Author: Anthony Fusco

Why the Fans Are the Most Important Aspect of MMA

Mixed Martial Arts as a whole has many different aspects. You have the big companies that provide the venue for the sport to be performed and watched. You have the fighters, who train to one day hope to earn themselves a title in their weight class. Th…

Mixed Martial Arts as a whole has many different aspects. You have the big companies that provide the venue for the sport to be performed and watched.

You have the fighters, who train to one day hope to earn themselves a title in their weight class. Then you have everyone in between. But there is one aspect that stands above the rest.

I’m talking about the fans.

Management will change. Fighters will retire. And through it all, the fans will still be there. That is how it has always been and always will be.

One of the biggest reasons that MMA is as popular and exciting as it is now, is the fans. Those people, who buy tickets to the events, go to a bar to watch the fights with friends, or simply turn on their television at home.

The fans make the events what they are. We bring a passion and intensity that is immeasurable. We cheer for fighters we like, boo the one’s we don’t. We shout and share our opinions with people we’ve never met before.

MMA brings out emotions in all of us fans. We feel fear when our favourite fighter is getting rocked. We express great joy when we see an outstanding knockout or slick submission. We cheer our lungs out when we see a true legend of the sport step away from the Octagon.

Without a doubt, fans make the events what they are. Could you imagine what the Bell Centre in Montreal would be like if fans didn’t care about Georges St. Pierre’s return? Or if they didn’t acknowledge when Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira won his fight at UFC 134 in his home-city of Rio de Janeiro and sat atop the cage glowing with pride? What if the fans didn’t react when Jose Aldo jumped into the crowd after his win against Chad Mendes?

None of those moments would be what they are now without the fans. In MMA, the fans are the most important part of the sport. Without us, there is no sport. There is no emotion, no desire, no anything.

The fans make this sport what it is. The fans are the most important part of not only MMA, but of all sports across the world.

All hail the fans. Because MMA wouldn’t be nearly the same without us.

Tweet me @FuscoNation16.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC on Fuel TV 8: Stefan Struve vs. Mark Hunt Head-to-Toe Breakdown

A pair of entertaining heavyweights are set to meet as Mark Hunt faces the young up-and-comer Stefan Struve. Both fighters have displayed improved skills, and the desire to win and move up the heavyweight ladder. Hunt is a grizzled veteran, and St…

A pair of entertaining heavyweights are set to meet as Mark Hunt faces the young up-and-comer Stefan Struve.

Both fighters have displayed improved skills, and the desire to win and move up the heavyweight ladder.

Hunt is a grizzled veteran, and Struve is the young lion looking to make a impression.

Let’s see how a breakdown of their skills would look.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 155: Costa Philippou and the 4 Best Prospects in the Middleweight Division

UFC 155 is almost upon us. The card will feature a plethora of middleweights including Alan Belcher, Yushin Okami, Tim Boetsch, Costa Philippou, Chris Leben and Derek Brunson. There are many well established fighters that fans know on that list. A…

UFC 155 is almost upon us.

The card will feature a plethora of middleweights including Alan Belcher, Yushin Okami, Tim Boetsch, Costa Philippou, Chris Leben and Derek Brunson. 

There are many well established fighters that fans know on that list. And throughout the middleweight division, there are fighters who are attempting to rise through the ranks and gain some recognition.

Fans may not know all of their names now, but these guys are working their hardest so that they can leap up the ladder and gain some recognition.

These prospects are motivated and have top-level skill. I think it is time for them to get some attention.

Here are the four best middleweight prospects currently fighting on the UFC roster.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 155: Is It Time to Buy into Alan Belcher as a True Title Contender?

Alan Belcher is arguably one of the most underrated fighters in the UFC today. He is the winner of four straight fights, which have all been finishes. Belcher is coming into his own and is finally back on track after he needed to have emergency ey…

Alan Belcher is arguably one of the most underrated fighters in the UFC today. He is the winner of four straight fights, which have all been finishes.

Belcher is coming into his own and is finally back on track after he needed to have emergency eye surgery to save the vision in his right eye.

He returned from the surgery to score a verbal submission victory over Canadian Jason MacDonald.

His latest win came against heel hook master Rousimar Palhares. He not only went on the ground with Palhares, but controlled and dominated him. He then finished him with a technical knockout, courtesy of punches and elbows.

Many feel that Belcher should be riding a five-fight winning streak because he was robbed of a victory against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100.

Belcher has high level skills. He holds black belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Tae-kwon-do and Duke Roufus kickboxing. He also owns brown belts in Judo and Hayastan grappling.

Belcher is 28, and is coming into his fighting prime. He wants to earn himself a title shot by fighting the elite middleweights of the UFC. At UFC 155, he will be facing the man who defeated him in his UFC debut.

Yushin Okami is a big, strong, middleweight with excellent wrestling skills. Belcher‘s game plan should be to keep the fight on the feet, use his advanced striking and prevent any takedowns that Okami might try.

If Belcher wins this fight, he takes a big step in his quest for a title shot. He is middleweight elite, and with a big win at UFC 155, he will prove to everyone that he is ready for the next step.

Tweet me @FuscoNation16.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 155 Fight Card: Can Joe Lauzon Go from Exciting Fighter to Legit Contender?

Joe Lauzon is the epitome of an exciting fighter. In his 22 career wins, he has never seen a decision. That is quite an amazing feat. He also holds 11 post-fight bonus awards. Four of those are Fight of the Night, six are Submission of the Night and on…

Joe Lauzon is the epitome of an exciting fighter. In his 22 career wins, he has never seen a decision. That is quite an amazing feat.

He also holds 11 post-fight bonus awards. Four of those are Fight of the Night, six are Submission of the Night and one was a Knockout of the Night performance against Jens Pulver in his UFC debut.

Many are wondering if, and when, Lauzon will take the next step in his career and make the transition from exciting fighter to legitimate lightweight contender. Let’s take a look at some facts.

Lauzon is 28 years old. Many fighters hit their prime between the ages of 28 and 30. Lauzon has lost four times in his UFC career. Two of those were to Kenny Florian and Sam Stout. The third was to George Sotiropoulos, when he was at the height of his seven-fight winning streak.

His latest loss was to top lightweight contender Anthony Pettis. That is nothing to be ashamed of. Lauzon has always bounced back after losing as well. That shows he goes back and makes improvements to his game.

He has been near the top of the lightweight division for a while now. In his UFC 155 fight against injury replacement Jim Miller, he has the chance to knock off another fighter who constantly hovers near the top as well.

If Lauzon is to win his fight against Miller, a few things will need to happen. Lauzon will need to start out fast and not let Miller dictate the pace. He will also need to maintain pressure and keep Miller on his toes with his striking or submissions.

Miller has the stronger wrestling, but Lauzon has the better striking. Lauzon should look to control Miller with his striking, and that could either set up a knockout or a submission. Miller has an iron chin, but that should not stop Lauzon from trying to find it.

If Lauzon wins this fight, he should be considered a legitimate lightweight contender. He has all the skills, is coming into his physical prime and is ready to show he is an elite fighter. With a win against Miller, Lauzon would be one step closer to reaching his goal.

Tweet me @FuscoNation16.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 155: Everything You Need to Know About Dos Santos vs. Velasquez

UFC 155 is fast approaching. That event will bring easily one of the most anticipated fights of the year between Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez. Both fighters are exciting heavyweights who want to make the claim that they are the baddest man on t…

UFC 155 is fast approaching. That event will bring easily one of the most anticipated fights of the year between Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez.

Both fighters are exciting heavyweights who want to make the claim that they are the baddest man on the planet.

They will meet in the main event of UFC 155 in the annual year-end show. There are lots of stats floating around about this fight and the two competitors.

Let’s take a good look at everything you need to know about dos Santos vs. Velasquez 2.

Begin Slideshow