You have to admire the steely resolve of Cleveland sports fans.It has been 50 years since a team from the blue-collar city on the shores of Lake Erie won a major professional sports championship. That last victory came courtesy of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns in 1964.Since then, the Browns have endured two playoff disasters known simply as “The Drive” and “the Fumble,” been surreptitiously moved to Baltimore by former owner Art Modell, and gone 77-166 with just two winning seasons since returning to the league as an expansion franchise in 1999, including six consecutive seasons with 11-plus loss … Read the Full Article Here
You have to admire the steely resolve of Cleveland sports fans.It has been 50 years since a team from the blue-collar city on the shores of Lake Erie won a major professional sports championship. That last victory came courtesy of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns in 1964.Since then, the Browns have endured two playoff disasters known simply as “The Drive” and “the Fumble,” been surreptitiously moved to Baltimore by former owner Art Modell, and gone 77-166 with just two winning seasons since returning to the league as an expansion franchise in 1999, including six consecutive seasons with 11-plus loss … Read the Full Article Here
Despite earning a first-round submission win over Ultimate Fighter veteran Bubba McDaniel in his promotional debut back in March, Sean Strickland still doesn’t necessarily identify himself as a UFC fighter.At least not on Facebook.“I’ll be honest – I’m really hard on myself with everything I do in fighting,” begins the unbeaten Riverside, California native. “I haven’t changed my Facebook status – my occupation – to Ultimate Fighting Championship yet because I feel like I have such a long road to go to prove to myself that I belong there and that I am a UFC fighter. It was a good fight, but to … Read the Full Article Here
Despite earning a first-round submission win over Ultimate Fighter veteran Bubba McDaniel in his promotional debut back in March, Sean Strickland still doesn’t necessarily identify himself as a UFC fighter.At least not on Facebook.“I’ll be honest – I’m really hard on myself with everything I do in fighting,” begins the unbeaten Riverside, California native. “I haven’t changed my Facebook status – my occupation – to Ultimate Fighting Championship yet because I feel like I have such a long road to go to prove to myself that I belong there and that I am a UFC fighter. It was a good fight, but to … Read the Full Article Here
TJ Dillashaw always expected to be in this position, standing in the Octagon with a UFC title awaiting the victor.From the time he broke into the sport at the start of 2010, the 28-year-old Cal State-Fullerton product has been focused on climbing the ladder and having championship gold wrapped around his waist. Fiercely competitive and unflinchingly confident in his skills, there hasn’t been a moment in his career where Dillashaw didn’t believe he could reach this point.But he’s also quick to acknowledge that he wouldn’t have arrived in the main event of UFC 173 battling Renan Barao for the ba … Read the Full Article Here
TJ Dillashaw always expected to be in this position, standing in the Octagon with a UFC title awaiting the victor.From the time he broke into the sport at the start of 2010, the 28-year-old Cal State-Fullerton product has been focused on climbing the ladder and having championship gold wrapped around his waist. Fiercely competitive and unflinchingly confident in his skills, there hasn’t been a moment in his career where Dillashaw didn’t believe he could reach this point.But he’s also quick to acknowledge that he wouldn’t have arrived in the main event of UFC 173 battling Renan Barao for the ba … Read the Full Article Here
When Francisco Rivera takes on Takeya Mizugaki Saturday night on the main card of UFC 173, it will mark the first time that the 10-2, 1 NC knockout artist has fought on Pay-Per-View.Owning a six-fight unbeaten streak since being released by the organization after a June 2011 loss to Reuben Duran, the dangerous knockout artist has quietly been working his way up the rankings, building a solid resume and heavy-hitting highlight reel in the process.In a division where champion Renan Barao is turning aside challengers every three to six months with relative ease, Rivera’s run of success could land … Read the Full Article Here
When Francisco Rivera takes on Takeya Mizugaki Saturday night on the main card of UFC 173, it will mark the first time that the 10-2, 1 NC knockout artist has fought on Pay-Per-View.Owning a six-fight unbeaten streak since being released by the organization after a June 2011 loss to Reuben Duran, the dangerous knockout artist has quietly been working his way up the rankings, building a solid resume and heavy-hitting highlight reel in the process.In a division where champion Renan Barao is turning aside challengers every three to six months with relative ease, Rivera’s run of success could land … Read the Full Article Here
Ask anyone that knows him and you’ll hear the same thing: Mitch Clarke is one of the nicest guys you could ever have the pleasure of meeting. Smart and funny, polite and caring, the 28-year-old Canadian is, as head coach at the MMA Lab John Crouch frequently describes him, “such a nice dude.”It’s not often that you’ll hear someone’s niceness being mentioned as a stumbling block to professional success, but as a competitor in the treacherous UFC lightweight division, Crouch is working with the 10-2 fighter to eschew some of those “good guy” instincts when he steps into the cage.“You’re not goin … Read the Full Article Here
Ask anyone that knows him and you’ll hear the same thing: Mitch Clarke is one of the nicest guys you could ever have the pleasure of meeting. Smart and funny, polite and caring, the 28-year-old Canadian is, as head coach at the MMA Lab John Crouch frequently describes him, “such a nice dude.”It’s not often that you’ll hear someone’s niceness being mentioned as a stumbling block to professional success, but as a competitor in the treacherous UFC lightweight division, Crouch is working with the 10-2 fighter to eschew some of those “good guy” instincts when he steps into the cage.“You’re not goin … Read the Full Article Here
There is a part of Louis Smolka that still doesn’t believe all of this is real.The UFC, the main card placement, the grand opportunity, the hype – on the eve of his second appearance in the Octagon, there is a part of the 22-year-old that still can’t fathom that he’s living his dream.“It’s pretty surreal,” says the undefeated Hawaiian, who returns to action Saturday night against veteran Chris Cariaso in the opening bout of the UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Silva main card at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. “I’m actually surprised that it’s happening like this. To be honest, this is something I al … Read the Full Article Here
There is a part of Louis Smolka that still doesn’t believe all of this is real.The UFC, the main card placement, the grand opportunity, the hype – on the eve of his second appearance in the Octagon, there is a part of the 22-year-old that still can’t fathom that he’s living his dream.“It’s pretty surreal,” says the undefeated Hawaiian, who returns to action Saturday night against veteran Chris Cariaso in the opening bout of the UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Silva main card at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. “I’m actually surprised that it’s happening like this. To be honest, this is something I al … Read the Full Article Here