Author: By Duane Finley

The caliber of hype and expectation attached to Islam Makhachev isn’t thrown around loosely in the current era of mixed martial arts. It is earned through the type of performances that signal much bigger things waiting on the horizon, and the 24-year-old Dagestan-born fighter has been nothing if not consistent in showing his abilities in live combat.Before his arrival to the UFC back in May, the Russian powerhouse had collected a flawless 11-0 record competing on smaller stages around his home region. This string of victories made him one of the most highly touted prospects on the inte … Read the Full Article Here

The desire to fight has been a part of the Japanese culture for centuries, with a long history of proud warriors being produced. Perseverance is another recognizable trait among competitors emerging from the Land of the Rising Sun, as the “win at all costs” mentality most commonly found around the sport of mixed martial arts sits behind the education that can be found in accepting shortcomings. Although Naoyuki Kotani has experienced all ends of the spectrum during his 15 years in the fight game, his current situation has his fires of determination raging. After years spent working … Read the Full Article Here

Coming out on the losing end of a fight isn’t something that sits very well with Kyoji Horiguchi.Going into his bout with dominant flyweight champion and top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter Demetrious Johnson at UFC 186 back in April, defeat was something the Tokyo product hadn’t tasted in more than three years. During that time, the Kid Yamamoto protégé had not only racked up a lengthy collection of victories in impressive fashion, but he did so with performances that expedited his rise to the elite tier of the 125-pound range.Working behind a versatile attack where … Read the Full Article Here

There is something about spacing and distance that has been a natural appeal for Stephen Thompson since his youth. Although oxygen, tension and anticipation are the only things resting in the balance between combatants in competition, a standout career in kickboxing taught the South Carolina native to not only find comfort at range, but ownership of the space between him and his target.“Wonderboy” would go on to become a phenom in the world of professional striking, and use that momentum to spark a jump to the biggest stage in mixed martial arts when he signed with the UFC back i … Read the Full Article Here

The sport of mixed martial arts is a complex beast – one that is uncertain by its very nature. On one end of the spectrum there is the fast-paced, big tent promotion of the must see extravaganza about to unfold, but on the other, a battle that forces those involved to tap into the depths of something primal, all the while having the grace and agility to fire off hands, feet and knees with the precision that has come from countless hours of sharpening through preparation.It’s a difficult dance where balance is hard to find, and those who do it best achieve such status by being willing t … Read the Full Article Here

There has never been a shortage of aggression where Francisco Rivera is concerned.The intangible fire is obvious in the scrappy bantamweight’s fighting style inside the Octagon, just as it was years earlier on the gridiron in Southern California. Whether in football or fighting, Rivera’s ability to harness and control his aggression created performances that yielded successful results, and when something works why change it?Rivera certainly has no intention of dulling one of his greatest attributes, and his commitment to pushing the action inside the Octagon has made him a favori … Read the Full Article Here