twenty-seven career submissions. By contrast, submission legend Minotauro Nogueira has twenty; Fedor, sixteen. Fourteen of Minowa's thirty losses have come by decision in spite of frequent mismatches. He's fought thirteen years, for eleven different promotions, in four different countries. An average of six fights per year, for eighty fights in total...four times as many fights as MMA legend and pioneer Royce Gracie. Twenty times more than UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. Laughter turns to reverent silence in recognition of computations such as these.
Measuring the value of Minowa transcends even the statistical and the numerical. His MMA odyssey is littered with a potpourri of historic and fascinating anecdotes. He fought in the inaugural event for staple Japanese promotion DEEP in 2001, and seven years later joined the inaugural card of fellow Japanese super-show Dream. Minowa made his name internationally for his dozen-plus fights in the legendary Pride Fighting Championships, but to the surprise of many, he actually fought for the rival UFC promotion first. Over three years before setting foot in a Pride ring, Minowa won a TKO victory over Joe Slick at UFC Japan 3 in Tokyo.
Among his eight draws are a contest with MMA ironman and fellow trivia-piece Travis Fulton (also a noted racist), as well as the only MMA bout in the career of respected Brazilian and American Top Team co-founder Ricardo Liborio. The much-ballyhooed 2006 Pride Open-Weight Gran Prix championship run of Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic started with a first round showdown against Minowa. Minowa fought Wanderlei Silva and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in a span of a month and a half, and he once fought nine times in under eight months in 1999. Reflecting MMA's international appeal, he's fought Koreans, Americans, Brazilians, Englishmen, Croatians, Germans, Japanese, Russians, and Dutchmen. He's trained Muay Thai in Thailand and Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil. It could be argued that Minowa is a kind of living embodiment of many of MMA's defining characteristics, particularly the variety of MMA found in Japan.
Perhaps the greatest revelation in Minowa's story lies not in simply overcoming the chuckles to find respect for him as a competitor, but rather in the way that Minowa forces the MMA fan to reconsider what he really values in a fighter. While the legends of the sport have garnered their share of universal respect and acknowledgment, and every frontrunner appreciates a champion or superstar whose coattails they can latch onto, Minowa is equally as beloved in some circles for reasons unto his own. Minowa illustrates the virtue of toughness, courage, and persistence in the face of perpetual and longstanding adversity. Every excuse could be afforded him to turn down such consistently scary opponents, or even to hang up the gloves completely. He'll likely never attain a major championship, and at age 33, his limited skillset will only further deteriorate over time. The money aside, Minowa really doesn't have anything to fight for but glory. And with more freakshow fights and likely more losses on his horizon, the jokes and the "can" moniker likely aren't going away any time soon.
But in his own way, Minowa represents hope for those in life who may never achieve great heights, and yet never cease to continue fighting; those who routinely face long odds and perpetual setbacks, but meet the next set of challenges just as willingly. He has stared down immeasurable odds and beaten them, and mustered the courage to face the best and give his all, time and again. Minowa is champion of no organization, and has achieved no single distinguishment as an MMA competitor, but he is forever in the hearts and minds of those who root for the underdog, and those who appreciate a tireless and unflappable warrior. If MMA history has some sense of justice, it would see fit to award "The Punk" something more than just a footnote or a side column in its annals. For while the champions and the greats provide the heights to which others can aspire, it is the fighting spirit of men like Minowa that help to define the sport, and to reflect the warrior in each of us.
Eddie Alvarez vs JZ Calvancante Confirmed for Dream 11
MMA News is reporting that top-ten lightweights Geisias "JZ" Calvancante and Eddie Alvarez will square off at Dream 11 in September. And here is the rest of it.
Bas Rutten- "I Wanna Chill"
Sunday, June 21, 2009
MMA fans know Bas Rutten as a fighting legend, commentator and all-around hilarious guy, but few know that he's actually a performer, actor, and even a recording artist. Here's his (warning) super-sexy romantic jam, "I Wanna Chill".
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Dana White Confirms UFC Seeking to Acquire Vitor Belfort
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The UFC president confirmed in a taped Spike TV interview that the organization is actively courting the services of UFC, Pride, and Afflcition veteran Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort. Belfort has a 2-0 record since dropping to the middleweight division last year. White confirmed that he'd like to see Belfort in a showdown against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
The interview aired during a commercial break in Spike TV's broadcast of The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Finale.And here is the rest of it.
Brock Lesnar's MMA Debut
The UFC heavyweight champion started his MMA career against Min Soon Kim at K1 Dynamite USA.
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Is MMA a Sport?
Just when you thought MMA had gone mainstream...
Minotauro Nogueira and his manager Ed Soares confront criticism from a member of a radio show who seems to think that MMA somehow "isn't a sport".
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Minotauro Nogueira and his manager Ed Soares confront criticism from a member of a radio show who seems to think that MMA somehow "isn't a sport".
Barn Burners: James Thomson vs Aleksander Emelianenko
Here's another "don't blink" edition of Barn Burners, featuring the memorable face-off between "The Colossus" and Fedor's brother at Pride 28.
MMA Aleksander Emelianenko vs. James Thomson - MyVideo
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MMA Aleksander Emelianenko vs. James Thomson - MyVideo
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