By now it’s no secret that Lee is held in high regard for having greatly influenced, some would say even pioneering, the modern sport of Mixed Martial Arts. “He made a bold statement, quickly, when he first got to the states. A guy who&rsqu…
By now it’s no secret that Lee is held in high regard for having greatly influenced, some would say even pioneering, the modern sport of Mixed Martial Arts.
“He made a bold statement, quickly, when he first got to the states. A guy who’s been wrestling and boxing for a year can beat a martial artist who’s been training for 15 years. That pissed a lot of people off,” says Brazilian Jiu Jitsu prodigy, Eddie Bravo, founder of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu.
To say that Bruce Lee was ahead of his time both philosophically and physically would be an understatement.
Lee was an actor, but above all he was an artist and a martial artist, who took every opportunity to express himself and bring his way of no way to the public eye during the short time he was alive. In doing so, Lee changed the way people think, fight, and live forever.
During a famous interview on The Pierre Berton Show in December of 1971, Lee said, “Actually I do not, you know, teach karate, because I do not believe in style. If you do not have style, you can just say, here I am, you know, as a human being. How can I express myself, totally and completely?”
In his quest for the ultimate expression of one’s self, Lee created Jeet Kune Do, a philosophy more than a style of fighting, which means way of the intercepting fist.
According to Canadian martial artist and fight analyst, Paul Lazenby, Jeet Kune Do is “…the attitude that you build your own style using whatever works for you. That very thought right there is the cornerstone of modern Mixed Martial Arts.”
In celebration of Lee’s life and contribution not only to the world of martial arts, but to the world in general, Canadian clothing company Roots of Fight has released the second mini-documentary in a series of mini-docs about martial artists who have helped shape the world of modern MMA.
As a species bent on survival, fighting is one of our most primal instincts, along with sex and, of course, eating. Sometimes we fight to defend the helpless and downtrodden. Sometimes we fight to defend our land. Sometimes we fight to…
As a species bent on survival, fighting is one of our most primal instincts, along with sex and, of course, eating.
Sometimes we fight to defend the helpless and downtrodden. Sometimes we fight to defend our land. Sometimes we fight to win the heart and loyalty of our future mate. Sometimes we fight just for the sport of it. Regardless, we fight to live.
Whether we are using bombs, guns, knives or good, old-fashioned fisticuffs, fighting is a pivotal part of every single society on the planet and is sometimes used to either dominate and destroy or build and defend. Like it or not, fighting is a reality that we as people are in some way attracted to and a reality that we will doubtfully ever escape.
The pure lust and passion for combat has been reared to perfection by many a great emperor, king, queen and conquer alike, from almost every empire and nation throughout the ages, as they sculpted and perfected the supreme warrior to be tested in battle—a practice and mentality that continues even to this very day.
In fact, fighting has become such a staple of our society that we will forfeit a good portion of our hard-earned, weekly paycheck for the chance to see two guys or gals go toe-to-toe in an all-out attempt to test their crafted skills in battle and ultimately claim victory.
Although many pacifists may disagree, fighting is considered an art by most of the world, and has been since time began. So it makes perfect sense that the art of fighting has become a main attraction to other artists, namely filmmakers.
In the mega-successful, epic story of Philadelphian boxer and hometown hero Rocky Balboa (Played by Sylvester Stallone), we witness Balboa’s transition from street thug to world-class boxer as he rises above adversity to eventually fight for the championship.
The more recent and modern fight film, Warrior, also touches on the tussles of life as we see two feuding brothers—the younger a former U.S. Marine and the older a high school physics teacher—combat their way through a Mixed Martial Arts tournament before eventually facing each another.
However, when the films are over and the credits roll, we are left well aware that the fights we’ve just observed are nothing more than scripted acting and clever camera tricks that do their best in an attempt to fool our brains into thinking that what we have just seen is as real as it gets—that is, until FIGHTVILLE.
FIGHTVILLE is a hyper-intelligent new film by Pepper & Bones, Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein, directed by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein, which premieres in theatres in NYC on April 20, 2012 and will also be available on Video on Demand (VoD).
The 85-minute documentary, which follows the lives of professional MMA fighters Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier, “Crazy” Tim Credeur, Gil “The Thrill” Guillory and Albert Stainback, takes us on a journey through not only the physical aspects of the preparation and sacrifice required to become a world-class warrior, but also through the often unseen, psychological realm and mental conditioning that has been said by many a great fighter and trainer to make up 80 percent of the fight game.
“There’s something about a fight that attracts and repels us. When two men square off toe to toe, they aren’t just fighting; they are brutally acting out the drama of life.
“It’s undiluted competition, and while in its sanctioned form, it may be a sport, it’s a sport that isn’t played. It’s about giving and receiving hurt, domination and submission.
“For the audience, the arena is the place where their dragons are slain. A champion isn’t just fighting his opponent; he’s fighting to overcome life itself.”
FIGHTVILLE is not just another Hollywood-style, bang-em-up, MMA action flick that uses known fighters to garner ticket sales.
FIGHTVILLE is real film about real people, real dreams, true desire, total dedication and ultimately the will to not only win in competition, but to be the very best in life, overcoming any and all obstacles—to live and truly feel alive, which is something we all strive for.
FIGHTVILLE should appeal to both fight fans and non-fans alike, as it plunges deep into the human psyche, piercing the heart of what drives us to test the limits of our being, posing the question, “What is it that makes us strive to be the best at what we do?”
Featured fighter and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt from the appropriately named Gladiators Academy, Tim Credeur says, “We don’t just make fighters; we build better men.”
A Film by Pepper & Bones
Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein
A Heros Film Production
Co-Directed and Co-Produced by Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein
In a follow-up interview posted earlier this week by MMA Heat’s Karyn Bryant, No. 1 UFC light heavyweight contender Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was cool, calm and collected as he conversed with Bryant about his upcoming title bout with …
In a follow-up interview posted earlier this week by MMA Heat’s Karyn Bryant, No. 1 UFC light heavyweight contender Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was cool, calm and collected as he conversed with Bryant about his upcoming title bout with phenom, current UFC light heavyweight champion and youngest light heavyweight champion in UFC history, Jon “Bones” Jones.
Rampage said that he’s in the best shape of his life, is more motivated than he’s ever been and plans to prove it come fight night in Denver, CO.
“I came into camp in shape…I was motivated when I fought Chuck Liddell. I wanted the belt, but I was not this motivated.
“When I fought Wanderlei Silva for the third time, I really wanted to beat the guy and I was very motivated. I trained really hard, but I wasn’t this motivated.”
Bryant and Rampage also discuss the infamous motorboat incident and what Bryant would have done had she felt threatened.
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage poses many questions leading up to the UFC light heavyweight title bout on September 24, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The entire fight card is an exciting one and features many great matchups between both veterans…
UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage poses many questions leading up to the UFC light heavyweight title bout on September 24, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.
The entire fight card is an exciting one and features many great matchups between both veterans as well as newcomers, but it is the main event that has people talking.
How does the once-invincible Quinton “Rampage” Jackson plan to deal with the seemingly unstoppable force that is Jon “Bones” Jones?
Jones is unique in that he has an arsenal of weapons, attacks and defense at his disposal, and you never know what he’s going to do next.
Being unpredictable is a strategy that was honed by world-class trainer and MMA strategist Greg Jackson and has been passed on to his students and top fighters, who usually employ their game plans with relative ease.
Since joining the UFC in 2007, Rampage has captured the heavyweight title by KO’ing the sport’s most dominant light heavyweight, Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, has won Knockout of the Night honors, Fight of the Night honors and fought for the light heavyweight title eliminator, twice.
As accomplished a fighter as Rampage is, he will be facing what will most likely be his toughest challenge yet against the young and extremely talented champion.
The last time that Rampage fought a member of Team Jackson, he didn’t do as well as he and many fans had hoped.
His arch nemesis, former Jackson prodigy and former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, was clearly in control for all three rounds, defeating Rampage by unanimous decision at UFC 114.
Evans may have learned a secret about Rampage and used it to his advantage during the most anticipated and hyped grudge match in MMA history, as Evans intentionally threw hard punches to the knees of Rampage while engaged in what turned out to be an anticlimactic wrestling match between the two former title holders.
According to Rampage in an article written by MMAMania’s Jesse Holland, the Team Wolfslair fighter was suffering from a then-recent knee injury which the fighter and his camp had hoped to keep under wraps; both literally and figuratively.
“I remember one other thing he was doing—he was punching me in my knee! It was weird because I had suffered a real bad knee injury in camp but we kept it secret, we didn’t say anything about it and we didn’t even tell the UFC. I told my doctor and that was it, he helped me out but I was going to back out of the fight. The only reason I didn’t back out was the fight had been so hyped and I didn’t want to disappoint the fans. Why was he punching me in the knee though? That’s kind of weird—did he find out about the injury? I don’t know. It’s weird.”
Seeing as how Evans targeted Rampage’s injured knee, will Jones show no mercy as well?
A fight is a fight and a fighter should do everything and anything they can—within the rules—to win.
Jones has crisp, clean Muay Thai, astonishing wrestling, takedowns and throws, an excellent defensive game, doing whatever is necessary to not only win, but finish his opponents with class and style.
So far and to their dismay, no one has been able to figure out Jones’ mysterious strategy and unpredictably dominant style.
Knee injuries are permanent in that they will never fully heal and are prone to re-injuries, both in training and inside of the Octagon.
Perhaps this is the reason that Rampage does not fight the same way that he used to—the way that made him the famous fighter that he’s become.
When is the last time we saw him power slam his opponent or go for explosive takedowns?
Rampage, while not as highly decorated a wrestler as Evans or other top MMA fighters, is still a wrestler by nature, but has had to make certain adjustments in his training and strategy to hide the fact that his knees are blown and still be dominant inside of the cage.
His boxing has improved greatly as demonstrated against both Liddell and Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, as he finished both of them with clean KOs and avenged two of his most devastating losses.
Now, the question is, will Jones take advantage of his opponent’s weakness and hammer away at Rampage’s knees with his long-legged, lethal Muay Thai shin-kicks in an attempt to punish and displace the contender while stripping him of his ability to stand?
With at least one blown knee and possibly two bad knees, Rampage will be forced to fight within a five-foot radius while attempting to stalk the elusive young champion, looking for the knockout.
However, I believe it will be a futile attempt as Rampage cannot use all of his tools, and Jones will use everything he has to try and finish the brash, lifelong fighter and world-class, former champ.
Will Jones choose to take the easy route and disable Rampage before the sound of the first bell, or will he use his diverse set of attacks to prove that he’s the king of the hill without exploiting his opponent’s exposed injuries?
The riddle to this question will only be solved come fight night at UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage. It’s sure to bring fireworks, no matter what the outcome.
If you train in any area of Mixed Martial Arts or even if only a fight fan, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Hayabusa Fightwear. Some notable fighters sponsored by Hayabusa Fightwear include, Lyoto “The Dragon Machida”, Alistair Overeem, S…
If you train in any area of Mixed Martial Arts or even if only a fight fan, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Hayabusa Fightwear.
Some notable fighters sponsored by Hayabusa Fightwear include, Lyoto “The Dragon Machida”, Alistair Overeem, Stephan Bonner and Yoshihiro Akiyama.
Hayabusa Fightwear arguably make the very best fightwear and fight gear that money can buy and they’ve added an incredible new line of MMA training gear to their already amazing line of ass-kicking products; the Hayabusa Kanpeki Elite Series.
The word Kanpeki is of Japanese origin and means “perfection” in English and I can think of no better way to describe the product line.
Fashioned from top-quality, full-grain leather, each exquisitely beautiful piece of gear is constructed to last.
Functionality meets style with the Kanpeki line. Not a single centimeter of material went un-scrutinized. Everything was perfectly engineered down to the smallest details.
Hayabusa Fightwear represents the true spirit of a fighter.
I will be individually reviewing four separate pieces of training and sparring gear from the Hayabusa Kanpeki Elite Series in this Bleacher Report MMA featured slideshow.
In a UFC media call earlier today, we heard from bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz as he prepares for his upcoming title defense against former champion, current No. 1 contender and all-around fan favorite, Urijah Faber. Bleacher Report will take a l…
In a UFC media call earlier today, we heard from bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz as he prepares for his upcoming title defense against former champion, current No. 1 contender and all-around fan favorite, Urijah Faber.
Bleacher Report will take a look at some of the quotes given by Cruz in response to questions from various media outlets.
UFC 132: Dominick Cruz is “Not Fond of Urijah Faber”
Q: Do you fight any differently when you dislike your opponent?
A: “I do a pretty good job at not making it emotional in my brain. While I’m not too fond of Faber, at the same time, once I get into a fight, I fight just as hard as [with] somebody that I don’t like as [with] someone I have no problem with.”
A: “We’ll see how the fight goes…I’m just going to take it in stride. It is what it is.
”UFC 132: Dominick Cruz is a Completely Different Fighter
Q: What will be the difference between the Cruz who fought Faber before and the Cruz who will fight him at UFC 132?
A: You can look at my fights and see a big difference in every fight since I fought him; jits, ground game, wrestling, my body has changed, you name it. It’s been four years, you know. Everything has different in this fight.
“He’ll be fighting a completely different person.”
UFC 132: Dominick Cruz is Excited to be Headlining UFC 132
Q: How does it feel to be a 135 lb fighter and headlining a PPV UFC event?
A: “The division has exploded. It means a lot to be able to represent the weight class.”
“I’m cutting a lot of weight. It’s a lot harder to make the weight. It’s almost the sacrifice [of cutting weight] that gets me into fight mode. I feel that’s why 135 is such a good weight for me.”
In a follow-up interview posted earlier this week by MMA Heat’s