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Nick & Nate Diaz: Two Elite Warriors in a Game Ruled by Athletes

Knockout power? Who needs it?

In the west coast lair of Cesar Gracie, there roams two ferocious lions with plenty of killer instinct. The Diaz brothers are Gracie trained Jiu Jitsu wizards with a flair for the dramatic, and a raw approach to fighting that does nothing if it doesn’t entertain.

Even with their blades sharpened on the mats at the Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is only one weapon they carry in their arsenal. The other threat that has been par for the course in many Diaz brother fights is the relentless aggression unleashed at the end of what can only be described as peppering strikes that batter and debilitate opponents.

The open wing style made famous by elder brother Nick Diaz has been nothing new in hardcore MMA fan circles. His ability to both run his mouth and run his game simultaneously inside the cage has made him famous as a vicious warrior with a lethal striking game backed up by an even more dangerous prowess on the ground.

While Nick has been smacking opponents around with smack talk and physical abuse for years, his younger brother Nate has been making his own waves lately as yet another hardcore Diaz component who can back up as much trash as he can talk.

Both men hail from what is known as the Scrap Pack. A group of elite fighters including Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields among others.

The paths of Nick and Nate have taken different turns in their respective careers, but their common approach to the game would lead any newcomer to MMA to peg them for brothers out of any lineup. With a style that rubs many a fight fan the wrong way, these two have pummeled and grudged their way to a place that few will ever attain in this sport.

They are highly recognizable figures in the game and their combination of brutality, flare, and success sets them apart from many of their competitors in the sport of MMA. Plenty of critics can paint pictures as to why these brothers leave a bad taste in their mouth, but at the end of the day like many defeated foes the critics can never deny the ability and performances they display.

The record speaks for itself, more so recently than ever before.

Consider for a moment the near four year win streak Nick is on finishing nine of eleven opponents. Or Nate’s five fight of the night and three submission of the night honors. But it is their respective recent bouts that really signal that perhaps their best accolades have yet to be written.

The name B.J. Penn strikes fear into even the greatest of fighters. Very few men are walking this planet who can say they didn’t give heavy consideration to saying yes to a fight with Baby J. Fewer still can actually say they beat him.

Of the ones who did beat Penn, not one can claim they ran the type of beating on him that Nick Diaz did at UFC 137 in a fight of the night performance. There is no question that great fighters have found a way against Penn in the past. But no one beat him down as badly as Nick Diaz did.

With a ruthless onslaught of endless strikes and highly technical ground scrambles the two went to war for three rounds, but it was clear midway through the fight that Penn was at the mercy of Diaz. No mercy was afforded to the all-time MMA great.

A true warrior, the Hawaiian refused to be stopped but the writing was on the wall in the UFC welterweight division; there was a new bad boy in town and he rode in on a dark horse.

For Nate Diaz his most recent UFC performance was an absolute stunner to many in the MMA community. A man simply known as “The Cowboy” in MMA circles is by far and away considered one of the top lightweights in the world.

While Donald Cerrone may still be one of the top lightweights in the game, any momentum he carried was stolen away by a game and relentless Nate Diaz at UFC 141 in, yep you guessed it, another fight of the night performance.

Setting a compustrike record Nate Diaz pummeled a stunned Cerrone in front of an unsuspecting MMA community with deadly precision that saw him land 82% of his strikes as he connected on 258 of 314 attempts. Go ahead fight fan, drink that in for a minute, we will wait.

Diaz outstruck a man with a 28-0 Muay Thai record. That is quite a feather in the cap of a guy who many thought only had a sick ground game to offer.

So all things considered, trash talk, rabid Diaz fans, fed up Diaz critics, filthy ground wizardy and peppering strikes that lack power but equal disaster more often than not, it becomes quite compelling to analyze the Diaz brothers.

Eddie Bravo said it best when he described Nick Diaz to Hurtsbad MMA. “You can’t create that. You can’t create Nick Diaz. That guy has some serious warrior spirit or something. In another life that guy was f@#$%^g Genghis Khan or something.”

While he was talking about older brother Nick, it very much applied to both the Diaz brothers. Coming from a man who has forgotten more about MMA than most of us will ever know, it’s hard to argue.

Simply put, the knockout power may not be the allure, the trash talk may be a turn off for some, but when it all comes down no one can deny how entertaining and amazing the Diaz brothers are when they compete.

Stockton, California is a hard town, and for two kids raised there, no one can really understand what they went through coming up and what made them conduct their business the way they do. But all in all that process combined with the tutelage of legend Cesar Gracie has created two of MMA’s top warriors.

Not just athletes, not just fighters, but in the words of Bravo “Warriors”. Take them or leave them but their scraps speak for themselves.

This article originally featured at Hurtsbad MMA. Follow us on Twitter @HurtsBad

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Brock Lesnar: Tragedy of His Premature Retirement from a Critic’s Perspective

Brock Lesnar. Two words, a name, a man, an icon and a recipe for debate which could rage until the cows come home and then leave again for another round. That debate could be waged on various fronts built around distaste, celebration, conspiracy, and c…

One question, more than any other, seems to rise to the top when talking about the career of one of the most polarizing figures the sport has ever known. The question has no sound answer regardless of the magnitude of importance surrounding it.

Why did Brock Lesnar retire? To take it a step further, why did Lesnar battle back for over a year from his bout with diverticulitis only to hang up his gloves as soon as he returned? Why not hang ’em up a year ago? Better yet, why hang them up at all?

While some simply cannot stand the idea of Lesnar playing a role as a component of this sport, no one can deny that the man fought 50 percent of his career in UFC title fights and won three of four.

Still not sold on his potential? Consider the only other men to defend that title more than once were Tim Sylvia and Randy Couture, both defending twice. One of those two is a living legend.

So, here we have one of three men to ever hold consecutive UFC heavyweight title defenses retiring after less than 10 fights in his career. Love him or hate him, that math simply does not add up. What would compel a fighter with that kind of potential to walk away?

The answer may be complex, but the argument against it is simple. Brock Lesnar walking away from MMA is a mistake. The man may not be the most technical or experienced of fighters and definitely not the most likable of public figures, but he had a wealth of undeniable potential to truly become a historical mixed martial artist.

Apparently the book is closed, and further chapters of that career will never be written. Somehow, that is a damn shame. Somehow, after all the critics speak their piece, it would still appear that the legacy of Brock Lesnar ending prematurely has robbed the legacy of the UFC heavyweight division and the entire sport.

Not all fight fans will agree with that previous statement, but consider the power Lesnar held to simply captivate an audience. Again, regardless of whether a fan celebrated Lesnar’s reign or loathed it, they tuned in every time he fought to see him conquer or be conquered. It just so happens that while the world was watching, Lesnar forged an impressive—albeit abbreviated—career.

Listen, we are talking about a guy who had never fought a round in his life as of mid-2007. Never set foot in a cage. Three years later, by late 2010, he was making his third attempt at defending the UFC heavyweight title.

Folks, that type of success does not happen accidentally. Any man can be beat on any given day, but few can stand atop a UFC division and hold their ground, especially given how hard it is to win a title in the first place.

Consider the varying versions of Brock Lesnar we saw inside the Octagon.

First, we saw an inexperienced Lesnar engage phenomenal-type heavyweight and former UFC champion Frank Mir.

While his inexperience in combat arts cost him the match by way of submission to a ground wizard in Mir, Lesnar was handily winning the bout up to the point of the submission. In his second MMA fight ever, he lost, but proved he could contend momentarily with a former UFC champ.

Next, an excitable and eager Lesnar decimated former Pride standout Heath Herring, essentially retiring a 30-year-old fighter with over 40 fights under his belt. This was Lesnar’s third. It was a statement felt throughout the division.

Next, Lesnar would face a man mentioned earlier, Randy Couture. He would face Couture and stop him, taking his UFC heavyweight title from him. This transition of the title from Couture to Lesnar seemed to signal the end of an era and beginning of another.

Now, Lesnar was a king—against all odds, many predictions and the preference of the masses, but he was king nonetheless. His record stood at 3-1, and he had attained what many will strive for but never achieve, and he did it in 18 months.

Fighters have spent entire careers never making their way into title contention, much less winning a title.

Lesnar did it in less time than it takes the average fighter to catch the eye of UFC brass. Of course, make no mistake, the brand of Brock Lesnar and his visibility among casual fans played its role in his ascent. Just the same, most fighters thrown to the wolves, as Lesnar was, would not have made it to the cage, much less succeed in it.

Now a champion, Lesnar wore the familiar target all champions know. The masses had seen him rise to power and now wanted to see him tested. His next test came in the form of a rematch with Frank Mir.

Their second bout was nothing like the first. Lesnar showed no fear of going to the ground with the interim UFC heavyweight champ. He took Mir down, held him down and unleashed hell on him. Lesnar stopped Mir in the second and unified the UFC heavyweight title.

His second title defense would come at the expense of a man who at the time was undefeated at 12-0 with not one man having lasted past the first round with him. Where Lesnar was obviously the champ, many felt it was simply a matter of time before Shane Carwin assumed his rightful place as UFC heavyweight champ.

As fate would have it, Lesnar nearly met a similar fate to the 12 men who came before him. Carwin hit him hard and hit him early, nearly finishing the champ in the first round. Somehow, somewhere, Lesnar found the grit to tough it out through the onslaught and found himself standing across the cage in virgin territory with Carwin—the second round.

It was here that Lesnar found his own rhythm and recipe for success. He cracked a code that had yet to be broken. He not only beat Shane Carwin, but he did so with a technical Jiu Jitsu move, an arm triangle. This man was a far cry from the Lesnar who had first entered the cage a short time before.

Brock Lesnar, still a champion at 5-1 only three years into his fighting career.

Then came the brick wall known as Cain Velasquez. This young lion had taken a far different career path than Lesnar to find his way to UFC gold. While their backgrounds were similar, their experience was vastly different.

Velasquez was not controlled by Lesnar, as others had been in previous bouts. He was also able to expose that which would prove to become Lesnar’s undoing. Cain exploited Lesnar’s intolerance for being attacked.

Carwin had found the kink in the champ’s armor, and Velasquez tore it open. He destroyed Brock against what many felt were insurmountable odds.

Lesnar was no longer a champ, and lied beaten and broken on the Octagon floor that had proved so kind to him in previous bouts. From here, another struggle would consume him as he opted for surgery to combat an ongoing bout with diverticulitis.

This fight would shelf the former champ for over a year. Upon his return, he faced former Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem and was stopped in the first round.

It took longer for the men to walk to the cage than it did for Lesnar to fall, and this prompted the premature retirement of a man who obviously has far more potential than his 5-3 record would have us believe.

It is one thing to fight in regional shows and go 5-3 as you strive to climb the ladder that is MMA success. But, to excel as Lesnar has—even in light of his defeats—is quite another achievement.

Suffice to say, the best Brock Lesnar we may have ever seen had yet to set foot into the Octagon. If this man could cut his teeth at the level he did against the opponents he fought at a championship level, how can one look upon his minuscule legacy as anything but captivating and impressive?

Forget the man, but behold the athlete. This athlete shone brightly atop the highest of mountains. It seems a terrible shame that his celebrity and the expectations surrounding it eclipsed such a promising MMA career.

See, the critics will tell you he never should have been in the UFC; he was brought along too soon and thrust up the ladder undeservedly. They will tell you it was the brand of Brock Lesnar that made him, not him earning his way in this sport.

They are right.

Yet, the business of MMA is still fluid, and what needed to be done was done. It simply is what it is. And while the critics may have chosen a different path for Lesnar, the one he walked can simply not be denied.

And the same argument against his rise can equally be used against his fall. Had he not been such a predominant figure or recognizable celebrity in the sporting realm, no one would give a damn about a fighter with a 5-3 record.

Unless that fighter was a no-name scrapper who had earned his way to the top of the sport in four years’ time, accomplishing the things Lesnar did.

So with that in mind and all things considered, again, it truly seems a shame that the potential legacy that might have been has come to an end far sooner than we might have liked if his name were anything but Brock Lesnar.

What might have been? With the cards falling as they have, fight fan, you and I will never know. But if the way it began was any indication, we have missed out on an amazing story among many great stories that make up this thing that you and I cherish so very much.

We didn’t all care for your antics or attitude Brock Lesnar. Yet, even when we found distaste for your approach on some levels, we found a way to relate to you and even wish for your success at times. We all wondered what the pinnacles of your potential could have brought to our sport.

Sadly, due to your choice to walk away, none of us will ever know, including you, big guy.

This article originally featured at Hurtsbad MMA. Follow us on Twitter @HurtsBad

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Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber Will Make This the Best Ultimate Fighter Ever

There are quite a few reasons as to why The Ultimate Fighter season fifteen will prove to be one of the best seasons ever. Considering the groundbreaking format on FX live on Friday nights with live fights, this season will stand alone as a blueprint f…

This is one of many reasons fight fans are clamoring for March 9th, 2012. Another alluring point, and definitely the most exciting part of this show, is the match up of coaches set to compete both during the 15th season of TUF, and eventually after the show in a rubber match of an intense and heated trilogy.

Sometimes in the realm of combat sports two fighters come together as their careers intersect. Regardless of their personal feelings of one another, they thrive as a duo; they perpetuate each other in a symbiotic relationship that signifies not just their individual greatness, but how far they were able to push themselves and each other to compete.

Simply put, the greatest of warriors is only as good as he has to be to defeat his most bitter of rivals. The stronger the opponent, the stronger a fighter must become to defeat opponent. And rarely, the absolute diamond of relationships is born spawning the groundwork for a trilogy.

A holy grail for fight fans, the trilogy is a culmination of circumstances that rarely come together where two combatants find victory, and defeat in such a fashion that demands that they compete a third and final time.

Think Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard to get the full picture. And ironically with that pair, after three fights the score still truly is not settled.

It is not every pair of fighters who can create this magic, but when it happens it is undeniable in the eyes of an entire sport. Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture come to mind. In the sweet science, Ward vs. Gatti still stands as one of the greatest trilogies of all time. Back to MMA, Hughes vs. Penn is another great example of two all-time classic warriors whose careers intersected in a poetic display of camaraderie via hand to hand combat.

Certain fighters were made for one another. Another pair of modern day warriors with growing legends of their own are Urijah Faber and UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. These two sincerely loathe one another, but regardless of their distaste for each other, they are a match made in MMA heaven.

They will prove to become the two greatest coaches, followed up by the greatest bout between coaches in TUF history during the year of 2012. They will become the spearhead for the UFC to bring its brand of combat sports to an all new audience on a new stage as TUF 15 is showcased on FX.

As always, the UFC will take every necessary step to ensure that not only the talents of the fighters on the show are worthy of an opportunity to fight in the UFC, but they will also ensure that the personalities behind the fighters will be equally entertaining.

But anyone who knows anything about The Dominator or The California Kid knows full well not too many personalities can hold a candle to these two veterans of the game. Both sharp as a tack, witty and outspoken, Cruz and Faber alone are entertaining to say the least.

When they get cooped up and forced to deal with one another on a daily basis, the competitive nature of these men will hit overdrive quickly. Shortly thereafter fight fans can expect one of the best tennis matches of trash talk and banter they have ever seen on a TUF season or anywhere in the sport.

When Faber and Cruz are done ribbing each other and relentlessly competing to win at every turn, even Chael Sonnen will have learned a thing or two about promoting a fight.

Both men are extremely likable, depending on which side of the fence fans fall on, and both men are incredibly talented. They possess a wit and charm that will make for some of the best T.V. in MMA history.

Most importantly though, they have a combined championship pedigree that will set the table for one of the greatest rubber matches ever.

As they lead these up and coming fighters toward their future as potential UFC fighters, the students will be learning from two of the best in the business. Team Alpha Male and Alliance MMA produce some of the top talent in the game.

These two are the flagships of those elite camps.

So when they bring their knowledge to the table, the fighters in the TUF house will be given a world class education and MMA Ivy League instruction under two of the top fighters in the world.

Again, while these fighters are brought along and groomed under the tutelage of Cruz and Faber, the teachers themselves will steal the show.

They will steal the show through their utter personalities, and equally through the anticipation they build leading into a match that will barrel down on MMA with the weight of a freight train.

The UFC knows full well what they have in the Cruz vs. Faber rivalry. And simply put, what they have is MMA gold. This season of TUF will be the most iconic since Forrest Griffin fought Stephan Bonnar in one of the most important fights in MMA history.

With the added angle of the UFC being featured on FX with a new semi live format, and the compelling mixture of Cruz and Faber, this season may very well set a new precedent by the time it is over.

The Ultimate Fighter: Cruz vs. Faber will by far and away become the greatest season of the franchise thus far. Every ingredient is perfect, and this will forever take the expectations up a notch, if not up to an entirely new level.

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MMA Community Comes Together to Fill the Cage for Kids This Christmas

Mis-con-cep-tion n. A mistaken thought, idea, or notion, a misunderstandingWhen the untrained ear hears the letters MMA or UFC, the misconceptions begin flowing almost immediately. For those who really know what those acronyms represent, the…

Mis-con-cep-tion n. A mistaken thought, idea, or notion, a misunderstanding

When the untrained ear hears the letters MMA or UFC, the misconceptions begin flowing almost immediately.

For those who really know what those acronyms represent, there is no explanation necessary. For those who do not understand, the sad fact of the matter is, they begin to picture nightmarish, sub-human, knuckle-dragging Neanderthals who know nothing more than blood lust and relentless violence.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Even in the darkest days of mixed martial arts, the competitors were nothing more than misunderstood athletes who desired only to prove their style of martial arts were superior to others. While that dispute was held inside a chain link Octagon and the basis of the sport was indeed violent, that was not the entire story.

That competition amongst some of the world’s top martial artists became the foundation of one of the most world class and highly contested sports on the planet in less than two decades.

That evolution from karate vs. judo or boxing vs. wrestling elevated from event to event to become athlete against athlete featuring all facets of hand-to-hand combat arts in a representation of something that has become an eclectic mixture of technique, ability, heart and desire.

Those traits could never be found in bar brawls or street fights. They are not found among less than integral beings who seek nothing more than to inflict pain on another individual. Those traits can only be found among the most world class of people, the most driven and aspiring of individuals.

The evolution of MMA has seen that truth come to light, as the sport has scratched and clawed its way to acceptance among the doubters and critics. That evolution has not come just among MMA brands and the athlete. That evolution has come on all fronts, among the fans, promoters, venues, legislators, and most importantly, among the critics who have evolved to understand just exactly what this community is really all about.

This mixed martial arts community is made of much more than fighters. The fighter is indeed the heartbeat, the essence of what makes MMA what it has become. But from the fighter to the promoter to the coaches and fans, MMA is a community of people who rise above the negative misconceptions that surround their sport.

Nowhere is that more apparent than in the charitable efforts found scattered throughout the MMA community. Examples range from Xtreme Couture’s efforts to support the men and women of the armed services to Tuff-N-Uff Amateur Fighting Championships sending fighters out to work with at-risk youth in the Las Vegas community. The examples of this sport and the people who truly are MMA and how they give back to their communities are countless and priceless.

Another component of the MMA community has stepped up to further those efforts that reflect the true quality of the people found within this business. The Arizona fight community is no stranger to breeding superstars in the game of MMA.

Names like Don Frye, Dominick Cruz, Ben Askren, Ben Henderson, Ryan Bader and countless more warriors have current or former Arizona ties. So it is no surprise that such a strong fight family resides in the scorching desert. That community is pulling together for the most noble of causes this holiday season.

Fight camps, fight clothing brands, news outlets, retailers and promoters are all pooling their efforts for one common cause. At times like these, it would be hard to name many more important efforts to raise the spirits of a community, all the while changing those misconceptions of those behind this sport.

When we say times like these, what we mean is a time in our country where children are celebrating this holiday season without those who mean the most to them. With the conflicts consuming this world, there are those who never had a choice and will be missing one of, if not both of, their parents over the holidays.

It is with great pride that we celebrate our men and women of the armed services. As a nation, we cherish their sacrifices in the name of what most would agree is a duty they serve protecting that which we feel is worth fighting for.

As a community built around fighting, for the right cause, we will always support the warrior in harm’s way without waiver.

Yet as their sacrifices are made, both in life and in death, there is a sea of teary eyes left behind praying for a safe return, or worst yet, a passing to a higher glory through the greatest of sacrifices. These children carry a burden that simply can never be repaid.

To have lost or to be made to miss a parent, the child deserves every bit as much gratitude for their own sacrifices in the name of a greater good. So it is with great purpose and a sense of undying gratitude that the Arizona fight community is calling on the entire MMA community.

Sitting inside of Boxing Inc. on the north side of Tucson, Arizona sits an MMA cage. With the help of the entire MMA community, the time has come to fill this cage with toys and gifts for military children who proudly offer their families into harm’s way.

It is time to show these brave young souls that while their parents may be across the globe fighting the good fight, that they indeed are not alone. That we stand with them and can all find it in our hearts to raise them up and show them our thoughts are with them. We can show them that we not only appreciate their parent’s efforts, but we thank the children for their unique sacrifices during these difficult times.

Filling the cage for kids is a simple effort for you and me. We drop 10, 20, 50 bucks and sleep like a baby that night. But for the children, it will mean so much more than that. It reminds them of exactly what their parents are fighting for.

We are a nation of patriots who—right or wrong, agree or disagree—believe in the right we have to do what we know is right. What could be more right than lifting the smile of a child who will be missing a loved one through the holidays?

Let’s remind them it is not their struggle to face alone, and that we indeed feel their absence or loss. And in the process, we might just go one step further to smash that misconception about who we are as a subculture.

This MMA community respects the warrior, perhaps more so than the average individual. To understand conflict, loss and victory, the heart and spirit that only a warrior can display, that leads us to sympathize with these men and women doing what it is they have to do.

Let’s rise up and fill this cage, people. Forget about the cage; let’s fill that gym with toys and tell these kids what we already know. We celebrate them and their families for the challenges they meet every day so you and I can sit back on a Saturday night and watch a fight.

How much did that last pay-per-view cost you, fight fan? Please do your parts to represent this sport, help a child and support military families who could use every bit of support we can give them.

If, for nothing else, to say thank you.

Self Killers Industries has pledged 25 cents for every like of their Facebook page. UFC featherweight George Roop has offered two tickets to the next UFC on FOX event for the cause. Hurtsbad MMA will offer one lucky fan the opportunity to be a guest host on The Truth Hurts Radio show when we welcome UFC bantamweight champion and upcoming Ultimate Fighter coach Dominick Cruz.

Also, Hurtsbad MMA is donating a signed MMA glove by UFC Hall of Famer and living legend Dan “The Beast” Severn as well. Dominick Cruz has donated a pair of signed gloves also.

To enter a drawing to win either UFC tickets, a guest host opportunity to interview Dominick Cruz or a Dan Severn or Dom Cruz autographed glove simply donate to the cause, and you will automatically be entered into the drawing.

Please send unwrapped toys or donations to:

Boxing, Inc.
4165 W Ina Rd No. 165, Tucson, AZ 85741-2257
(520) 744-7333 ‎

With questions or concerns, please ask for George Castro

This article originally featured at Hurtsbad MMA. Follow us on Twitter @hurtsbadmma.

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Frank Mir Should Challenge Junior Dos Santos Before Lesnar or Overeem

On December 30th, 2011, over 500 pounds of mixed martial arts heavyweight brawn will collide inside the UFC Octagon. Two of MMA’s most polarizing heavyweights will look to destroy one another for a chance to challenge UFC heavyweight champion Jun…

On December 30th, 2011, over 500 pounds of mixed martial arts heavyweight brawn will collide inside the UFC Octagon. Two of MMA‘s most polarizing heavyweights will look to destroy one another for a chance to challenge UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos for his newly-found strap.

Former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar and former Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem are both ever popular fighters with a swath of fans and critics alike. There are not too many middle men when it comes to these two; either you are all for them or all against them, but either way, most everyone has an opinion.

This matchup of such iconic heavyweights is a goldmine for the UFC. Their ability to garner attention when they tape up their hands is hard to duplicate, and combining them in a heavyweight super-fight of former promotional champs is a no-brainer for UFC brass.

Simply put, whoever wins this fight, which should prove to be highly competitive, will then face the daunting challenge of dethroning the man simply known as “Cigano.” The best man for that job was just knocked out cold by the new champ as he took the belt from former champ Cain Velasquez.

Yet no matter who wins a chance at Dos Santos between Brock and Reem, something off in the peripheral view of fight fans should be distracting them. That something is former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir, a man who, quite honestly, is far more deserving of a shot at Dos Santos than Brock or Alistair.

No disrespect intended towards two exciting fighters both with championship pedigrees. Yet the math on this one is simple. Lesnar is coming off a loss to Cain Velasquez that took place over a year ago. Overeem is coming off a performance, if you can call it that, with Fabricio Werdum that most can assume he would prefer to forget. The man has not ever once set foot inside the Octagon.

Brock is returning to the cage after his second bout with a very dangerous and taxing condition of diverticulitis. There is no telling what condition or shape he will or even can be in after his corrective surgery.

Before Overeem’s fight with Werdum, he too had not fought in Strikeforce in over a year. His previous Strikeforce bout was a title defense against Brett Rodgers. This title defense was his first in almost three years. So his championship status is questionable at the very least. His win streak is undeniable, yet on the other hand, his strength of schedule is.

So, up for No. 1 title contention in the UFC heavyweight division is a guy who has not fought in over a year, and a guy who has never fought inside the UFC. All respect as it is due. Perhaps there is another guy more deserving of a title shot than these two?

Or at the very least, that guy, Frank Mir, should be afforded the opportunity to fight the winner of this bout and earn his chance to face Junior Dos Santos as well. You have the short math on Brock and Overeem, here is the math on Mir.

Since one month before Lesnar’s last fight, Mir has fought and won three times in the UFC. Two of those wins were by way of stoppage. Most recently, Mir tapped out Minotauro Noqueira with the filthiest submission this sport has seen since Mir broke the arm of Tim Sylvia. His kimura, in which he also broke Big Nog’s arm, marked the first time the legend had ever been tapped out.

Before shocking the world with his second consecutive stoppage over the unstoppable Big Nog, Mir fought to a decision win over the ever-astonishing Roy Nelson. Prior to that, he destroyed another Pride legend in Mirko Filipovic by TKO due to knee strikes.

So, while the business sense of any fight fan can fully understand the allure of Lesnar vs. Overeem, the mentality of challenging rights is left questioning: Why is this fight for No. 1 contender status? Hands down, the true No. 1 contender to the heavyweight title is Frank Mir.

No amount of ticket sales can deny that.

Again, Frank has won three times since one month before Brock’s most recent fight, which was a loss by the way. In that same time frame, Overeem had fought and won twice. Once in Dream and the other a lackluster win over Werdum that made fight fans worldwide cringe for 15 straight minutes. Obviously, neither of Reem’s wins were in the UFC.

Mir has been raking in his stomping grounds and proved to be the same top heavyweight he has always been. Something just hasn’t seemed right since after his most recent win, as we wonder what will be next for him while we already know either Brock or Alistair will be facing Junior Dos Santos.

If we were allowed to play matchmaker for just a moment, this is what makes the most sense from where Hurtsbad MMA is sitting. Mir fights “Cigano” as soon as possible, no questions asked. The winner of Lesnar and Reem faces Cain Velasquez for the next shot thereafter. Hell, even Cain is as equally deserving of a shot at contender status as anyone else.

This mix up with Cain would allow either a rematch with Lesnar, which he “claims” he wants, or Cain could become the litmus test for Overeem as to how he matches up against a true MMA veteran, which quite honestly, Lesnar has yet to prove he is with any consistency.

So all things being what they are, what we will probably see is the winner of the December 30th match go off and probably lose to Junior Dos Santos. From where we are sitting, neither man can match the striking of JDS (sorry, Overeem fans).

In the mean time, while waiting for the first title defense of Dos Santos, we will most likely see Mir fight Velasquez for the next shot thereafter.

At the end of the day, though, while Bellator is forcing warriors to earn their way to the top, the UFC is still booking fights based on popularity and sales. Understanding that approach from a business standpoint, in the back of the mind of the fight fan, it still just doesn’t seem right.

Mir will have to further prove his worth while two guys who haven’t earned a thing in the UFC get to fight for a shot at the title while Mir has been killing it. Whoever wins between Lesnar and Reem will earn their first UFC win over a course of time that Mir won three times. That doesn’t include the win Mir will have to earn to get one step closer before he gets there.

That math just does not make sense.

This article originally featured at Hurtsbad MMA. Follow us on Twitter @hurtsbadmma.

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Eddie Bravo: Joe Rogan ‘A 10th-Degree Black Belt in Speaking’

“Joe Rogan was my first MMA coach ever” —Anonymous.Like many sports’ fanbases, the MMA community is a knowledgeable, educated bunch with high expectations when it comes to all facets of their contest of choice. The fighting arts…

“Joe Rogan was my first MMA coach ever” —Anonymous.

Like many sports’ fanbases, the MMA community is a knowledgeable, educated bunch with high expectations when it comes to all facets of their contest of choice. The fighting arts attract a rare breed, indeed. Most anyone can watch a ball game, but MMA is an acquired taste, without a doubt.

Over the years, as the landscape of MMA has changed drastically, the sport has become more appealing to the masses than it was many years ago as an unregulated and more openly brutal form of combat arts.

The result of this change has been countless fans being captured in the deep rear-naked choke of MMA, unable to escape and being forced to tap out to the allure of this one-of-a-kind, world-class display of heart, technique, athleticism and good old-fashioned violence.

As the sport of MMA evolves, so too do its athletes and fanbase. That evolution comes through the understanding and awareness of various angles and aspects which perpetuate forward movement in both the participants and the viewers.

Education is paramount to this evolution. While all of us simply do not learn and absorb what is placed in front of us at the same rate, learning is still the very heartbeat of the evolution of MMA. Regardless of one’s level of awareness within MMA, the fighter and the fan can never stop learning—or else the roots of what we have built together will wilt and wither.

With the recent development of the UFC being featured on FOX, more fans than ever will be tuning in to get their taste of this sport. With that in mind—with so many new eyes training on MMA for the first time—it is crucial that viewers have what they are seeing explained to them.

Not too many people on the planet are educated enough, articulate enough or involved enough in MMA to do that better than commentator Joe Rogan.

Like the sport of MMA, Rogan can be an acquired taste in himself. There are more than a few critics of the long-time UFC color commentator, but most would agree the man knows this business and talks a sharp game.

Say what you will about the Joe Rogan UFC drinking game, or his delivery, but many an MMA fan has learned more by listening to Rogan than through any other outlet the sport has had to offer. Rogan’s education of the average MMA fan has been crucial to awareness and knowledge within the MMA community.

There are plenty of experts out there who are no strangers to MMA and its techniques, but for every fully-aware fight fan, there are a hundred people who tune in simply looking for a train wreck. If they leave the scene of the accident, if you will, with a better understanding of the sport through Rogan’s delivery and explanation, then we all have won.

One of the top MMA minds on the planet, Eddie Bravo, could not agree more. A dear friend of Rogan’s and a man who himself has done his own share to influence the forward movement of MMA, Bravo is nothing short of an expert on the subject matter.

To hear Bravo tell it, there is no better man for the job of educating the world on MMA with the mic than Joe Rogan. Bravo took some time out from masterminding his 10th Planet jiu-jitsu system to speak with Todd Jackson of Hurtsbad MMA.

He raved about the talents of one of MMA’s greatest icons outside the Octagon, Joe Rogan

Eddie Bravo told Todd Jackson, “No doubt Joe Rogan is the best commentator in the business. He is probably the best fight commentator period.”

“He is a 10th-degree black belt in speaking.” Bravo said. “He has been doing comedy since he was 19. He can speak well under pressure. He is a great speaker, and he is super smart. He is very knowledgeable about the game.”

There are quite a few commentators in the business of MMA. Many are very talented and well-versed in what they do. Even so, Bravo feels that Rogan takes the cake. “I don’t think anybody can touch him, with his enthusiasm, his delivery, his informative commentary. It would be hard to beat.”

Bravo explained, “When you look at all the commentators, Joe is definitely the most knowledgeable when it comes to jiu-jitsu. He is knowledgeable about striking as well—he was a striker his whole life before he got into jiu-jitsu.”

Even as a close friend of Rogan’s, Bravo, of course, sees room for improvement. “His wrestling terminology maybe needs some work. He understands the basics and all that, but the technical stuff, maybe not.”

Bravo pointed to other commentators who may edge Rogan out in the wrestling department. “I think Pat Militech or Frank Shamrock might have the edge on Joe when it comes to wrestling, clinches against the cage, with certain exotic takedowns or setups. Or Randy Couture, he is the best commentator when it comes to wrestling.”

In the big picture, Bravo made it clear, though, “When it comes to jiu-jitsu, enthusiasm, being able to say the right stuff and the best stuff, no one comes close to Joe Rogan. He just smashes everybody.”

So in the eyes of one of MMA’s greatest minds, Joe Rogan is the heavyweight champ of the world with a microphone. And honestly, fight fan, are you going to argue with Eddie frickin Bravo? He might slap a twister on you—watch out.

So for every guy with world-class jiu-jitsu, every kimura or fighter who gets rocked, Joe Rogan truly is the godfather of MMA education for the masses. Whether you’re sitting on a high horse knocking how he runs his game, or you’re a first time MMA viewer, then listen up—you might just learn something you didn’t know yesterday.

This man truly has become the voice of our sport; take it or leave it, but show some respect for what he is doing for the sport. MMA is better for having brought Rogan into the picture, without a doubt.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand or from official interview materials.

This article originally featured at Hurtsbad MMA. Follow us on Twitter @hurtsbadmma.

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