(Hipster, please. PicProps: GBRing)
Nick Diaz, it seems, is the new Tapout. Perhaps taking his cue from Jason “Mayhem” Miller’s iron-on awesomeness, Shinya Aoki showed up for a Dream.16 prefight press conference in Tokyo over the week…
Nick Diaz, it seems, is the new Tapout. Perhaps taking his cue from Jason “Mayhem” Miller’s iron-on awesomeness, Shinya Aoki showed up for a Dream.16 prefight press conference in Tokyo over the weekend sporting his own Diaz T-shirt. Where Miller’s shirt was straightforward and to-the-point, Aoki’s – which is manufactured by the TwoThree clothing company – was a bit more verbose. Seriously, this has to be considered the most unlikely MMA fashion trend since Jesus Didn’t Tap and a muddled attempt to figure out what it all means is after the jump.
(Spoiler: One of these guys is probably on this list. PicProps: MMA Bay)
Obviously, it’s a fool’s errand to try to predict the future; just ask all those people who invested heavily in HD DVD instead of BluRay. Here at the Potato, however, …
(Spoiler: One of these guys is probably on this list. PicProps: MMA Bay)
Obviously, it’s a fool’s errand to try to predict the future; just ask all those people who invested heavily in HD DVD instead of BluRay. Here at the Potato, however, we’re nothing if not risk-takers and with a large portion of our tried and true Cage Heroes either retired (Chuck), mired in slumps (BJ) or just living on borrowed time (Randy, Matt), we began to wonder this week: Who will carry the banner of MMA greatness into the next generation? In light of that, we present this list of CP’s Top 10 fighters under 25 years old.
First, a note on our methods: We compiled this group using a super-scientific algorithm that considers age, experience, potential and what Dan Severn might call “brawlability.” Seriously, we’d explain it in more detail, but you wouldn’t understand. Let’s just say graphing calculators were involved. Also, for utility’s sake, the list is restricted to fighters competing in major organizations (mostly the UFC, as it turns out) as well as dudes who are 24 and under. Sorry, Phil Davis.
Anyhow, here are our selections of 10 fighters who could be making noise for the next, oh, 20 years or so …
(Mr. Excitement. PicProps: Peace Magazine, Canada’s "Street Style" Magazine. No, seriously.)
There seems to be quite a bit of electronic hand-wringing going on this week about the prospect of Frankie Edgar’s first post-BJ Penn title def…
There seems to be quite a bit of electronic hand-wringing going on this week about the prospect of Frankie Edgar’s first post-BJ Penn title defense coming against Gray Maynard. Reactions range from sheer disbelief that Edgar handled Penn in two straight fights, to pundits wondering aloud if Edgar and Maynard are really the best 155-pounders in the world to a palpable feeling of dread about watching these two match their respective styles for five rounds. While both guys are too classy to say what really needs to be said to these detractors — we’d probably go with something along the lines of "Tough shit, assholes," but that’s just us — you can’t expect them to change their fighting styles just to please the fans, either.
For his part, Edgar said at the UFC 118 post-fight press conference that he plans to just keep winning fights until the haters stop hating. Now Maynard is also on-record saying he will just keep on keeping on, at least until someone can stop the takedowns.
(Just pick the one that goes best with your shoes, Manny. PicProps: The Global Herald)
It was only a matter of time before someone published this story, right? In the wake of James Toney’s halfhearted loss to Randy Couture last weekend at UFC 118…
(Just pick the one that goes best with your shoes, Manny. PicProps: The Global Herald)
It was only a matter of time before someone published this story, right? In the wake of James Toney’s halfhearted loss to Randy Couture last weekend at UFC 118, BoxingScene.com reports that pound-for-pound boxing king Manny Pacquiao says he’d be interested in bringing his skills to the cage, too. Obviously there’s no chance this ever happens – and we assume the next few months will be full of breathless “(Insert Famous Boxer’s Name Here) Also Interested in MMA!” stories – but it is at least interesting to note that even the best pugilist on the planet is willing to give lip service to fighting in our sport.
It’s also worthwhile to follow the link just to read the few comments on Boxing Scene’s original story. We don’t want to spoil it for you, but let’s just say there is across-the-board agreement from guys with names like “Neck Snapper” that “Pac” would destroy these “UFC fags.” There also seems to be some confusion about the proper use of “there, their and they’re.” Just saying.
(It took some time, but the Sao Paulo Big Brothers, Big Sisters program finally found Thiago a perfect match. PicProps: TattooBlues)
Much respect to Tatame.com, which is pretty much a constant torrent of breaking news regarding MMA’s Boys From Br…
(It took some time, but the Sao Paulo Big Brothers, Big Sisters program finally found Thiago a perfect match. PicProps: TattooBlues)
Much respect to Tatame.com, which is pretty much a constant torrent of breaking news regarding MMA’s Boys From Brazil and even publishes an English language version for those of us too boorish and unrefined to speak the country’s mother tongue. We can’t all be multilingual giants like Chael Sonnen, now can we? Is some of the website’s English prose more or less unintelligible? Sure, but God knows if American bloggers had to keep up Portuguese versions of their sites, most of the results wouldn’t be pretty, either. In fact, what Tatame lacks in clarity it often makes up for with a wonderful unexpectedness of language. Kind of like reading an Aleksandar Hemon short story, only better because it’s about fighting.
Take for example the site’s latest report on oft injured light heavyweight Thaigo Silva, which begins with a title befitting a Top 40 Country & Western hit and ends with a final paragraph that reads like some kind of weird, impressionist poetry. The facts are this: Silva’s back has been in upheaval since late 2008 and the 28-year-old has had no choice but give it some R&R afer pulling out of a scheduled fight at UFC 117. Now, if things go according to plan, Silva hopes to return before the end of the year.
(Fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke. PicProps: MMA Weekly)
You know how it goes in MMA circles: When two guys have beef they settle it with a 15-minute therapy session inside the cage. Next thing you know, problem solved. Hugs and high-fives all …
(Fuck ’em if they can’t take a joke. PicProps: MMA Weekly)
You know how it goes in MMA circles: When two guys have beef they settle it with a 15-minute therapy session inside the cage. Next thing you know, problem solved. Hugs and high-fives all around. It’s pretty much the best formula we know of for conflict resolution that doesn’t involve some bullshit like talking or mutual understanding or compromise. Hence, those terrible “Fighting Solves Everything” T-shirts you see around sometimes.
