Author: Jake Martin

GSP and 10 Fighters That Helped Grow the UFC

With the UFC becoming the global phenomenon that it is today, it’s time to pay tribute to the pioneers of the company.Pioneers like Georges St-Pierre, along with many others, brought interest, athleticism and a taste for the theatrical like no other sp…

With the UFC becoming the global phenomenon that it is today, it’s time to pay tribute to the pioneers of the company.

Pioneers like Georges St-Pierre, along with many others, brought interest, athleticism and a taste for the theatrical like no other sport could possibly muster.

Before he was a phenomenal wrestler, GSP was an aggressive striker that used his karate background and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to defeat his opponents.

This slideshow is a dedication to those fighters that paved the way and made this sport the powerhouse that it is today, and these are those fighters.

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MMA: Irresistible Fad or Immovable Object?

MMA is the fastest growing sport of all-time, but is it here to stay?In 10 years, the sport has produced household names like UFC president Dana White, Chuck Liddell, Georges St-Pierre, Randy Couture, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Anderson Silva.But as…

MMA is the fastest growing sport of all-time, but is it here to stay?

In 10 years, the sport has produced household names like UFC president Dana White, Chuck Liddell, Georges St-Pierre, Randy Couture, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Anderson Silva.

But as we look at the past to determine the future, was the growth of the UFC and MMA a result of a popular fad that blew up within the 18-34 age demographic, or is this a sport that’s going to only get bigger and better as the years go by?

Undoubtedly, the obvious answer is that this sport is an unstoppable force that will ultimately conquer the love and passion from fans exactly how it conquered me.

Years ago, I stumbled across the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, and I was immediately hooked. In fact, I was really the only person in my close group of friends that enjoyed it. The others mocked me for liking the sport because traditionally, we all liked football, baseball and basketball, so liking a sport like “ultimate fighting” was kind of ridiculous.

No other sports could compare to those sports in our mind, but my mind was quickly changed when I saw Chuck Liddell competing in the Octagon. As the months went by, I became more and more addicted until I was at the point where I didn’t miss a fight. And what I’ve noticed throughout the years is that it’s incredibly addicting.

Not only do I have my father watching it every now and then on his own, but I have some of those same friends that would tell me I tweet too much about MMA watching fights with me. In fact, most of them can’t wait for the rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen.

As I went to college, I wrote a weekly MMA column in the university’s newspaper, and again, I was ridiculed for writing about a “sport” that promoted so much violence. My professors would constantly joke with me about it, and after being in the paper for two years, I finally have them coming around.

In fact, my biggest critic and hardest professor at Nicholls State University comes to me time after time and talks about how great Silva is. The reason I’m telling you all of this is because the sport is unbelievably addicting, and as it continues to bring in better athletes, the fans will continue to increase.

All it takes is more exposure, and that’s exactly what the Fox deal will do for the sport. With the UFC on Fox and FX and Bellator on Spike in 2013, the amount of exposure is going to be unfathomable.

This sport is destined to become one of the biggest sports in the world, and I’m honored that I was around to see legends like Fedor Emelianenko and Silva in their prime.

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UFC 144 Fight Card: What Has to Go Right for a Mark Hunt Victory

A lot is going to have to go Mark Hunt’s way in order for him to get a victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 144 tonight.It’s as simple as that, and the article could very well end right there. Kongo is a minus-300 favorite in this fight and rightfully so, …

A lot is going to have to go Mark Hunt’s way in order for him to get a victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 144 tonight.

It’s as simple as that, and the article could very well end right there. Kongo is a minus-300 favorite in this fight and rightfully so, but don’t count Hunt out of this fight just yet.

This is how Hunt can write a storybook upset against Kongo tonight.

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UFC 144 Final Predictions: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski

Bart Palaszewski will play spoiler tonight when he beats Hatsu Hioki by decision at UFC 144.This is by no means the popular pick, but Palaszewski is a tremendous fighter that is receiving very little buzz. He’s won five of his last six fights, includin…

Bart Palaszewski will play spoiler tonight when he beats Hatsu Hioki by decision at UFC 144.

This is by no means the popular pick, but Palaszewski is a tremendous fighter that is receiving very little buzz. He’s won five of his last six fights, including victories over Tyson Griffin and Anthony Pettis, but Hioki just might be his toughest competition yet.

For those that don’t know who Hioki is, he sports a 25-4 MMA record and really has the complete package. Hioki’s ground game is his bread and butter, but his standup is also a strength. But when Hioki steps into the Octagon with Palaszewski, he has to be on his game.

Hioki is the favorite in this fight, but Palaszewski is a gamer. I strongly believe that Palaszewski will have the advantage on the feet, and he will waste no time in getting in Hioki’s face and making this a grueling bout.

Hioki will try to get this bout to the ground where he has the best chance to win the fight, but Palaszewski will be tough to get to the ground. Even if Hioki gets the fight there, Palaszewski’s ground game is solid and he can be tough to submit.

What Hioki has going for him is that this fight is taking place on his soil. It’s in Japan, which is where he’s from and has had numerous fights. He will have the Japanese crowd backing him, and sometimes that can will a fighter to victory.

But Palaszewski is a veteran, and this is where his 50 MMA fights come into play. He’s not going to let the moment get to him.

When the referee points to both fighters and tells them to get it on, Palaszewski is going to take it to Hioki with unrelenting pressure. From the start of the fight until the finish, he’s going to be in Hioki’s face throwing bombs and win a decision.

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UFC 144 Final Predictions: Cheick Kongo vs. Mark Hunt

Cheick Kongo is going to finish Mark Hunt by way of knockout at UFC 144 Saturday night.Kongo is starting to put an impressive winning streak together with back-to-back victories over Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione, and with the way Hunt presses the action…

Cheick Kongo is going to finish Mark Hunt by way of knockout at UFC 144 Saturday night.

Kongo is starting to put an impressive winning streak together with back-to-back victories over Pat Barry and Matt Mitrione, and with the way Hunt presses the action on the feet, Kongo will score a powerful counter and send Hunt unconscious to the mat in the first round. You know, the kind of right hand that turned Barry’s world upside down at UFC Live 4.

Hunt made his name in Japan, and fans are very receptive to him over there. Because of that, he’ll be looking to give the Japanese another great show, and Kongo will make him pay for it.

If somehow Kongo doesn’t find the knockout, he and Hunt will put on a show. They both employ heavy hands that can drop their opponent, and they’ve proven in the past that they can take a shot on the chin as well.

Besides the Melvin Manhoef fight, Hunt has never been knocked out in an MMA bout, and Kongo has only lost by KO or TKO only once in his career.

There’s also that possibility that Kongo takes this fight to the ground and tries to ground-and-pound his way to a victory, but it would come as a complete surprise if that were his game plan.

Most likely, when these two fighters enter the octagon tonight, they will start off somewhat slowly because of the respect they have for each other. As the round gets to the midway point, look for the fighters to start to engage more.

Hunt and Kongo will go back and forth with exciting striking exchanges, and Kongo will catch him with the money shot at the end of the first round. Hunt’s aging chin won’t be able to withstand Kongo’s power in his right hand, and Kongo will give the Japanese crowd one more memorable knockout.

It won’t be all that bad for Hunt, either. Sure, you want to win and keep your job, and while defeating Kongo would be the spark for Hunt’s rebirth in MMA, it doesn’t get much more cooler than going out like a warrior in front of the Japanese hardcore MMA fans.

This is sure to be one of the best highlights from tonight’s show.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

10 MMA Fighters and the Movies They Should Have Starred in

Imagine Lyoto Machida starring in the Karate Kid, or better yet imagine some of MMA’s finest fighters placed in the movie role of a lifetime.Since the UFC’s conception, fans have generally gravitated towards the fighters and put them high on pedestals….

Imagine Lyoto Machida starring in the Karate Kid, or better yet imagine some of MMA‘s finest fighters placed in the movie role of a lifetime.

Since the UFC’s conception, fans have generally gravitated towards the fighters and put them high on pedestals.

It’s almost as if the fighters were looked upon as superheroes or even characters in a fictional movie or comic book, so imagine if these fighters starred in legendary movie roles.

These are the movie roles that were perfect for these MMA fighters.

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