By Mark Dorsey
(Yeah, yeah, yeah…WE KNOW you guys want a CP app. We’re working on it. And your t-shirts are in the mail.)
Anybody who has searched MMA apps knows that there are dozens of products on the market. This may be a stretch for some of our readers, but let’s assume we all have interests outside of the MMA world. In a scenario like this, where we don’t all have the time to spend our days and nights trolling the comment section here like Xenophon, it is necessary to sort through the clutter and find the essential apps.
Not to worry, Potato Nation; we have you covered.
Cage Potato and Boost Mobile have teamed up to save you money, time and memory space by providing you with this Comprehensive 2012 MMA App Buyer’s Guide. While the odd gem may have slipped through the cracks, most of the best apps for your hard earned money are listed and reviewed below.
News/Analysis
MMA Underground
Developer: Adept Mobile
Price: $1.99
This is by far my favourite MMA app for a number of reasons. I go to the “Forums” section multiple times a day for a combination of behind the scenes information from people like Dana White and Joe Rogan and analysis from 16-year-old pro-wrestling converts who live in their parents’ basement. It’s that dichotomy that makes the Underground a unique app that is a must-have for the serious fan. There are some negatives. For the casual fan, the cut and paste style “News” page isn’t very comprehensive and the developers are slow to satisfy customer feedback and concerns. I also seem to have the occasional problem loading and refreshing the Forums and News. Quibbles aside, the app has a slick design and is very easy to navigate. With information on local events and an official database of over 250,000 fighters this app is worth the price for all major fight fans.
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MMA Junkie
Developer: FreeRange360
Cost: Free
MMA Junkie is like the Associated Press of the MMA world, shying away from editorializing and focusing strictly on news. The MMA Junkie App is a great free addition to your smartphone, giving you access to all of Junkie’s comprehensive “News” content. The app also gives to the ability to save articles to read later and to email articles to friends. The best feature is the up-to-the-minute scoring from the live shows to keep you informed of the prelims and main card if you’re not able to actually watch. The upcoming “Events” section is easy to access, and provides a decent reminder of fights to look forward to. The app is simple and well-designed just like the website and I give it a solid endorsement for both casual and hard-core fans.
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UFC
Developer: MobiTV
Price: Free
This functions that this app possesses have huge potential but at this point in time, there are way too many glitches to make it useful. I suppose the ability to pay $44.99 to watch a PPV event on your phone may appeal to some people who have no other choice, but the quality isn’t good enough and it’s far too small when you have the option to watch a live event on a laptop or television. The most convenient aspect of the UFC app is the alerts for press conferences and weigh-ins and the ability to watch them on your smartphone; however, I wonder how much interest the casual fan would have in these options as opposed to just getting a summary of the highlights after they’re done. The biggest problem with the app is that sections like “News”, “Fight Cards” and “Fighter Bios” have broken links and are not updated as frequently as they should be. Also, many of the “Videos” just don’t seem to load at all. This app is a huge disappointment and I expected more from the preeminent MMA organization because simply put, they really should be leading the pack like their contemporaries in other sports like the NHL and NBA.
NEXT: FIGHTERS